The Bodyguard
Chapter 6: Wizengamot
Everyone in the dungeon courtroom stared at Harry in amazement, especially Draco, whose eyes shone, as though he were gazing at his guardian angel. Harry gave him what he hoped was a reassuring smile, and then he composed his face and looked around the room.
Nothing much had changed from the last time Harry had been there. Scrimgeour's rangy, lion-like figure had replaced Cornelius Fudge as Minister for Magic. Umbridge and Percy Weasley had been promoted (Harry was careful not to shoot them both a glare of dislike) but otherwise the courtroom was the same. The fifty plum-robed people on the benches stared down at him, some looking surprised, but many others furious.
"Mr Potter, let me get this straight. You ... you of all people, are speaking on behalf of a Death Eater?" asked Scrimgeour. He glared down from his podium in the middle of the seats.
"Indeed, Mr Scrimgeour. Draco Malfoy saved my life yesterday at great personal risk. He should not be sent to Azkaban," said Harry, keeping his voice polite, but firm. He wondered how Dumbledore would have handled this.
A mutter of surprise went around the courtroom. Harry saw Umbridge's toad-like face grimace.
"Explain yourself, Mr Potter," said Scrimgeour harshly.
Harry did at length, telling the entire courtroom the story of the night before and putting particular emphasis on Draco's heroism. He knew everyone was listening, for they flinched when he mentioned Voldemort's name.
"While in the cell, I promised Draco Malfoy that if he gave me my wand, I would let him be my bodyguard. I am here now to claim him so he can make good on his promise," Harry finished. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a tear trickle down Draco's battered, weary face. Looking away in embarrassment, Harry spotted Barnes, sitting behind Umbridge, and gave him a nod. Barnes only narrowed his eyes, and leaned forward to whisper in Umbridge's ear.
There was silence for a moment, and then everyone in the courtroom started speaking at once. Above the hubbub, Harry heard Percy Weasley's pompous voice. "You do understand, Mr Potter, that being a Death Eater carries a life sentence in Azkaban without parole and there is no doubt at all that Draco Malfoy is a Death Eater?"
"Mr Weasley, Draco Malfoy WAS a Death Eater. But he saved my life and I am vouching for the fact that Draco Malfoy is now no more a Death Eater than I am," said Harry courteously, trying not to remember that he'd once considered Percy a friend.
"I supposed you think that being the Chosen One gives you the right to force the Wizengamot's decision? Such arrogance, Mr Potter," said Percy with the trace of a sneer. He glanced around the courtroom, obviously waiting for laughs of derision.
He wasn't disappointed. Harry stifled a wince, as sharp, cruel laughter came from every corner of the room. He kept the calm look on his face with difficulty. "The Wizengamot's decision-" Harry began. But Percy cut him off.
"Perhaps, and this would be very generous on the part of the Wizengamot, Draco Malfoy's sentence could be reduced from one hundred and fifty years to one hundred-" Percy began, but he was interrupted in turn by a loud, girlish giggle from Umbridge by his side. She was engaged in a whispering conversation with Barnes, who was chuckling nastily.
"Would you like to share what is so amusing?" Scrimgeour asked, frowning at his toad-like second in command.
"I beg your pardon, Mr Scrimgeour," said Umbridge, in the fluttery, girlish, high-pitched voice Harry despised so much. "I was merely having a teensy discussion with my colleague here about a certain spell we have been working on. A spell that would allow the Chosen One to use this Death Eater as a bodyguard after all."
Harry kept his face carefully neutral but he couldn't help stroking the scar on the back of his hand, where Umbridge had made him carve 'I must not tell lies'. When she saw Harry touch the scar, Umbridge gave Harry a smile that looked more like a vicious leer.
"Well, let's hear about this spell. The Chair recognises Dolores Umbridge, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," said Scrimgeour impatiently.
Umbridge leaned forward and simpered at the room as a whole. "As I'm sure all of you know, in my new position as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Mr Barnes and I been experimenting with the Unbreakable Vow. We have worked, ever so hard, on closing every loophole using Muggle legal language so that the Vow taker cannot possibly wiggle out of being entirely ... faithful." She gave a silvery laugh and Harry fought the urge to shudder. He concentrated on the image of Dumbledore's kind, majestic face in his head and felt himself regain control.
"I see," said Scrimgeour. "You're saying that we can make Draco Malfoy swear allegiance to Harry Potter, using your Unbreakable Vow, and actually be able to trust him? Draco Malfoy, that is," he added with a smirk, causing more cruel laughter.
Harry didn't let his polite smile shift in the slightest. "I thought the way to make someone trustworthy, Mr Scrimgeour, was to trust them back. Perhaps you should try it?"
Scrimgeour frowned. The laughter from the Wizengamot was now aimed at him.
Simpering foully, and ignoring Harry, Umbridge said, "Yes, how very clever of you, Minister. That is exactly what I mean."
"I'll take it!" shouted Draco.
Harry turned to face Draco in alarm and spoke softly so that no one else in the room could hear. "Be careful, Draco," he warned. "We don't know enough about this Vow yet. You don't know what you're agreeing to."
"It will keep me out of Azkaban," whispered Draco, his eyes wide and desperate. "I don't mind Vowing to be your bodyguard, Harry. I already promised."
