Part 1
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Harry sat in a cell looking at the badge Dobby had given him. It was the first time he'd noticed the letters glowed green. He couldn't figure out why it would change now. When he'd first heard he was being sent to Azkaban, he'd freaked. But apparently the nearby NeztCheck Island had been renovated and was considered part of Azkaban. Something about separating people on trial, short term prisoners, and people within a year of being released from hardened criminals.
Apparently dementors were no longer allowed around anyone with a lower sentence than 50 years. Harry had to admit, the room wasn't too bad. He had a window overlooking the ocean, a nice bed, a plate that got a sandwich every time he tapped it, and a glass that refilled with whatever drink he wanted.
Unfortunately, interrupting an execution was bad enough that he didn't have a set bail. He was still trying to figure out why an execution had happened at a public event. That didn't seem legal.
A guard walked by the cell. "Mr. Potter, you have a visitor." It was probably Ron and Hermione again. Dobby usually just teleported in when he visited, which didn't seem legal, but Harry wasn't gonna question it. It was nice, people could visit so easily. Sirius had talked about Azkaban rarely allowing visitors.
Cedric Diggory walked through the new open door. Harry blinked a few times in confusion. "Cedric? What are you doing here?"
"Visiting a friend. Heard you fought a dementor at the circus."
"Yeah. They just keep showing up. My trial's next week by the way."
"I know. Papers won't stop talking about you. That and the US ministry of magic looking to overturn the international statute of secrecy. Along with several other governments in the Americas."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, that kind of sounds like a big deal."
"I should clarify. They're only looking at letting witches and wizards marry muggles, and a few other things about families. Figure since you live in a muggle neighborhood that might affect you more."
"Not really. Most of the girls I know are witches." Harry thought about it. "Maybe I should ask Hermione about that."
"Don't you live with muggles?"
"Only until Sirius gets out of the hospital." Bitterness crept through Harry's voice.
Cedric looked away sheepishly. "Uh…anyway, how's prison life?"
"Honestly. Not as bad as I was expecting. My roommates are nice enough, and the bed in here is really comfortable."
Cedric looked around. There were 3 beds, but no one else in the room. "Uh…"
"I think they're outside somewhere playing klackilack? Kwalack?"
"Kawilack?"
"That. Anyway Bill and Ted are weird, but that's about the worst I can say. I think they got in trouble for messing with time turners to get to a concert on time. Should be getting out in about a month."
Cedric raised an eyebrow. "Uh…you sure they were telling the truth?"
Harry shrugged. "They can't be that bad if they weren't given a life sentence. Any news on the counterspell?"
"Still don't have a counter for any unforgivable curses. I did find a way to temporarily make someone a parseltongue."
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Part 2
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A judge in black robes and a poofed out hat looked down over a stand. He was a few feet above Harry. "Mr. Harry James Potter. You are charged with interfering with a government sanctioned execution. How do you plead?"
"Innocent?" Harry looked around at the massive domed room. Ministry officials filled a set of wooden stands that lined the walls of the room. Several officials whispered to each other.
The judge cleared his throat. "The term's actually Not Guilty. Anyway, first witness. Please come forward." The beast tamer from the show stepped onto a platform near the center of the room. "Mr. Grant Gallbladder Scamander. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"
"Yeah. Though, honestly, the events are a little foggy. So I don't know how much help I'll be."
"Just talk about the events as you remember them."
"All right. I guess it makes sense to start near the time of the crime. I was hosting my normal beast show, and was about to call it a night when a few guys came up to me carrying what looked like a prisoner tied to a stretcher. I'm pretty sure there was a dementor too."
Grant took a few breaths before continuing. "Y'know. The odd part is, I don't remember much after someone was carried in. I think one of the carriers whispered something in my ear, but that's it. The rest of the night was kind of a blur."
The judge raised an eyebrow. "Is that all?" Grant nodded and the judge called for the next witness.
Hermione walked up to the witness stand. "Ms. Hermione Granger. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"
"Yes." Hermione said.
"Would you please describe the events in as much detail as possible?"
Hermione nodded. "We'll, like Mr. Scamander said. The beast show was interrupted by a prisoner being brought in, or at least someone dressed like a prisoner. He seemed surprised by them. And when one of the men came up to Mr. Scamander, I saw them pull out what looked like wands. Mr. Scamander seemed a little confused before that. And after it looked like his eyes glazed over."
Hermione's fists curled as her attempts to keep her cool began to show. "Then Mr. Scamander started acting completely different to what he'd been like during the show. A dementor attacked the prisoner, and Harry looked like he was about to faint. I'm pretty sure he cast a patronus on instinct. He's been attacked by dementors at least 3 times." A few ministry officials began murmuring.
Hermione shook herself, trying to regain her composure. "If I may ask. What exactly was a dementor doing at a public event? For that matter, why did it look like Mr. Scamander was hit by the imperious curse." The hall exploded with shock at the accusation. Several ministry officials shouted in anger, others stared in shock.
"Order! Order!" The judge slammed his gavel down. As the room quieted down, the judge eyed Hermione. "Ms. Granger. That's a very serious accusation."
"You heard Mr. Scamander. His memory from the event is foggy. That sounds similar to my experience under the imperius curse."
A ministry official spoke. "You've been under the imperius curse?"
Hermione nodded. "Barty Crouch Jr. used it on several students last year. Including me. At the beast show, I didn't get a good look at the actual spell used. But the effects were really similar." She thought for a moment. "Couldn't you just test those employees' wands to see what their last spells were?"
