Apparating into an unassuming street, Moody swiftly released Harry, his magical eye immediately sweeping across the dimly lit surroundings. Graffiti marred the walls of decrepit buildings, their windows obscured by layers of grime.
All except for a near pristine red phone box, which looked like it could've been placed there that very day. But Moody barely paid it a glance, instead focusing on the suspicious man eating chips beside the box.
If it weren't for the fact Harry recognised the man's deep red leather coat, pink magical signature, and the fact he'd seen Tonks turn into that man earlier at breakfast, he'd have been concerned.
"Any lurkers?" Moody asked gravely, giving Tonks a once over before going back to surveying the street.
"Nope," Tonks replied easily, dancing out the way as Harry tried to take one of her chips, "Nothing but me, this old untampered phone box, and an old cat."
"An animagus?"
"It didn't react to the Animagus reversal spell, so I'd doubt it." Tonks replied, before scowling as despite her best efforts a chip found its way into Harry's mouth.
"We'll be down then, give us a few minutes before following. Remember, you aren't officially allowed to do this, so don't get caught."
Rolling her eyes, Tonks nodded along, "Yes Mad-Eye, I know. I am quite capable of remembering my own job."
Grunting in reply, Moody opened the phone box, before ushering Harry inside. To Harry's slight alarm, Moody stepped in after him, crushing him against the far wall.
And then he began dialling the phone, only for a cool voice to sound throughout the box.
"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."
"Alastor Moody, retired Auror, escorting Harry Potter, Disciplinary Hearing." Moody announced.
"Thank you. Visitor, please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes."
A badge which Moody fished out, before handing it to Harry with a gruff instruction. "Put it on, boy, and don't lose it."
Harry nodded, taking the square badge and fastening it securely to his dress robes as instructed. "What does it do?" He asked, seeing only a faint aura of magic within the glossed silver.
"You wear it," Moody began slowly, looking down at him, "And then it tells people looking at you what you are at the Ministry for."
"Yup, thank you Mad-Eye. No, I meant, like does it tell the Ministry wards to let me in, or something?"
"You really think the Ministry would care that much about who wants to break in?"
"Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium." The cool voice echoed in the confined space of the phone box, followed by a jerk as the entire box began to lower into the dark ground, interrupting any response Harry had.
They weren't left in darkness for too long though, however. Golden light began to creep up the phone box, gradually illuminating its interior. Harry squinted as his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness, as the vast, bustling chamber filled with the hustle and bustle of wizarding bureaucracy of the Ministry Atrium was revealed.
The descent was accompanied by a cacophony of noise as the phone box descended amidst the swarm of office drones. The constant sounds of the fireplaces lining the walls were nearly drowned out by the sheer din of the workers.
Towering dark marble columns reached towards the cavernous ceiling, their surfaces adorned with shimmering magical symbols that cast dancing shadows across the polished tiled walls. As Harry's gaze wandered, he easily noticed the striking similarity between these dark green tiles and those he had seen once before in the Chamber of Secrets.
Feeling out with his senses, he felt the unmistakable taint of plytchblend, with the powdered Uranium giving the bricks their slight green glow. But he didn't have long to consider the brickwork, as Moody steered him through the crowd.
Reaching the security desk, Moody grunted in acknowledgment as he handed over his wand for registration. Harry followed suit, feeling a pang of unease as he relinquished his wand to the scruffy wizard who'd negligently waved a dark detector around him.
"This wand belongs to Albus Dumbledore?" The wizard queried, reading from the narrow strip of parchment a brass machine had rattled off.
"Belonged." Harry corrected politely, "It was his, but due to my lack of wand, Professor Dumbledore gave me that one. Hornbeam and phoenix feather, nine inches."
"Err, right." The wizard agreed, glancing down at the parchment again before awkwardly tapping it with his own wand.
"You'll need to visit a licensed wandmaker to officiate your change in circumstances, who'll then need to send an owl to the Wand Registry and Compliance Division informing them about the change… Until then, any magic you cast will be attributed to Mr. Dumbledore." The wizard informed him hesitantly.
"So, you're saying I won't have any magic cast with this wand in my name until I do this?" Harry repeated leadingly, glancing at Moody and getting a subtle nod in return.
