Chapter 14: A Strike of (In)Justice

"Thanks," Harry said as Aberforth Dumbledore put a bottle of Butterbeer on the table in front of him. Fleur smiled hesitatingly as she took her own bottle from the bartender. After Aberforth had hexed Harry, she had hit him with a rather powerful Stunning Spell.

"So," said Abe as he sat down himself with a rather large glass of Firewhiskey. "Care to explain why I don't hear from you for months and then you just turn up out of the blue in my living room? With a Veela nonetheless."

"Part Veela," Fleur corrected automatically.

She quickly averted her eyes, unnerved by the look the eccentric stranger gave her. By the time Harry had finished his story however, Aberforth's mood had changed considerably. He seemed very interested in the fact the Room of Requirement had been able to provide a safe passageway out of the school, much more interested than Harry had been. For him, it was merely a convenient way for Fleur to get in and out of Hogwarts whenever she came to help them train.

"Alright," Aberforth said, filling up his glass once more. "And what exactly where you doing in the Room of Requirement at this time of night? And why was this charming young lady with you, when the latest I heard you were still in a relationship with the Weasley girl?"

"It's nothing like that!" Harry said quickly. "The others were with us. We were just…"

Aberforth raised his eyebrows at him, waiting for him to continue. "Just as well," he said when it was obvious Harry wouldn't tell him anything. "Maybe I don't want to know."

When Harry came back into the Room of Requirement a little while later, he was happy to see that Ginny found Aberforth's idea of him and Fleur having an affair hilarious rather than angering.

"It'll be very useful though, won't it?" Ron said as they left the Room. "We can get out of the school whenever we – "

He abruptly stopped speaking when they found themselves eye to eye with Professor McGonagall.

"Good evening," the headmistress said dryly, looking from one guilty face to the other. "Mr Potter, if you would please accompany me. The rest of you back to your dormitories immediately."

Without another word she turned around and marched towards the gargoyle that led to her office.

"Sit," McGonagall said curtly. She pointed at the chair where Harry had been seated so many times before, back when Albus Dumbledore had still been alive and this office still belonged to him. He glanced at the portrait right behind McGonagall's desk, but the image of Dumbledore seemed to be sound asleep.

"Professor, I can explain," Harry started, although he had no idea what he could say to justify the fact they were out of their dormitories after hours and why they were in the Room of Requirement.

McGonagall held up her hands to stop him from talking. "I have no interest in what you were doing in that Room," she said. "We'll just keep it at a detention for you and your six friends."

"Anyway, I wanted to talk to you for a different reason," the headmistress continued. "Two reasons, actually."

She raised from her chair and took the Pensieve Dumbledore had used so many times.

"Last summer, as you know, I had the task of finding a new Divination teacher as our last instructor regrettably passed away during the Battle of Hogwarts."

"As you also know, I chose to give the job to Cordelia Trelawney, the daughter of a former Hogwarts Professor. I trust you may have found that a rather unusual choice."

Harry nodded. Although Sybill Trelawney truly had the gift of Sight, she was never able to teach her students anything but speculating and guessing. As far as he knew, Professor McGonagall had never gotten along with her very well and she certainly didn't think Divination an important subject. In fact, he had been quite surprised she hadn't cancelled the class altogether.

"It turns out," McGonagall continued, "that Cordelia has inherited the gift from her mother. Meaning, she is also able to make true Prophecies, without remember a thing afterwards."

Harry certainly didn't like where this was going. The last time a Hogwarts headmaster had talked about a Prophecy to him, it had turned his entire life upside down. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear what Professor McGonagall wanted to tell him and when he saw how she was looking at him, he realized he was right. "She made a Prophecy about me, didn't she?"

"I am rather certain she did," McGonagall said.

Harry was overcome with an ominous feeling of déjà vu when the headmistress waved her wand and the figure of the new Divination teacher rose up from the Pensieve. When she spoke it was with the same, raw voice Harry had heard her mother use twice.

"Before the next summer, three powerful objects will finally be reunited. He who has preserved our entire world from a terrible disaster will be the one to carry them. Descending from the third one and mentored by the one who tamed the first one, he will be the only person able to carry them all. For he is the only person able to resist the temptation of immortality. The objects will come to him, without him looking for them, for he has not the intention to use them to increase his powers, but to serve and protect the people of this world. Three powerful objects will be reunited before the next summer."

A long silence followed, during which Harry and McGonagall were both staring intently at the place where the figure of Cordelia Trelawney had disappeared.

"'He who has preserved our entire world from a terrible disaster…'" Harry repeated. "That's…. That's supposed to be me?"

"I am fairly certain it is you," said McGonagall.

"Three powerful objects…" Harry said slowly. "What are they?"

"I am afraid I have no idea," McGonagall admitted. "I have been doing research for weeks. That's why I waited this long to tell you about the Prophecy. I wanted to know what it talks about before informing you of the contents. But I haven't been able to find out yet."

