A short chapter.

HARRY XXXVIII

It was only the second time that Harry came to the Ministry of Magic. The first time had been during Peter Pettigrew's trial, two years ago. He was back now, with his mother again, like last time, but today it would be his trial.

The last few days had left Harry with mixed feelings. On one hand, he was glad to be reunited with Ron and Hermione, and to finally have a certain idea of what the Order of the Phoenix was doing. On the other hand, he was still frustrated that members of the Order wouldn't tell them more. He spent the last week cleaning a house that seemed to conduct a war against them, and each time he, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred and George tried to learn more about the Order's activities, they were brought back to order by Mrs Weasley. She was the one to run the house. Most other people in the Order spent their days out, including Harry's mother. She spent her entire days in the field, leaving early and coming late. Harry sometimes didn't get to see her of the whole day. At least, he had a better idea of what she might be doing now. And she wasn't the only one to be rarely present. This applied to all members of the Order, including Sirius and Remus. But that didn't compensate for the lack of news concerning Susan.

She and Harry wrote to each other almost daily since he arrived at square Grimmauld, and now he got a better idea of how Ron and Hermione must have felt, not being able to write anything significant to him. Harry took a little more freedom than they did. He used veiled language to make Susan understand that it was the Order of the Phoenix that hid him. Susan was aware of the existence of the organization, her uncle having been part of it. He also tried to reassure her, saying he was safe with his mother, Hermione and the Weasley family. But he was still very limited in what he could actually write to her. Once, for fun, he tried to write down the address of the house where they were staying, and he found out that indeed, the Fidelius Charm prevented him from telling Susan where he actually was. Her letters, on the other side, were not to make him feel better. Susan didn't talk a lot about herself. In fact, she seemed more worried about him, but she asked questions that Harry could not answer most of the time. And although she tried to reassure him, saying her aunt would never let him be condemned, he sensed the uncertainty behind her words. And she couldn't hide either that she wouldn't be able to attend his hearing, her parents having forbidden her from leaving their apartment even in this instance. She wouldn't be able to tell her aunt what happened, even less since her aunt forbade Susan from contacting her as long as Harry's hearing was pending. Worse, when his mother went to see Susan at the Abandoned Tower, she could only inform Harry that Susan was indeed in a sorry state after the Dementors' attack. And Harry also received a letter from Hannah to inform him of Susan's situation, which only confirmed what his mother already told him. Worse, Harry learned from Hannah that Susan's parents were considering sending her to Canada in September, so she may not return to Hogwarts.

The worst part of it was that Harry understood them, and a part of him actually agreed with the idea. He felt guilty. The Dementors had attacked him on that day. He was their target, and Susan found herself in the way. It hadn't been the first time it happened. Last year, Susan was sent to the bottom of the Black Lake as part of the Triwizard Tournament, all that because she was his girlfriend. But at least, although he thought the opposite back then, she was safe. Dumbledore had never put her into danger. It was only a competition. Over a week ago, however, the threat had been real. Susan could have died. Harry barely managed to produce his Patronus.

As horrifying the memories were, they were still fresh in his mind. He remembered how he was unable to produce a Patronus. How his first two attempts barely produced any light, and one Dementor approached him while the other leaned over Susan right behind him. He couldn't think about something happy. All he could hear was Voldemort's voice, the words he told him the night he returned. He thought that Susan would die. That he would never see Ron and Hermione, or his mother again. But these desperate thoughts had led him to good memories, probably dug deep within him, and he managed to create a real Patronus, like the one he produced during the first task, as the Dementor was only a few feet away from him. The stag had rammed into this Dementor, then Harry ordered him to charge the other one. When he hit it, his mouth was almost against Susan's. Harry had then rushed towards her as his Patronus vanished and the lights and sounds of the night returned. For a moment, he feared the worst, that the Dementor got her soul, but she finally uttered a few words, and they went back to the tower where their families lived.

Months ago, when Harry started dating Susan, he had doubts. He doubted whether he was truly in love with her, and for a very long time. Even before the third task, one of the reasons why he didn't tell his mother was that he still had lingering doubts about their relationship. But after Voldemort's return, after half a summer spent with her, his mind bore no doubt anymore. He loved Susan. And he was furious after himself for endangering her. If she hadn't been with him on that day, Dementors would never have attacked her. He had come to question the very idea of having a girlfriend. Would he only put her in danger, no matter who she was?