"Yeah, that's right. The trace still applies, mind! And it's a punishable offence if you're caught trying to impersonate another wizard. Erm, I think that's everything. I guess you can have this back." The wizard finished, handing the wand back.
Moody didn't waste any time dragging Harry back into the crowd, before forcing their way onto a mostly empty elevator. Upon seeing Moody, most wizards clearly chose to wait for another elevator, apart from a few brave souls and one red headed wizard, nose buried in his notes.
It was only as the gates clanged shut that the man looked up, and Harry recognised Percy Weasley, who's eyebrows rose in surprise before purposefully looking away. Slightly stung by the redhead's reaction, Harry's greeting died on his tongue, where it seemed to remain until the doors opened again and Percy hurried off.
Finally, they reached level two, and Moody pushed him out into the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The early morning light filtered through the clearly magical underground windows, casting a soft glow on the polished marble floors and highlighting the sparsely occupied desks.
Harry glanced around, noticing that only a handful of dedicated witches and wizards were present at such an early hour. Some were engrossed in their work, while others sipped on steaming cups of tea, their expressions serious and focused despite the early hour.
Moody led Harry down the corridor, their shared off-beat footsteps echoing softly in the quiet surroundings. The air felt charged with anticipation, as if everyone in the department was bracing themselves for the challenges that the new day would bring.
"So, what's actually the plan?" Harry asked, breaking the silence as they continued on their way.
Moody glanced at him, his magical eye gleaming with intensity. "Well, since your hearing isn't for another few hours, we're going to sit outside Amelia Bones' office until it's time for your hearing," he explained in his gruff voice. "Then, when you finish, I'll escort you back to headquarters."
They soon reached Amelia Bones' office, and Moody wasted no time in arranging a makeshift camp outside the door. He conjured up a couple of chairs and a small table, where he placed a thermos of coffee and some wrapped up sandwiches.
"Here we are," Moody said, gesturing for Harry to take a seat. "Have what you want."
Harry nodded, grateful for the offer, and settled into one of the chairs beside Moody. He reached for a still-warm sandwich, feeling a pang of hunger as he took a bite.
As they settled in for the wait, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease gnawing at him. Moody's reassuring presence beside him helped calm his nerves, even if the man's constant vigilance was already making Harry paranoid.
When Kingsley Shacklebolt showed up, Harry attempted to wave in greeting, but Moody surreptitiously shook his head, which stalled his hand. Instead, Harry offered a hesitant nod of acknowledgement to Kingsley, unsure of the reason behind Moody's caution.
As they waited, Harry felt the minutes stretching into hours, each passing moment feeling more stressful than the last. The quiet murmur of conversation among the few early-rising Aurors echoed softly in the corridor, punctuated by the occasional sound of footsteps passing by.
Finally, Harry was awoken from his slight slumber by the heavy door to Madam Bones' office banging open, and Harry's heart skipped a beat as the woman stepped out into the corridor. Her square-jawed face framed by close-cropped grey hair gave her a formidable appearance, accentuated by the monocle she wore.
But, her stern expression softened slightly once she caught sight of Moody and Harry sitting patiently outside her office.
"Moody, Potter," Madam Bones greeted them, her voice kind despite the brisk tone. "What brings you up here so early?"
Moody straightened in his chair, his magical eye fixed on Madam Bones with unwavering intensity. "Potter's got a hearing scheduled today, Madam Bones," he explained gruffly. "We're just here to wait until it's time."
Madam Bones' eyebrows rose in surprise. "Well quite, but I'd have thought you'd be outside the courtroom by now, not up here. Unless there was something you wanted to discuss beforehand?"
"No, I assure you Amelia, Potter's letter said August 12th, 9am, at your office." Moody replied firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Madam Bones' frowned heavily as she processed Moody's words. "It seems like there's been a miscommunication then. Potter, your letter did say 9am, but your hearing has been moved to courtroom ten, at 8am. An owl was sent to inform you of this change, but I must admit I'm unsurprised it didn't reach you in time."
Harry's heart sank at the realisation that things were already going wrong, despite the fact his hearing hadn't even begun. He glanced at Moody, who remained stoic beside him, his expression unreadable.
"Let's not waste any more time then. Follow me, Potter. I was on my way to courtroom ten anyway," Madam Bones said, her tone decisive as she led the way down the corridor.
