A/N - I have begun to edit these early chapters. There is some kind of bug on FanFiction on my Mac. Still my fingers are crossed that I'll be able to finish this story one day.

Warning - This is a long and slow story. There will eventually be M-rated Slash so please don't read this if you don't like that. This isn't PWP and so you'll have to be patient.

Disclaimer - The themes and most characters belong to my queen, JK Rowling, author of the true Harry Potter books.

There was a loud crash down stairs followed by mumbled cursing

"Severus Snape?"

Hissed the voice

"Bloody Hell, I forgot about him."

"Shh, quiet Ron, he'll hear us."

The whoosh sounded right on queue and Hermione screamed. It seemed she had forgotten the specter as well as Mad Eye Moody's question and the tongue-tying curse.

FILTHY! FILTHY BLOOD TRAITORS! SCUM AND BREEDERS OF SCUM! IN MY HOUSE! DISGUSTING MUDBLOOD AND HER BLOOD TRAITOR FILTHY HUSBAND, IN MY HOUSE!

Harry sighed, he hadn't needed Mrs. Black's commentary to confirm it, there was little chance of him falling back to sleep.

Through the dusty, threadbare curtains he had hung, one sliver of light fell through and into the room. His snitch played with it dancing in and out.

I open at the close

The thought came to Harry with solemnity, he didn't care for those events, the glory along with the gore, but there was nothing else that lived inside his head anymore.

Ron and Hermione trundled up the stairs.

Although Harry hadn't bothered with many things in the house, disabling Moody's spell in the entrance for one, he had placed a variety of sonorous charms at the doors and on the stairs, leading to his room. As a result he could hear every noise his two friends were making.

By the time Ron was pushing open the door Harry could not have been in a sourer mood.

"Where is he? I can't see anything." Hermione whispered.

She was clinging tightly to Ron's arm as they both inched closer to the bed.

"Shh, hold on…" Ron pulled away from her and pulled out his wand.

"Lumos." The wand tip lit up and Harry winced, immense pain burst behind his eyeballs, bringing back bad memories.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione gushed in despair, taking in the sight of him.

"What have you done to yourself?"

Harry deliberated how best to handle the situation. With the little strength he had he pushed himself into a half-sitting position and flicked back his lank greasy hair, feeling under his fingers that the light stubble on his chin was growing into a thick beard over his jaw. He reached out to his right, scanning over the bedside table until it brushed his glasses, he grabbed them and shoved them on his face.

Hermione sat down beside him.

"Have you been eating?" She asked, studying his claw-like hand and thin arm.

Kreacher had brought food to him but Harry had sent him back to the Hogwarts's kitchens when he realized he'd rather not speak or look at anybody. For a while after he'd summoned food items from down stairs but it had either run out or his magic had grown too week, there was nothing left for him to do but lie in bed and wait for the inevitable.

Hermione, tearing up, leant forward to embrace him, almost instantly she recoiled.

"H-have you been bathing?" She asked, barely resisting to bring her hand to her nose. Of course he hadn't.

Ron who was standing by silently finally spoke, in a soft broken voice.

"It's been three months mate, we haven't seen you in three months."

Harry gazed between his two friends with his sore eyes.

"But you knew where I was?" Harry's voice croaked painfully, it sounded totally foreign in his ears.

Ron shrugged. "We only guessed."

Harry sighed. "I can't go out there, I just can't deal with all those people."

"We know." Anger quavered in Ron's voice. "Don't think they've ignored us, we might not be the savior but we've had to put up with all the questions."

Harry gulped, feeling guilty. He had never wanted to return to Grimmauld Place, Sirius' prison; surely Ron and Hermione had visited reluctantly.

"Harry you need to get up!" Hermione cried, Harry knew, he'd been telling himself that for weeks but he was glued still.

"So how have the celebrations been?" He asked with bitterness, he hoped to drive them away by inciting more anger.

"Don't try that." Ron spoke, no anger anymore.

"You know as well as we do that we haven't been celebrating, we've been at Mungo's."

Harry tried to catch up.

"George." Hermione aided eventually.

It felt like Harry's stomach had dropped away, how had he forgotten that? Another reason to stay in bed, to go out into the world would mean to see all the gaps where the people should have been.

