Hindsight

Comeuppance

'Potter, Miss Granger, there are Aurors waiting for you in the Entrance Hall,' Professor McGonagall said to the two teens at the tail end of lunch the next day. 'I do not know their purpose in being here, but your presence is required in fifteen minutes.'

'Thank you, Professor,' replied Hermione, 'We'll be down as soon as possible.'

Harry and Hermione wolfed down the rest of their lunch before returning to the Room of Requirement to change into their formal robes. Sirius had sent a package containing two black dress robes earlier that morning, instructing them to wear it as it was the expected Wizengamot attire.

Once changed and freshened up, Harry and Hermione made their way to the Entrance Hall. Kingsley and Tonks were again present, along with a two other Aurors that Harry did not recognize.

'Wotcher, Harry, Hermione,' greeted Tonks jovially.

'Hello, Tonks, Auror Shacklebolt,' said Hermione with a smile.

Kingsley stuck out his hand and the teens shook it. 'Kingsley, Harry, Hermione. It seems like we will be seeing each other quite a lot.'

'Good to meet you, Kingsley,' Harry replied, 'I hope we will be.'

'Tonks and I will be staying here with you,' Kingsley explained in his slow, deep voice. 'Aurors Robards and Proudfoot will head to the Headmaster's study to inform him of your absence from school.'

The two Aurors that Harry did not recognize nodded their heads at Kingsley and marched off.

'Tonks, how's everything going at home?' Hermione asked once the other two Aurors were out of earshot.

'Not bad,' Tonks replied lightly. 'Mum and Dad're okay. Aunt Cissy's nice enough to everyone. She has her slip-ups when her old habits take over, but she makes up for it with fruit cakes.' Tonks smacked her lips in relish.

'Will Narcissa be there today?' Harry asked, curious.

Kingsley shook her head. 'Narcissa's divorce from Lucius is being kept quiet, so is her making reparations with the rest of her family. We don't want a target drawn on her back if that is revealed to Malfoy's former associates. Even I only know of this because Tonks reported this to me as a possible conflict of interest with this case.'

'Exactly. Nobody even knows that Aunt Cissy is staying with us except…well, us, Kingsley, Sirius, and you two,' added Tonks. 'We want to keep her whereabouts as "unknown" for as long as possible, so the likes of Crabbe, Goyle, or Nott don't give her or us any trouble.'

Harry and Hermione both nodded in understanding. They made small talk for several more minutes until Robards and Proudfoot returned. To Harry's alarm, Dumbledore was trailing right behind them.

'Good afternoon, Aurors Shacklebolt and Tonks,' Dumbledore said serenely. 'I take it that you, as well as Aurors Robards and Proudfoot, are here to escort Harry and Miss Granger to the trial?'

'Indeed, Headmaster Dumbledore,' answered Kingsley. 'And we must get going. They will need to arrive in twenty minutes at the latest. You would do well to do the same, Chief Warlock Dumbledore, for your presence will be required by then as well.'

'We will have time for a quick word,' Dumbledore continued, sounding supremely unconcerned. 'Auror Shacklebolt, I cannot allow Harry and Miss Granger to leave school if they are intent on ending the life of the man on trial today.'

'Headmaster Dumbledore, this is neither your responsibility nor your business,' replied Kingsley, sounding annoyed. 'We are here on Madam Bones's orders. We are to escort these two witnesses to the Ministry regardless of your views on the sentence Malfoy will be facing. May I remind you that as Chief Warlock, you do not have powers to dictate the proceedings of the Wizengamot, nor do you have the power to intervene in any activities of the DMLE.'