disclaimer: Don't Own Harry Potter
Chapter 3: Cleaning and the Hearing.
Harry was shaken awake the next morning by his older brother Jesse. He opened his eyes and glared up at him.
"What?" He demanded. Jesse frowned at his crabby attitude.
"Get up, if you want breakfast." Jesse demanded. "Then we are helping to clean the drawing-room today." Harry frowned up at his older brother.
"How the bloody hell am I suppose to clean with one arm?" Harry demanded. Jesse gave Harry a look.
"You have one arm, you can wipe off shelves." Jesse said. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get up." Harry sat up and reached over and picked up his glasses Cody had repaired for him the night before.
"I wouldn't have to feel sorry for myself if you would just let me see a healer." Harry said.
"You wouldn't have a broken arm if you would have stayed home like you were suppose to." Jesse said. He left Harry's bed and walked over to Ron's and shook him. "Hey, Ron, your mum said to tell you to get up, okay, kid." Ron opened his eyes and looked up at Jesse confused, then what he said seemed to click in his head and he nodded.
"I wouldn't have left the house if you would have let me see my friends." Harry told him. As Ron sat up, and headed to his trunk to get a change of clothes.
"I don't want to hear it." Jesse said. "Just get up and for once do as you're told." Jesse turned and headed out of the room.
"Git," Harry mumbled. Ron looked up at him.
"Yeah, he seems kind of hard on you." Ron said. Harry snorted.
"You should see him at home." Harry said. Ron gave him a pity look, then went out of the room to change in the bathroom across the hall. Harry sighed, and went to his trunk to find his clothes. Since Ron was in the bathroom Harry changed in the bedroom then waited for Ron to come out to go pee and brush his teeth. He then went down to the kitchen, Teddy, Ginny, Cody, and the Weasley twins were already in there, but Rigel was nowhere in sight.
"Where is Trouble?" Harry asked, taken the chair in between Ginny and Teddy. Ginny reached over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Said he wasn't hungry." Ginny said. Harry didn't feel like eating himself, and just got a glass of pumpkin juice and waited for his friend and girlfriend to eat their breakfast. Before all three went up to the drawing-room, up on entering, Ginny sneezed the room was so dusty and dirty. It was a long, high-ceiling room on the first floor with olive-green walls covered in dirty tapestries. The carpet exhaled little clouds of dust every time someone put their foot on it and the long, moss-green velvet curtains were buzzing as if swarming with invisible bees. It was around these that Mrs. Weasley and Jesse already stood tying pieces of cloths around their mouths and nose waiting for everyone else to enter. Both were holding a large bottle of a black liquid with a nozzle at the end.
"Cover your faces and take a spray." Mrs. Wealsey said. The moment everyone entered the room and pointed at a table full of spray bottles and pieces of cloths.
"Jesse," Cody said entering the room after Harry. "How do you except Harry to do anything with one arm." Jesse rolled his eyes. Walked over grabbed a cloth and dunked it in a bucket of soapy water that sat on the floor in front of the table of spray bottles. Jesse then tossed it to Harry.
"You don't have to fight doxies, so get to dusting." He ordered.
"Jesse." Cody snapped. "Why do you always have to treat him like that. He could help if you just have him healed."
"Why do you always have to baby him." Jesse demanded. "He's almost grown, he's not eight anymore."
"I should have run away like Sophie did." Harry mumbled under his breath, he thought he had anyway, but Jesse seemed to have heard him, and yanked down the cloth he had around his mouth and glared at Harry.
"What did you just say?" Jesse demanded.
"Nothing." Harry mumbled. Jesse narrowed his eyes at him.
"No, you said something." Jesse said. "Now tell me. What you just said?" Mrs. Weasley lowered her cloth, everyone else watched.
"Boys, now come on, let's not fight." She said. "It's not going to get anything done. Harry, dear, why don't you just go over and clean the back shelf." Harry glared at Jesse before walking over to the far shelf at the back of the room and used his one good arm to start wiping it off, as he mumbled to himself. Over in the corner someone snorted and Harry looked to see Rigel sitting at a small table, with his crutches leaning up against it.
"Keep talking to yourself and the paper will be right about you being crazy." Rigel said. Harry glared at him, before sitting the cloth down and going over and sitting with him.
"What are you doing in here?" Harry asked. Rigel scowled.
