The Trial

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Harry Potter, Hogwarts alumni and Champion of the Light, looked out over the crowded hearing room as the Wizengamot filed into their seats. It was an odd combination of vulture and victim in the audience. He saw those whose prurient curiosity drove them to observe the trial of Lucius Malfoy, Voldemort's lieutenant and chief among the Death Eaters. He also saw those in the room with an honest reason to begrudge the aristocrat his life.

Primary among the latter was a sea of redheads. Most of the Weasleys ignored Harry, still carrying the grief and focused blame of Ron's death. He turned from them in return. He had no intention of displaying his life and emotions for the rapacious reporters.

A nod to Albus Dumbledore was returned with a wink before the room was called to order. The proceedings initiated, it was mere moments before the court addressed the impassive defendant and his icy lawyer.

"Lucius Malfoy, you have been brought here in front of the Council of Magical Law to answer charges relating to the activities of the Death Eaters."

Malfoy's lawyer stood, unmoved by the freely expressed hatred in the room. Madame Bones spoke for the Wizengamot.

"Councilor, is your client aware of the charges against him?"

"He is, Your Honor."

"Does he wish to enter a plea at this time?"

"Yes, Your Honor." There was the faintest pause before he spoke again. "Lucius Julian Malfoy, in response to all charges brought against him by the Ministry, enters a plea of Inculpatus Imperio."

There was a general outcry, a ruckus of protest and outrage from the observing public. It took the court several minutes to settle once more. During the disruption, Harry watched the defendant. He wondered if Malfoy expected the easy assumption of his former life as he'd done after Voldemort's first fall.

The difference this time was that the Dark Lord wasn't coming back… and the Ministry's memory of the man's crimes would not be erased with a sizable donation.

When order was once more restored to the room, Madame Bones spoke again, "In acknowledgment of that plea, your client will be remanded to Ministry custody for testing on the presence of the Imperious Curse."

If it was possible, Lucius Malfoy grew even more still. His eyes pierced the man standing beside him. The attorney recovered his composure before he gaped in open befuddlement.

"I was unaware that the Ministry had developed a reliable test, Your Honor."

Albus Dumbledore leaned forward, his right to speak acknowledged.

"Minister Fudge signed an emergency order requiring testing for all claims of action taken under such duress. This court received notification just before this hearing."

"Who will be conducting the testing, Your Honors?"

Madame Bones gestured and Harry stood. The lawyer blanched, automatically recognizing that any results from such a person could be nearly unimpeachable.

"Mr. Potter developed, in conjunction with the late Professor Snape, methods to detect and remove the influence of the Imperious Curse."

"Yeah and Malfoy knows why!"

The outburst led to an Auror leading the offender from the room. But Lucius Malfoy did know why, the charge was one of those he faced in this court. Severus Snape had been placed under the Imperious Curse and ordered to kill Harry Potter. It was the fact that Remus Lupin had cast the successful detection spell that implicated Lucius Malfoy in the use of the Unforgivable that prevented Harry Potter from testifying on that charge.

Lucius ground his teeth, his visage undisturbed by any sign of guilty or hesitancy. His lawyer had no recourse left.

"No further objection, Your Honors."

As the preliminary hearing was adjourned, Harry slipped from the room. He was confident that Malfoy would be transported to Hogwarts for the testing. As a boon to their Champion, Harry had been granted the right to reside in the only place he'd ever been happy for as long as he so desired.

Stepping into the hall before the redheads, he addressed the lone brunette sheltered in their midst, "Hermione."

She stared right through him and moved on, escorted by her husband Fred Weasley. George Weasley hung back as his family passed and then approached the younger wizard.

"Harry."

"George."

After a few moments' silence, the pair moved into an anteroom to avoid the ever-lurking reporters.

"I'm sorry about Hermione, Harry."

"It's not your place to apologize."

"The family is still pretty upset about Ron… and with Percy's trial coming up…"

Harry growled his frustration.

"And I'm not upset about Ron?! He was my best friend!"

George nodded.

"Fred and I know that. The others will see it, eventually."

"If that's so, then why does Fred ignore me?"

The redhead shrugged.

"He's keeping peace with his wife. I'm keeping peace with our partner."

Harry sighed.

"I don't see why she's so upset with me."

"You were two left from a trio. She turned to you for comfort, but you had already turned to Snape."

"Hermione and I were never involved. Severus offered me what I needed."

"You don't have to justify it to me, mate. I never understood but I accepted. How she ended up friends with the only Gryffindor poofs in her year…"

"I can't change who I am!"

"No one is asking you to change. Hermione is hurt and embarrassed because, to her mind, you threw her over for the git."

Harry sighed heavily, scrubbing his face with his hands.

"I miss Ron."

"We all do."

"They may hate me, but he was happy before he died."

George shrugged.

"Even I have a hard time believing that."

Harry's eyes were distant, looking back on recent history.

"Draco changed. When we broke the Imperious that had been on him, he was a different person. They were happy together."

"He got my brother killed."

"He died with his lover because Lucius Malfoy is an evil bastard."

Harry's chuckle was bitter.

"Your parents would probably hate me even more if I pointed that out. They reacted the same to their son's relationship as Malfoy did, just without the pretty green light."

"You're right. I wouldn't mention that."

"What am I supposed to do, George?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not even twenty yet. I've buried my best friend and my first lover. I've killed, even if it was for the greater good. I'm the fucking savior but when I leave here, I'll still be alone."

George Weasley shifted uncomfortably.

"There's nothing you can do but try and live. Test that Malfoy bastard so that justice is served for his crimes. Maybe then we can all start to heal."

That dark chuckle came again.

"There's the price to come in from the cold, is it? Malfoy's guilt?" He paused the faintest of moments. "I would have thought his guilt couldn't be doubted. He was arrested standing over their bodies while they were still warm."

"That's not what I mean, Harry. Just be careful with those tests. Don't give my family a reason to be even more mad."

Those green eyes pierced the redhead deeply.

"Are you asking me to lie about what I find?"

"Only if you find out that his plea is the truth. We need our closure, Harry. You owe us that."

"Owe you? Owe you!"

Harry stalked to the closed door, looking back with a furious expression.

"I have never owed this world anything but it still demanded everything from me. Maybe you all deserved Voldemort."

He slammed the door behind him. The crash echoed as the last remaining stragglers hurried out of his way.

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