Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine, I am NOT JK Rowling. I'm just borrowing several pieces of her wonderful creation, throwing them into a blender and hoping that something tasty comes out. Also I don't know Law & Order, wish that show hadn't been cancelled.
"Excuse me Minister, I must have misheard you," Harry said calmly, though his friends could hear the undercurrent of fury building beneath Harry's clam façade. "What did you say you were doing here?"
"You heard me boy," Scrimgeour sneered. "You are under arrest for murder, assault and breaking the Statue of Secrecy by performing magic in front of muggles."
"And when did I commit these crimes?" Harry asked, his voice dropping several levels to a near growl.
"Christmas Eve," Scrimgeour snapped. "As you know fully well, now will you come along quietly or do I have to make you?"
"You are charging me with the murders of four Death Eaters!" Harry growled. "I was defending myself and the Granger family from a rabid pack of Death Eaters led by Bellatrix Lestrange! What do you expect me to have done? Lay down and let them kill us!"
"It matters not!" Scrimgeour waved off Harry's claims. "The four victims of your rampage were all vaunted members of our society struck down with brutal viciousness, and I shall make sure you pay for your crimes."
"So it seems that you have followed Fudge, tell me Minister how much of those 'generous donations' actually made it to their intended recipients?" Harry sneered.
"Enough of your fear mongering Potter, Aurors arrest him!" Scrimgeour shouted. Three Aurors spread out from behind Scrimgeour and approached Harry, wands drawn.
Harry instantly noticed that one of the Aurors looked very similar to a certain blonde haired ferret. The sneer etched on the man's face looked like a near-perfect copy to Malfoy's. Beside Harry, Hermione jumped to her feet and drew her wand.
"You're not taking Harry anywhere!" she shouted. "He was defending me and my family from the Death Eaters, they were using Unforgivables and I was put under the Cruciatus Curse by Malfoy. Harry's a hero not some criminal, you're just angry that he's done more to combat Voldemort and his lackeys than the entire Ministry has!"
"Silence you filthy Mudblood!" the Malfoy-look-alike sneered. "Your half-blood boyfriend murdered several upstanding citizens of Magical Britain and he has to pay for his…" Suddenly the Auror was cut off by a Silencio that Harry had cast on him.
"Don't you ever call Hermione that!" Harry roared. With a slash of his wand, a large brick wall appeared in front of him and with a flick, Harry sent the wall careening down the alley between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables forcing the Aurors and Minister back down the Hall toward the doors.
"Mr. Potter enough!" Dumbledore roared as he rose to his feet. His wand suddenly appeared in his hand and a large bolt of red magic spat from its end and struck Harry in the back. The younger man slumped to the ground in a heap.
All the air in the Great Hall seemed to have been sucked out as no one moved, watching as the Auror team slowly approached the Stunned Harry before binding his hands with magic-suppressing cuffs and dragging him out of the Great Hall. Scrimgeour turned at the entrance and gave the stunned students and professors and gave them all a smug sneer. The doors slammed shut ominously when the Ministry party left. A heartbeat's worth of silence followed before it was followed by the sharp staccato of a pair of shoes rushing up to the Head Table.
SLAP!
The sound of Hermione Granger slapping the face of Albus Dumbledore echoed around the Great Hall.
"YOU BASTARD!" she shrieked. "How could you let them just take Harry like that?! Harry saved me and my family's lives and you just let those bastards from the Ministry take him like that!"
"Mr. Potter broke the law and has to suffer the consequences," Dumbledore said. "And I believe 100 points from Gryffindor for striking a professor is in store Ms. Granger."
"Bollocks that!" Hermione screamed. "You say that Harry broke the law well what about all the times you've broken the law!"
"I might have made some mistakes in my long life but I've never murdered someone in cold blood," Dumbledore said sternly.
"That wasn't murder, it was self-defense and you know it," Hermione retorted. "You sent Sirius to Azkaban without a trial, you knew that he wasn't the Potter's secret-keeper, you sent Harry to those horrid abusive Muggles each and every year even though you knew that he wasn't cared for or even liked there. You talk about following the law, well you sir are the biggest hypocrite of all."
"Ms. Granger, you have just lost another 100 points from Gryffindor, and if you do not return to your seat this instant you will be spending much of your remaining free time this term in detention with Mr. Filch!"
"Argh!" Hermione screamed before turning on her heel and storming toward the entrance hall. The doors to the Great Hall burst open as she approached. As Hermione exited the Great Hall, she turned and gave the Headmaster a look of deepest loathing. "When Harry gets out, he'll be coming for you Dumbledore," and with that she vanished around the corner.