"Uncle Sirius said even if I couldn't stand doesn't mean I get to mop around in my room." Rigel said. Harry frowned, Sirius and Rigel seem to be arguing a lot lately. Harry looked back over at the others, Jesse looked his way and scowled, but said nothing and went back to spraying the curtains. Ginny now had a cloth tied around her mouth and was helping, but Teddy refused to use a cloth and sprayed away without having one on. He caused Mrs. Weasley to scowl at him when he shook a doxy out of the curtain and then started chasing it around the room. Harry heard a small giggle and noticed Teddy's little sister Britney standing there with a cloth over her mouth and a spray bottle in her hand. Something came to him.
"Where's Moony and Tonks?" Harry asked.
"Tonks is at work." Rigel said. "And Moony is off doing something for Dumbeldore, left last night. Don't know what but Teddy and his mum and sister are standing here the rest of the summer with us, except for full moons, and Tonks will take Britney home to change."
"Why not just let her change here?" Harry asked. "The wolf-bane potion makes her harmless." Rigel rolled his eyes and nodded his head at Mrs. Weasley, Harry nodded getting the point. Britney Lupin was a werewolf like her father, when she was just six she had been attacked by Fenrir Grayback, when she had snuck out of her house looking for her kitten, she still had the bit mark on one side of her face. You would never think she could turn into such a large dangerous creature once a month, just by looking at her. Britney was small for her age, and didn't look twelve, she was also skinny, with long light brown hair flicked with gray, and amber eyes. She was quiet and shy, and spent more time reading fairy tales than hanging around people. She was a sweet kid though, and as had a crush on Harry since she was seven.
"Fred, George," Mrs. Weasley called. "Stop clowning around and get over here and help. Why Sirius doesn't make that house-elf do his job. I will never know." Rigel rolled his eyes at Harry.
"Uncle Sirius doesn't care is why." He told Harry. "If it hadn't been for Dumbledore insisting this was the best place to have Headquarters, he would have never let the order use it. He hates this place The only thing Uncle Siri ever came here to do was to feed Buckbeak." Rigel suddenly smirked. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Harry looked over toward the door to see Sirius had come into the room carrying a bag of what looked like a bag of dead rats. He looked over and gave Rigel and Harry a little wave.
"I've just been feeding Buckbeak." He added when Harry's eyes fell on the bag. "I have him upstairs in my mum's old bedroom." Buckbeak was a Hippogriff that once belonged to Hagrid; in Harry's third year it attacked Draco Malfoy, and Lucius Malfoy got it sentenced to death. But since it was Malfoy's fault, Harry and his friends had freed the Hippogriff before it could be executed. Rigel said he had it hidden somewhere, but up until now Harry had no idea what he had done with it. He watched as Sirius dropped the bag of rats in an armchair, then bent over to examine the locked cabinet, which was shaking slightly.
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is just a boggart." Sirius said, looking through a keyhole. "But knowing my mother it could be worse. We'll just let Moody have a look before we try to do anything about it." Just then a loud clanging bell sounded from downstairs, followed by the screams and wails of Mrs. Black. "I keep telling them not to ring the damn bell." Sirius headed out of the room. Rigel snorted.
"I think they do it on propose." He said, flipping through a Quidditch magazine. Harry smirked at him.
"They like hearing your grandma." He said, Rigel glared at him.
"Don't call her that." He snapped and Harry laughed, which only made Rigel glare at him more. Then the deep voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt came up through the still open door.
"Hestia's just relieved me, so she's got Moody's cloak, I came to leave a report for Dumbeldore." Mrs. Weasley rushed over and closed the door mumbling things about people being careless. She glanced back at the others and they went back to work. Rigel gave Harry a look.
"See," he whispered. "I told you it wasn't you they were talking about. They are grauding whatever Jesse and Mrs. Weasley stopped Uncle Siri from telling us aout last night." Harry nodded with a frown. He hated when things were kept from him. He wanted to know. He had a right to know, Voldemort was after him. He felt he had the right to know why.
They worked for hours spraying curtains and cleaning out drawers, and cabinets, after a while Harry got broad just sitting there and got up and started helping, with the latter. Twice he saw Fred and sneak dead doxies in his pocket, Ginny had abounded the curtains and came over to help Harry, he gave her a questioning look and nodded to Fred; Ginny shrugged and mumbled something about them testing something for the joke shop they were trying to get. Back in June when Harry and Ginny had gotten their money from the Daily prophet, she had loaned Fred and George the money to help them start a joke shop, which was their life dream, and that was something her mum did not like at all.
"They're making candies that make you sick." Ginny explained, as she helped Harry pull out a draw. "They're hoping they will be big sellers to kids who want to get out of class."
