Chapter 22 – Sharing Secrets

Friday came quicker than anyone had expected, especially for Harry who had awoken from a nightmare in the middle of the night, was just about to go into the bathroom to cut when Gareth caught him mid panic, and helped him calm down by holding him to his chest on the sofa and feeding calming magic into him. Both had fallen asleep and that is where Dani found them in the morning.

Harry jumped up from his position waking Gareth. "I am so sorry; I didn't mean to wake you up"

"Harry, it's okay. It's what we are here for," replied Gareth sleepily. "Come on lets got some breakfast down you before we have to go to the Ministry. All three ate in silence, well two of them ate, Harry didn't eat a mouthful, his stomach felt like a million bees were buzzing and stinging inside. Gareth made sure Harry took his nutrient potion before getting changed into formal robes and Harry into his school robes to go to the Ministry.

The three of them left the room of requirement just after the bell for first lesson commencing was rang so that they didn't bump into anyone important. At the gargoyle Gareth said the password and all three went up the stairs up to the headmaster's office. When the door opened there were two witches and two wizards sitting around Dumbledore's desk.

"Ah Harry my boy, good to see you again" said Dumbledore enthusiastically. "Take a seat and Amelia will tell you what will happen today." The three who had just entered the room sat with the others on the spare seats assigned to them.

"Mr Potter, commencing at 10.00 a trial will start prosecuting your Aunt, Uncle and cousin. A wizards oath will be undertaken so all personal in the room will be under oath to keep all that is said secret. You have provided evidence in a form of a memory and we will need to ask you a few questions about your time at the household. Your relatives will then be questioned and given a chance to defend themselves. Lunch will then be provided for you while the wizengamot make a decision. After lunch the decision will be read and the fallout undertaken. Then an analysis of Healer Richards situation will be analysed and if all is well, papers will be signed for Healer Richards and Healer Pearson to become your guardians. Does anyone have any questions?" No one said anything. "Also Mr Potter because Professor Dumbledore is in the Wizengamot a different representative of the school must be present. Your head of house, Professor McGonagall is stepping in." Harry nodded once again before all 6 people crowded around the fireplace.

Floo powder was thrown into the fireplace and Amelia Bones stepped in and said "Office 39 Ministry of Magic" she then started spinning fast and then disappeared. Severus was next, followed by McGonagall. Gareth stepped into the fireplace and took Harry with him, soon they were both spinning very fast, harry closed his eyes as to not get too dizzy soon they were slowing down and were able to step out safely. A warmth surrounded them as all the soot was being cleaned by a cleaning spell automatically at this end of the network.

The office they had just around them had many book shelves filled with files instead of books, the desk in the middle of the room had spare parchment, quills and many different documents and notes read for the days work. A window lightened the room as London could be seen out of it, the muggles beneath going about their day. Harry looked up and saw a candle chandelier and violet coloured paper planes that seemed to be waiting for someone to open them.

Once Dani and Dumbledore were through and cleaned they made their way to the atrium and into some seat in the front row. It was a circular marble room with three seats placed in the middle of the room with places where wrists and ankles could be strapped to the chair. Opposite them stood a stand and seats either side which looked like that was where the jury were going to sit. Gareth sat next to Harry with Severus the other side, Dani sat next to Gareth and McGonagall sat the other side of Snape. Harry was starting to get nervous now as wizards and witches filled the rows opposite them by the stand in the same robes, with a silver W on them. Then the minister of Magic came into the room and sat the other side of the stand followed by Amelia who sat next to him.

The doors were then closed and the security trolls that Harry had just noticed locked the doors with their own spell. Mrs Bones then stood and greeted the people in the same robes, one of which was Dumbledore before saying. "Good Morning Witches and Wizards, the Wizengamot meeting has now commenced. Before the trial of today commences a wizard, oath must be said to ensure privacy and security for this delicate matter"

Everyone stood up and in unison they echoed Amelia "I swear on my magic that from the moment the doors of this Atrium were closed all proceedings and measures will be confidential and shall continue to be so unless given specific permission, so mote it be" they then sat as a silver and gold spark surrounded the whole room before disappearing.

"We have met today to discuss and explore the claims that Harry James Potter was abused and neglected serverely by those in a position of responibility. The evidence will firstly be displayed, followed by a hearing with each of the offenders. Once all had been discussed, a decision must be made. The final decision always lies with the minister of Magic and will henceforth have overriding power." Amelia looked around her wizengamot before continuing. "Please observe, a memory from Harry James Potter himself. During this memory Mr Potter is merely seven years old" And as if Harrys memory was displaying on a giant television on the floor of the room it began.

A jet black haired little boy stumbled in through a conservatory carrying some tools, his shoes were muddy and he looked as if he was trying to minimise the mud in the house, he sat on a chair and carefully removed his muddy shoes with his muddy hands and burnt red arms. A loud bang from behind the young boy started him as he rushed to clean up the mud and start the food all at the same time. But it was too late a fat man that looked like a walrus with a bushy moustache came through to the kitchen took a glance at the mess and went towards the boy stomping, his arm outstretched.

