XV. THIS IS BLISS
Harry was counting down in her head, they had stayed silent for two whole minutes now. the only noise in the room were crouches manic laughs and Sasha's weak protesting.
Harray was looking at Draco, thinking hard how to get him out of there, Draco was staring at Narcissa's body.
"Tell them what you did to her." Draco said, "Bellatrix, Aunt Bellatrix."
Bellatrix didn't seem shocked that Draco spoke, or that he requested that.
"We trained her," Bellatrix said lightly. "We locked her up in a room surrounded by the other children we trained - Ginny Weasley included," Bellatrix said with a reminiscent smile. Eyes searching out the other Weasleys, one at a time. "She was particularly wonderful once she broke." if it were possible the order became even more stony at the reminder of Ginny. Somewhere in the crowd Molly was yelling.
"That bitch, that bitch..." Bellatrix just laughed at the distraught mother, Harry noticed her slack in Draco's hair loosen.
"We showed her what would become of her and we strung her up by her hands from the ceiling and tortured her until she was loyal. She even called me mother."
Bellatrix's eyes met Echos and then Harry's, then flicked back to Echo.
"ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."
Echo's breathing became shallow, and she was covered in sweat but she made no sound and stayed alive.
Bellatrix's shocked expression was all Harry needed and she stabbed her wand forward.
"Imperious!" She whispered furiously.
Bellatrix did not or was unable off fight the unforgivable and Harry forced her to release Draco and throw her wand in the center of the room.
'Surrender, all of you, say it' Harry ordered her.
"Surrender, all of you," Bellatrix said, obedient. Harry took a steadying breath as the deaths eater's one at a time put their hands up, looking very confused. Then the room exploded. Rock rained down from the ceiling and dust swirled up around them, a peircing hex caught Harry's shoulder and Draco stood at the center of it, He summoned Bellatrix's wand and handed it back to her and the fight, began again, the last of the Death Eaters, too mad and too stupidly devoted to their cause to give up fought. It was a brief, violent few minutes, but the dust settled, Draco was unconscious, Bellatrix was dead, a manic Molly Weasley had strangled her.
"He was impersued." She said, reffering to Draco. Ron Revived him - Wormtail was in eight rather large pieces around the hall. Crouch had been decapitated by Neville, Avery was stunned, McNair was bound.
"Expelliarmus!" she cast the disarming spell at the Death Eaters who did not willingly surrender their wands.
It was quiet but for the crying and screaming and breathing until a clear, pained voice broke through.
"Echo, Echo, net, pozhaluysta, net Echo vy zasluzhivayete luchshego, chem etot, pozhaluysta!"*
The whole room paused, and turned to see Sasha desperately holding Echo's body in his arms, both of her eyes were wide open and Sasha's hands and the front of the girl were being soaked through with blood. Poppy rushed forwards and helped him move her.
Then the war was over, and they had to deal with the aftermath.
Harry found Draco in the great hall, the first thing he'd done - with Ron's help - was to bring his mother away from the battle, she was one of many, lined up.
"Draco?" Harry asked. Draco turned around and just pulled her into a hug. Harry couldn't help but feel relieved to be held by him again, despite it all, and she clung to him.
"Miss Potter, Harry?" A voice asked her, she opened her eyes and turned to see Kingsley Shacklebolt standing and waiting for her. "We have to take you in, as a Dark lord until a trial can be held."
"I know Kingsley," Harry turned and kissed Draco. He smiled.
"I'll wait-"
"Don't, Draco, you deserve so much better than me."
Harry would be forever grateful to Kingsley who insisted she was not guarded by the dementors but she did need to be in isolation, Having no visitors perhaps put her on edge more than the dementors would have especially since she had no news of who was alive or dead. Kingsley had insisted she wait until she was with friends to hear, it did nothing to comfort her.
The day of her trial saw Harry neither relieved or nervous, she still jumped up when the door to her cell opened in the morning and Kingsley stepped inside.
