It's My Life
A week had gone by since Harry woke up in St. Mungo's after blacking out during trial after Albus had admitted to so much that Harry never expected. It was all planned from the moment that prophecy was told, Albus had wanted control over Harry so badly that the man purposely sent Sirius after Peter Pettigrew and then let the man take the fall for thirteen murders he did not commit. And it was only twelve because Pettigrew never died. Sirius spent twelve years in Azkaban for something he didn't do, but the man had sat down with Harry on Sunday the 9th and explained that another reason he never tried to break out before the time he did in 1993 was because he felt he deserved to be there after failing to protect Lily and James.
Sirius told Harry that he was supposed to be the secret keeper, but elected against it because he'd be too easily suspected, so they went with Peter. Sirius blamed himself for the deaths of his friends all those years, and never made a move until Peter showed up on the front page of the Daily Prophet, in Egypt, with the Weasley family. Sirius broke out to protect Harry, and nothing more. Now the man was living as a wanted felon, but not for long because what Dumbledore admitted basically freed Sirius Black from criminal status. It just needed to be made official in court.
Thankfully, that was taking place on the 18th at 4:00 in the afternoon. Finally, a proper trial for Sirius Black was happening at last, Harry was so excited to be able to have his godfather in public settings, have the man's name be cleared. Lucius was already going to be representing him, but there would hardly be a fight. Sirius, was currently under house arrest, for turning himself in and then Amelia allowed the man to stay inside his residence until his trial.
Cornelius Fudge was still in office, but under investigation, the same went for Dolores Umbridge. The ending of Dumbledore's trial was now and Harry elected to go to see justice done. Harry, again, had left the school with Severus and met up with Lucius and Narcissa. Draco, unfortunately, wasn't permitted to come this time because Dolores said it didn't involve him. This was true, but still. Harry promised his boyfriend he'd be back in a few hours, likely for dinner, and then the two of them could spend some alone time together when the meal was over.
"Alright now, Harry…There's no line of questioning, or anything else. We're just here to see Albus sentenced." Lucius reminded.
"I know. Don't let anything get to me." Harry agreed. He still couldn't remember what Albus told him a week ago, but Harry knew it was bad; it made him nervous and confused even if he couldn't recall what he'd been informed about. Harry knew it was something to do with Voldemort and the prophecy. "I can't help it if I wanna know what the old coot said to me last week."
"We all do, but you'll remember on your own. We don't need to associate with him…" Severus sighed.
The three of them took their seats and watched as others followed in. Amelia took her seat and called the court to order, banging her gavel for order in the room.
"Alright, here we are again. Harry, so lovely to see you again, dear." Amelia smiled. Harry smiled and gave a small wave to the woman. "Bring in the accused." She ordered. Albus was brought in and forced into a chair that faced Amelia. "Mr. Dumbledore, I see you've not brought along your attorney this time."
"There's really no point." Albus replied.
"Are you aware new charges have been brought forward? The counts of attempted murder, one for each year you knowingly sent Mr. Potter-Snape to face the dark lord because you, as you said under Veritaserum, expected him to perish in the fight? And coming to light of your knowing Sirius Black was innocent and refusing to speak up, allowing that man to spend twelve years in prison because you wanted him out of the way to take custody of Mr. Potter-Snape."
"It was necessary." Albus stated.
"I see you have no remorse for your actions." Amelia said.
"I have confidence the counsel will see that Harry Potter is the child of the prophecy and all I did was to prepare him to face his destiny and acquit me of charges." Albus informed.
"His confidence is going to be his downfall," Harry remarked quietly.
"Has the jury reached a verdict?" Amelia asked.
"We have, Madam Bones," Someone to the left of her stand stood.
"Proceed." Amelia invited.
"We find the defendant, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore…Guilty. On all charges." The man revealed.
Albus's face went ghost white at the reading that he was found guilty of everything. "W-Wait, there must be a mistake! This cannot be! I must be around to prepare Harry Potter to face what is fated; he is to destroy the dark lord. I will be needed to help him get ready." Albus stated. "Harry! Harry, tell them I meant no harm. It was all for the greater good!"
"You will not address Mr. Potter-Snape." Amelia demanded. "Unless, of course, Harry allows you to speak to him?"