Feeling her urgency, Harry hurried to keep pace with Madam Bones. They retraced their steps back to the elevators, with Harry wincing slightly as he had to strain his still injured angle to keep up with the woman's determined steps.
The ride down was far too tense for Harry's liking, as they shot downwards with only the sounds of the elevator itself to distract him. Finally, they reached the Atrium, before descending one final floor.
Unlike the brightly lit hallways above, the hallway of Level Nine was dimly lit, casting long blue shadows along the marble floors. Even the air felt heavy as they passed by closed doors, each one sealed with magic strong enough to make Harry shiver as they passed.
And at the far end, a door loomed before them, its surface etched with intricate symbols that seemed to shift and change as he watched. But Madam Bones didn't hesitate to walk straight past the door and down a barely visible stairwell, its steps disappearing into the darkness below.
Harry followed closely behind, his heart pounding as they descended into the depths of Level Ten. At some point, Moody had lagged behind, and as Madam Bones' pushed open a heavy iron door, Harry barely had time to glance at the man before he was ushered inside.
The moment the door swung shut behind him, he couldn't help gasping, as he recognised the courtroom from Dumbledore's memories.
Madam Bones observed Harry's reaction with a sympathetic nod, understanding the gravity of the situation. "These courtrooms haven't been used since the Death Eater trials," she explained solemnly, her voice echoing in the hushed space. "But rest assured, Potter, this trial will be conducted with fairness and impartiality."
She gestured for Harry to take his seat in the designated area, indicating the thick chain-bound chair that stood prominently in the centre of the room. "You'll need to sit here throughout the trial," she instructed, her tone firm but reassuring. "Just remember to remain composed and answer truthfully to the best of your ability.
"The Minister will pose inquiries to you, to which you must respond truthfully and comprehensively. You have the right to legal representation, and the Ministry will arrange for counsel in the absence of you bringing your own. And don't be surprised if this trial gets sidetracked, at which point I'd suggest keeping quiet." Bones finished, before turning and making her way up to the seating.
With little else to do but wait, Harry tracked her progress, and raised his eyes when she stopped to have a word with Daphne's father.
The man's letters had been helpful when it had come to preparing for a small hearing before Madam Bones. But now that hearing had apparently been elevated to a full Wizengamot trial, Harry wasn't too sure how well his advice would apply.
As the beginning of his trial drew near, more members began to acclimate, with some regarding him with open disdain, while others seemed indifferent to his presence, lost in their own thoughts and discussions.
It reminded him of Dumbledore's memory of Ludo Bagman's trial, where the atmosphere had been charged with a similar buzz of casual conversation. It wasn't like the LeStrange trial, where there had been a chilling vengeful silence.
Finally, the Minister for Magic and his entourage bustled into the chamber, openly glaring at Harry.
"Right, right then. I think we all know why we're here." Fudge announced, sinking into the Chief Warlock chair. "Are you ready?"
"Ready Sir," Percy soon called back, hurriedly setting out his parchment and clutching a quill.
"Disciplinary hearing of the 12th of August," Fudge initiated, bringing an abrupt start to the trial. "Into offences committed by Harry James Potter, resident at the Dumbledore Cottage, Godric's Hollow.
"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.
"Has the accused provided his own defence?" Fudge asked, looking down his nose at Harry.
"He has not." Madam Bones interjected, shifting Fudge's gaze to her, a self-satisfied smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Excellent, excellent," he muttered, his tone betraying a hint of satisfaction. "In that case, we'll have the Ministry provide you with representation."
Turning to a sombre-looking man seated aside from the Wizengamot members, Fudge gestured for him to step forward. "Henry Gauntus," he announced, his voice carrying across the chamber, "you will serve as the Ministry-appointed counsel for the accused."
As the young man stepped forward, Harry's breath caught in his throat as recognition dawned upon him. Despite the subtle alterations in appearance, like his lighter hair, and green eyes, Harry easily instantly recognised the features of Tom Riddle.
Things I think need explaining:
- No Dumbledore: In Canon, Dumbledore shows up around five minutes into the trial, which itself began over five minutes late, since Harry and Mr. Weasley had to rush to make it in time. Obviously here, Harry arrived with plenty of time to spare, and so the trial began a bit earlier, leaving Dumbledore several minutes away.
Discord: kC3mbSpcsx (Take this link code, and then inside discord go to add server, join a server, and paste it there)