We Were Young

Chapter One - Sweet Dreams

January 2004, Potter Household

Harry wasn't sure what it was that made him bring the ring home that night rather than taking it straight to evidence where it belonged. Maybe it was the fact that he had been away on a mission chasing a dark wizard across Yorkshire for the past 3 weeks and hadn't been able to come home once during that time. Maybe it was that he had been awake for 30 hours straight when it all came to a close. Maybe he just didn't want to admit that he was curious about where it came from and why the man had been so keen to give it to him in the first place.

But he'd pocketed it, gone home with his reports to fill in later, crawled into bed with his pregnant wife and gone to sleep. That was the last thing he remembered. He was sure he had gotten home. So where was he now?

Lying stiff in the darkness of a room completely empty bar another single bed on the opposite side and a small cabinet between them with a lamp, he listened. There was a small window in the door that let the barest trickle of light through, the sounds of rolling wheels on vinyl flooring and the quiet murmuring of people working quietly through the night. A hospital? Had he been injured? Had he dreamed getting home?

Reaching blindly over the desk beside him he knocked something made of glass onto the floor - a pair of glasses - when was the last time he'd worn glasses? And turned on the lamp. It was a hospital room. A old, but familiar wand lying underneath it along with a newspaper with a bizarre and unnerving title scrawled across the top.

'Serial Killer Sirius Black Hands Himself In!'

He sat up, counted his fingers, checked his hands, his arms, torso, legs. 10 toes. He felt fine. Where was his wedding ring? On his hand was the ring he'd picked up out of the box the night before instead. He didn't remember ever having put it on. The wand on the bedside cabinet was definitely his old wand. Holly with a phoenix feather core, 11 inches long. The identical twin to Tom Riddles wand. He hadn't used it since it had been broken. He'd repaired it with the elder wand, but had only ever used the elder wand after what had happened that night. Too many dead. Voldemort still on the loose, and Hogwarts torn to the ground along with most of the students and staff inside. It had taken them years afterwards to finally kill Voldemort and start to pick their lives up again. The few of them that were left that is.

Picking it up in one hand, he twirled it between his fingers. An old friend. But who had taken the elder wand? And why would they leave his old wand behind? How would they have even gotten it from his office at home? Did they not know that they wouldn't be able to use the elder wand properly without killing him first?

He supposed he was lucky on that last one. He went to stand but swayed and sat back down with a thump. Some strange vertigo came over him, like he was seeing the world from a different point of view. Was he shorter? And Merlin did he feel unwell. Like someone had drained all the magic out of him and was dripping it back in slowly.

With a sigh he snatched the newspaper up from the side. What date was it? How long had he been out? Expecting it to be one of the conspiracy or joke magazines that were running around these days, he didn't take much notice of the name of the paper until after he had seen the date.

8th June, 1996. The Daily Prophet.

Under the title is Sirius Black, bound with magic infused rope, being walked into the Ministry by Kingsley Shacklebolt. He is calm, collected and wearing suited robes. He's beaming. There's a contrasting picture beside it of Sirius when he was captured on the night of his parents death, screaming, a mad man. The difference is astonishing. Enough so that Harry found himself entranced watching the loops of the magical pictures for a few moments before he turned the page with shaking hands to read the body of the article.

'I want to be the godfather he deserves' says Black. Our sources say that Harry Potter was taken ill from the Ministry of Magic just 3 weeks prior in the early hours of the morning. While no comments have been made on his health, the silence is surely a sign of something seriously sinister going on with the wayward teen.

Little known to most, Black is actually Potters legal guardian, and up until now, has been unable to fulfil that duty. Claims are being made that Black is innocent and was wrongfully imprisoned 15 years ago, and is handing himself in to await the trial he was denied when the tragic events following the death of James and Lily Potter all those years ago. Presumably he wants to be free to nurse his poor ailing godson back to health, like the father Harry never had. A touching story, if, of course, he is found innocent. Here are the events so far as we know it:

31st October 1981: The death of Lily and James Potter - a national tragedy…'

Harry skipped ahead, scanning the page until he found the part he wanted to see.