"What do they need doxies for?" Harry whispered ask, so Mrs. Wealsey didn't hear. Ginny frowned.
"I have no clue." She said. Harry smiled as he wiped out the draw after he tossed everything in it in a trash bag, they then put it back in the cabinet and pulled out the next as the doorbell went off again and Mrs. Black's screaming started again.
"Oh, for Merlin's shake." Mrs. Weasley said, she dropped her spray bottle and hurried toward the door. "Stay put, I'll bring up sandwiches." She said closing the door, everyone, but Harry and his friends rushed to the window.
"Hey guys." Teddy said, sitting down by Harry and Ginny on the floor. He was dressed in tight black pants with safety pins all over them, and a black tank top with zippers all over it, he had on combat boots and his hair was a spiky purple mohawk, and his eyes were blue.
"Hey, Morph." Harry greeted him as he and Ginny put the last draw in. They all stood up and went over to sit with Rigel as Mrs. Weasley came back in carrying a tray of sandwiches, she sat them on a table in the middle of the room.
"Go get me a sandwich, Ted." Rigel demanded. Teddy glared at him, but got up and did what Rigel said. Harry snickered.
"Bring me one too." He called. Teddy glared back at him. Ginny got up and went over to get her own, and Teddy brought Rigel and Harry back plates with a sandwich and chips.
"What nothing to drink, what if I choke?" Harry asked, smirking as he popped a chip in his mouth.
"Yeah, go get us something to drink." Rigel demanded. Teddy started mumbling as he walked back over to the table with the sandwiches, Mrs. Wealsey had also sat a pitcher of pumpkin juice with cups, and some wizard soda if someone would rather have that. Teddy brought Harry and Rigel back a bottle of wizard soda, it was a lot like muggle soda, except the fuzz never went away.
"Thanks," Harry said, Teddy mumbled something he couldn't hear before going over to get his own food, Ginny came back over and sat on the table next to Harry's plate. Harry smiled up at her and reached over and rubbed up and down her leg, While smirking at her.. Ginny was wearing jean cut off shorts and a white tank top. Harry thought she looked good dressed like that. She always used a spell during the summer that allowed her tan instead of burning like most red-heads o in the summer sun. Ginny gave Harry a smile before picking up her sandwich and taken a bit. He let go and went back to his food as Teddy sat down across from him.
"Ginevra Weasley, a table is not for sitting on." Mrs. Weasley called over to her. Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Where else am I suppose to sit, mum." She demanded. Harry, Rigel, and Teddy had taken the only chairs that sat at the little table. Teddy leaned in.
"She's just mad because she saw Harry rubbing your leg." He whispered, low enough that only she, Harry and Rigel heard him, and Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Here, I'll just sit on the floor." Harry said, going to get up, but Ginny shook her head. Jumped off the table and sat down in Harry's lap, his face turned red as everyone looked at them, then back to Mrs. Wealsey. Harry saw Cody over in the corner smirking at them.
"Ginevra Elizabeth, what do you think you are doing?" She demanded. Ginny gave her mum a sweet looking smile.
"What? You said get off the table." She said. Mrs. Weasley put her hands on her hips.
"We do not sit in people's laps." She said, Harry's face turned red as a tomato. Now Cody was snickering at him.
"What's wrong with it, he's my boyfriend." Ginny said.
"You are too young for a boyfriend." Mrs. Weasley said. Ginny opened her mouth to say something, but Jesse cut her off.
"Here's you a chair." he said, grabbing a chair from the other side of the room and sitting it down next to Harry. He smiled a little at Harry's red face, and Ginny glared at him as she got off Harry's lap and sat down in it. But the moment Jesse had walked away she moved it so close to Harry that she was almost back in his lap. Mrs. Wealsey opened her month say to something, but at that moment Mrs. Black started yelling again. She sighed.
"Now what?" She snapped hurrying from the room, this time Jesse went with her.
"I can't believe her." Ginny complained. "She's been on my case all summer." She slammed down her sandwich and pushed her plate away so hard it almost fell off the table.
"I know how you feel, babe. Jesse has been the same way." Harry said. Just then Ron let out a scream as one of the doxies in Fred's pocket had apparently only been knocked out and had flew out of said pocket and attacked Ron, with it in his hair he jumped up and screamed as he made his way across the room to where Harry and the others was. Ron was yelping and trying to smack the doxy off him, but then tripped and fell right on Rigel's hurt leg. Rigel cried out so loud even the doxy flew off and hide.
"You little..." Rigel said, holding on to his leg. "Watch what the hell you are doing."
