-͟͟͞☆ Chapter 7

𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴:
"Friends with snape?"
02:39 ━━━━●───── 04:12

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🛸✮☄

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”
—Michael Jordan

THIRD PERSON POV 

Harry awoke at half-past five the next morning as abruptly and completely as if somebody had yelled in his ear. For a few moments, he lay immobile as the prospect of the hearing filled every tiny particle of his brain, then, unable to bear it, he leapt out of bed and put on his glasses. 

"I still don't support this. What was he even supposed to do if not defend himself from those dementors? Let himself get kissed?" James scoffed, shaking his head.

Mrs. Weasley had laid out his freshly laundered pants and Shirt at the foot of his bed. Harry scrambled into them. The blank picture on the wall sniggered again. Ron was lying sprawled on his back with his mouth wide open, fast asleep. He did not stir as Harry crossed the room, stepped out onto the landing, and closed the door softly behind him. 

Trying not to think of the next time he would see Ron, when they might no longer be fellow students at Hogwarts, Harry walked quietly down the stairs into the kitchen. 

"Don't worry, they won't expel you, you're one of the main character for these books" Marlene said as Mary frowned at her, "One of?" She asked.

"Yea, Adalyn is the main too" She said with a shrug, "for these books of course, not their life, tho I think Harry is the main character for the whole Hogwarts. The Boy who Lived"

He had expected it to be empty, but it was not. When he reached the door he heard the soft rumble of voices on the other side and when he pushed it open he saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Sirius, Lupin, and Tonks sitting there almost as though they were waiting for him. 

All were fully dressed except Mrs. Weasley, who was wearing a quilted, purple dressing gown. She leapt to her feet the moment he entered ."Breakfast," she said as she pulled out her wand and hurried over to the fire. 

"M-m-morning, Harry," yawned Tonks. Her hair was blonde and curly this morning. "Sleep all right?" 

"Yeah," said Harry.

 "I've b-b-been up all night," she said, with another shuddering yawn. "Come and sit down" She drew out a chair, knocking over the one beside it in the process.

"Well that's like it" Ted muttered as Nymphadora plucked out his shirt's button and looked at if it was gold.

 "What do you want, Harry?" Mrs. Weasley called. "Porridge? Muffins? Kippers? Bacon and eggs? Toast?" 

"Just — just toast, thanks," said Harry. Lupin glanced at Harry, then said to Tonks, "What were you saying about Scrimgeour?" 

"Oh . . . yeah . . . well, we need to be a bit more careful, he's been asking Kingsley and me funny questions. . . ."

Harry felt vaguely grateful that he was not required to join in the conversation.

 His insides were squirming. Mrs. Weasley placed a couple of pieces of toast and marmalade in front of him; he tried to eat, but it was like chewing carpet. Mrs. Weasley sat down on his other side and started fussing with his shirt, tucking in the label and smoothing out creases across the shoulders. He wished she wouldn't. 

". . . and I'll have to tell Dumbledore I can't do night duty tomorrow, I'm just t-t-too tired," Tonks finished, yawning hugely again. "I'll cover for you," said Mr. Weasley. "I'm okay, I've got a report to finish anyway." 

Sirius looked as if he was bored of the conversation, and Harry noticed he was not wearing his usual clothes. He wore a sharply tailored charcoal black robe, the inside lined with dark crimson silk that flickered like fire when he moved. Beneath it, a deep emerald velvet waistcoat hugged his frame over a crisp black shirt, exuding an effortless sort of elegance. 

His boots—polished dragon-hide—, while a long, cloak-like coat billowed behind him, subtly embroidered with silver patterns that shimmered under the light. 

"Are you taking my son to his trial or a bloody pureblood gala?" James asked looking at the boy with raised brows. "You can't comprise with looks Prongs, you've got to give your best every time"

 Mr. Weasley turned from Tonks to Harry. "How are you feeling?"  Harry shrugged.

"It'll all be over soon," Mr. Weasley said bracingly. "In a few hours 'time you'll be cleared."

Harry said nothing.

"The hearing's on my floor, in Amelia Bones' office. She's Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and she's the one who'll be questioning you."

