Chapter Twenty Four: Unmask The Bull

'Drip,Drip,Drip,Drip.' The water continued to drop on the stone floor of his cell, every second for the past week. It had long since gotten on his nerves, pissed him off and now he tried to keep beat with it; his own humming, sounded haunted to the abandoned block. Shortly after his duel with Tom, Fudge had chained him, using his right for a 72 hour hold, which had since became much longer; Merlin he hated Wizards.

The cell was small, it had a hole in the floor for waste, and a sliding slot for stale bread and sour meat. He could barely stretch out in it, his finger tips and toes could easily touch each wall. It smelled of rot, sickness and mold, but he could not be sure that wasn't himself. No one had come to check on the wounds he suffered from Tom and now they were surely infected or worse; he would feel waves of heat wash over him, sickness.

Harry had managed to sneak a look into a puddle of murky water, his Champion gear had long since dirtied, hair was grungy, tangled and filthy. He was most worried about his eye sight, the rune was now branded into his skin from the magic, making it permanent, a blessing and curse.

He heard the locks of a door on the far side of the room slide open, and the door creak, footsteps of two large men filled the empty halls void of all noise but his own humming. Within seconds the darkly dressed men, who wore a bone white mask stood before him "Potter, Harry." One said, but his voice was shrouded "The Trail has begun, you are to come with us."

Harry felt something in his mind click, these men were Unspeakables, Fudge really was desperate if he threw him in their wing. Slowly, and shakily he stood, his shoulders square and his features hard, but his muscles didn't want to move much, making them basically drag him.

The sudden light of the Ministry burned his normal eye, the sight having tried to compensate for the lack of eyewear. It took minutes before he could hear the yells and muffled voices behind large doors 'Now, Unspeakables! Bring in Mr. Potter!' A voice shouted over all others.

The room was silent as he was brought to a large oak chair, he was placed not gently but not thrown into the vile device which sprung to life and wrapped him so tightly in wrought iron chains that he could barely breathe. Once the chains had ceased their movements, he shifted lightly, only to have more pressure weigh down on him. Nodding his head that he wouldn't be able to much, he looked up hazily towards the court, who were still silent "May I have my glasses…." His voice was soft, worn and dry from lack of much clean water over the week.

Someone came forward and slid a pair of wireframes onto his features, the room became suddenly sharper and full of color once more. He glanced up and saw it was Tonks, she was looking torn between doing her job, or cursing Fudge for what he had done. He gazed around the room for a full minute, his eyes looking at everyone and everything; some people he knew, others he could guess.

"I was to be released 72 hours after my arrest by Minister Fudge, why was I just now freed from my cell."

His words seemed to anger many people, some looked darkly at Fudge and others at himself. Amelia Bones stood, towering over everyone in the room "While that is usually the case in normal arrests, Fudge had paperwork saying you had been examined as a hostile threat towards others and needed to be kept in lock down until the case was finished." Her voice was strained, like she was just barely resisting to scream "I take it this is not so?"

"When did the Final Task take place ma'am?" He asked shortly, his eyes narrowing.

"A week in a half ago."

"That was the last time I had Human contact, a House Elf would slip some old food into my cell." He explained dully, wincing as another heat wave hit him "I was also not examined for the wounds I suffered dueling Voldemort, or while in the maze." He ignored to cries of pain, and people gasping at the word "I believe that violates several laws."

Fudge now looked smug "As we brought you in, we asked you if you wanted medical attention and you refused. Mr. Potter." He said in a cooly calm voice.

Harry narrowed his good eye "I see, I do not recall making such a statement….regardless, I have been brought before a court, I assume you have something to charge me with?" He said darkly, leaning his head against the harsh wood.

Amelia nodded "It appears you have several charges, aiding and abiding fugitives of the law for one." She said slowly, looking slightly at Fudge and then Harry "It appears the Minister thinks you have been assisting Sirius Black, Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr. Spread lies that You-Know-Who has returned."

Harry raised a brow "The proof on this?"

Fudge now stood "You just said how you dueled You-Know-Who, Sirius Black aided in Lestranges breakout, which then led to the release of Crouch Jr!" He said loudly "I recall how last year around this time, you were cursed into believing that Black was innocent, now I am sure you are simply aiding him!"

Harry rolled his good eye and glared "That isn't proof of anything, it is merely speculation." He countered "Peter Pettigrew, a marked Death Eater, being alive but in a comatose state should be proof that Sirius Black is innocent of his murder and likely that of those muggles!" He took a moment to breathe "And if that is the case, then Bellatrix Lestrange is also innocent of her crimes as well!"

