Chapter Twenty-One: Justice Served?
"Puppy!"
Sirius pounced on him the second he and Remus stepped out the fireplace at Castle Potter. His godfather engulfed him in a hug, running his hands over his hair and body as if he were afraid a yeti had attacked him on vacation.
"Sirius!" Harry struggled, unable to wiggle out Sirius's arms. The annoying man just laughed and held him tighter, which made Harry wish a hole would swallow him and save him from the extreme embarrassment Sirius always put him through. But, in the far recesses of his mind, Harry was secretly pleased with Sirius's affection and worry, irrational though it was.
Remus stepped forward and Sirius relaxed his hold but kept his arm draped across Harry's shoulder.
"Hello Harry," Remus said with a hesitant smile. Remus still couldn't believe that Harry allowed him to be in the same room with him. "As you can tell Sirius has been worried from the moment he discovered the internet and saw videos of muggles snowboarding and avalanche activity in Switzerland."
Harry chuckled, but Sensei who had stood off to the side and pointedly cleared his throat. Harry rolled his eyes and pulled away.
"Sorry, I have to ask you your security questions." Both men laughed and nodded in understanding. "Okay, Sirius, what phrase did James Potter want as his epitaph."
Sirius laughed. "Never tell me the odds."
Harry grinned back and turned to Remus. "And Remus, keeping with that theme, where did the saying come from and what is your new nickname as a result?"
Remus's face went scarlet. "I'm never going to forgive you two for this."
He and Sirius giggled in response, Remus growled at them before answering. "The phrase was from Star Wars, the Empire Strikes Back and my nickname should be C-3PO."
Laughing both he and Sirius engulfed Remus into hugs. Sensei, satisfied Harry wouldn't be murdered inside his home, said goodbye and floo'd to Potter Corporation to port key to his family's home in Japan. Harry had explicit instructions that his life wouldn't have any meaning if Sensei discovered he'd left the property during the two days he'd spent with his family in Tokyo. Once they were alone, Harry showed Remus around his private apartments, pointing out what he had changed from when his parents lived there. They ended up collapsing on the sofas in the media room and watching the first season of the original Star Trek while munching on popcorn and drinking fizzy drinks. After dinner, they went to the bowling alley and got in a round of bowling in. Remus, an excellent bowler, destroyed them. He bowed dramatically with a wide, self-satisfied smile on his face.
Harry pouted. "What, how?"
"After Hogwarts, when I discovered that I'd have a hard time finding work, I brushed up on my muggle credentials and went to university. I sat for a degree in Business. I bowled a lot with a group of classmates."
Harry's eyes gleamed. "So, you have a degree in the muggle world as well as having taken your NEWTS?"
"Of course," Remus answered. "I would've starved otherwise, though it's hard to find a job in the muggle world as well. Companies don't take kindly for someone who has to take several days off every month. Depending how badly my transformation is and the availability of the Wolfsbane Potion, it can take up to two days after the full moon for me to recover."
"Hmm," Harry said noncommittally as he thought about the new openings at Potter Corporation. Too bad the Defense Against the Dark Arts position at Hogwarts was no longer cursed.
Christmas was the best holiday, the best Christmas he'd had. The first holiday he'd spent with family. Sirius and Remus woke him up Christmas by bouncing on his bed a little after seven in the morning. After he threatened to murder them, they dragged him to the living room to open presents in their pajamas and robes in front of the Christmas tree and roaring fire.
Harry couldn't believe all the presents he received this year. A Firebolt racing broom from Sirius, rare books written in parseltongue Remus had found in a second hand shop, sexy lace male underwear from Luna that caused Sirius to chortle with amusement and Harry's body to turn red. From Hermione he received a quill set and parchment that he was sure had been a hint to write more, seeker gloves from Ron and other great gifts from his other friends and staff. He had even gotten a DVD of his vacation from Cera. Of course, the best gift came from Takashi. The necklace was deceptively simple. It looked like glass beads with a thick black rope holding the beads together. But the beads were actually crystals that vibrated in his hands as the protection spells washed over him. Of course, this made Sirius and Remus curious and they demanded to know everything about Takashi. They grilled him relentlessly during breakfast. Unfortunately, it was a huge meal that lasted for over an hour because they'd be skipping lunch for an early Christmas dinner. His godfather and uncle demanded to meet Takashi so they could judge if he were good enough for their puppy/cub much to Harry's horror. Harry didn't know if his quiet friend would be able to take a round of an overzealous Sirius and a territorial werewolf.
