Harry and Amelia Potter

5.4

"Remember, during the hearing, speak only when you're spoken to. Keep calm. You've both done nothing wrong. As the Muggles say, truth will out. Yes?" We approach the door. "I'm not allowed in, I'm afraid. Good luck, Harry. Good luck, Mia."

Harry and I step foot in the courtroom. It's gigantic with at least 100 wizards sitting around us. In the middle there's the minister, Cornelius Fudge, to his side is Percy Weasley taking notes, and to his other side is Madame Bones. The head of the Magical Law Enforcement division.

There is a large chair sitting in the middle of the room and Harry and I are directed to sit in it. We walk slowly, and take our seat. Then gaze up at the minister.

"Disciplinary hearing of the 12th of August...into offenses committed by Harry James Potter... and Amelia Lily Potter... residents at Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Mag..."

"Witness for the defense. Albus Percival Wulfric... Brian Dumbledore." Dumbledore barges into the room.

"You got our message that the time and place of the hearing... had been changed, did you?" Fudge asks him. So that's why they changed it last minute, so Dumbledore wouldn't have been able to make it.

"I  must have missed it. But by a happy mistake, I arrived at the Ministry three hours early. The charges?"

"The charges against the accused are as follows: 'That they did knowingly...and in full awareness of
the illegality of their actions... produce a Patronus Charm... in the presence of a Muggle.'" Then he looks at us. "Do you deny producing said Patronus?"

"No, but..." Harry says.

"And you were aware that you were forbidden to use magic outside school...while under the age of 17?"

"Yes, we were, but..." Harry goes on.

"Witches and wizards of the Wizengamot..."

"We were only doing it because of the Dementors." I had tried to hold my tongue long enough.

"Dementors? In Little Whinging?" Madame Bones questions.

"That's quite clever. Muggles can't see Dementors, can they, girl? Highly convenient." Fudge growls

"She's not lying. There were two of them, and if we hadn't..." Harry tried to defend me but fudge cuts him off.

"Enough." He puts his hand up. "I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well-rehearsed story... but since you can produce no witnesses of the event..."

"Pardon me, minister, but as it happens, we can." Dumbledore says with a slight smirk. He gestures to the door and Mrs. Figg walks in. We move to sit on the side so that she may sit in the seat in the middle of the room.

"Please describe the attack." Madame Bones tells her. "What did they look like?"

"Well, one of them was very large and the others rather skinny."

"Not the children. The Dementors." Fudge rolls his eyes.

"Oh, right, right. Well, big. Cloaked. Then everything went cold...as though all the happiness had gone from the world."

"Now, look here. Dementors don't just wander into a Muggle suburb... and happen across a wizard. The odds are astronomical." Fudge tries to say.

"I don't think anyone would believe... the Dementors were there by coincidence, minister."

"Ahem." A sweet sounding, high patched voice clears her throat. I look up and see a woman wearing a massive amount of pink. "I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, professor. Dementors are, after all, under the control of the Ministry of Magic. And it's so silly of me, but it sounded for a moment as though... you were suggesting that the Ministry had ordered the attack on these children."

"That would be disturbing indeed, Madam Undersecretary... which is why I'm sure the Ministry will be mounting a full-scale inquiry... into why the two Dementors were so very far from Azkaban... and why they mounted an attack without authorization. Of course, there is someone...who might be behind the attack." Dumbledore pauses for a moment and moves closer to fudge. "Cornelius, I implore you to see reason. The evidence that the Dark Lord has returned is incontrovertible."

"He is not back." Fudge whispers in fury.

"In the matter of Harry and Amelia Potter... the law clearly states...that magic may be used before Muggles in life-threatening situations."

"Laws can be changed if necessary, Dumbledore."

"Clearly. Has it become practice to hold a full criminal trial...to deal with a simple matter of underage magic?" Dumbledore asks. This time Fudge stays quiet.

"Those in favor of conviction?" Madame Bones asks and a handful of wizards and witches raise their hands. "Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?"

Almost the entire room, including Madame Bones raise their hands. Fudge looks around and huffs out in anger.

"Cleared of all charges."