Prince Consort
Chapter 32
Harry's face was impassive as he situated himself in the 'witness box' where he would be questioned about the most difficult part of his life. His eyes twitched giving away his feelings when he caught sight of Dumbledore, who was tied to the chair in the center of the room, he couldn't have looked more different from the last time he saw him if he tried. He was not dressed in those gaudy disgusting robes, instead, he was in the black and white prison uniforms. His hair and beard had been shaved completely, probably due to lice or bugs getting into it while he was on the island. He was also extremely gaunt, having lost a great deal of weight in a short amount of time. Staring up and down at Dumbledore, his green eyes gleamed with a vicious victory, has he considered this a triumph over the old fool. He blatantly let the old fool see how ecstatic he was over his recent misfortune.
The indignation flared over Dumbledore's features at seeing the boy so whole and very well dressed. He had not expected to see the boy here, nor had he expected him in good health. He had been so sure he had been demanded out of the desire for revenge. James Potter had pissed a lot of people off, so it hadn't surprised him, he'd been happy to ensure the boy was given over for stronger soldiers in the war. Not that he'd got anything out of the deal, the vampire Lord had ensured that, much to his consternation. Yet the thorn in his side as always, came back at the most inopportune moment to mock him. Why couldn't he have died that night? Dumbledore thought distastefully to himself.
He felt profoundly disturbed by his appearance, it would make his case even more difficult to defend. As if it wasn't already difficult enough as it was, with the proof that had been accumulated against him. His own lawyer had pleaded with him to plead guilty, with hopes of a reduced sentence. That pleading not guilty he was setting himself out as Machiavellian, one who harbored absolutely no guilt in his actions and that they would come down harder on him for it.
"Please state your full name for the purpose of the court," Amelia Bones stood, making it clear she would be the one questioning the witnesses. Jason looked unimpressed, sparing an apologetic glance at his Lord's consort, but didn't press on the matter, merely sat regally in his chair, his hawk-like eyes watching everything.
"Lord Harry James Potter-Prince," Harry stated clearly, his gaze lingering on Severus, both the calming draught and Severus' presence was enough to calm him completely. He promised himself that he would not allow himself to get emotional, he would do what he could to bring the old fool down and relish in his task. Getting angry would just give Dumbledore the satisfaction of knowing he was still affected by it. He would never let the old fool realize this, never.
Harry may have been calm but Dumbledore startled badly, turning to stare at Harry as if he had never seen him before. Gaping as if he couldn't believe his eyes or his ears for that matter. Dumbledore for the first time began to comprehend the true extent of how utterly idiotic and duped he had been. Understanding just who he had been dealing with and why they had been so determined to get Harry Potter. Severus Snape, the title Lord Prince wasn't just a title, it was a name, the Prince name, why hadn't it dawned on him earlier? He knew Severus' mother had been Eileen Prince, but she had died years ago, and had most definitely not been a vampire so how could he have comprehended the fact? The last time he saw Severus Snape he had been very much human as well. Not that it was easy to tell when one was a vampire, but there were telltale signs if you knew where to look.
Oh, Harry wished dearly to bear his teeth voraciously at the old fool, instead, he just watched each reaction putting it away for future amusement. For this was most definitely amusement material, he knew what Dumbledore had figured out, and both he and Sev had known it wouldn't take long for the old fool to figure it out once his name was stated for the Wizengamot.
"Age and date of birth?" Madam Bones prompted, having been distracted and confused by Dumbledore's reaction, it was the biggest one they had gotten out of him yet. He remained stoic in the face of the questions thus far, both in interviews and when he was being interrogated.
"Sixteen, the thirty-first of July, 1980," Harry replied curtly, wishing for her to get on with this.
"Mr. Prince, what do you know of your placement with Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of number four Privet Drive?" Bones asked, getting to the heart of the matter.
"I'm afraid I'll need you to elaborate on that, ma'am," Harry said, keeping his tone respectful even though his tone was icy.
