Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the queen.

His Boy

Chapter Seventeen: The Dursley's get Served... er.. I mean.. The Trial.

"There we go, Prongslet." Sirius smiled as he smoothed out Harry's tiny tie. The little boy was all dressed up, looking smart and clean, with a pale blue dress shirt and a Snitch shaped bow-tie. His black dress pants landed perfectly over his new shiny black shoes that he rather liked looking at. His normally slightly dirt smudged face was pink with scrubbing and his glasses had been shined to perfection. His hair, however, had been left as was, messy and crazy, but clean and soft as ever. Sirius lifted Harry up into his arms, snuggling him close to his side. "You look great."

"You too, Paddy." Harry beamed, glad that he wasn't alone in wearing fancy clothes. Sirius wore a black suit, his tie standing out a great deal due to the very friendly looking lion on it. Harry had picked it out when they'd gone to the shop. Padfoot had said he could bring his lion with him if he wanted to, just to have an extra friend.

"We all set? Ah! Don't you look fantastic, Harry!" Remus beamed as he peeked in through the door, his own brown tweed suit pressed and neat.

"You look 'tastic, too, Moony!" Harry laughed, squirming until Sirius set him down. He ran out of the room and into his bedroom to get his tiny train shaped backpack. Padfoot had gotten it for him for school, which hadn't started yet, but he said Harry could use it today. Sirius didn't know how long they'd be stuck in the courtroom, so he figured it best to pack Harry some things to do while he was in the other room. He'd packed a coloring book, crayons, Harry's train, the dragon book, and a snack complete with juice box.

Excited to be using his new backpack, Harry pulled it on and then snatched his lion up from his bed, hugging him tightly. "We're goin' ta court, Lion. Real court… where a growed up is da judge, 'stead of Luna."

"Ready to go?" Sirius asked as he came into the room. Harry nodded and beamed up at him before pausing for a moment. He frowned and ran back to his bed where his conductor's hat was sitting on the bedpost, ready for him. He tugged it on and then grinned. Sirius laughed, scooped him up, and then they headed downstairs.

Since they were going to a Muggle court building for the proceedings, they took Remus's old car, which he'd done a bit of transfiguring on the outside of, to make it look newer and cleaner than it had been previously. It still ran mostly on magic, but it was a good old thing.

It took about half an hour for them to get to London, and then another fifteen minutes to find the right road. Remus let the car wedge itself between two others, knowing that if he tried to do it himself, he'd probably end up denting it. Not that he couldn't repair it in a second flat, he just preferred not to be required to. The car would get angry with them.

"Well, here we are." Sirius sighed as he looked up at the large building before he turned around to pull Harry from his car seat. Harry gripped him tightly around the neck, looking nervous as he too, looked up at the building. It was bigger than their house… bigger than any of the shops he'd ever been to even. He gulped and buried his face against Sirius's neck, smelling in the familiar scent of safety.

"It'll be alright, Prongslet. I'm here, and Moony is here… and look there! It's Miss Tricia and Lexie!" Sirius pointed to where the two women were standing, obviously waiting for them. Harry lifted his head and then perked up a bit as he spotted them. Sirius carried him up the stairs and Harry laughed, launching himself at Lexie, having not seen her in over a week now.

"Hello Harry!" Lexie smiled, hugging him before he stretched for Sirius again, who took him back. Remus came up the stairs toting Harry's backpack and lion.

"Ah, good morning." He smiled and reached to give one armed hugs to Tricia and Lexie before they all marched inside.

"It's in here." Tricia pointed to a large wooden door a short way down a wooden paneled hallway with a deep blood red carpet. She pushed open the door and revealed a very large room. Harry gasped, his head falling back as he looked up at the ceiling and at all of the empty benches. They didn't sit down though. Instead, Tricia led them over to the northeast corner of the room where a smaller wooden door sat in the wall. She opened it and they followed her in.

It was a small room, with a couch, a couple of chairs, and a coffee table in front of them covered with old looking magazines. A plastic box full of toys sat in one corner. Another door was set into the wall adjacent to the one they'd come in through. Harry scrambled to get down and Sirius leg him, setting him on the floor and watching as the four year old made a quick beeline for the bucket of toys.