Harry didn't answer, as he were silently repeating the words of the Prophecy in his head. At least this time, it didn't seem to be that worse. It didn't talk about a dark wizard or having to kill or be killed. He had to admit that was a rather big improvement. He thought back to the memory Dumbledore had left him in his will. Could it have anything to do with it? It took him a few seconds to realize Professor McGonagall was talking again.

"Anyway, I thought it was time that you knew. I had hoped that maybe it would make more sense to you, but I can see you are just as dumbfounded as I am. The Prophecy doesn't ask for direct action to be taken, so I propose we just keep it at this for now."

"Alright," agreed Harry. The Prophecy literally stated that he would obtain the objects without actively looking for them.

"The second reason I asked you to come here," McGonagall said, "is a little more urgent matter."

Without explaining further, the headmistress sent out a Patronus. Almost immediately, the flames were flaring up in the fireplace and two people were stepping out, casually brushing the ashes of their robes. It was Kingsley Shacklebolt and Arthur Weasley. Both greeted Harry and Professor McGonagall enthusiastically.

"We're actually here to ask you for a favour, Harry," Kingsley said as they had sat down.

"Sure, what can I do?"

Kingsley looked at Mr Weasley, who nervously cleared his throat.

"As you know, we are still busy with the trials of known Death Eaters and Voldemort supporters."

Harry nodded. He had followed a couple of trials in the Daily Prophet. He had been rather satisfied to see that Antonin Dolohov and Augustus Rookwood, two of Voldemort's most trusted Death Eaters had been sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban. Then on the downside, Dolores Umbridge, the woman who had been acting as Minister for Magic during Voldemort's rule had been cleared of all charges on the pretence of being under the Imperius Curse. She even had been able to stay on as a Ministry employee.

"Now the policy of the Wizengamot is that every person who has been branded with the Dark Mark has to stand trial for Death Eater activity," continued Mr Weasley.

"That's good, isn't it?" said Harry.

"In theory, it's a good policy," agreed Mr Weasley. "But it puts us in a bit of a difficult situation for one of our trials next Wednesday."

"What trial?"

"The trial of Draco Malfoy."

Harry had almost forgotten that Draco Malfoy had been branded with the Dark Mark. After all, he had shown his loyalty to Dumbledore's Army and he had fought against the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts. He even duelled and killed his own father.

"He'll be cleared, right?" Harry said. "I mean… Everyone who was here during the battle knows he was on our side."

"That they do," said Kingsley. "But there's no proof that Draco never worked for Voldemort before he joined Dumbledore's Army. We know for a fact that he had been assigned to kill Dumbledore – "

"But he didn't," Harry interrupted.

"We know that," Mr Weasley said calmly, "but the Wizengamot doesn't."

"What about Snape then?" Harry asked. "He has the Dark Mark on his arm. Did he stand trial?"

"He did, as a matter of fact," said Kingsley. "During the summer. The Wizengamot decided that his actions as member of the Order of the Phoenix were enough to keep him out of Azkaban. The crimes he committed when he was a Death Eater remain on his record, however."

"Well, Draco never committed a crime as a Death Eater," Harry said.

"I'm afraid it is not going to be that easy, Harry," said Mr Weasley patiently. "The Wizengamot wants to make an example out of the Malfoy family. His mother faces Azkaban too."

"Every member of Dumbledore's Army can testify that he was on our side," Harry said stubbornly.

Mr Weasley smiled wearily. "Yes, but I am afraid the testimony of a group of school kids won't carry much weight for the Wizengamot. Unless…"

"Unless it's Harry Potter," Harry interrupted. "Right?"

"Indeed," said Kingsley. "At least we hope so."

Harry agreed to testify on Malfoy's behaviour the next Wednesday, but the hushed words Mr Weasley spoke to him before he said goodbye didn't give him much hope.

"Make sure you are prepared, Harry," Mr Weasley whispered so Kingsley and Professor McGonagall wouldn't hear him. "Some of the elderly members of the Wizengamot are determined to put all the remaining Malfoys behind bars and they are busy rallying votes. Me and Kingsley will both be there, but we only have one vote." He looked at Harry meaningfully. "I think it won't hurt to have a back-up plan in case it goes wrong."

With that he left Harry wondering what he could possibly mean.

(-) – (-) – (-) – (-) – (-)

The following Wednesday, Harry was having lunch with Ginny, Ron and Hermione when Professor McGonagall stopped at the Gryffindor table.

"Please come to my office right after lunch, Mr Potter. We will travel to the Ministry of Magic together."

"Are you coming to the trial?" Harry asked hopefully. He had to admit he would feel a lot more reassured if Professor McGonagall would be there.

"Of course I am," the headmistress said matter-of-factly. "This involves two students of mine. I have every right to be there."

Despite their best efforts to keep the news quiet, the whole school seemed to know Draco Malfoy was standing trial for Death Eater activity. What began as a small rumour went completely out of control when Malfoy didn't turn up for his classes.

"It'll be fine," Ginny said reassuringly when she saw the stress on Harry's face.

