True Friendship Marauder Style
by Healer Pomfrey

All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.

COMPLETELY AU! Partly OOC. Slightly dark!Harry. Not one of my nice, fluffy stories!
It is my story, and I intend to write it the way I want it. If you don't like it, go and find something else to read or write your own story to your liking!

"Expectro Patronum!" Harry Potter shouted at the Dementors, wondering why two Dementors would be roaming Little Whinging on that summer evening. He realised, relieved, that he succeeded in driving away the Dementors. However, when he turned to his cousin, he noticed in horror that Dudley was lying on the ground, unmoving and seemingly unconscious.

With a combination of hope and exasperation, Harry saw Mrs. Figg come over to them. He was relieved, because he had no idea what to do about Dudley, but at the same time frustrated, as she was only a muggle and not able to comprehend what had happened.

He almost thought his heart was going to stop, when the old lady uttered, "Dementors, they're horrible creatures. I think that they got Dudley. We must fetch Dumbledore."

Before Harry could wonder about why his old babysitter knew Dumbledore, an owl approached him and handed him a letter that stated that he was expelled from Hogwarts for the performance of under-age magic.

"You take Dudley home, I'll call Dumbledore and will then come over to speak with your relatives," Mrs. Figg instructed him and hurried away, leaving it to Harry to carry his unresponsive cousin home.

HP

Unfortunately, at the sight of his son, whose soul had been sucked out of his lifeless body, Vernon Dursley had no intention of waiting for any freak to explain. Instead, he called the muggle police and grabbed Harry's wand breaking it into pieces. Mrs. Figg arrived at the same time as the police, however, no one felt inclined to listen to an old and seemingly crazy lady, and the police officers took Harry into custody.

'Dumbledore, he'll come and rescue me and obliviate the muggles,' Harry trusted, as he sat on the floor in his cell.

HP

Unfortunately, by the time Albus Dumbledore reached the Dursleys' house two hours later, as he had been on an errand when the news reached him, Arabella Figg had already returned home, and Vernon Dursley informed the headmaster that Harry had killed Dudley, handing the pieces of the unwanted freak's wand to the old wizard.

Sad and horrified at the same time, Albus returned to Hogwarts and contacted the Aurors as well as his colleagues about the matter, wondering how Harry was capable of murder.

"Maybe it would be wise casting the Priori Incantatem spell at Potter's wand to confirm that he really killed his cousin," Snape advised him, however, Albus ignored his young colleague's opinion, knowing that Dudley Dursley was in fact dead.

HP

Harry looked up, startled, when he felt a pop right beside himself and saw the old wizard in the sparse light of his cell.

"Professor," he blurted out in relief.

However, the old wizard barely acknowledged his presence and merely said something about being disappointed, before he apparated both of them away. Soon, Harry found himself in front of another cell, and only the presence of Tonks, Shacklebolt and a hand full of other Aurors alerted him to the matter that it had to be a ministry holding cell.

"It's not my fault," he wanted to shout to let them know, but a small voice from the back of his mind told him, 'It was your fault. The Dementors were there because of you. They knew that you were responsible for Cedric's death, and now it's your fault that Dudley's dead, too.'

"You'll have a trial during the next few days," someone told him, before everyone left, making sure that his cell was properly locked.

HP

Harry was devastated. During the following days, Aurors came to bring something to eat for him several times a day, however, no one spoke to him, and none of his professors or friends came to see him.

'They know me,' Harry thought in desperation. 'They know that I wouldn't kill anyone, even if it was my fault that the Dementors were there.'

He was not even questioned about the event. 'They can question me under Veritaserum, and then they'll know that I'm innocent,' Harry thought, feeling completely left alone.

HP

One morning, two Aurors woke him up and instructed him to follow him. "You're going to have your trial in ten minutes," he told him, causing Harry to stare at the men in shock. However, they already grabbed both of his arms and held them in a firm grip to lead him towards the courtroom.

Five minutes later, Harry found himself sitting in the most uncomfortable chair that he had ever experienced, with his whole body restricted by heavy chains. 'As if I would run away,' he thought with a combination of confusion and annoyance, as he skimmed the room for any known, friendly faces.

'Sirius won't be able to come,' he realised, 'as he's still a fugitive. But I hope that Dumbledore will see reason and that Ron and Hermione will be allowed to come.'

HP

Before he could spot anyone he knew in the audience that was gathered on his right side, while what he assumed to be the Wizengamot was sitting on the left, a lady in pink robes stood from her seat next to Minister Fudge in front of the Wizengamot.