"Harry?"
"I'm here Kingsley," Harry stood and faced the wall hands either side of her like she knew procedure said she was supposed to do - it just made Kingsley's job easier.
"You're perhaps the very best prisoner I've ever had, come on I know you Harry, and we know what they did to you, we only need a statement." Kingsley gently held her arm and led her through the corridor towards the lift.
"Oh," Harry looked around worriedly. "What do I do, how's it going?" She asked.
"They're shocked," Kingsley said, referring to the general public, "Many people thought you were under imperious."
"Oh," Harry said again.
"Just be honest, don't hold back." He advised, "I'm sorry we have to do this at all."
Harry nodded, "Thank you Kingsley, for everything."
Kingsley opened the door to courtroom ten and let her in first, Harry walked forwards and sat in the chained chair. The chains twitched but didn't jump on her.
"You are Miss Harriet Lily Potter?" The 'lead' Wizengamot member - Chief Warlock - asked her. Harry nodded, then sat up straighter.
"Yes sir, that's me." The man nodded.
"How do you plead to the murder of Rosmerta Woodcroft, Rubeus Hagrid and Aberforth Dumbledore?"
Harry couldn't hold back a choked sob and had to take a minute before answering.
"Guilty," she said, "But, I killed Tom Riddle too."
"Tom Riddle?"
"Oh, sorry, Voldemort." Harry corrected herself, ignoring the flinch the name still caused.
The chief warlock did look surprised. "Why is it relevant?" He asked. Harry was honestly put off by the question.
"I know he was a horrible man, but I just, walked into his study and killed him! It's not right."
"We can overlook that murder, Miss Potter, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was a Warlord and Aurors have the order to kill on sight - never mind. Miss Potter, were you in any way forced by a third party to kill the before mentioned people?"
"No, just, attacked them, Bellatrix told me that we were trying to kill as many as possible and then she was hurt-" Harry began.
"Miss Potter, why were you obeying Mrs Lestrange?" He interrupted, it was evident they were trying to clear her name and her conscious, but the question, for some reason reminded her of another murder.
"I murdered Rodolphus too -" Harry stopped talking ubruptly. This was going terribly, at least she deserved to be locked away for the rest of her life when the sentence was given.
"Maybe if Harry could tell her story from the beginning?"
Harry looked up at Draco's voice and smiled a little when she saw him.
"Very well, Miss Potter, is this acceptable for you?"
Harry nodded a little uncertainly. "I don't remember a lot of it, Sir," She admitted, "but when I was first taken, they took me to the forest -"
As Harry began speaking she remembered all of it and was unable to stop, even when the shocked and pale crowd flinched as she described the torture. A few of the ministry wizards even stood up and left the room.
"I was losing my mind," Harry said, "and I saw what they did to Ginny and Dean and Colin, I knew that was where I would end up. During my occulmency training I saw the inside of my mind and one night I sat there and took all of my happy memories and locked them away - so they wouldn't be poisoned - destroyed. And then it was all to easy for Bellatrix to break the broken, neglected forgotten part of my mind."
"And you found those memories again and they reversed the damage the torture did?" The cheif warlock asked her. Harry had to think about the question for a long while.
"Healed, ot reversed, I... I still feel compelled to follow orders, to protect her," Harry admited, because it was true, eve though Bellatrix was dead. "I'm still scared," She whispered, "And I don't think I will ever be the same again."
The room was very quiet and Harry was feeling quite ill.
"Very well Miss Potter, you will be escorted back to your cell for the remainder of this trial."
Harry nodded and stood, meeting Kingsley again by the door.
"Are you alright Harry?"
"I killed people." She said, everything seemed so unreal to her.
"If you're found innocent they will take the guilt away, place it on Bellatrix and Voldemort because they were the ones that made you do it.
Harry nodded, "Its so unreal, because I made my choices myself - its like looking at the life of a completely different person."
"Don't think about it," Kingsley suggested. Harry just nodded.