The judge nodded. "Actually we're waiting on the results of that. The testing should be done by now, but we're having all witness testimony before that. Do you have any other statements?"
"No. That's all." Hermione left the stand and the first prison guard came to the stand.
A scar ran across his face. He was kind of thin, but very tall. His trench coat barely reached past his waist, and his pants had a seam showing where they'd been lengthened. Harry took a closer look at his face.
He couldn't say what. But something was off about his eyes. It was like there was nothing behind them. Had he been bewitched? He didn't look like Krum had in the maze, or like someone under the imperius curse. Maybe the man was just tired, but Harry couldn't shake his suspicions.
"Mr. Preston Mitchell. Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"
"Yes. We were bringing in a prisoner convicted of using the cruciatus curse on and killing several muggles and who attempted to escape Azkaban."
Preston straightened the collar of his coat. He looked at Harry. "I assume you're wondering why there was a public execution in the first place."
Harry nodded. "I mean, I guess."
"Article 2 of the Dark Lord Contingency Act allows public execution of death eaters. Though I have to admit, a beast tamer show was an odd location choice. Still wrapping my head around that one."
This time the judge interjected. "Mr. Mitchell, would you please elaborate on that?"
He nodded. "Yeah. It's not the first time we've done a public execution. This is the second one so far. The first was done on an island near Azkaban. There was an article in the paper, but that's about it. Though the law was intended to allow killing particularly dangerous criminals on the spot. Like if someone managed to capture He Who Must Not Be Named. Also to confirm death eater identities in a public setting."
The trial continued for a few hours until the wand tests came back.They didn't detect the use of the imperious curse, but the tests also didn't show the use of any spells.There were questions about whether the wands had been switched, but the evidence was thrown out. Apparently it didn't have to do with Harry's interference since the execution had been sanctioned by the state.
Eventually it came time for the ministry council to vote on Harry's fate. Sweat dropped down his forehead as his fate was weighed. If he was found guilty, he could be expelled, have his wand broken, and even be sent to Azkaban. Though from the sounds of it, that last one was unlikely. The judge hit his gaffle on the stand. "All those who vote guilty."
Several ministry council members raised wands, sending light into the stand before the judge. It showed 2 numbers, 1 on top of a line and one under the line similar to a fraction. The number below the line stayed the same, but the one above increased with each light that touched it. Soon it stopped with 120/200. The judge looked down at the stand. "Harry James Potter. You have been found guilty by a 60% margin. Therefore, in accordance with the "eye for an eye" clause of the criminal justice act of 1345, you are to have the minimum sentence allowable for conviction."
Now Harry was freaking out. What did he do now? The judge kept speaking. "As an underage wizard and this was not a violent crime, you will not be sent to Azkaban. You will instead be sent to NeztCheck Island to serve out the remainder of your 6 month sentence. You will not be prevented from attending school, but must remain on either NeztCheck or Hogwarts grounds until those 6 months have passed." He was still freaking out when he realized…he could still go to school. He was stuck there, but at least he wasn't going to Azkaban.
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Part 3
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Lord Voldemort waited in the minister of magic's office for a reply from Dumbledore. He doubted he'd really fool the old man. Though he loathed to admit it, Dumbledore's awareness and intelligence rivaled his own. He would not underestimate the master of the elder wand. Though he had to wonder how Grindlewand knew about the wand's ownership. Who had Dumbledore killed to become its master?
Grindelwald was useful, but his refusal to divulge that information was infuriating. He didn't talk about any of Dumbledore's secrets either. If the knock off dark lord weren't so useful, Voldemort would've killed him already. It was only a matter of time anyway.
Ambushing Potter at NetzCheck would likely alert Dumbledore. He needed a way to distract him. Then again, it seemed no one had noticed the takeover of Azkaban and that the minister of magic had become his puppet. The push for a new lesser prison had been pushed for Dumbledore almost immediately after the take over. That could be a coincidence, but if not, it meant Dumbledore might also know Voldemort was behind the public execution and Potter's imprisonment.
There was also the issue of that witch, Mcgonnigall. She'd managed to beat Crouch, meaning the ones who could beat her were Grindelwald and himself. And with Dumbledore saving her from Crouch's trap, he doubted Grindelwald would kill her. Perhaps it was time to take her out. He just needed a good time and place.
Such a high profile target would draw attention upon her death. He had to be careful. Perhaps that event would be enough of a distraction to keep Dumbledore busy. It might give Voldemort enough time to kill Potter.
The problem was, Dumbledore wasn't the only one he had to deal with. Mad Eye Moody would be a problem for his future plans. That man seemingly had a countermeasure for every one of Crouch's strategies, and even some of his own. Aside from Dumbledore, Moody had been the biggest threat the death eaters had to deal with during the first war. The same would likely be true for the second. He would not underestimate the man again.
The dark lord's thoughts were interrupted by an owl dropping an envelope on the minister's desk. The letter inside wasn't signed. Voldemort checked some letters he knew to have Dumbledore's handwriting.They matched the letter.
Gellert,
If you wish to meet in person. Meet me at the Hearth of Angels on Christmas Eve at the hour of fate.
Voldemort didn't recognize the location or time, so an ambush might not be an option. There was however, one other option. If he could get Dumbledore in legal trouble, that might work too. No one could catch Dumbledore, let alone take him alive. But he could at least prevent any further impact on the ministry by the man. It would also make Hogwarts vulnerable.Taking students hostage would become an option.