Harry gasped at the familiar place he had seen in Dumbledore's pensieve. His heartbeat started to increase thinking it was a foreshadowing of some sort, that he was going to have his wand snapped as the last person he knew in here had been sent to Azkaban. Brushing her hand against his, he looked ahead and felt relaxed that his family was here with him and they were not unprepared as he would have been.
It was dark for certain and the torches gave off very little light making the room look more ominous that it should have. The high benches were full of shadowy figures that were speaking lowly to each other until the door behind their party had closed with a resounding finality.
"You're late," said a cold voice.
"S-sorry –" Harry started.
"No, he's not. He received no notice or letter, had it not been for the front desk, my client wouldn't have known at all," Chalice said firmly, "Being barely a minute late due to a failure of communication is hardly a call for stating that he's late."
There was low murmuring that had an aura of surprise.
"And who are you?" asked the cold voice.
"Chalice Burming, of Burming & Burming, Potter's legal representative," she said just as coolly.
"And they are?" he asked with a sneer.
"They are his family," she said nonchalantly.
"You brought muggles into this courtroom?" he asked dangerously, as the murmurs rose to whispers.
"Yes and no, Lady Granger is a witch, whereas his immediate family is allowed to be here, sanctioned in clause 247, section C, paragraph 11," she said unconcerned.
The whispers stopped. They had obviously thought that they would be dealing with an errant child and nothing more with such short notice and abrupt time change.
"As we understand it, Potter is an orphan and lives with his muggle relatives. Your party seems to be more than that, excluding our fellow witch."
"Technically speaking, my client is an orphan as his biological parents are deceased. However due to a familial blood bond and acknowledgement and acceptance, The Duke and Duchess, his bond parents, are also here," she said with a predatory smile.
The whispers rose again furiously as this was the first time any of them were hearing about it.
There was a grunt of discontent, "Please take your seat, Mr. Potter. I apologize, shall we conjure a seat for you as well?"
"No, I'll stand, thank you for the consideration."
In the middle of the courtroom was a lone chair covered in chains. Chains that he knew would burst into life and bind whoever sat in the seat. He walked carefully to the intimidating seat and gingerly sat in it, waiting with baited breath for it to cover him. The chains coiled around the chair like snakes, but they never bound him to the chair, for which he was thankful for. Even with his family here he still felt sick sitting in the seat and tried to distract himself by looking up at the seated Wizengamot members.
There were fifty members in all, each with plum colored robes and an elaborate silver 'W' on their left breast; one of them was the Minister himself. They were all staring down their noses at him, making him want to squirm, but he felt his lawyer lightly brush her hand over his shoulder reminding him he wasn't alone.
"Very well," he said, "The accused is present, so let us begin. Are you ready?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," Harry replied respectfully.
The young wizard noticed Percy Weasley sitting among them, but without the robes that signified the Wizengamot. His face was looking studiously at a parchment in his hand, with a quill poised. The redhead didn't look once in his direction and Harry felt a pang of loss.
"Disciplinary hearing of the first of July into offenses committed under the Decree for Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statue of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey."
"I must interrupt, Minister. My client no longer lives at that address," she said swiftly and firmly.
"I beg your pardon," he asked as whispers sprung up again.
"My client no longer lives at that address in Surrey. His residence is number ninety-eight, Whittle Lane, Hampstead, London."
Percy quickly wrote this down.
"Yes… well, that is now recorded, let us carry on. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley –"
"Witness for the Defense, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore," said a quiet voice from behind Harry.
"I mean no disrespect Chief Dumbledore, but I am the Witness for the Defense, Chalice Marjorie Burming. However it would be an honor to have you as my second in this case," Chalice said benignly.
The lawyer was in her element and she was as swift and furious as a shark. Abagail was very pleased with her choice, she didn't back down and refused to be run over. While Dumbledore seemed to be the reason of the change of time and location, they were obviously trying to circumvent his inclusion, they had it covered with or without him.
"Ah, Dumbledore. Yes. You – er – got our message that the time – and er… place – had been changed, then?"
"Not at all. I must have missed it. I was simply lucky that I had been at the Ministry three hours early," he said with a smile, ignoring Chalice.