'Reasons for Potters presence in the lower recesses of the Ministry of Magic have yet been confirmed, however a large number of Death Eaters were recaptured in the process, and numerous precious artefacts were destroyed during the confrontation. The cost of these damages is yet to be summarised, but is expected to be astronomical. Black evaded capture, but was seen leaving Saint Mungoes later that morning, where Potter was allegedly taken after the fallout.…'

That was certainly different. He read on in disbelief.

'Black turned himself in to the authorities shortly after the sighting. He gave us a statement, saying that Peter Pettigrew is not, in fact, dead, that it was he who was the secret keeper for the Potters. He claims that he had faked his death (Is this all a false ploy to bring sympathy to Potters cause?) and murdered the muggles, leaving Black in the aftermath.

He says he has proof! He's out for revenge! Will he and the young Harry Potter be reunited as the family they should have been? Blacks trial is slated for the 30th of June….'

Harry stopped reading, throwing the paper aside. Was he dreaming? About some sort of alternate reality where Sirius had survived and had, for some unknown reason, thrown himself to the wolves in an attempt to legally become his guardian? There was a reason they hadn't done it before. Without Pettigrew there was no real tangible proof. They had memories, sure, and in some cases they were used alongside veritaserum, wherein a unspeakable adept at memory reading would come and validate that it had not been tampered with. But the strings that would have to be pulled to make that happen… They would need multiple clear memories with full view of Pettigrew speaking, and confirming his identity. And lots of money. Not that Sirius had any lack of that.

He pinched himself. Nothing happened.

He had to take what was happening at face value. Treat it as real. If he woke up and it was a dream, then great. If not, he wasn't risking dying to some death eater plot where they make him think he had gone back in time to get him to let his guard down.

So he was supposed to be sick, in a coma, and Sirius' trial was on the 30th. Had he missed it? Dream, alternate reality or what, Sirius would need all the help he could get to win that case, and Harry's memories would go a long way to help with that. June 1996. Where had Pettigrew been hiding out around then? There was no time or use in checking all of the big death eater households. He took a deep, bracing breath and slowly stood up, baring through the slight dizziness as he did, holding onto the cabinet for support.

He was in pajamas. Of course he was. What on earth was he supposed to do now? Wand at his side, he crept over to the window on the only door out of the room. Peering through it, careful to keep himself out of sight as much as possible, he saw what he recognised as an empty St Mungoes ward. There were no healers in sight. There was a single door across and slightly to the left of his that was wide open. Out of it he could see a man in a suit slightly worse for wear with greying dirty blonde hair.

Carefully opening the door a crack, enough to hear but not enough to create suspicion, he listened hard to what was going on in the other room. The man had his back to him but he could just about make out…

'…wouldn't let you have used him in the trial anyway, Remus, he's a kid, he has no place in a court room.' A woman was saying.

'Oh come off it Molly-' Harry's heart stopped. Mrs Weasley? When the woman had spoken her voice had sounded familiar, but he hadn't heard her voice in years. Of course it was her, he would recognise her voice anywhere. And the other voice… if that had been Molly…

'-you care for him, I know that, but he's not yours to command, and if he was awake, he'd be there whether you like it or not.'

Harry's heart soared at the sound of Remus' voice. It had been so long since he'd seen him alive that he'd forgotten the sound of his he had dreamed of him the voice had been wrong, he realised that now, hearing it again after all those years. Did that mean he wasn't dreaming? Was this somehow real? What had that ring done? Ginny was right, he shouldn't have touched it.

'I have to go to work.' Mr Weasley was putting on his coat, half way out the door, pushing past Remus. 'I'll pop down and see you all when you arrive for the trial if I can.' And he was gone, off down the hall, without a glance towards Harry's door.

