Chapter VIII
The mourning of the Malfoys trial, Harry woke up early to grab an early breakfast. He wasn't nervous in the slightest, but he wasn't looking forward to trial either. The prospect of entering the ministry and getting ambushed by reporters and photographers was already making him nauseous. He only hoped that the ministry had considered the possibility of a media circus and had taken the necessary precautions to prevent it or to control it. Ron and Hermione were already up and at the table, even though they were not allowed to accompany him to the Wizengamot. Mr. Weasley had told them that the ministry is very strict about who is allowed to enter the Wizengamot. He had also suspected that the raised security bar in this case, was possibly due to the fact that they wanted to ask Harry about Ron and Hermione's roles in the whole process as well.
Harry had of course suspected that they would ask for a full account of the even preceding the battle of Hogwarts. Harry sat at his usual spot, there was already tea and toast on the table.
"Hey guys!" Said Harry as he sat down. His friends greeted him with a nod and a smile.
"How are you feeling?" Asked Hermione in a concerned voice.
"I'm not. I just wanna get this over with." Said Harry as he poured himself some tea.
"Have you figured out what you want to say?" Asked Ron.
"I don't know what they're gonna ask, but I have a pretty good idea of what they want to hear." Said Harry. "I'm not gonna lie, but I'm not gonna tell them everything either." There is a lot of details that they don't need to know, there is a lot of things that they suspect and want me to confirm, and I wont. I'll tell them as much as necessary, whether they get off or get sent to Azkaban is not my concern." Harry finished.
"That's good Harry," Said Hermione as she squeezed Harry's shoulder. "Just tell the truth like Mr. Weasley said" She finished.
Harry felt like Ron would've liked to argue against telling a few good _truths_ about the Malfoys, but he thought better of it and said nothing.
"Thanks for the breakfast." Harry said as he got up.
"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you mate?" Asked Ron.
"I do want you to come, but you're not gonna be able to enter."
"We can enter the ministry of bloody magic if we want to!" protested Ron. "My dad and brother work there, maybe I wanna visit them."
"Ron, you know that's not how it works." Said Hermione. "Your dad is right, we'll just make a scene."
"Fine!" Said Ron, stabbing a toast with vindictive fury. "But if you need us, send a Patronus and we'll apparate."
"Thanks Ron, I don't like going there alone either, but it is what it is. I'll get changed." Said Harry and left the kitchen.
Harry wore his formal robes and his dress shoes, he had his wand in his pocket and his invisibility cloak in his hand bag. It was, at this point, an old habit, but a good one none the less. He looked at himself in the mirror, he looked like a proper wizard, he thought. He went down stairs where he say goodbye to Ron and Hermione and they wished him luck and apparated to the ministry atrium. He was informed in the summons that he would be able to apparate to the atrium directly, and he was glad for it, yet he thought that somehow he would still be ambushed by the reporters. He was wrong. The atrium was empty, there was no one there, not even the usual witches and wizards who were there to greet the visitors. It was as of Harry was visiting the minister during the holidays.
Harry walked to the security desk, where he was greeted by a very stern looking witch. She was wearing a pair of glasses and her hair was tied in a tight bun. She was looking at Harry with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.
"Wand please!" She said in a monotone voice.
"Why?" Asked Harry suspiciously.
"It is protocol Mr. Potter." She said.
"You just saw me apparate here, the wards wouldn't allow me through if my wand, wasn't the wand of Harry Potter." Said Harry.
"Protocol Mr. Potter!" She repeated.
"I refuse to submit my wand! I am not a criminal!" Said Harry, his temper raising. The prospect of getting trapped in an empty ministry of magic with hundreds of layers of wards and protections was not appealing to him. Besides, it was too early in the morning for anyone to test his temper.
"Mr. Potter, I am not asking you to submit your wand, I am asking you to show it to me." She explained in a bored voice.
"Fine!" Said Harry as he took out his wand and showed it to her. She took it from him and examined it closely. She then handed it back to him and said "Welcome to the ministry Mr. Potter, a witch or wizard will be here to escort you to the Wizengamot shortly." She finished.
"Thank you." Said Harry curtly as he stepped away from the desk. He was about to walk to the fountain when he heard a voice call his name.
