Harry had been running through the house like a startled chicken since early this morning, driving everyone crazy.
Even mysticism was getting nervous, and he usually loved noise.
"Harry, sit down, please.Severus pleaded at some point.
But he didn't even think about it.
“I'm sorry, Dad, but I can't. I've never been to court. "
“And you are not today either, you are a witness. Have you already forgotten? ”The teacher wanted to know.
"Tell my nerves about that." Harry grumbled and continued his hike.
Severus and Sirius watched their son with concern.
"Please, little one, you are already caressing the bald spots on Hedwig's plumage." Walburga warned.
Harry looked apologetically at his snowy owl.
"Sorry, my beauty," he muttered.
The owl just responded with a gentle coo. She didn't mind. She wanted to be there for her confidante. Just like Beast and Oskar did. unfortunately none of them were allowed to go into the negotiation.
At some point Sirius grabbed his little one and put him between himself and his husband.
"What's bothering you?" He wanted to know gently.
Harry shrugged.
“Something I absolutely don't understand. I'm afraid to meet the guy. "
"Igor?" Speculated Severus.
“Yes, I know he's trapped and can't harm me. And, I've escaped from him before. besides, he didn't do that much to me. But still, I'm just a nervous wreck. I would love to crawl into bed and transform myself into my cat. Pah, and something like that grumbles Gryffindor. "
Sirius caressed his son's back soothingly.
“It's normal behavior, believe me. I was an Auror, and I often had to deal with kidnap victims. You react just like them. "
"Really?"
“Yes, sometimes we had to go back to the place where they were imprisoned. To reconstruct the sequence of events. Some victims vomited just looking at their prison. And not just those who had been physically harmed. since I am not afraid myself, of course, I cannot empathize with that, but it was definitely not nice to watch. "
Harry looked at his father for a long time.
"Now that you mention it. When the dementors attacked you there, you were totally exhausted. but weren't you afraid? "
Sirius shook his head.
“There are other uncomfortable feelings besides fear. Hopelessness, for example, or loneliness. That all came up again during the attack. "
severus had meanwhile sat closer to the two of them and now put his arms around his family.
"We'll manage it, I'll protect you," he promised.
Harry smiled trustingly, then looked at Sirius.
"Do you always feel absolutely safe when he says that?"
The Animagus smiled.
"And whether I do. Sev has already shown us many times that he takes care of his family. "
“I will continue to do that. don't worry about the trial. We are always with you."
Harry nodded.
"Where is the Stockholm Syndrome when you really need it?" He grumbled anyway.
Severus laughed out loud.
“I'm glad you didn't. we would have just missed that. "
"What is that?" Sirius wanted to know.
The teacher sighed.
“Little one, get ready, we're going in a moment. In the meantime, I'll explain a term from police work to our Auror. "
Harry giggled, that the magicians had never heard of the word before showed how little they dealt with the non-magical world.
He hugged his fathers and kissed everyone on the cheek.
"I'll be right back." with that he disappeared.
Sirius smiled after the boy.
"He doesn't do that often."
"Does that surprise you? He is fifteen. "
“Don't remind me, can't he stay a child any longer? About thirty years? "
walburga laughed out of her picture and Kreacher giggled too.
"You sound like your father when you were little children."
Sirius smiled sadly.
"It's just, I missed so much of his childhood."
severus kissed his husband gently.
“That's what you're here for him now. The only important thing is that we never let him down. He must always be able to rely on us. "
"Right, and now tell me what this Swedish disease is about?"
Severus laughed at the phrase, but of course he started to explain.
although Severus and Sirius had persuaded him well, Harry was a trembling bunch of teenagers when they got to the Ministry. He would have loved to take the hands of his companions, but that would have been too embarrassing for him. he wasn't five anymore, even if he was feeling that way.
He stayed close to his fathers and tried to dry his sweaty hands on his trousers.
“Don't, that gives marks and wrinkles. Here, I'll help you. Sirius cast a quick spell on his son who made his palms less sweaty.
“Thanks, that's not bearable, just look how I'm shaking. It wasn't that bad at the tournament. ”Even Harry's teeth chattered.
severus was quite sure that his child was cold too. He put a hand on his back, reassuringly.
"Quiet, don't forget, we're always there."
"Merlin, is there always so much going on here?" The teenager wanted to know.
Sirius grumbled.
“No, most of them are probably only here again because of you. At least they're going in the same direction. "
“Oh joy. I'm not giving autographs today, though. ”Harry growled.
"Certainly not, look, there aren't just idiots there.with that, Severus indicated the Greengrass family.
The Lovegoods were there with Neville, as was Percy.
Draco immediately approached his friend and gave him a quick hug.
"Hey, how are you?"
"Bad." Harry rattled.
"You can do it." Luna encouraged him and took his hand in hers. Daphne and Astoria also took the boy in their arms.