There was a brief strained silence before Remus spoke again. 'Are you sure you want to come? If he doesn't win, and you're seen to have supported him…' he shook his head. 'And the kids being there too…'

'He's going to win. Of course he is!' exclaimed Mrs Weasley. 'But if he goes down, we'll go down with him, and Harry too, bless his soul. He's innocent, I don't care what people think of us.' she said fiercely, and Harry was reminded of where Ginny got her spirit from.

With Molly it had become subdued over the years, but it came out sometimes. Like when she saved Ginny's life during the war at Hogwarts. That fight had been the one that took her life. 'You have to go too. You need to be there early as one of his witnesses. And I need to get home and sort breakfast out for the kids, they'll be down soon and wonder where I am.'

He yanked his head back away from the crack in the door and quietly shut the door again, peering around the edge of the window to watch as Remus finally left the other room fully and shut the door behind him. Rapidly casting a spell on himself to stop people from taking notice of him, he shot out of the door and after the disappearing werewolf. He exited the empty ward, passing Aurors guarding the door with a nod, and out into the hospital proper. It was awkward trying to quietly manoeuvre around the bustling visitors and healers on the main wards but managed to follow him down to reception and into the apparation point without too much trouble.

There was a moment where he considered grabbing Remus' arm and side along apparating with him, damning the risks, but thought better of it. Though maybe…maybe he could redirect the travel… In a split second, he made the choice, lurching forward to grab his old friend my the shoulder, he turned, forcefully apparating them both to the alley where Grimmauld Place was.

Remus fought him the whole way. When they landed in a heap on the cold ground they both sprang from each other, wands raised.

Harry quickly dropped the charms he'd placed on himself earlier, and raised his arms in the air in surrender. 'It's me, it's Harry - I needed to get us both out of there to talk without causing a scene.'

Remus kept his wand raised, a face of thunder. 'A scene? A SCENE? Harry Potter I swea- you idiot! Why didn't you shout of me instead. Spoke to me, even. I could have spliced us both trying to fight you off - I thought you were a death eater.' He kept his wand arm up while surreptitiously checking to make sure he still had all his body parts. 'You are bloody lucky.' He said finally.

'Ask me a question - test me, so you're sure I'm me and you can lower your bloody wand, Remus.'

He frowned. 'Harry I -'

'My dad used to refer to your lycanthropy as your furry little problem. He also tried to keep you a stock of chocolate in the boys dormitory for the full moon but Sirius would occasionally steal it, eat it all and make himself horrendously sick.' He paused, then for good measure, added. 'You're also hopelessly in love with Tonks but too much of an idiot to act on it.'

Remus' wand dropped to his side, mouth open. 'How did you - did Sirius tell you…?'

Harry shook his head. 'Later, now call the house so I know you're you. If I'm going to make it to this trial I need to have a shower and find some real clothes. For good measure - what did Hermione and I use to save Buckbeak's life?'

The older wizard blinked and 12 Grimmauld Place surfaced out of the alley, the houses either side of it moving to make room. 'Get inside, now.' He growled. 'And you used a bloody time turner.'

Harry held his hands up in surrender and walked into the house ahead of him. The moment the door shut behind them both Remus tried to steer him into the kitchen to sit but Harry avoided him and started up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

'Harry… HARRY!' he ran behind him but he was already into the bathroom and had it locked with an advanced sealing charm that would take Remus longer to break through than it would to take him to finish a shower.

He thumped on the door. 'Harry , come back out here now.' his voice was dangerously low.

Ignoring him, he ran the shower and jumped under the still cold water. He couldn't help the smile that came across his face. Remus was alive. He was going to see Sirius. And by the sounds of it, Tonks too, who was shouting at Remus for waking her up.

'He APPARATED us here, Tonks. He woke up, and then just…. How? Who taught him that? Albus? Do you think Ron and Hermione are running around doing that? He's bloody lucky the ministry probably can't prove it was him that did it in the middle of a highly populated wizarding city.' More banging. 'Harry I'm not messing around. Get. Out.'