"Do you know when and how you were placed with your relatives?" Bones did indeed elaborate, knowing Harry was being deliberately obtuse.
"I was found on the morning of November the first on the steps of number four Privet Drive when my…Petunia Dursley took out the milk bottles in the early hours of the morning. I assume that I was left there by Dumbledore around midnight depending on how I got there, until six or seven o'clock in the morning." Harry informed them, ignoring the gasps of shock elicited by his words. Indignation and anger bled into the faces of the pureblood's - most of whom were most definitely matriarch and the patriarch of their families. A family came first before anything else to these pureblood's, even before causes close to their hearts, he knew even if some of these people were Death Eaters, they were going to be furious regardless of which side they were on, or whether he was 'wanted' by the Dark fraction.
"You were left out in the freezing cold November, where anything could have happened to you for at least six hours?" Bones questioned, but her gaze was on the members of the Wizengamot, making it clear to them just how despicable she thought such actions were.
"Yes," Harry replied, finding it difficult to keep his tone neutral even for Bones, he didn't want to listen to her repeating everything he said. He knew he was just being annoying, but the truth was, there was no other way for him to be with the subject matter.
"Now, Mr. Prince, when…at what age did you become aware of the magical world?" Madam Bones amended her statement, not wishing for Harry to ask her to reword her question. She had a feeling that would be something he would do repeatedly if need be.
Harry leaned back, face remaining impassive, "I had just turned eleven years old, and received my Hogwarts letter," or letters, Harry, mentally amended.
"So you had no contact from your magical guardian? In this case, he was also your godfather Lord Sirius Orion Black is that not correct?" Bones questioned, remaining standing, each question carefully written down on the piece of paper in her hand.
"No, and that is correct," Harry stated icily, his hand clenched into a fist hidden from view thankfully.
"When did you first have contact with your magical guardian?" Bones questioned, ignoring the quiet muttering from everyone in the courtroom.
"Which one? And at which point?" Harry returned Bones question with two of his own.
"Who did you have contact with first as your magical guardian?" Bones was beginning to get exasperated with the teenager.
Harry braced himself for saying his despicable name, "Dumbledore, not that I knew that he was my magical guardian at the time, he came bursting into Zabini Manor, with two others with him, Shacklebolt and Black and proceeded to force my compliance. I managed to get the best of him before running or trying to as I was hit with a spell that caused me to sail into a tree, damaging my ribs. They didn't give up, instead, they ran me down until my injuries rendered me unconscious."
"Why would you not wish to go with the Headmaster of your school? isn't he someone you trusted?" Bones questioned.
Harry snorted derisively, "I never trusted him, in my opinion, he stole from me, for ten years, my father opened the accounts and instead of doing the honorable thing and closing the vaults after he died, he continued to take money from two different organizations he unsurprisingly presides over. Hundreds of thousands over a ten year period until I got into Gringotts and closed them myself."
Loud fireworks emerged from Bones' wand, silencing the outraged cries from the court.
Harry winced at both the loudness of everyone and the bangs, which sounded as though he had just stood almost a bomb being detonated. In fact, his ears were ringing so badly, that he couldn't say whether anyone had spoken in the interval between her blasting those damn fireworks out. He could see that the others with him had reacted pretty much the same way.
"Silence in the courtroom!" Bones ordered loudly, vexed by the constant interruptions. At this rate, they wouldn't get anything done. There were still a few people and more evidence to go over so that everyone knew what had happened and what evidence they had accumulated. The biggest list of questions she had was definitely for Sirius Black.
Harry thankfully had recovered enough just in time to hear Bones' next question, "What was your childhood like?"