After breakfast, they went out to the grounds where they had a great time flying, sleigh riding, and other Castle Potter winter activities. They returned to his personal quarters a little before three, so they had time to change for dinner and listen to the Queen's speech while they ate. The Queen's speech was moving message that paid tribute to all the service members stationed overseas and the sacrifices they made to bring peace to our world. During dessert, Sirius found the galleon in the Christmas pudding, which in his opinion, gave him the right to boss him and Remus around until they left Sunday.
Boxing Day was busy. After breakfast, he worked with May to get the presents organized for the staff party for Castle Potter and Potter Resort staff. Thankfully, Cassandra had handled the Potter Corporation staff, so he didn't have to deal with them. To make matters easy, so he wasn't wasting his money buying his staff crap they didn't want, each staff member had a monetary amount based upon their position and years of service with the Potters, then based upon that amount they would list three things in their price range they'd enjoy. May and her team of workers then went out, purchased, and gift wrapped those presents, which were placed under the massive Christmas tree in the ballroom under wards so the many visitors to the castle wouldn't be tempted to steal the gifts.
At teatime, four in the afternoon, everyone gathered in the ballroom, where a virtual feast of tea, cakes, sandwiches awaited everyone. Live music played from a choir and orchestra, and everyone mingled and talked while Harry called out everyone's name-human and house elves alike- to greet them personally and hand them their Christmas gifts. That lasted until around seven, which was just in time for the Grangers to arrive for the weekend.
They arrived at the gate in a sleek, silver Mercedes sedan. Harry met them in his golf cart and led them to the private garage where they left the car. Mr. and Mrs. Granger looked what he expected Hermione's parents to look like. Intellectuals, dressed in country club casual wear. Hermione jumped out of the car and from the way she bounced about, he knew she was eager to traipse through the castle and attempt to uncover all its secrets.
Harry grinned. "Because of security, I'm afraid I can't let you in until I verify you're not under polyjuice." Hermione nodded distracted and Harry couldn't help but grin and rub his hands together with glee. "In our first year, the first time we broke curfew, what phrase did you say that made Ron call you mental."
The distracted look fell off Hermione's face and the next thing he knew his best friend, his sister, hit the back of his head with the purse she carried.
"Foul demon!" he cried dramatically rubbing the bruised spot.
"Harry James Potter, you deliberately, asked me that question to embarrass me in front of my parents!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Harry said with false innocence. "Though I would hate for you not to be able to enter the castle because you couldn't answer a simple question. The real Hermione would be very upset, especially once she knew my private library was four stories tall and had manuscripts dating back to the time of the Vikings."
Hermione huffed and stomped her foot. "Harry!"
"Tick tock, tick tock."
Hermione's parents who were watching the exchanged quietly were biting their cheeks to refrain from breaking out in laughter.
"Ron called me mental when I told you two I was going to bed before the two of you got me killed or worse expelled."
Harry began giggling which caused Hermione to jump on him and pummel his chest.
"Well, we've always wondered how Hermione acted when she wasn't around us," Mr. Granger said unable to hold in his laughter any longer.
"Well now you know, you gave birth to a bossy, demonic, mother hen," Harry replied giggling.
That of course got him an extra-large hit to the chest. "Prat."
Laughing the group entered the castle and were immediately met by the roar of noise from the portraits chattering and gossiping. Since Christmas and Boxing Day were one of the few times the castle was closed to visitors, the magical portraits lining the public areas were extra excited to be free to move about and talked loudly with them and each other as they jumped from portrait to portrait, which gave the Grangers an idea of what Hogwarts was like.
