Unfit

Chapter 16

The courtroom looked a bit different to the memory that Harry had watched. Whether it was the time difference or the shocking lack of other people this time, Harry didn't really care. He only cared about getting it over with. Though he did realize that this was easier said than done.

He really just didn't want to be here. In the short amount of time that he had been with Sirius and Ana, he wanted to just leave with them. And by the sounds of it, so did they. They would never talk about it in front of others, even Harry. Though he assumes that that has something to do with Dumbledore. But he knows that if they leave then he'll be going with them.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. Just in time," said a cold male voice. There was even an irritated lilt to it that gave Harry just a little bit of satisfaction at having been here before this man had hoped.

Instead of saying anything, which he did think of a couple sarcastic answers, he decided to walk towards the center of the courtroom where there was a single chair. Said chair was covered in chains that he once seen spring to life to bind whoever was unfortunate enough to take the seat. He chose to summon up some of his courage and sat in the seat without much hesitation. While he heard the chains clink together, they did not move to bind him. Which made him release a breath that he didn't know he was holding.

He looked around at the people in the room. There were about 50 of them. He noticed his aunt straight away. While she was also wearing those awful purple robes with the silver W on them, she was giving him a small smile from where she sat. Everyone else in the room either looked at him indifferently, curiosity, or like he was an inconvenience to their day.

Before anyone could say anything, the doors to the courtroom opened again. All eyes were directed to the newcomer, well all but Harry and Ana. Most seemed to just accept the new presence but there were a couple that looked less than pleased to see her.

A woman that is sat to the left of Fudge cleared her throat before speaking, "Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August," her voice ringing throughout the room. At the far right of the row of seats there was a distinct sound of a quill scratching against parchment, when Harry stole a glance that way he had to do a double take. Not having expected the head of red hair that belonged to none other than Percy Weasley. "Into offenses committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at number four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.

"Interrogators: Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Mafalda Margaret Hopkirk, Assistant in the Improper Use of Magic Office; Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley..."

"Representation for the accused, Andromeda Tonks nee Black."

The way she introduced herself to the court made others in the room start muttering to each other. Madam Bones on the other hand didn't mention anything, having expected Mr. Potter to have legal representation. All old houses do for their members.

"And why would Mr. Potter need representation in a Misuse of Magic case?" Fudge questioned with a sour look on his face.

"As Heir to the Potter and Black fortunes, Mr. Potter is supposed to have legal representation when his status as such is threatened with any type of Ministry hearing or trial," the words rolled off her tongue with charismatic skill that Harry had only really noticed between Sirius, Remus and Ana. How they could make someone sound so idiotic without ever saying the words themselves. He could tell why Ana had told him not to worry. Mrs. Tonks is scary smart and is not afraid to even indirectly insult the Minister himself.

"As is his right Minister, now if we may proceed?" Madam Bones said in what Harry couldn't have mistaken for anything other than her no nonsense tone.

Fudge just sulked back into his seat, choosing silence over angering the witch further. This is when Harry noticed the witch on the Minister's right. She hadn't said anything, much less really made her presence known. Other than the scowl that seemed to be permanently etched on her face there wasn't anything notable about her.

"The charges are as follows: That the accused knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having received a previous written warning from the Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, produce a Patronus Charm in a Muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of a Muggle, on August the second at twenty-three minutes past nine, which constitutes an offence under paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under section thirteen of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy.

"You are Harry Jame Potter, of number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey?" Amelia said, looking at Harry with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yes," Harry said without hesitation. Simple enough question.

"You received an official warning from the Ministry for using illegal magic three years ago?"

"Yes, but ---"

Suddenly the Minister made a move to interrupt, but quickly found himself silenced by Madam Bones, "Should you try to disrupt the questioning again, you will be removed. It does not matter if you are the Minister." She waited until Fudge sank back into his seat before turning her attention back to Harry, gesturing for him to continue.

"I know it will sound like a lie, but I wasn't the one that performed the spell at Privet Drive three years ago. It was a house elf, I don't know why he was there but he was trying to make sure that I didn't come back to Hogwarts that year."

Amelia didn't make any comments, but did write down some notes along the margins of her parchment.

"Let's say for the sake of not arguing, that what you say about the warning from three years ago is true. It does not really explain why you would suddenly perform a spell like the Patronus charm in front of a muggle," Amelia looked confused by the charge. "What would be the point in showing some Muggle some white mist?"

"Actually, Mr. Potter can produce a full corporeal Patronus that takes the form of a stag. It has also been proven that the mundane it happened in front of is his cousin, who is already aware of magic." Andromeda filled in some blanks for Madam Bones, who was writing down what she was being told.

Amelia had gotten to a certain point in her writing when she suddenly stopped and fully addressed Harry, "You can produce a full fledged Patronus?"

"I, uh, yes I can ma'am," Harry said unsure how he was supposed to refer to her.

"Fascinating, and you learned this in school pretty recently?" She pressed on. 

"No ma'am, Remus Lupin taught me how to perform the charm in my third year," he informed her. "I had a bad reaction to the dementors when they grew near, so Mr. Lupin taught me how to ward them away."

"You learned how to perform the patronus charm when you were 13?" Amelia looked absolutely stunned. Though it did make her wonder how difficult the patronus charm would be for her niece. Maybe she could hire Lupin to teach her since he did so well with Harry who apparently had severe issues with the dementors presence. "A true patronus at that age is very impressive."

Murmurs and whispers were heard around the court room, some other attendants either impressed or shaking their heads not believing it.

"It's not a question about how impressive it is, he broke the statute of secrecy by doing magic in front of a muggle!" Fudge was red in the face with how mad he was. The occupants in the room, that were previously more inclined to not believe it, started murmuring in agreement with him. Even Percy.

Seeing that Harry was starting to lose his patience Andy placed a hand on his shoulder to silence him before he could start while then starting her own, "Said muggle has been identified and confirmed as Harry's cousin who he lives with and already knows of the existence of magic. Should I have to repeat that again your Scribe may not be needed anymore. So really he didn't go against any law other than underage use of magic. Which still wasn't investigated. Common procedure would be to investigate, especially in the case of such a spell being used. Now why had that not been done?" Her attention was zoned in on Mafalda Hopkirk, the one in charge for filing and reporting underage uses of magic.