Chapter 25 – Court of Lies

The weeks after Voldemort's two-pronged attack, a sense of normalcy had descended upon Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Or rather, as normal as a household that was occupied by 2 families and enough others to make up a third. Due to all these families' close proximity, tension began to rise.

The main source of contention was between Mrs. Weasley and Sirius, and her and the elder Delacours. Soon after the house had gotten 5 new occupants, she doubled down on her efforts to clean every inch of Grimmauld Place. This didn't cause too many problems until she started acting as though it was her house, which put her at odds with Sirius. It seemed that their struggle for control became an almost daily occurrence that would only end either when Sirius would stomp off in frustration, or Arthur would be forced to admonish his wife.

The situation between her and the Delacours wasn't any better. Mr. Delacour spent most of his time at work in the French Ministry, while his wife kept to herself. While Mrs. Delacour wasn't unfriendly towards the others, she didn't go out of her way to associate with the house's other occupants. When her husband would return from work, they would keep to themselves, only coming down from their room when it was time to eat only to leave once they had finished.

Molly was at first very vocal about how they should be grateful that they were given a place to stay and thought they should show more appreciation. After nearly two weeks of her comments falling on deaf ears did she change to simply glowering and mumbling angrily when she saw the couple.

The younger two children however were a pleasure to have around, making nearly impossible for Molly to harbor them any ill will. Gabrielle was a fireball of energy, always eager to help out anyway she could, moving from room to room so quickly that it was hard to keep track of her. She found Fleur to very polite and respectable young women, but she couldn't help but feel a little resentment towards the girl due to her closeness with Harry.

-HP-

Harry had initially hoped that the day before his trial would be one where he would be given the opportunity to relax and prepare for the ay to come. Instead, he and the other teens of Grimmauld Place were charged with cleaning the Drawing room. This room, like many of the other rooms at headquarters, was filled with items that were cursed, infested with doxy's, or were simply a danger to have in the house.

"What I don't understand is that if all this stuff is as dangerous as Mum goes on about, then why are we taking care of it and not someone from the Order," Ron said in a harsh whisper.

"The Order has to deal with combatting Voldemort Ronald," an exasperated Hermione replied. She and just about all the others that were currently trying to clean out the drawing room, were getting tired of Ron's complaining. "The least we could do is make sure that they don't have to worry about getting hurt at headquarters."

Ron simply grumbled as he made a blind grab into the pile that he and Hermione were currently sorting through only to be bit by a watch that was lying on top.

"Bloody Hell!"

"Ronald Weasley! I will not tolerate that kind of language in my house. I have half a mind-"

"Remember Molly," began Sirius, his tone one that was both tired and agitated, "this is not your house. It's mine!"

And just like that, another argument began between Molly and Sirius. All the others in the room had gotten so used to this that they simply tuned the two out.

As both of the adults were occupied with their argument, it allowed for Fleur to maneuver closer to Harry.

"'Ow are you feeling?"

"I'm not sure… it just feels like we're doing nothing. Voldemort is out there and we're stuck in here cleaning out a drawing room." He picked up a small trinket from the wardrobe he was currently shifting through, and carelessly tossing it into a bag. "Like I said at dinner the other night, I want to help, I want to fight!"

"'Arry, look at me." She placed a hand on his arm, when he finally turned to look at her, she flared her allure ever so slightly. She knew that Harry had a natural resistance to her allure, so the effect was only to calm him down. "We 'ave to let the adults take care of it for now. What can we do since we're still in school?"

Harry visibly deflated at that, his anger dwindling away to nothing. Looking into Fleur's eyes, he began to subconsciously lean forward, vaguely aware that she was doing the same. "You're right. Thanks for talking me down." His eyes drifted down to her lips for what seemed like the millionth time, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. When he began to feel her hot breath on his lips, his eyes began to drift shut. Only and inch separated them before-

"Harry! Give us a hand over here!"

Harry couldn't help but feel resentful for Ron's poor timing, as he and Fleur sprang apart, both blushing furiously. Moving forward, the pair noticed the rest of the room huddling around an object. Upon closer inspection, they saw that they were all trying to open an ornate locket. The locket looked normal enough except for the large 'S' it had on its top.

"Here," said Ron thrusting the locket into Fleur's hands," You guys try to get it open. The rest of us have all tried but we can't get it."

Fleur glanced at the locket briefly before trying to pry it open with her hands. After a minute of attempting to get her nails into the locket, she held it out for Harry in a huff. A slightly amused smile, graced Harry's lips as he reached for the locket.