Abagail raised an eyebrow at him. For someone who had been here for three hours, he certainly was late. It was almost like he wanted to swoop in at the last possible minute to give Harry the reassurance that he would have needed had it not been for them. With practiced ease she was able to keep the sneer off her face.
"Yes well, I suppose we'll need another seat? Weasley – if you could –"
"Not to worry, not to worry," Dumbledore said conjuring himself an elaborately cushioned and chintzy chair next to Harry.
Chalice swished her wand and moved the chair about a meter away.
"I apologize Chief Dumbledore, this is only so the court may see that neither of us are influencing my client. A precautionary," she said.
"Of course, of course, thank you for thinking of it," Dumbledore said with a mild frown.
A lawyer was not something he had planned for, and she was doing a fine job, so she was obviously not a green thumb, but well-seasoned. He pressed his fingertips together and looked at the Wizengamot with polite interest, as his mind was turning wheels about the inclusion of the lawyer and the others in the courtroom. He was surprised to see the Dursleys and Miss Granger, and what he assumed were her parents in the courtroom. He faintly remembered that they must have been related or some sort.
The Wizengamot was still whispering amongst themselves, some were shifting nervously. Fudge himself was shuffling the papers in front of him, trying to hide his own nervousness.
"Yes. Well then. The charges," he grunted.
He pulled out a piece of parchment from his pile and took a deep, most likely calming, breath before he read from the parchment.
"The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having received a previous written warning from the Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, produce a Patronus Charm in a muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of a muggle, on June thirtieth at twenty-three minutes past nine, which constitutes an offense under paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, also under section thirteen of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statue of Secrecy."
"You are Harry James Potter of… number ninety-eight, Whittle Lane, Hampstead, London?"
"Yes."
"You received an official warning from the Ministry for using illegal magic three years ago, did you not?"
"Yes, but –"
Chalice placed her hand calmly on Harry's shoulder, letting the anger flow out of him.
He had a legal representative that had so far put the Wizengamot in front of him in their place, so he would take her cues.
"And yes you conjured a Patronus on the night of June thirtieth?"
"Yes, sir."
"Knowing that you are not permitted to perform magic outside of school while you are under the age of seventeen,"
"No, sir."
"N- no?" the Minister stumbled, "… Knowing that you were in an area full of muggles?"
"Yes, sir."
"Fully aware that you were in close proximity of a muggle at the time?"
"Family, sir, but yes," Harry answered, remembering how Chalice kept mentioning that they were amongst family when they first mentioned muggles.
The witch with the monocle on the Minister's left, Amelia Bones, cut across the room with a booming voice that demanded respect.
"You produced a fully-fledged Patronus?"
"Yes, ma'am,"
"A corporeal Patronus?"
"I'm sorry, a what?"
"You Patronus has a clearly defined form? I mean to say it's not smoke or vapor?"
"Yes, ma'am. It's a stag, it's always a stag," Harry answered a little self-consciously.
"Always?" she asked, "You've performed the charm before now?"
"Yes, ma'am," Harry answered a bit shyly.
"And you are fifteen years old?"
"Y-yes, ma'am."
"You learned this at school?"
"Yes, ma'am. Professor Lupin taught me in my third year, because –"
"Impressive," she cut across him staring down at him with a twinkle in her eye, "a true Patronus at that age… very impressive indeed," she said ominously but with a small smile.
Some with the wizards and witches around her were muttering amongst themselves again, this time some of them were nodding or shaking their heads.
"It's not a question of how impressive the magic was," Cornelius said testily, "But that fact that he performed said magic in front of a muggle!"
Those who had been shaking their heads were now frowning and nodding in agreement. Even Percy was nodding in agreement.
"Family, Minister. Don't forget the muggle was family."
Fudge grunted, "Yes… well…"
"I did it to protect him from dementors," Harry said firmly taking advantage of the Minister's lull, "There were two dementors and one was about to kiss my cousin. I had to do something."
Silence fell to Harry's announcement.
"Dementors?" Madam Bones asked first, here eyebrow were raised high and it seemed to make her monocle teem a bit off her face, making it close to falling.