"Harry!" Said the voice. Harry turned around to see the familiar face of Percy Weasley. He was wearing his usual robes and his hair was neatly combed. He took Harry's hand and shook it vigorously. "How are you Harry?" He asked heartily.
"I'm fine Percy, how are you?" Asked Harry as he shook Percy's hand.
"Wonderful, the world is healing Harry, and we are all doing our part to make it better." Said Percy with a smile. "Come, I'll escort you to the Wizengamot." He finished.
"Percy where is everyone?" Asked Harry as he followed Percy.
"Oh its an off day, the ministry is closed to the public, only the Wizengamot is in session today." Said Percy. "It's basically for you." He added with a smile.
"For me?" Asked Harry.
"High profile individual, war hero, the boy who lived, would attract an army of reporters and thrice those numbers in fans, besides, the Malfoys themselves are high profile individuals, and the ministry doesn't want to take any chances." Percy recited as if reading a check list.
"Right!" Said Harry as he followed Percy to the Wizengamot.
"Are you nervous Harry?" Asked Percy as they walked past a few empty offices and took a left turn.
"Not in the slightest! I was prosecuted by the whole Wizengamot before, remember?" Said Harry and he was pleased to see Percy turn a shade of red. "But I'm not the one on trial today, the Malfoys are." Harry finished. Percy surely remembered that in that trial, he was not on his side.
"It's good that you are keeping a clear head Harry. Here we are!" Said Percy as they took another left and faced a large wooden gate. It was covered in ornate carvings of mostly runes and symbols.
"This is not where I expected the trial to be held." Said Harry as he looked at the gate.
"Oh this room has not been used in centuries, I, I shouldn't tell you this, but there is a chance that the Wizengamot will be destroying an ancient bloodline today!" Said Percy in a grave tone and Harry could tell, based on the shadows in his eyes, that he was not joking. "This is where such things are decided." Percy finished.
"What do you mean by destroying an ancient bloodline?" Asked Harry. "There is no such thing as destroying a bloodline, the Malfoys are not the last of their kind, they have cousins and relatives who can carry on the name." Harry finished. "Besides-"
"Harry!" Said Percy in an urgent tone and he grabbed him by the arm. "This is extremely serious! The Malfoys are on trial for crimes against humanity, they are on trial for their lives and they are on trial for their magic! Whatever you do, do not lie! The room will know! And the consequences are severe! Tell the truth and walk out when they allow you to. This room Harry, it has magic which is so obscure, that even the veil falls short against it. It can perform the sentence when it is passed! That's why they are holding the trial here! There is no second chance or reconsideration for the Malfoys! One the vote is taken, the room will act!" Percy finished with a shudder.
"You mean the courtroom will execute them?" Asked Harry in a shocked voice.
"Hiss! Harry be quiet!" Said Percy in a hushed voice. "The room is listening!" He added in a hushed voice. "Let us go inside, just remember to be honest." Percy finished as he opened the gate and they walked inside.
The room didn't look much different than any other courtroom. It was large and circular with a high ceiling and benches raised in a semi-circle. Yet the air was thick with magic. Harry could almost see it's ripples in the air.
The courtroom was unlike any other Harry had ever seen, circular in shape, with walls of cold, grey stone that seemed to absorb the light from the flickering torches lining the perimeter. The air was thick with a sense of ancient solemnity, Harry could sense the arcane and hostile magic that washed over him with each step. The ceiling arched high above them, disappearing into shadow, a vault of darkness that seemed to bear down on those who entered. It appeared to shift and swirl like a cloud, as if the very ceiling itself was breathing.
At the center of it all stood a raised podium, where Harry could see the outline of who he guessed was Sheraldov. It was grand and imposing, carved from dark wood and gleaming with an almost unnaturally dim polish.
In front of the podium, stretching out like the petals of a strange, twisted flower, were rows of seats arranged in a semi-circle. The seats were made of polished, worn leather, each one slightly slanted to allow those seated to gaze up at the judge, as well as at the accused. The faces in the seats were mostly hidden in shadow, their expressions unreadable.
To the left of the podium, the Malfoys stood. They were not in shackles, but looked extremely uneasy and scared. The best word to describe them, was perhaps "defeated". The cold stone underfoot seemed to magnify their every movement, their every breath, as if the room itself was watching and waiting for them to speak or react.
Directly in front of the podium, separated by a few feet, was a small, raised platform—the witness stand. A single chair rested there, empty now but ready to accept the one who would testify.