Dumbledore looked around the Great Hall and was stunned to see each and every member of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables and several members of Slytherin all glaring at the venerable Headmaster. Turning toward the staff table, he saw that the professors were all starring at him with stunned shock and disgust. There came a great clattering and scraping as the entirety of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff stood up from their tables and walked out of the Great Hall, along with the Slytherin members of the DA. A moment later, the professors followed suit leaving only Dumbledore and the majority of the Dark-aligned Slytherins who were looking up at the Headmaster with tactful approval.
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In the Gryffindor Common Room, the only sound emanating from the Lion's Den was the sound of a young brown haired girl sobbing into the pillow of her four-poster bed. Muffled words could be heard coming from the pillow but they weren't discernable from any known language of man. In between sniffles, Hermione heard a sharp bark from her bedside table. Looking up from her pillow, red-rimmed eyes spotted a white owl looking down at her with sorrowful amber eyes.
"Oh Hedwig, what are we going to do?" Hermione whimpered. "The Ministry just stormed in here and took Harry, and Dumbledore let them, hell he Stunned Harry in the back and let the Minister just take him away. How could the so-called 'Leader of the Light' let a corrupt Ministry just take away Harry? Harry was defending me and my family, he killed those Death Eaters in self-defense!"
Hedwig nodded and barked softly before leaping off the bedside table and landing on the bed next to Hermione and started to nuzzle the bushy haired girl's head. Hermione's hand came up and gently stroked Hedwig's head.
"Thank you Hedwig, you knew that I needed some comfort," Hermione said. "Don't worry, I'll make sure our Harry gets out of this even if it's the last thing I do."
"Hermione?" a familiar voice asked through the closed door to the sixth-year dormitory. "Are you all right in there, Hermione?" Parvati Patil asked.
"I'm ok Parvati," Hermione answered. "Just give me a minute to freshen up." Turning back to the regal looking snowy owl, the Gryffindor said, "Come on Hedwig, let's go see what the others want." The owl barked and leapt onto Hermione's shoulder and leaned her head against Hermione's. Hermione cast a quick cleaning spell over herself before steeling herself and crossing the room and opening the door. She made her way down the spiral staircase and into the common room proper. The entirety of Gryffindor House was seated or standing in the common room, all looking stunned, angry or just plain depressed.
"Hermione!" Ron, Ginny and Neville's voices called out as Hermione stepped off the staircase. The trio raced over to their friend but Hermione raised a hand to stop them.
"I'm fine…or as fine as I can be," Hermione said. "But that isn't the issue here, the issue is what are we going to do to help Harry? We all saw how Dumbledore Stunned Harry in the back and let those bastards from the Ministry take him away, so we can't rely on him or any of the professors anymore. We have to take a stand for ourselves now."
"But how?" Neville asked. "You're not talking about some school prank or matter of house points Hermione, you're talking about talking over the school!"
"What else can we do?" Ginny argued. "Hermione's right, we can't trust Dumbledore or the staff any longer if Dumbledore is willing to Stun someone in the back. We have to be on guard all the time."
"What about those Muggles that Harry knows?" Neville suggested. "Not his relatives, but the ones that helped him over the summer, can't we get in touch with them and see if they can help Harry?"
"But they are Muggles, will they be able to do much of anything in our world?" Ron asked.
"No Neville, that's brilliant," Hermione exclaimed, giving the Longbottom heir a bone-crushing hug. "Someone get me some parchment and a quill, NOW!"
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"Urgh!" Harry groaned as he came to. Looking around his surroundings, Harry realized that he wasn't at Hogwarts any longer. The last thing Harry remembered before everything went dark was roaring at Minister and then everything went black. A dreadful chill fell over Harry, a very familiar dreadful chill.
'Dementors!' Harry realized in horror. Harry tried to fight off the demons' effects, though it was getting more and more difficult. His Occulmency training was average, not that he learned much of anything from Snape or Dumbledore, the British military had taught Harry focus and how to channel his emotions in order to control himself but the amount of Dementors descending upon him were making it difficult. He could hear several different things thanks to the Dementors effects including the deaths of his parents, Sirius and the Department of Mysteries battle when Dolohov struck down Hermione. On the edge of Harry's memories, Harry could also hear the footsteps of someone approaching his cell. These footsteps were accompanied by another sound, this one the familiar sound of wood hitting stone.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here?" a sneering voice laughed from outside Harry's cage. "I do hope you are enjoying your lodgings Mr. Potter because you will be staying here for a very long time. This is unless you decide to join the winning side."
"What do you want Scrimgeour?" Harry growled. "Madam Bones will never stand for this. You know as well as I do that I have done nothing wrong."
"She isn't in any position to argue any longer," Scrimgeour laughed darkly. Ironic isn't it, the last name of Bones and she had so many skeletons in her closet."
Harry narrowed his eyes at the Minister. "Who's pulling your strings Scrimgeour?" Harry asked. "There is no way in Merlin's name that you are smart enough to come up with a plan like this."