Since it was too dark to take them on a tour of the grounds, he was able to give the Grangers a full tour of the castle, with the portraits pointing out any historical facts that he missed in detailing the history of the castle. He then went to show them his private apartments, though he had to forcibly pick up Hermione and drag her out of his library and into the dining room for dinner much to her parents Roger and Connie's amusement and delight.
"I think we're going to have to keep him around," Roger Granger joked to his wife Connie.
"Harry James Potter," Hermione snapped from her position over his shoulder. "You're lucky I can't pull out my wand and hex you."
"Actually, you can."
Hermione stilled. "What, you know you can't perform magic outside of Hogwarts."
Harry snorted. "There you go again taking everything at face value and ignoring the fine print."
Hermione growled and wiggled to be released from his grip. He set her down with a smirk. He knew that would get her, she hated not knowing something.
"Explain."
"The ministry is full of crap. The only thing the ministry can detect when a wizard performs magic is the location. If you are a pureblood, or half-blood living in the wizarding world, all they'll be able to do is determine that spells are being performed in your vicinity, not who performed them. So, while they will be able to detect that magic was performed near you at a certain location. In a wizarding environment, they would not be able to determine who exactly performed that magic which is how purebloods get away with performing magic during the summer."
Hermione gasped and turned to look at her parents wide-eyed. "So, I'd be able to show Mum and Dad what I've been learning in school while we're here?"
Harry grinned and nodded. "Still want to throttle me?"
"Very tempting, but I think I'll refrain for the moment," Hermione snarked back.
The doctors Grangers stared at each other incredulously, no doubt they never seen a snarky, fun-loving Hermione before.
"She's always like this," he told them. "Granted we usually have to drag her from the library and hide her books first."
They laughed as they entered the dining room, Sirius and Remus waiting for them. Dinner was a fun affair, especially as Remus was able to tell the Grangers how Hermione was doing in school and give the Grangers an adult perspective of the wizarding world, it's prejudices and the pros and cons of having a magical education. But of course, with Sirius there all the talk was not education. Sirius was very interested in how muggles spent their holidays, which led Harry to speaking about the fun he had in Switzerland. Remembering the DVD Ceru sent him, he popped in into the player. Of course the second, she saw Takashi attempting to teach him to swim in the pool, Hermione immediately cottoned on to his and Takashi's relationship.
"Harry James Potter, you've been holding out on me."
Harry flushed.
The Grangers who were skiiers, though they usually stuck to France, were very interested in the resort and the mountains in Verbier, especially when they saw the footage of them zipping down the mountains on their snowboards and skis.
"Is that Neville!" Hermione gasped. Ceru managed to get video of Neville's extreme ski pass down the mountain.
"I know right, so unfair how good he is." Harry pouted childishly, still bummed that Neville was a better than him.
Hermione snorted at his tone and patted his arm in mock sympathy while the others laughed.
After dinner, with Remus's help, Hermione was able to give her parents a demonstration of what she had learned in her three years in school. Overall, it was not only a great weekend, but a great holiday as well. His experience over winter break only solidified Harry's belief that his life was looking up.
Harry laid his hands on his thighs as he lowered his body on an uncomfortable bench inside the Wizengamot courtroom. The large, cavernous chamber shaped in a half circle was packed with spectators. His guards surrounded him and kept outsiders from approaching. Sirius, as Lord Black, sat with the jury who would pronounce judgment on Albus Dumbledore.
Dressed in eye-watering green and red robes, Albus Dumbledore entered the room as if he hadn't a care in the world. After pouting at the sight of the plain wooden chair, he whipped out his wand and dramatically transfigured it into a gaudy, cushioned number, getting a few laughs from the crowd. Settling in his chair, he steepled his fingers together and stared up at the judge and jury as if they were merely unruly children breaking Hogwarts curfew.
Luckily, Tiberius Ogden, the temporary head of the Wizengamot ignored the chatter and got straight to the point.