"Mum wont leave his side so we've been keeping her company. But to be honest he looks a hell of a lot better than you do. He asked to see you but you better not go in there unless you want to have a bed set up next to his."

That was exactly what Harry didn't want; it was one thing to be in a terrible state, it was another for the world to know about it.

"So why have you come here today…I mean if you guessed where I was, why did you want to come and see me all of a sudden?"

"We knew it would be no use coming earlier and it's understandable but now it's not about you anymore…you've been summoned." Hermione breathed.

"I've been what?"

"To court." Ron added helpfully.

"Haven't you been Owled?" Asked Hermione.

Owls couldn't get to Grimmauld Place; it was still blocked to anyone who didn't know the address.

Harry shook his head.

"Ron go and run the bath." Hermione whispered, putting her hands on Harry's shoulders to look him in the eye.

"The Malfoy trials are today." She spoke very seriously and calmly. "They have summoned you as witness."

"Who has?"

"I'm not sure. I've been interning for the Regulation and Classification of Magical Creatures Office so the undersecretary for Magical Law Enforcement wont let me near the case. Then this came out in the Prophet."

Hermione pulled the Wizarding paper out of her robes and read it allowed to Harry.

"The World of witchcraft and wizardry has all eyes on the ministry as the trials for Death Eaters begin on Monday.

More than an eighth of the Ministry's staffs have been sacked as honorary Minister, Kingsley Shacklebolt desperately attempts to reinstate order to the system.

Former head of Misuse of Magical artifacts, Perkins allegedly stated, "He couldn't care less." But requested that his comment be "off record." Other members of the ministry have proved equally elusive to the goings on after the Battle of Hogwarts and the final defeat of Lord Voldemort.

Still it is with great skill of this wonderful reporter that I may bring to you the exclusive information that Dementors are still being used in the Ministry's Law Enforcement.

These vile creatures blatantly defied our kind and abandoned posts in the final years of the battle, yet still our minister shields himself behind flimsy excuses of "laws" and it can be stated quite confidently that the Dementor's Kiss could be a likely outcome for the up and coming trials…."

Hermione looked up from the paper, wide eyed. Harry shuddered at the memory of the creatures he feared most.

"It's all true. The Regulation and Classification of Magical Creatures Office is quite clear about it. The Dementors are an integral to the Wizengamot trials. If a wizard uses an unforgivable or commits a murder with magic, they get the kiss. That means today…the Malfoys…Kingsley really can't do anything. He wants to have them destroyed but getting that started will take a year at least."

Harry nodded, feeling ill. He hated the Malfoys Lucius, Narcissa and Draco all deserved to rot in Azkaban for what they had done. But Harry wouldn't have even subjected Bellatrix to the kiss.

"You have to go." Hermione added. "You know they weren't fighting for Voldemort by the end."

"They weren't fighting for us either."

"If Mrs. Malfoy had just turned you in in the Forbidden Forest their side would have won. Harry, they gave up on Voldemort, you can't let them go to the Dementors!"

"Save it for court Hermione." Harry urged, trying to get out of bed.

"You're going?"

"Of course I am." He tried to shakily step toward the bathroom, Hermione quickly rushed to help him. By the time she walked him to the open door, he had barely the strength to stand-alone. Ron got up from where he sat and tested the water and helped Harry over to the tub. Hermione vanished the former pajamas that were more sweat-stained old rags Harry wouldn't have wanted to touch either.

"What do you think of all this?" he asked as Ron cast Scourgify at him.

Hermione, discretely keeping her eyes adverted had dashed to collect some potions and clean robes she'd left in the entrance.

"You know what she's like when she attaches to a cause."

"But why this one?"

Ron shrugged and Hermione came back with the items in hand, having summoned them from the bedroom.

Ron helped Harry shave whilst Hermione cut his hair. Letting out the water they pulled him out and dried him.

Ron helped Harry into the robes whilst Hermione poured the various potions down his throat.

"Now these wont help the fact you've been on an inadequate diet for too long but they'll be a quick fix for today."

Shaven, clean dressed and feeling a lot better albeit anxious, Harry pulled away from them to stand by the cracked mirror, all of his confidence fled.

