Saving Myself || A Drarry Story

LIX: The Court of the Wizengamot

Fudge banged his gavel, making Harry jump involuntarily. All of the eyes in the room were on him except for that of Fudge, whose eyes were on the stack of paper in his hands. Harry took a breath, clenching his hands together. He felt as if he were going to throw up and he wiped at his forehead with his sleeve.

"Harry, let's start with your previous professor, Severus Snape. Professor Snape, if you may."

Harry nodded.

"First of all, is there anything you would like to say anything at all on regards to Severus Snape?"

Harry shook his head.

"Do you, Severus Snape, deny the statement that you have used the Unforgivable Cruciatus Curse on Harry James Potter?"

"No, " Snape replied, his eyes shifting to the left slightly. "But it was his father's orders that kept me from denying the actions."

"That's bullshit, " Harry blurted. "He's a liar."

Fudge continued with a small nod, "And what else did Snape do, Harry?"

Harry was silent for a moment before saying, "He hit me. Called me names whenever I . . ." His emerald eyes filled with tears. The words stung his throat as he finished, "Whenever I did something my father doesn't like."

"And what is that exactly?"

Harry made a small whimpering sound but quickly covered his mouth. He shook his head forcefully and Fudge moved onto another question. And then another. And another. When Fudge said to James Potter, "Do you deny the charges against you being verbally, mentally, and physically abusive towards your son, Harry Potter?"

"Yes, " James said defiantly.

Fudge asked Harry kindly to roll up his left sleeve, showing the ugly scar and Fudge said, "This is the scar caused by the removal of the Dark Mark that you engraved into an innocent boy's arm."

James glared at Fudge. "He's addled. Who's to say that he didn't do this to himself? Give him a Mark and get a few sympathy points."

Harry shook his head. "I remember you coming in through the window and hitting me. Kicking me and calling me a . . ."

James gave him a malicious grin, asking, "What? Too much of a pussy to call yourself a faggot?"

There were disapproving tuts from the assembly gathered for Harry. Harry's mother was furious, her emerald eyes flashing. Draco jumped from his spot between Remus and Sirius, making a move to jump over the barrier and punch James Potter's lights out himself. The two men grabbed Draco, making him sit back down.

Harry was silent. He would bite his father's bait.

"I hear you're in a relationship, Harry." James laughed to himself.

Harry swallowed.

"I wanted to stop it before it started. And it's not as if you're unfamiliar with getting hit. You've gotten into fights before and it wasn't that different."

Harry felt his tongue go dry and he jumped down the glass of water, but it tasted funny. Then, a realization hit him hard in the gut, his breath unexpectedly short.

They had given him Veritaserum.

"Are you in a relationship with Draco Malfoy?" Fudge asked his small, sharp eyes on the now empty glass.

"No, " Harry said, a bit forced. "Yes."

"No and yes?"

"No, " Harry struggled, but he breathed out, "yes."

"What's he doing?" Lily whispered to Draco, who was equally confused. "What's the matter?"

Draco frowned and watched Harry struggle some more before gasping, "Veritaserum. They have him under Veritaserum."

"Stupid boy, " Sirius said. "He's resisting it. And he's going to harm himself."

"That's what he wants, " Draco said, not looking at his godfather but at Harry. "He wants to hurt himself."

Harry put his head in his hands, repeating, "It's nothing, it's nothing, it's nothing . . ." over and over again. He could feel his mind cracking in two. Maybe he was addled and he was an idiot to do this in the first place.

At the next chance I get, Harry told himself as his mouth moved along the same two words, I jump off that damn bridge.

"Stop!" Draco cried out, rushing over to Harry. The smaller boy opened his mouth to object, but Draco told Fudge, "A quick recess."

"Mister Malfoy, this isn't---"

Draco snapped, "A quick recess!"

He pulled Harry up and out of the chair, walking briskly out of the courtroom and into the hallway.

"Harry, stop it."

"Why? It's not like they weren't planning on me lying." Harry crossed his arms "It doesn't matter. Let's get this over with."

He went to open the door, but Draco grabbed his hand, asking quietly, "Why did you say no?"

"What?"

"You said no when Fudge asked if we were a couple. But we are, aren't we? I mean . . ."

Harry shifted and tried to fight off the Veritaserum affects as he told Draco, "I don't want to explain it. Not now."

Draco looked down at him, trying to work out what was going on in Harry's mind. What was going on with him? Just a few weeks ago, he had whispered how much he loved him while his nails did into the soft skin of his back and shoulders, Harry's own back arching.

"I love you, Harry, " Draco whispered.

Harry said nothing as the blonde boy went back into the courtroom of the Wizengamot and, soon, Harry went in as well.

The rest of the trail went smoothly, getting finished in less than an hour. The Minister asked lots of questions, to which Harry tried to answer with yes or no.

And, when it was over, Harry's mum treated them all to lunch, a fine day to do so despite the previous occurrence. Lily asked Draco about everything as well as thanking Remus and Sirius for allowing Harry to go over with them for the holidays. Draco and his mum seemed to get along grand, telling each other terrible jokes and laughing as if they were funny while Harry shovelled food into his mouth.

"Harry really talks my ear off, Mrs Potter. He's like a toy, really."

"Oh, shove it up your---"

"Harry!" Lily warned. Harry turned back to his food and listened as his mother said, "He talked about nonsense when he was younger."

"He still does that, " Draco laughed when Harry threatened him with a spoon.

"How is your son, Remus?" Lily asked. "How old is he now? Six or seven?"

"Almost seven, " Remus beamed. "And he's doing fine."

"Are you still with that dreadful woman? Merlin, she was wretched."

Remus shook his head. "I'm with Sirius, actually."

Lily smiled widely. "I always thought you two had it for each other. Ever since Hogwarts."

"Did you two know each other?" Draco asked as he sipped his drink.

The three adults nodded and Sirius explained, "We were in Gryffindor together. We were really close until . . ."

Lily finished, "James didn't like them much. I'm sorry."

"It's water under the bridge." Remus smiled widely while Harry took Draco's roll and buttered it heavily.

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