The Chronicles of Fayt

Chapter Fifteen: "The Hollow"

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore's POV

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster's Office

Jason Black sat in front of me, nervously tugging on the sleeve of his plain white button-up shirt. It was obvious that what he was wearing was his only formal clothing, Hogwarts uniform without a sweater, tie or robe. He had even gone so far as to use his Metamorphagus abilities to remove his ridiculous hair-style. Now, he had a buzz cut I think it was called.

"We'll be flooing over shortly." The boy jumped in his chair.

He gulped nervously. "Are you sure it'll go my way?"

I gave him a calm smile. "Of course. After you sold a copy of the events he was all but stormed in Azkaban by a lynch mob. They have no choice but to sentence him to ten years. Anything less than maximum sentence and they'd lose public favor."

He nodded. "I'm glad I sold that. I got a ton of money in a savings account. Thank you for setting that up for me. I didn't know I couldn't set one up as a minor."

"Of course. Hogwarts is always willing to help students out. My door is always open." Hopefully I could help this orphan more than the last one that passed through these walls. Other than James Thompson… I don't think I'd miss his sarcasm once that student had to leave. Smart boy, but, there was just something about him.

Severus entered. "There was an explosion in my lab. I had to stay late to clean up."

"Of course, we'll be early anyway so no harm done." I stood and grabbed a pinch of floo powder. "Ministry of Magic Atrium!" I called out before I was spun through the network and shot out into the atrium. I brushed off my robes and Jason, Harry stumbled and fell out of the fireplace. I banished the soot off as he stood up. Severus appeared and calmly stepped out. Too bad Jason Black was cursed as one of those people who just unable to come out of a fireplace.

"Which courtroom?" Severus asked. "You never did say."

"Number nine. Lots of room for press." I led the way to a lift and went down to the bottom floor. When it finally dinged and announced the courtroom I exited as Severus grumbled about too many Aurors for his liking. It seemed half the force was lining the halls, all of them standing at alert. Had somebody made a threat?

"Why are there so many here?" Jason asked. I wish I had an answer. I gave him a vague line about high profile cases. Maybe it was the fact that it was Fudge on trial and every department head in the ministry was down here in one room. There were a lot of important people in this room. The entire Wizengamot was here as jurors. Take in the number of civilians as well, and it was a dangerous situation. I placed a hand on Jason's shoulder and guided him through the sea of broken flashbulbs and shouting reporters.

"Mr. Black! Mr. Black!" It seemed every British newspaper was here as well as several foreign ones as well. Quite a draw.

"Don't say anything." Severus said as he pushed ahead of us to clear a path. He shoved people out of the way and cleared way to the doors. When we got near the door the Aurors stepped in and got us in the room. We took our seats in the front row and awaited the trials start.

I had to wonder if Severus knew that Jason Alexander Black was secretly Harry James Potter. His behavior towards the boy confused me. He had treated him for injuries, and if when he was hurt by the bludger had muscles hurt, he would have to take off the disguise. Severus never mentioned anything like that. Had he been lying to protect him? If he had, did he see Lily and not James?

My musings were cut short by the temperature dropping. Jason stiffened along with Severus. I would hate to see what they were. Severus must have thrown up his Occulemency shields as he had relaxed but I heard a muffled whimper as Jason's eyes glazed over. I placed a hand on his shoulder but he was too far in the Dementors grasp. The two creatures glided forward and deposited Fudge in the chair and the chains sprung to life and bound him the Dementors left and slowly the temperature rose again.

I pulled out a Honeydukes Best chocolate bar and broke of a piece for Severus who grudgingly accepted it. The rest I handed to Jason who looked at it funny before taking it with shaking hands. He snapped off a piece and munched on it as several others did the same. After eating half of it he looked much less pale.

"I don't know why I feel better but thank you for whatever it was that did that."

"Chocolate helps with Dementor side-effects."

"Dementor? Is that what those things were?"