"How do you figure that!" A female voice shrilled, one he knew to be Neville's Grandmother.

Andromeda now stood up, using the Black family seat "I have a marriage contract here, found in the vaults of Gringotts, it states that she shall give up her freedoms to her Husband." She explained, producing the old contract "It has since been nulled."

Amelia summoned the contact, looking it over for any falsities, her features paled significantly "If Orion Black was still alive, he would charged most harshly for this!" She said darkly "Marriage contacts still exist but we outlawed these over a hundred years ago!"

"One of the Hades Contracts huh?" A voice said loudly from the back.

Amelia nodded her head sharply "That means that anything that Bellatrix Black, has done from the date of December 12th, 1969 she cannot be held accountable for her actions." She exclaimed loudly, her eyes narrowing at the parchment and then looking through a few files on her desk "That would add several years to Lestrange's punishment, before we can truly attest if she is innocent of these crimes, we would need to find her and sort this problem out-"

"Mr. Potter is on trial here! Not Lestrange, Not Black and not anyone else!" Fudge slammed his fist onto the wooden podium before him "Due to new evidence, the charges of aiding Sirius Black and Lestrange are dropped, for now!" He looked darkly at the smug looking Harry "However the matter that he knowingly cursed Victor Krum and Fleur Delacour, then attacked Alastor Moody! Though he was later shown as Crouch Jr, is regardless, as Potter had no proof of his real identity."

Harry narrowed his eye, a frown gracing his features "Minister, please do tell me why I would want to willing curse the woman I have spent most of time with? Professor Flitwick can attest that I was found cradling her in my arms, I did curse Victor Krum in self defense, he was attacking Fleur Delacour and had shown to be rounding on my persons." He said in a calm, slightly irritated voice "As to Crouch Jr. he thought that I would not act in front of so many people, he told me that 'His Master' would be back to deal with me."

Another person stood up, one that Harry didn't know, the woman was squat and wore the most vial looking smile on her face, her ministry robes just barely hid the pink sweater underneath. "Professor Flitwick did give his statement while you were, incarnated, all he could say was Miss. Delacour had been placed under the Cruciatious Curse, and that Mr. Krum was likely hit with some form of Blade-Curse." The woman said with a sharp giggle "Those are the only facts, everything else is merely you against us."

Andromeda stood up again, a frown across her features and a glare in her eyes "Undersecretary Umbridge! You forget that Fleur Delacour herself was hysterical, several witnesses stated that the young woman claimed that Mr. Potter would not hurt her or anyone in such a way." She stated loudly.

"I happen to believe Mrs. Black!" The same shrill voice from earlier stated loudly, Augusta Longbottom stood proudly from her seat "My Grandson Neville has only the best to say about Mr. Potter, claiming that he might have a temper but he'll take it out on himself before anyone else."

That got a few people nodding with thoughtful expressions, the Longbottom family might have fallen somewhat from the scene's the last decade but they were still a largely respected House. Same with the Black family, which Potter now held the backing of both.

"Blood runes!" Fudge screamed out, his features quickly turning purple with anger "He used blood runes!"

"On myself, with my blood, that is not a crime, it is merely not advised." Harry stated boredly " Are you going to charge me with someone worthwhile or…."

Umbridge stood up again, her eyes narrowed "We did happen to find the bodies of three high ranking citizen's in a small town called Little Hangleton, you wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that, would you. Potter?" She asked in a sickly sweet voice.

"Oh dear, who died?" Harry said in a mocking voice, clearly fill with apathy.

Amelia stood once more "Fisher Avery, Jericho Crabbe and Theodore Nott Sr." She said with a small barely noticeable smirk "They were in strange garb as well, they wore Death Eater Robes, this simple fact allowed us to search their homes, finding several illegal Dark artifacts and even more Death Eater gear."

Harry nodded his head "Then it looks like someone did you a favor, Ma'am."

"Don't play coy! Boy!" Umbridge stood once more, her eyes narrowed "You will not get away with murder of the highest degree!"

"Madam Umbridge, I haven't the slightest idea of what you are talking about, after all why would Death Eater's and myself be connected in anyway if Voldemort no longer walks among us." Harry said leaning back in the chair that had started lose some of the chains. "As far as you can tell, Peter Pettigrew did this and I happened to best him in a duel."