"Trouble." Ginny said. Rigel glared at her and bent down holding his leg. "He didn't mean to." Rigel said nothing, he just glared, Harry could see pain in his eyes.
"Sorry," Ron said. He got up and hurried back across the room as the door opened and a house-elf came walking.
"Bloody-hell not him." Rigel mumbled, as the house-elf looked around at everyone, saw Rigel and rushed to him.
"Is Master Regulus, okay." he asked. "Dose he need anything from Keacher?"
"For the last time, my name is Rigel, not Regulus." Rigel snapped. "Now go away you little rodent." Keacher's eyes suddenly widened and he dropped to his knees and grabbed Rigel's unhurt leg. "Keacher failed Master Regulus, Keacher is sorry, he tried to do as you said. But Keacher was unable. Keacher is sorry he failed his master."
"Um...what is he talking about?" Harry asked. Watching Rigel kick Keacher away.
"I have no idea, he's been mumbling that ever since Sirius and I got here." Rigel said. "Uncle Sirius said he probably had forgotten to make my dad's bed or something." He kicked at Kearcher again. "Go away I said."
"Yes, Master Regulus, Keacher will do as he is told." Keacher bowed to Rigel.
"About time." A voice said from the doorway, they all looked to see Sirius standing there. Keacher who had made it almost to the door stopped and bowed so low his nose touched the carpet. "Stand up straight and what are you doing here? What are you up to?"
"Nothing, Keacher just came because he heard Master Regulus cry out." Keacher said. Sirius glanced at Rigel who had a look on his face that said if Keacher called him Regulus one more time, he would kill him or at least curse him. Then turned back to Kearcher.
"You are up to something." Sirius said. "I want to know what it is." Keacher bowed low to Sirius again, making his scowl.
"Keacher is not up to nothing." He said. "He is just doing Keacher's job and cleaning. It is Keacher's job to serve the House of Black."
"It's getting blacker every day." Sirius said. "The place is filthy." Rigel snickered at that. "Get out." Keacher bowed low again and start mumbling under his breath.
"Keacher will not let anything happen to it." He mumbled, going out the door. "Oh, how his Mistress would be heart-broken if he destroyed the family tapestry."
"Oh, I figured it was that." Sirius said, then shut the door in Keacher's face. He then glanced over to the wall behind Harry and his friends. Harry looked to see a large old tapestry hanging there; it was faded and looked as if doxies had gnawed it in places; nevertheless, the golden thread with which it was embroidered still glinted brightly enough to show them sprawling family tree dating back (as far as Harry could tell) the middle ages. Large words at the very top of the tapestry read:
The Noble And Most Ancient House OF Black
"Toujours Pur"
Harry got up and walked over to it. "Padfoot, you're not on here." He called over to his godfather, Sirius left the doorway and walked over to it and stood by Harry, Rigel grabbed his crutches and made his way over and stood at Harry's other side. The other two soon followed.
"I use to be." Sirius said. "My Mother blasted me off, when I ran away from home." Sirius pointed at a burnt spot. "I had enough of them and their nonsense, I went to stay with Prongs and his parents, then got my own place when I turned seventeen. My Uncle Aphard had left me some gold. Which is why he was blasted off." Sirius glanced over to make sure Jesse hadn't returned then lowered his voice, so the others couldn't hear.
"Cody told me about your little visitor." Sirius said. "And he also told me what you said a little while ago. Harry, I know Jesse is harder on you this summer than he ever has been, but he's just worried. No matter how he acts he still cares for you." Sirius pointed at a name at the very bottom of the tree. Harry looked and saw it said Regulus Black a gold line lead from Regulus to the name Rhea Lastrange, then from both it led to a name underneath. Rigel Black. And if their birth dates was right then they would have been like sixteen when Rigel was born or his mum was anyway, Regulus' death date was the same year as Rigel's birthdate. He died about three months before his son was born. And if you go by the marriage date, Rhea was already pregnant when she married Regulus, which is probably the reason they got married.
"My brother and me never got along." Sirius said. "He was idiot enough to believe in all that nonsense our parents preached about. When he got shorted into Slytherin it got worse between us. Sometimes I wonder if I had tried to stay friends with him if he..." Sirius trialed off.
"Don't blame yourself, Uncle Siri." Rigel said. "My dad had a mind of his own." Sirius gave him a small smile.
"There's where my grandma should be." Teddy spoke up, he pointed at a burn hole between the names Bellatrix Black and Narcissa Black. "I guess she got burnt off because she married granddad."