Then again, perhaps not so thankful, "I didn't have a childhood," Harry retorted, a bite in his voice that he wasn't able to curtail. Knowing she'd ask more uncomfortable questions, he pressed on, giving an answer he wished he never had to reveal. "I was nothing but a servant to the Dursley's treated worse than most House-elves are by their Masters. I wasn't given a single gift in the years I lived with them, nor did they acknowledge my birthday. I did not know my first name until I was five and began primary school. I slept in a cupboard under the stairs, it was my bedroom, I was beaten for any accidental magic that I performed, which was quite often and then locked up for weeks at a time while I healed as punishment. When I was allowed out, I spent every moment of it cleaning and cooking for them. I didn't have a single friend or confidant, is that enough for you or do you want me to go into details and recount every single one of the beatings?"
"I do believe that should be enough about this subject, Madam Bones, don't you?" Jason stood his countenance screaming that enough was enough. Harry Potter-Prince was not being questioned as a witness, it seemed more of the questions you would give a suspect and he wasn't having any more of it.
Storm and Cenric revealed none of their internal conflicts, to hear little bits and pieces was one thing…but to have the brutal truth so harshly stated from their Lord's consort was another thing entirely. It explained his inner strength, his toughness, both emotional and physical, his penchant for fighting back rather than waiting for aid. Such as the time where their Lord and Lord Consort were attacked by their enemies. It also explained the lack of confidence, oh, he put on a good front, and when it came to information he believed in himself, but his abilities? They were always called into internal question, you sometimes saw it especially during mock dueling - training sessions - which Harry definitely liked participating in.
Cenric was unable to prevent his nails digging into the wood, leaving gouge marks in his wake. Harry was always appreciative of things, from his breakfast being brought to him, or sweets brought back from Diagon Alley or even ice cream. He never demanded anything, he could have anything in the world, absolutely anything. Yet the only things brought for him of any value was the clothes and the broomstick he so zealously kept clean. Although there were a few instances where he crossed the fence of almost breaking the rules, especially when it came to the more traditional of their kind. One instance is the time Harry had seated himself next to Severus instead of at the opposite end of the table as to where his place should rightfully be. Yet given his awful and secluded upbringing, suddenly he understood why Harry did not like to be alone or to be made to feel like a burden or a pest.
He so badly wanted to kill the Dursley's, slowly, intimately, until they were nothing but sobbing messes. Unfortunately, the blasting disgusting animals were already dead. Voldemort had managed to get to them first, which was a damn shame. They would have suffered much farther if their Lord had got his hands on them first. He took solace in the fact that they had suffered, violently and horrifically. Harry was theirs to protect, and that protection extended to emotionally, and it was clear to him that he was still affected by his…so called 'childhood' since Harry was right, it was no childhood at all. He was very surprised that his Lord had not immediately gone after them when he found out.
"We are in agreement," Bones replied quietly, having lost her zeal, hearing what exactly had transpired in that house…made her feel sick to her stomach. She had raised her niece from a similar age, she had been but a baby, same as the boy on the stand before her. How anyone could have treated a child so despicably made her feel guilty and downright furious. How any aunt could do such a thing to their family, their blood, it was beyond her comprehension. "My apologies for the intrusive questions, Mr. Prince."
Harry merely blinked, he had nothing to say, and he wasn't about to accept her apologized, as sincere as they were, he had just blurted out something he definitely wished nobody to know about himself. He was grateful at least that the press was not here for this court case, and that it would not get out to the public.
"Mr. Prince, when did you learn about the existence of your godfather?" it was Jason who was now standing asking the questions.
"My dad in all ways that counts told me about him, Remus Lupin," Harry explained, "I was eleven, I hated his guts for leaving me with the Dursleys'."
"How did you feel when you learned that Sirius Black's actions weren't his own?" Jason continued on.
"Enraged," Harry stated, "Both at Black and at Dumbledore, it took a while for that hatred of Black to diminish as I began to truly comprehend just how much both he and I had been screwed over."
Jason nodded understanding written across his face, "To this day has your relationship with Sirius Black prospered?"