He shared those doubts with Hermione two days ago. She was always better when it came to matter of hearts, and way better to keep secret conversations truly secret. His best friend had tried to reassure him. She went so far as to suggest that maybe the Dementors were not here to attack him personally, and that Susan, given her family history and her aunt's position at the Ministry, was likely a target of Voldemort anyway. But she didn't manage to alleviate Harry's doubts, not entirely.

But all of this happened during the last few days. Today, Harry was in the Ministry, in the atrium, with his mother, heading for a desk where a lone wizard was reading the Daily Prophet under a sign where SECURITY was written. This security didn't seem very enforced, judging by the bored expression of the man.

"Hi. I'm escorting a visitor," his mother told the man.

"Step over here," the man said, barely looking away from his edition of the Daily Prophet.

However, when the man produced his golden rod, the same that searched Harry two years ago, he looked at him, and his eyes immediately set on his forehead. He frowned, then stared at his mother, and frowned further. It wasn't the first time Harry felt uncomfortable when people realized who he was by the scar on his face, but this time was different. The man abruptly scanned him with the rod, nearly hitting Harry in the process. He also roughly seized his wand to register it, and gave it back to Harry just as roughly.

As Harry and his mother walked through the atrium, he noticed a few people staring at them with hostile looks. Were people really believing the stories of the Daily Prophet so much? Or were these Fudge's instructions?

"Don't worry, Harry. We get used to this," his mother told him on a low tone as they took place in a line to take the lifts. They advanced slowly, only a few wizards getting into the lifts each time one stopped. Harry tried to avoid the stares thrown at him. After a time though, someone he knew came out of a lift. Kingsley walked into the atrium, a folder in hand. He looked around, spotted Harry and his mother, and walked in their direction. Harry was about to say hello, but he caught his mother's gaze just as he opened the mouth. He remembered. They had come to the Ministry using the London metro, using as few magical means of travel as possible, while being on discreet watch from members of the Order hiding in the Muggle crowd around. During their travel, Lily told Harry to behave as if he knew no one in the Ministry, not even people like Tonks who he had known for years. The reason was that other members of the Order had to feign being hostile to Lily, to not raise suspicions that they were part of the Order of the Phoenix. This included Kingsley. And indeed, he talked to Harry's mother quite abruptly when he stopped before them.

"Evans, I see you're back. Finally," he commented dryly.

"I took some leave," she replied, a little harshly.

"Well, now that you're back, better get to work. I'm going to need your help on this case."

He handed her the file, and a sheet of parchment fell from it when his mother took it. She and Kingsley both leaned to recover it. Harry thought he heard them exchange a few words in whispers, but he couldn't understand. When she stood up, her mother was looking at her watch, seeming distressed.

"Don't drag your feet. This is urgent," Kingsley warned her, walking away. But Harry perceived the look of sincere worry in his eyes, a worry that his voice didn't betray. His mother, on her side, looked even more distressed.

"I bet this is Fudge's doing," she muttered.

"What is…" Harry began, but his mother grabbed him by the shoulder and made her way through the line, forcing their way into the first lift under the protests of a few people.

"They advanced the hour of your hearing," Lily said, smashing the button indicating the ninth level of the Ministry. Harry remembered this one. It was where Pettigrew's trial took place two years ago.

"What?" Harry asked.

"It's at eight o'clock now." Harry looked at his watch. They had fifteen minutes to arrive. "Lucky we arrived in advance. And it will not be in Amelia's office. It's going to be in Courtroom Ten."

"Courtroom Ten? Wait, is that the courtroom where Pettigrew was judged?" Harry asked as the lift stopped at the level of Magical Games and Sports.

"It's at the same level. These courtrooms are all identical. It makes no sense to hold your hearing there. They are usually only used for major cases."

His mother smashed the button of this level multiple times. But the lift went through all levels of the Ministry from Seven to One, then back to the atrium, stopping at each and every level, letting wizards, witches and flying memos go in and out. When they finally arrived at level Nine, they only had five minutes left.

"Department of Mysteries," the female voice announced when they finally arrived, alone in the lift.