"Albus Dumbledore, you have been brought before the Wizengamot to answer legal charges made against you by one Harrison James Sirius Potter, Eleventh Earl of Welburn. The charges are—"
"So formal, Tiberius." Dumbledore spread his arms and smiled.
Mr. Ogden glared down at Dumbledore, "Please do not interrupt or I will be forced to take action. I am sure you are aware of the laws as you have written a good majority of them."
Dumbledore nodded with a genial smile. "Naturally. I always place the welfare of the wizarding world at the highest importance as my record shows."
Chief Ogden cleared his throat. "As I began before I was interrupted, the charges are as follows: Taking illegal custody of Lord Potter on the night of October 31st, 1990. Ignoring the will of an Ancient and Noble House and placing Lord Potter in the care of guardians who were unsuitable to care for him. Knowingly placing Lord Potter in an abusive and neglectful environment. Performing illegal magic on a minor, which blocked said minor's magical ability. Performing illegal magic that prevented Lord Potter from contacting the magical world to include blocking his personal and financial correspondence. How do you plead?"
"Guilty on all accounts."
Shocked, Harry glanced at Sensei who looked just as shell-shocked. In all their overviews of what would happen during the trial, they never ran a scenario where Dumbledore pled guilty. His guilty plea, caused roar through the crowd. However, Harry noted with suspicion that Chief Ogden didn't look surprised.
"Very well. In lieu of your guilty plea, we will take a recess and discuss your sentencing. Do you have any final words before we determine your punishment?"
Dumbledore sighed heavily and tugged on his beard as if he were dealing with a heavy burden. "While my actions now seem unacceptable, you must remember the environment in which I made my decisions. With the chaos that corrupted politics and government once the Dark Lord was defeated, I was unsure who could be trusted. Everything was in chaos, his followers still ran at large, even now there is no way to know if we caught them all. I did whatever I could to protect Lord Potter and to keep him safe from a public who would use his icon status for good or ill. In hindsight, I could have done better, but I encourage you all to remember how much a toll the war had taken on us all at that time."
"Court dismissed for sentencing," Mr. Ogden said as he banged his gavel.
"What is he up too?" Harry hissed to Sensei.
Sensei swore. "He padded the jury and decided that taking a guilty plea would be the lesser of the two evils. Now, he doesn't have to justify what he's done or subject himself to interrogation by veritaserum. He probably had this all planned out from the moment you served him the papers. You're going to have to up your public relations and perform a lot of interviews to make sure your version of events is what the public believes before they buy his 'greater good' performance."
Harry groaned loudly, lowered his head, and covered his face with his hands taking deep, gasping breaths as he tried to control the rage flowing through his body.
"I want an in-depth dossier on Albus Dumbledore," he said softly to Sensei. "I want you to unearth every dirty secret in his life."
Two could play this game. Sensei nodded with a proud little smirk on his face.
In the end, Dumbledore lost his position on the Wizengamot, his position with the ICW in addition to the punishments already heaped upon him by the Wizengamot and Hogwarts Board of Governors. He was under a suppression order, which made it impossible for him to speak of the circumstances surrounding the case, or Harry, or allowed to come within ten feet of Harry. He kept his position as the Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Harry wanted to punch a wall. That feeling was made worse when a court scribe handed him his own Wizengamot summons to appear before a closed hearing to discuss his guardianship. The wily arse. The summons was conveniently presented to him while reporters surrounded him. Resigned, he led the reporters into an empty courtroom and stood against the wall with his guards at each side of him, with his arms across his chest as they tossed out questions for him to answer.
"Lord Potter, how do you feel about the verdict?"
"Extremely angry. Albus Dumbledore used his political clot to worm his way out of answering for the injustice he has done to me and my family."
"Some can say that Albus Dumbledore had the best of intentions in doing what he had done."
Harry glared at the female reporter who had asked the question.