"Amelia Bones is okay, Harry," said Sirius earnestly. "I've worked with her, She's fair, she'll hear you out." Harry nodded, still unable to think of anything to say. "Don't lose your temper," said Mr. Weasley abruptly. "Be polite and stick to the facts." Harry nodded again.

 "The law's on your side," said Lupin quietly. "Even underage wizards are allowed to use magic in life-threatening situations." 

Something very cold trickled down the back of Harry's neck; for a moment he thought someone was putting a Disillusionment Charm on him again, then he realized that Mrs. Weasley was attacking his hair with a wet comb. She pressed hard on the top of his head. "Doesn't it ever lie flat?" she said desperately. Harry shook his head. 

"Nope, no matter how you try?" James said ruffling his own hairs, as it got even more messier.

"You look like a joker" Briony snickered as the boy just poked his tongue at her in a teasing gesture. "Talk for yourself, your hair is never straight" He pointed out.

"Yes James, because there's something known as wavy hair, if you must know," She said rolling her eyes.

Sirius checked his watch and looked up at Harry. "I think we'll go now," he said. "We're a bit early, but I think you'll be better off there than hanging around here."

 "Okay," said Harry automatically, dropping his toast and getting to his feet. "You'll be all right, Harry," said Tonks, patting him on the arm. "Good luck," said Lupin. "I'm sure it will be fine."  Harry smiled weakly as Mrs. Weasley hugged him. 

"We've all got our fingers crossed," she said. "Right," said Harry.

"Wait, is it time already?" Harry turned to look at Arilene and Adalyn standing at the door squinting their eyes at him due to the sudden bright light. 

"Yeah, it is" he whispered as Arilene quickly came to him and hugged him tightly. "Try not to get expelled will you? We'll all be waiting for you" She said coming out of the hug and smiling at him. "You hair looks ridiculous" She whispered staring at his not so flattened hair, "it looked way better when it was messier"

"Look, look at her, that's how a sister supports their brother, not like what you do" James said as the girl just smiled sarcastically at him.

"Yeah, thanks for making me feel better" He mumbled rolling his eyes. "Come kids, we have to move on" Lupin said as Arilene nodded stepping aside, and Harry moved outside the kitchen. "Best of Luck Potter, and remember each face who tries to go against you, I'll see them in future" Adalyn said cracking her knuckles as he chuckled at her. 

"Become the minister of magic" Remus said with a grin.

 "Well . . . see you later then." He followed Sirius upstairs and along the hall. He unbolted the door and they stepped out into the cold, gray dawn. "You don't normally walk to work, do you?" Harry asked him, as they set off briskly around the square.

"No, I usually Apparate," Sirius said "but obviously you can't, and I think it's best we arrive in a thoroughly non-magical fashion, makes a better impression, given what you're being disciplined for"

Sirius kept his hand inside the pocket of his robe as they walked. Harry knew it was clenched around his wand. The run-down streets were almost deserted, but when they arrived at the miserable little Underground station they found it already full of early morning commuters. 

They bought their tickets instead from a sleepy-looking guard and five minutes later they were boarding an Underground train that rattled them off toward the center of London. Sirius kept  checking and rechecking the Underground map above the windows.

"Four stops, Harry, three stops left now . . . two stops to go, Harry . . ." They got off at a station in the very heart of London, swept from the train in a tide of besuited men and women carrying briefcases. 

"Sirius, how do you know about muggle money and all this stuff" Harry asked as they went up the escalator  through the ticket barrier  and emerged onto a broad street lined with imposing-looking buildings, already full of traffic.

"Oh no don't even ask, it was a nightmare to explain him, merlin don't remind me those days" James groaned, his head falling in his hands. "You're being dramatic, I was not that bad, besides I get it now" Sirius said with a slight pout as he looked at his friends to back him up.

"Prongs is right, you sure were a nightmare" Peter murmured not making eye contact with him, still not sure if he was allowed to make jokes with them.