"They are the guards of Azkaban Prison. Vile creatures that make people relive their worst memories. They make it impossible to think good thoughts. They also can suck out a person's soul, a fate worse than death. For now at least, they are under the control of the Ministry."

Jason nodded, looking scared. No twelve year old should be in the presence of a Dementor, especially one that was in the room when his parents were killed. I had the urge to ask what he saw, but refrained. No need to cause extra pain.

"We here of the Wizengamot are here to witness and try Cornileus Oswald Fudge for the aggravated assault of a minor, Jason Alexander Black." Too bad I was unable to run the trial. I was one of my students, so it was conflict of intrest. At least it was Crouch. He wouldn't let Fudge off easy. "Will the accused please rise?" The chains loosened and Fudge stood. "Do you understand the charges against you?"

"I do."

"On the charge of one account of aggravated assault how do you plead?"

Fudge looked right at Jason and smirked. "Not guilty." He obviously hadn't been kept up on current affairs. Did he think he was getting off?

After the initial accusation Fudge's attorney went on some long winded ramble about a lack of solid evidence and everything was circumstantial. The fourteen present Aurors were all interviewed and Fudge's defense tried to get every single one thrown out. He even went for a motion to dismiss the trial. Did they think it would be so easy?

~!#$%^&*()_+

Jason Black's POV

Ministry of Magic

Courtroom Nine

Where I'd first been nervous, I was now bored. I'd run out of chocolate too. Thank god I'd gotten the sound of screaming out of my head. I didn't even know what it was. Someone was manacialy laughing before screaming a spell. Everything went green and there was a thump before another green flash and a high pitched piecing wail. I shuddered at the thought.

"The prosecution wishes to bring forth the victim, Jason Black." Dumbledore pushed me into a standing position and I went to the middle of the courtroom to the box everyone else used. "Your name?"

"Jason Black."

"Middle as well."

"Alexander." Would I get in trouble for using that name instead of my other one? Which one counted as real? I had a birth certificate in the muggle world with both parents listed as "Unknown" and that name on it. I probably had one with Harry Potter too though. Which one did they want?

"Can you give us the name of your attacker?" Was this another Auror questioning or what? The rest of the questions were just details of the attack, who said what, injuries, why I wouldn't go to the mass murder nurse…

"So, you claim that the doctors and nurses are out to kill you?" The guy gave me a crazy look. I am not crazy. He is.

"The hospital smells like dead people. I don't go there. I've been there once and I woke up and the doctor tried to kill me so I broke his nose with my cast. It was self-defense."

"Have you ever been diagnosed as having a phobia?"

"That's what the hospital psychiatrist said. I still think they tried to kill me."

"But you were diagnosed with a phobia, correct?"

Stupid psychiatrists think they know everything. "Yes." I'll not go into the psyc ward visit. I don't like needles anymore to say the least.

"That's why you didn't visit a licensed doctor or nurse, right?"

"Yes, I don't go there. I just get muggle over the counter pills or potions from Professor Snape. He knows a few spells to treat people for injuries."

"He also saw the attack."

"Uh huh. He gave me the Record-O-Sphere."

"Do you have it with you? You only gave the Aurors a copy. Are you aware that if the person so wishes they can alter the memory recorded in there?"

"I am. That's why Headmaster Dumbledore has it with him. I said that I would bring it in case people wanted me to play the unalterable original"

"Can I get it and play it?"

"Just don't drop it." The prosecutor went and grabbed the orb from Dumbledore. He took it up to Crouch who waved his wand. It pulsed a light blue and then played the scene out.

"As you can all see, there is irrefutable proof that Fudge violently assaulted a twelve year old student, for no reason."

"Objection!" Fudge's attorney shouted who was quieted by Crouch.

"If you wish to serve justice, there is one, and only one, logical conclusion to this trial. The accused is guilty. Why does he refuse Vetriserum? Why? If you are innocent, you have nothing to hide. Only the guilty run from justice."