"Easy for you to say as you were not the one who was abused Madame." She flinched. "One of the reasons my parents fought against Voldemort was because they did not believe in a dictatorial society Voldemort proposed. They believed in the wizarding world, our way of life, and our government. For our government, represented by Albus Dumbledore to go against their wishes is a mockery of everything they gave up their life to protect. Albus Dumbledore ignored what was right, the law of world and took the easy way out and it angers me that everyone seems so compliant about that fact. It's time that ever witch and wizard in Great Britian take a good hard look at our society and figure out how they want to live, how they'd like their society to be run. It's not just the responsibility of a few, but of us all. As you see, it is not a good idea to place too much responsibility, too many positions on a single man."
The reporters squirmed uncomfortably, the sheep.
"Lord Potter, you were just handed your own summons to appear before the Wizengamot. What is it for?" A reporter called out desperately trying to change the subject.
"Dumbledore is attempting to discover who now has guardianship over me."
"Is it Lord Black?"
"Maybe."
"Can you give a definite answer?"
Harry snorted. "Yes, but I won't. I value my privacy."
"Now that you've left Hogwarts, how is your magical education going."
"Amazingly well. I seem to retrain more knowledge in a less structured, less dangerous environment than what was offered at Hogwarts."
"You believe Hogwarts is dangerous?"
"It was when I attended. As I stated previously, both Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers attempted to harm me during my time at Hogwarts and like many of you, I was subjected to bullying by the staff. I am much happier now."
"How did you spend your winter holidays?"
"With family friends. I went on vacation with friends from the muggle world, I spent the holiday with family, my godfather and others magical friends."
"You still have a strong presence in the muggle world despite the bad experiences you've had?"
"If you go by that belief I could counter that I have had equally, if not worse experiences in the magical world. I do not judge every non-magical person by the Dursleys, nor do I judge every magical person by Albus Dumbledore or Voldemort."
Everyone flinched at the mention of Voldemort's name, which helped Harry to round up the meeting and escape back to Castle Potter. Once they stepped out of the floo, Sensei engulfed him in a hug.
"He got off Ikeda. He out played us and got off with a slap on the wrist."
"Do you really think he's never going to pay for his actions?"
"Maybe he is all seeing," Harry pouted.
Sensei groaned. "Save me from melodramatic teenagers. Harry, Dumbledore will pay for what he's done. Maybe not now, but he will in the end. It is important that you're speaking out, that you're getting the truth out there, even if the outcome isn't the one we would like. It is important that you never give up, fighting for what is right."
Harry nodded into Sensei's chest. He knew he was right, but he was still furious that no matter how right their cause was, it was more than likely Dumbledore, the secret dark lord, would never have to pay for his crimes.
Author's Notes:
*This isn't as cleaned up as I would like, but decided to post it anyway, because I am not going to miss another Monday post, because frankly you guys scare the crap out of me! LOL!
*Thanks for all the advice on how to back up my work. In the end I went with Google Drive. I did that because I set up a gmail account when I first created my fanfiction account and it seemed the easiest.
*I admit that the reason this chapter isn't as cleaned up as I've like is that I've become somewhat obsessed with my new story idea. The perv in me is loving the M rating, though even if so far no actual smexing has occurred, but the tension and . . . never mind too much information. Anyhoo, I've nearly handwritten two sections of my 3 subject notebook on the story and went through like tons of pens and I'm running out. Since I live in the boonies, it's a drive to get to a store that has the decent ballpoint pens I love to write with. The things I do for you guys. LOL!
*People have asked how many chapters A Chance of Happiness will be. Well, I have not a clue. Sorry. The the initial draft is complete, I don't write in chapters. I just write and break it down into chapters when I edit. Right now, I'd say that we're 3/4 of the way through the story, but that is a guess, because I completely ignored a major plotline in the initial drive and I write and edit it in as needed, which adds pages and chapters to what I originally wrote. Sorry, I don't have a better answer for you guys.
*I'm struggling a little with the sequel, I think because I'm not sure how a major plotline here is going to be resolved which effects the sequel but I'm still trudging along. That story, is going to take tons of editing as well.
*Ramble, ramble, ramble.
*I don't own Harry Potter or Ouran High School Host Club and all the awful mistakes in this work are my own fault. See you next Monday!