"What do you mean by that, boy?"
"There were two dementors that came after me and my cousin down an alleyway. We didn't know what was happening at first, because everything went dark and it was silent. There were no sounds of life anywhere, and it was very very dark, like we were blind. Then I felt the cold, and my cousin can't see them, but he felt them. Had I not known what they felt like before we both would have been kissed. I managed to summon my Patronus to save us, it rammed its horns into both of them and sent them flying in the air. I was almost too late when it was close to my cousin, Dudley. He's here today. Since he couldn't see them, he ran, but I told him to keep his mouth shut. Thankfully he listened since he tripped and the dementor got hold of him. The dementor started to move his arms away from his face when I sent my Patronus to get the dementor," Harry answered looking Amelia in the eyes.
"Ah, I thought we'd be hearing something like this," Cornelius said, as though inviting the rest of his peers in on a joke.
"Dementors in Little Whinging?" Amelia asked in surprise, "I don't understand –"
"Don't you, Amelia? Of course he's lying! He –"
"Minister before you finish that thought, there is a reason we are here for this hearing. Should you not believe in him, I suggest you put him under vertiserum. It is at your disposal, and it is a substance controlled by the ministry for such cases as this. Before you simply write off my client, at least give him the opportunity to subject himself to the potion to tell you nothing but the truth. Unless you're uninterested and plan to make this hearing in a reputable courtroom, nothing but an example of kangaroo court," she said sharply.
Amelia looked through her monocle at Chalice, "Indeed, Minister. Her idea has merit."
"Why would we waste such an important expensive potion on this farce!?" Fudge exclaimed.
"Minister Fudge, I'm sure if you have any concerns as to the expense of three drops of such a potion, my client would be more than willing to pay the Ministry a fee for such use of the resource. We are having this hearing to hear the truth, not simply what you want to hear."
"I must agree with her Cornelius, that's what a hearing is all about," Albus said gently with a twinkle in his eye.
"I agree with them Minister. If your concern is due to our resources, and they are willing to reimburse us for the use, we shouldn't have any qualms accepting their alternative. It would get us to the bottom of this quickly," Amelia said with finality.
The Minister's face puckered as though he had tasted something sour. If it had just been Dumbledore he would have been using this to his own gains and he would have been able to reroute this to how he expected, especially backed up by so many others against him. If it wasn't for that damned lawyer, who he would see if he could put on retainer for himself after this, he was sure things would be going much more smoothly.
"To agree to their alternative would suggest that there were indeed two dementors in Little Whinging. They are under the order of the Ministry! There is no way that they would be there by mere coincidence!"
"Indeed, Minister. Unless they're under the orders of someone other than the Ministry of Magic," Albus piped in with a smile, "Of which I've already given you my views on this matter."
"Yes, you have," said Fudge with a sneer.
"Hem, hem," said a girlish voice.
There they saw a large fat woman, who could give Vernon a run for his money on who was larger. Her neck was large and bulging in a faux reminder of a pale frog croaking. She was squat and broad, with a flabby face to go with her neck. A very wide and fat mouth, that looked like it had been stretched to fit her wide face. Her eyes were large and round, and looked as though they were slightly bulging. She had a little black bow on the top of her head, full of short brown curls that reminded them of a fly she planned to eat for later.
"The Chair recognizes Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister," Fudge said, looking much more appealing.
The witch had a high girlish, fluttery voice, that didn't fit her appearance.
"I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, Professor Dumbledore," she said with a simper that didn't match her cold dark eyes, "So silly of me," she said with an obvious fake laugh that reminded them of an annoying silver bell that belonged at a hotel.
"But it sounded for a moment that you were suggesting that the Ministry of Magic order an attack on this boy!"
She laughed louder, her silvery laugh resounding in the courtroom, a few other members of the Wizengamot laughed with her, but it was obvious they were also faking an few of them were uncomfortable doing so.
"If it is true that dementors attacked two boys, and they are only taking orders from the Ministry of Magic, unlike what I was suggesting, then it simply follows logic that the Ministry must have ordered –"
"Minister, we're getting off point. Regardless of the matter of why there were dementors in Little Whinging we are here for this hearing on my client's use of magic in front of a muggle, of which he is related. Anything else I'm sure can be spoken of at a different time and place," Chalice said firmly bringing attention back to the matter at hand.
