Chapter Four
In which there is trials of justice and the mind.
"Get a grip, Harry."
Harry looked up at the sound of Uragiri's voice calling through the crack in the door. It'd been the first time he'd heard from her in eight days, and he was a bit embarrassed that she'd seen him in his pyjamas, and Ron's drooling form in the other bed. He scrambled up, red in the face and hurried to the door. How had she picked up on his troubles from across a darkened room?
"You're back." He said in an excited whisper. "I didn't think you'd make it back on time. I didn't think you'd be back at all, actually, because -"
She hushed him with a finger to her mask. "You've been getting worked up about things too much. C'mon. No use trying to sleep when all you can think about is this shitty situation." She lead him down the stairs, past the mounted heads of Kreature's ancestors, and the curtains that hid the sleeping Walburga Black as she grumbled in her sleep, and into the kitchen.
"Where have you been? And where is Tora?" Harry asked. She let a sigh and came to a stop at the door to the kitchen. He could tell she was giving him an impatient look behind her mask.
"With the Head master. Tora is still at the school."
It was Harry's turn to give her an impatient look. "Well yes, I figured that. But what have you been doing? Are you in trouble for helping me?" His voice held notes of worry and distress that didn't slip past Uragiri. It reminded her of a twelve year old Sakura, who'd been both pushy and stubborn when it came to the safety of her team mates. She couldn't help but giggle at the thought. Even his scrunched up face is similar.
"Maa maa, Harry. Don't Worry. We'll still be training you." Uragiri reassured him with a thump on his back. "Dumbledore and the Commander have come to an... ultimatum. I'm sure you'll like it."
Harry gave her a blank look. "But what is it?"
"I'm not allowed to talk about it, but you'll know by time school starts. Now come on. I'm starving." That said, she shoved him through the door to the kitchen.
He'd expected it to be empty, but it was not. Inside were the tired faces of Mr and Mrs Weasley, Sirius, Lupin, and Tonks – all fully dressed as if they had been waiting for him. Mrs Weasley hurried the pair into seats, muttering about breakfast as she took out her wand to light the fire.
They exchanged pleasantries and chatted about the Ministry and the day ahead. Harry was marginally less nervous about the whole affair now that Uragiri was back, and she had told him that she would be accompanying him and Mr Weasley to the trial, with the promise that she'd not let him be expelled.
"Give him what I'm having please, Molly-san. He'll need it today." Uragiri called
"Right you are, dearie. You can never go to such things on an empty stomach!"
Harry groaned. "I don't think I can stomach food right now. You know, with the possibility of expulsion looming over head." Snape was a face he could do without, but not Ron or Hermione's. He'd never be able to play quidditch for Griffindor again. The look on Mrs Weasley's face said that she was not happy with his train of thought. Neither was Uragiri, for that matter.
"Stop it." She said, exasperated. "You're not going to be expelled." There was nothing but absolute certainty in her voice, but it didn't stop Harry from doubting her. She couldn't possibly understand. The Ministry was out for his blood.
"Not even you could possibly know that." He pointed out as Mrs Weasley parked a plate stacked with eggs, bacon, tomatoes, sausages and toast. He noticed that she was looking at the shinobi with a mixture of wariness and interest.
Uragiri picked up her fork, studying her food before she answered. "Do you know what an inhibitor is Harry?"
He shook his head.
"It's a substance that slows down a reaction. Sometimes it slows down the reaction enough that an end product never actually occurs. In your case, the Ministry is one chemical, and Voldemort and his Death Munchers are another."
"It's 'Death Eaters." He corrected.
"Whatever. The point is, the Ministry needs you in the mix, as an inhibitor, so that the two chemicals never mix or react to each other. If they expel you, and war breaks out, you won't be there to stop it, him, again. So they have to keep you." She said simply, oblivious to the stares of awe from the gathered wizards.
Sirius looked to be considering Uragiri's words, while Lupin and Tonks looked as though they were sceptical.
"I'm not sure if they'll see it that way. He did break the law, after all." Mr. Weasley coughed. "Though I'm sure you'll be fine Harry, in a few hours this will all be over and you'll be cleared."