Fudge looked like he had swallowed a lemon "Clever wording Potter." He complimented though it was somewhat forced "Your wand was clean when we brought you in, nothing illegal, though wands can only go back three spells." He said with a sigh "Due to the strong speculative nature of this trial, we have no strong testimony, evidence of any kind….Amelia?"

"We have to let him go Cornelius, as it stands he has done nothing wrong and we cannot tie him to any wrong doings." She said with a nod of her head.

"Auror's! This trial is over, we apologize for bringing you in like this Mr. Potter." He said roughly, still looking like he'd swallowed something vile.

"I demand compensation!" Harry shouted from his chair, his eye narrowing "I was wrongly accused, held against my will for well over the allotted time, and was denied medical treatment. There is also the fact that I won the Tri-Wizard Tournament."

Harry then started to grin fierily "Not to mention, I believe Emancipation is now on the table, after all the Tournament itself was for 'Recognized' Adults, and being I was forced to participate." He leaned back with his grin "Well….I'm sure you see where I am going."

XX~XX~XX~XX~XX

The Great Hall was a buzz of excitement, it was the final dinner before they would returning to their homes. Many were sad about leaving their friends behind, but others were looking forward to seeing their family again. Daphne Greengrass was looking forward to seeing her mother again, largely because she had taken ill these last few weeks; the woman had told her it wasn't serious.

She looked up and down the Slytherin table for her younger half-sister, a habit that she picked up, something to ease her mind. Her and Astoria might not be the closest of sisters but Daphne believed in family, making sure the girl was in high spirits and good health helped.

"You seem distracted." Her friend Tracey Davis stated casually, she flicked a strand of dark hair away from her eyes and narrowed them "Storia can take care of herself." The girl reminded her, Astoria was in many ways like Daphne but more subtle and less caring.

Daphne nodded her head and spooned her mash once more "Yeah, I know….hear anything about Harry?"

"Potter?"

"Do we know any other?"

Tracey shrugged, then leaned in a little "My Uncle sent me a missive, stating that Potter had an I quote 'Slipped out of Fudges grip easier than tricking a toddler.' And 'Wasted potential in Gryffindor.' End quote." She said darkly, mimicking her Uncle Lord Edward Davis.

Daphne nodded her head "Sounds about right, so he should be here any moment I take it?" She asked with a raised brow.

"I don't know, he was apparently in rough shape during the trial."

Daphne looked shocked "They sent him to Azkaban before he was tried?!" She almost screeched.

Tracey waved her down, giving her a hash stare "He wasn't given medical."

Daphne lowered her jaw, and widened her eyes "Well….shit."

"Yep." She popped the P with her lips and sighed "If he returns I would be-"

At that moment the doors of the Great Hall were tossed open almost carelessly, obvious that magic had been involved in such an entrance. At the mouth of the door stood a young man, his wild raven hair kissed his shoulders, a single eye glanced at the student body as the other was blocked out by a darkened lens. His clothing were standard issue but one could tell it was made from finer cloth, the way it caught the light made him appear voided. He appeared to be much thinner and more pale, two weeks of sickness and little to no food would do that.

Harry looked around the Hall for a few moments before turning and walking towards the Slytherin table, at first she thought that Harry was walking towards her but as he passed her, she looked at the obvious next person; Malfoy.

Daphne was shocked however when Harry simply passed the blonde prat with a nod of his head and continued to Krum. The Bulgarian had stopped eating, his scowl not once leaving his face as Potter had entered the Hall. "Viktor."

"Potter."

"I apologize for putting your life in harm's way." He said giving a slight bow of his upper body "It was…out of my hands when you were injured by my persons."

Viktor seemed to word his sentence for a while, before sticking his hand out "I vas beaten by better man, than myself." He said roughly, a smirk playing his lips "Now, I can tell the women, I 'ave scar from Potter cross my chest, and if they vant to see it!" He gave a barking laugh, his rough handshake turned more into a hug as Harry gave him a humorous chuckle.

Harry clasped his shoulder on Viktor's shoulder, his eyes narrowed slightly "I mean this though, should you require something from House Black or Potter, please inform me." He said giving a slight bow "I shall complete it to the best of my ability."

Viktor looked him over once and then pulled him back into a hug with a laugh "Ve are no longer against the other Potter! This Summer I insist you and I shall take to the skies! I vish to see, the Lion Star!" He said loudly, the smile warm on his features.

Harry nodded "I give you my word, and I shall look for your owl." He said with another small bow "Now, if you will excuse me." Without another word or thought, he began to make his way to the Hufflepuff table.

