All Hail the Dark Lord, Or Something Idiotic Like That

Acting the part pt2

A/N: Not my story! Original available on ao3

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"Don't curse anyone," she distractedly responded, not really paying attention to him at all anymore.

*****

Harry made it down to breakfast wearing his nice robes and actually having remembered his glasses (spelled with clear glass lenses now). "Nervous?" Sirius asked him with a hearty pat on the back when he joined his godfather at the table already laden with breakfast items.

Harry shrugged. "Not really. They can't expel me for saving myself and my cousin from dementors that are supposed to be under the control of the ministry...or at least they can't and expect me to stay quiet about it."

Sirius laughed loudly at that remark while Arthur Weasley seemed to pause where he was putting eggs onto his plate to consider the feasibility of that happening. It was like no one ever considered that Harry would be able to or even want to speak up for himself. Honestly, from where Harry was sitting, it would probably be easier on him if he was just expelled and could carry on his plans in the shadows, but he'd lived through this trial once already and knew Dumbledore wouldn't let that happen.

"Maybe you shouldn't say that in front of the hearing committee," Molly Weasley sagely replied while placing the porridge she knew he liked right in front of him.

Harry couldn't help the large smile he gave her at that. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley."

"No problem, dear...now, you're going in with Arthur this morning. I'm glad you see you've tamed that hair a bit and have some nice robes," she gave him a motherly smile and pat on the hand. "I suppose we have that new boyfriend to thank for making you upgrade your wardrobe some," she added on with a knowing look. Everyone had seen his hand-me-down clothes from before, so it was a very safe assumption.

"Not really," Harry shrugged. "We went shopping together, but he just encouraged me to get whatever I liked and felt comfortable in. Mainly I was just desperately needing some things that fit." Percy had never cared what Harry wore, but he did make a point to remind Harry to take care of himself and get what he wanted instead of what he thought others wanted him to get. He tried to do the same with Percy, but the older man just smiled and tended to get whatever Harry said looked good on him.

"I think I like this new bloke," Sirius decided firmly. "You'll mention to him you have an escaped convict for a godfather though. It's only right I get to use that to put a bit of fear into him since I can't just go out and meet him myself to have the shovel talk. Merlin! I wish I could leave this house!"

Harry narrowed his gaze at the man. There had to be a way to teach his godfather the Unspeakable's glamour spell and it not be really weird that he knew it or clue him in that Harry was currently wearing it. Considering the spell hadn't been invented yet, it wouldn't be in a book somewhere...he resolved to give it some thought. Sirius needed to be able to leave the house, and while he did have plans to kill off Pettigrew, that might take a few months to figure out since he didn't want to clue Voldemort in that he was coming after him until all the horcruxes (barring Nagini) were destroyed.

Regardless, now he just had to focus on the trial and not punching Dumbledore when he saw him. "Good, yeah, I haven't been to the ministry before, so I'd love to get there early and maybe get a bit of a tour of where you work, Mr. Weasley," he said with a wide grin at the man. He always liked Arthur, especially when they were all struggling so much after the war, he'd really stepped up to hold the family together. Even when there just weren't that many Weasleys left, Arthur Weasley always held a Christmas and Boxing Day event for everyone to come to, even learning to make Molly's Christmas pudding when she wasn't there to make it herself.

"Wonderful!" Arthur smiled back at him. "Well...finish your porridge there and we'll head on out just as soon as possible."