It was decided that, on the day of Harry's hearing, that he would accompany Sirius to the ministry in the morning while Sirius did Wizengamot business, and then they would go to the hearing. Aria, never one to be excluded from an adventure, begged to go with them and so at 7:30 am in the morning, Harry and Aria piled into the familiar phone box they had used to come to Barty's trial. They received their visitor's badges and dutifully had their wands checked when they arrived. The wizard at the desk stared wide-eyed at Harry through the whole process.
"If you take a picture, it'll last longer," Aria quipped, seeing how uncomfortable Harry was. The wizard at the desk blushed and let them through. Sirius brought them up to his office where his PA Paarth Singh was already present. Aria and Harry immediately pulled out the books they had brought and settled on the sofa in Sirius' office.
"Lord Black," Singh called within minutes of their arrival. "There's been an emergency meeting of the Wizengamot called in Courtroom Ten."
Sirius swore under his breath, glancing longingly at the cup of tea that had been waiting for him at his desk. Aria watched as he donned the plum-colored robes worn by the Wizengamot. She could understand why her dad thought Sirius handsome, especially in these robes.
"Be good," Sirius ordered. "Listen to Singh."
"What are we, five?" Harry asked. Sirius flicked his forehead before hurrying out. The office settled into silence. Singh could be heard typing which peaked Aria's curiosity. The wizarding world had typewriters. She poked her head out of the office. Singh was, indeed, typing on an old-fashioned typewriter, one that took ribbon and needed to be pushed back into place at the end of each line.
"That's so unfair!" she cried, earning Harry's attention. "We have to write all our essays by hand when we could be using typewriters?"
"Typewriters are considered professional," Singh told them. "Not for the use of school children."
"You should get one for your lycanthropy research," Harry suggested. "That's professional."
An inter-department memo came floating lazily into the room in the shape of a paper airplane.
"I wonder if we could do something like that at Hogwarts," Aria murmured to Harry.
"The professors would absolutely see that we're passing notes," Harry argued.
"I don't mean for class! I mean for when we're trying to find people to do stuff with. We can just send a note and say 'meet me at the Come-and-Go Room in half an hour' or something like that instead of traipsing all over the castle looking for people."
Singh stood abruptly, confusion falling over his face.
"Someone's just sent us an anonymous message," the man said. "That never happens."
"What's it say?" Aria asked.
"That Mr. Potter's hearing has been moved to 8am and is in Courtroom Ten."
Aria and Harry looked at each other.
"Suspicious," Aria muttered. "Seeing as that's where Sirius is right now."
"And it's 7:55!" Singh cried. "I don't know whether to think this is a joke or not."
"When it comes to me, probably best to take it seriously," Harry said with a sigh. "Where's Courtroom Ten?"
"I'll escort you," Singh stated, setting the papers he was working on in a warded drawer. "Follow me."
The two teens hurried after the man. They entered the lifts which were very crowded and began to descend into the depths of the ministry where the courtrooms were held. Aria recalled that Barty's trial had been in Courtroom One. Or was it Three? Beside her, Harry began to bounce on his toes, clearly nervous. She grabbed hold of his hand when the lift began to clear out the deeper into the ministry they went.
When they reached the floor with Courtroom Ten, they were the only ones in the lift. The hallway echoed eerily with their footsteps. The black stone and tile that made up the corridor was certainly meant to intimidate, but Aria thought it just looked cool.
"Here we are," Singh said, gesturing to a door. "We're late so hopefully that doesn't reflect badly on you, Mr. Potter."
"They shouldn't change times on people like that then!" Aria replies hotly as Singh opened the door and escorted them into the courtroom. Immediately the teens heard Sirius' angry, raised voice shouting at Minister Fudge. Aria was glad that someone was finally shouting at the man. If she had a chance, there were some choice words she would like to tell him!
Beside her, Harry tensed at the raised voices, and Aria slipped her hand back into his, squeezing gently. Harry squeezed her hand back.
"—I have never desired to challenge anyone to a duel, Minister!" Sirius was shouting. "But if this harassment of my godson continues, then I may not have a choice!"
"Now really, Lord Black—," Minister Fudge blustered.
"This really is ridiculous, Cornelius," Madam Bones said. Aria's eyes widened as she realized that the entirety of the Wizengamot was called, not just the lords and ladies like it was done for trials. Every department head of the ministry was present as were most lords and ladies. There were a few seats left empty, such as the Longbottom chair as everyone there was back in Switzerland. The Potter chair was obviously empty, as it was being held in proxy by Sirius. She spotted the parents or grandparents of her classmates. Lord Greengrass was glaring at Minister Fudge from his Chief Warlock chair. High above, she spotted Lord Prince.