"Yep," Sirius said. "Can't have a muggle-bron on the tree. Her sisters are on here though, they married pur-bloods." Sirius pointed at the names Lucius Malfoy and Rodolphus Lastrange.
"I should be right there." Teddy said, he dragged his finger down to an empty space, two spaces under the burnt hole. And past the name Draco Malfoy.
"I still find it hard to believe your mum and Malfoy are cousins." Harry said, tapping Malfoy's name with his finger.
"Don't remind me." Teddy said.
"Why all the star names?" Ginny demanded. Sirius shrugged.
"A family thing, I never really understood it myself." He said.
"They have a thing for dragons too." Harry said. He pointed at the name Draco. "Isn't that what Draco means in Greek, dragon." He pointed and the name underneath a gold line leading from Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lastange, that read; Hydra Lastrange. "Wasn't a Hydra some kind of dragon thing in Greek Myth. It had a bunch of heads."
"Yeah," Ginny answered. "You cut off one head and two more grows back in its place."
"Well, they are star names too." Sirius said. "Well Draco is a consolation, but anyway, I don't know if it has anything to do with dragons or if they were just running out of stars. Rigel is a star too you know."
"Shut up." Rigel mumbled, Teddy snorted.
"I wonder if you cut of Hydra Lastrange's head if two more grows back in its place." Teddy said. They all turned and looked at him like he was crazy before they burst out laughing, even Sirius.
They spent the next few days cleaning out every room in Grimmauld place, it was hard because the house seem to be fighting back, aided by Kearcher, who kept trying to sneak off with stuff they threw away. They came across all kinds of weird things. Viels that looked as if they were full of blood, a locket no one could open, and a music box that was putting everyone to sleep, until Ginny had the brains enough to slam the lead closed. There was also a grandfather clock that liked to throw bolts at people and Harry; with help from Teddy had to rescue Ron from a scarf that had tried to strangle him when he had taken them out of an old wardrobe.
Before Harry knew it, it was the day of the hearing, up until now he hadn't been nervous, but now he was. What if he was expelled and had to live at home with Jesse. What if his friends got to go back and he was kicked out of Hogwarts. He didn't sleep the night before and got up early the morning of the hearing, he dressed in his best outfit. A light blue dress shirt, and a pair of dressy looking blue jeans. He ignored the wizard robes Jesse had laid out for him to slip on and made his way down to the basement kitchen. Sirius, Jesse, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Tonks, and Remus were all sitting around the table.
"Hey, Kido, you're up early." Sirius called, as Harry made his way over and sat next to him, which put him across from Jesse.
"Are did you even sleep last night?" Jesse asked. Harry rubbed his eyes and yawned.
"I sleep some, but was too nervous." He answered.
"Can I get you something to eat, Harry?" Mrs. Wealsey asked. Harry shook his head.
"No thanks, I'm not hungry, but I could use something to drink." Harry answered. Mrs. Weasley stood up.
"Of course, dear." She said. And walked over to the cabinet and got Harry out a butterbeer, opened it and brought over to him.
"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Harry said.
"You're Welcome." She said. "I guess you're too nervous to eat." Harry nodded. "I'll just go make sure the others are up." She left the more and Harry looked at Jesse.
"How are we getting there?" He asked.
"Sirius, Tonks and Mr. Weasley are taking you." he said and Harry frowned, Jesse wasn't coming. "Everyone, and I agree, thinks it's not a good idea if I was to be there. Not after what I said to Fudge last time we saw each other. We're not allowed to go into the hearing anyway." Harry still frowned, he didn't like Jesse not coming, it was almost like he didn't care. But the last time Jesse saw Fudge, he had thrown his Auror robes at Fudge's feet; quit his job and told Fudge off for not believing Harry when he said Voldemort had returned. Oh and kind of threatened him if he ever called Harry crazy again.
The kitchen door opened and the others came stumbling in, followed by Mrs. Weasley, all but Rigel. Sirius stood and left, Harry guessed Mrs. Weasley was leaving it up to him to wake Rigel. Which was a smart move on her part. Ginny took the empty chair next to Harry, and if he went by how she looked, she didn't get much sleep last night either. But she still looked beautiful, with her fairy red hair pulled back in a ponytail, she wore jeans, and a white blouse. Along with the earrings Harry gave her. Tomorrow was her birthday and Harry had finally got her a gift. He ordered it by owl without anyone knowing.