No sooner had the locket touched his fingertips, his body was immediately wracked with pain. Clenching his muscles, he fell to the floor and let out a pain yell. He vaguely noticed in the back of his mind that his voice was turning into a roar.

A couple of gasps echoed in the room as everyone unconsciously took a step away from Harry as his features began to shift. Sirius stepped forward, deciding that it was unwise for anyone besides him too be in the room while Harry was transforming.

"Alright everyone out of the room!"

Nearly everyone began to move out into the hallway, but Sirius noticed that one had yet to move. Hermione Granger had yet to attempt to leave the room, in fact she was moving closer to Harry's distressed form in the center of the room. Seeing this, Fleur also fought her way back to Harry.

"Harry. You need to calm yourself, this isn't you."

"'Arry, just focus on the sound of our voices."

Hermione made a move to touch Harry's arm, the contact causing him to raise his head sharply. She noticed his eyes were glowing and his fangs elongated. Hermione flinched slightly but she refused to move from her spot. A growl emanated from his throat as he raised his hand to slash at the girls in front of him. Hermione eyes shut instinctively, waiting for the blow to come, but it never did.

Opening her eyes, she saw that even though his features were still distorted, his face seemed perplexed as his gaze drifted back and forth between Fleur and Hermione. Before any of the three could act, a silent stunner shot through the room and Harry slumped forward unconscious.

"Sirius!" Hermione gazed at the Marauder, his wand still trained on his godson's prone form.

"I didn't want to risk the possibility that he would still be violent." With a wave of his wand, Harry limply floated into the air and began hovering towards the door. "Don't worry. I'll take him to his room and he'll wake up tomorrow and hopefully will have things back under control."

When Sirius exited the room, all the other teens reentered, an awkward silence settling after what they had just witnessed. The twins and Gabrielle looked towards the door with pity, obviously sorry for what Harry had to go through. Ginny looked shaken up, her body's trembling keeping her from being able to do much besides stand there looking at nothing in particular. Ron however, looked towards Hermione and Fleur with and expression that was a combination of awe and exasperation.

"What the bloody hell were you two thinking? He could've seriously hurt you."

"Someone had to act Ron," said Hermione while shooting a glare at Rn that was supposed to unnerve him but by this point did very little to Affect him.

"Besides, I think we were getting through to 'Arry." Fleur looked back to the doorway, her expression turning sad.

Ron's expression turned even more flabbergasted, if that was even possible. "You two are completely mental."

Hermione opened her mouth to retort, Sirius reentered the room, his gaze immediately falling onto the locket which still lay abandoned on the floor.

"I would suggest that you all should refrain from touching that thing until Dumbledore gets here to examine it."

"But that's just it," he turned his attention towards Ginny, this being the first sign that she had noticed anything since Harry almost attacked. "We all tried to open it but we couldn't. He was the only one to react like that."

The haunted face that Hermione recognized from when Sirius found out that Voldemort crossed his face as his gaze once again trained onto the locket.

-HP-

Harry moved through the endless hallways of the Ministry with Mr. Weasley in tow. The last 4 hours had been extremely strange, Harry was more than a little thankful that he was able to relax before his trial.

The fact that that rest came about because he nearly transformed an attacked his friends was definitely more than a little sobering.

When he woke up that morning, he was confused until Sirius entered the room and recounted what had happened the day before. After being informed that he almost mauled his friends, Harry very nearly fell into a dark place as he contemplated the possibility of locking himself in his room and staying away from others. His godfather was quick to talk him down from such action, the immediate issue being that he had to attend trial later that day.

After much coaxing, Harry made his way down for breakfast and began to take notice to the sentiments of the room. Much of the Order member present and the twins looked at him with pity due to his condition. Hermione and Fleur both gave him genuine smiles, while Gabrielle seemed to be the least effected out of everyone, as she was back to her bubbly energetic self.

Noticing his arrival, Ron immediately waved Harry over to sit between him and Ginny. Once Harry had sat down he made to begin his breakfast, but was distracted by the sound of a chair moving and retreating footsteps. Looking to his left, he saw that Ginny had vacated her seat and had chosen to move further down the table.

One look in her eyes was all the explanation Harry needed. She was afraid of him. The perfect hero image that she had once harbored for him had been replaced by one of a monster. Glancing around the table he saw a number of surprised faces at the interaction, the only exceptions being the glare that Fleur directed at Ginny, and the sad smile Hermione sent his way in an attempt to try and show support.

