This was the day the Death Eater's trials would begin. I had promised myself that I would attend every single one, and I would.

When I arrived at six in the morning, four hours before the trial was scheduled to begin, the courtroom was already filling up. I was glad that I had come early. I took a seat in the back, where my row was still empty.

I hoped no one would notice me. I wasn't ready to talk about him yet and I knew they would ask, or try to console me, or whatever they wanted.

Something poked my back. I turned around. No one was there. I shrugged and faced front again. I felt another poke.

No one was there.

"It's me," whispered a voice out of nowhere. "Harry. I really don't want those reporters noticing me. Can I sit next to you?"

"This is so weird," I replied to nothing. "Hold on a sec…" I rummaged in my bag and pulled out a piece of paper. With a flourish of my wand, words in very fancy script began to write themselves on the paper. Reserved.

"Wonderful," Harry whispered. I felt something push by me and saw the chair cushion sink down a little.

I looked around. Ron and Hermione were on the other side of the courtroom, a few reporters around them. They saw me and waved. I waved back.

Ginny was there too, with Mum and Dad. They were in a corner.

I spotted Kingsley Shacklebolt sitting in the front next to a grey haired wizard. They were talking quietly.

Also in the room, I saw Dennis Creevy with some people I assumed were his parents. I saw Parvati and Padma Patil, both looking extremely sad. Parvati was crying. Katie Bell, Oliver Wood and a girl who I recognized but couldn't remember her name, were sitting a few rows down from me.

Soon the trial began. The grey haired wizard next to Kingsley stood up. He pointed his wand at his throat and muttered something. "May I have your attention, please." His voice echoed unnaturally loudly through the room. People slowly quieted down.

"I am Gawain Robards," the man continued. "I am head of the Auror Department. This trial will be conducted in the following manner: A few of the accused will come in. We will deal with each one separately. First we will read the list of accusations. The accused will have a chance to defend him or herself. Then we will call up witnesses. The accused can question our witnesses and afterward and call up witnesses of his or her own. Members of the Wizengamot may then ask the accused whatever they want. Finally, the accused will make a final statement and the Wizengamot will vote.

"Now, let the first three come in."

The double doors across from me opened. I felt a quick stab of despair as the dementors walked in, holding the accused. They were seated in the chairs with chains. My jaw dropped.

Lucius Malfoy, his cruel face looking utterly spent, plopped into the first chair. Next to him, his wife Narcissa sat in the second chair. She resembled a corpse with her too pale face and long white-blond hair.

In the third chair sat Draco Malfoy. He appeared scared and somehow…relieved. I almost felt sorry for him.

Next to me, I heard a sharp intake of breath. Before either of us could say anything, Gawain Robards continued. "We call Draco Malfoy to the stand. He is accused of: Attempted murder of Albus Percival Wulfirc Brian Dumbledore. Poisoning Ronald Bilius Weasley. Imperiusing Rosmerta Miriam Grant and forcing her to give a cursed necklace to Katherine Titania Bell. Almost murder of the said Katherine Titania Bell when she touched the cursed necklace, resulting in her five month stay at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies. Aiding known criminals into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. How do you plead?"

The courtroom was silent. Draco was staring at his shoes. Finally he raised his head and said quietly, "Guilty. Of all charges."

Everyone started to talk.

"Silence, please!" said Robards. Everyone ignored him.

"Guilty? He's just a little boy…"

"Darn right he's guilty. Little Death Eater."

"I can't believe it!"

Harry poked me. "Look at Lucius," he whispered.

Lucius Malfoy was furious, but knew not to intervene. He glanced at his son angrily. "He probably wanted to say that Voldemort had imperiused him or something, like last time," I whispered.

"Silence!" shouted Robards. With his already amplified voice, the sound was quiet impressive. Finally people quieted down.

"You may now explain your plea," he continued.

Draco bit his lip. He cleared his throat and said quietly, "I did attempt to kill Albus Dumbledore. I spent my whole sixth year trying. The Dark Lord ordered me to. At first I was excited and proud. But I couldn't do it. He tortured me. I was impatient and lost my temper twice. The first time I gave Madame Rosmerta a cursed necklace to give to the first Hogwarts student she saw so they could get it to Dumbledore. She gave it to Katie Bell. The second time Madame Rosmerta poisoned the bottle of oak-matured mead Slughorn ordered, saying he intended to give it to Dumbledore for a Christmas present. He didn't, and somehow gave some to Weasley. I knew that if I did not kill Dumbledore, the Dark Lord would kill my whole family."

The room was silent for a whole three seconds. Then Robards asked the Wizengamot, "We call Leanne Rose to the stand."

The girl sitting with Katie and Oliver got up and walked down.

"Ms. Rose is the friend of Katherine Bell who first noticed that something was wrong," explained Robards. Turning to Leanne, he asked, "Can you tell us what happened that day?"