"Mr. Potter used magic in front of Muggles!" Minister Fudge cried. "That calls for immediate expulsion! But I am being gracious and bringing this in front of the esteemed assembly of the Wizengamot."
"Underage wizards are allowed to use magic to defend themselves," Sirius argued. "There was legitimate concern to the safety of not only Harry but three of his friends. It's interesting that his friends only received warnings and Harry got an expulsion letter!"
Several members of the Wizengamot began muttering to each other. Aria caught Percy's gaze from where he sat to Minister Fudge's left. He looked relieved to see them. Had he sent the anonymous memo?
"Lord Black," Singh called. Everyone stopped shouting long enough to realize Harry had arrived. He gave a little wave, earning chuckles from several people, including Amos Diggory and Arthur Weasley who Aria spotted sitting near Madam Bones.
"Thank you, Singh, you may leave Harry and Aria," Sirius said. "If you could let the Lawrences know what is happening, that would be great." Singh bowed to the Wizengamot and disappeared out the door they had come through. Silence came over the courtroom.
"Mr. Potter," Fudge said finally, "you're late."
"Er . . . well . . ." Harry stuttered. "I didn't receive the memo until—,"
"You were warned of the time change in adequate time," Fudge stated.
"No, he wasn't!" Sirius shouted. "If he was, I would have just brought him with me." Fudge's face went red. Aria frowned. Was Fudge really going to keep up this charade even though it was clear he was caught in the act of harassment?
"Marsha," Madam Bones said, turning to one of the department heads, "you were aware of the time change of the hearing for Mr. Potter that was set at 2pm in the Improper Use of Magic office?"
The witch began flipping through her diary.
"No, Madam Bones," she said. "I've still got it down for 2 in my office."
"I'm sure you just misplaced the information, Ms. Marshbanks," a woman sitting on Fudge's other side said. Aria immediately felt like slime was dripping down her skin. The woman, wearing the most obnoxious pink, looked like a toad in human form, and had a sinister smile on her face. Did the woman really think the smile looked inviting? Her voice too, was sickeningly sweet. Aria shivered.
"I have done no such thing," Marshbanks retorted. "As it is, the entire hearing is irregular. Mr. Potter clearly used a defensive spell, just like his friends, and the aurors called to the scene handled the situation. I don't appreciate the fact that my staff was kept from investigating the incident the night of by the minister's office. Thankfully, Lord Black had called the aurors and the Muggles who witnessed the incident were Obliviated."
"The minister's office kept your office from performing its duty?" Lord Greengrass questioned.
"Yes," Ms. Marshbanks answered. "My staff have stated that Madam Umbridge informed them that the Minister's Office would be handling the incident since it involved Harry Potter."
More mutterings from the gathered wixen.
"Well," Lord Greengrass said, "we might as well have the hearing here. Ms. Marshbanks, we will simply sit and act as witnesses while you conduct the necessary interview."
"Now, see here—," Minister Fudge cried.
"Minister Fudge," Lord Greengrass cut him off. "Mr. Potter is not on trial here. If this were a case that needed to be brought to trial, I would have expected your office to be working alongside the DMLE. But it is clear that Madam Bones is as confused by the whole situation as I am. Therefore, be silent."
Minister Fudge's face went red again. Umbridge smiled at Greengrass and Aria thought that she would have preferred a glare. There was just something very wrong with that woman.
Ms. Marshbanks rose from her seat and conjured a table and chairs.
"Would your friend like to take a seat over in the stands?" she questioned, gesturing to the gallery which was on the same level as the prisoner's chair.
"I'd prefer her to stay with me," Harry said. "And could Sirius come and sit with us?" Sirius was moving before anyone could say no.
"Very well." Ms. Marshbanks conjured several more chairs. She opened her briefcase and rifled through it as Sirius settled on Harry's other side.
"I make a habit to carry relevant documents of the day with me," Ms. Marshbanks said, clearly trying to put Harry at ease. "I've learned to always be prepared!"
Working at a place like this? Aria thought. She would have to be.
Ms. Marshbanks set a file on the table and flipped it open.
"All right," she murmured, "I see here your primary residence is Number 12, Grimmauld Place, London. Is that correct?"
"Yes, ma'am," Harry answered.
"But the incident of underage magic was not in London, it was in Cokesworth?"
"We've got a . . . summer home there," Harry replied. Aria nearly laughed at the idea of her humble home on Spinner's End being referred to as a "summer home" like they were as posh as the Malfoys or Finch-Fletchleys.
