The Girl Who Protected [3]

Year 5 - 4

Harry was sitting in the chair in the middle of the courtroom. He was looking up at the stands full of wizards, the ones that stood out were Cornelius Fudge and William sitting at his side. Harry had continuously looked around, waiting for Cassiopeia to walk through those doors and sit on the side- but she didn't. He was disappointed, he thought she would hold her word and be there. He wanted a familiar, friendly, face in the stands. Especially since Arthur Weasley had to wait outside. He was alone.

"Let's begin. This is the Disciplinary hearing of the 12th of August into offences committed by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Private Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey." Cornelius Fudge spoke. "Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; William Noah Reid, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Secondary Senior Undersecretary to the Minister-"

"Witness for the defence, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." A voice cut the Minister off. Everyone turned to see the Headmaster of Hogwarts entering the room. Some hope swelled in Harry's chest.

"You got our message that the time and place of the hearing had been changed, did you?" The Minister asked.

"I must have missed it. But due to a lucky mistake, I arrived at the Ministry three hours early. The charges?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"The charges against the accused are as follows: that he did knowingly and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, produce a Patronus Charm in the presence of a muggle." Cornelius announced to everyone. He then looked directly at Harry. "Do you deny producing said Patronus?"

"No, but-" Harry started, but was cut off by the Minister.

"Do you deny it was in the presence of a muggle, one Dursley Dudley?" The Minister asked. William leant over and whispered the correct order of the name into the Minister's ear. "Dudley Dursley?" He corrected.

"No but-" Harry said, only to once again be cut off.

"-and you were aware you are forbidden to use magic outside of school while under the age of seventeen?" The Minister continued.

"Yes, but-" Harry said, to once again be cut off.

"Witches and Wizards of the Wizengamot-" The Minister started to say to those in the stands before Harry cut him off, speaking up what he'd been trying to the last three answers.

"I was only doing it because of the Dementors!" Harry spoke strongly. Everyone went quiet. Amelia Bones looked to Harry.

"Dementors? In Little Whinging?" She asked Harry.

"Clever, Muggles can't see Dementors, can they boy? Highly convenient." The Minister replied.

"I'm not lying! There were two of them, and if I hadn't-" Harry started, but was interrupted.

"Enough! I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well-rehearsed story, but as you can produce no witnesses of the event-" The Minister replies.

"Pardon me, Minister. But as it happens... we can." Professor Dumbledore spoke up. Harry was moved from the chair to the stands as their witness came forth, Mrs Figg. Harry's neighbour, who happened to be a squib. And squibs, although they don't possess magic, can see Dementors.

"Please describe the attack." Amelia spoke to the woman. "What did they look like?"

"Well... one was very large and the other, rather skinny..." Mrs Figg replied. The wizards in the stands looked to each other in confusion.

"Pardon, Mrs Figg. We mean the Dementors, not the boys." William spoke.

"Oh, right." The old woman replied. "Big... cloaked... then everything went cold... as though all the happiness had gone from the world..." Mrs Figg trailed off as her voice started to break and she shivered. Amelia looked to the Minister, her story and description checked out.

"Now look here! Dementors don't just wander into Muggle suburbs and happen across a wizard. The odds are astronomical-!" The Minister started.

"Oh, I don't think any of us believe the Dementors were there by coincidence, Minister." Professor Dumbledore replied. There is then a cough.

"Hem hem..." The fake feminine cough sounds. They looked to the source of the sound. "I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, Professor. Dementors are, after all, under the control of the Ministry of Magic. So silly of me, but it sounded- for a moment- as though you were suggesting that the Ministry had ordered the attack on this boy." She spoke in a girly voice, proceeding to do a small giggle at the end.

"That would be disturbing indeed, Madame Secondary Undersecretary. Which is why I'm confident the ministry will be making a full inquiry into why two Dementors were so very far from ask about and why they attacked without authorization. Of course... there is someone who might be behind the attack." Professor Dumbledore replied before looking straight to the Minister. "Cornelius... I implore you listen to reason. The evidence that the Dark Lord has returned is incontrovertible-"

"HE'S. NOT. BACK!" The Minister seethed back, his body shaking with rage. William reached up slowly and patted the Minister's arm- reminding him of where he is. The Headmaster of Hogwarts sighed and addressed the witches and wizards in the stands.

"In the matter of Harry Potter: the law clearly states that magic may be used before Muggles in life-threatening situations." The Professor reminded them all.

"Laws can be changed if necessary, Dumbledore." The Minister replied.

"Clearly, if it has become practice to hold a full criminal trial to deal with a simple matter of underage magic." The Professor replied. Some of the wizards shift uncomfortably as they hear the truth in what the man had to say. Professor Dumbledore gestured his hands in a way to say that he was done and they should vote.

"Those in favour of conviction?" William asked everyone. Some wizards looked around before raising their hand. In the end there were about six hands raised, included in those: the Minister and Dolores Umbridge. "Those in favour of clearing the accused of all charges?" He asked, and this time the rest of the Wizengamot raised their hands- William included. Fudge looked around and narrowed his eyes. He then grabbed his gavel.

"Cleared of all charges." The Minister announced before hitting it against the table. The meeting then began to break up and Professor Dumbledore stormed out the room- ignoring Harry's calls. Harry looked to the floor before making way to the door of the room, feeling alone. Opening the door, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see the face of William Reid looking down at him.

"Come, Potter." He said. Harry walked with the man as he took him down the corridor and around the corner. Harry didn't have the time to see where he was before someone launched themself at him.

"Harry." Cassiopeia breathed out in relief. Harry smiled into the bundle of hair against his face before hugging her back tightly. "I'm sorry, they wouldn't let anyone else in. How did it go? They cleared you of all charges, right? If they didn't, I'll go in there and I'll punch that-"

"Cass. It's okay. I'm cleared of all charges." Harry interrupted.

"That's great." She replied. "That means you've got the rest of the holidays to plan to return to school. And return to school you shall."

"Yeah, I guess. Thank you for all you've done for me during the holidays, Cass. I would have gone insane without your letters." Harry replied.

"Of course, I wasn't going to abandon you. But I should get going before father gets mad." She replied, gesturing to William who was leaning against a wall a little way away.

"Yeah. I'll see you on the train." He replied. Cassiopeia nodded.

"See you on the train, Harry." She replied.

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Thanks for reading

-Zoe