"Watch your tone boy," Scrimgeour sneered, his voice trembling with anger. "I can make your stay here very unpleasant you know that. I think having double Dementors guarding your cell will make you change your tone quite quickly. Until then Mr. Potter." Scrimgeour spun on his heel and made his way down the hall, leaving the corridor just as the Dementors swooped in around Harry.
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Deep in the heart of London, a brilliant white owl swooped across a brightly lit street and fluttered into an open window on the third floor of a nondescript looking building. The owl landed on a very old and fancy desk before sticking her leg out. A pair of hands deftly removed the letter from the owl's leg and laid the letter out on the desk. After a moment, the recipient of the letter slammed a hand down on the desk and got to their feet.
"It's time," the man said looking up from his desk. "Inform Her Majesty that our magician has been hogtied."
"Right away sir," a gray-haired woman said before quickly walking out of the office.
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Is Potter truly as Light as he seems?
In a stunning development yesterday afternoon, the Ministry for Magic arrested Lord Potter-Black on several charges including murder, assault and Breaking the Statue of Secrecy by performing magic in front of Muggles. These charges stem from the Christmas Eve attacks launched by the so-called Dark Lord.
We at the Prophet can exclusively revel that the man we all fear as the Darkest wizard since Grindelwald might not be so Dark. Lord Riddle, the grandfather of You-Know-Who, claims that his grandson is not the Dark Lord that Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter make him out to be. 'How else could have that half-blooded usurper survived all those years ago?' Surely his bastard parents must have conducted some Dark spells and rituals
Lord Riddle has told us here at the Prophet that his grandson went to Godric's Hollow all those years ago because of a prophecy made in 1979 that prophesized the rise of a new Dark Lord by the name of Harry Potter.
'the Dark Lord approaches ... born as the seventh month dies ... and he will be marked, but he will have power that no one knows ... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ... the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies...'
This revelation has rocked the magical world. We all thought that Harry Potter was the one who would defeat You-Know-Who but what if we were wrong and it was Potter that is the true Dark Lord and not You-Know-Who or Lord Voldemort. We can only wonder how so many people were tricked into thinking that Potter was truly Light. We can now all sleep sounder in our beds knowing that the Ministry has captured this rising Dark Lord before he could truly begin his reign of terror.
The Great Hall was silent as everyone's eyes were glued to the day's issue of the Daily Prophet. Several eyes ripped themselves away from the paper to look toward the Gryffindor Table where Hermione, Neville and Harry's other friends were trembling with suppressed rage.
"How dare they!" Hermione screamed. Several birds flew out of the Forbidden Forest squawking angrily. Hermione grabbed a copy of the paper and stormed up the aisle to the Staff Table before shoving the paper underneath Dumbledore's crooked nose. "What are you going to do about this Dumbledore? You know that this rubbish is false, Harry isn't some Dark wizard, Voldemort is. Now everyone thinks Harry is evil because you allowed that bastard Scrimgeour to arrest Harry."
"Miss Granger, you would be wise to hold your tongue," Dumbledore said sharply. "We have already had this discussion, Mr. Potter broke the law and must pay the consequences for his actions. There is nothing I can do Miss Granger, perhaps you should remember your place in this world."
The Hall fell silent once more as much of the staff and students looked up at Dumbledore in shock. They had never heard the venerable old Headmaster speak so callously to a student, let alone Hermione Granger.
"I do know my place Headmaster," Hermione growled, her bushy hair crackling with electricity. "It is right between you and Harry, since you won't help Harry, I've found someone who will."
"And who might that be?" Dumbledore asked.
"No one that you need to be aware of," Hermione answered. "Since you are so found of keeping secrets, its only fair that I have some of our own. Good day Headmaster."
"Where do you think you are going Miss Granger?" Dumbledore demanded. "We are not through here."
"Oh yes we are," Hermione snarled without looking back. "I guess I am just a poor little muggleborn that doesn't know my place, isn't that right Headmaster?" Hermione stormed out of the Great Hall. Slowly several others rose to follow Hermione, much of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, pretty much the whole DA.
"You know Hermione, that might not have been wise," Neville said as the Gryffindors returned to their common room. "I know that you are angry with Dumbledore, Merlin knows I am but you can't just keep confronting him. He is Albus Dumbledore, the only wizard You-Know-Who ever feared for a reason."
"Oh and what reason would that be? Everyone keeps saying that Voldemort fears Dumbledore but why does he? Its not like Dumbledore has ever beaten Voldemort, Harry's faced Voldemort five times already and has managed at worst a draw. If Dumbledore is such a strong wizard, why hasn't he beaten Voldemort yet? You all think Dumbledore is stronger than Harry, yet Harry is able to fight Voldemort on even ground at only sixteen."
Silence reigned in the common room as Hermione's words reached their ears. Hermione's words made a lot of sense to them, sure Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald and all but wasn't Harry the one that always defeated Voldemort. And their parents all said that Voldemort was even more powerful than Grindelwald. So why could Harry hold off Voldemort at only 16 but Dumbledore couldn't beat Voldemort at whatever age he was.