“My siblings are excused. But our parents refused to let them come here. Percy grumbled.
Severus growled.
“They don't let their children over to their boyfriend to support him? What excuse do you have again? "
Percy sighed.
"They don't want their children to be confronted with wrong ideas."
"Please?" It came from Harry, aghast.
"The thing with the magical beings, they think you're a bad company for them," the redhead explained.
Harry was already foxing again.
“But now the time has come. they won't let their children to me because I'm against murder? That should be put in the newspaper. "
"Are you sure you want this?" It came from behind.
When the group turned around, Rita Skeeter was standing in front of them. she wasn't alone, however. With her were Remus, Hagrid and Fleur.
"Hello Ms. Skeeter," the boy greeted her.
"Hello, my dear. Merlin, you are all white. Don't get upset about Arthur and Molly Weasley. they'll get their receipts soon. ”The journalist reassured him.
"What do you mean?" It came from Severus now.
Xenophilius Lovegood smiled.
“You will find out all of this in the next few days. there was already a press conference with the minister. "
"And you won't tell us what it was about?" Sirius wanted to know.
Skeeter and Xeno shook their heads, grinning.
now Harry was hugged by Hagrid, Fleur and Remus. Everyone wished him luck and encouraged him.
“Take it easy, puppy. Your teachers are all behind you. They are already in the courtroom, well almost all of them. "Remus said.
"Dumbledore doesn't count anyway," growled the Potions Master.
"Funny that you immediately came to the right conclusions," said Fleur.
"I knew he wouldn't come." Sirius hissed.
“We don't know why, though. for a few days he has not been available to anyone. Always on the go. ”Hagrid scratched his beard thoughtfully. He really didn't understand the old man anymore.
Harry turned his attention to Fleur.
"How is Gabrielle?"
the half vela laughed brightly.
"You will not believe it. She has developed a fondness for everything that creeps and flies. She constantly arrives with beetles, spiders or other reptiles. I really don't know where she got that from. at the words she glanced at the journalist.
She had the grace to blush a little.
"Sorry," she muttered.
“Oh, I think it's funny. Everyone always expects a Veela to play with bunnies or kittens. The main thing is that it is sweet and fluffy. This is something else. And Remus always has to conjure up small cages for her so that her friends have a nice time too. "
now everyone was looking at Remus.
He cleared his throat, embarrassed.
"She's a sweet kid," he said.
Daphne giggled.
"You're not telling us anything new, but we'd rather know how things are going with you and Fleur."
remus was freed from answering. Because now her case has been called.
"Well then, let's go." Severus said, leading his son towards the courtroom.
The room was high, large, and round. in the back sat the spectators, in front the council of sorcerers. But Harry had no look for any of that. He just stared at the defendant.
Igor Karkaroff wore the same clothes as Sirius back then. A black and white striped convict robe. he was also handcuffed to his chair with a device under his chin that made it impossible for him to speak.
"What is that?" The boy wanted to know from Sirius.
"It serves to ensure that the prisoner cannot cast any spells."
"The guy isn't that powerful." Severus muttered.
"No, but it's standard," he explained to ex-Auror.
Harry continued to look around the room. Or rather, he looked to the council. And then he discovered some familiar faces.
there sat the Minister, Mr. Greengrass, and Lucius Malfoy. And a few others that the boy had already seen at the tournament.
Harry frowned.
“Don't you have to sit there too?” He wanted to know from his father.
Sirius smiled.
"Usually yes, but I was called as a witness."
He didn't know why exactly, because all the wizards who were now on the council were present at the kidnapping. Presumably they wanted to prevent bias. where, as Lucius looked like, he shouldn't be sitting there either.
The little family's thoughts were interrupted when the minister rose.
It started right away without a long preface. this was a negotiation, there was no need to waste time greeting.
“Igor Karkaroff. You were charged because you kidnapped the young wizard, Harry Potter, and tried to abuse him for a ritual. then you fled and made further threats. Yesterday we managed to arrest you on the prison island of Azkaban. "
"Interesting, the first criminal to go to prison willingly." Sirius whispered.
the minister had heard the man anyway. There was a magic in the room that carried every word to the council.
Amazingly, he smiled.
"It's even more absurd, Mr. Karkaroff broke into jail."
the sentence caused some incredulous faces.
Then he turned back to the defendant."As it turned out, they took possession of some Dementors and chased them to France, where these creatures were supposed to attack the Black-Snape couple."
Now a murmur went through the room.
Harry even started to growl and his fathers had to hold him, otherwise he would have jumped in Igor's face. His white streak glowed brightly.
"That would clarify where those beasts came from." Grumbled Severus.
the minister restored calm.