If this was a dream, it was one hell of a good one. He only hoped that if it was, when he woke up he could remember enough of it to tell Ginny. Drying himself with a quick spell, he put his pyjamas back on and transfigured them into the best imitation of a good suit that he could. A tailor he was not, but it would do. Unsticking the door, he was met with silence. Tonks just looked amused.

'Have you really grown that much in 3 weeks? We should put you in a coma more often Harry, you must have grown a foot!' She leant in consiprationally. 'Who taught you to apparate? Remus might kill them.'

'It's a long story.' His eyes were on Lupin, who at this point, looked more likely to kill Harry than anyone else. 'Look, you're late. I'm fine. I showered, I'm dressed, when we get there, I'll even eat, but I feel great, and Sirius will not win this trial if I don't stand for him and give up my memories of Pettigrew. So take me with you, and I'll tell you whatever you want while we wait for the trial to start.'

The look on his face was enough for Harry to know he'd won. He wanted his friend to be free more than anyone else did. And Harry had seen himself in the mirror, he looked perfectly healthy and well. He still hesitated as he spoke. 'Harry…' he shut his eyes. 'Harry, in 20 minutes I'm going to get a horrified message from Molly Weasley saying you've gone missing. And in an hour everyone will arrive to watch the trial, and give you hell.'

'I know.'

He grimaced. 'Fine. We're late. Very late. You're on the list of witnesses but I don't know if they'll let you just show up and take the stand.' He was dragging Harry back downstairs and towards the street so he could take them to the ministry.

'See you soon!' Tonks was shouting.

'Is everyone going to be there? The whole of the order? Ron? Hermione?' he asked as they landed in the atrium and ran past the security desk and straight to the elevator.

'Yes. He goes down, we all go down. He's innocent.'

Half an hour later, the pair of them sat in the chamber that the trial would soon take place in. It was empty so far except for the various members of the Wizengamot that were slowly filtering in, and Susan Bones, who was fiddling with the chair that Sirius would soon be chained to. Remus had managed to find him a mug of soup and was forcing him to eat it while they waited.

'Who taught you to apparate?' he asked, eyeing Harry cautiously, like he might suddenly collapse at any minute.

Harry considered the question for a moment, trying to remember the name of his instructor in school. 'Wilkie Twycross.' he said finally, sure he'd remembered correctly.

Remus gave him a look 'I meant seriously, Harry. Don't mess around.'

Harry just smiled, sipping his soup with both hands around the mug. 'How did I end up in a coma?'

The colour drained from his face. 'You don't remember? Don't make me regret not carting you straight back to Saint Mungoes, damn the trial.'

He rolled his eyes. 'No, look.' He pushed himself back on the bench, setting his mug on the seat between his legs. 'I remember the Ministry. I remember why I came here. I remember you all arriving, but… that's it.'

He pursed his lips. 'What's the very last thing you remember?'

He took a gamble. 'Sirius fighting Bellatrix on a dais.'

But Lupin was nodding. 'Yeah, and you just passed out. Dropped dead. There was a lot of shouting, Sirius stopped messing around with his cousin, he carried you out. I had Ginny.'

His heart sank into the pit of his stomach. 'Ginny? What about Ginny? I thought she just broke her ankle?'

'No, apparently around the same time you went she did. Just like that, out like a light. Both of you have been in some sort of magical coma for 3 weeks. Albus had specialists come from all over to look at you both but they found nothing. No reason for it, you were both healthy and fine, just… sleeping. And even weirder, you were ageing. Not by a huge amount, but enough that its noticeable. They managed to stop that at least. Not sure what the healers did but they manage to catch that quick enough and nip it in the bud. I mean I find it more weird than anything else that you've likely looked at yourself in the mirror and don't find it strange that you've grown half a foot.'

Harry grinned, starting to feel a bit strange. 'Hmmm, I've got scars and tattoos too, can you see them, with those wolfy eyes of yours?' he lifted up his sleeve, showing the start of one of his tattoos, the ink so faded and washed out that it was almost a shadow in the badly lit room, only visible if you were looking for it, and the faint mark of a scar that ran the length of his palm.