"Morning all." Teddy greeted. He looked as if he had no trouble sleeping last night, he wore black pants, black shirt and had his hair in a normal hair style, all except for the fact it was blue. The door opened and Sirius came in followed by Rigel, who looked grumpy, but was dressed in dark blue jeans and a black button up shirt. His hair was neatly combed to the side and he sat down next to Ginny, grabbed a butterbeer and drained it in two drinks, before slamming the bottle down on the table.
"Alright, we should get going." Mr. Wealsey said. "Frona Fearcraft owled Jesse this morning, she heard from a friend, that the time of the hearing has been changed to 8:00."
"They can't do that without telling us." Ginny said. "Can they."
"Well, they did." Tonks said, standing, everyone followed her lead. "Good thing Frona and Jesse are so close, and she thought enough to let us know." Frona Fearcraft happened to be Jesse's girlfriend. She was a nice quiet witch, with long blonde hair and sparkling green eyes; she also wore colorful skirts and worked in the Sprite Division at the ministry. She had liked Jesse for a long time, but because he didn't trust a lot of people around Harry, he never went out with any girl or had any friends, he said you never knew who just wanted to use him to get to Harry, but because of Harry and Ginny's nosing around last year, Jesse finally gave in and went out with Frona, and they were now a couple.
"Harry, please do not lose your temper." Jesse told him. "Stay calm and just tell the truth. Everything should be okay." Harry nodded, but said nothing. He didn't feel as if Jesse even cared, after all he wasn't going with them.
Tonks, Mr. Wealsey, and Sirius led them out of the house and since they couldn't walk because of Rigel's leg, Tonks had borrowed her dad's Minivan. And drove them to the Ministry, usually the adults would have apparated, but the kids were still underage, so they couldn't. Besides, they were trying to make a good impression by having them arrive the muggle way. When they got there, they were led to an old telephone box and they all squeezed in, as Sirius pushed the right numbers and they went down.
" Frona's letter said they also changed the place of the hearing." Sirius said. "You have to go down to the old courtrooms on the bottom floor."
"But... that's where they tried Death Eaters." Rigel protested. "Why do we have to go down there?"
"Apparently you are being tried by the Wizengamot." Tonks said.
"What?" Ginny demanded. "That's not fair."
"Fudge is, well, he's not very fair to some people lately." Mr. Wealsey said. Sirius snorted.
"Only to those with bags of gold to hand him." Sirius said.
Rigel scowled. "Doesn't surprise me." The lift opened and they all got out and walked over to the security wizard. After having their wands checked, they were led to another set of lifts and went down to the very last floor and passed the Department of Mysteries and all they way to courtroom ten.
"Now remember you guys." Tonks said. "No losing tempers and just stick with the truth." They nodded, all but Rigel and opened the door, Harry held it open for Rigel as he walked through. Fudge looked up at the sound of the door closing and his mouth dropped in surprise at the sight of the four teens standing there.
"You're um.." He stumbled.
"Right on time?" Ginny asked.
"Here early?" Teddy suggested with a grin. Rigel snorted.
"He was wanting to say late, but he didn't count on us knowing the change time." Rigel said. Fudge glared at him and Rigel glared right back.
"Well, have a seat." Fudge said, pointing to chairs in front of the high-rise bench him and the rest of the Wizengamot sat. The four Gryffinclaws made their way up there to see the chairs he pointed at had chins on the arms and was moving around.
"No thank you, I'll just stand." Teddy said. The others nodded in agreement. But Rigel because of his leg, kind of leaned and kind of sat on the wooden bar that was between them and the witness chairs in the courtroom. Fudge glared down at them, but said nothing and Harry and the rest of his friends leaned against the bar too. Ginny slipped her hand in Harry's unhurt one and they just stared up at the Wizengamot waiting. Fudge looked taken back by the don't care attitude they were showing. The adults told them to just tell the truth and stay calm and be respectful and everything should go okay, no mater what Fudge was acting like the Wizengamot had the final say, but the teens thought the best way to not get expelled; was to act like they didn't care. If Fudge and the Wizengamot thought they didn't care if they got expelled, then what would be the use of kicking them out.
"Very well." Fudge said. "The accused is present let us begin." Fudge looked down the room. "Are you ready?"
"Yes, sir." An eager voice the teen knew. They looked and sitting there writing down on a piece of parchment and not even looking up at them was none other than Ginny's older brother Percy Weasley.
"Bloody hell, not him." Ginny mumbled so only her friends and boyfriend could hear. Harry gave her hand a squeeze.