“When questioned, you stated that you wanted to get the two men out of the way in order to get to Harry Potter. But that didn't work. firstly, the soul eater were chased away by Severus Snape-Black and secondly, they were caught. "
Igor just glared at the minister. Then his gaze went on to Harry who was also given an evil look. his parents didn't get off any better, but unlike Harry, the adults didn't care.
Then the Minister called Harry Potter to the stand.
"Good afternoon Mr. Potter. I hope the meeting with the Dementors didn't bother you too much? "
Harry smiled weakly.
“Good afternoon, Minister. It's not exactly a fun company, I can happily do without another meeting. "
"Understandable. would you please tell us how your kidnapping came about? "
Harry looked around the council again. His gaze fell on a small plump witch, all in pink. Next to her sat a man with a bowler hat on his head. something Harry thought was very rude, no hats were worn inside.
Neither of them looked at the boy with benevolence.
Harry quickly chose other people, but he got stuck with Lucius Malfoy.
suddenly it was very easy to tell what had happened. He reported that the madman wanted to revive Voldemort. While he was busy with the ritual, Harry used this distraction to flee. Of course, he didn't say how he succeeded.
"Does that mean that the-whose-name-may-not-be-named is among the living again?" The man in the bowler hat wanted to know.
Before Harry could say anything he heard a familiar voice from behind.
“Of course he's back, he's never been away. Igor only gave him a body again. "
Everyone in the room turned around, startled.
Albus Dumbledore stepped forward confidently. Harry suddenly felt the need to hit his forehead. He could have guessed that this man would pull off such a number. After all, he was obsessed with the idea that the war could go to the next round.
crouch snorted in exasperation.
"Mr. Dumbledore, you are disrupting the hearing. Please hold back. "
But the director didn't even think about it.
“I am a member of the council and have a right to be here. I've also spent the last few days doing research. "
The minister rubbed his forehead.
"So what did you get out of it?" He wanted to know.
The headmaster pushed Harry from his seat and sat himself.
the boy fled to his parents. Now he wasn't afraid anymore, he was just annoyed. Just like his fathers.
"So?" Crouch asked the man again.
"During his interrogation, Igor said that the resuscitation would not have worked, but that is not true."
"Why should he lie?" Asked the pink witch.
“Because he didn't know any better himself. the man has made himself lord of Voldemort. If you woke up knowing you had to do whatever someone else wanted you to do, would you show that you were alive? "
The babble of voices began again.
Igor wriggled wildly in his bonds, but no one paid him any attention.
"Is that true, is there a possibility?" Lucius asked Harry.
He crossed his arms angrily over his chest.
“Certainly not, the Lord is history, he won't come again. Even if what the director says is true. Then why should Mr. Karkaroff have tried to kill my parents? "
The blonde smiled at the boy. and immediately the anger was blown away from him, instead he blushed.
Lucius thought that reaction was cute. It was only at the wedding of his friends that he noticed how the boy felt for him. that had struck the blonde when he danced with Harry.
Severus had later made fun of him for taking so long to come to the right conclusions. But how could Lucius have suspected something like that? he had been in love with his wife until recently. He didn't pay any attention to others. Especially not because he was so much older than the boy himself.
What was exciting, however, was that Harry himself didn't seem to know what was going on with him.
But Lucius probably had better postponed these considerations to another day. Now he turned his attention back to the trial.
“That's an interesting point. Why should Karkaroff have killed the Lords Black-Snape? ”The Minister agreed.
Now an auror answered.
"Um, that was also put on record by the defendant. he wanted to harness the power of Harry Potter. But first he had to get his parents out of the way. Then the Dursleys would have come. Because he shouldn't go back to them. "
"Wouldn't it be anyway.Amelia Bones snorted.
“But don't you see the danger this country is in? Voldemort is out there again, stronger than ever. Now that he has the powers of Harry Potter, believe me. the director tried again.
"Why should we believe you?" It came from Mr. Greengrass.
“Because I have a lot more experience with this evil wizard than any of you. We are heading straight for a new war. tom will gather his people around him again and spread fear and horror. We have to prepare. "
"I've had enough of these horror tales." Snapped the minister.
The pink witch leaned over to the chairman. she whispered something and it looked like the man agreed.
“Thank you Ms. Umbridge, this is a very good idea.
Director, you're looking for a defense teacher again? Dolores Umbridge will take over these classes for the next year. She is the assistant to our Minister of Education, Cornelius Fudge, and she certainly has enough experience to teach. but only for a year, after which the curse should be broken.
As for the punishment of Igor Karkaroff, the man is sentenced to Kiss the Dementors. reason, child abduction, warmongering, bodily harm, breaking into prison and attempting to destroy two souls. Let's see how you like your own medicine. The negotiation is closed for today. "
Harry and his fathers stood up relieved. They didn't have to testify again. Still, the kiss was a very severe punishment. But they themselves had nothing to talk about .