"Nothing he says or does changes my conviction." Harry said. "Let him talk til he's blue in the face. It changes nothing."
"Harry, all I've done was out of love and protection for you." Albus stated.
"Your actions were out of selfishness. If I'm the child of prophecy you heard all those years ago, then with or without you, Albus, I'll prevail and get rid of the dark lord." Harry commented.
"You need me!" Albus said.
"I do not." Harry folded his arms over one another. "As you said, you sent me each year to fight and die…But I came back. I lived. I survived…That snake-faced psycho can't stop me and I'll destroy him next chance I get that he doesn't decide to escape and run away like a coward."
"I've faced death before and I faced it like a man, not a child. I was never afraid to die. I'm still not. I'm not afraid of Voldemort, it's him who is afraid of me." Harry revealed. "Or he'd come out of hiding and finish what he started, or try to. Maybe he isn't so dark and powerful after all."
"Harry, please do not antagonize the dark lord…" Severus pleaded with his headstrong son.
"If it gets his lazy, cowardly arse out of hiding…I'll call him out from the rooftops." Harry remarked. "As for you, Albus…You have nothing to offer me to aid Voldemort's defeat. All you want is to get the recognition of saying you raised up the savior of the wizarding world."
"Why else would you want me and access to my inheritance? You don't care about me. Nothing you did was to protect me. You admitted to keeping me away from a loving godfather so you could control me. Don't try to save face now, though desperation on your features is a satisfying welcome." He informed.
"I told you once before, old man…This is my life. I told you once before that I had power and you didn't. Or don't you remember the definition of power? The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events. I warned you that if you didn't stop, I would ruin you. The truth of the matter is that you ruined yourself on a binge for power. It was power you sought and it is power that destroyed you. How quaint." Harry mentioned.
"You're no different than Voldemort himself. Trying to control others, making them do what you want for the outcome you want." Harry stated calmly. "One dark lord is quite enough. Understand this, Albus. I was able to defeat someone as powerful as you without magic…What does that say about my ability to defeat the dark lord?" Albus's eyes widened.
"B-But Harry, the dark lord…He has pieces of his soul hidden. It's why he lived that night in Godric's Hollow. As long as they exist, the dark lord will never be defeated. I can help-," Albus tried.
"I don't need your goddamn help, Albus. All it's done is keep me in a house where I was abused and starved for years. All for your own benefit." Harry said. "To make me compliant, pliable…Ready for self-sacrifice. I already know what it means to sacrifice, Albus. I didn't need you to teach me. I've put my life on the line plenty without your interference. Out of love. Love for the innocent, my friends. My family. Love. Not duty. I won't have two dark lords running around thinking they're in charge of my life, when it ends. You've tried to kill me, so has Voldemort. I see no difference except that one didn't try to hide his motives."
"For that, Voldemort has my respect. You? Nothing. This is my life, my choices. I die on my own terms, nobody else's. But this…No. I'm not helping you get out of this. I know Voldemort better than you as I've actually faced him. I'll destroy him on my own. I don't want your help. I don't need it." He insisted. "You've wasted enough time. How about, for once in your life, you face the consequences of your own actions and stop trying to coward your way out."
"Well said, Harry." Amelia nodded.
"Madam Bones, for the charges being so heinous…We move, with your permission, that Albus Dumbledore receives the Dementor's Kiss." One of the jury said.
"Motion granted. Albus Dumbledore is remanded to the maximum security floor of Azkaban Prison until he is kissed. The time and date for this will be set before the week is over." Amelia banged her gavel. "Harry, my dear, you certainly do not have to witness such a scene. It's nothing for a child to see, though I know you are older in wisdom."
"I've seen it before, not entirely…But I know how it works." Harry informed. Lucius and Severus both stared down at Harry now.
"It's entirely your choice." Amelia nodded as she then got up and left her stand.
Harry was led out of the courtroom and through the ministry to the main floor with the fireplaces to leave, or enter, by Severus and Lucius.
"Harry…" Severus began.
"In third year after I ran after Sirius when he tried to protect us from Remus, transformed. Dementors, about a hundred of them, descended to the lake where we were. We both got attacked, but I watched Sirius's soul come out of his mouth…Then someone cast a patronus charm and sent them all away. I blacked out after Sirius's soul returned to his body…Woke up in the hospital wing." Harry explained. The males were shocked. "That's what you were going to ask me, wasn't it? How I've seen the Dementor's Kiss before?"
