Diana and Dumbledore vs. the Wizengamont

Diana and Harry looked all around as the made their way to the lifts. All over the room, people were apparating and spinning out of fire places. Everyone was in a hurry to get to wherever it is that they were going.

Diana pinned on her badge as they passed a large gold fountain and proceeded to where she and Harry had to submit their wands for registration. A wizard waved a gold rod in front of both of them and they gave him their wands and put them in a scale one at a time.

"Eleven inches, Holly wood, phoenix feather, and it's been in use for four years. Is that correct?" the wizard asked Harry, who nodded, reading off of the parchment the scale produced. The wizard gave back Harry's wand and kept the parchment.

"Let's see," he said, looking at the parchment from the scaling of Diana's wand, "That's funny."

"What is?" Diana asked.

"It says here 'wand material, unknown'," he looked at Diana suspiciously.

"Oh, it's made from some kind of rare material. I'm not even sure what it's called," said Diana.

He looked at the parchment once more and said, "Very well." He wrote some notes on it before returning her wand, "I'll also need to check your bag," she handed it to him to search. When he finished he handed it back to her without a word.

"Thank you," said Diana with a polite smile.

They continued through the atrium, on the way to the lifts.

"So what floor will the hearing be on?" asked Diana.

"My floor, the second level for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," he said.

"That's good to know," said Diana. Suddenly, she stopped when she saw a man with long, white-blonde hair that looked all too familiar. Unfortunately he saw her as well. He turned and hurried off down a corridor at the end of the atrium.

"Um, you know what, I think I'll go make a donation to the fountain," she said as an excuse to get away.

"Do you have to right now?" asked Mr. Weasley.

"I won't be long; besides, we've got plenty of time before the hearing. But you can go on ahead,"

Mr. Weasley checked his watch, "Very well. When you're done, take the lift to level two, mine is the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office."

"Alright," she said. Harry was looking at her nervously. "Don't worry, I'll make it. I promise." She smiled at him as they walked toward the lifts, and she made for the corridor that Lucius Malfoy had disappeared into.

It took her a few minutes to catch up with him. When she did, they were in a deserted corridor with black walls and blue torches. She removed her wand and, upon her unspoken command, it lengthened back into the Lasso. She walked up behind him.

"Mr. Malfoy," she said politely.

He turned to her, and a sneer crossed his face briefly when he saw her, until she threw the Lasso around him.

"Release me at once!" he demanded in anger, "You can't get away with this; my master will come after you if the ministry doesn't get you first!"

"Be quiet!" he was immediately silenced by the magic of the Lasso, "I'll let you go in a moment, but I'd like to have a short talk first."

"From this moment, you do not know who I am. You have never seen or heard of Diana Prince. You will not remember that Wonder Woman has a secret identity," all the silent blonde could do was scowl at her, "Now when I release you, you will wait until I am gone, and then you will forget this conversation and go about your business."

When she finished her commands, she removed the Lasso and allowed it to shorten back into a wand. He continued to glare as she backed away a few steps. She turned and retreated back down the corridor with no sound except for the tapping of her heals on the black marble floor. Only when she was out of sight did the glare disappear from Malfoy's face and he turned and continued in the other direction as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, Harry and Mr. Weasley were in his office, which was rather cramped with two desks and numerous muggle items, when Mr. Weasley's partner ran in almost in a panic.

"Arthur!"

"Oh, there you are. I'd like you to meet Harry," he said friendly.

"That's what I need to tell you about. His hearing's been moved! It's in old Courtroom Ten at eight!"

Mr. Weasley looked at his watch and cursed, "Come on, Harry, you should've been there five minutes ago!"

Harry began to feel panicky, "But what about Diana!"

"No time, Harry, let's go," they rushed back to the lifts, where Mr. Weasley pressed the button for the atrium. Mr. Weasley bounced up and down on the balls of his feet while waiting for the lift to stop. When it did, they both rushed out and ran through a near corridor and down several flights of stairs. They turned down another corridor with a door at the end, but turned just before they reached the door.

"Here we are," said Mr. Weasley, out of breathe. They were outside of a door with the number ten in gold, "Go on in. Good luck." Harry gave him one last nervous look before reluctantly pushed the door open with shaking hands.

