A Friends Loyalty

As Harry lie there he thought every bone in his body was going to explode and he just wanted it to be over with. Then it was, the pain in his bones left, his lungs refilled with air, and for the first time he could tell that Ginny held his head in his lap and was gently rocking him to try and comfort him. That was when he also noticed Cornelius Fudge's blank unseeing eyes staring right into Harry's. Harry shuddered, it reminded him of Cedric. Confused Harry looked up and saw his Headmaster lower his wand and look at Harry with deep sorrow in his twinkling blue eyes.

One unforgivable curse had been used and the Minister of Magic lie on the floor dead. Aurors immediately surrounded the group, but none moved forward to make an arrest. They simply looked from Fudge to Dumbledore not knowing what to think, Kingsley Shackelbolt finally stepped forward towards Dumbledore.

"Professor Dumbledore, sir, I saw the whole event," He said in a loud voice so the entire atrium could hear, "it was in defense of Mr. Potter, I know that sir. But I do still need to take your wand and you into custody until the matter is resolved with the Ministry. Two Aurors slowly approached Dumbledore fearing he might attack again. Albus simply raised his hands in a non threatening manner and allowed them to lead him to a holding room. As they walked Kingsley gave everyone the impression he took Dumbledore's wand, but it was just an act. The healers were next to approach the group addressing Harry, it was then that Harry realized he wasn't in any pain at all. He politely declined to be taken to St. Mungo's and was helped to his feet. He looked at Ginny and smiled, he couldn't get any words out to her right now. He was touched by the courage that she showed to run to his side in a time like that, he leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. Ginny's face turned as red as her hair, as she hugged Harry she buried her face in his chest and began to cry. Harry saw Ron help Hermione to her feet and noticed the torn sleeve in her hands.

"Hermione," Harry started to speak finally, "what have you got in your hand?"

"It's the sleeve off of the Ministers robes," Hermione began to answer, "It ripped off when he pushed me away from him."

Harry then heard someone picking Fudge up and putting him on a floating stretcher. The noise caused Harry to turn and look and just before the wizards taking Fudge away covered him with a blanket, Harry saw it. Voldemort's Dark Mark emblazoned on the left arm of the man who swore to protect the entire wizarding world. Harry couldn't divert his eyes from the spot where Fudges arm had been. Sudden realization hit him, that one mark on Fudge's arm explained why he had been so eager to deny Voldemort's return, why he wouldn't listen to Harry or Albus, why he tried to get Harry expelled and Albus sacked. He was a Death Eater, he had tried to cause Harry to quit gaining strength so Voldemort could easily kill him. Now Harry was glad Fudge was dead.

"Yes, well," Arthur Weasley's voice broke the silence, "perhaps we should all wait in the Wizengamot Council lounge. It will fit us all and we will be in the right area in time for the ceremony."

"Ceremony? We are still having the ceremony," Harry asked more rudely than he meant, "Professor Dumbledore is locked up and probably going to go to Azkaban! And you want to have the ceremony?"

"Harry," This time it was Alastor Moody's voice, "I'm sure we will all be seeing Professor Dumbledore a free man much sooner than you think."

Harry didn't like the idea of having the ceremony without the man who saved his life but there was nothing more he could say. The group all filed through the security gate and headed to the elevators. Harry was expecting Mr. Weasley to hit the button that lead to the level where the Department of Mysteries was but instead he pushed a button that lead, up.

"Mr. Weasley," Harry spoke, "aren't we on the top floor? If we go up won't we go outside?"

"Oh no, no Harry," Arthur answered with a smile, "this elevator doesn't just take us up and down, it will also take us to the Ministry annex where the Wizengamot Council is."

"And where is that sir," Harry asked politely.

"Um, well I'm not too sure exactly Harry," Mr. Weasley answered somewhat embarrassed, "it's in an unplottable place just like Hogwarts, only you have to use a Ministry elevator to get there."

"Oh, I see," Harry said as the elevator doors opened. None of the children had ever been here before, and they couldn't have imagined a more magnificent place. The room the elevator opened up into was huge, Harry guessed it must be at least 400 feet long, and half as wide. At the opposite end of the room was a massive golden door that stood at least twenty feet high and ten feet across. In the center of the room was a perfectly circle pond with water that was crystal blue, the pond was fed by two waterfalls, one on each of the side walls. Both waterfalls seemed to be falling from the sky, the mist created by the waterfalls filled the room and made it very comfortable. Harry noticed that nothing was getting wet though, his glasses didn't even show signs of water. In the center of the pond was a small island that had a statue on it. The statue was a wizard holding a wand in one hand pointing up to the sky and the most amazing sword Harry had ever seen in the other pointing down to the ground, the tip just an inch above. Harry couldn't see who it was but noticed a plaque on the waters edge, when Harry reached the plaque there was only one single word etched into it, Merlin. Harry looked to the ceiling where Merlin's wand pointed and he noticed that it was enchanted just like the Great Hall. He saw the beautiful blue sky above him and that they were surrounded be snow capped mountains. On two of the mountains he could see rivers flowing down the sides of them leading right to the waterfalls in this room. Then he looked down and saw the floor wasn't what he thought. It was solid under his feet so he could stand, but yet it was water. It wasn't a pond in the center of the room, the entire room was a lake.

"Welcome to the Wizengamot Council lounge everyone," Arthur said as the kids began rubbing their eyes, "follow me over here and we can have a seat while we wait."

"Sir," Harry said in a quiet voice, "is this, is this the lake where King Arthur got Excalibur?"

"That is what is believed Harry, but truthfully, no one knows for sure." Arthur answered beaming, "However, we do know that the sword the statue of Merlin is holding is The Excalibur, and it is said Merlin himself is buried on that island."

They all looked back at the island as the all sat down on boulders that came out of the lake. Harry expected them to be hard and uncomfortable but realized quickly that they were really soft bean bag chairs made to look like boulders.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity the elevator door opened again. Professor Dumbledore and Kingsley Shacklebolt both stepped out of the elevator smiling. Everyone stood up and greeted the late comers. They explained that all the Department Heads had unanimously agreed that Dumbledore had acted out of defense for Harry and used a fully legal spell while striking down a Death Eater. He had been cleared of all charges and was free to go. Professor Dumbledore pulled Harry to the side to talk to him in private.

"Harry I would like to apologize for what happened," Dumbledore began, Harry tried to interrupt but Dumbledore continued, "you see, I had my suspicions about Fudge but couldn't do anything about them without proof. I never meant for him to hurt you Harry, for not acting quicker I am sorry. I am also sorry that he died because of me. I had hoped I would have been able to control myself better. I look to you as a son Harry, I look at the Weasley children and Hermione also as my own. Perhaps I shouldn't, being your Headmaster and all, but you have all shown me the kind of loyalty and love that one can only share with family. Do you understand?"

Harry once again found himself unable to speak, he did what felt right. Harry threw his arms around Professor Dumbledore and gave him a very big hug, Harry felt like he just met a new family member, a tear came to his eye.

"Sir," Harry said softly, "I have a question. You didn't use any of the unforgivable curses, but Fudge still died. What was the spell you used?"

"It was a simple spell Harry," Professor Dumbledore said quietly, "it is simply meant to cause the person the spell is aimed at to quit speaking, more specifically quit casting a spell. Unfortunately, with the anger and emotion I used it in I was unable to control the power of it and it killed him."

A faint beam of light slowly formed in the middle of the giant golden door as it began to open. As Harry let go of Professor Dumbledore he heard him say.

"Ah, it seems that they are ready for us."