Saving Myself || A Drarry Story

LVIII: Lily's Letter

Dear Harry,

I know that you aren't expecting a letter from me and I know you might not even read this, but I've told the Mistry where your father is hiding. They should have arrested him by the time this reaches you. Just know that, whatever happens, I love you and I'm proud of you, Harry. I'm proud of you and I love you, Harry. Please, when the Wizengamot orders you to come soon, I'll be with you. Every step of the way.

Love and wishes, Mum

Harry read the letter carefully, knowing that Draco was standing next to him, waiting for him to throw the letter down and call it stupid. He didn't.

"Is it really necessary for the Wizengamot to call me to order?" Harry asked Lupin after a few days.

"Yes, " he answered. "It's like procedure. They have to ask you a few questions, sentence him, and then you'll be allowed to leave. It won't be too much."

Draco held onto his hand tightly, telling him softly, "I'll go with you. We can do it together."

Harry looked up at Draco, his hand limp in Draco's. "Sure. Okay, "

Remus said, "It won't be a long trial."

Harry nodded, but turned to Draco, his emerald eyes with no gleam in them. "Can we just go? Go and not talk about this anymore?"

"Yeah, " Draco said quietly. "Yeah, we can go."

"Have a good day, you two, " Remus said to them as they left.

"Bye, Remus."

They two strolled to the library, Harry's right eye twitching from nerves and his hand that wasn't connected to Draco's was tapping on his thigh. Harry bit on the inside of his cheek, tasting blood and cringing. He hated the metallic taste of blood, only enjoying it when Draco was the cause, having have bitten his lip or tongue too hard.

When Draco turned to him, he didn't quite know what to say. Was Harry glad that his father would be put in Azkaban? Or would he be devastated, the last straw to drive him over the edge? But would it be alright? Would Harry be alright?

"Harry, " Draco started quietly as they made it through the doors of the library. "Are you sure it's---"

"Drop it, " Harry growled, not looking over at the blonde boy. "Just . . .don't."

Draco watched in vain as Harry sat down, his back turned to him. He sat down next to him, his hand gripping the dark-haired boy's leg. Harry didn't look at Draco.

Harry put his head in his hands, remembering all of the terrible, awful things that his father had done to him. He didn't want him to go to prison, but he didn't want him out and about, free as can be.

Harry could hear Draco speaking softly to him, but he wasn't really hearing him.

וווווווווווווו×

It was finally in the papers; James Potter had been arrested on charges of child abuse. Hogwarts students hissed and whispered about him, their mouths hidden behind his hands.

Harry got into multiple fights, his knuckles bruised for days after Ronald Weasley had laughed about him and his father. Harry even clawed a Ravenclaw, going as far as to bite him when he was slapped.

Remus had pulled him off every time, bringing him into his office and giving him a nice cup of tea before walking him to his classes. Harry only ate supper and no longer sat with Draco. He didn't drink liquor, but his body longed for it. He slept in his bed, his back was turned to Draco.

When he was called into the Ministry of Magic during Spring Break to discuss his father's case with the Wizengamot. He felt anxious, unnerved at the thought of James Potter, a famous Death Eater, with hands and ankles in shackles.

On the day of the trail, a warm Tuesday afternoon, Harry dressed smartly; his black pants we're neatly pressed with his white, button-down shirt tucked in. He wore a black, sleeveless vest over it and when he looked in the mirror in Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, he frowned.

Harry looked like a well-dressed toddler, and his boyishly young face didn't help the matter. Draco complimented him, saying, "You look nice."

"I look like a child, " Harry scoffed. "You, on the other hand, look . . .dashing." He didn't want to say handsome. And Draco did; he was dressed similarly to Harry, with black pants and a long-sleeve button-down shirt, though his pants weren't neatly pressed and his shirt was a bit more rumpled and not as tucked in as Harry's.

Draco kissed his forehead. "Thanks, love."

Harry's anxiety grew as they grew closer to the tenth level of the Ministry, closer to his mother and father. But Draco and Remus and Sirius were next to him, and they were looking forward, not at the Boy Who Was Falling Apart.

Draco twined his fingers with Harry's, pressing their palms together. The blonde boy looked down at Harry, his grey-blue eyes full of concern as he asked in a whisper, "Do you need to step out?"

Harry shook his head, saying, "No."

The group stepped through the large doors of the courtroom and Harry took a deep breath, trying to keep a straight face as every eye turned to him. It was a shock, to say the least. Every one of the professors he had had, including Dumbledore, we're sitting in the stands, their faces sombre. His mother was there and she rushed over to her son, embracing him, squeezing him tightly.

"Oh, Harry, dear . . ." she whispered against his hair as Harry's eyes smarter with tears and his hands remained limp at his side, Draco's warmth leaving him. "I'm so sorry. I never knew . . ."

"It's okay, Mum, " Harry whispered, his arms finding their way around her. She felt warm in the simple green dress she wore. She was pretty, only thirty-four years old, with her long, dark red hair in an up-do, her emerald eyes sure as she turned her head, looking at Draco.

"I'm sure you're nice and all, " she said to him, shaking his hand quickly but earnestly, "but we don't have time for niceties. We'll grab a bite to eat after this. You two as well, " she added to Remus and Sirius.

The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, said, his voice authoritative, "Harry James Potter, take your spot here." He indicated to a small, boxed off section near the middle of the room, facing towards his father and Severus Snape.

"I love you, " both Lily and Draco said to him before walking over and sitting with the rest of the assembly along with Sirius and Remus.

Harry swallowed, walking briskly to the section, his dress shoes making tip-tap, tip-tap, tip-tap noises. He sat, straightening his tie, wanting to move his hands a bit. There was a glass of water in the corner of the little podium that he ignored.

"Rise, " Fudge said to Harry, standing to his own feet. Harry did so. "Raise your wand hand." Harry raised his right hand. "Repeat after me: I, Harry James Potter . . ."

"I, Harry James Potter, " Harry repeated, his voice shaking slightly.

"Hereby swear on my life, and my magical abilities, as well as Merlin himself, to tell only the truth."

Harry recited the words, stumbling on them only twice.

"You may sit, " Fudge said, doing exactly what he said. Harry felt his arms cross, not registering the movement until his nails dug into his triceps.

His heart was pounding in his ears as his eyes found Draco's; a silent plea. And Draco made a motion with his hands. Calm down. Harry nodded.

"The Wizengamot commence the beginning of this court trial of the persons listed below: James Fleamont Potter and Severus Tobias Snape."

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