12:30PM, October 7th, 1992

Harry and Hermione walked along the shore of Hogwarts lake, having just finished eating the food Harry had taken from the great hall while invisible. The other students hadn't noticed anything strange about this; Harry often ate alone and was customarily invisible.

"A riddle?" Hermione repeated, "Something that can't be killed, is too horrible for the human mind to face, but toward which animals show no fear?" She paused, thinking it over. "You're claiming the Dementors are some kind of magical metaphor for death? I guess that makes sense. Then I suppose people who's greatest fear involves their own death or the deaths of others would be unable to cast Patronuses. That explains why I couldn't cast it."

"People who fear death most are most vulnerable to the Dementors. I don't know about unable to cast Patronuses. I think it's just people who know or suspect the truth about them who can't hide behind the ignorance of an animal Patronus."

"Then why would you TELL anyone that? You said you would teach me, not prevent me from ever casting one."

Harry stopped walking and made the Patronus charm wand movements. "Patronus 2.0 involves facing death with the knowledge that it can and will be defeated. That death is something that only plagues humanity in its infancy, and will one day be a footnote in the history of our species. And the promise that one will do what one can to help that process. Expecto Patronum!"

"Your Patronus animal is a HUMAN? That's not possible."

Harry allowed his Patronus to fade out. "Yours will be as well. Try it."

Before she could respond, an Auror trio Apparated and approached them. "Harry Potter, by order of the Wizengamot, you are under arrest for treason. Hand over your wand."

12:00PM, October 8th, 1992

Hermione and McGonagall sat in the visitors section of the Wizengamot meeting room. Hermione had refused to answer questions for any of the members, who were, to put it mildly, somewhat surprised to see her. They continued asking until Dumbledore signaled the start of the meeting. "By the vote of the Wizengamot, Harry Potter has been given three drops of Veritaserum and will now be interrogated regarding recent events at Azkaban."

Hermione was scared. It was natural enough given her experience with this room, and with Harry on trial for treason, but there was also something more than that. An Auror trio trudged into the room, looking resigned and drained. Three Patronus animals moved with them. A boy walked along with them with an energetic bounce to his movements despite wearing handcuffs. He looked up at the Wizengamot with a wide smile. Two faceless cloaked figures followed.

Hermione was confused, by Harry's seeming obliviousness to his situation and "What are those things?" Hermione whispered to McGonagall.

McGonagall frowned, "You've seen a Dementor before Hermione. Have you forgotten about them?" McGonagall thought it would be disturbing, but not really surprising if Hermione's memory had been damaged.

"I thought Dementors looked like corpses, not like that." McGonagall was about to ask what she saw, when the interrogation began.

"Mr. Potter", one of the Aurors began, "describe your involvement in the events at Azkaban prison on the evening of October 6th."

Harry, using Innocent Harry as his Occlumency barrier, answered "What happened in Azkaban? I was in Ravenclaw tower that evening."

Umbridge called out "He has taken a few Occlumency lessons. Give him a fourth drop of Veritaserum."

Dumbledore responded "No, that is not done. It will likely-"

"Call a vote," several members interrupted. Hands raised, and were counted. It was close, but the vote passed.

Harry briefly struggled, confused and disturbed by Rogue's absence. The phoenix was supposed to be his trump card, to allow him to escape if necessary. And this counted as necessary. One of the Aurors held Harry's mouth open while another administered the drop. He felt the chemical assault on his defenses intensify. He didn't know precisely what would happen if his Occlumency barrier fell, but intuitively knew it would be catastrophic. He decided to strengthen the barrier by switching it to a simpler sort of person, no, not a person, an automaton, capable of only one response...

"Mr. Potter", an Auror repeated, "describe your involvement in the events at Azkaban prison on the evening of October 6th."

"It's a small world after all...It's a small world after all...It's a small world after all...It's a small, small world...It's a world of laughter, A world of tears, It's a world of hopes..."

"What?..." began many of those present. "Maybe they broke him. I've heard of Veritaserum overdoses causing brain damage." Lord Greengrass guessed.

"Mr. Potter", the Auror asked, "have you ever been inside or near Azakaban prison?"

"It's a small world after all..."

"Stop." the Auror commanded.

"It's a small world after all..."

"Stop this! Stop it now!" called many others. Harry stopped.

"I can still hear it" someone yelled.

"I can too. What dark torture is this?" Someone else screamed.

Myriad objections to this whole situation ran through Hermione's mind, eventually resolving into the involuntarily whisper "But... I like that song."

"TELL US WHAT YOU DID WITH THE DEMENTORS," Lord Nott shouted.

"It's a small world a..."

"Stop. Stop! STOP!" called most of the room.

Luckily for Harry, by now the effects of the first three drops were starting to wear off, and he started to feel more normal, for a few seconds, anyway...

"Have the Aurors drop their Patronuses," suggested Umbridge. There were strenuous objections to this, but most were overcome by the compromise suggestion of leaving one Patronus between the Dementors and the Wizengamot members.

Reluctantly, the Aurors complied, while backing away to the far wall. The Dementors advanced.

Harry leaned his head back toward them, smacking his lips in a mocking kiss. They froze then jumped back slightly.

"What are you waiting for? GO!" shouted Lord Jugson. Then, after a pause, "He is restrained and doesn't have a wand. How are you still afraid?" The Dementors moved forward again, more slowly.