The air was thick with anticipation. The hushed murmurs of those present died down as the doors creaked open, and in that moment, everything seemed to pause, the silence hanging like a dark, suffocating cloud. The room was ready for whatever was to come, and Harry, standing near the back, felt the weight of the moment settle over him as he awaited his turn to witness what would unfold.
Percy rushed to assume his place next to Sheraldov. Harry stood they for a few seconds, taking in the room and the Wizengamot. The few court reporters sitting tightly by each other with magical stenographers were looking at Harry with an almost hungry look.
At last Sheraldov spoke.
"The court recognized Mr. Harry James Potter, Male air to the Potter line." Said Sheraldov loudly. "Mr. Potter, please assume the witness stand." Continued Sheraldov, addressing Harry.
Harry took a few steps forward and positioned himself on the pedestal, his gaze lifting to meet Sheraldov and the Wizengamot. He stood on the same level as the Malfoys, able to see their expressions—an unsettling blend of anticipation and their customary disdain. No sooner had Harry paused than the pedestal began to rise, shifting upwards like a stone elevator, its motion almost organic, as if growing from the ground itself. To steady himself, Harry gripped the lone braces around the pedestal, waiting until the ascent ceased. When it did, he found himself face-to-face with Sheraldov.
Harry could finally make out his features. He was a rugged, imposing figure, his physique built like a wrestler, solid, and undeniably strong. His middle-aged face seemed stern and weathered, yet there was a harsh vitality to him, a raw energy that seemed to pulse beneath his skin. His eyes were silver and cold and penetrating.
"The court already holds you in high regard Mr. Potter. The pedestal doesn't raise for just everyone." Sheraldov Explained.
"I am flattered minister!" Said Harry sincerely.
"As am I to see you face to face! Let us do the formalities and begin! Are you Harry James Potter?" Asked the shrewd voice of Sheraldov.
"I am." Answered Harry.
"Do you swear by your honor and your magic and your blood, that you will tell the truth and nothing but the truth?"
"I do!"
"Very well then, We begin!"
"Were you held hostage at the Malfoy manor during the second wizarding war?"
"I was!"
"And where you accompanied by Mr. Ronald Bilious Weasley and Mrs. Hermione Jane Granger?"
"That is correct minister!"
{{{ fine until here }}}
"Then please explain to the Wizengamot in as much detail as you recall, the circumstances of this event, but before you begin, let the accused be raised to our height, I wish to see their faces clearly!" Said Sheraldov bitterly and as he did, there was a low rumble of stone against stone. It was as if the room was yawning. After a few moments, The Malfoys were raised on their stand in their level.
Harry mentally sighed before he began his tale. He had told this story so many times, he could recite it in his sleep. But he knew that he had to tell it again, for the sake of the trial. He began his tale, "It was the summer of 1997, and we were on the run. We had just left the wedding of Bill and Fleur Weasley, when we were attacked by Death Eaters. We managed to escape, but we were separated from the others. We were on the run for weeks, trying to find a place to hide. We were eventually captured by Death Eaters and taken to Malfoy Manor.
Harry skipped over the unnecessary details as he worked his way through the many event that had transpired during his time at the Malfoy Manor. He spoke of the torture, the fear, and the eventual escape. He spoke of Dobby's sacrifice, and how they had managed to escape with the help of the house-elf, and how wormtail's silver hand had betrayed him and choked his owner to death.
It took him nearly 20 minutes before he reached a satisfactory conclusion. When he finished his tale, he looked up to see the faces of the Wizengamot. Most of the Wizengamot were looking at him with pity and sympathy, but there were a few who were looking at him with suspicion and doubt.
"Thank you Mr. Potter, for your cooperation!" Said Sheraldov "I do not wish to be insensitive, re-living such events cannot be pleasant for you, but I must do my duty as the minister of magic. I must ask you about the details of Ms Hermione Granger's torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange." Finished Sheraldov with a grim expression.
"I'm sorry minister, but I cannot provide anymore details than I already have, since I was locked along side my friend Ron in the basement, what I told you was what I heard from Hermione after the event." Said Harry, his voice loud and firm.
Sheraldov nodded, "Very well, Mr. Potter, do you know whether Mrs Narcissa Malfoy was present during the event?"