Inside was a large room with high benches. The people sitting in the benches were all wearing purple robes with an embroidered W. At the center of the room was a chair with chains covering the arms and the legs for subduing criminals.

Harry let the door close with a soft thud, which caused everyone in the room to stop muttering and look his way. Harry could recognize the Minister of Magic and Percy Weasley in the center of the group. Percy held a quill and scroll of parchment for taking notes.

"You're late," said Fudge in a cold voice that lacked any sort of familiarity.

"I- I didn't know that the time and p-place had changed, sir."

"This is no fault of the Wizengamont. An owl was sent to you this morning. Take your seat,"

Harry looked looed scared at the chair before slowly walking over to it. As he sat, the chains clinked ominously, but otherwise made no move to constrain him.

The Minister looked down at his papers as he spoke, "Please note the date and time. We are here today for the hearing of Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Interrogators are Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe is Percy Ignatius Weasley."

"Witness for the defense: Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore!" came a booming voice from the door that Harry just came through. Harry looked and saw that it was Dumbledore. A strong feeling of hope suddenly swelled in his chest. I might get through this, he thought to himself.

"Ah, Dumbledore, I see you- um- got our notification that the time and place of the hearing had been changed," stammered Fudge, shuffling his papers.

"I must have missed it," said Dumbledore cheerfully. "However, due to a lucky mistake I arrived at the Ministry three hours early, so no harm done." He pulled out his wand and conjured a squashy chintz armchair next to Harry's. He sat down and looked politely up at the interrogators with his fingertips together under his chin.

Fudge cleared his throat, "Offences were committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy. The defendant is accused of knowingly and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions producing a patronus charm in the presence of a muggle shortly before nine o'clock on the night of August the second."

"Do you deny the charges?" he asked when he finished reading out the charges against Harry.

"Well- no, but…" Harry began but was cut off.

"And are you aware that you were forbidden to use magic outside of school while you are under the age of seventeen?"

"Yes, but…" he was cut off again.

"Witches and wizards of the Wizengamont, I see no point in prolonging this hearing when the defendant is clearly guilty," said Fudge.

"I only did it because of the dementors," Harry said quickly. The wizards in the benches began murmuring to each other.

"Dementors in Little Whinging?" said a bemused witch with a monocle.

"There were two of them; they attacked my cousin and me, but I fought them off with a patronus."

"You produced a patronus?" asked the manacled witch.

"Yes," said Harry.

"A corporeal patronus?"

"Um- yes?" said Harry, confused.

"Incredible." There was more murmuring in the bleachers.

"It doesn't matter how incredible the magic is! If anything it makes things worse!" said Fudge, "Are we really going to listen to this well-rehearsed cock and bull story all morning?"

"Pardon me, Minister, but we do have a witness to the incident, other than Dudley Dursley that is," said Dumbledore.

"A witness?" Fudge said, flabbergasted.

Just then, the door to the courtroom burst open. Harry and Dumbledore looked to see who had entered. Both of them were surprised to see Diana, walking in confidently, her heels clicking on the floor as she walked.

"I told Mrs. Figg she could go home," Diana whispered to Dumbledore. He nodded in reply and stood to offer her his chair, which she declined.

"Who are you?" asked Fudge after the doors thudded closed.

"Diana Prince," she stood next to where Harry and Dumbledore were sitting, "I am a witness in this case."

"We haven't got time for anymore poppycock statements. I'd like to finish this quickly."

Before Diana could respond, Dumbledore spoke up, "Forgive me if I am mistaken, Minister, but I believe that the accused has the right to present a witness. Am I right Madam Bones?" He turned to the witch with the monocle.

"You most certainly are, professor," she answered, glaring slightly at Fudge.

"Oh, very well!" he turned to Percy, "Write this down!" Percy began scribbling furiously, "What's your name again?" he asked Diana, irritated.

"Diana Prince," she answered as patiently as she could.

"Is that your full name?"

"Yes, it is," she made a subtle show of straightening her glasses on her face, "Forgive my tardiness, but I was not informed of the change in time and venue until recently."