He was still extremely thin like a scarecrow, his green eyes were dull and sunken, dark shadows circled them, his wet hair didn't stick up anymore but was lank and dead. The only thing about his face that held any color happened to be the big, red, ugly lighting shaped scar.

"Let's go now." Hermione urged, pulling him away gently. They helped him down the steps and eventually they were outside on the doorstep. With an uncomfortable side-along Apparition they found themselves outside the ministry.

They went in via the muggle streets, cramming each into the phone booth and going down together.

"Alright mate, you're going to be ok."

Harry gulped, Hermione stayed behind in the main hall whilst Ron continued walking him forward.

"Hermione?" Harry managed to ask in a weak, scared voice.

"It's alright mate, she just hasn't been summoned, is all."

"Have you been summoned?"

"No, but I work here too."

It made sense, the reason why they knew about the Malfoy case. Still, it had only been three months.

Ron had to continue leading Harry because he refused to look up, refused to acknowledge the place he was in and the people staring at him. They got in the lifts and Harry still didn't look up then.

The lift stopped and Ron pulled him out.

"This isn't the right floor." Harry declared, hurrying after his friend.

"Yes it is and we're going to be late."

They ran, panic rising, and suddenly Ron stopped by some painted doors, he grabbed the handle of one and it swung open.

"Quick, in."

Harry was shoved inside the small courtroom just as Kingsley Shacklebolt, seated center front was telling everyone to be seated. Harry immediately plunked down on the backmost seat of the arena-styled arrangement, hoping to be unnoticed. He could see the Malfoys down the front, Draco closest to him and all looking away.

"We will begin." Said Kingsley, the Minister sounded tired. How he'd found time to stand in on hearings remained a mystery to Harry.

He began addressing their reasons for being in court, recapping the events of the war and the seriousness of the older Malfoy's involvement, there was no way the old man was getting off without at least life in Azkaban, and as Harry thought of Sirius, Lupin, Tonks, even Colin Creevey. Had the bloody death eaters thought twice about him as they stormed a god damned school? He knew didn't want the Malfoy's off, if Lucius wasn't a worthy opponent for Azkaban then who was?

"…However as these crimes occurred during times of war then we are under the obligation to approach these as allegations as war crimes."

The Minister's words came out in a drone as if he'd said them a hundred times.

"If it can be proven that these actions were made not of your own accord, that you did not willingly join the organization notoriously referred to as the Death Eaters, that your crimes against the Wizarding world were made under threat for your lives and wellbeing then your current sentences will be reviewed and further hearings will be held."

Shacklebolt sucked in a huge breath.

"As the sentences stand. Narcissa Malfoy, for your willing affiliation with the Death eaters, the accidence of the imprisonment and torture of Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, Garrick Olivander, Harry Potter Dean Thomas and Ronald Weasley within your home, your use of the unforgivable curses within and outside the battle of Hogwarts against those established with ministry authority and your participation in the murder of Charity Burbage, you're sentenced with life in Azkaban."

Harry had to double take; Life? When she wasn't even a death eater? The fair woman disregarded her usually composed demeanor as she broke down, sobbing into her hands. But what did all this mean for…

"Lucius Malfoy…." The list of crimes longer by tenfold, "involvement in the torture of muggles…murder of muggles...use of unforgivable imperious curse on Ministry wizards Boderick Bode and Sturgis Podmore…instigation of the Battle of the Department of Mysteries as commander appointed by Lord Voldemort, escaping imprisonment…And participation in the Battle of Hogwarts you're sentenced with the Dementor's kiss."

Of course, how could it have been anything else? But still Harry's head was spinning; he was in fact in shock, so much so he missed all of Draco's crimes until Kingsley repeated

"The Dementor's kiss."

Narcissa's scream was ear splitting and Lucius finally tossed aside his reserves to cradle her in his arms.

Harry sat stock-still and barely breathed. He glanced once at Malfoy's face and decided not to do that ever again.

"We will now hear your pleas." Stated Kingsley, looking rather shaken and upset too.