Uragiri stood from the table, thanking Mrs Weasley again for the breakfast before turning to Harry. "I have to meet Dumbledore again Harry, but just be yourself and you'll be fine. Remember, underneath the underneath and all that, ne?"
"You're late."
"Sorry," Harry said unapologetically. He wasn't nervous, or as nervous as he should of been. Tora had been the one to tell him that nervousness on the battlefield was a blatant death wish and if anything was a battlefield Harry decided it would be this dungeon of a room ruled by the Wizengamot. "I wasn't aware that the time was changed."
"That is not the Wizengamot's fault," said the voice coldly. It echoed loudly in the dark room, bouncing hollowly of the high stone benches. Basic scare tactics, Harry noticed, unimpressed.
Rob the defendant of his sight and distort the hearing, making it hard for the defendant to focus. Thankfully, Harry was aware of this and defeated it with steady breathing and a clear mind.
Warily, he took his seat in the middle of the room, raising an eyebrow when the chains along the arms jiggled at him threateningly. He drew his eyes around the room, counting just under fifty people, dressed in official robes adorned with a large silver 'W'. In the very middle stood Cornelius Fudge on his podium. He stared down at Harry mockingly.
"Disciplinary Hearing of the twelfth of August. Into offences committed by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Under Secretary to the Minister of Magic; Percy Ignatius Weasley -"
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Witness for the defence."
Harry whipped round at the sound of the Headmaster's voice. A sense of relief tided over Harry at the sight of the old wizard in midnight blue robes assuming a calm expression. Despite being on the lower level, Albus Dumbledore stared down at Fudge through his bent half-moon glasses. There was a mixed reaction from the members of the Wizengamot. Only a few waved his way.
"Ah, Dumbledore." Stuttered Fudge. "You -ah- got our message that the -er- time and place of the hearing has been changed, then?" The Minister was plainly flustered.
"I'm afraid I must have missed it." Was Dumbledore's cheerful answer. "But by a happy mistake, I arrived at the Ministry three hours early."
He took centre stage. "Charges?" He asked Fudge, who was quick to produce the appropriate papers to read aloud to the court. He sat up stiffly in his chair, pinning Harry with his gaze.
"The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, produce a Patronus Charm in the presence of a Muggle." He looked sceptically at the boy before him. "Do you deny having produced said Patronus?"
Harry shook his head vehemently. "No, but-"
"And you were aware that you were forbidden to use such magic, outside of school?"
"Yes, I was. But-"
"Witches and wizards of the Wizengamot-"
Harry felt his temper quickly slip away. "I was only doing it because of the dementors!" He hollered.
There was a brief prelude of dense silence before the court exploded into hushed discussion. Many threw him looks of wariness and disbelief.
"Dementors? In Little Whinging?" Questioned Madam Bones. Her thick eyebrows were nearly touching her hairline, her eyes so wide that Harry thought that her monocle might just fall out of place and on to the floor before him. "I don't understand-"
"Really now, Amelia. This boy is very clever." Fudge hummed, smirking as if he were a cat ready to pounce. "Very nice cover story there indeed. You see, Muggles can't see dementors, can they boy? Very convenient that we only have your word and no witnesses..." He trailed off, looking towards his fellow peers.
It was quite obvious that the Minister was quite chuffed, as he leered down at Harry.
Right up until he was not.
Dumbledore took stage again, clearing his throat as he did so. The Wizengamot fell into a dead silence again.
"Actually, Minister, we do in fact have a witness to the presence of the dementors in Little Whinging. Other than Dudley Dursley, obviously." Fudge's head visibly deflated, and his posture sagged as if he were a kicked sack of potatoes. He was silent for a moment or two while he pulled his thoughts together.
"We don't have the time to listen to what I'm sure are well rehearsed tirades. I want this to be dealt with quickly. I'm a very busy man-"
"I could be wrong, but under the Charter of Rights, which is frequently reviewed and signed by yourself, Minister, that the accused has the right to procure witnesses for his or her case? Isn't that true Madam Bones?" Dumbledore gave her a sincere look.
"It's true." She said. "Very true."
"Oh very well," snapped Fudge. "Where is this person? Bring them in."
"I brought her in with me – she's just outside of the door," answered Dumbledore. "Should I get her, or?"