"I know for a fact that she was!" Answered Harry with a nod.
"Would you say that she had administered the brutal torture to Ms Granger herself? Or was she an observer?" Asked Sheraldov. "Or did she encouraged her sister to do so?"
"I cannot say for sure, but I do know that she was present during the event, and she did not stop her sister, perhaps because she had very little control over her. Bellatrix was insane and unhinged and I dare say non of the Malfoys were at ease in her presence. In fact, even the other death eaters were not at ease in her presence." Said Harry.
"What makes you say that?" Asked Sheraldov.
"Which part?"
"The part about the Malfoys not being happy next to their ally Mr. Potter."
"The Malfoys were not happy that their manor was being used as a base for the Death Eaters, they were forced to comply, and they were not happy about it."
"Yet not unhappy enough to stop the torture of an underage witch." Said Sheraldov with disdain and loathing etched in his voice. Harry had half a mind to correct him about Hermione's age, but he knew that it would not be wise to do so.
"I can say for certain that next to the safety of her beloved son, there is very little that Narcissa Malfoy is not willing to do." Said Harry. "She would do anything to protect her son, even if that means watching young witches get tortured, get passed around between snatcher or worst, given to Grayback as a snack and even if that includes lying to Voldermort's face, she'd do it. I would have admired her motherhood, if it didn't mean that she would hurt anyone in any way, over her son." Harry finished loudly and he was pleased to see the effect his words had on the Wizengamot. A wave of whispers and shudders swept the Wizengamot. The muttering was so loud that Sheraldov had to bang his gavel to restore order. Harry chanced a surreptitious look over to the Malfoy family, and he saw that Narcissa was looking at him with a mixture of shock and disbelief. Draco was looking disdainful as ever, and to Harry's satisfaction, Lucious's features reflected comprehension and understanding. His cold eyes was gleaming with a newfound clarity and if Harry wasn't imagining things, he even gave Harry a very small nod.
"Silence in the court!" Sheraldov shouted. "Mr. Potter, Did I hear you correctly? Did you just say that Mrs. Malfoy lied to the Dark Lord?" Inquired Sheraldov.
"Yes sir she did!" Said Harry.
"Will you please explain to the Wizengamot the circumstances of this event?" Asked Sheraldov.
Harry explained the events of the dark forest, how he had been killed by Voldermort, and how Narcissa had lied to the Dark Lord about his death. He explained how she had saved his life, and how she had saved the lives of many others by doing so.
"This is most illuminating Mr Potter, it is almost as if Narcissa Malfoy is capable of caring about someone other than her family." Said Sheraldov with a raised eyebrow.
"No she is not! I have no delusions about that! The only reason she saved me was because she wanted to save her son, and she knew that I was the only one who could do that." Said Harry. "I also think that after she obtained the information about Draco's whereabouts, she could have handed me over to Voldermort without a second thought, and there was the possibility that I would not have survived another killing curse from him." Harry finished and the Wizengamot gasped in shock and launched into renewed muttering and whispers. "BUT SHE DIDN'T!" Harry shouted over the mutterings of the Wizengamot and they fell silent.
"Would you say that it was a moment of weakness Mr Potter?" Asked Sheraldov.
"I don't know what it was, but I do know that she saved my life. As far as I'm concerned we are even!" Said Harry.
"Even?" Asked Sheraldov as he leaned unto his desk and looked at Harry with a vivid expression of anger.
"Yes even! She saved my life, and I saved her son's, we are even!" Said Harry.
"You saved Draco Malfoy's life?" Asked Sheraldov.
"Yes I did!" Said Harry. "More than once during the battle of Hogwarts, I saved his life, and he saved mine." Harry finished with a nod.
"How did Mr Malfoy save your life Mr Potter?" Asked Sheraldov.
"When he lied to Bellatrix Lestrange about my identity, he saved my life. He could have easily handed me over to her, but he didn't. He saved my life! He could easily identify me, even though my face was deformed, I was caught with my usual company, but he lied!" Said Harry and he started to fill in the details of their capture at the hand of the snatchers and how Hermione had used a spell to change his face.
"Would you say that he did so out of fear?" Asked Sheraldov.
"He was afraid, I could see it in his eyes, perhaps he knew that if Voldermort himself asked him, he wouldn't stand a chance at lying to him, but to Bellatrix, he did!" Said Harry.
