Malfoy's Daughter

Chapter ten; Wizengamot?

Asteria stood in the shadows, covered in her disillusionment charm, hiding her from sight as she knelt in the currently empty Wizengamot courtroom, the barbaric treatment of Potter and Dumbledore had pushed her past her limits, she didn't care that the prophet had dragged her name precariously through the dirt, but Potter's? It was irritating her, and against the wishes of her cousins, Sirius and Tonks, as well as Molly and Moody, she was here, to witness Potter's trial. Her cousins worried, that if caught she'd be punished severely, while Molly and Moody, worried she make trouble for Potter. Even if her intentions weren't to do so. Potter claimed to feel better if she was there, so that's what counted to her. The young wizard seemed to be lost and angry, but she understood. 

She was shocked slightly when a few people walked into the room, it was early. She quickly pulled out her wand, summoning a piece of parchment, and wrote a quick note and vanishing it with a silent flick of her wand, sending it to Arthur, before settling back in her crouched position, wand tucked into the side of her boot, easy to access, but not immediately in her hand. She was stressed out when the rest of the court witches and wizards came through, and a few followed, opening a backdoor, letting a hoard of Dementors in, and a plump witch flicked her wand and a cat appeared, corralling the creatures to the ceiling. When Fudge came into the room, and Asteria resisted the urge to strangle the stupid little man. His constant need to undermine Dumbledore and her, he had successfully killed all hope that anyone would believe the claim of Voldemort's return, and leaving people for the taking, once the Dark Wizard decided to act. 

The door opened to her left, and Potter walked in, his hair a mess, as usual, but dressed in his nicest clothes, but the way his hands were folded in front of him, spoke volumes. He was slouched, trying to look smaller, invisible. She wanted to wrap him up and take him from all of this, from war, from battle, from everything that could hurt the poor child that just wanted to live his life. Asteria felt a surge of anger, and had to clench her hands, straightening her back as Dumbledore walked into the room, his calming presence silenced the light chatter of the others, and sent her back to lean against the wall and let out a breath, a quick glance around, and she let the charm hiding her up, and let Potter see her, before refocusing the charm, and watched him let out a deep breath, sagging into the chair, and she focused on him, wishing she could protect him from this, like she wanted to protect her own brother. But she had to let him do this, they wouldn't be able to hide from Fudge and the entire British Wizarding force. She drowned out most of the commentary, knowing if she listened to closely, she'd be liable to start fighting back, so she focused on Potter, on his reactions, his defensive nature, his slouching that was familiar, trying to make yourself a smaller target. And that's when it clicked in her head, and she felt a surge of rage in her chest at the thought, that someone, that some insignificant muggle hurt him, beat on him. She'd seen Potter be brave, face death and battle head-on, his head high, and ready to fight, so it had slipped past her, but she knew the signs because she had done the same things until she ended up in America. 

She watched the young boy stand as a frail older woman sat down, Asteria once again, didn't pay much attention, just focused on Potter's body language, and stood, keeping a lock on her charm, as she silently stepped up behind him, and placed an invisible hand on his shoulder, lending him her strength, and he visible released a breath, comforted by her presence, and she fully realized what she was going to do next, what her next plan was, because she would lay down her life for Potter, like he was her blood, because he didn't deserve any of this. He stepped forward, to sit back in the metal chair, her hand falling to her side, and she let out a desperate breath and stepped back. When she heard a clear voice, ask the one question that really mattered. 

"All those for clearing all charges?" The voice broke through every worry and her head snapped to attention, and she watched more than half the people there, lift their hands, and she felt a breath leave her in joy. He wasn't expelled, his wand wouldn't be broken, and he stood, as Dumbledore slipped out the door, and she followed, once the headmaster was gone, and no one was looking, she dropped the charm, just as Potter slipped out the door, a bright lopsided grin on his face, and she pulled him into her arms, his body seeming to shrink in her arms, and she let him go, and gave a brilliant grin, and linked their arms, when the Minister walked out, followed by the plump witch from earlier.