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"Has this been confirmed?" a regal female voice asked sharply.
"Unfortunately Your Majesty," the Prime Minister said. "Mr. Potter has been arrested by the Ministry for Magic under the pretense of murdering several enemy combatants during an attack on a friend's home on Christmas Eve. The evidence is stacked against Mr. Potter even though his actions were justified by both the Ministry's own laws and our own laws."
"I see," the Queen said.
"Your Majesty, I have spoken with M on this matter and she concurs that it is time we step in," the Prime Minister said. "It is time that the Ministry for Magic knew who they answer too."
"Indeed," the Queen said. "Mr. Blair, M, do what you need to do in order to bring these dissidents back to the fold."
"Of course your Majesty," Blair and M said before seeing themselves out.
In three separate locations around Britain, three different magicals felt a change in the environment around them. Two of the magicals just shrugged it off, however the youngest, sitting in a dark, damp cell, grinned, his emerald green eyes glowed in the dim light.
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"Order, order," Scrimgeour barked, slamming his gavel on the desk before him. "This trial will now come to order. Case number 113822k49, Ministry of Magic for the Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland vs. Harry James Potter, charges include four counts of murder, eight counts of assault and several counts of breaking the Statue of Secrecy by performing magic in front of Muggles. Now, how does the defendant plead?" Scrimgeour sneered over the top of his desk, looking down at Harry.
"Not guilty," Harry responded. "And are these chains really necessary?" he asked, indicating the chain strapping him to his chair.
"Of course they are," Scrimgeour said. "They are there for our protection, we can not take any chances with out safety."
"Oh I see," Harry said with an arched eyebrow. "So it has nothing to do with the fact that you have already decided that I must be guilty because I am more popular than you Minister. I find it interesting that the last person to sit in this chair with the chains activated was the woman who killed my godfather and gave me this scar," Harry said, indicating the long scar that went from his hairline to his chin along his jawline.
"Your plea Mr. Potter," Scrimgeour growled, ignoring the mutterings that had sprouted out in the gallery at Harry's comments.
"Not guilty if you insist," Harry said. "Also, don't I get a representative for this farce of a trial? I mean how am I supposed to defend myself if I don't have someone to speak on my behalf. What's stopping you from just casting a Silencio on me to keep me from talking and speaking in my own defense?"
"I don't believe that will be necessary," a new voice echoed out, interrupting Scrimgeour before he could speak. Nearly every head in the courtroom, aside from Harry, turned to see three figures stand up from the gallery and begin to make their way down. One of the figures drew a wand and gave it a wave, causing the chains to unfurl and drop away from Harry.
"Who the bloody hell are you?" Scrimgeour shouted.
"I am James McCoy of Tonks, McCoy and Carter, representing Lord Harry James Potter-Black," a silver haired man said stepping up to Harry's side.
"Michael Carter, of the same firm, also representing Lord Harry James Potter-Black," a brown haired middle-aged man stepped out of the shadows to stand beside McCoy and Harry.
"Hermione Jane Granger, assistant to Mr. McCoy and Mr. Carter representing Lord Harry James Potter-Black."
Harry's head snapped around to see Hermione standing next to Carter, in her arms were several heavy looking books and scrolls. Hermione gave Harry a quick smile before turning back to glare up at Scrimgeour.
"What is the meaning of this?" Scrimgeour roared. "What are you doing here?"
"As we said Minister, we are here to represent Lord Potter-Black, unless the right of representation has been outlawed by the British Ministry for Magic," McCoy said.
"And then what's next, throwing people into prison without even a trial," Carter said.
"That's already happened," Harry quipped. "The previous Lord Black, my godfather Sirius Orion Black, was thrown in Azkaban and left there to rot for twelve years. Think about it, a pureblood Lord of a Most Ancient and Noble House was thrown to the Dementors without a trial, what's stopping the Ministry from doing it to anyone else."
Scrimgeour's face changed color faster than a streetlight, going from red to white in a blink of an eye. Look around the courtroom, the Minister saw close to a majority of the Wizengamont members looking at him with expressions of disgust and anger.
"Very well then, your representation is noted," Scrimgeour ground out.
"Minister," an aged voice asked from the gallery. It was Dumbledore. "Minister, surely this is not necessary. Mister Potter is just a boy, he shouldn't be in Azkaban, release him into my custody. You all know who I am, let me mold Mister Potter into a proper member of our society. I have been Headmaster of Hogwarts for quite a long time and I am the best one for the position."
"Mr. Dumbledore, thank you for your generous offer but my client doesn't wish to involve himself with you in any way at this time or in the future, outside of you being his school's Headmaster," McCoy said sternly.
