All Hail the Dark Lord, Or Something Idiotic Like That

Acting the part pt4

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

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"Just this way..." Percy cleared his throat and motioned them down the black, marble hallway to courtroom ten.

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Just as it had happened before, Arthur Weasley was not allowed in the courtroom with him, and Harry was facing the entire Wizengamut for something that should have just been a committee meeting instead of a full trial. He stood there though for a moment in confusion...something was different. "Mr. Potter...right on time," Minister Fudge grumbled, really hoping Harry would have missed the trial entirely.

"I'm glad you received the change of location and time promptly," Amelia Bones remarked in an offhand way that Harry interpreted as her belief that he had actually been notified. "I am Madam Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Harry nodded absently, still trying to figure out what was different this time. It was itching right at the back of his brain. "We are just waiting on Undersecretary Umbridge to begin," Fudge remarked with an impatient glare towards the door.

That was it! The pink toad wasn't there! Harry's eyes immediately cut to his nervous partner who suddenly didn't look nervous at all. He was calm, poised, and so confident he was almost bored. Yep, that was definitely Percy trying to get away with something. He was terrible at controlling his feelings and expressions until he absolutely had to, then he was brilliantly perfect. It surprised and amazed Harry every time he'd seen his partner do it.

"I don't believe Undersecretary Umbridge showed up for work this morning," Percy dryly remarked in a nonchalant tone that Harry never could have perfected unless his life did actually depend on it. "She must not be feeling well."

Harry was extremely proud of himself that he showed no emotion at that statement at all. Frankly, he was very thankful for his years of Occlumency study to shut down the smirk and maniacal giggle that wanted to erupt from him. He was certain there was something they could cross off their to-do list now...Merlin, his partner had been busy without him!

Fudge looked confused and worried over the information, but Madam Bones just gave a business-like nod and shuffled her papers. "Well, let's get this going then," she addressed the room. "We all have other places we are meant to be."

The rest of Harry's trial happened exactly as he remembered it from the first time, except for the little "hem hem" interruptions from Umbridge that were thankfully missing. This time Harry didn't even try to make eye contact with Dumbledore. While, yes, he was angry at the man for basically raising him to die at the right time, he did still have a deep-seated need for the man to approve of him, which definitely made him angrier than even telling him he had to die had. He wasn't sure if he was angrier at himself or Dumbledore for those feelings though.

Regardless, Dumbledore didn't try to look at him or address him and Harry thought that was perfectly fine with him, definitely preferable. Yes, he was a master Occlumens who didn't have a horcrux in his brain anymore, but he still didn't want to meet those twinkling eyes that seemed to bore right through you. When Dumbledore rushed out at the end of the trial, Harry spared one more look up to Percy who gave him a little smile before he left to meet up with Arthur Weasley once more and go home.