"I know, but I don't want it to be forced on you by magic and I want to know what Umbridge is up to this time." Harry frowned at Draco as he remembered Fifth Year at Hogwarts. "You worked in her Inquisitional Squad. You should know as well as I do that she's a colossal b-"
He was interrupted by Scrimgeour's loud voice. "Mr Potter, would you care to share your thoughts with the entire courtroom instead of just the Death Eater?"
Harry straightened, set his face back into a smile, and turned around to face the sniggering courtroom. "Congratulations on your new position, Professor Umbridge," he said politely. Inwardly, he marvelled at his own self-control. Given a choice, he would have preferred to transfigure Umbridge into the toad she so closely resembled. "Thank you for your suggestion, but I, like Dumbledore before me, I would prefer to rely on trust, rather than use magic to bend another person to my will."
Harry knew right away that he'd said the wrong thing when gasps and cruel, mocking laughter could be heard all around the courtroom.
Scrimgeour stared down at Harry. "Albus Dumbledore was murdered by Severus Snape, the very Death Eater for whom he vouched for here."
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Draco squirming in his seat. To Harry's eyes, he seemed overcome with sudden guilt by the mention of his old Head of Slytherin house.
"A mere promise and sob story are not enough to guarantee a Death Eater's loyalty," said Percy pompously. "Draco Malfoy should die in Azkaban."
Harry bit his lip as cries of agreement could be heard everywhere. He was just about to speak up in Draco defence, when Scrimgeour spoke.
"This new kind of Unbreakable Vow, on the other hand." Scrimgeour looked at Umbridge, "Are you sure it absolutely guarantees loyalty?"
"It does, Minister, and I'm simply DYING to try it out. Please do me this little favour," Umbridge simpered. Muttering could be heard all around the courtroom. In the midst of it, Umbridge looked at Harry, the simper on her lips not quite reaching her eyes. "Tell me Potter, do you have a girlfriend?" she asked unexpectedly.
"I ... no, we broke up," said Harry truthfully, thrown by the question.
"How sad," said Umbridge. She leered at Harry as though he were a fly she was about to gobble up. Harry had a powerful sense of foreboding.
"May I ask what bearing Potter's personal life has on the trial?" asked Scrimgeour, his expression stormy.
Umbridge smiled at Scrimgeour in a way she possibly intended to be sweet. "Just chatting with my old school pupil. Please carry on, Minister."
"Very well." Scrimgeour turned to the rows of wizards. "Those in favour of performing the new Vow on Draco Malfoy and making him Harry James Potter's bodyguard?"
"No! Wait! Stop! You can't order the vote now!" shouted Harry.
Scrimgeour acted as if Harry were inaudible. "Your votes?" he asked the hesitating Wizengamot.
A forest of hands shot up.
"This is a travesty of justice. We don't even know what this Vow is!" Harry was beside himself with fury.
Some of the hands wavered, and then shot up again.
"And those in favour of sending Draco Malfoy to Azkaban for the term of his natural life?"
Harry laid one hand on Draco's tense, shaking arm, as hands started going up all over the courtroom.
oOoOoOo
Author's Notes: Wow! Eighteen reviews to reply to this chapter. I'm completely amazed. Thank you so much for voting!
Of course, that means I would love to see more than eighteen votes on this current chapter. Pretty please? Go on, hit that review button, it won't take a moment. :-)
Replies to comments:
Celestia: Thanks! Draco's not going to be happy about having his head bashed either. But with his father in Azkaban and his mother dead, who will he complain to? I think you can guess. ;-) Miko23: Harry's really sticking up for Draco. I wonder how long that will last the moment Draco opens his mouth? Miko23: Lots more problems for Draco coming up. Thanks for saying that about my writing, I'm blushing now. Thanks! Luv u 2. Kit turned Mighty: Thanks for reviewing! I'm really flattered. ItsaMiracle: Bwahahahah! Yes, I'm cruel, more cliff hangers coming up. (I hope they're cliff hangery enough!) NinjaoftheDarkness: Thanks! Love that Harry plushie. The Earth Mystic: Harry was absolutely floored. But do you think under the circumstances, when Draco knew his only hope was Harry, that it was an honest apology? I think Harry really needed Hermione this chapter and he'll need her for the next too. But will she be there? ;-) Yes, I wish the spiders had got Umbridge too. She's so bad to Harry that she may as well be a Death Eater. She's certainly got the morals, or lack thereof, to be one. Percy's been promoted. He was only Court Scribe before. I can't stand Percy and I do agree he ought to be smacked to stop him popping out of the woodwork. juniper: I'm blushing. That's high praise indeed:-) I want to keep both Harry and Draco in character, yet bring them together and it's quite tricky. Draco's got so many prejudices and Harry has that temper from hell. Angemecanique: Will continue, thanks! Did you think Harry went well at the pleading? I think it could have gone better. gbheart: Thank you! Those Aurors are awful. FizzyTopKyle: I probably won't be able to update daily for a while. It depends how the writing goes. Thanks for the comment. EveBB: Draco owes Harry big time, but he's never been a grateful sort of person, so we'll see if it changes his behaviour. Sorry if it seems a bit rushed. I'm trying to write this story as fast as possible, as I have lots of real life responsibilities. I've tried to make the last couple of chapters a bit longer. stuper squash: Heh, heh:-) Potter's Wifey: Harry could do himself a favour modeling himself after Dumbledore. Glad you found Draco's apology shocking. Ann: Draco's about as scared as he's ever been at the moment. Thanks! DestinyEntwinements: Thanks! Glad you like it!