Chalice refused to let this hearing turn into a kangaroo court to run other political matters under the appearance of a hearing with Harry Potter's name on the file. If Dumbledore and Fudge wanted it scribed they could hold a Wizengamot hearing and do so there instead of under the guise and file of Harry Potter. Potter didn't do anything other than act in self-defense and Abagail had made it clear that she didn't want him to be used as a political pawn.
Madam Bones readjusted her monocle and agreed with the lawyer's tactics. She was aware of the political movements happening, more so since Pettigrew was to have his own hearing today, and here were these two grown men having words that would be written down forever in their files, under the name of Harry Potter. Words that had no place in this hearing.
Fudge blushed and bumbled, having expected the political clash with Dumbledore over his golden boy, but was not expecting a professional to keep things crisp under her watch.
Amelia took over as her colleague was trying to pull himself together.
"The Chair accepts your request of vertiserum and you will not be charged for reimbursement. Marone, if you would please," Amelia said.
A wizard off to the side in the shadows close to Percy brought forth a clear potion.
"Miss Burming, as Mr. Potter is underage by magical core standards, and it is not recommended by potion masters for a witch or wizard to be under a full three drops of this potion, please observe and bear witness to the administration of the vertiserum. Mr. Potter is to receive only two drops."
"Yes, Madam Bones, thank you," Chalice said as she moved and stood close to the wizard with the powerful substance.
The wizard in question was extremely careful, as Chalice made him quite nervous. To be sure that he only gave Harry Potter two drops and nothing more, he made sure to measure it over the vial itself that the dropper only held the desired amount. Then with a careful hand he moved the dropper over to Potter,
"Mr. Potter, I am going to place two drops on your tongue. If you would please?" he said gently.
Harry nodded and opened his mouth, sticking his tongue out. Chalice watched carefully as the drops were administered and Harry's eyes glazed over.
"The drops have been administered to the accused," the wizard known as Marone announced, before taking his place back amongst the shadows.
"What is your name, boy?" Amelia asked, taking over.
"Harry James Potter," he answered with a bland face and a voice to match.
"When were you born?"
"July, thirty-first, 1980"
"Very good. Mr. Potter, did you use a Patronus Charm on June thirtieth, in front of a muggle?"
"Yes."
"For what reason?"
"They came after us. One tried to kiss my cousin. I reacted to save him."
"So you used magic, in front of a muggle, who is your family, in self-defense?"
"Yes."
"Were you aware that you were performing Underage Magic?"
"No."
"No? Why is that Mr. Potter? You are under the age of seventeen, which makes you underage."
"The Goblet of Fire was for adult witches and wizards. No one under the age of seventeen was allowed to compete. It spit my name out. Under magical binding contract it made me an adult wizard, even though I'm under seventeen."
There was a mass burst of whispers in the Wizengamot. Dumbledore's eyes widened marginally in shock, although he tried to play it off by making his eyes twinkle more than usual. He had hoped that little tidbit would fly under the boy's radar under all the stress and pressure he was under.
"What about the Hover Charm you used three years ago!?" Fudge interrupted.
"I didn't. It was a house-elf that belonged to the Malfoys," Harry said in the same monotone that the vertiserum caused.
"A house-elf in a muggle home!? HE'S DELUSIONAL!"
"The house-elf in question is currently employed at Hogwarts. I can summon him here if you'd like, Cornelius," Dumbledore said.
"I – I don't have time to listen to house-elves," Fudge ground out with a glare, "H-He blew up his aunt for Merlin's sake!"
"Minister, accidental magic still happens when a young witch or wizard is overcome by extreme emotional distress. Besides of which, he was not accused or charged at the time, as it's been years since the incident he is not to be held accountable," Chalice said unamused.
"And I haven't even gotten to what he gets up to at school –"
" – but as the Ministry has no authority to punish Hogwarts students for misdemeanors while they're at school, his behavior is irrelevant to this case," Dumbledore said smoothly.
