Dragons at Hogwarts

Chapter 50

I didn't try to escape, try to change into a dragon and roast them all, or summon my armour, because what good would that have done? They would all be even more convinced that I was the out of control, violent killer Malfoys dad (The head of the prosecution, a charming fellow) made me out to be.

Much better to be seen as the poor girl all chained up, might earn a few sympathy votes. I considered crying a little but my pride wouldn't allow it, and both Malfoys would look too pleased. I listened to the proceedings from my cage, meek and silent. On the outside.

On the inside I was pretty bored.

Malfoy claimed that I suddenly attacked him out of nowhere in the middle of a lesson, and that I had injured him so badly he had had to miss lessons for three days.

Hermione and Hagrid claimed I had been heavily provoked by him, and that I had not injured him at all, nor meant to.

The council of wizards was dithering about, this way and that, and arguing over things like whether Malfoys school robes had been ripped (general consensus was they weren't) and where Malfoy was standing (next to the pumpkin patch). I mean, honestly. How long does it take to decide whether to behead me or not?

Hermione had a sheaf of papers I recognised as the ones I had dropped earlier when I was *ahem* restrained, but I had no idea where she got them from. Or how she had got out of her classes to act as a witness.

Once both Malfoy and Hermione had been questioned, the council debated for forever and a bit, then Hermione had something to say to them. She called out "While the court is making its decision, may I raise an as yet uncommented on point?"

The fat wizard at the front raised an eyebrow at her. "You may, Miss Granger."

"Thank you." Her voice had shaken a bit when she was giving her testimony, but now it was steady. " Should not Jane herself be questioned? She is capable of speaking for herself, and intended to before she was ... restrained." Her voice wobbled slightly on that last word, and I wanted to reassure her that I was fine now, had no idea what came over me, even though I was trussed up like a chicken and unable to move or breathe deeply or speak and oh god I can't move and-

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Calm again.

"It is an animal, Miss Granger. It cannot speak for itself, and, as seen in the incident we are discussing, it is ferocious. It is safer for all of us if it is restrained, though I was not expecting..."

Not expecting an it to look like I could be his daughter, all chained up?

"I was not expecting it to be so tightly bound. Mrs Unbridge will be chastised. On the matter of it speaking for itself, there is no precedent, and besides, it is not human and does not have the same intelligence was you or I, Miss Granger."

Says who? This guy is begging for a punch.

"But there is a precedent." Hermione ruffled through my notes, bringing out a single sheet of paper, and reading from it. "In 1888, a Mrs Harriet Fletcher, an Elder Dragon, was a key witness in bringing to justice the serial killer commonly known as Jack the Ripper. She gave her testimony as the person who caught the murderer into the act, and delivered him into Ministry custody. She spoke in court, unbound and free, despite the fact that in catching the murderer, she had inflicted talon wounds on his torso that were nearly fatal."

I remembered that story. Rather gruesome, but useful. I didn't look at the pictures of the victims.

"That was an entirely different matter-"

"How? She previously injured a wizard, and yet was able to speak freely in court, and give her testimony. Jane did not injure Mr Malfoy in any way, and yet is bound by chains and locked in a cage, unable to speak for herself."

The judge was silent for a long while.

"Very well. The beast can give testimony, if it can speak. Mrs Umbridge, remove your binding spell."

The spot of pink in the back row frowned like a toad (She looked a lot like a toad. Funny, because dragons eat toads. Yum.) and raised her wand.

The chains surrounding me slowly, reluctantly, unwound themselves from my limbs. I sat up and had a good stretch, spreading my wings from where they had been bound to my back and lifting my arms above my head. The chains had left bruises wrapped around my arms, and I sat with my legs folded beneath me in the centre of my cage. I wasn't sure if they would support me if I stood.

The council watched me like a hawk, eyes flitting over my every twitch.

They were scared.

I coughed, and rubbed my throat where the chain had dug into it, and I knew I had a bruise there as well.

"What do you want to know?" My voice was weak but there, and it hurt slightly to speak, but I did it anyway.