Daphne was surprised that the Professor's were just watching, including Dumbledore, who looked like he was about to give his signature speech. Yet they all just sat there, looking at the Potter heir with a mix of smiles and indifference.

"Cedric." Harry said once he had made his way to the Hufflepuff Champion.

Cedric had stood up, figuring that Potter was making his way to him and looked down at the smaller Victor. He wanted to be angry, he wanted to curse to yell at the Potter heir but couldn't find the heart; he had likely saved his life.

"Harry…..Thank you." He held out his hand, his eyes looking toward the wall, so the younger student would know that he wasn't happy about it "You likely saved my life."

Harry nodded, lightly shaking the hand with a look of indifference "I apologize for not explaining the situation better, had you not found the cup, I would have had more time to….figure my grounding out." He explained dully, with a shrug "I still came out like roses."

"You lost an eye." Cedric pointed out.

Harry gave him a twisted grin "Which I repaid, The Dark Lord is now missing his casting arm…all it took was a very old sword and a couple of spirits." He said with a short laugh "Trust me Cedric, I came out of this like roses, I could be dead, or worse you could."

Cedric nodded his head, clasping the Potter on the shoulder "I'll get my father to cease his….antics when I get home."

"Let me guess, he hates me?"

"Even more now that you got of jail time." The Hufflepuff ran a hand through his blonde locks "Oh well, I'll get him to see reason, try not to become a psychopath this break, eh?" Likely making a joke about his time with Bellatrix, though he didn't need to know that.

"Right." Harry nodded, looking down the Ravenclaw table "Where is Fleur?"

"She hasn't come out of the carriage, was going to try to get her to open up, she's terrified, thinks she'll never see you again." Cedric explained, looking over at his girlfriend Cho "Go, I doubt any of us will miss you too much."

"Prat." Harry punched his shoulder lightly, giving him a weak grin "Thanks Cedric."

"Go."

Without another word, Harry seemed to just turn into smoke and like black patronus vanished through the Great Doors. Pretty much everyone had a single thought in their minds, as the Potter did that 'I need to learn how to do that.'

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair for a moment before he stood "And so the end of year has come once again!" He said loudly, his voice enhanced by his magic, a small smile played at his lips.

XX~XX~XX~XX~XX

Harry didn't turn back into his normal form until he was right outside of her purple door, he had never been in the carriage but all he had to do was focus on her necklace. Once he had collected himself once more, he knocked loud enough to hear, but not enough to cause alarm.

"Go away!" Came her muffled voice.

Harry knocked once more.

"I SAID GO AWAY!" She screamed, he could feel the malice through the door, she had gotten better at that Veela aspect. Regardless he knocked again "I WILL END YOU!" Again "I AM WARNING YOU!"

Harry was about to knock when the door was flung open, her hair was barely ruffled but he assumed that was just part of her genes. She had dark circles around her glowing sapphire eyes, a snarl was on her lips for all but a moment as she took in his form. The fire in her left hand vanished as she saw him, saw his wild killing curse green eye.

"Arry." She whispered, before flinging herself onto him and pulling him tightly to her in a bonebreaking hug "I thought they 'ad taken you!" She wailed, tears slipping from her eyes, her grip growing stronger "I thought I 'ad lost you!"

Harry let her continue for a moment, before becoming smoke and pulling away from her killer grip. A second later he was behind her and hugging her from behind. "I would never leave you willingly, they had nothing to hold me. Fudge was just….blowing smoke." He whispered as he closed a vial, the clear liquid secured in his pocket.

"Clever." Fleur said with a roll of her eyes, resting her hands onto his own and leaning back into him. They remained like that, standing in her doorway for minutes before she spoke again "I don't want to leave."

"Then I won't." He whispered pulling her lightly into the room "I will stay, my trunk is already packed Kreacher saw to it." He explained seeing her curious eyes "The Enchantments on the room faded without my magical presence, it looks like a classroom again."

"So regardless you need a place to sleep? Oui?" A grin came across her features, she took his hand into her own "Well, we slept in that room for the last few weeks, tonight you shall sleep in mine!"

Harry almost wanted to roll his eyes, she was always so upbeat and he couldn't help but think about her nature. He just wanted her company for the next few hours before he would vanish from the wards, he had another plan tonight, he only had a few days until the full moon.

Fleur pulled him back into her embrace, it took him a few moments to know that she had shedded her clothes. "Take off your uniform." She whispered into his ear "I can't imagine, you are comfortable."