"Disciplinary hearing on the twelfth of August," said Fudge. Percy began to take notes. "Into offenses committed under Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry Sirius Potter, Rigel Regulus Black, Ted Remus Lupin, and Ginevra Elizabeth Weasley." Percy gasped at the last name and looked up at Ginny wide-eyed, apparently they had kept it from him that she was being tried today.
"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, (Teddy snickered at the name) Minister of Magic, Amelia Susan Bones, Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement: Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, Court Scribe Percy Ignatius Weasley-"
"-Witness for the defense, Albus Percival Wulfic Brian Dumbldore." Dumblodore's voice suddenly rang out. Next to Harry Ginny snorted.
"Brian?" She mumbled.
"He doesn't have enough names does he?" Teddy whispered. Harry and Ginny snickered.
"He could use a few more." Ginny whispered back. Dumbledore came walking forward and waved his wand and a comfortable looking chair appeared and he took a seat, while everyone stared. After a moment Fudge seem to pull himself together.
"Okay, umm... let's carry one." He said, behind him the other wizard mumbles among each other. Some even gave Dumbledore a wave. "Now to the charges." Fudge picked up a piece of parchment and held it up to his face. "Now the charges to the accused are followed, all four underage wizards knowingly, used magic in front of dozens of muggles, at a muggle gathering no less. Causing the Ministry much time and galleons having them all their memories erased." he sat the parchment down and looked at Harry.
"Now do you agree you are Harry Sirius Potter?" He asked. Harry gave him a funny look.
"Yes." He said. Fudge moved on to Rigel.
"You admit to being Rigel Regulus Black." he asked. Rigel rolled his eyes, crossed his arms and said nothing and after a moment he moved on to Ginny.
"Yes, I am Ginevra Elizabeth Weasley." She spoke up before he could ask. He looked at Teddy.
"And you are Ted Remus Lupin?" He asked. Teddy also rolled his eyes.
"No, I'm Merlin." He said. Then he grow out a long gray beard and long gray hair. He almost looked like Dumbeldore. Fudge glared at him.
"This is not the time or place for jokes." He said. "This is a serious matter...-"
"Then get to it and stop asking stupid questions." Rigel snapped. "If we weren't the people on your list do you think we would be here?" Fudge glared again, and a woman down from him, one that Harry knew was Amelia Bones, put her hand over her mouth to cover up her laughing.
"Do not talk to me in such a matter." Fudge said. "I am the Minister of magic I demand some re..."
"Then go out and catch the real trouble makers." Ginny said. "We were only defending ourselves and a bunch of muggles, that even though they can't see the dementors they can still feel their effects."
Percy Weasley paled a little. "Dementors? Ginny, what are you talking about?"
"I would like to know that myself." Amelia put in, straighten up and taken a drink out of a goblet in front of her. Fudge gave a fake laugh.
"Don't you two get it?" Fudge said. "It's the story they are making up to get out of trouble." He moved a piece of parchment aside and picked up another one. "These four have done nothing but cause trouble since stepping foot into Hogwarts. They think because they have family that works at the ministry and who their family is, that they can get by with stuff others can't." Rigel's light gray eyes darken a moment.
"My family has nothing to do with anything." Rigel snapped. "They were too dementors there. I cast my patronus to protect me and my friends. I don't care if a bunch of muggles saw it, I wasn't about to lose my soul and allow my friends to lose theirs."
"Did you just say you cast a patronus?" Amelia demanded. "A corporeal patronus?"
"Yeah," Harry spoke up. "We all can do them. Teddy's dad taught us all in third year."
"Very impressive." She said. Fudge scowled.
"It doesn't matter how impressive the magic was." He snapped. "What matters is that they knowingly done it in front of a bunch of muggles."
"But if you would just listen to them." Dumbldore spoke up. "They tell you the truth, Cornelius. Why else would someone cast a patronus charm? Unless there was a dementor near by. What would the point be."
"The point." A voice said, and Harry looked to see the ugliest witch he has ever seen lean forward. She was short, chubby and looked like a toad, wearing all pink, with a big pink bow on top of her short brown hair. Harry made a disgusted look, Ginny leaned in and started making frog sounds, making Harry crack up. The witch glared at them.
"The chair recognizes Dolores Jane Umbridge." Fudge said. She gave Fudge a nod and turned back to Dumbledore.
"Not that bitch." Teddy grumbled, but he didn't say it in a whisper like Ginny had with Percy. Umbridge glared down at Teddy.
"Did you say something, Mr. Lupin." She asked, and Harry noticed Umbridge said Teddy's last name with disgust. Teddy gave her a sickenly sweet smile.