"Would you say that he did so out of loyalty?" Asked Sheraldov.
"Loyalty? To me?" Harry laughed loudly "Definitely not! Since the day we met, we didn't quite see eye to eye minister." Explained Harry.
"Understandable, those things happen among school children." Said Sheraldov.
"I believe that Draco Malfoy was poisoned by the dark arts, he was raised to be a death eater, but he was not one at heart. He was a bully, and an idiot, but he was not a killer. He was only trying to fix the mistakes of his father and save his family, and I cannot blame him for that if I'm being completely honest." Said Harry. "The Malfoys fell out of favor when Lucious failed to retrieve the prophecy, and Draco was forced to take his place, he was forced to do things that he didn't want to do. I witnessed this first hand during our sixth year at Hogwarts, when he was forced to kill Dumbledore, he was not a killer, yet he was trying his best and that almost got two of the students killed. Dumbledore understood this, and so did Narcissa Malfoy, and that's why she made Snape make an unbreakable vow to protect him." Harry finished.
"Severus Snape made an unbreakable vow to protect Draco Malfoy?" Asked Sheraldov, his eyes bulging out of his skull in shock. "What a wealth of information you are Mr. Potter!"
"Yes he did! And he really tried to keep that vow unbroken, hence why it was him, who killed Dumbledore!" Said Harry. There was a renewed wave of muttering and whispers among the Wizengamot. "And I have reasons to believe that Snape's killing curse did not kill Dumbledore, but that's beyond the scope of this court." Harry finished.
"Intriguing! Very intriguing Mr. Potter! Yet you are right, that is beyond the scope of this court." Said Sheraldov. "Would you say that Mr Malfoy was a victim of his own incompetence at acquiring the prophecy?"
# "I believe that he wasn't too willing to hurt a bunch of kids over it! His companions were, but he wasn't!" Said Harry.
"I believe that he was!" Said Harry.
"You're making the Malfoys sound like a bunch of misunderstood and abused kittens Mr Potter!" Said Sheraldov with a mean chuckle that did not, at all compliment his rough features.
"No minister, The Malfoys like power, and they like to stay close to were power is! I cannot lie nor will I lie to make them look bad or good, I can only say what I know or what I have seen or what I suspect, the judgment lies on the shoulders of the Wizengamot whom we trust, have our best interest at heart." Said Harry.
"And that is what we expect of you Mr Potter." Said Sheraldov curtly. "How does someone like you, with such insight and experience, assess the Malfoys?"
Harry had to pause for a second to consider his question.
"My understanding of the Malfoys situation is that they got themselves involved with things that they could not control. They are an ancient family, rich and resourceful and cunning. It is natural that anyone who seeks power and has non of it to begin with, would seek to recruit them." Harry explained.
"Are you trying to depict them as victims Mr. Potter?" Came the shrewd voice of Sheraldov.
"No sir! If they are victims, they are only the victims of their own shortsightedness and greed. If I can be completely honest with you, I do not like any one of them in the slightest, but it isn't about me liking them or disliking them, it is about the truth, and I have not spoken a single lie! If you doubt me, summon a vial of Veritaserum and I will consent to being subjected to it!" Harry replied angrily, his temper raising as he felt himself getting red in the face.
"There would be no need for such crude methods Mr Potter, we are happy to take your words, yet we only need to ask certain questions to shed some light on the various angles of this case." Said Sheraldov in a voice of deliberate calm.
"Then ask your questions minister!" Said Harry coldly.
"Very well then, Mr Potter, would you say that the Malfoys are guilty of the crimes they are accused of?" Asked Sheraldov.
"That is not for me to say."
"Would you say that they are innocent?" Asked Sheraldov.
"Definitely not!" Said Harry.
"Then what would you say Mr Potter? What would be the proper punishment for the Malfoys?" Asked Sheraldov.
"I am unfamiliar with the laws of the Wizengamot." Said Harry. Knowing well that his words would have a heavy influence on the final verdict, he tried to evade the trap that Sheraldov was setting for him.
"You are familiar with the laws of the Wizengamot Mr Potter, you have been tried by them before." Said Sheraldov.
"Are you referring to the minor under age magic violation charge that was somehow serious enough to be trialed by the whole Wizengamot? The very violation that was only necessary due to the fact that a certain Wizengamot member had authorized dementors on me and my muggle cousin?" Harry retorted, his voice loud and angry. Many of the Wizengamot members were shifting uncomfortably in their seats.