"Well you'll be surprised when I say that half of our holidays and vacations were spent in the muggle world. Random parks, and those big screen where you watch people acting and all" He asked turning to harry, "Cinema?" the bespectacled boy guessed as Sirius nodded. "Yeah those, we used to enjoy a lot, your father had a knick for those concerts... well I enjoyed them too" He said and Harry felt the same excitement in his god father's voice that he felt whenever he had to talk about quidditch. 

Wulburga scoffed, a sneer settling on her facial expressions. Of course he went and disgusted himself with those filths, but it's not like he ever had a sense of dignity and purity.

The farther they walked, the smaller and less imposing the buildings became, until finally they reached a street that contained several rather shabby-looking offices, a pub, and an overflowing dumpster. Harry frowned looking at the surroundings, this was not how the ministry looked when they came for Sirius's trial. 

"Here we are," said Sirius brightly, pointing at an old red telephone box, which was missing several panes of glass and stood before a heavily graffitied wall. "After you, Harry." He opened the telephone box door. Harry stepped inside, wondering what on earth this was about. 

Sirius folded himself in beside Harry and closed the door. It was a tight fit; Harry was jammed against the telephone apparatus, which was hanging crookedly from the wall as though a vandal had tried to rip it off. 

Sirius reached past Harry for the receiver. "Padfoot, I think this might be out of order too," Harry said. "No, no, I'm sure it's fine," He said , holding the receiver above his head and peering at the dial. "Let's see . . . six . . ." he dialed the number, "two . . . four . . . and another four . . . and another two . . ." 

As the dial whirred smoothly back into place, a cool female voice sounded inside the telephone box, "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

"Sirius Black, Assistant Head of Auror, here to escort Harry Potter, who has been asked to attend a disciplinary hearing."

"Thank you," said the cool female voice. "Visitor, please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes."  There was a click and a rattle, and Harry saw something slide out of the metal chute where returned coins usually appeared. He picked it up: It was a square silver badge with Harry Potter, Disciplinary Hearing on it. He pinned it to the front of his shirt as the female voice spoke again.

"Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."

The floor of the telephone box shuddered. They were sinking slowly into the ground. 

After about a minute, though it felt much longer to Harry, a chink of golden light illuminated his feet and, widening, rose up his body, until it hit him in the face and he had to blink to stop his eyes from watering. "The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant day," said the woman's voice.

The door of the telephone box sprang open and Sirius stepped out of it, followed by Harry, 

"This way," said Sirius. They joined the throng, wending their way between the Ministry workers, some of whom were carrying tottering piles of parchment, others battered briefcases, still others reading the Daily Prophet as they walked. 

"It's his first time visiting the ministry, isn't it?" Lily asked as James nodded, "First ministry visit with dear ol' padfoot" He said patting Sirius back who grinned widely at him.

"Over here, Harry," said Sirius, and they stepped out of the stream of Ministry employees heading for the golden gates, toward a desk on the left, over which hung a sign saying security. A badly shaven wizard in peacock-blue robes looked up as they approached and put down his Daily Prophet.

"I'm escorting a visitor," said Sirius, gesturing toward Harry. "Step over here," said the wizard in a bored voice. Harry walked closer to him and the wizard held up a long goldenrod, thin and flexible as a car aerial, and passed it up and down Harry's front and back. 

"Thank you, Eric," said Sirius firmly, and grasping Harry by the shoulder, he steered him away from the desk and back into the stream of wizards and witches walking through the golden gates.  Jostled slightly by the crowd, Harry followed Sirius through the gates into the smaller hall beyond, where at least twenty lifts stood behind wrought golden grilles. 

With a great jangling and clattering a lift descended in front of them; the golden grille slid back and Harry and Sirius moved inside it with the rest of the crowd. 

The grilles slid shut with a crash and the lift ascended slowly, chains rattling all the while, while the same cool female voice Harry had heard in the telephone box rang out again. 

"Level seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, incorporating the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters, Official Gobstones Club, and Ludicrous Patents Office." 

 The doors closed, the lift juddered upward again, and the woman's voice said, "Level six, Department of Magical Transport, incorporating the Floo Network Authority, Broom Regulatory Control, Portkey Office, and Apparation Test Center." Once again the lift doors opened and four or five witches and wizards got out; at the same time, several paper airplanes swooped.