The minister whispered something into her ear, before he rose himself and addressed the audience. "Unfortunately, Madam Bones is ill today, and therefore, my under secretary Dolores Umbridge will lead this trial. Please begin, Dolores."

"Harry Potter," the woman in the pink robes addressed him, "you're accused with the murder of Cedric Diggory and your cousin Dudley Dursley. How do you plead?"

"Innocent in both cases," Harry replied in a firm voice.

The woman, who had to be the most annoying person that Harry had ever met, even including the Dursleys, let out a small chuckle of disbelief, before she told the audience that he, Harry Potter, had been alone on the street with Dudley Dursley, before he carried his dead cousin home. Only an old muggle lady was on the street and witnessed how Harry used his wand in a complete muggle area, while at the same time, information of under-age magic reached the Ministry of Magic leading to Harry's expulsion from Hogwarts. When Cedric Diggory died, apparently no one else had been with Harry and Cedric.

"Everyone who can comment on the matter is invited to do so, before the Wizengamot will decide on the verdict," Umbridge finished her explanation, seemingly contented with something.

From the corner of his eyes, Harry saw Mrs. Weasley, Ron and Hermione come forward. 'Thank Merlin, they'd never believe that I did such a thing and they know about Voldemort's return,' he thought in relief.

Mrs. Weasley pushed Ron forward.

"The first witness, Ronald Weasley," Umbridge announced.

Ron seemed uncertain, when he slowly began to speak. "Harry was always in the spotlight. He is the boy who lived, he was selected to participate in the Triwizard Tournament and so on. He always had the fame and the attention of everyone. During these holidays, Dumbledore forbade us to make any contact with him, so I suppose that he missed the attention which he usually received from everyone and thus murdered his cousin in a faint attempt to get back into the spotlight."

'What?' Harry thought, horrified, staring at what was supposed to be his best friend in shock.

"Hermione Granger," Umbridge called the next witness.

"It is like Ronald described already," Hermione spoke up in a firm voice. "At the beginning of our first Hogwarts year, Professor Dumbledore asked Ronald and me to friend Harry and remain friends with him during our time at Hogwarts, which is why we helped him through everything during our four Hogwarts years. However, since Professor Dumbledore prevented us from contacting Harry let alone see him during these holidays, we were unable to influence him in any way. I know that the Dursleys did not treat him well, but still…" She slowly trailed off.

'They were only my friends because Dumbledore told them?' Harry thought in disbelief and shock.

Next, Mrs. Weasley was called, and she told the Wizengamot that he had always been an attention seeking brat that got everything that he wanted like being allowed to become a member of the Quidditch house team as a first year.

'If they'll ever find out that I'm innocent, I'm done with the Weasleys,' Harry resolved, just when Dumbledore entered the courtroom with Remus and Mrs. Figg in tow.

"We did not know that the time of the trial has been changed until a few minutes ago," Dumbledore excused himself and introduced Remus and Mrs. Figg as witnesses, before he took his seat on the Wizengamot behind Minister Fudge.

"There were Dementors," Mrs. Figg explained. "Two Dementors, and Harry chased them away with a bright spell, when they attacked his cousin."

"You are a muggle?" Umbridge queried, disdain clear in her voice.

"I'm a Squib," Mrs. Figg corrected her.

Once again, Umbridge let out her most annoying chuckle of disbelief, before she enquired, "What did the Dementors look like? Did they say why they were there?"

"They were all black, and the air around us became very cold," Mrs. Figg slowly described the effects. "They did not say anything."

'If she does this chuckle again, I kill her,' Harry thought, knowing from Umbridge's reaction that Mrs. Figg's attempt to prove his innocence would not have any effect whatsoever.

"Remus Lupin," Umbridge called the last witness.

"I've known Harry as a very private person, however, like his mother was the kindest witch I ever met, Harry is an extremely kind wizard. He'd never willingly harm anyone," Remus said in a firm voice. "I am sure that he did not commit any of the murders he is accused of."

"Enough," Umbridge said in a sweet voice. "You're a werewolf, Mr. Lupin, aren't you?"

"Yes," Remus replied, before he returned to his seat, shaking his head in apparent annoyance.

HP

'At least Remus believes in me,' Harry thought, feeling slightly consoled over the betrayal of what he had thought of as his best friends. 'It won't help me though.'

He was not surprised at all, when the verdict was announced ten minutes later: A life time stay in Azkaban.

tbc...

Please don't kill me. Harry won't stay in Azkaban for long. A huge thanks to my Facebook friends for their enormous support for this story and thanks to Faye for the title!