"No Madam Umbitch...I mean Umbridge." He said. Ginny snickered and Harry bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing.
"You were saying Dolores?" Amelia asked, Harry noticed she was smiling and even some of the other witches and wizard were trying not to laugh. Apparently not many cared for Umbridge.
"Yes, as I was saying." She went one. "The point would be to scare the muggles present. After all wasn't and no offense to young Mr. black, but wasn't his father a Death Eater, he could be easily be following in his footsteps." Harry felt Rigel stiffen next to him.
"You're braking up the wrong tree there, lady." Rigel said. "If you know what's good for you. You'll find yourself another point."
"Doesn't he mean hopping?" Ginny asked Harry, making him almost laugh out again.
"Yes, there is no need to bring up family." Amelia said. Dumbledore nodded his head.
"Mostly those who are no longer with us and can not defend themselves." He said.
"Come on now." Fudge said. "You can't except us to believe that dementors just happened along a muggle gathering where there happened to be four wizard who knew the right charm to get ride of them. The chances of that are very slim."
"It was a carnival." Ginny cried out. "Muggle gathering, you make it sound like some weird ritual or something." Harry snickered.
"See, this is what I've talked about, Minister." Umbridge said. "No respect at all. They do what they want. When they want." Fudge nodded.
"Yes, I see what you mean." He said. "They lie too, making up stories to try to get out of trouble."
"Sir," Percy spoke up. "If my sister..."
"Percy, please." Fudge said. "You are here to take notes. Nothing else" Percy frowned at him and went back to his notes and even though Percy was fighting with his family right now. Ginny glared up at Fudge for the disrespect of her brother.
"Let's get back to what we are here for." Amelia said. "I don't know about you all, but I do have other things to do today. That happened to be important."
"Why don't you just put it to a vote." Dumbledore said." We heard all needed to be heard now anyway." Fudge frowned at him, but the others nodded in agreement.
"Very well. I guess he has a point." Fudge said. "All who find them guilty raise your hand." Fudge, Umbridge and about three others raised their hands. "And all that find them not guilty raise your hands." Over half raised their hands up in the air. And Harry along with his friends grinned. "You four have been found not guilty. So, you may go." Harry turned to leave to find Dumbldore had already left. He shrugged and followed his friends on out the door.
"So, what was the verdict?" Sirius demanded, the moment they all walked out the door.
"Not guilty." Harry said. And Sirius grinned.
"Good." he said. Tonks smiled happily and gave Teddy a big hug. Mr. Weasley hugged Ginny and told her bye, before he went on to work and Sirius and Tonks were to take Harry and the others home, before coming back to work.
They walked down the hall and turned, to see no other than Lucius Malfoy, and Fudge standing there, they stopped their conversion when they heard their footsteps and Sirius and Tonks stopped as they walked up to them.
"Well, Well, well." Lucius said. "What do we have here." He snarled. "I was just being told how you all escaped punishment for your wrong doings. Just goes to show some can get by with anything."
"Yeah, that's something you know all about." Rigel snapped, glaring at Lucius. He sneered back at Rigel and Sirius put his hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, seeing as you're still walking around free." Harry said.
Lucius looked down at Rigel's hurt leg and back up and over at Harry's arm. "I would be careful if I were you. Getting smart with the wrong person can cause more than a hurt arm or leg."
Sirius narrowed his eyes. "Are you threatening them?" Lucius smirked.
"Just speaking the truth." He said. He then laid one hand on Fudge's shoulder. "Minister might we take our business elsewhere."
"Yes, of course, Lucius." Fudge said. And together they both walked away. Harry was sure he heard a big of coins rattling.
"Idoit." Sirius said. "Malfoy just basically admitted to Voldemort being back and Fudge didn't catch a thing."
"All he can hear is that bag of galleons rattling." Tonks scowled. "Come on kids, let's get you home. So we can get back to work."
"We'll leave word with one of the others to tell Dumbledore about Lucius and Fudge." Sirius said.
"Good idea." Tonks said. They led the teens outside and into Tonks' minivan and then drive them back to Grimmauld place. Harry felt a lot better knowing, he and his friends would be going back to Hogwarts and wasn't getting their wands snapped. He just wished now that the rest of August would fly by so they could get there.
A.N. I put the cleaning and Hearing in the same chapter because there is something else coming up I want to happen before Harry goes back to school and I want to hurry up and get them to Hogwarts. So the chapter after next they'll get to Hogwarts. But the next something that is not in the book is going to happen. I hope you like it and I hope this chapter was good.