It kept going on for several minutes. The lift stopping at each level, with witches and wizards going out and coming in. 

 "Level two, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper Use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters, and Wizengamot Administration Services."

"This is us, Harry," said Sirius and they followed the witch out of the lift into a corridor lined with doors. "My office is on the other side of the floor."

"Sirius" said Harry, as they passed a window through which sunlight was streaming, "aren't we underground?"

"Yes, we are," said Sirius, "Just round here." They turned a corner, walked through a pair of heavy oak doors, and emerged in a cluttered, open area divided into cubicles, which were buzzing with talk and laughter. 

The Aurors had covered their cubicle walls with everything from pictures of wanted wizards and photographs of their families, to posters of their favorite Quidditch teams and articles from the Daily Prophet.

"Sirius what is this place" Harry asked entering a small cubicle filled with various pictures, which on looking closely looked very familiar.  "Hmm, this is my cabin, old one actually, the one I got when I first joined the Auror training session sixteen years back, I saw it untouched so I shifted here, brings back the old memories" Sirius said staring at one of the picture causing Harry to stand beside him. 

"Is that you and Dad?" Harry asked touching the small moving polaroid softly. "Yeah, we were in our third year, first Hogsmeade trip" Sirius said with a small smile. 

"You have our photo in your cabin? Aww how cute, Padfoot," James said, pinching his cheeks causing him to scowl and swat his hand. "Don't do this prongs or else I'll burn that photo today"

Meanwhile Euphemia watched the two with a soft smile on her face. "Glad we had Jamie late, we got two sons together" She mumbled as Fleamont leaned kissing her cheeks, "four sons and two daughters mon cheri"

She smiled with teary eyes, looking at Peter who was resting his head on Remus head with his eyes closed, "he's also just a boy fem, we can't let him choose the wrong path" she mumbled .

"We won't, we'll make everything right before leaving mia, for our children and their children"

"And whose this?" Harry asked pointing at another picture. "'That's Briony, my wife" Sirius replied now looking at the picture harry pointed at. "She's beautiful" Harry whispered staring at her. "Well obviously" Sirius snickered shaking his head. 

"Aww look at you being romantic too" James cooed holding his chin now as the boy just groaned, "just shut up Prongs"

"She and my mum were best friends?" Harry asked turning to face Sirius who looked at him. "Well you know, they didn't used to like each other before, very bitter relationship" He said with a dramatic sigh as the young boy looked at him confused. "Why?" 

"Uhm Uhm" Briony coughed glancing at Lily who was staring at the floor while scratching her head.

"Well because your father, being your father, was constantly at your poor mother's tail constantly asking her out, pestering her and well sorry James, but irritating her too" Sirius sighed shaking his head, "and Lily didn't like James at all,  maybe because she was friends with snape and James and snape always used to fight-"

"MY MOTHER WAS FRIENDS WITH SNAPE?" Sirius had never seen Harry more shocked and perplexed in his life. "Uh well yeah, kind of until sixth year" He replied rubbing the back of his neck waiting for the boy's reaction. 

The playfulness vanished from Lily's face as she grimly stared at the slytherin boy who had his gaze fixed at the floor. He was a good friend, only if he knew how to sort out his priorities.

"Ohk um well continue I guess?" Harry said looking at the ground with his brows furrowed. 

"Yeah so well cz Lily didn't like James but Briony was good friends with James since childhood and she didn't like Lily always insulting James and Lily didn't like Briony cz she always defended James, but in our third year they eventually bonded over something like 'boys are shitty anyways' and well, they were inseparable since then" He chuckled looking at Harry who was looking at him with big eyes. 

"I remember that day" Briony giggled looking at Lily who joined her with a nod. "Yeah, I do too"

"Why would they think boys are shit?" Harry asked as Sirius laughed again, "Well even I don't have the answer to this question- ah, Harry, this is Perkins."

 A stooped, timid-looking old wizard with fluffy white hair had just entered the room, panting.