Harry was broken from his reverie by their arrival at Courtroom 10. It seemed that the Minister had decided to make a public example of him in front of the entire Wizengamont. Steeling himself, he pushed the door to the courtroom open and strode in.

Inside he saw a lone chair sitting in the middle of the room. It didn't take a lot of brain power to figure where Harry would be sitting. As he had expected, the entire Wizengamont was there for his trial. The Minister was sat directly in front of Harry's chair. At a glance, he appeared to have a business-like expression on his face, but if one looked close enough, they could see the slight smugness and pride that was hiding behind his eyes.

Movement to the right alerted him to the arrival of Dumbledore as the hush spread throughout the room. The trial was underway.

The trial of one Harry James Potter for his breach of the use of underage magic and breach of the Statute of Secrecy. Head of the Prosecution is Cornelius Fudge while-"

"Witness for the defense. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

"Yes. Well, now that all the pleasantries are out of the way, let the trial commence." With a bang of his gavel, the fate of Harry's continued existence in the Wizarding World hung in the balance.

"Mr. Potter, according to our records, you recently performed a Patronus Charm in the presence of a muggle, fully aware of the illegality of your actions. Is this true?"

"Yes sir but-"

"Did you know that it is forbidden for underage wizards to perform magic outside of school?"

"Yes, bu-"

"Then I see very little reason to continue this further. I hereby sentence Mr. Potter to-"

"There were Dementors sir!"

A girlish hem-hem was heard in the room as a large toad-like women wearing ghastly pink robes sprung from her seat at the insinuation.

Fudge's smirk seemed to grow ever so slightly wider when the witch got involved. "Madam Umbridge, you now have the floor."

"Thank you Minister," with a small bow of her head it became apparent to Harry that she and Fudge were in on this together. "Dementors are under the control of the Ministry. If what I'm hearing is correct, you're insinuating that the Ministry was involve."

Dumbledore spoke for the first time since the trial had begun, an uncharacteristic steel in his voice. To say he despised Umbridge would be a terrible understatement. "We mean to make no such accusations Madam Umbridge. In fact, Mr. Potter and I have made it clear who we feel is responsible for this several months ago."

"Enough!" You could practically feel the rage radiating off of the Minister of Magic after that. He quickly realized his mistake and reeled it back in. "If I'm honest Dumbledore, this all sounds too convenient. It is known that Muggles can't see Dementors and the fact that your story would only help bolster your claims of a certain dark wizards return makes me a little skeptical."

"Cornelius, if you would only see reason we could-"

"No! You have no witnesses of the event and I will not allow this sham to go on any further."

"Actually Minister, we do have a witness."

Out came Mrs. Figg, who recounted her version of the events, causing the Minister's tightly wound composure to begin to slip.

"Even if you have someone who claims to have seen said Dementors, Mr. Potter's other violations must also be taken into account. The use of a Levitation Charm three summers ago and for blowing up his aunt the following year."

"You're the one who let me off, Minister." The sarcasm was practically dripping from Harry's voice, further enraging Fudge.

"Furthermore Cornelius," Dumbledore interjected, "we have evidence to support that Mr. Potter only broke the law in a life or death situation. These previous two slights on his record cannot be used to support this. He was justified."

Fudge was visibly trembling by this point. He seemed ready to finally explode, but as his mouth opened he paused. He relaxed back into his chair, a twisted smile adorning his face.

"Fine I will leave the verdict up to the Wizengamont members, but I have another point that I wish to make." This could only spell bad news as Fudge turned to address the rest of the court. "It has recently come out that Mr. Potter is no longer exactly human."

At these words both Dumbledore and Harry tensed. Fudge was planning to use existing anti-werewolf prejudices to swing the vote his way. It was obviously an obtuse and underhanded tactic, but being the Minister of Magic, no one had the authority to stop him.

"With this revelation in mind, I can't help but wonder about our children's safety at Hogwarts. Dangerous things have been happening at Hogwarts quite frequently now, I think its unwise to add to that by allowing a werewolf to attend school there."

Harry had heard enough, "You can't do that!"

"Can't I? Mr. Potter, your claims that He-Who-Must-Not–Be–Named returning doesn't ad credibility to the idea that you are as mentally competent as you seem. What would happen if you were to attack one of your fellow students?"

Harry felt a mixture of anger and sadness as he processed the Minister's words. To think that the he would ever consider willingly attacking a student was outrageous, but his flashed back to the previous day and guilt began to creep into his mind. His musings were cut off by Dumbledore's move to the center of the room."