"I am glad that you possess such a sharp mind and a keen memory Mr Potter, I'm also glad, as upsetting as it is, that you have first hand experience with injustice due to weak administration. Such corruption has no place under my ministry Mr. Potter and we are here to make sure that justice is up held!" Said Sheraldov in a voice of righteous indignation.
"That is why you have the respect of the wizarding England minister, but please understand that I am not a judge nor a lawyer, I am a witness, and I have told you all that I know." Said Harry, hoping to get out of the court before he loses his temper and say things that he'd regret.
"You are a witness Mr Potter, a witness to a great deal of things, but you are also a hero, and your words carry weight, and your opinion matters." Said Sheraldov, turning Harry's suspicion of a trap to certainty.
"You flatter me minister, but I am not a hero, I am just someone who had to do, what he had to do." Said Harry.
"So assume that you have to do this as well Mr. Potter, what would you say?" Asked Sheraldov. "What would be the proper punishment for the Malfoys? The veil, the kiss, Azkaban, or something else?"
"I wouldn't give my worst enemy to the kiss..." Said Harry bitterly.
"I must apologize, I shouldn't have mentioned the veil before you, it was a mistake on my part." Said Sheraldov with a smirk, not looking at all sorry.
"Yet another example of corrupt administration's injustice minister?"
"Precisely Mr Potter. I am curios that after everything that you and your friends had to suffer at the hand of the Malfoys, you seem to not want to see them punished." Said Sheraldov. "Why is that?"
"I'd like to see them punished, justly and accordingly, but I don't want to see them destroyed, if we start destroying people, How are we better than death eaters?" Asked Harry.
"Do you know how many people have suffered because of them Mr Potter? Do you have any idea how many muggles were tortured, raped and murdered at the hand of Lucious Malfoy?" Asked Sheraldov.
"I already confessed my ignorance minister. I do not know the extent of their crimes." Said Harry, in another attempt to evade Sheraldov's goading.
"I am telling you the extent of their crimes!" Roared Sheraldov. "If I were you, I would want them destroyed!" Said Sheraldov and for the first time, Harry saw a glint of malice in his eyes.
"You would destroy an ancient wizarding family minister?" Asked Harry. "End an ancient line of magical blood? You are already a very different ministers than your predecessor then! And not in a good way!" Harry spat angrily, knowing that he was walking a thin line. Making an enemy of this minister of magic wouldn't do him well at all.
"I am nothing like my predecessors Mr Potter! Such things are not values in my eyes Mr Potter, justice is!" Said Sheraldov.
"And how much injustice would you commit to achieve justice minister? How many lives should be destroyed for you to up hold an ideology? How many like my godfather Sirius Black, should be sent to Azkaban without a trial? Would you sentence Draco Malfoy to the kiss just because he was an idiot who followed his parents like every other child?" Said Harry loudly.
"Draco Malfoy was old enough to pick his own side and Sirius Black was from a dark family-"
"And that is enough for life in prison without a trial?" Shouted Harry, his voice loud and angry he was finally loosing control. "Is that your idea of justice minister? Is that what you want to do to the Malfoys? To destroy them based on their family name or by their blood status? How about we start killing all the pure bloods? That would give Voldermort a laugh only if he had a soul left once I was done with him! How about we spare the Weasleys since they're blood traitors after all but send the Longbottoms straight to the veil? Many members of the Wizengamot are of pure blood parentage, should we send them to the veil or schedule them a date with a charming dementor? And how long before the claws of your blind justice close around your own neck minister?" Harry's voice echoed in the courtroom. The Wizengamot were staring at him with held breath.
The Wizengamot was in an uproar, the reporters were scribbling furiously, and the scribes were writing as fast as they could. Sheraldov was looking at Harry with an unreadable expression. He looked cold and unmoved, or furious and ready to strike, or impressed but annoyed. It could be any one of those things. Harry was breathing heavily, his face red with anger, his hands clenched into fists. He glanced over at Percy who was pale in the face and shaking his head as he stared at Harry, frozen in his seat and not taking a single note.
When Sheraldov finally began to speak, his voice was loud, melodious and strong. His words reverberated off the stone walls of the chamber, amplifying their effect and washing over the audience like a waterfall of words.
