The days slipped by while Harry debated about who to bring. His best bet was Ron but then he'd get in trouble for the car. His second choice was Takuya but how could he explain Takuya? At last, he settled on Takuya.

"I can explain it a lot better with him. I can say he was hiding in the shadows and that's true. He also had nothing to do with the car and so he wouldn't get in trouble." Harry explained for the fourth time to Ron.

Takuya showed up the next day, the third and was slated to go with Harry and Arthur Weasley, his escort. When the appointed time arrived, Harry and Takuya were taken to a desolate corner and shoved into the phone booth. "62242." Arthur said as he punched in the code.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic visitor's entrance, please state your name?"

"Arthur Weasley, here to escort Harry Potter and his witness, Takuya Kanbara to his trial."

"Please take the visitor's badges that will come out of the slot by the receiver. Present your wands to the security office for inspection."

With that, badges reading, "Harry Potter, Hearing," appeared in the slot. Harry and Takuya put them on and the booth sank into the ground.

When the doors opened, the boys stood in a softly lit room with gold chandeliers everywhere. A statue of a witch, wizard, house-elf, and goblin stood to the side. Arthur took the boys to the security desk and both handed the clerk their wands.

"11 inches, phoenix feather and holly, that right?"

"Yes sir." Harry answered back. He was handed a slip with the wand's measurements and then Takuya stepped forward.

"Hmmm, Beech, mixed with melted dragon scale 17 inches, moderately flexible?"

"'s right." Takuya replied. He was also handed a slip.

The pair was marched into a moderately small room and Arthur left. Standing there were Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley as well as a man in a green bowler hat and Professor Dumbledore.

"Please be seated." A voice rang out.

The boys sat down together, lightly holding the other by the shoulder.

"This disciplinary hearing for Harry Potter resulting from a Hovering Charm and possible Muggle attacks will come to order. Trelawney Bridget presiding. Witnesses shall be Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley for the infraction and Albus Dumbledore and…" At this, the wizard froze. Takuya spoke up and the wizard continued, "Takuya Kanbara."

"Do you acknowledge that you casted a Hovering Charm at number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging?"

"No."

"Do you acknowledge to 25 accounts of muggle baiting through the use of fake smoke alarms?"

"No."

"Do you," Trelawney now scowled, "acknowledge to one count of attacking a Muggle by burning him?"

Harry gulped and exchanged a glance at Takuya, "Y-yes."

"Please prepare your defense."

Harry stood up but before he could open his mouth, Richard Sampson ran in. "Can I help you?"

"Am I too late for the trial of Harry Potter?"

"This is not a public trial."

"I have evidence to prove the boy's innocence."

"… Proceed."

"While at Hogwarts, Harry had an accident that caused his body temperature to settle at an extremely high level. As I did not realize how dangerous this could become, I did not notify the school of the problem."

"Your name?"

"Commander Richard Sampson. I live in Hogsmeade and the boy was given permission to stay with me on occasion."

"Do you concur, Professor Dumbledore?"

"We have given Harry allowance to visit Sampson with his friends, Takuya Kanbara, Willis Brenan, Junpei Shibiyama, Ryo Akiyama, Keenan Crier, Kristy and Marcus Damon, Yoshino Fujieda, Cody Hida, Tommy Himi, Ken Ichijoiji, Yolei Inoue, Yamoto Ishida, Kouchiro Izumi, Hikari and Taichi Kamiya, Jeri Kato, Joe Kido, Koichi Kimura, Miki Kurosaki, Kenta Kitagawa, Takato Matsuki, Koji Minomoto, Davis Motomiya, Rika Nonaka, Thomas Norstein, Zoe Orimoto, Kazu Shioda, Megumi Shirokama, Mimi Tachikawa, Takeru Takaishi, Sora Tanenouchi, and Henry Wong. The students are in a large amount of years from second to sixth although Mr. Norstein had been advanced a year midterm and passed his OWLs. Aside from this, there have been reports from all my staff that teach a class with Harry that his assignments have been scorched. Mr. Potter takes Potions at night because there have been times when potion bottles have melted. I myself suffered an incident where after the boy had gone missing, I tried to bring him in and was burned so bad I collapsed." Dumbledore continued, "Although these incidents became fewer, Harry has an odor around him similar to that of smoke."

