Harry Potter & the Other Azkaban Story

Chapter One

Harry Potter sat there in that cold, dark and dingy cell for how long; he no longer had any idea. He had long ago since stopped counting the days as he almost never saw the sun and was never certain if his count was accurate or not. Then again with Dementors swarming through his thoughts night and day and day and night, he had no idea no if his lucid moments were consistent or not. No, Harry Potter had long ago lost the capacity for any thought about time as he sat there all alone in that cold, dark and dingy cell, slowly loosing what was left of his mind.

However, Harry suddenly stiffened as a wave of horrible memories overwhelmed him. A Dementor must be passing by, however, that thought escaped Harry as he began to remember the day of his trial that sent him to this dark and lonely corner of hell that was so awful that even the devil himself dared not venture into it.

Begin the wavy lines to indicate a flashback sequence

"Harry James Potter," rang out the delighted voice of Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, "You now stand before the court of the Ministry on charges of using unforgivable curses, particularly the killing curse."

"I'm not standing, I'm actually chained to a chair," replied Harry in a monotone.

Fudge ignored the comment and went on, "After reviewing the testimony of the eyewitnesses, it has been concluded that you have indeed used the curse in question and will be sent to Azkaban for remainder of your life for your crimes against our society."

"Cornelius, I must strongly object to this trial."

Minister Fudge looked away from Harry with a look of contempt on his face. "Dumbledore, what are you doing here? You were told that you were not allowed into this courtroom today, that your testimony was too biased for you to be a part of these proceedings."

"Yes," said the Headmaster with twinkling eyes, "I'm afraid that there are several unconscious Aurors lying outside the courtroom doors that may need some attention from a qualified nurse. However, I must once again state that I strongly object to this trial."

"Oh really," Fudge said with condescension in his voice, "Just why do you object to this legal and completely necessary trial?"

"Because the curse in question was used against Lord Voldemort, as you well know. Now Harry, as far as I know, has never denied using the curse, it was however, cast in the midst of battle in a life or death situation that ultimately saved the lives of hundreds of witches and wizards."

"Preposterous!" barked Fudge in anger. "You know as well as I do that was dark magic and dark magic is addictive. We could be looking at the next dark lord if I allow him to get away with using an unforgivable curse."

"The same unforgivable curse, I might add, that you yourself authorized the Aurors to use on Lord Voldemort or any known Death-Eater that they came across. Are any of them on trial for the use of that curse?" Dumbledore asked smoothly.

"They, unlike this … boy, are duly and trained professions in the employ of the Ministry of Magic."

"True, but Harry was accepted into the Auror Training Academy after he completed his N.E.W.T.'s and was already instructed in the use of many Auror techniques by qualified members of that same department, on your authorization."

Fudge fumed but blustered on, "Yes, authorization that you strong armed me into doing so he could learn to cast dark magic."

Dumbledore started to reply, but the Minister cut him.

"Everyone in favor of sending this boy to Azkaban, raise you hand."

The majority of the Wizangamout raised their hands to Fudge's glee.

Turning back to Harry, "Guards, take him away."

Harry was released from the chains on the chair as Dementors glided in and took him out of the courtroom.

Wavy lines again to indicate the end of the flashback sequence

Suddenly the memory ended as the Dementors left his cell. He looked up as he heard the faint cries of spells being cast in the distance. Another memory? Perhaps, but Harry found that he no longer cared enough to investigate. Instead he lay down on the grimy floor of the cell to try and sleep and wait until he was either fed or another Dementor came around to feed off of him.

However, Harry heard the sounds of footsteps and men talking to one another in raised voices.

"Professor Dumbledore, I find this highly irregular."

"As the Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamout, it is within my power to take any prisoner from Azkaban that may or may not have pertinent information to give in any trial. We need Harry Potter to testify at this trial."

"Yes, sir, I understand that, but he hasn't spoken a word since he was brought here and I do not know if he is lucid enough to testify."

Dumbledore stopped in his tracks and Harry heard him say in a clear and bold tone, "Are you implying that you know more about the workings of the trial process more than I do? Are you suggesting that I leave a vital and important witness to the actions taken by the accused?"