"Quickly, we have no time to lose," his mother said, and Harry followed her down the steps.

He frowned as the corridor he just turned away, the one the lift gave on, seemed strangely familiar. It was probably from his visit two years ago. He had no attention to give to this place anyway. His hearing would begin in a few minutes. As they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, they turned right, until they reached a door where a very old witch was about to enter. She turned her head sharply to look at them. Her eyes jumped immediately on Harry's scar.

"Mr Potter. Mrs Potter," she said.

"Mrs Marchbanks?" Lily asked.

"I suggest you come in fast. The Wizengamot doesn't like it when the accused is late."

And she walked into the courtroom without another word. Harry noticed the sign indicating this was Courtroom Ten.

"The Wizengamot?" Harry asked, feeling very uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"I don't get it," his mother muttered. "The Wizengamot is only called for major cases, like murders. How…" She closed her eyes. "It must be Fudge. The changing of the hour and place of the hearing, the calling of the Wizengamot…" She turned to Harry and seized him by the shoulders. "Okay, look… Things are not really as they should be, but that doesn't change our strategy. Limit yourself to the facts, Harry. Tell them what happened, stay calm, don't show any anger."

He nodded feverishly. Harry was beginning to panic. He remembered how a trial with the Wizengamot went from two years ago. Given how this one had gone, he was afraid to be in for a very bad time.

"Go in. You must not make them wait," his mother said.

"You… You can't…"

"No, I can't come. Only you can go in. I'll send a message to Dumbledore to rush here immediately. Go! Now!"

She almost pushed him inside the courtroom. He turned the handle and found himself in a very similar courtroom to the one used for Pettigrew's trial. On each side of the door that closed behind him, the members of the Wizengamot, in their plum-colored robes, were waiting, looking down at him the moment he walked in.

"You made it just in time, accused."

Harry was surprised by the voice. He knew it. He turned to see that it was Percy, Ron's brother, the one who left the family, who just said that. The former Head Boy had no sympathy in his gaze as he also looked down on Harry.

"Sorry," Harry replied. "I was just told the time had been changed."

"This is not the Wizengamot's fault," Percy retorted, without an ounce of pity. "An owl was sent to you this morning. Take your seat."

The walk to the seat with chains was even worse than the one Harry took last year when his name came out of the Goblet of Fire. He sat down slowly, waiting for the chains to bind him like they did for Pettigrew, but they merely clicked.

Harry looked up to see the fifty members of the Wizengamot staring at him with various expressions, going from curiosity to hostility. At the front row, three people sat down, facing Harry. There was a woman he didn't know, but whose looks made him think of a toad. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, was sitting at the very center, and he didn't seem to show any kindness like he displayed towards Harry before. The others at the Order's headquarters had to be right. Fudge had not changed his mind since June. But Harry's attention was mostly caught by the woman of middle-age with a square face who also stared at him. The last time Harry had seen Amelia Bones was in this same room, two years ago, during Pettigrew's trial. From his memory, she didn't seem to have changed much since, although he didn't give much attention to the woman back then. If he hoped to see any sign of compassion or support from Susan's aunt, he saw none today. At least, if she looked severe, she didn't seem to stare at him in a hostile way.

"Very well," Fudge declared, clearing his throat. "Now that the accused is present, finally…"

Harry wanted to protest. One member of the Wizengamot just arrived, barely a minute before him. According to his watch, he arrived precisely in time for the new hour of the hearing. And he was informed at the last minute that its time and location were changed. But he reminded himself what his mother and the others told him, and he stayed calm. He only had to tell what happened… and hope that Dumbledore would show up.

"Let us begin. Are you ready?" Fudge asked Percy, who confirmed. He seemed to be the one who would write down the minutes of the hearing. "Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August, 1995, into offences committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at number twenty-four, Abandoned Tower, London. 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 defence," a quiet voice said behind Harry. He turned to look at its origin right away. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

All around the courtroom, the Wizengamot whispered. Dumbledore, though, looked very calm and stared in Fudge's direction. For the first time today, Harry felt a wave of relief go through him. If Dumbledore was here, then all hope might not be lost.

As I said, a short chapter. The next one will be much longer.

And it will bring a new POV.

Please review.

Next chapter: new POV