"Firstly Cornelius, I fail to see how Harry's condition has any effect on this trial. It seems to me that you are simply trying to force Harry out of our world," before he could continue a light hem-hem, caught his attention. Umbridge once again rose from her seat.

"Excuse me Headmaster, but I can't help but disagree. In any circumstance, such a… person" her drifted to Harry and became one of absolute hate before shifting back to her usual superior smirk, "would be considered too dangerous to hold a job around upstanding members of our society. Why should our schools be treated any differently?" It was easy to see her disdain for werewolves and no one failed to understand that she meant Pureblooded Wizards when she said upstanding citizens.

"Be that as it may, this trial is not about whether a person conflicted with lycanthropy has the right to attend school. Mr. Potter was at Hogwarts all of last year despite his condition and one Remus Lupin went through his entire Hogwarts tenure without incident. I simply ask you to remember that beyond his physical affliction, what we have here is a teenage boy who simply wishes to be given the same opportunities as you and me."

It seemed the Dumbledore's words had reached a few of the Wizengamont member, though he doubted that it would swing many opinions on the topic of werewolf rights, but it was a start. Fudge could be seen visibly deflating while he watched as the faces of the government body hoping that many of them still supported him.

"I now call a vote. All who find the defendant guilty?" With that about a third of the members raised their hands into the air. His expression darkened, it wasn't nearly enough to obtain a verdict. To Harry it looked like Fudge was struggling to be able to call for the other vote, as if he hoped by avoiding it he would still get his way.

Reluctantly, the Minster finally spoke, "All those in favor of clearing the defendant of all charges?" With that, the rest of the hands went up. He begrudgingly lifted up his gavel before saying, "cleared of all charges," before banging it down.

Harry couldn't believe his luck. Despite the odds being heavily stacked against him, he got off.

-HP-

Harry felt numb the entire return trip to Grimmauld Place, he felt light due to the charges against him being dropped, so much so, that he failed to take in his surrounding until Mr. Weasley ushered him through the oor.

No sooner had he stepped through the threshold, was he hit by a tiny silver-haired bullet. "'Arry," Gabrielle cried as she began to chatter at him at lightning speed. Her English was getting better due to her families recent living arrangement, but her speed and the occasional French word thrown in there still cause quite a bit of confusion.

He stepped into the sitting room and was immediately met by the Twins, who were dancing around singing at the top of their lunges, "He Got Off! He Got Off!"

Both Sirius and Lupin approached him and offered him their congratulations for making out of the Ministry in one piece. Next was Ron who clapped his best mate on the back, "I knew there was nothing to worry about."

Harry could only smile at him before Hermione stepped forward and also gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I knew they couldn't expel you. I'm just glad that they didn't try to force the decision."

"They did. Fudge brought up that because I'm a werewolf that I was a menace and should be kept from the school."

Hermione looked horrified while Ron simply started laughing. "Come on mate, with all the stuff we've gotten into while in school, it's a wonder they haven't thrown all three of us out." This got a horrified look from Hermione and a chuckle from Harry.

He continued to look around the room and failed to see either Fleur or Ginny among them. "Where's Ginny and Fleur?"

His friends' faces fell at that, neither looking completely willing to bring up the absences. Ron was the first one to find his voice. "I'm not sure about Fleur but…Ginny said that she wasn't feeling well and didn't want to come down."

Harry picked up on the unsaid implication. Ginny was still distant from him ever since his episode yesterday. He thought she might be scared of him, but whenever he approached her to talk about it, she would find an excuse to leave the room. Guessing his friend's train of thought, Ron patted him on the shoulder.

"She'll come around mate, just give her time."

The sound of a door opening caught Harry's attention, causing Harry to look over and see Fleur enter the room. "'Arry!" was all she said as she began to make her way towards where he was standing. Still feeling good from winning his trial, Harry also began moving towards her.

His body acting on his own accord, the second he met up with Fleur, he pulled her in close and kissed her directly on her lips. Startled at first, Fleur slowly gave into it and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck. They were so wrapped up in each other that both of them failed to notice the slightly crestfallen face of Hermione.

AN:

Sorry it took me so long to update. My family and I went Disneyland and the internet wasn't that good. I hope to be back on track come next weekend so look forward to that.

So its official, Harry/Fleur is a thing. Don't worry there is still plenty of drama to come from the Hermione side of things and I hope everyone finds the eventual payoff a ways down the road satisfying.

The last thing I want to say is that I'm starting to work on a number of new stories. Once I get the first chapters of about 3 or 4 of them done, I want to post all of them and see what you guys want to see be written.

As always, thanks for reading!