"I'll go find Mr. Piper… he's the Muggle social worker who'll be looking after Harry while we're in the proceedings."

"I thought Lexie was going to…" Sirius began but Lexie quickly cut him off.

"Oh, I'll be in here… But I bet it's a policy of some sort to have a social worker in here as well?"

"Yes. That's exactly what it is." Tricia nodded and pushed through the second door, disappearing down a corridor.

"Paddy! Lookit! A fire truck like mine!" Harry laughed, lifting the red toy high, beaming brightly.

"So it is." Sirius smiled and sat down on the floor to join him in his play before it was time for the trial to begin.

Tricia returned to the room followed by a stout man wearing glasses and a lopsided bow tie. He had a friendly air about him, and a kind smile on his face. He straightened his glasses and looked around at them all, his eyes scanning slowly to see who was in the room.

"Good day! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Hello." Sirius pushed up from the floor and held out a hand. "I'm Sirius Black. And these is my good friends Remus Lupin and Alexandria Owan. And this, of course, is Harry." He grinned, indicating the little boy on the floor as the man went about shaking everyone's hands. He bent low, getting right down on the floor by Harry who seemed so intent on the fire truck that he had yet to notice him.

When he realized that someone new… a stranger… had appeared beside him, Harry whimpered and crawled away quickly, ending up under the skirt of Lexie's blue dress, his head covered, but the rest of him quite visibly clutching onto one of her legs.

"Oh, it's all right little one, don't be frightened." Mr. Piper smiled and dug into the bin of toys. He pulled out a police car and set it on the floor. "Look here now, look what this can do!" He pressed a button on the top of the car and it's lights lit up. He pressed another and it's siren went off. Harry's face appeared, peeking out from under Lexie's skirt, his interest peeked.

"And… if you pull it back like this…" Mr. Piper demonstrated, rolling the car backwards a bit. "And then let go…" He took his hand off the top of the car and it shot forward, zooming across the floor until it hit the toe of Lexie's shoe. Harry laughed, grabbing up the car and pulling it back, watching it drive itself back to Mr. Piper. What a neat trick that was!

"Wow, Harry! Isn't that fun?" Sirius laughed, getting down on the floor. Harry nodded and climbed into his lap, watching as Mr. Piper sent the car back to him. He grabbed it and took his turn.

"Well, it looks like it's about time to go… people are arriving." Tricia stated, peeking out the door into the large room.

"Alright… Harry, Moony and I have to leave you now, but we'll be back soon, alright?" Sirius snuggled him and rose , setting him down on the floor.

'And don't you worry the slightest." Lexie beamed, reaching down to tug him up into her arms as his face began to contort with absolute sadness. "I'm going to stay and play with you and Mr. Piper. Padfoot and Moony will just be in the next room doing important things."

"Oh, ok!" Harry laughed, feeling much better now that Lexie was going to be in here with him. And his favorite grown up wouldn't be too far away… just the next room! That wasn't bad at all. If he needed them, he could go get them.

Sirius leaned in to give Harry a kiss and ruffle his hair, making Harry laugh again, his little face beaming with pride at the affection he was receiving. Oh, how he just adored his Paddy. "We'll see you soon, Prongslet."

Sirius, Remus, and Tricia moved to sit at a table on one side of the courtroom while the Dursleys and their lawyer were sitting at the one across the aisle from them, looking quite impossibly grumpy to be here.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Sirius…" Remus sighed as he watched Sirius stick his tongue out at the Durlseys before they sat down. He shrugged and situated himself in his chair.

"Quiet in the courtroom!" A large man came walking out of a door in the northwest corner of the room. "Black and the People of England versus Dursley, the great and honorable Judge Pi residing." A neatly dressed man in long black robes and white wig entered the room and moved to sit up in the behind the Judge's podium. He lifted his gavel and the room fell silent completely.

"You may begin your opening arguments."