"I have on record that you received warnings for underage magic two summers in a row when you were living at Privet Drive?" Ms. Marshbanks continued.
"When I lived with my Muggle relatives," Harry answered.
The door the courtroom burst open, and Dumbledore strolled in. He stopped short seeing the set up.
"What're you doing here, Dumbledore?" Lord Greengrass demanded.
"I've come to act as the defense for Mr. Potter," Dumbledore replied with a smile. Sirius put an arm around the back of Harry's chair.
"You're not needed, Headmaster," Sirius replied. "It is all under control."
"Are you certain, Sirius? I'm—,"
"It's Lord Black and yes, Headmaster, I am certain."
"Dumbledore, sit in the gallery," Lord Greengrass ordered. "Cease being a nuisance and I won't have you thrown out."
Dumbledore slunk to the gallery and Aria couldn't help but be suspicious of him. Here he was again, trying to usurp control of Harry from Sirius. Was he so use to people doing what he told them to do, that he couldn't take no for an answer? That he was incapable of backing off regardless of how many times people told him to?
"Privet Drive is where my mother's sister and her family live," Harry said, turning his back on Dumbledore and picking the conversation back up. "The first incident, a rather deranged house elf gained access to the house and tried to keep me from returning to Hogwarts. He dropped a cake on a dinner guest's head."
Minister Fudge made some kind of noise in disagreement.
"A house elf?" Ms. Marshbanks questioned. "There's nothing here about a house elf. What did you tell the officers that can by to Obliviate the dinner guests?"
"No one came," Harry said with a frown. "I just got a letter of warning. Uncle Vernon was furious. I hadn't told them I wasn't allowed to use magic outside of school, you see. But Mrs. Mason didn't see anything because the cake was dropped on her head from behind."
"No one came?" Ms. Marshbanks asked. She looked at her notes again. "I have here that two of my officers came out and spoke with your family."
"No one came, ma'am," Harry stated firmly. "I didn't stay at Privet Drive long afterwards. I went to spend the rest of the summer with my friend Ron Weasley at his house."
Aria glanced at Arthur and Percy. Both of them nodded their heads, clearly recalling Harry coming to stay with them.
"And a year afterwards I have you blowing up a Marge Dursley?" Ms. Marshbanks questioned.
"I didn't mean to," Harry said. "I . . . she's Uncle Vernon's sister. She didn't like me. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon told everyone that my parents died in a car crash because they were drunks—,"
The Wizengamot burst into horrified whispers. Lord Greengrass had to bang his gavel several times to regain silence.
"—and my relatives told her that I went to a boarding school called St. Brutus' School for Incurable Criminal Boys. She had wanted to know if they cane boys there and then she went on about how my being a delinquent had nothing to do with the way my relatives raised me, but everything to do with my breeding. She said, and I quote 'if there's something wrong with the bitch, there's something wrong with the pup' and I got angry and yelled at her because I might not have known Lily Potter but it's my understanding that she was one of the kindest people to ever walk this earth."
Sirius nodded as did Arthur and Madam Bones and a few other people who had had the pleasure of meeting Lily Potter.
"Anyway," Harry continued, "my accidental magic blew her up like a balloon and she floated to the ceiling. I knew Uncle Vernon would go ballistic once the shock wore off, so I grabbed my things and ran away to the Leaky Cauldron. Minister Fudge spoke to me about the incident and assured me I was not going to be expelled for accidental magic and set me up in the Leaky Cauldron for the rest of the summer."
"I'm sorry," Madam Bones interrupted. "That's the summer Lord Black escaped from Azkaban, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
"Did you have an auror escort?"
"No. But don't worry, Madam Bones, when Professor Snape heard where I was, he came and ensured I had a protection amulet and that there were extra protections on my room at the Leaky. He was not happy about the situation."
"No, I doubt he would be," Madam Bones said, sending Minister Fudge the stink eye.
"Yes . . ." Ms. Marshbanks continued looking at her notes. "I see that incident's been annotated as accidental magic and no official warning given. After that no incident until two days ago. I see that your warning was logged with three others."
"Aria was one of them," Harry said, "as were our friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."
"The log says that all four of your cast the Patronus Charm? That's quite a feat of magic for children as young as you."
"Professor Remus Lupin taught me," Harry stated. "And then I taught my friends."
"Why don't you two show Ms. Marshbanks?" Sirius suggested.