Remus was starting to look disturbed. 'Harry this isn't a joke.'

'So you can't see them?'

'Yes, I can see them.' He hissed, leaning in. 'And everyone else is arriving now, so you'd better be quick, and tell me what you know, because you either know something about why you were in a coma, and why you've aged and grown tattoos and scars that don't belong to you, or you've got a few screws loose, and I'm going to tell Molly to take you to Saint Mungoes the moment she sees you.'

He went back to sipping at the soup, letting the steam warm up his nose. 'This might alarm you, and I don't mean it too, believe me. Either I'm dreaming right now that I'm in an alternate version of my past - or I've been physically sent back to the past. Because I'm an idiot, and I touched a strange artefact a man gave me while I was on a work mission.'

'Okay, that's it.' Remus grabbed his shoulder and yanked him to his feet. 'I was an idiot to take you this far, I should have taken you straight to the hospital.' People were murmuring to themselves, looking at them both as they filed their way into the stands.

'Is that harry potter?'

'I thought he was in a coma.'

'He looks different…'

Harry let himself be dragged out of the court room and into an empty room meant for meetings before pulling himself free. 'Look. I'm serious. In my past, Sirius died. I didn't pass out, Ginny didn't pass out. Bellatrix killed Sirius, I watched him die, Voldemort came to the ministry. Things were very different. And you know what, beyond that? More people died, and a war happened, and I lived my life afterwards. I got married. I find out my wife is pregnant and I get made to go on a bloody stupid mission I didn't want to go on. This weird old man gave me a box and me, being an idiot, wanting to get home to my wife, took it back with me. I opened it, this ring was in it.' He brandished his ring finger in front of Remus, trying to keep his voice steady as the world spun slightly and his hands shook.

'I passed out, and woke up here. I don't know what happened. I don't know why I was in a coma. Heck, maybe all of that was a dream. Maybe what really happened was that I did pass out, go into a coma, and I dreamt that Sirius died and I was in a war and everything else, and I'm just now waking up from it. Or maybe. Maybe I just passed out and this is a dream and I'll wake up in a bit to Ginny worried out of her mind.' He paused for breath, and Remus just stared at him, wide eyed, confused, and alarmed. 'I don't know what happened to me Remus. But you know, I don't care. Because after all this time, I'd forgotten how you sounded, and Sirius too. And its fucking nice to see you both alive in the flesh again.'

Remus was shaking his head slowly. 'Harry… I don't think… I mean screw the trial you need a healer I don't know what the fuck this is.'

'Look, I don't know what else to tell you. I woke up. I look weird, younger. Even though you think I've aged. I guess yeah, I look closer to what I did when I was 18 than at 16, but that's neither here nor there. I took a box off a man. There was a ring in it. I passed out, and woke up here, and the ring was here too.' He flashed it in front of Remus' face. 'I feel fine, great even. And I am completely mentally sound. But I lived my life past this point in time, and I was 23 yesterday.'

Remus was pursing his lips. 'How am I supposed to verify that? That this happened? That you dreamt or lived that, and that you've not lost your mind?'

Harry thought for a moment, withdrawing the memories from the wall. 'Ask me something. Something I shouldn't know.'

'Harry there's plenty you don't know.'

'Something about the order. Something about my dad. Something about you. Something you weren't going to tell me until I was older, I don't know.' He went quiet, and when Remus didn't respond, he just started talking. 'You're in love with Tonks. Ah, already used that one… Snape was in love with my mother, and she was best friends with him before she came to school, and for a while after. Sirius has named me as his sole benefactor and heir in his will. I know because when he died I got everything, including his bloody house elf. Sirius also had a brother called Regulus… My dad bought me a toy broom when I was a baby and my mother hated it. My dad grew up a family home no one told me about until I went to the bank after the war to sort out my affairs and they told me it was in ruins but there.'