Tricia rose from her seat, smartly dressed and serious. She placed her hands behind her back, pacing across the front of the room as she began to speak. "Tricia Lovegood, representative for the people of England. Your honor… jury… we are here today to discuss a matter that I, personally, believe to be one of the most vile acts against humanity in existence… child abuse." She paused for a moment, letting that sentence sink into the ears of those around her. "Know that I would not be standing here if I did not honestly believe that these people here…" She pointed to the Dursleys. "Are responsible for inflicting pain and suffering upon a child. Harry Potter is four years of age and has suffered serious mental and physical trauma at the hands of his previous care takers, Vernon and Petunia Dursley. After making a visit to his godson, Sirius Black gave me a call to inform me that he believed the child was being mistreated. After a quick investigation, I removed the child from the home of Mr. and Mrs. Dursley and took him under my own care until Sirius Black was legalized as the child's full time guardian. The Dursley's were given notice prior to the change of custody, a chance to remain the child's guardians, but they did not seek to do so. This I think, also indicates exactly how they felt about the child. They did not want him and that, is why they mistreated him while their own son has been raised like a pampered king." Tricia turned around and smiled kindly at the Dursley's lawyer. "Your turn."

"Eh hem." The lawyer rose, straightening his tie and moving forward while Tricia took her seat again. "Samuel Hudson representing the Dursleys. Your honor, the child in question was given the best care possible by the Dursleys after his unannounced arrival upon their doorstep nearly three years ago. They were not prepared for the child's arrival, nor informed beforehand, or asked if they would become his full time caregivers. They were given the child upon default, as the child's only remaining living relatives. Due to the fact that the caregiver named in the Mrs. Durlsey's sister, Mrs. Potter's will was currently incarcerated…" He glanced over at Sirius. "It is to be known that Mr. and Mrs. Dursley decided to respect Mrs. Potter's memory by taking in the child rather than send him away to a home for children. Under the circumstances, they gave him what he needed. They clothed him, they sheltered him, and they fed him to the best of their abilities. This child was not abused. He was well taken care of." With that said, Mr. Hudson returned to his seat.

"Mrs. Lovegood, your first witness please." The judge waved a hand and Tricia rose with a nod.

"I call to the stand, Sirius Orion Black." Sirius rose from his seat and strode across the room to take his seat in the witness's stand beside the Judge's podium.

"Do you pledge to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you god?"

"I do."

"You may begin."

Tricia smiled and stepped forward. "First of all, I would like it shown on the record, that while Mr. Black was incarcerated during the past few years, it was upon false charges. He was promptly released and given a formal apology for his suffering. The paperwork is in front of you, Judge."

"Yes, yes, I have seen the paperwork. Continue."

"Mr. Black, it was you who first felt that something was wrong in the Dursley household?"

"Yes."

"And can you tell us, exactly what happened on the night of the thirtieth of July?"

"Well, I had been released from prison and the first thing I wanted to do, was check up on my godson as I hadn't seen him in nearly three years. I admit to being a bit rash, it was quite rude of me to show up on the Dursley's doorstep unannounced, and for that, I apologise."

"And I believe you were not alone?"

"No. Remus Lupin, a good friend of mine and the Potters, and our old teacher, Albus Dumbledore, joined me. They were both against visiting at such an hour without so much as a phone call, but after having heard about her sister from Lily Potter, I felt that we should see exactly how Harry was being treated. We rang the doorbell and when Mr. Dursley answered, we explained who we were and requested a simple visit with Harry. It was late, about ten o'clock, so he was in bed. My stomach told me something was wrong the moment I stepped into that house. There wasn't any indication that Harry lived there at all. There were millions of photos of the Dursley's son, who is not that much older than Harry, but not a single one of Harry. So, worried, I checked everywhere for him. Upstairs, the living room… I couldn't find him. So I called for him, I had to know he was alright… and then this pounding came… from the cupboard beneath the stairs. And this little voice was screaming to be let out. So I unlocked the cupboard… and there he was."

"And how did Harry look when you found him?"

"Like a skittery rabbit. He was petrified. His pajamas were old and worn out, his glasses had been broken and badly taped, so… so very little… and the only things in that cupboard with him was a blanket, a headless teddy bear, and spiders. There was no light bulb in the fixture hanging in the cupboard."

"And what happened then?"

"Well, Professor Dumbledore called the authorities and they took Harry away to be placed in your care until I could gain custody."

"Thank you. Your witness, Hudson."