"I am with you, I will be forever comfortable." He escaped her grasp as smoke once more, taking a few moments to shed his clothing, leaving him in his undershirt and boxers. He slipped back into the bed, with a wave of his hand, the candles flickered low "I love you."

Fleur took but a second to find his lips and capture them in her grasp, the two kissed for minutes, it turned from heated to passionate, Harry rested his hands on her hips as she sat on his lower stomach. Her hands were tangled in his hair, she grabbed his glasses and set them on the table, so not to bend the new frames.

"What happened?" She whispered as he opened his glowing red eye, the kiss forgotten for a moment as her voice shook in horror.

"Igor took my eye." He said after a moment "Salazar fixed it, the red is a side effect, likely from my mother's magical heritage but regardless I can see without my glasses."

Fleur nodded in the near darkness, before she pressed her lips to his forehead "Good, I was worried 'e 'ad control again." She whispered, his laugh a forever nightmare.

"Never again."

XX~XX~XX~XX~XX

The field was barren, somewhere in the Forest of Dean he stood before a large golden cauldron, the mix of spring water and rose essence had started to boil. The moon was full and high in the sky, now was the perfect moment to begin the ritual. He shed his traveling robe, as he had been on the road for these last few days. His mismatched eyes narrowed at the cauldron "Toisich an Rite" He whispered to the circle that had been burned into the ground with his wand.

The red candles suddenly lit without another word "To start, the blood of a Crow, for it is the animal of secrets and magic." He said slowly, pouring the red liquid into the bubbling mix "Two sprigs of Nettle, dried and finely crushed."

A few moments passed and the cauldron now bubbled a bright red "The blood of family." He said with a wince as he sliced into his left arm with a silver dagger. Using his water element, he pushed the liquid like a stream into the mixture "Next the Fire of Dragons!" He uncorked a magical bottle, a stream of blue fire caught onto the mix. "Add two hare feet, three cinnamon sticks."

The mix was now blue, the fire still burned on the surface "The Bone of Rite." He pulled a long femur from a magical bag. The second it touched the surface, it turned to ash, spreading throughout mixture. "Now for the binders." He narrowed his eye, pouring the silver like liquid into the mix "The Blood of a Unicorn, found and not slain." His hands found the final vial "The tears of a Veela." He whispered pouring the clear liquid he had taken from Fleur; the second it touched the fire vanished.

"Finally, the feather of a Phoenix, wrapped around a Willow switch, and wings of the butterfly." He dropped the reverse wand, the mix suddenly stopped bubbling and was now just steaming a bright silver colour. "Tha thu a 'mhairbh, till-nis a' fuireach, mi-asgaidh sibh bhur dàimhean agus till thu gu d 'chorp. Mi Harrison Seumas Potter Black,-asgaidh sibh bhur dàimhean Lily Marie Potter Evans." His voice hurt from the strange pronounces, the Celtic were a strange language. He had held his wand to his scar as he whispered these words, as the last word escaped him he flung his wand towards the potion.

A second later the cauldron exploded outwards, but the golden metal seemed to expand with it, catching the potion and then pulling itself back together. The metal seemed to bend and twist, a female scream escaped the metal from the cracks that were now forming. It soon bent itself into a female shape, the woman was probably 5'8" as the metal stopped its expanding, filling out to woman with brilliant curves. The metal then melted away into a thin golden robe, the woman looked new born, no hair and her eyes were closed.

Like someone had flicked a switch the floating woman soon started to fill out muscle wise, becoming similar to that of a swimmer. Her hair first started a bright blonde but then like someone had poured blood, her hair became a dark crimson. As she touched a pale foot on the cold grass, her bright red eyes opened, before melting to that of killing curse green.

It would seem she had been born from nobility as she landed gracefully and looked around curiously "Harry…." She whispered as she locked eyes with him "You…."

"Mother."

XX~XX~XX~XX~XX

Hello, hello! I bet you are all shocked that I have written another update so soon! Because so am I! This last chapter just came pretty easily to me, I already knew where I was going and so I just figured out how to get there. So, Harry got off and before I get any fire, I have never been good at trials, this was the best I could do without spending weeks looking through Law & Order reruns. I also did make Lily come alive, simply because I think this story does need some good; add in the emancipation and this was a largely giving chapter. The Final Chapter will hopefully be posted soon, if not, it will be a while- Home

Thanks for all the support & reviews guys! Demon.