"No no, Weasley. You go." The Minister barked at Percy, who scrambled to the door to let the witness in without so much as a glance at Dumbledore or Harry.
A second chair was conjured and the woman was seated. Harry almost had to look twice. Uragiri. There was no mistaking the lithe frame and subtle grace a shinobi had, even if this one was wearing the face of the woman from the Asian grocery store in Little Whinging, one that Uragiri had borrowed before to buy supplies in the town. She fixed her brown eyes on Harry, giving him a reassuring nod and a sly wink. He felt safer with her with him in this room full of vultures. She was so easily confident and unwavering.
"Full name, and who exactly are you?" Fudge demanded, though it was clear that he too, was intrigued by her foreign looks and elegance.
"Where I'm from I answer to Uragiri. No other name."
"There are no rules against submitting a single name for transcript," said Madam Bones. "But for further analysis, we'll need your full name and your place of residence."
"You won't be able to find anything, I'm afraid. I'm from the Hidden Continent. Commonly known as the Elemental Continent in your world. Uragiri is the only name I can give to those who are neither my employer or the Hokage." She murmured. "I can give you the promise that what I say is nothing but the full truth, though."
Fudge wasn't having any of it. He scoffed, as if this were the most ridiculous he'd ever heard.
"The Elemental Continent you say? The Ministry haven't had contact with them in nearly sixty years. The thought of one here is absolutely preposterous."
There was confusion among the ranks of the Wizengamot, the name of her home did not ring many bells, but it was clear that Fudge and a few others knew of it. There was a deep unease among those who had heard of it. It was almost as if they were genuinely frightened to be within her presence, a reaction that interested Harry greatly. He hadn't known that Shinobi had been to England before, especially Magical England. Harry made a note to question her about it later.
There was a dangerous flash in Uragiri's eyes. "The first and only time, and for good reason." She reminded him. "But needless to say, we're not here to discuss me or whereabouts I come from. We are here for him" She jerked her head toward Harry, who was carefully studying the faces of those in the high podium.
"Be that as it may, we'll be keeping a close eye on you." Fudge sneered, eyeing her suspiciously, to which she replied with a raised brow that all but said 'good luck.'
"You'll leave your details with my assistant, Weasley, on the way out. Incidentally, can your kind see dementors? From my understanding, the native people in your country call themselves Shinobi, people who are neither Muggle or Wizard."
"Of course I can. They're very hard to miss." She said, dismissing the rest of the Minister's words. As a Shinobi operating on the Outside, she was allowed to give no details of her homeland or it's inhabitants, without consent directly from the Hokage himself. It also helped that she was riling up the man who was practically bullying her ward in a room full of adults, not that Harry looked too worried.
Fudge looked at her with raised eyebrows and flustered cheeks. "Very well." He said coolly. "Tell us your story."
"I was hired to ensure that no harm come to Harry. Physically, mentally or emotionally," she looked pointedly at the high podium. Then, without so much as a warning to her sudden drop in tone, she said, "And if necessary, eliminate anyone that might be a... risk to him."
There was a shared shiver throughout the Wizengamot at the cold words and dark stare she gave the Minister. No doubt they had caught the not-so-subtle threat.
"I can't see what might merit that young Harry here have a guard," said Fudge, swallowing thickly. "But please. Continue."
Neither Harry or Uragiri could believe that this was the man in charge of running an entire government. Was he still trying to discredit Harry?
"Naturally, I was accompanying him home from the park when we stumbled into his cousin in the alleyway. The boys had barely said anything when the there was a sudden chill in the air. Two of these dementors -huge, dark things that reek of death -swooped into the alley. I felt very exposed, as if I were on the run and had only ever experienced tragedy after tragedy. Harry repelled one with a Patronus Charm, which I can't perform, so I took care of the other using my own methods. Neither of us were injured, and Dudley's memories of the event were replaced with those of a drunken party with friends. All three of us returned to Privet Drive without further event. No harm done."
"That's a very descriptive depiction there, for someone who supposedly has never experienced a dementor before." Madam Bones said, impressed. There were nods of agreement from others around her. Just maybe Harry might come out of this unscathed after all.