Hudson moved forward as Tricia sat down. "Isn't it true, Mr. Black, that you barged into the Dursley's home in the middle of the night, unwelcome. You threatened the Dursley's and then practically kidnapped Harry Potter?"

"I might have overeacted and said some nasty words, but if you had discovered a child you loved dearly to bbe in a place where they were being mistreated, then what would you have done? Would you have sat there calmly and rationally? I don't think so. And I did not kidnap Harry. That would involve taking the child away from the home. I merely spent a little bit of time with him out on the front steps while waiting for the authorities to show up. He slept through most of it."

"And what was it you were incarcerated for?"

"Objection! Your honor, we've already…"

"Cease and desist, Hudson. That question has already been answered. Now then, have you anymore?"

"No sir."

"Thank you, Mr. Black, you may return to your seat. Your next witness, Lovegood."

"I call to the stand, Doctor Flanigan."

The Healer who had seen Harry for his check up at the beginning of the month rose from her seat and came foreward, sitting down in the witness stand.

"Good morning Doctor."

"Good morning."

"Now… I understand that you did a physical evaluation of Harry Potter less than forty-eight hours after his removal from the Dursleys, is that correct?"

"Yes it is."

"Could you tell me about the visit?"

"Of course." The Healer smiled. "My records indicate that I saw Harry on the first of August and that you and Sirius Black were both present for the examination."

"And do you remember how Harry acted?"

"He was nervous at first… His eyes were all over the place, like a frightened animal locked in a cage, but he warmed up to me after a few minutes. I measured his height, which was three and a half feet, which is perfectly average for his age, but his weight concerned me greatly."

"How much did Harry Potter weigh when you met him?"

"He weighed exactly twenty five pounds. He was at least ten pounds underweight, which, at his age, is very concerning. The average four year old weighs thirty five to forty pounds, and when you take away about over a fourth of that weight it can be detrimental to their overall health."

"So, are you saying he was malnourished?"

"Yes. He lacked calcium and iron mainly, oth of which are very important things at his young age."

"Did you find anything else concerning?"

"Yes. He had multiple bruises, mostly on his backside and a few on his upper arms where it looked quite like he'd been grabbed."

"Would you say that he had been mentally traumatized?"

"Yes. The way he acts around people… it's not just average shyness. It's an actual fear, you can see it in his eyes."

"Thank you, that's all I have to ask."

"Hudson, your witness."

"I have no questions."

"Very well then, bring in the next one."

Tricia looked at Sirius and he nodded.

"I call to the stand, Harry James Potter."

There was some whispering as the door opened and Lexie came out of the little room, holding onto Harry's hand. His little eyes widened behind his glasses as he caught sight of all the people in the room and quickly slowed his pace so he was hidden halfway behind Lexie, clutching onto her dress tightly.

"Here we are then, love." Lexie smiled and helped Harry up into the witness chair, having to nearly pry him off of her leg to do so. Harry gulped and clutched his Lion closely to his chest. His gaze went around the room… no… no… not here… not the Dursleys… and he burst into tears, moving to scramble down from the chair.

Sirius rushed forward, not able to bear seeing his little Prongslet so frightened. He lifted him from the chair and hugged him tightly, rocking him back and forth. "Shush, mate… it's all right. Nobody is going to hurt you here. Remember when we played our game? This is like that, and it's the Dursleys who are in trouble, not you."

Harry sniffled, shaking like a leaf as Sirius placed him back down in the chair. "We're all right here, Harry. We're not going to let anything bad happen, ok?"

Harry nodded and hugged his lion tightly to his chest again, his eyes watery as he averted his gaze from the Dursleys.

Tricia moved foreward, ushering Sirius back to his seat while Lexie stood nearby, up against the wall. "Hiya, Harry!"

"Hi." Harry sniffled again, rubbing at his nose with a bare hand and staring up into Tricia's kind face. He felt safer now, with her standing between him and the Dursleys. And there was Lexie to his side… and Padfoot and Moony sitting nearby at the table. He wasn't alone.

"Harry, I'm going to ask you some questions, all right? And I want you to answer them truthfully. Promise me you won't lie."

Harry nodded. "I promise. Lyin' is bad."