"Yes." Lucius nodded. "But…Who cast the charm?"
"When it first happened, I thought it had been my dad. James. I saw his stag, someone standing behind it. It created some pulsating barrier to send the dementors off." Harry said.
"The first time?" Severus pushed.
"I told you about this already, didn't I? Hermione and I went back in time with the time-turner. We followed all the events to save Buckbeak, and ended up on the other side of the lake when I saw myself and Sirius being attacked. I realized that it hadn't been my dad when I rushed out and cast the charm myself. Same exact way." Harry stated.
"You saved yourself…" Severus understood.
"Yes…Funny how time works that way." Harry nodded.
"And then it was you and Miss. Granger who went to Azkaban to break Sirius out?" Lucius questioned.
"You saved two lives that night…" Severus mentioned.
"That's what Dumbledore had told Hermione and I…That Hermione knew the laws, do not be seen and if we did it right…More than one innocent life could be spared." Harry informed.
"I suppose we should be grateful none of that got brought up in trial," Lucius sighed. "I can just imagine Albus turning on Harry to get him in trouble."
"It defeated the purpose of him needing me to fight Voldemort. If it was revealed that Hermione and I used a time-turner, saved a Hippogriff marked for execution, and then broke a convicted criminal out of prison; we'd have gotten locked up and none of Albus's status, at the time, would have saved us." Harry remarked.
"Well, Amelia was right about one thing…You are wise beyond your years, Harry," Lucius chuckled.
"Now, come along. Back to school," Severus said. "We'll speak soon, Lucius?"
"Of course. Do you want to know when the kiss is scheduled?" Lucius asked.
"I've no need to see it, just confirmation it happened. Harry, do you wish to see it?" Severus looked at his son.
"No. Same as you, I just want to know it took place and the world is free of a second Voldemort." Harry replied.
"Done." Lucius nodded.
It was that moment that Severus felt the sting of being summoned as he looked at Lucius. "Harry, can you get back to the school on your own?" Severus asked. "Floo right to my office, then go to the dorms."
"Yes, Dad…Be careful?" Harry hoped.
"We will." Severus replied. "Go. I'll come see you when I get back."
Harry nodded. "Wait, can I grab a headache potion while I'm in there?" He asked.
"Of course you can. Are you alright?" Severus inquired.
"Mmhm, probably just stress…Or trying to keep Albus out of my head. I dunno. I'm just tired, Dad…When I get back, I'll probably take a nap until dinner." Harry admitted. "See you later, Dad. If that coward gives you a hard time, call me…I'll straighten him out." Harry ducked into one of the fireplaces and vanished on his own.
"Did he mean that? Would he actually show up if he thought you were in danger to fight the dark lord?" Lucius wondered.
"Harry rarely says something he doesn't mean, even in anger…If he said he'd show up, Lucius…He absolutely would. I wouldn't even have to call him, he'd know…" Severus sighed. "I just hope he doesn't do anything rash. Harry knows how to get into my room, and office at Hogwarts. He knows the manor's location…If he felt I was being tortured or harmed, he'd act."
"Do you want to stay behind and make sure he's okay?" Lucius asked his friend.
"He's angry, Harry, that is. With good reason. He's fed up with all the problems. All he's ever wanted is normal and that will never happen with the dark lord still at large. The stress is getting to him. I have to go. The dark lord wouldn't accept an order meeting excuse, even if I do want to stay back to check on my son. Let's go." Severus and Lucius departed next, heading right for Malfoy Manor.
. . .
Lucius and Severus walked out of the flames into the dining room of Malfoy Manor to find everyone assembled already.
"Ah, Lucius. Severus…Welcome." Voldemort greeted. "Come, come…Join us." He motioned for them to take their usual seats. Lucius went right to sit next to his wife, and then Severus next to Lucius. "Severus, you look quite fetching out of your usual attire."
"Many thanks, my lord."
"Where did you and Lucius come from to require such dress?" Voldemort inquired.
"The ministry, my lord. The reading of Albus Dumbledore's verdict and punishment took place today." Lucius stated. "I was required to go as Potter's representation."