"I am a patient man Mr. Potter. I am fair, and I am just. I tolerate your outburst, for I know that in your heart, you wish the world well. Yet you are young, and as much as you have suffered, you remain kind. It is a gift, which I do not possess. It is a gift that I am bereft of! The world does not run on kindness and compassion Mr. Potter, it runs on power and fear! On the blood of the innocent and the guilty! On the backs of the weak and the strong! On the tears of the poor and the laughter of the rich! It runs on the blood of the Malfoys and the Potters and the Weasleys and the Longbottoms! And it runs on the blood of the muggles and the wizards alike! So you see Mr. Potter, I know how the world works and I know that one day, should I step one toe out of line, I will be destroyed! I will be destroyed by the very people I have sworn to protect! And I have made my peace with that! I shall carry this burden, so that you, and your friends, and your children wont have to! And if your children will spit at my tombstone and curse my name, then be it! I remain untouched by your speech."
"You guys just don't get it do you? Either we get Voldermort who is an insane murderer, or we get Fudge who was an idiot, or we get Scrimgeour who had his heart in the right place, but was too busy nosing in Dumbledore's life, Or we get you and your twisted sense of justice."
"The World is twisted!" Roared Sheraldov. "It is twisted and obscene and full of horrors and someone has to carry this burden and clean it up." He looked insane, beating the desk with his clenched fists and making ink bottles and papers fly all over the place. The wizards at his sides were flinching away from him as he gazed down at Harry angrily with his bulging eyes.
There was a few moments of silence, were Sheraldov's heavy breathing echoed in the chamber stenographers clicked timidly.
"Please allow me to say one final thing and step down minister." Harry finally broke the silence, his voice calm and steady.
"You may say your _thing_ Mt Potter but whether you step down or not is my decision" Sheraldov replied with a restrained voice.
"Fine. Many students at Hogwarts rely on the little student fund that they receive for books and supplies each year. The Malfoys provide almost all of that fund. This year and possibly the years to come, Hogwarts is short of gold since the castle has suffered a great damage during the war, so the students in need have even less money to spend. My only request is that you remember these students, whatever the court decide to do to the Malfoys. I also volunteer to donate some gold to this cause. That is my only request, since my words apparently have some weight."
"It will be done Mr Potter, we have heard you and I agree with you." Sheraldov replied formally.
"Thank you. Is that all?" Asked Harry.
At that moment, the ceiling stirred. A deep, guttural rumble echoed through the chamber, a sound that seemed to rise from some abyss beyond the veil of reality, heavy and suffocating like a voice trapped beneath water. The ceiling's tar-like exterior twisted and writhed, its surface pulsating with eerie life, as though a storm brewed within its depths, waiting for the right moment to break free.
Below, wizards and witches flinched, ducking beneath their desks. Some clutched their wands with white-knuckled grips, while others simply covered their ears, their faces pale with dread. Whispers of protective charms crackled in the thick air, but none dared to stand against the horror overhead.
Harry was also looking at the ceiling with a growing sense of foreboding, but he remained in his place. Something was telling him that it was quite safe, at least for him. He chanced a look over at the Malfoys and saw that Lucious was holding unto Narcissa and Draco and he too was fearfully looking at the ceiling.
Sheraldov, however, remained unmoved. He studied the shifting, seething mass above with a cold, appraising gaze, as though it were no more than an expected inconvenience. Then, with deliberate calm, he spoke, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade:
"The court shall decide."
The courtroom was shaking from the barely restrained magic of the ceiling. It was as if a massive earthquake was happening. The air was tearing with ripples of emitting magic from above, ripping though the weak protective charms and knocking over chairs and ink bottles and even people.
And then there was silence, And Harry heard a voice. It was talking to him, but it was as if it was coming from inside of him, and it was at the same time, outside of him. He couldn't tell if the voice was male or female, or even if it was a single voice, or the voices of many.
"Much ancient blood is at my presence... Much pain... Much fright..."
Harry looked around to see if others are hearing the voice too, but everyone continued to hide under their desks, or dodge the falling breaks from above, or hastily casting spells to protect themselves. He looked at Sheraldov and he gave him a stern nod. He then looked at the Malfoys and saw that Lucious's face was even paler than before with renewed fright in his eyes. He looked pleadingly at Harry while clinging unto the heads of his wife and only son with such force that it looked like he was trying to break their necks.