"Let's hope so," Harry said. He saw that Hermione was looking at him intently. He knew the expression all too well. She wanted to talk him out of something. "Drop it, Hermione. I'm not changing my mind about this. He doesn't belong in Azkaban."

"I know, but you neither!" said Hermione. "Are you sure – "

"Yes, I'm sure," Harry said curtly.

Hermione looked like she wanted to argue, but one look of Ron made her think the better of it.

"Stay calm," Professor McGonagall advised as she and Harry made their way towards the courtroom. "Just do your story. I know the new Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. She will try to convict Mr Malfoy at any rate. Don't let her get to you!"

"What if he does get convicted?" Harry asked. They had arrived at the door of Courtroom Ten.

Professor McGonagall faced Harry and put both hands on his shoulders. "He won't be. I have every faith in you."

"Trial against Draco Malfoy for supposed Death Eater activity. Interrogators: Kingsley Hippocrates Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic. Dolores Jane Umbridge, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and Arthur Septimus Weasley, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Harry was looking at the bench with open mouth. He had known that Umbridge had been cleared and she was still working at the Ministry, but he had no idea she managed to hold such an important position as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot.

As Kingsley and Mr Weasley had predicted, a lot of reporters had found their way to the trial. The name Malfoy was still very well known in the wizarding world. Harry wasn't surprised to see Rita Skeeter and her Quick-Quotes Quill.

After Draco had recounted his story to the Wizengamot, Umbridge asked Harry to come forward.

"You were the one who unmasked the defendant as a Death Eater, were you not, Mr Potter?"

"Well, I thought I did, but I didn't know the whole story back then. Later, it became clear Draco Malfoy never worked for Voldemort or his Death Eaters."

"The whole story, you say," said Umbridge. "A story wherefore there is absolutely no proof, except for the word of Mr Malfoy. And Albus Dumbledore, apparently, but he's not going to confirm it, is he?" She ejected an annoying, girlish giggle.

Harry stared at her incredulously. "You have my word," he said stubbornly. "I am one hundred percent certain – "

"But as you only learned the supposed truth after the death of Albus Dumbledore," Umbridge interrupted, "and more than a year after Mr Malfoy received the Dark Mark, there is no way your testimony is enough to clear the defendant of all charges."

"But – "

"Witches and Wizards of the Wizengamot," Umbridge said loudly, ignoring Harry's protests. "Draco Malfoy has fought against the Death Eaters during the war, but only twelve months after he was branded with the Dark Mark. Therefore, I think it is fair to presume that he had been working for the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters for a year before he joined the so called 'Dumbledore's Army."

A lot of muttering was coming from the press and the public, but the Wizengamot was as quiet as a mouse.

"Taking into account, Malfoy's actions against the Death Eaters, a reduction of sentence is in order. Therefore I propose a sentence of 15 years in Azkaban prison."

Even more mutterings were coming from the public, but Umbridge continued stubbornly. "Those in favour of conviction?"

Promptly, a little more than half the members raised their hands. Harry looked at Professor McGonagall, but the headmistress had her eyes closed and slowly shook her head. Draco Malfoy, on the other side, was staring at the Wizengamot without any expression on his face. Kingsley and Mr Weasley exchanged grim looks, but Umbridge was smiling broadly.

"Draco Malfoy, I hereby sentence you to 15 years in Azkaban prison for Death Eater activity, after which you can hopefully reclaim a place in the Wizarding world."

There were a lot of shouted protests from the public, Professor McGonagall marched towards Umbridge, but she shouted: "Dawlish, Williamson. Take him away!"

In the commotion that followed, nobody noticed someone slipping outside behind them.

(-) – (-) – (-) – (-) – (-)

"Hope you packed, Malfoy," Williamson said tauntingly. "You're going to be away for quite some time."

Dawlish scowled at him, but didn't say anything. To be honest, he quite understood how Williamson felt. Both his wife and his only daughter were killed during the war by Lucius Malfoy. Malfoy never faced trial for the murders as he was killed during the Battle of Hogwarts, but Williamson felt that wasn't punishment enough. He wanted to have him suffer the way he was suffering. Working off some of those feelings on Lucius' son made him feel a little better for a moment.

They rounded a corner and walked towards the three elevators at the end of the hallway. As they almost reached them, all three doors opened at the same time. Three hooded figures with black masks stepped out of each elevator.

"What – " Dawlish sputtered, but he had already been hit with a Stunning Spell. Williamson raised his wand, but before he could do more he was hit by an Incarcerous spell from behind from a tenth hooded figure.

"Only two," one of the hooded figures asked.

"Yeah," said the newcomer who cursed Williamson. "Alright, Apparate back. We'll take this one." He roughly grabbed Malfoy's arm. Ten pops later, the hallway was empty again.

(-) – (-) – (-) – (-) – (-)

"A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good. Each should have its own reward." – George R.R. Martin's A Clash of Kings (Game of Thrones)

A/N: Please let me know what you think! Every review is greatly appreciated.