"Please see reason Mr. McCoy, Mr. Potter is in a very difficult time in his life," Dumbledore said. "He needs guidance and I have experience in dealing with unruly children."
"You must be talking about Tom Riddle," McCoy said. Dumbledore blinked. "Thomas Marvolo Riddle, Slytherin, perfect, Head Boy model student, your so-called protégé. Where is Mr. Riddle now, oh right using the moniker Lord Voldemort isn't he? Riddle was an orphan, much like Mr. Potter, and like Mr. Potter he was sent back to an environment that he hated despite repeated pleas to you, Mr. Dumbledore, that Riddle be allowed to remain at Hogwarts over the summer holidays, requests that you denied each and every time."
"Now see here," Scrimgeour shouted. "I will not have you slander an upstanding member of our…"
"There is no Lord Riddle in our society," Harry barked out. "Riddle, or Voldemort is playing you all for fools, not that he needs to make you all look like fools."
"Mr. Potter, I would refrain from making comments like that, your situation isn't one that you need to make any worse," Carter said, though Harry saw that the man's lips twitched at his comment.
"I believe we should continue on Minister," McCoy said. "Our client has submitted his plea, so if you would be so kind…"
"Very well," Scrimgeour growled. "Prosecutor are you ready to proceed?"
The Ministry prosecutor stood up and began his opening statements. Lots of flowery words about the traditions of the magical world and how he, Harry, had been corrupted by his Muggle upbringing and was now quickly becoming Dark and setting out to destroy the foundation of magical society. Glancing around the courtroom, Harry noticed that several of the Wizengamont members were nodding along with the prosecutor's words. When the oily looking man regained his seat, Harry could see a smug grin on both his and Minister Scrimgeour's faces. Then Mr. McCoy stood up.
"Ladies and gentlemen of this honored and hallowed body, you all might think of my client, Lord Harry James Potter-Black, is some sort of rising Dark Lord," McCoy said. "You are wrong though. Lord Potter-Black did not break the law in regards to the events of Christmas Eve. He defended himself and the Granger family against the terrorist organization called the Death Eaters. Lord Potter-Black fought back using the training that he had gained from becoming a part of Her Majesty's military. Lord Potter-Black was facing against twelve rabid Death Eaters who were bent on his and the Grangers' destruction, with only Ms. Granger as his backup. Six-to-one odds are bad for anyone, even some of the most formidable duelers. The Death Eaters used destructive curses including the Unforgivables with impunity and yet my client, who didn't use any illegal spells, is the one being put on trial. At the end of this trial, we will all see that my client, Lord Potter-Black, is innocent of all crimes levied against him by a vindictive and biased government who is more interested in protecting the guilty than punishing them."
McCoy sat down amid furious shouting from the gallery. Scrimgeour glared down at the defense table before turning to the Ministerial prosecutor.
"Mr. Davidson, you may call your first witness," Scrimgeour said.
"The Ministry calls Lord Lucius Aries Malfoy to the stand," Davidson said.
"Objection!" McCoy shouted. "Relevance?"
"Excuse me?" Scrimgeour asked.
"What is the relevance of calling Mr. Malfoy to the stand? He was not present at the supposed crime, nor does he have any reason to be here aside from the possibility of casting aspersions upon my client's character."
"Denied," Scrimgeour announced. "Lord Malfoy is a respected member of our society and shall be allowed to make his statements. You will have your turn to question Lord Malfoy."
Harry and his defense team sat back and listened to the elder Malfoy paint a very florid picture of Harry being a developing Dark Lord, how the boy had no proper wizarding respect and had constantly attacked his heir, Draco, during their time at Hogwarts plus how Draco was one of the victims of Harry's viscous attack on Christmas Eve. The elder Malfoy's words were beginning to twist several of the Wizengamont members, showing Harry and Hermione just how well the slippery Death Eater was. Finally it was time for Malfoy's cross-examination.
"So Mr. Malfoy…" McCoy began but Lucius cut him off.
"Lord Malfoy."
"Excuse me?"
"You may address me as Lord Malfoy."
"It was my understanding of British magical law that a family must be all-magical going back for over ten generations and must be living in Britain for that period of time," McCoy said. He turned toward Hermione, who handed him a folder. "It is common knowledge that your family has only been in Britain for less than 70 years, so I don't believe you or your line qualify to be known as Lords."
Lucius sputtered as several others snickered around the courtroom.
"Objection!" Davidson cried. "Lord Malfoy is not on trial here, Mr. Potter is!"
"Did we accuse Mr. Malfoy of anything?" Carter asked, sending a sharp glance at the prosecutor. "And I believe that Lord Potter-Black deserves to be addressed by his full title, as both of his families have been in Britain since the time of Arthur!"
"Overruled," Scrimgeour said. "Mr. Davidson, they are correct. They did not accuse Lord Malfoy of anything, though Mr. McCoy, you and Mr. Carter will address Lord Malfoy with the proper respect that he is due."