"Much has passed since I've sensed your blood... Your righteous fury... Your unlocked potential for great great horrors... A descendant of the Stinchcombe and Peverell!"
"Much has passed since I've sensed your blood... Mangled with blood magic as it has ever been... And your keen mind... A descendant of Armand!
"I am eager to judge both of you... To test you and to show you the horrors that you can cause... But our conversation can wait potion maker!
Harry looked over at Lucious who looked like he was about to faint. He too was feeling weak in the knee under the pressure of the voice. It was as if the voice had weight, and it was pushing him down, but he refused to duck or bend or kneel like the rest of the people at the court. Lucious looked as confused as Harry was feeling. Who was Stinchcombe and who is the potion maker here? Perhaps the Malfoys since they were Slytherins, but he couldn't be sure.
"I have been awakened to pass judgment... So judgment I shall pass... But first... Riddle me this! What is the difference between justice and punishment?"
Harry's immediate thought was that this is oddly sphinx-like, to which the voice replied "I am not a sphinx a A descendant of the Stinchcombe and Peverell!" And the ceiling rumbled again, louder and stronger than before. If Harry didn't know any better, he would've thought that it was laughing, amused by his thought, but the very idea of this _being_ whatever it was, being able to read his thoughts was even more eerie.
"An answer I await for..." The voice rumbled.
Harry's immediate thought was that there was no real difference. But then, another thought surfaced—if punishment exceeded the crime, it was no longer justice; it was vengeance. And if he was being honest with himself, he wasn't entirely opposed to that.
Still, there had to be a limit. Without one, they risked becoming worse than those upon whom they sought revenge.
"That I can accept... Now tell me this, a descendant of Armand, What is worth all the gold in the world?"
Harry looked over to where Lucious was still clinging unto his family. He could see his fearful bulging eyes even from this distance. Not a moment was passed before the voice boomed again.
"I can accept that..."
It ended just as abruptly as it had begun. The writhing ceiling settled into its former, meekly throbbing form and the shaking of the chamber stopped. The wizards and witches of the Wizengamot slowly appeared from their hiding spots under their desks. Everyone was looking timidly at the ceiling, as if they expected it to start all over again. Sheraldov was the only one who seemed completely untouched by the whole ordeal. He was gazing down at the floor with intense focus, which could be either a way for him to hide his fear, or that there was something important there.
Draco and Narcissa were now standing next to a shivering Lucious, keeping close and holding unto him. Suddenly a new set of rumbling started and everyone's eyes darted to the ceiling again, except for Sheraldov who kept gazing intently at the floor. It took Harry a second to realize that the shaking was coming from the below this time. Hi leaned forwards to look down and he saw that the floor tiles were moving. The tiles were marked with runes and symbols that Harry didn't recognize and they were moving around to form a shape, or a word, Harry couldn't tell.
After a few moments, the tiles settled and the markings of runes and symbols that the rearrangement had formed, glowed hot red. Sheraldov frowned angrily and clenched his fists. His piercing gaze found Harry, impaling him to the ground with a furious stare that seemed to blame him for every thing.
"They shall pay in gold!" Said Sheraldov through gritted teeth. "Gold!" He shouted. "Gold?" He shouted at the ceiling this time. His voice echoed off the stone walls and was followed by gasps of shock from the wizards and witches and the members of the Wizengamot. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to regain his calm.
"Very well! This case shall be transferred to a lower court. Dismissed!" He said abruptly and left the chamber through the door behind him that Harry hadn't noticed until that very moment.
The Malfoys crumbled to the floor in unison, all three of them shaking violently while holding unto each other. The members of the Wizengamot looked like they had just woke up from a trance, looking at each other and at their surroundings as if they had no idea why they were there. Upon further observation, Harry noticed that every other witch or wizard in sight was displaying the same symptoms. It was at that moment that the court room, or whatever gave life to it, lower Harry to the ground. Harry took one look at the sorry state of the Malfoys and without a second thought, without talking to anyone or waiting for Percy to come to his senses, left the courtroom in a steady and purposeful paste, he needed to get out of this chamber, and he needed to tell everything to-not to Hermione, no she'd freak out. They'd find out soon enough, but first he needed to tel everything to Phinius Nigilus.