"Yes well, this still does not explain the Hovering Charm."

"A house-elf who went by the name of Dobby had appeared in my bedroom and told me to not go back to Hogwarts. When I told him that I couldn't leave my Quidditch team, classes, or friends, he pointed out that I had been receiving no mail. When I asked how he knew, he showed me that he had been preventing my letters from getting through. Eventually, he ran downstairs with me and Takuya following. When he got to the kitchen, he said that he would make sure I stayed away from school as it would be unsafe and cast the spell." Harry said.

"Why does Mr. Dusley have burns on his hand?"

"When I received the letter, Uncle Vernon put bars on my windows and locked me inside my room. One of my friends, Ron Weasley came and ripped the bars out using a car. Takuya wasn't supposed to be there so he had hidden and saw me throw out my trunk and Nimbus 2000. I had been about to leap down when Uncle Vernon came in and grabbed my foot. He tried to stop me from escaping but when he touched me, his hand was burned. Did-did it heal alright?"

"Mr. Kanbara?"

"Harry had told me that he had problems in the past with his family. He mentioned that they would blame him for anything strange and had a habit of locking him up for it. I visited him frequently, keeping him company. On the 31st, Harry had been told to go to his room and, I quote, "Stay in your room, make no noise and pretend you're not here." This was repeated many times along with the duties the other two members of the household had been assigned. If I remember correctly, Mrs. Dursley was to show the guests inside while Dudley was to take their coats. Mrs. Dursley would be responsible for making the dinner, tea, and desert for the guests. The two were supposed to make small talk to help Mr. Dursley secure a business deal and the five would end in the sitting room with the pudding. We walked to Harry's room and the bat like thing, the house-elf told Harry that Hogwarts wouldn't be safe. I saw the letters and witnessed the pudding fall, the disappearing, and the letter. After he read it, Mr. Dursley had ordered Harry his room and told him he was not allowed to come out except to use the bathroom once a day. He locked Harry in and contracted a man to put bars on the windows. When Ron led the escape, I watched him pull out the bars. When Harry had been about to leap, his owl hooted and he ran to grab it. While Harry had his head out the window, Mr. Dursley yelled, "He's escaping!" and grabbed Harry's ankle. I then heard a sizzling sound and saw Mr. Dursley let go of the leg and scream. His hand was burnt black from the injuries."

The man in the bowler hat spoke up, "Was Harry allowed to come down to dinner at all?"

"No sir."

"So he received nothing?"

"Instead of the pot roast, he had been given some bread and cheese and had been ordered to eat quickly and not touch anything. When the doorbell rang, he was forced up to his room."

Mr. Bridget turned to the Dursleys, "Is this true?"

"The fire alarms never went off when he was around. The only exception was when he had been ordered to take a shower since he smelled like smoke. The boy was ordered to his room because we were worried that he'd try some." At this Vernon gritted his teeth in disgust, "magic. When we heard the pudding fall we ran there and saw him looking at it. We sent him to his room and when he tried to escape without my permission, I grabbed him. That's how I got these burns."

"And what of Mr. Kanbara?"

"I have never seen him before aside from at the train station when I went to pick the boy up."

"And does anyone here recall seeing his wand?"

"No, he wasn't holding that thing." Vernon said.

"Vernon won't allow him to carry it." Petunia said.

Dudley nodded.

"He kept it in his robe pockets."

"I had left it in my school robes as I do in the summer."

"Well in light of this, we drop all charges. However, if we receive more reports of burns, we will be following up. This concludes the trial." Mr. Bridget finished.

When Harry reported the news to Arthur, the man jumped in the air and cheered.

At the Burrow, cocoa was passed around and everyone expressed their happiness. All too soon, it was time to go to Diagon Alley.