"Very well," McCoy said shortly. "Now then Lord Malfoy, you were previously accused of being a Death Eater, however you claimed that you were under the Imperious Curse and forced to do Lord Voldemort's bidding."
"That is correct," Malfoy sneered.
"Then I'm sure that you'll be surprised that Lord Potter-Black was able to throw off Barty Crouch Jr.'s Imperious Curse two years ago, and was able to throw off Lord Voldemort's own Imperious Curse two years ago as well," McCoy said. "So if a fourteen year old was able to throw off the Imperious Curse while you, an adult pureblood wizard fell victim to the same curse. So then that either means Lord Potter-Black is very mentally strong and possesses a very strong will and that you sir, do not. Or…"
"The brat is lying!" Malfoy screamed. "There is no way a half-blooded bastard son of a Mudblood bitch is stronger than a pureblood Lord!"
"Lord Malfoy, you will keep such comments to yourself or you will be Silenced and your testimony stricken from this case," Scrimgeour said. Lucius sneered up at Scrimgeour but nodded.
"Lord Malfoy," Carter said sharply. "From your previous comments, you believe in the propaganda that Lord Voldemort has been spewing saying that the only wizard worth being is a pureblood."
"Of course," Lucius sneered. "These half-bloods and muggleborns are slowly but surely destroying our world."
"Then it would surprise you that Lord Voldemort is in actuality a half-blood," McCoy said. For a spilt second there was absolute silence before uproar nearly blew the doors off the chamber.
"Silence!" Scrimgeour shouted, though it took several minutes before the chamber had quieted down enough to continue the trial. "What proof do you have of this claim?"
"We have the Pensive memories of Lord Potter-Black from his second and fourth years in which Tom Riddle tells Lord Potter-Black his identity," Carter said, holding up a several vials of a smoky liquid. "And an oath from Lord Potter-Black that these memories are true and not tampered with."
"Too bad that Pensive memories can't be used as direct evidence," Scrimgeour sneered.
"True," McCoy said. "But they can be used to supplement claims given as evidence. And that is why this trial is taking longer than it should if your backwater laws would take advantage of the gifts such as Veritaserum and Pensive memories to make sure that justice is served in every case."
"How dare you!" Scrimgeour shouted. "How you try to slander my Ministry's good name with these blatant accusations?"
"Are you not doing the same thing to my client?" McCoy countered. "You claim that Lord Potter-Black is turning Dark when you have no evidence to prove that. You make it impossible to disprove your claims by denying the defense the use of tools that would prove beyond a reasonable doubt that my client, Lord Potter-Black, is innocent of these ridiculous charges."
"Fine then, let us hear Mr. Potter's side of the story," Scrimgeour sneered. "Lord Malfoy, you may step down and go with the court's thanks." Malfoy smoothly rose to his feet and made his way back to his seat in the gallery. As he passed the defense table, the elder Malfoy leaned down and whispered something toward Harry and Hermione. Both Gryffindors ignored the slimy ex-Slytherin.
"My Lord, would you mind taking the stand?" McCoy asked. Harry nodded and rose to his feet and made his way to the witness stand.
"Your witness," McCoy said to Davidson who gave the silver haired man a nod. The oily looking prosecutor rose to his feet, smoothed his robes and strode toward Harry.
"Mr. Potter, I am wondering who exactly are you," Davidson said.
"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean sir," Harry responded.
"I find it difficult to know exactly who you are," Davidson said. "Are you the Boy-Who-Lived, a raising Dark Lord, or just a sad and scared little child who thinks that if he tries to make enough noise that he'll get his way?"
Harry narrowed his eyes. "Speak clearly, if you have a question for me, ask it? I don't like to mince words," Harry growled. Davidson blinked before a smug grin made its way onto his face.
"Very well Mr. Potter, you say that you are innocent of these heinous crimes but you background seems to support your violent tendencies," Davidson said.
"What are you talking about?" Harry asked sharply. Davidson stepped back to his desk and picked up a folder.
"I'm talking about these Mr. Potter," Davidson sneered, throwing the folder down onto the witness stand's shelf. Several newspaper articles, all from the Daily Prophet, were thrown in front of Harry. Harry's eyes narrowed dangerously as he recognized each and every article.
"As you can see Mr. Potter," Davidson began. "There are several different instances stating that you are unstable in regards to your anger and have been known to harbor Dark tendencies including cavorting with known werewolves, giants, escaped convicts and other manner of Dark creatures."
Harry's dark hair fell over his eyes as he glanced down at the articles. "So you would take the word of Rita Skeeter, a notorious rumor-monger and muckraker?" Harry quipped. "We all know that she'll write anything to get a story, and aside from this dribble, do you have any concrete proof? Or is it just more name-calling and slander that the Ministry is using against my family's name and me? Need I remind you that I am Lord Harry James Potter-Black, and supposedly that means something in this world? What if it were your names being dragged through the mud as mine is, would you stand for it?