Harry walked back into her cell and shut the door. It was more like a room, only the click from the outside proved it was a cell - though she didn't hear it this time and when she checked found Kingsley had left the door unlocked for her. Harry walked over to the window, a sweeping meadow that was storming miserably was visible through the magical glass. Then she sat down on the little cot to wait.
"Harry?" Harry woke up to see Kingsley standing above her. "They're voting now," Kingsley told her. Kingsley led her from the room, Harry's hands twisting in her green robes - the ones Bellatrix had given her - she followed him to the lift.
"How long has it been?" Harry asked.
"First day was official Auror reports, and Ron Weasley was a witness to your character. Second day was when you spoke and then we heard form Draco Malfoy. This morning they had some mind healers in to ask questions about how you separated your memories like that."
"Oh," Harry said for the hundredth time. "Can you say how you think it'll go?" Harry asked. Kingsley paused before the door.
"You're about to find out." He answered, Harry stared at the door worried; she even jumped in fright when it predictably but unexpectedly opened.
"We're ready for you now."
Harry followed the unknown witch in, Kingsley followed her and she stood just behind the chair. Hands still wringing her robes.
"Miss Harriet Potter, on the counts of the murder of Rubeus Hagrid, Rosmerta Woodcroft and Aberforth Dumbeldore we find Bellatrix Lestrange Guilty.
For the murder for Tom Riddle, we find you have done a great service to the wizarding world at great personal risk.
For the murder of Roldolphus Lesteange we find you guilty - but as it was in defense during an incident of domestic abuse will go unpunished.
For the murders committed during the Battle of Hogwarts we find you not guilty - circumstances dictate self defense - and for your service to the Order of the Phoenix, again you do our world a great service."
Harry didn't smile, Hagrid and the others were still dead. But the crowd in the courtroom gave her a standing ovation.
"I would personally like to say to you Miss Potter, welcome back. Now, Minister Shacklebolt, would you please escort Miss Potter to the Obliviator headquarters for a required memory modification. Thank you."
Kingsley led Harry back to the lifts.
"Don't think about it Harry, not until we Obliviate you and you can grieve properly." Kinglsey said soothingly, Harry was still trying to process that Kingsley had been made Minster for Magic and never mentioned it.
Harry spent the next two days in St. Mungos, about seven different healers came to check her, they checking not only her physical health but her mental state. She was not allowed visitors until the third day but by then she was allowed to leave.
With nowhere else to go she went straight to Girimmauld place. Harry headed straight for the shower and turned the water as hot as it would go before she stripped off and climbed in under the stream. Then she sat on the tiles, curled into a ball and cried. Harry cried for an hour then just sat there for an hour before she finally unfolded her stiff limbs and turned off the water. She grimaced at her reflection before wrapping herself in a towel and darting into Sirius room.
His clothes were far too big but she had nothing else so pulled them on anyway then went downstairs to eat.
"Harry!" Ron breathed upon seeing her, he was alone, though it looked as though Mrs Weasley had sent some cooking. He embraced her in a hug, holding her like he'd lose her agian if he let go. "Mum said you're more than welcome to come stay with us," Ron added.
Harry nodded, though didn't make any commitments, she knew she should have asked... who was left, but she didn't want to know. Not yet.
"Aw, yum." Harry said, eyeing the food Ron had brought with him. He invited her to eat and they both took a seat at the table.
"Harry, you alright?" Ron asked, He was looking very serious - more serious than she'd ever seen him. Of all the times ofver the years he'd asked that, 'Harry, you alright?' Even when it was dealing with particularly bad period pain or a weepy moment and Harry was reminded he'd been at her trial.
"I'm better." She said. "I... the obliviators helped." She muttered. "I, I know they're gone." She breathed, "But I didn't do it." She added. Hagrid's loss was the hardest of all. "Its really hard to explain, but I'm glad they did it."
*Google translate is responsible for the Russian, sorry if its incorrect.