"We will never have the relationship we should have, Dumbledore stole that from both of us," Harry retorted sharply, "Neither of us wants Dumbledore to win, so we are trying, but it is not easy, too much time has gone by, too much hurt and pain has been caused. It is certainly a better relationship than the one we had before…which was nonexistent, before the potion was expunged from his system I had never really spoken to Sirius Black."
"Understandable, understandable," Jason nodded, glancing at the Wizengamot, satisfied that they were suitably teary-eyed. "I have no more questions if there are no more questions…" he trailed off glancing at the other side of the room to where Dumbledore's lawyer sat. Michael yet to say a single thing so when he stood he was very surprised.
"I do," the lawyer insisted firmly.
Jason gave him the go ahead as he sat back down, he kept a firm eye on the proceedings.
"Mr. Prince, did you ever tell anyone about the abuse you suffered?" Michael stepped up, standing before the teenager.
"My dad, my best friends, my husband," Harry stated firmly, he wasn't going to give this lawyer any satisfaction.
"I meant before you knew of the magical world," Michael added.
"No, as I said previously, I didn't have friends or anyone to confide in, the Dursley's didn't just physically abuse me, they were very into mental abuse as well. To the outside world, I was a problem child that they took in out of the goodness of their hearts." Harry told him, "My teachers barely gave a shit about me let alone enough to look and see that I wasn't what the Dursley's had made me out to be."
"Not a single one?" Michael asked doubtfully.
"Not. A. Single. One." Harry slowly enunciated the words blank-faced.
"Yet you blame Dumbledore for placing you with your rightful guardians, they are your aunt and uncle, Mr. Prince, there was no other alternative outcome…Mr. Black wasn't available that night if we all remember correctly." Michael informed him. "He cannot be blamed for the way the Dursley's treated you, their actions are their own." he knew this argument was completely pathetic but he had a job to do, and that was to sow discord, plant doubt in peoples mind and try to get Dumbledore off as futile as it may be. There was no doubt in his mind that Dumbledore was going to go down.
Jason cleared his throat and stood, whispering into the other lawyer's ear, so low that only the vampires in the room heard the subtle threat - alright not so subtle. Informing him just who Lord Severus-Snape-Prince actually was, the vampire Lord of the strongest biggest coven on this side of the world.
He paled so drastically and surprisingly did not drop into a dead faint, Jason thumped him on the back a few times as if commiserating him. Nobody other than Harry could see the lawyer, so everyone was oblivious to just how terrified Jason had made him.
"No, he wasn't available, and we all now know why don't we? Dumbledore drugged him preventing him from having anything to do with me." Harry said calmly as you please.
"I…have…er…no other questions," Michael managed to get out through a blocked up throat, still terrified out of his mind that he might end up killed tonight.
"Mr. Prince, you may step down," Jason said kindly, ignoring the holes that Madam Bones was drilling into him, no doubt like many wondering what he had said to Michael that ceased his questions.
"Thank you," Harry said, relaxing completely, revealing just how tense he had been the entire time on the stand. Harry swiftly moved out of the stand, making his way directly over to Severus. Wondering just when Severus had become a source of such comfort to him. Especially in such a short amount of time, but as Severus wrapped his arms around him, pressing him impossibly close to his side, he found himself unable to care, and just relished in the fact he did have someone.
"Alright?" Severus whispered, his voice soothing, none of his internal anger showing, both at the lawyer's words and at what his mate had said. He loathed that he couldn't get revenge on those despicable muggles for what they had done. His fingers stroking up and down the back of Harry's neck, occasionally giving a tight squeeze of reassurance before he began to rub up and down soothingly once more.
Harry moved his head to give Severus more room, which made his forehead touch Severus' neck and chin, finding further comfort in it, "Yes," and surprisingly that was the truth, he was alright, more than alright.
Then Sirius Black walked in.
Do you want to see Sirius' side written down or will we merely see the ending of the trial in the next chapter? Read and Review, please!