"Very passionate words Mr. Potter but it doesn't answer the questions does it?" Davidson sneered.
"I suppose not," Harry growled. "What would you like me to say Mr. Davidson? It is true that I am friends with Rubeus Hagrid, a half-giant who is also the kindest and most gentle-hearted person I've ever met. Hagrid would never hurt anyone, as I'm sure everyone here knows as you've either been a classmate of his or you know about him from his years of work as gamekeeper at Hogwarts or more recently as Care of Magical Creatures professor. Sure Hagrid doesn't have the same standards of what a dangerous magical creature is but I wouldn't hesitate to put my life in his hands. The same is true with Remus Lupin. Professor Lupin is just a wizard who contracted a disease against his will and yet you all treat him as if he were some rabid animal. Werewolves are only dangerous twelve hours a month; true there are some like Fenrir Greyback that cause the horrid reputation that werewolves endure. But every society or group has bad eggs in it; we can't condemn the group as a whole just because a small amount are bad. If you all keep treating other magical creatures like shite, you'll just be driving them into Voldemort's waiting arms."
"Are you thinking of taking a career in politics Mr. Potter?" Davidson asked. "Or perhaps you wish to follow your mentor, Albus Dumbledore, into the field of molding young minds?"
"No sir," Harry snapped. "I don't plan to follow Albus Dumbledore anywhere. And as for politics, I don't believe I would be good at it."
"And why is that?"
"Because I like to tell the truth," Harry responded. "I think that to be a good politician you need to be greedy, dirty and willing to whatever it takes to stay in power, not unlike a Dark wizard."
Stunned silence met Harry's statement. Every member of the gallery was looking at the young man in the witness box with one of three expressions: shock, amusement or anger. This little slip of the boy was making a mockery of their way of life, thought much of the gallery.
"Look I don't care if you don't like what I have to say but you are damn well going to listen to it," Harry said sharply. "We could sit here all day about what is right and wrong about this society, however we aren't here to do that. We are here to hear about what happened Christmas Eve, but I think it would be better to show you."
"Pensive memories are not allowed as evidence!" Davidson barked.
"Not if they are the only piece of evidence, since memories are only shown from that person's point of view," Harry said. "But I'm sure you questioned the captured Death Eaters using Veritaserum and found out what they were doing there. Though if you had done that, we wouldn't be here as my actions that night certainly under the label of self-defense."
"This has gone on long enough Scrimgeour!" a voice called out from the gallery. It was Neville's grandmother. "This trial is a farce, just let the boy show his memories and we can get this over with!"
"Thank you Madame Longbottom," Harry said with a nod to the elderly stateswoman of the Wizengamont.
A projector Pensive was brought forward and Harry dropped two memories into the Pensive. The gallery watched in shock as they saw the resurrection of Lord Voldemort through Harry's eyes and then the attack on the Grangers' home. The audience watched in awe, as Harry was able to battle Voldemort to a draw, then force Bellatrix Lestrange to retreat after wounding her grievously. Harry noticed that several of the gallery members were looking around at the crowd and the room as if trying to find the quickest way to escape the courtroom. These were of course members of the gallery that saw their identities shown in Harry's memories, reveling themselves to be Death Eaters.
"That memory is a fake!" a familiar voice shouted out. It was Lucius Malfoy. "Potter must have changed the memory!"
"We have written statements from Lord Potter-Black stating that he has not tampered with or changed either memory that he submitted," Carter barked, holding up several sheafs of parchment. "They are vetted by the goblins of Gringotts validating their authenticity."
Malfoy paled. The entire Wizarding World knew that Gringotts were the best at contracts in the wizarding world and to go against the goblins of Gringotts was extremely ill advised and could prove costly.
"As you can see, in both memories Lord Potter's opponents did not hold back, so how could you expect Lord Potter to as well? Put yourselves in his position, would you hold back in defense of your families?" McCoy asked. "Minister, Aurors are allowed to use offensive spells, do you charge them with murder if they accidently kill someone in the course of their duties?"
"Of course not," Scrimgeour said. "But Mr. Potter is not an Auror."
"True but he is a member of Her Majesty's military, as should be treated as a soldier in time of war than only a civilian," McCoy argued.
"The Muggle world has no bearing on this trial!" Scrimgeour sneered.
"That is where you are wrong Minister," Carter said. "While the magical world is indeed outside and hidden from the Muggle world, we are all still citizens of the Crown and under Her rule. Also there is this." He pulled out a rolled up scroll.
"What is that?" Scrimgeour barked.