The first person to take the stand made Harry blanch due to the resemblance to her sister. Andromeda dove straight into her defense of Narcissa. Though her voice was cold and reserved she displayed fascinating insight into Narcissa's struggle to keep herself and her son safe. The court sat in stunned silence as Andromeda recounted "Bella and Cissy's" visit to the house of Severus Snape on Spinner's end, making the unbreakable vow to protect her son and husband. Notably, however she didn't waste a single breath defending Lucius.

Next McGonagall emerged from somewhere in the crowd in front of Harry. She wore her trademark expression. Completely emotionless she spoke on behalf of Dumbledore. He had offered the Malfoys protection and she planned to see his wishes through. No doubt Lucius deserved to sit out his many sentences for the death and destruction he had caused but Draco was her student, as far as she was concerned, and Dumbledore's legacy demanded no student of Hogwarts would come to harm. "For goodness sakes you fools he's little more than a child!" None of the Wizengamot could meet the reprimanding gaze of the headmistress. McGonagall made sure she subjected each and every one to it before sitting down. Hagrid stood to replace her and made a short gruff statement. "Them there Malfoys din' even keep fightin' they jus ran round lookin' fer their son an' Mrs. Malfoy she din' need ter say Harry was dead, if yer ask me they cared more 'bout Draco then Voldemort."

Then he sat down, looking embarrassed as the bench squeaked loudly.

"She didn't need to say Harry was dead?" Asked one of the Wizengamot

"Harry Potter?" Asked another.

Not sure what to do Harry cleared his throat. What ever he had expected it had not been for the entire court to be stunned into silence, looking at him as if he'd entered through the ceiling.

"Um, Potter, could you please um make your statement?" Shacklebolt asked uncertainly.

Shakily Harry made his way down, wishing he was still in number 12, wasting away in bed. The realization that he had the Malfoy's lives in his hands was starting to weigh on him as he came in front of the Wizengamot.

He cleared his throat looking at the array of plumb-robed witches and wizards each emblazoned with the silver W that was becoming all too familiar with him.

"Right. Mrs. Malfoy protected me in the Forbidden Forest."

"How so?"

Harry cleared his throat again, hundreds of eyes were burning into him and he felt faint. Where had Ron gone? Had he even come through the door with him?

"Voldemort asked to check if I was alive."

"Could you be more specific?"

" Voldemort thought I was dead you see, he sent Narcissa to confirm, she lied to him and saved me."

"And she knew you were alive?"

"Yes…she spoke to me."

The Wizengamot members erupted in hushed discussion, the elderly fellow directing most of the questions turned back to Harry.

"What did you discuss?"

"She-she asked me if Malfoy…I mean Draco was alive and in the castle…I nodded."

The Wizengamot warlock took this in and shared a meaningful look with Shacklebolt.

"A-also after that they stopped fighting, I mean for Voldemort, they just wanted to find…their son."

"They withdrew their support for he-who-must-not-be-named, and more notably before the battle had been decided." The Warlock rephrased and Harry nodded.

"Yes." He replied after being prompted to speak by young bespectacled witch sitting beside Kingsley acting as stenographer. She had on her robes a large nametag reading "Audrey" and reminded Harry of Percy Weasley.

"Also there's more."

"More?"

"Um in my second year Lucius, he discarded a Horcrux, um part of Voldemort's soul, it would have put his family under threat when Voldemort returned."

"Is it true that you yourself witnessed Mr. Malfoy willingly return on Voldemort's summons and pledge loyalty?" The Wizengamot member who asked that received unanimous looks of annoyance.

"Yes I did."

"Would this not have consequentially brought his family closer to the danger?"

"Yes I suppose." Then Harry's brain clicked

"No but at that time no one had any idea about the horcuxes."

"Also." Piped up and unexpected voice. "At that point in time the Malfoys would have had no way of knowing the crimes the late Tom Riddle was going to force them to commit. None of his former followers could have predicted the effects disembodiment and re-birth would have had on him or his plans, or that he would turn on his own followers."

Harry turned to see a flushed Hermione, she glanced at him and gave him an encouraging smile.

"When we were captured and taken to the Malfoy's Manor, Malf-Draco was asked to identify me, and he said he couldn't" Harry told the court, now more confident.