"We are the ones who decide whether or not there's harm done, thank you." Fudge said aggressively. "Do you expect me to believe that dementors just wandered into a Muggle suburb and just happened to come across a wizard?" The man snorted. "The odds of that are very, very small-"
"Well I don't think anyone believes that they were there by coincidence, Minister," Dumbledore said lightly. The witch to the right of the Minister twitch slightly, but everyone else was still and quiet, contemplating Dumbledore's words.
Ahem.
The witch at the Minister's right side shifted forward in her seat, her face now unobscured by shadow to reveal a short, squat woman, with a wide froggish face. Her mouth sagged down to what would have been her neck, if she had any. A hideous velvet bow was smooshed into her short curls.
"The Chair recognises Dolores Jane Umbrige, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister." said Fudge.
She nodded her thanks to him and stood, leaning her vertically challenged body of the edge of her bench.
The woman spoke with such a girlish, nails-on-chalkboard voice that both Harry and Uragiri were taken aback. They'd both been expecting a throaty croak.
"I'm sorry, Professor, but I'm sure I misunderstood you. Dementors are, of course, directly under the control of the Ministry of Magic and, this is so silly of me, but it sounded as if you were suggesting that the Ministry had ordered the attack on this boy." She gave a shrill laugh, that rubbed the two of them the wrong way. A few of the court joined in. It was clear that not one of them were amused.
"If it is true that the dementors answer only to the Ministry of Magic, and it is also true that Harry, his cousin, and his guard were attacked a week ago, then it makes sense to assume that someone within the Ministry ordered the attack. Disturbing news indeed," Dumbledore smiled politely. "Of course, these particular dementors may have been outside of the Ministry's control-"
"There are no dementors outside of Ministry control!" Exploded Fudge. His hands gripped the edge of his stand so tightly that his knuckles were now bone white.
Dumbledore made a sweeping gesture and shrugged. "Then no doubt the Ministry will be launching a full investigation as to why two dementors were so far away from Azkaban, and why they attacked a Wizarding hero without reason or authorization."
"It is not for you to decide what the Ministry should or should not do, Dumbledore!" Fudge snapped harshly. His frame shook with his rage, his entire face turned a sickening shade of purple that would have made Vernon proud.
"Of course it isn't," Dumbledore agreed coolly. "I was merely expressing my confidence that this matter will not go on untouched." He glanced at Madam Bones, who shifted in her seat uncomfortably, staring back at him with a frown on her face.
"I would like to remind everyone present that the behavior of these dementors, if they are not figments of this boy's imagination, is not the subject of this hearing!"
Uragiri cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Mr Minister?" She called. There was an innocent-looking scroll in her hand, which Harry recognised immediately, his eyes widening in surprise.
"What now?" Fudge sneered down at her, but she was undeterred. She casually unfurled the scroll with a flourish to show the advanced sealing matrix within. The Wizengamot stared at it curiously.
"I was just going to ask, if these creatures are figments of Harry's imagination, then what is this?"
And with that, she released the seal.
"Cleared of all charges!" Harry whooped, flopping down next to Ron and Hermione at the kitchen table.
"I knew it!" Ron punched the air, grinning fiercely. "You always get away with stuff!"
"Ron!" Hermione chastised "Weren't you listening to anything he said? An unidentified, non-wizard, released a dangerous dark creature-"
"That the Ministry controls-" Harry pointed out, but Hermione was in lecture mode and steam-rolled right over him.
"-In the presence of the Minister and his high court! I wouldn't be surprised if her name's already being dragged through the mud in The Daily Prophet. She'll be public enemy number one, if she isn't already. She'll be hunted by the ministry for being a threat." Her words humbled the Weasley twins and Ginny, who had been ready to be to pull out a victory dance.
Mrs Weasley wiped her face on her apron in worry. She'd didn't mean to, but she had become quite attached to the younger woman. Maybe it was that her hair was as stark red as her own, Mrs Weasley wasn't sure, but she was starting to see the younger woman as family. Goodness knew Uragiri had a bleeding heart a country wide, and had become fiercely protective of the gang of Weasley's and the others herself, something Molly respected and adored. She wouldn't know what to do if Uragiri was hurt for protecting her black-haired son.