"This, Minister, is a copy of the Statue of Secrecy, signed by the leaders of the British Magical World and the reigning British Monarch of the time, William III," McCoy said. "It states that while the magical world would be separate from the muggle world, the magical world would still have to follow the common law of the land. And as a member of Her Majesty's military, Lord Potter-Black is obligated to act in defense of the realm in which he did Christmas Eve, four terrorists are no longer around to terrorize our citizenry. Remember to whom you answer to Minister Scrimgeour," McCoy finished ominously.
"Is that a threat?" Scrimgeour growled.
"No," Harry said. "It is a promise. I don't think Her Majesty is very happy about how you are running Her magical world."
"HER magical world?!" several voices from the gallery barked.
"Indeed," Carter said. "We are all citizens of the Empire, it doesn't matter whether they be magical or not, and as such we are under the rule of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. And She is well within her rights to take back what is already hers."
"What are you talking about?" Scrimgeour snarled.
"The dissolution of the magical world as a separate entity," McCoy said. "If She wishes it, Her Majesty could bring the magical world back under direct rule of the Crown." You could hear a ghost breathe in the courtroom after that statement.
"The Muggles are trying to take over!" a voice screamed out from the gallery.
"No!" Harry roared. "Her Majesty only wishes this as a last resort, if the magical world is deemed unworthy of governing itself. And things are not looking good for you all."
"What are you talking about boy?" Scrimgeour sneered. "What possible reason could this Muggle Queen have to try this?"
"Lord Black's illegal incarceration, the corruption and bribery that has run rampart through the Ministry, the blatant discrimination due to ill-perceived 'blood-status' and the fact that there is a Dark Lord still running around with much of his followers getting off just because they repented," Harry said. "There are dozens of examples of the magical world ignoring their problems and sticking their heads in the sand hoping that the problem would just go away rather than actively trying to stop it."
"I believe that is enough grandstanding for today Lord Potter-Black," Madame Longbottom said. Harry nodded to the aged spokeswoman of the wizarding world. "I have seen enough to make a decision on this case Minister, and I believe that it is time to decide on Lord Potter-Black's sentence."
"Fine," Scrimgeour growled. "Ladies and gentleman of the Wizengamont, light your wands if you feel that Lord Potter-Black is guilty of the crimes charged against him." Roughly one-third of the Wizengamont's wands rose and were lit. "All those who feel that Lord Potter-Black is innocent of the crimes charged against him." The rest of the gallery's wands were raised and lit. "Very well then, Lord Potter-Black, you are hereby declared innocent of the crimes charged against you. You are free to go," Scrimgeour growled out, as if each word was causing the man great pain.
"Thank you Minister," Harry said getting to his feet and bowing slightly to the assembled Wizengamont. "It is heartening to see justice prevail."
Without another word, Harry, Hermione and his two lawyers swept out of the courtroom. When the group reached the Atrium, Harry and Hermione said goodbye to McCoy and Carter. The two lawyers had just used the Floo to return to their office when a very unwelcome voice called out to the two students.
"Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger." It was Dumbledore.
"What do you want Headmaster?" Harry asked sharply.
"Harry, do you realize what you have done?" Dumbledore asked, ignoring Harry's sharp tone. "The magical world and Muggle world are meant to be separated, you have exposed our world and put everything you hold dear in danger."
"Headmaster, the Royal Family has known out your world for as long as the Statue of Secrecy been around," Harry said. "We all live in one world, perhaps back then it was prudent to separate the two societies but for too long the magical world has gotten away with abusing their so-called 'secrecy'. It is time that the magical world is brought to heel and forced to grow up."
"Harry, why have you forsaken your heritage? Your parents would be very…"
"Don't try and tell me what my parents might think of what I'm doing," Harry growled. "I never got to know them enough, thanks to you, Tom Riddle, Severus Snape and Peter Pettigrew. Also, about my so-called heritage, again thanks to you, I am more comfortable in the outside world than the magical world. I never even knew about the magical world until I got my letter, you saw to that didn't you? You kept me from knowing anything about my family and for what reason? You are supposed to be this great and powerful man, a 'Leader of the Light' so to speak but all you've done is sit back and let the darkness grab a foothold once more. You could have easily changed this world after you defeated Grindelwald, you were looked up to as nearly a god but you did nothing. Evil triumphs when good men do nothing, well you Dumbledore did nothing to stop Voldemort, all the deaths from the start of the first war until this one is finished are on three heads; Voldemort, Wormtail and you!"
Harry and Hermione spun around and quickly left the Atrium through the nearest Floo, leaving Dumbledore gaping at the space they had just vacated barely cognizant of the stares and whispers circling around him from the crowd that had gathered.
A/N: FINALLY! I'm really sorry it has taken so long for an update. School, work and job searching has been making a mess of my schedule and while I've had the outline down for this chapter done for a while I just haven't found the time to write it down. I'm hoping that now that this chapter is finished I'll get back into the swing of things. But please, read and review this chapter, I think a did a pretty decent job but I want to know what you guys all think. Enjoy
S.R.W.M.O