Leanne nodded. "We were in Hogsmeade," she began, her voice quivering slightly. "Katie and I, that is. It was cold and wet and yucky so we went to the Three Broomsticks to get some butterbeer. Before we left, Katie went to the bathroom. When she came back, she had this package and she wouldn't tell me what it was or where she got it. We started arguing and I grabbed the package. The paper came open and Katie touched it and…" Leanne gulped, "she floated in the air and screamed and screamed…" she stopped and looked at Robards. "That's all," she said.

"Do you wish to question the witness?" Robards asked Draco. He shook his head. "You can go back to your seat then," Robards told Leanne.

Robards had a quick conversation with a few people in the Wizengamot. Finally, he turned around and asked Draco, "Do you have any witnesses you have to call up?"

Draco nodded. "There is only one person who was present at all three cases," he said. "I call…Harry James Potter to the stand."

The room was silent.

Next to me, Harry swore under his breath. "I was afraid of this," he said and stood up.

I saw something not make its way down to the front of the room. That is, I saw a few people look around as though something had passed them and a paper crinkle as something stepped on it. A minute later, Harry appeared quite suddenly in front of Robards and Malfoy, Jr.

Everyone gasped.

"I'm here," said Harry, quite unnecessarily.

Cameras were clicking all over the place. Harry bent down and whispered something to the blond boy, who bit his lip and shrugged.

"Silence, please," begged Robards. People quieted down enough to hear the people in the center. "You may question your witness," he said to Draco Malfoy.

The boy gulped. "On the night at the top of the tower," he began, addressing his shoelaces, "there were two brooms. Were you on the other one, invisible?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you intervene?"

"Professor Dumbledore paralyzed me," replied Harry.

"Do you have any idea why he did that?" Draco asked. I was impressed. He was showing everybody that although he committed the crime, there were more complicated issues underneath.

Harry shrugged. "He knew he was dying anyway."

This was news to the general assembly. For that matter, it was news to me too. Ron, Hermione and Ginny probably knew that already, but the rest of the world was shocked.

"May I have silence please," said Gawain Robards again. We quieted a little.

Apparently Draco Malfoy had not known that either. But he used it to his advantage.

"Did you hear my entire conversation with Dumbledore?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Would you say that Dumbledore was surprised to see me?"

Harry paused. "He was not surprised to see you in particular. He was worried and upset that there were Death Eaters loose in the school, but no, he was not surprised."

"What happened, from your point of view, on top of that tower?"

Harry sighed. "When we landed, there was nothing there. Professor Dumbledore was…not well and sent me to get Snape. Before I could, Malfoy—Draco Malfoy—walked in and disarmed Professor Dumbledore. In the second he had, Dumbledore paralyzed me. Then the two of them had a really long conversation. Malfoy was nervous. He explained how he had gotten the Death Eaters in and what was going on. Although he had the chance to kill Professor Dumbledore, he did not. Then Professor Dumbledore offered to protect Malfoy and his family. Malfoy almost accepted, but then the other Death Eaters came. They talked for a little. Then Snape came…" Harry closed his eyes. "Snape came and killed him."

This was the first anyone had really heard about what happened. I had—we had—not been there that night. All anyone knew was what Harry had said in short bits about it. He had not really mentioned Malfoy at all.

Once again, Gawain Robards was forced to scream for silence.

"When was the last time you saw me?" asked Malfoy.

"Is this relevant?" complained Harry. I saw Ron move forward a bit and Hermione whisper something in his ear.

"Yes," replied Malfoy.

"Well…" Harry was now interested in his shoes," the last time I saw you was when Ron, Hermione and I got caught by Snatchers and taken to your place."

"What was I asked to do?" It was a sort of awkward question, but Harry obviously knew what he wanted.

"They asked you to identify us."

"Did I?"

"Not willingly, but yes, eventually you did."

"You know that if I had refused, they would have tortured me?"

"No, I did not know that. But I could have guessed…" Harry finally looked up. "I knew that you had to."

The other boy nodded. "So you saw them threatening me?"

"Yes."

Malfoy took a deep breath. "I rest my case," he said.

Once again, everyone started talking. This time Robards did not even bother asking for silence. The Wizengamot was talking amongst themselves. I saw Harry whisper something to Draco, who bit his lip and smiled a little. Then he was gone. Harry, that is.

Everyone who was still watching him gasped. Soon, a small breeze ruffled my hair and the paper crumpled a little.

"I thought I would never get out of that," Harry breathed in my ear.

"You certainly set a stir," I replied. "You've never said that much about what happened before."

"I know." Although I couldn't see his face, I was sure that Harry was embarrassed.

"George…" Harry began.

"What?"

"Are you…are you all right?"

I couldn't see his face.

"No," I replied truthfully, "not quite. I'm trying, though. It's harder to laugh without a partner."

"I—"he began, but stopped abruptly when he saw Robards conferring with the temporary Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Sure enough, Robards stood up and said, "May I have your attention please."

This time, everyone stopped talking.

"The Wizengamot is ready to vote. All in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?"

Almost everyone raised their hands.

"And those in favor of conviction?"

Only two people raised their hands. I recognized one as Katie's grandmother. The other was a grumpy looking old man with a big bristly mustache.

"Cleared of all charges!" announced Robards.

Draco Malfoy started crying.