"It was planned like this." Said a voice in the corner. Everyone turned to Tora, who had tiredly slumped down in the end chair during all the commotion. He'd been scarce for a while too, in fact, this was the first time he'd been back for a meal in days.
At their questioning looks explained. "You've all been busy so I'm not sure if you have seen the paper recently. The Ministry is adamant that Oro-, sorry, Voldemort couldn't possibly be back. However, Dumbledore wouldn't stand for it. Naturally, they have created a campaign of propaganda and misinformation about both of you. According to the Ministry, you're an attention seeking liar, a thrill-junkie and in love with being famous. Dumbledore is senile and is being scrutinized as "too old" to be as politically powerful as he is."
It was Uragiri's suggestion that she directly challenge the Ministry in front of the Wizengamot and the press in order to make witches and wizards think for themselves about the situation. It also takes the heat off you and Dumbledore too."
"She—you guys – did all of that for me?" Came Harry's answer. He felt shy gratitude. Not many put themselves in the line of fire for Harry and the two that did were dead. She had done it so casually too, without fear or hesitation.
Tora turned in his seat to face him. "Of course we would Harry. You're not just a mission to us, you're a person, a friend." He paused for a bit before he softly added, "a comrade."
"Did Uragiri tell you that we ran into Lucius Malfoy at the Ministry?" Mr Weasley asked Tora suddenly who nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"She's already sorting it. Dumbledore knows too. You shouldn't have to worry about him."
"What?" Sirius said sharply. He didn't like the Malfoy's, but Lucius was the worst snake of the lot. If he was involved, something must be going down and almost certainly it involved money and bribes.
"We saw him talking to Fudge on level nine, then they went up to Fudge's office together." Mr Weasley explained.
"When I get my hands on that bloody Malfoy." Sirius hissed.
"It's fine." Tora said calmly. "Ookami-taichou said that Uragiri was allowed to make sure that nothing comes of it." At this Sirius nodded, somewhat satisfied. Although he had not initially trusted these foreign wizards, they had all proven themselves worthy of his godson and his respect. Especially after this stint at the hearing. Speaking of...
"Will she be alright, that girl? After what she did in the Ministry, I mean."
"No." Came the abrupt reply from the doorway. There, the commander stood. His tall frame monopolized the space as he leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. Besides Tora and Lupin, they had not heard him enter, and his sudden presence startled them.
"Hermione was correct." Tora agreed. "The Minister, or Ministry I should say, won't stop looking for Uragiri until she's found." At their aghast looks he quickly continued. "Thankfully, we've a way to circumvent that very easily."
"And what would that be?" Ron asked, staring at the two dumbly; eyes squinted.
Ookami took a seat next to Tora, while Mr Weasley excused himself to fix a toilet issue at the Ministry. The commander gestured for Tora to explain.
"Your Ministry is looking for a Shinobi called Uragiri. If they were to contact the Elemental Continent, which is where we're from, they would come up empty handed simply because we do not hand out information about any Shinobi unless you're employing them. Even then, it is very rare for information on high ranking operatives to be dished out, for the safety of both the village and the operatives themselves."
"Right!" Hermione spoke up, eyes wide and excited. "So next they'll post her name and picture in the paper, probably with a bounty." She looked at the two Shinobi who nodded in approval and gestured for her to continue, which she did.
"Except, they'll post the picture of Uragiri, but not with her real face. Normally, the wards within the Ministry would disrupt simple glamours, but she used a Henge, and she wouldn't know how to make a Polyjuice potion. They'll be looking for a dark haired Shinobi, when Uragiri actually has bright red hair. They'll never find her."
"They wouldn't find her anyway. When she wants to hide, it might take even a skilled Shinobi years to find her. Isn't that right, Commander?" Tora said mildly.
"Ha-ha, you're funny. And dead." The man replied in Japanese, glaring heatedly at the Tiger-masked man, much to the confusion of the wizards around them.
AND so that brings the end of another chapter. Thank you for everyone who read, favourited, followed and review this story, it's always appreciated. This chapter was getting so long I had to split it in half!
Feel free to leave a review or PM me what you thought of this chapter. This one came to me with surprising ease, so I'd love to hear your thoughts on it :) Especially the trial.
Updates will almost always be fortnightly from now on.