I was given my sphere back and I took my seat. "You did fine." Dumbledore said quietly. When called, Snape and Dumbledore recounted the events that people had seen earlier. It was the definition of an open/shut case. Fudge was screwed.

~!#$%^&*()_+

Three days later I was dressed in the same outfit and had gotten "rid" of my 'hawk. Being a Metamorphagus I just shrunk it away. I was easy to hide hair. Growing it was a little bit harder.

Anyways, I sat through more boring speeches. More than once a few people laughed as I yawned widely in boredom. I leaned back in my chair and waited for the verdict. I was expecting private voting.

"Guilty?" Everyone raised their hands. Fudge was about to explode in anger. "Innocent?" I counted two. Here I thought it was unanimous.

"You can't do this!" Fudge screamed. "I'm the Minister! Me! You can't do it! Who cares if a stupid mudblood gets the crap beaten out of him! Nobody in the real world gives a damn!" The Aurors silenced him.

"We the people of the Wizengamot of the Ministry of Magic hereby declare Corneilus Oswald Fudge guilty of aggravated assault of a minor. Who wishes expedited sentencing?" Most people voted yes. "Maximum sentence of ten years with no chance of early release and no time previously served will count towards him. Dementors, escort the prisoner to his cell. Medium security wing."

"That was quick." I said quietly.

Snape stood. "Of course it was. The public is baying for blood and the Ministry already looks bad. They rushed it to save face."

"As much as I would like to disagree with that rather cynical viewpoint, I cannot dispute it." Dumbledore adjusted his robes and I got up to leave back to Hogwarts. I was about to miss dinner.

We walked out of the courtroom and into a wall of light. Wait, no, I was seeing spots now and the dull roar separated into words. Oh, reporters, of course they'd want to get a statement for the papers and magazines.

"Can we get a statement?! Mr. Black! A statement!" I mostly ignored them as the Aurors cleared a path.

Then, inspiration struck. "You all want a quote?" The crowed quieted. "Here's your quote. Payback's a bitch." Pretty good quote, I'd put it in big bold letters, front page. Payback's a bitch. It'd be great.

I was hurried past the crowd of people and all but picked up and put in the lift. "Nice quote Black." Snape drawled sarcastically. "The press must love you."

"Who doesn't love me?"

~!#$%^&*()_+

I walked into the common room and people rushed over. "What's the verdict?" "What happened?" "Did you kick Fudge in the face?" One guess as to who asked the last question. I pushed my way in and flopped into a recently vacated seat. I waved people off and kicked back.

"Jason. Tell me. Did you kick Fudge in the face?"

I opened one eye. "No, I didn't kick him in the face. I was too far away." James looked sad. "And what do you think happened? He's going to rot in Azkaban for the next ten years. No early release." People high fived and money was exchanged. "I even played nice for the press. I gave them a quote that is as fantastical as I am. Wanna hear it? Paybacks a bitch." I grinned. "That's all I said. 'Paybacks a bitch.' It was great."

James laughed. "You actually said that? You're learning fast young Jedi. Soon you will master the force."

"Yeah, right after I find out Darth Vader is my father." Somehow, it didn't seem likely.

~!#$%^&*()_+

Ah, random Star Wars references… gotta love it.

But, I almost cried. Somebody didn't like my story and told me so. Oh well, they weren't rude about it. It's an anomous review so I can delete it but I won't. People are entitled to an opinion.

Reviews- ^^* ()- Thank you, thank you very much (Said in Elvis Presley voice). You are much to kind but glad you liked it. Manja ()- As always, I love to hear people enjoy this story! Justin- Well, I thought it worked out but I guess as the author in my brain everything works out. Maybe there was a plot hole I left open that I didn't catch. Sorry. Cyiusblack- I love consistent reviewers! You are always much too kind. :-) oceanlover14- Thank you for the kind words! GrlWithoutAName- I always thought that Snape had a heart but saw too much James in Harry for people to see it. And, who doesn't love James? I do. He's awesome.