"No, no sir, I am simply saying, he may not be the same person that he was when you last saw him."

"I understand, but I am certain that things will turn out alright."

The two men then continued walking towards Harry's cell and Harry heard the cell door open, but didn't look up from the floor. He simply didn't care enough to do so.

"Harry?" Dumbledore asked and received no reply. Harry heard him try again, "Harry, I've come to take you out of here. There is a trial that I need you to testify at and your testimony is rather crucial to the outcome of it. Can you please stand?"

Harry ignored him, as he wasn't certain if this was real or a delusion brought on by madness. He had heard many of the other prisoners talking to people who weren't there before. Was he starting to succumb to that madness now as they had before? He did not know, so it was better to not respond at all.

However, it seemed that Dumbledore was at a loss for time. "Harry I'm very sorry to do this, but I simply need to get you out of here quickly. Stupify."

Harry Potter's world went dark, not that there was much light in it to begin with.

x-x-x-x-x

"Enervate"

Harry blearily woke to find himself once again in the same court room that he was in when they convicted him and sent him to Azkaban.

"Harry can you hear me?"

Harry raised his head and looked up to find Albus Dumbledore standing before him looking at him with a great deal of concern in his eyes, but did not answer.

"Harry I know that you are confused, but we need you to give testimony today at this trial."

Harry involuntarily shuddered at the word 'trail.' Everyone in the court room noticed.

"No, Harry," Dumbledore said a gently as he could. "You are not on trial today, Cornelius Fudge is and we want you to testify to his crimes against you."

Harry looked over and saw that the now former Minister of Magic was sitting in a chair and had chains wrapped around him binding him tightly to it. It appeared that he was screaming about something, but no sounds were coming from his mouth.

"We had to put a silencing charm on him, I'm sad to say," Dumbledore said as he looked over to Fudge. Turning back to Harry, he said, "Do you think you can answer some questions for us today?"

Again Harry did not respond.

Dumbledore looked at him sadly and said, "I was afraid of that. I'm very sorry for this Harry." With that he tipped Harry's head back and opened his mouth. Harry didn't resist him as he let three drops of Veritiserum hit his tongue.

Harry sat there numbly for a few moments and heard someone far off in a distance ask him his name.

"Harry James Potter," he replied in a monotone. The first words he had spoken since he had been convicted and sent to Azkaban.

Harry then heard some far away person ask him his age.

"I don't know."

That voice asked how old he was when he was sentenced to Azkaban.

"I was eighteen years old."

Harry barely registered as several far away people talked to each other. Then a far off voice asked him to describe his relations with Cornelius Fudge and his undersecretary, Dolores Jane Umbridge.

Harry felt his mouth open and he began to describe every encounter he had ever had with the two people and Fudge in particular.

x-x-x-x-x

Sometime later, Harry felt the fogginess leave him and he found that he was still sitting in the same chair in the courtroom, but the people were no longer speaking to him and he just sat there and watched the remainder of the trail.

"Cornelius Oswald Fudge," boomed the voice of Amelia Bones, "You are hereby sentenced to the next twenty years in Azkaban for your crimes against the Ministry."

Harry then watched as the former government head was dragged out of the court room by two Dementors, presumably on his way to Azkaban. Harry sat there and hoped that they didn't put him anywhere near his cell. He really didn't want to hear the foolish man wail and scream all night long.

"Mr. Potter?"

Harry ignored the person speaking and continued to watch Fudge being dragged away.

"Mr. Potter, can you hear me?"

Harry turned to look at the person speaking and found it to be the new Minister of Magic, Amelia Bones. He looked at her but didn't say anything.

"Did you hear what I said a moment ago Mr. Potter?" she asked kindly.

Harry blinked but said nothing.

Sighing, Minister Bones repeated herself again, "I said your conviction was overturned. You're free. You can go home now."

"Home?" asked Harry in a raspy voice.

To Be Continued … Please Read and Review

For those of you that are worried about my other Azkaban fiction, Harry Potter and the Azkaban Parody, I am still working on it, but I'm still trying to reconstruct my notes from my frazzled brain. So bear with me, while I get it going again, but this was in there also, so I thought I'd give you something to nibble on in the mean time and to get it out of my head.