"Oh! Not our business what he does at school? You think so?!" Fudge yelled.
"Minister, the Ministry does not have the power to expel Hogwarts students, or any student for that matter, nor confiscate wands until the charges have been successfully proven. In your haste to confiscate my client's wand and expel him from Hogwarts, you have overlooked a few laws that were made to protect British wizarding citizens. Should this matter have happened to, excuse the example ma'am, Madam Bones' niece, I would hope that you have remembered those laws," she said nonchalantly, "Regardless of my client's status in our society, he is still a citizen, like the rest of us."
"However, it seems excessive to hold a full criminal trial to deal with a matter of what was supposed to be underage magic. Magic that was performed in front of family, which is acceptable under Decree Agreeable Home Magic, section 11, clause B, 1412," Chalice said, inspecting her wand.
A few members shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. Fudge looked like he had been punched in the face whereas his Undersecretary had a cold blank look upon her face, but murder in her eyes.
"There is no law that I am aware of that says it is the court's job to punish Harry for every bit of magic he has performed. He has been charged with a specific offense, has presented his defense, and awaits your verdict," Dumbledore said with a grandfatherly smile.
Chalice brushed Harry's shoulder lightly to reassure him, even though he was under the truth serum's effects. She knew that a witch or wizard could still feel, even if it felt like they were confounded into a sluggish state, some of them felt panic under the effects and couldn't express it until after.
"Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?" Madam Bones called loudly.
More than half of the Wizengamot rose their hands in favor of clearing said charges. By this point the potion started to wear off and Harry's heartbeat increased again, this time with hope.
"Those in favor of conviction?" she asked.
Fudge raised his hand, as did that Umbridge witch and a few others. Two stood out, one had a heavily bristled mustache and the other was a frizzy haired witch.
The Minister looked like he had swallowed something extremely distasteful, "Very well… cleared of all charged."
"Excellent! Well I must be getting along. Good day to you all," he said and left as quickly as he could without looking like he was running away. He didn't look at Harry once throughout the whole ordeal. Abagail's eyes followed the elderly wizard predatorily. He had his sights on her son, and she would be damned if he got him.
The Wizengamot started to stand up and gather their belongings for the next trial, which clearly wouldn't take place here, but another courtroom.
"Madam Bones," Abagail called out, "It was, Bones, wasn't it?" she spoke to the auburn witch.
"Yes, how may I help you…?"
"Duchess Abagail Granger," she smiled politely.
"How may I help you Duchess Granger?"
"What courtroom is Pettigrew's trial being held in? We would like to attend as he was the reason why my son's parents were killed, and we would like to see justice," she said with a flinty look in her eyes.
Amelia stared at the woman with mild surprise, "Courtroom 44."
"Why are you telling that muggle woman, Amelia!?" Umbridge screeched.
"Duchess Granger, would like to see justice. Members of the royal family have always been included in the Statue of Secrecy, as we are also citizens of the British Empire, or did you forget that Dolores?" Amelia said loudly, her voice booming in the room, covering over every conversation that may or may not have been occurring.
Umbridge flushed a horrid shade of puce, "It must have slipped my mind as they haven't been involved in some time," she simpered.
"Indeed. Try not to forget in the future, it could get you into trouble," Amelia said, sweeping past the fat woman.
Severus was making himself comfortable in courtroom 44, sitting in the back. He knew it was bound to be crowded, hopefully not more than Black's. He wanted to see justice of his own. The downfall of Lily would be sitting with that rat bastard and he hoped that the poor excuse of a wizard was given the kiss. As he was already cleared he hoped that he wouldn't be called to be a witness since he did not know that Pettigrew was also a spy for the Dark Lord.
Even with him being resurrected, he still wanted to see Pettigrew get his due. Should the Dark Lord ask however, he could say that he was merely watching the proceedings to bring him news, since he didn't want to out himself just yet. As the term was out for the summer, he could claim to be useful in this matter, as he watched a 'fellow brother's' trial.
He seriously hoped he would be kissed instead of just sent to Azkaban. If he was sent to the guarded prison he knew that the Dark Lord would just break him out since he had his uses. He really fucking hoped not.