"What did the Dementors say?" Hermione asked McGonagall.

"You didn't hear? They said 'He is dangerous' " So Hermione was apparently blind and deaf to Dementors now. McGonagall didn't know whether that was a disability or a blessing. She wondered what the implications were, and was disturbed by the options that presented themselves.

Harry had closed his eyes. The effect of the Veritaserum had largely faded, so he switched to a new personality for his Occlumency barrier. He had no idea if it would work, but he had some ideas about wandless magic...

Imaginary Harry held his wand, standing and facing the Dementors. Harry thought in detail about the wand's appearance, texture and weight and passed that information to the imaginary personality. Imaginary Harry made the Patronus wand movements, and pointed the wand. "Expecto Patronum" shouted Harry, simultaneously with Imaginary Harry. Impossibly, a dim silver shield appeared, driving the Dementors back. Harry tried to put all of his magic into it, but it failed a few seconds later.

"You should really have the Patroni put back. I don't know how long those Aurors can take this," Harry said. Hours of being close to the Dementors, even protected, had largely drained the Aurors. After less than a minute of unprotected exposure, two of them slumped to the ground and appeared to have difficulty just sitting up. The third had moved over to where his Patronus was protecting the Wizengamot, standing as close to it as possible, but still looking like he was about to pass out.

Lucius Malfoy spoke for the first time, "Nice try Mr. Potter. But you will not get away that easily. You alone have made public threats on Azkaban, and you alone have demonstrated unusual influence over Dementors, so there is no doubt that you are involved, if not solely responsible. Dementors are a vital weapon for national defense, and without them, other nations are preparing for invasion. We have borrowed a handful of them from our allies, at great cost, but this cannot continue forever. Tell us now where the Dementors have gone, and assist in recovering them, and this council will perhaps be persuaded to show you mercy."

"No mercy! Dementors, attack him. Not to worry, Lucius, once he gets to know them a little better, he'll tell us everything he knows." Jugson called out, smiling. The Dementors moved forward again, faster this time, without hesitating as they had previously.

There was total silence. All eyes were on Harry, many were expecting his defeat, many others were anticipating what new impossible trick he could pull to get out of this situation.

Hermione stood, wand in hand, and called out "Don't worry, Harry. It's my turn to save you. Expecto Patronum." A silvery figure appeared between Harry and the Dementors. It was almost too bright to look at, but was still clearly recognizable as a human woman. The council continued to stare in shocked silence, then shielded their eyes as the figure brightened. After a minute it dimmed and went out. As everyone's eyes adjusted, they saw two empty cloaks laying on the ground. The Aurors had stood and resumed their previous positions, acting as if they had never left.

"SHE took the Dementors! She had plenty of time to plan and prepare while pretending to be dead." Nott exclaimed. "She clearly has unnatural dark powers and motives. She was likely also responsible for the Boy-Who-Lived acting as if he could scare a Dementor. It all makes sense. It also explains how he was able to claim innocence under Veritaserum if he really is innocent. And she must have somehow forced him to agree to pay a hundred thousand Galleons to free her. An explanation involving one child with impossible powers is more believable than one involving two."

Hermione had sat back down, slouching into the seat as if trying to become invisible. This reaction had not occurred to her.

"That... actually makes sense" Malfoy began. "I'm not convinced, but we should have her interrogated. It may prove illuminating."

"You IDIOTS" Harry interrupted, "You claim to be concerned about other countries invading using Dementors, as if a prison full of Dementors was your only deterrent to such invasions, and claim to believe one of us was responsible for it-"

"It's clear that one of you was responsible. I don't think anyone here questions that, Mr. Potter. And the threat of invasion is no mere 'concern'. We have intelligence that the dark lord of a small, distant country has already ordered a strike force accompanied by a larger number of Dementors to test our defenses. Chief Warlock Dumbledore has generously-" Malfoy almost spat the word. "-offered sanctuary at Hogwarts to anyone who needs it during the attack. This is the fate to which you have condemned magical Britain: mass evacuations and hiding in a fortress whenever someone decides we are weak."

"What I was going to say" Harry continued, "Is given all that, instead of arresting or interrogating us, you should be treating us as the your best deterrent to Dementor attacks. I offer you all a deal: end this farce- drop any charges, release me and give me back my wand, and I and the other members of House Potter will defend Britain against any Dementor attack. More than that, the world will learn that anyone who attacks Britain with Dementors will no longer be permitted to HAVE Dementors."

"That sounds appealing" Madam Longbottom responded, "if they are truly able to repel an invasion and prevent a war. I think we should let them try. And if they succeed, that more than makes up for whatever else they have done, so we can let this matter pass. Let's vote on it."

The vote passed nearly unanimously. Nothing motivates politicians like fear, except possibly watching their opponents publicly fail. And both motives were present here. The Aurors released Harry, and returned his wand.

"Now, how do you even plan to find this army, or get to them?" Jugson asked, mockingly. "You wouldn't make promises you can't keep, would you?"

While everyone was looking down, no one saw Dumbledore pull a red and gold marble from his robes, and place it on the floor. He wordlessly gestured at it with his wand, and it caught fire and burned away, leaving no smoke or ash.

"Well, about that..." Harry began uncertainly. "I might need-" Rogue flashed into existence before him.

"Never mind, it looks like our ride is here. Come on, Hermione, it's time for some third-world wanna-be dark lord to learn the true meaning of Chaos."