"We sent prior notice to Mr. Potter and Professor Dumbledore," said Fudge.

"Oh, I'm sure that you did. I'd hate to think that the Wizengamont would deliberately wait until the last minute to inform the defendant to ensure that he missed his hearing, resulting in a severe miscarriage of justice." Fudge became red in the face and began stuttering in indignation.

"Who exactly are you?" asked Madam Bones.

"I am a counselor, specializing in adolescent psychology," at some of their baffled expressions she added, "To put it simply it is the study of the mind. I talk to teenagers and help them to work out their problems and I detect mental defects."

"But we have no record of other witches or wizards residing in Little Whinging."

"That's because I don't reside there," said Diana coolly.

"Then how did you come to be in the area on the night in question?"

"Professor Dumbledore contacted me in America to offer me a position at the school, due to the fact that a student was lost so recently. He felt that it would be beneficial to have a professional on the staff for the students to talk to. He requested that I evaluate Mr. Potter over the summer, to see how well he had been coping as he witnessed the student's death first-hand." Harry was slightly surprised to hear all this.

"And in your opinion, how is he faring?" asked the witch.

"As well as can be expected, given the circumstances. Even more-so when you consider his home life and past experiences," Diana answered confidently.

"So he is of sound mind? He is not delusional or seeking attention?"

"He is as sane as you and I. And if anything he shies away from attention."

"This is ridiculous! Can we please get back to the topic at hand?" Fudge said. Diana scowled at him.

"What had you been doing when you witnessed the incident?" asked Madam Bones, glancing sideways at Fudge for his rude outburst.

"I had been out looking for Mr. Potter and his cousin. It was getting late and I became worried when I learned from Mr. and Mrs. Dursley that they were not in the house. I was approaching Magnolia Crescent when I felt a sudden awful chill, when seconds before the temperature had to have been at least eighty-five degrees. Then I saw Mr. Potter trying to fight a dementor, while the other dementor was descending on Dudley Dursley. I tried to assist them, but I am, unfortunately, untrained in fighting dementors. After producing only vapor the first few times though, he was able to produce a fully formed patronus to charge down both dementors, and in my honest opinion he behaved very heroically."

Madam Bones was listening intently, while Fudge was shuffling his papers and looking as though he was trying not to pay attention to Diana. Harry, on the other hand, was holding his breathe while looking at Diana.

Finally, Fudged looked up with a bored look on his face, "That was a very impressive speech, Ms. Prince. However, we are here for facts, not well spoken stories that waste our time."

"I don't know, Cornelius," said Madam Bones, "Why would he risk expulsion and then lie about it. And why would she lie for him?"

"It's impossible!" Fudge exclaimed, "What are the odds of a pair of dementors wandering into a muggle community and stumbling across a wizard?"

"Oh, I don't think anyone here believes that the dementors were there by coincidence, Minister," said Dumbledore.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"You have already heard my views, Minister."

"Yes, I have. And I think they are utter bilge! The dementors remain under Ministry control!"

"If that is indeed the case," said Diana, "How can you explain two dementors being in Little Whinging and attacking Mr. Potter?"

"Excuse me, young lady," Diana and Harry both turned to see a woman sitting on Fudge's right. She had been leaning back in her chair so that her face was hidden by shadow, but now that she was leaning forward they could see that she resembled a large toad, "I'm afraid I must have not heard you right. How silly of me. It sounded as if you were implying that the Ministry was involved in the attack on this boy," she gave a girlish little laugh that sent chills down Harry's spine, though it just irritated Diana. A few other witches and wizards reluctantly joined in.

"That would be most worrisome indeed, Madam Undersecretary," said Dumbledore, "Which is why I'm sure that the Ministry will be launching a full inquiry into why two dementors were so very far from Azkaban and launched an attack on the night in question." Diana smirked slightly when she heard him say this.

Fudge began blustering again before shouting out, "It is not for you to decide what the Ministry does or does not do. And in any event, if the said dementors do indeed exist, their behavior is not in question her, Mr. Potter's is."

"Oh but the presence of dementors is highly relevant. The law clearly states that magic may be used underage in front of a muggle in life-threatening circumstances."