"Oh Black!" he said desperately, without looking at Harry. "Thank goodness, I didn't know what to do for the best, whether to wait here for you or not, I've just sent an owl to your home but you've obviously missed it — an urgent message came ten minutes ago —it's the Potter boy's hearing — they've changed the time and venue — it starts at eight o'clock now and it's down in old Courtroom Ten —"

"Down in old — but they told me — Merlin's beard —"Sirius looked at his watch, let out a yelp, and leapt from his chair. "Quick, Harry, we should have been there five minutes ago!" Perkins flattened himself against the filing cabinets as Sirius left the office at a run, Harry on his heels.

"Wait, why did they suddenly changed the timing for the trial?" James asked as looking dumbfound at the book.

"Maybe they don't want him to get free, or maybe this all was strategized from the start" Rabastan mumbled as he looked at Regulus who nodded solemnly.

"Why have they changed the time?" Harry said breathlessly as they hurtled past the Auror cubicles; people poked out their heads and stared as they streaked past. Harry felt as though he had left all his insides back at Sirius's desk.

"I've no idea, but thank Merlin we got here so early, if you'd missed it it would have been catastrophic!" Sirius skidded to a halt beside the lifts and jabbed impatiently at the down button. "Come ON!" The lift clattered into view and they hurried inside. 

Every time it stopped Sirius cursed furiously and pummeled the number nine button. "Those courtrooms haven't been used in years," said Sirius angrily. "I can't think why they're doing it down there — unless —but no . . ." 

"Department of Mysteries," said the cool female voice, and left it at that. "Quick, Harry," said Sirius as the lift doors rattled open, and they sped up a corridor that was quite different from those above. The walls were bare; there were no windows and no doors apart from a plain black one set at the very end of the corridor. Harry expected them to go through it, but instead Sirius seized him by the arm and dragged him to the left, where there was an opening leading to a flight of steps. "Down here, down here," Sirius said , taking two steps at a time. "The lift doesn't even come down this far . . . why they're doing it there . . ."

They reached the bottom of the steps and ran along yet another corridor, which bore a great resemblance to that which led to Snape's dungeon at Hogwarts, with rough stone walls and torches in brackets. The doors they passed here were heavy wooden ones with iron bolts and keyholes. "Courtroom . . . ten . . . I think . . . we're nearly . . . yes."

Sirius stumbled to a halt outside a grimy dark door with an immense iron lock and looked at him. 

"Go on," he said, pointing his thumb at the door. "Get in there."

"Wait, won't you go with him?" Remus asked turning to Sirius who shrugged, "How am I supposed to answer that"

"Aren't — aren't you coming with — ?"

"No, no, I'm not allowed. Good luck!" Harry's heart was beating a violent tattoo against his Adam's apple. He swallowed hard, turned the heavy iron door handle, and stepped inside the courtroom. 

"Well the chapter's over"

"I'll read next" Narcissa said levitating the book to herself.

Sneak peek into next chapter

Adalyn slumped in her seat and stared at Arilene with a helpless face. "You sure are alright Adalyn?" Harry asked softly causing the girl to jump back sitting up straight. 

Adalyn cleared her throat, forcing a smile that felt way too tight on her face. "Yep. Totally fine. Just... brain glitch. You know how it is."

Harry didn't look convinced. His brows drew together slightly as he tilted his head, still watching her. "You sure?"

"Absolutely," she replied quickly, before her mouth could betray her again. "Never been better. In fact, I feel so great I might go run a few laps around the house" That earned her a few chuckles, including a short one from Harry, though his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer.

"Alright," he said and with that, he turned back to his plate, resuming his conversation with Ron and Hermione—though Adalyn could've sworn he glanced at her once more before looking away.

She turned to Arilene and gave her a silent thank you, which Arilene returned with a wink. Sagira leaned in and whispered, "Honestly, what were you thinking about that made you look like you were trying to telepathically burn a hole through him?"

Adalyn hissed, "Nothing! I was just... thinking about food." 

Sagira smirked. "Sure. Food with messy black hair, emerald eyes, and a Quidditch-toned jawline."