"Are we going to get expelled for underage magic?" Aria asked. Several Wizengamot members laughed at her cheek. Ms. Marshbanks assured her that, no, they would not be expelled, and so the two teens pulled out their wands and with a quick word, produced Prongs and Reggie. Prongs pranced about Harry and Sirius, nuzzling their heads, while Reggie decided to dart into the Wizengamot seats and growl at Lord Malfoy.
"Reggie!" Aria cried, rather horrified, at how her Patronus never seemed to behave and had a mind of its own. No one else' Patronus ever seemed to behave like that. Lord Malfoy swatted at the transparent creature and Reggie actually snapped his mouth at the lord.
"Reggie come here!" Aria cried, hurrying to the steps leading up into the Wizengamot seats. Her Patronus bounded towards her with a happy yip, and she scooped him up, ignoring the gasps that came with her collecting her troublesome Patronus. She set Reggie in her lap, and he yawned playfully before dissipating along with Prongs.
"Thank you for that demonstration," Ms. Marshbanks said with a smile. "That was truly spectacular. Now . . . I have here a report from the DMLE that Madam Bones gave me yesterday signed by herself and Aurors Shacklebolt and Scrimgeour. Did they come to Cokesworth?"
"Yes," Harry answered. "Sirius called them immediately when we arrived back at the house and told him about the four dementors."
Ms. Marshbanks referred to the auror report.
"It says here that three teenage Muggle boys were treated for minor dementor exposure with hot chocolate and them Obliviated of the incidence," she read.
"Robert, Samuel, and Tommy," Harry supplied. "They're neighbors. Aria and I have birthdays two days apart and they threw us a birthday party at the town's public pool."
"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Ms. Marshbanks said. "I think, considering the circumstances and the very thorough auror report, it is safe to say that you, and your friends of course, acted in self-defense as well as the defense of Muggles. I shall make a note in your file that this was an act of defense and that no warning will be levied against you."
"Thank you, ma'am," Harry cried with a grin.
"You can't do that!" Minister Fudge cried. Ms. Marshbanks and everyone in the Wizengamot turned towards the minister with confused frowns.
"I am acting within the boundaries of my job, Minister," Ms. Marshbanks stated. "I have worked this job for twenty years. I know what I am doing."
"But surely you can see that Mr. Potter must be lying," Umbridge said, as if she were speaking to a toddler. "Dementors? In Cokesworth?"
Ms. Marshbanks lifted the auror report.
"It states here that upon being contacted by Lord Black, Madam Bones immediately dispatched Auror Tonks to check on Azkaban and to take account of all the dementors on the island. Auror Tonks found four dementors unaccounted for."
Madam Bones' mouth twitched, and Aria couldn't hide the grin that spread across her own face at Madam Bones' quick thinking. When she grew up, she hoped to be half as competent at Madam Bones.
"The report must be wrong then," Umbridge stated.
Cries of offense went up. Madam Bones rose to her feet.
"Are you accusing me of filing a false report?" Madam Bones demanded. "Of Aurors Shacklebolt and Scrimgeour and Tonks of conspiring to pervert the course of justice?"
More cries rose from the Wizengamot in defense of Madam Bones and the aurors. Minister Fudge held his hands up, trying to placate the angry politicians and department heads. Lord Greengrass banged his gavel at least seven times before order was restored.
"Of course, no one is accusing you of filing a false report," Minister Fudge cried once the hubbub had died down. "It simply seems impossible that four dementors would just leave Azkaban."
"Maybe they wanted a vacation," Aria whispered to Harry. Unfortunately, her voice carried in the silence that came after Fudge had spoken. Lord Greengrass raised an eyebrow at her, and Sirius shook his head at her. Harry grinned, however, so she counted that as a win.
"I believe we all know why the dementors left Azkaban," Dumbledore said, rising to his feet.
"Please be quiet, Albus," Sirius cried, cutting him off. "Ms. Marshbanks, if my godson is cleared, may he leave?"
"Of course," Ms. Marshbanks cried, putting the papers back into her briefcase. "I'll send a copy to your lawyers for their records."
"Thank you, that would be appreciated."
Ms. Marshbanks smiled at Harry and Aria.
"I hope you both have a good school year," she said. "Fifth year's quite important."
"Can you two find your way back to my office?" Sirius asked them quietly. They both nodded. The Wizengamot was started to get heated, many people were raising their voices at Minister Fudge.
"Have fun," Aria said as she and Harry hurried out the way they had come. They raced to the lifts and managed to get on one before Dumbledore could reach it. The look on his face was priceless as they disappeared up to the rest of the ministry, but Aria could not help but feel uneasy at the sharp look the headmaster had sent Harry. Why was the man so obsessed with her friend? What did he want?