The Enemy's Ball

29. Trials and Tribulations P2

Harry clenched his jaw shut and fought every single part of him that was telling him to argue with the stupid, incompetent minister and the stupid incompetent officials. They didn't even really deserve to be called that, officials, because what kind of dunderheads would allow a trial as ridiculous as this to occur? Of course, the rational part of Harry, that just so happened to speak in Hermione's voice, kept telling him that they were only doing their job, and that if this was a stranger's trial, he wouldn't feel so strongly about it, and he might actually appreciate their work. But Harry couldn't bring himself to look past the fact that this wasn't a stranger's trial, which made his worry and anger well-deserved.

He supposed that was another reason he wasn't in Ravenclaw. Rationality wasn't his strong point.

Harry saw Mcgonagall's hand grip Draco's shoulder and he sighed, didn't she realize that wouldn't help him? It was only bound to make him more nervous since she hadn't done that for any of the previous charges. But she was trying, and that was good. Besides, Harry, not everyone is a stalker, Harry's brain chimed in. He frowned. Knowing what made Draco uncomfortable wasn't stalker behavior, was it? His cheeks colored, maybe it was a bit. He resigned to apologize to Draco if- when, when he was cleared of his charges.

Mcgonagall began to speak, and the room was quiet again. "My client could not possibly have killed Ms. Tonks."

"How can you be so sure?" an auror asked.

Mcgonagall pursed her lips, "Mr. Malfoy has not left the grounds of Hogwarts other than to go to St. Mungos just yesterday. A time during which he stayed by Harry Potter's side under my instruction. And seeing as Ms. Tonks passed away before that time, there is no possible way for him to have commited the crime."

Minister Fell's eyes darted around the room, perhaps to appraise his colleague's expressions, before he spoke. "Mr. Malfoy was not present at the crime scene, no. But we still have reason to believe that the charge is correct," he stepped away from the podium and allowed the official from earlier, Mr. Sopex to take the stage.

"Mr. Malfoy created a potion. He developed this potion away from the Ministry's eyes, and he claims it is a healing potion of some sort. While we are aware of its healing properties, we are also aware of the fact that it was administered to Nymphadora Tonks approximately 24 hours before her death. This did not seem like a coincidence to the medi-witches nor to us at the ministry," Sopex stated.

Harry saw the blood leave Draco's face. He felt the first seed of doubt plant itself in his stomach. He knew Draco was scared, but the Slytherin looked almost as if he was going to pass out. It was hard to be completely assured when Draco looked so completely unassured. Harry kept up his mask of "Don't worry! We'll get out of this no matter what!" though, because he didn't want to imagine what would happen if Draco knew he had any sliver of doubt.

"I would like you to expand on what you mean by "did not seem like a coincidence,"" Mcgonagall said. Harry could have kissed her. Not really, just figuratively, uh, never-mind. Harry refocused himself on the trial, once again telling off his own brain for continuing to get distracted.

"I mean exactly that. We, the ministry, backed by the medi-wizards and witches of St. Mungos, are accusing Mr. Malfoy of poisoning Ms. Tonks with a potion disguised as a "Healing Elixir". The name itself is suspicious, why make it so obvious?"

Harry's mouth opened slightly, and his eyebrows crinkled in an unbelieving expression. Because, what? The name of the potion was suspicious??? He had half a mind to jump off the witness stand, take Draco, Hermione, and Ron, and run somewhere to have a better trial. With "officials" that weren't so obviously stupid.