"I am familiar with the law, Dumbledore! But if there were dementors, which I doubt…"

"I have provided you with an eye-witness statement!" Diana said angrily, "Unless you are completely biased against Mr. Potter and you entered this courtroom today with the intention of finding him guilty no matter what at the expense of the justice system that you are under oath to uphold, you will take the time to consider our statements!"

To Harry, Fudge's face was a shade of red to rival Uncle Vernon's, "I- you- HOW DARE YOU!"

"Ms. Prince makes an excellent point," said Dumbledore calmly, "How many witnesses would you need to see sense?"

"SENSE! This whole dementor story is only one of many senseless stories he's come up with! To cover for himself! Do you remember when he used that hovering charm?"

"That wasn't me, it was a house-elf!" said Harry.

"YOU SEE!" Fudge shouted.

"The house-elf Mr. Potter is referring to is currently employed at Hogwarts. Would you like me to summon him hear so that you may hear it from him?"

"I haven't got time to listen to house-elves! And that isn't the only instance. He BLEW UP his aunt!" Fudge said, knocking over an ink bottle.

At this, Diana's eyes widened comically as she turned to stare at Harry in surprise. He just shrugged sheepishly.

"And you kindly decided to let him slide on that occasion, as you know that even the best of us can lose control over our emotions."

"And don't make me start on everything that he gets up to in school."

"This Ministry has no business punishing a student for his actions in school. Harry's school activities do not pertain to this hearing," said Diana.

"Oh, you think so, do you?" Fudge sneered.

"The Ministry has no authority to expel a Hogwarts student, as I reminded you on the second of August, Cornelius," said Dumbledore coolly, "It also has no right to confiscate a wizards wand until the charges have been proven. In your haste to ensure justice, you seem to have mistakenly overlooked a few laws yourself."

"Laws can be changed if necessary!"

"Apparently, as it seems to have become the Ministry policy to hold a full criminal trial for a simple matter of underage magic." Fudge shifted in uncomfortably in anger. Madam Bones frowned while toad-faces face remained expressionless.

"As far as I know, there is no law saying that Harry must be put on trial for his use of magic throughout his life. We are here for a specific offense, and we have presented his defense. All that there is to do now is wait for your ruling." He sat back in his armchair and put his fingertips together again.

Diana walked over behind Harry and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and bent slightly to whisper in his ear, "Breathe." Harry let out a choking breath, and then turned red from the noise it made.

The judges were all muttering amongst themselves as they came to a decision. Harry felt as though he hadn't spoken up enough. He tried to open his mouth to speak several times, just to close it back and look down at his trainers.

Finally, Madam Bone's voice boomed out, "Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?" Harry didn't dare look up, though Diana saw that much more than half of the judges held up their hands.

"Those in favor of conviction?" Fudge's hand shot up, along with the toad-faced witch. Only a few others held up their hands as well.

Fudge looked around impatiently before saying, "Oh all right, cleared of all charges!"

Diana smiled and turned to Harry, who seemed to be sitting in a daze.

"Excellent," said Dumbledore, "Well I'd best be off. Good day to you all." He left without another word, much to Diana's confusion. It didn't last long though as she pulled Harry up by the hand.

"Wha- what's going on?" asked Harry in a croaky voice.

"Harry, you've been cleared," said Diana, laughing as realization dawned on his face.

"I've been cleared?" his voice rose slightly.

"Yes!" Diana laughed again as he lunged and wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank you, Diana."

"You're welcome. Now let's hurry on home so we can tell everyone else," she pulled him out of the courtroom and, after a quick visit with Mr. Weasley, they took the underground back to Grimmauld Place. =w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w==w=

I have looked forward to writing this chapter for so long, and here it is. I'm happy with how it turned out. I like the thought of Diana defending Harry so vehemently and making it known how she disagrees with the ministry practices.

Before anyone brings it up, it will be mentioned in 15 how she knew about the time and place change for the hearing.

Also, can anyone tell me how we're allowed to do the story pictures? I usually use gimp to edit pics of the internet for stuff like this. But they're saying we need permission. So can we use the pictures and put a disclaimer or we just can't use them?