"BOY! WHAT ON EARTH HAVE YOU DONE? MADE A MESS EH? AND ALL THAT HARD WORK YOUR AUNT DID RUINED AND SPOILT BY A FUCKING BRAT!" yelled the mad grabbing the raven haired boy by the scruff of the neck and threw him against the wall holding him by his neck, feet dangling. He let the boy go and continually hit and kicked the boy ripping his t-shirt, so it fell off and so that he could not get up while he undid his belt.

"Please Sir NO! NOT THAT, I promise I'll be good, promise" begged the little boy on his knees looking up at the big man. No sympathy was shown in the man's eyes, only a smile grew across his face as he lifted the belt above his head. "YOU" he cried as he put as much power behind the swing and whip of the belt onto the boys back cutting the boys already bruised skin, bruising almost instantly. "DESERVE" the second swing narrowly missed the boys head cutting and bruising him on the neck "THIS" the third near the bottom of his back "FREAK" and again hitting him, now with no words just whip after whip, until the small boy stopped crying and just sat there curled up.

The fat man got tired so he put the belt back on and threw the boy his ripped tshirt before leaveing the kitchen. The small boy almost instantly got up showing some horrendous injuries but didn't show any pain, he only cleaned the fresh blood up with a mop, put the remains of his tshirt back on and started with food, setting up only three plates. Once finished the small boy cleaned up and stacked three plates with food before being thrown in the cupboard under the stairs by the fat man and locked in.

The floor then went back to its original colour with the chairs ready for the next stage or the proceedings. Gareth looked to his side to see tears running down Harrys face, he was being awfully quiet with them and wished he had tapped him or buried his head in his shoulder but it was obvious Harry was trying to be grown up.

"You know its okay to be upset about all of this" Gareth whispered.

"I know, I just don't want the whole of my life to be considered weak by my Uncle and the whole of the world. I just want this over so I can forget about it. I don't have to go back there right?"

"No, your relatives are coming here, you will only need to see them today and that's it"

"Thanks" harry replied as Amelia Bones finally stood up in the quiet whimpering and a few tears from some of the officials.

"Evidence one is complete, now we will hear each in turn from person who was responsible for the care of Harry. Albus Dumbledore please step up to the stand. "Dumbledore made his way to the stand that had now appeared in the middle of the room and started to speak.

"Good morning everyone. There is some information I must announce about the circumstances of Harry's predicament. Twelve years ago when Voldemort was in power James and Lily Potter came to me for help, help to conceal their whereabouts to the dark lord. This needed a trusted individual for it to be able to work, the charm I placed on them was the filius charm where only the secret keeper could know the whereabouts of the individuals hidden. Unfortunately, that person let them down and so James and Lily Potter were killed. With the knowledge that the trusted person had let Harry's parents down I thought the best place to put him was with Lily Potters sister Petunia Dursley. Petunia Dursley cared for her son and though having a resilience against magic when Lily was admitted to the school, I assumed she would have matured enough to care for Harry like her own. Unfortunately I was wrong and because I was so confident in my assignment, I did not check on the boy. I enlisted the help of a squib Mrs Figg to keep an eye on the boy and to let me know if anything was wrong. Mrs Figg told me Harry was a lonely boy but never had any injuries on his body, nor did she ever hear Mr or Mrs Dursly verbally attacking him. When harry started Hogwarts he was malnourished and was picky with his food, I though this was a phase and did nothing about it. I only realised the seriousness of the situation recently. Harry my boy I sincerely apologise for what I have done"

Harry nodded, as Amelia Bones stood up to ask some questions. "Professor Dumbledore, If you had knowledge of who the secret keeper was, what happened to all of the others to look after Harry? It was specified in James and Lily's will that if anything Happened to them that they would have liked Remus Lupin or Sirius Black or Peter Pettigrew to look after Harry, unfortunately Sirius is in Azkaban but we do have Remus here"

"Remus Lupin is a werewolf and as we all know it would be inappropriate for him to have responsibility for the boy"

"What about Peter Pettigrew?"

"He couldn't be trusted, Peter Pettigrew was the secret keeper for the Potters" a groan came from one of the top stands. Harry turned around and saw a ill looking young man with a raged sandy suit on looking as if he had just lost a child.

"Remus would you like to say something?" The sandy haired man came to stand in the centre with Dumbledore.

"Albus, it doesn't make any sense, Sirius was supposed to be the secret keeper, what happened while I was with the pack, under your orders?"

"Sirius, begged me to change the secret keeper thinking that Peter would be the less obvious choice."

"And so shortly after Peter spat it all out to the dark lord and here we are today. Is Sirius even a criminal then? How don't we know he isn't innocent? What if you have the wrong man? I shall be filing in a document to see the memory of Sirius Blacks trial." Replied Remus hotly. Everyone was silent for a while before the Minister for Magic stood up to stand by Amelia and softly muttered.

"There was no trial"