Saved By An Act Of Betrayal – by Keeperoliver

Chapter 3 The Charges

Disclaimer: This needs to be said before I get in trouble. The universe that I am playing in belongs to everyone, however was created by J. K. Rowling, and for that I will be forever grateful.


Harry stood there stunned for a second and then said, "Excuse me, Director Ragnok, but if you mean Professor Quirrell, while I admit he was somewhat of a beast, he definitely was not a magical creature."

Ragnok shook his head, looked down at Hermione and Harry, and picked up the parchment that explained the charge. He found the one he was looking for and started, "Harry Potter did knowingly and without remorse, bury one house-elf named Dobby. Do you refute these charges Harry Potter?"

Harry again had a stunned look on his face. Harry looked back at Ragnok and pleaded, "Dobby was killed by Bellatrix LeStrange one week ago. She threw a knife that hit Dobby in the side. He was still alive when we arrived at our destination, but he died a few seconds later. I did not attempt to murder Dobby, he had just saved our lives. "

Ragnok looked at Harry for a few seconds, again slowly shaking his head. He turned to Hermione, and had a disgusting look on his face. Harry seeing this turned to Hermione.

It just so happened that the polyjuice potion decided to wear off. It looked like Hermione's face was melting. Then in an instant, she was once again back in her own form.

Ragnok straightened himself and asked Hermione, her side of the story. Hermione, word for word, repeated what Harry just said.

Ragnok asked Hermione is she assisted Harry in Dobby's burial. She said no because she was too distraught, and besides, Harry felt it was something he needed to do on his own.

Harry replied, "I received no help from anybody. I wanted no help from anybody. People paid their respect by providing clothing for him, but I felt it was my obligation to him to accomplish this task without help."

Ragnok put the parchment down and looked at Harry and said, "So you take full responsibility for this act. You, on your own free will, did complete this task unaided. "

"Yes," was Harry's reply.

"How do you plead to the rest of these charges?"

"Guilty."

"Do you Know what the penalty is for these charges?"

"No, but I assume full responsibility for all of them. Ron and Hermione, though not completely free of guilt, did so with doubts and restraints, stemming from the possibility or being caught."

Ragnok turned to Griphook and asked, "Is this true, what Harry Potter said, Griphook? Did Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley question Mr. Potter's plans?"

Griphook looked at Hermione then at Harry. "Yes, what Mr. Potter said is true, however, the both eventually agreed to it."

Ragnok looked back to Harry and asked, "Mr. Potter, do you still have the Sword of Gryffindor in your possession?"

"I do."

"Will you hand it to Griphook. I don't think now is the time you should have a weapon at your disposal."

Harry materialized the sword and handed it to Griphook, hilt first to make sure there were no false hopes of escape by using the sword.

Ragnok watched this then said, "Mr. Potter, I am going to leave you and Miss Granger for a few minutes, and then return with my decision."

Ragnok then left the chamber followed by Griphook.

Harry turned to Hermione, to see if she was alright.

Tears were streaming down Hermione's cheeks. She said, "Harry i'm scared. I am afraid of what's going to happen to you. To us. The charges Ragnok made are all punishable by death. If he finds us guilty, it most likely we are all going to die. Harry, I don't want to die."

"Shhh, Hermione, none of us are going to die. This I promise, if one of us has to die, it will be me, but you and Ron will go free."

Hermione's face then turned angry. Harry had never seen her look that angry.

"Hermone, what's the matter? Why do you look so mad? Believe me, if I have to die, I will do so willingly, but before I do, I will make sure of your and Ron's safety. I brought you into this mess, and I will get you out of it. Please don't be mad at me Hermione, it pains me too much."

"Oh, Harry, I could never be mad at you, or at least I could never stay mad, It's Ron. I can't believe the things he was saying about you. Like you were the cause of all his problems. We would have been better off if we had never made friends with Harry "Bloody" Potter. Harry, he went on and on just bashing you. I couldn't take it any more. I called for a guard to find me a new cell. I told him it was getting stuffy in here and I needed same fresh air. Harry, he was terrible. I don't know what I ever saw in him. He is totally opposite of you. Where he is insecure, jealous and petty, you are sure of yourself, but not pompous, you would give everything you owned for a family, and do not look for faults in any of your friends. Harry I wish that I had looked at these traits more closely as we were growing up. I could have easily fallen in love with you in our second year."

Harry could not believe what he had just heard Hermione say. Had she just told him that she loved him. No, what she said was that she could have loved him. But what if she did. Could that be possible? He knew he had feelings for her, but he also had feelings for Ginny. Deep feelings for Ginny. But he has had feelings for Hermione since first year. But then Harry thought it didn't matter who he had feelings for, one way or the other, Harry thought at most he had only a few days to live.

It was at that time that Ragnok and Griphook returned to the cell. Griphook still had the sword in his clutches.

Ragnok took his seat at the desk, peered down at the witch and wizard in front of him and proceeded to talk. "Harry James Potter, it is the finding of this Tribunal, that you are guilty of all charges. It is also the finding of this Tribunal that Hermione Jean Granger and Ronald Billius Weasley are guilty of the lesser charge of aiding and abetting in said felonies. To Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley you will have a suspended sentence of 5 years in Azkaban Prison. Should you be found guilty for any like charges in the future you will fulfil this sentence and any subsequent sentence stemming from the new charge."

"To Mr. Harry James Potter, for the said charges, to include the charge of the attempted murder of a magical creature, the sentence is death. This sentence is to be carried out immediately."

Hermione fainted when she heard this. It was too much for her to handle.

Harry requested that Ragnok carry on and complete the sentence before Hermione revived, to spare her from witnessing it.

Ragnok nodded to Griphook, and Griphook stepped forward.

Griphook leaned into Harry and said, "I am sorry Mr. Potter, but my people come first. I do want you to know that I really did like you and can't tell you how much it hurts me to do this, after you saving my life."

Harry looked at him and said, "How much it is going to hurt you, imagine how I am going to feel."

Griphook smiled, but then dropped it and said, "Mr. Potter, please kneel down, with your hands behind your back." Harry felt his wrists being bound so as not to be able to move them.

Griphook raised the sword over his head, and brought it down with all the force he had.