"Could you?" The question was now directed at Malfoy and there was a moment of silence.

Harry didn't look to where the shaky voice was coming from.

"Maybe if he hadn't been brought in with Granger and Weasley. His face had been hexed, but I knew who he was."

"Why didn't you identify him then?"

There was more stunned silence from the Malfoys.

"I'd like to say this under Veritaserum." Draco announced and Narcissa gave an audible gasp.

"Very well."

Still Harry didn't look as someone, probably an Auror brought out the potion and gave it to Malfoy. After a while there was the sound of a slump from the chair.

"When Harry Potter was captured and brought to the Malfoy property, did you have the opportunity to identify him?"

"Yes." The answer was slow but clear.

"Who asked you to identify him?"

"My aunt Bellatrix and my father."

"What did you assume would happed if you identified him?"

"They were going to summon the Dark Lord."

Shacklebolt intervened the Warlock's questioning.

"You protected Harry's identity so you wouldn't have to face Voldemort?"

"It was part of it." Malfoy breathed unsteadily for a bit but went on.

"I was scared of Voldemort and I didn't want to follow him. I was scared he would kill mother and father. A-a-and I knew he wanted to kill Harry Potter I just didn't want to watch it."

"Why not."

"I'd known him for years and Granger and Weasley. I thought I hated them but I couldn't watch them die. Especially not Harry."

Open mouthed the Wizengamot and entire court gaped at Malfoy, stunned into breathless silence.

"Our whole family was under threat, we're pure bloods, and he was still willing to kill us if we disobeyed him. And he killed Diggory, his blood was purer than his and he still killed him, it was like his plans meant nothing anymore."

A Wizengamot witch leant forward.

"You're not saying that you still support pureblood supremacy?"

A whimpering sound was made before the youngest Malfoy answered.

"Yes, I always have! Only purebloods can understand what it is to have magic, always we will be better then muggleborns."

Some of the Wizengamot actually dropped their heads into their hands and groaned.

"Draco Malfoy…."

Malfoy took another breath and continued. "But I don't hate them... anymore. I don't want to kill any of them, not even Granger."

Harry could see Hermione grin briefly.

"There was no point to Voldemort's plan. It didn't make sense…killing muggles…how would that help us? Make us stronger? We'd die out without the muggles."

Lucius Malfoy hissed but his wife hushed him.

"The only thing Voldemort wanted was to kill him."

"Can you elaborate to whom you are pointing?"

"Harry Potter."

"So you knowingly dealt a fundamental blow against Voldemort, aiding his vanquisher, Harry Potter's escape with your desired outcome being his ultimate defeat?"

"Yes."

"And you were, if not forced, at least compelled and unwilling to become a death eater?"

"Yes."

"And you and your parents willingly withdrew all support for the Dark Lord before his down fall?"

"Yes."

"I think we have enough."

Various discussions commenced around the courtroom; swiftly Hermione came next to Harry and discreetly supported some of his weight.

"Sorry about that, the department of Magical Law Enforcement finally listened and let me come last minute."

"Thanks you helped me out a lot."

"It's okay, it's obvious no one here wanted to see a seventeen year old get the kiss."

"Still…"

"Those potions should be making you a bit disorientated."

"To say the least."

"Just try to hold on."

The discussions ceased and Shacklebolt asked for everyone to be seated.

"On review all sentences have been decreased."

Harry let out some breath he hadn't known he was holding.

"Narcissa Malfoy will be placed on monitored house arrest for the remaining year, after which she'll be eligible to purchase a new wand. Lucius Malfoy hereby has his sentence decreased to life in Azkaban, and will be eligible for parole in twenty years and his wand seized and snapped in half. Draco Malfoy."

There was a pause,

"You are released without charge."

Harry had no time to react, all at once it seemed his potions were wearing off and so was any strength to stand.

"We've got to go." He whispered to Hermione. Understanding she placed a quick mobilicorpus charm on him and guided him out of the courtroom, his feet hovering centimeters above the ground. Outside the doors Ron met them and immediately became panicked.

He was asking Hermione something but Harry couldn't quite hear, everything was going fuzzy, they were rushing him somewhere but he couldn't quite tell because he was falling asleep.