"And I, as Potter's adult guide. Minerva would have done so, but she doesn't trust our current Headmistress and insisted I go in her stead." Severus added.
"I recall from our last meeting that Albus stirred up quite a bit of trouble for young Potter…Has much changed from the last?" Voldemort inquired.
"He seems to have been aiming to take control of Potter's life ever since the reveal of the prophecy I told you of those years back, my lord," Severus informed. "His goal, to raise the boy up to defeat you as prophesied."
"A goal that has ultimately failed now with his arrest, I take it?" Bellatrix Lestrange, Narcissa's elder sister, spoke.
"To take control of the boy, yes. But Potter still stands quite firm on destroying you, my lord." Lucius remarked. "Albus revealed it in court under Veritaserum that he ensured Harry would grow up pliable and self-sacrificing to follow the prophecy."
"A pity his own sacrifice will be dying to protect the people. I've taken measures to ensure I do not simply die if defeated again. He can destroy my body as did the sacrifice of his mother protecting him, but I will not die." Voldemort remarked. "No matter, I shall allow him to try for the sake of a good fight between us." He added. "Now, Severus…With Dumbledore out of the way, I assume you'll be returning to my service full time as the Order is no more?"
"Unfortunately, my lord, the Order is very much active under a new leader. I request you allow me to stay my position as your faithful spy to see what they'll be up to." Severus bowed his head. He absolutely could not be pulled out now.
"Who is leading the Order with Albus imprisoned?" Voldemort questioned.
"I believe that it is Kingsley Shacklebolt, but it could also be any of the others. No meeting has yet been called as all members were unsure of what Albus's fate would be with trial, but I am assured the Order of the Phoenix has not yet fallen or disbanded." Severus said.
"You will remain in your position, Severus. At the next meeting I call, I'll expect you to know who has taken charge of the opposing side." Voldemort ordered.
"Of course, my lord." Severus replied.
"Very good. Now…I would like to know what took place at trial last week that a verdict was not reached then." Voldemort demanded calmly.
"After Albus spoke his statement under Veritaserum, Harry had asked Albus's lawyer to inquire about a very specific question. One Amelia Bones allowed Harry to request. It was about the prophecy, if Albus has known since Potter's birth that he was prophesied to destroy you. Albus, of course, confirmed such." Lucius explained.
"The reason things were postponed is because Albus grabbed hold of the boy and whispered something to him that cause Potter to enter a panicked state and black out." Severus continued. "Potter ended up in St. Mungo's for two days, my lord. All attempts before transport there were made to wake him, and he would not. Not through spells or potions. The medi-witch said that it must have been some type of comatose state caused by shock. Amelia postponed the trial's ending until Mr. Potter recovered and was able to attend to see Albus get convicted."
"And now that Mr. Potter is awake and well, assumingly, has it been revealed what the old fool said to cause the panicked state?" Voldemort inquired.
"Unfortunately, Mr. Potter seems unable to recall what he was told. Healers and myself tried to uncover the information, but we're unable. Even for me, we can't seem to break down the wall of information that it is behind. Whatever Albus told him was something to do with you. That's all Potter can consciously remember. It had something to do with you." Severus informed.
"I wonder what…" Voldemort sat back to consider. "I'll have to attempt to get in his mind again. He's never been able to block me for long." He paused. "What fate does Albus face? Imprisonment the rest of his old life? Or did he get off with his charm?"
"Oh, he did not definitely get off the charges, my lord." Lucius stated. "There were too many to argue with and his admissions under the truth potions were heinous acts against a young boy. Albus is imprisoned until the currently unscheduled date where he is to receive the Dementor's Kiss."
"That bad?" Bellatrix asked.
"What we heard was awful, and honestly, I felt for Potter." Lucius admitted.
"Feeling sympathy for him, Lucius?" Voldemort questioned.
"What Potter had to go through because of Dumbledore's manipulations and desire to control him so he could be raised as a weapon was cruel and worthy indeed of the death sentence, as it were. Yes, my lord. I have sympathy for Potter because I have a son his age and if my son had ever gone through that…I'd have killed the old bastard myself for it." Lucius remarked.
"I suppose that's fair." Voldemort agreed. "Good to see the old fool get what he deserves."