"That's right, good boy. Alright then… Harry, can you tell me how old you are?"

"Four." Harry cracked a little grin, that was an easy question.

"And what's your favorite color?"

"Red." Harry grinned even wider… this was easy.

"Do you remember when you used to live with your aunt and uncle?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded, biting at his lip. He was getting nervous again… he wasn't so sure he liked where these questions were going now, but then again… this was Miss Tricia. She'd always asked him questions and nothing bad ever happened when she did. And she was nice and she was Luna's mommy, and she was good at fun games.

"Did you like living with them?"

Harry gulped and shook his head. "N-no."

"Why not?"

"Er… they er… yells a lot." Harry whimpered, remembering all the times he'd been yelled at. He did not like it the least bit and cowered now, burying his face against his lion and peering up at Tricia as though begging her not to continue, but, though it broke her heart, she had to.

"What did you do when you were at the Dursleys?"

"I stayed in my cupboard."

"What else?"

"Er… I taked out the rubbish an' washed the floor an' washed other stuff."

"What did you do for fun? Where did you play?"

"In my cupboard. I played there when I got time outs."

"How long were your time outs?"

"A long long time. One time… I dropped a glass… an' I gotta time outs so long I missed lunch an' dinner an' tea an' breakfast n' lunch."

"Wow, that's a really long time out. Didn't you have to go to the potty?"

"Yeah, but I hadda stay in the cupboard."

"Why couldn't you leave just to go potty and go back?"

"Cause the cupboard got locked for time out n'there's no potty in there."

"So I bet you had a couple of accidents in time out then?"

"Yeah…" Harry frowned, looking slightly embarrassed as he wriggled in his seat. "Then I gots in trouble again."

"You got in trouble for having an accident because you were locked in the cupboard under the stairs so you couldn't make it to the potty in time?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded very seriously. "Then Uncle Vernon hitted me with his belts."

"He did?"

"Yeah. I didn't like that, but I was bad so I hadda." Harry winced as Tricia stepped back. It was a wonder Harry had even told he about it, let alone the entire room. He was being a very brave little boy.

"Objection! Your honor, obviously someone's been telling the boy what to say."

"I beg your pardon, Hudson, but I have here, photos, of Harry's bruises." Tricia dug into her file and placed them in front of the Judge for him to see. "If you look closely, you can see the imprint of a belt buckle…"

"I see… Give these to the jury. All evidence must be known." The judge handed the photos back to Tricia who gave them to the jury to look at. She hurried back over to the stand.

"Harry, thank you for being such a good boy and answering my questions, now it's Mr. Hudson's turn to ask you questions if he…"

"Oh… sod it all!" Hudson threw his file up in the air, the papers scattering about. "Your honor, these people are guilty of harming that little boy! I demand you put them in jail!"

"How dare you…" Vernon rose from his chair but Hudson shook a finger at him.

"No. I have done my best, but I cannot stand here and pretend I think you're innocent any longer. You don't even have a solid case or any witnesses of your own to prove you never laid a finger on that child. He's barely old enough to be potty trained!"

"Well then, this certaintly is a turn of events." The Judge laughed. "We will deliberate and then return to…"

"Your honor… after looking over these photos and hearing all of the witnesses presented, we have, unanimously, declared the Dursley's guilty of child abuse."

"So quickly?"

"It's a pretty cut and dry case, your honor."

"Very well then. I sentence Mr. Vernon Dursley to six years in jail for deliberately beating and starving a child… and Mrs. Petunia Dursley three years for aiding her husband in the act of abuse. Now who's buying me lunch?"

Sirius laughed, shooting forward to lift Harry from the stand and dancing about with him. Harry hugged onto him, smiling, wondering exactly what had just happened. "Paddy, are the Dursleys getting a time out?"

"Yeah, Harry, they're both getting nice long time outs."

Is it me, or is the ending kind of impossibly funny? It's probably just me, but hahahaha! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that! I'm quite pleased with the way this one turned out... though the ending could have been better. I don't know much about how the court system in England works, so I winged it and I don't know much about sentencing, so I winged that as well. Anyway, let me know what you thought and tell me what you'd like to see happen next!

Always with love,

S.Q.O.