He stopped for a moment, looking at the devastated look on Remus' face.

'If one of you had survived that stupid war my life would have been a lot easier and I'd have had a whole lot less surprises waiting for me.' He finished, suddenly angry. 'Believe me or not, I'm here. Sirius is waiting, and my memories will get him off, I know him that much.' He started walking back to the door and into the hall. 'I held a trial once I was recruited to become an Auror and had him publicly exonerated. He was dead, and so was anyone who would have cared, but it was the principle, you know?'

He straightened his jacket, looking over his shoulder at Remus, he finally smiled again, shaking off his anger and frustration at the situation to deal with the situation at hand. They were back outside the door to the trial room, he opened both of them together and started forward, causing everyone to turn to look at who was arriving at the last minute. 'Do I really look that much different? People are staring!'

Remus still had the same stunned expression on his face. He was pale, looking over the people in the stands, the entirety of the Wizengamot looking down on them both like they were cretins. 'Come on Moony, we've got work to do.'

A shudder ran through him. 'Don't do that. Its eerie. Like you're him.'

He strode across the room. 'Maybe that's who I grew up to be.'

He smiled one last time, before turning to beam at Madame Bones, who was purposefully ignoring him in favour of ushering a witness away from the stand. 'I have something you're going to want to see Madame Bones. Five minutes is all I need.'

She finally turned, and Harry's grin widened, hands in his pockets. She looked him up and down. 'You've grown cocky since the last time I saw you here, Potter, I don't like it.'

Harry turned to Sirius, who was watching him with wide eyes. Judging by the article he'd read on the trial, Sirius had turned himself in only a few days after Harry had gone into a coma. Judging by the look on his face, he definitely had changed since he last saw him. He took a step back and loosened Sirius' too tight wrist restraints.

'Did Donahue tie these? He came here willingly you know, no need to ruin his wrists.'

Amelia's eyes went wide with indignation, holding a hand up to halt the progression of one of the officials down the steps to no doubt stop him.

'He's a person, Madame Bones, and innocent until proven guilty, he's entitled to sit comfortably.' was all he said.

Remus finally found his voice, speaking lowly so only she could hear him. 'Amelia, he should be in Saint Mungoes, I'm so-'

'Step back.' she said sharply, looking at Harry. 'And Mr Lupin, I'm going to pretend you didn't just tell me that. Sit down until you're called. Both of you. When we're ready for you you will sit at the podium and be questioned.'

'There's no point in asking me questions until I show you my evidence.'

'None was supplied, Mr Potter.'

'Then I'd like to submit them now, you've got your specialists here watching, and they're more than welcome to keep it afterwards to examine.'

'You're trying my patience, Potter. What evidence?'

'Memories.'

She blinked. 'You weren't present at the time of the incident.'

'I have memories proving that Peter Pettigrew is alive, and that he has an animagus. I assume that you've already seen Sirius' memory of him turning into his animagus form? And of the night, and the witnesses, showing the sleight of hand where he cut off his thumb, blew up those people and slipped away into the sewer as a rat…?' Harry was walking towards the podium where the shallow pensieve sat waiting.

'You've had interactions with Peter Pettigrew?'

'Several.' He put his wand to his temple. 'You understand the circumstances that prevented me from giving you these prior to the trial?'

She cleared her throat, looking to the Minister, who, up until this point, had sat silently and watched the scene unfold. He nodded once, almost imperceptibly, looking more interested than anything else. She responded by beckoning forth a man in a deep green cloak, no doubt the unspeakable who would inspect the memories.

'I'll allow it, Potter. And Mr Anthony will make a preliminary assessment about the authenticity of these memories, but they will be taken away to be further assessed, and you will be questioned under oath and the influence of veritaserum by the examiner. Do you understand?'

'Absolutely!' He drew his wand back, pulling away memories and dropping them into the pool below. 'Do you want them all at once or one by one?'

She waved her hand. 'It doesn't matter Potter. There's a certain protocol to follow, I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will help you in-' The words fell from her lips as she, as well as everyone else, fell into an enraptured silence as he dipped his wand into the pool, and lifted it slowly, drawing up a stream of silver that bled from the tip of his wand and flew through the air in an arc as he swished it through the air in front of him and the darkness around them erupted in memories all at once.

First was Remus and Sirius forcing Pettigrew as the rat to transform into his real self. He begged them to forgive him for his misdeeds, admitting fault for the death of Lily and James. 'I mean, that's basically everything isn't it? You've seen this from Sirius' perspective, you'll have it from Remus' soon. Three people corroborating the same confession should be enough, but just in case you believed he was tricked by Voldemort…'

The next one started, Harry tied to a gravestone, Pettigrew's face looming forward as he cut Harry s arm, and added the blood to a cauldron. There were muffled cries from the public side of the court room as he chopped off his arm below the elbow and began to chant, Voldemort rising from the cauldron and donning a robe, calling in death eaters from the mark on his arm. 'You can keep that one as proof that every one of those people are self-admitted death eaters.' He said, to Scrimgeour, who had now stood up and walked to the centre of the memory, where Voldemort stood. He looked at the Dark Lord for a long while, his face pale and drawn.

In this version of events. They had no proof that Voldemort was back, and he was damned if he wasn't going to make sure that they all knew it. He threw in another, from a limited point of view, showing Harry in the basement of Malfoy Manor, minus Ron and Dobby in the background. He couldn't remove Hermione's tortured screams from up above without the memory looking tampered with, but it kept everyone apart from Pettigrew himself out of view, as he lunged forward to attack, his face uncovered, and fully visible in the light of day this time.

'Is that enough?'

As he pulled the memories back into the pensieve his vision began to swim. Light headed, he gripped the podium tightly and did his best to keep his back straight.

'Yes.' It was the Minister who spoke. 'Yes it is, Mr Potter. Are these genuine? Like Mr Blacks?'

The unspeakable gave a tentative nod, looking at Harry nervously, aware that he was swaying slightly. 'Yes, but I'd still like to look over them privately.'

Scrimgeour nodded, arms behind his back. 'Then do so quickly, you have until after we finish questioning Mr Potter. Sit Potter, you'll be questioned on what we've seen, then you will be dismissed while we move on to the next set of evidence.'

Harry took a step away from the podium and his whole world turned. 'I actually… I mean I'd love too but…' It took all of his concentration to put one foot in front of the other, he could barely string a sentence together.

Sirius was shaking his head. 'Someone grab him.'

Scrimgeour looked confused, glancing between the teen and his godfather. Sirius rattled his chains. 'Now.'

'I'm fine.' Harry said. But his voice didn't sound like his own.

Someone put their arm under his shoulders and held him up as his legs started to go. 'Come on, son, that's enough for now.'

'Aaaarrthurr.' He grinned goofily. 'Where's Ginny?'

Mr Weasley frowned. 'I'll take you to her.' He replied softly. 'He's had enough, he needs to be in the hospital.' He said lowly to the Minister and Amelia both, who had come to their senses and come forward to block the view of him from the stands. 'Is that enough? Do you need him to speak?'

Amelia hesitated. 'It's unprecedented but… we can go simply from his memories once they have been properly verified… what's wrong with him?'

'He woke up from a coma an hour and a half ago.'

'Take him and go before this trial turns into even more of a farce than it already has been.' she said sharply.

'Ginny was really sick, Arthur.' said Harry seriously as he was half carried across the court room. He managed to pat Sirius on the head as he went past.

'I don't think you should talk any more, Harry.' It was one of the twins. One taking over for his dad and the other taking his other arm while Mr Weasley went ahead to the doors to lead them out.

'Fred.' He said, looking at George. 'She'll cry when she sees you.'

George shushed him, looking over his shoulder at Fred who looked spooked.

'She did cry when she saw me.'