To Live Again

To Live Again

The Trial of Draco Malfoy

Seventh Year at Hogwarts

Harry woke early on November 10 - so early in fact, that the sun had not even thought about rising yet. He rolled over and consulted his watch, which was lying on the nightstand. Seeing that it was only five in the morning, he groaned at his body's terrible timing and proceeded to roll over and attempt to fall back asleep. After an hour though, it was clear that it wouldn't be possible for him to drop off. Groaning in frustration, he got up out of bed and stumbled into his private bathroom. With a start, he realized that today was the day of Malfoy's trial. He dragged himself into the shower and vigorously scrubbed his hair and body. Wrapping himself in a towel, he returned to his bedroom and was shocked to find three large parcels on his bed. Upon further investigation, he observed that one was from Mrs. Weasley, one from Sirius, and one from an unknown sender. He tore open Mrs. Weasley's package and a note fluttered to the floor. He picked it up and read:

Harry,

I wanted the four of you (You, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione) to look smashing at the Ministry today so Arthur and I have supplied you with new dress robes that will be appropriate for the trial. Good Luck! Oh, and I am sorry about Ron. I'm sure that the 'mail' I sent him at breakfast should knock some sense into his overly thick head.

Love,

Molly

Harry stared in shock for a very long time at the note. How could the Weasley's have afforded this? He pulled out the dark green robes from the package. Harry could tell, just by the feel of the material, light and silky, that these robes had to have cost a fortune. He laid them out on his bed and picked up the next package from Sirius. Again, there was a note. He read:

Harry,

Molly has told us what she wants to get for all of you. Don't worry. We're helping them out. I have decided to add to the outfits. So, here is a pair of brand-new dragon-hide boots to go with your new robes. We've also acquired appropriate footwear for Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. I heard about Ron, and I thought of taking his boots back, but Albus assured us that he punished him enough. (Although, he might not like them after he finds out what curses Lupin and I attached. Don't worry, it isn't permanent and will not affect him during the trial. Best of luck to all of you; after all, Draco's daddy won't be there to protect him.

Sirius

Harry groaned at the thought of what Sirius had done to Ron's boots, and then suppressed a chuckle at the howler that he was due to receive at breakfast. Harry didn't want to miss it, so he picked up the last package and tore it open. A silver and black hooded cloak fell out. The message on this one was obviously in Dumbledore's writing. It merely said, "For the cold, and to protect." To protect? He guessed that this was no ordinary cloak; it probably had numerous charms and spells on it. Hopefully it came with a heating charm. He quickly dressed in his new robes and boots, grabbed his cloak and headed down to the common room.

When he arrived, he found Ginny getting ready to go down to breakfast. She had received dark blue robes and boots like Harry's, but much more feminine. He wondered what colors Ron and Hermione got. As it turns out, he didn't have to wait too long to find out about Ron, because Ginny was waiting for him at the foot of the stairs

"You got new robes too! Ron's are red. I don't know what color Hermione's are. I guess we'll have to find out," Ginny exclaimed.

"Yeah. I suppose that we should get down to breakfast fast, I hear Ron is getting a bit of a surprise," he replied.

"Mum's sent a howler, I already know," she explained.

"Shall we?" he asked, holding out his arm for her.

"We shall," she replied, grabbing his arm and linking hers with his. They headed out of the portrait hole.

They arrived at breakfast, causing a scene since Ginny and Harry were arm-locked. Ron jumped up, looking livid, before a withering look from Ginny sent him back into his seat.

"Attention students," Professor McGonagall's voice echoed throughout the Great Hall. "Those of you going to the Ministry today will need to meet in the Entrance Hall at 8:30. That is exactly forty-five minutes from now."

"Wonderful," remarked Harry. "Now everyone knows what is going on today. It would be nice if the teachers would hold some sense of privacy. I think..." The arrival of the post interrupted him. He spotted the Weasley's new owl, Spickes, holding a red envelope in its beak. He grinned at Ginny, who was trying her hardest not to burst into uncontrollable laughter. Ron looked mortified as the envelope landed in front of him. He was torn between running for dear life and opening the letter in the Hall when it exploded.

"Ronald Xavier Weasley! You had better hope with all your being that I do not catch hold of you in the next few days! Your best friend is lying in the hospital wing and you have a row with Harry! I am ashamed of you! I cannot believe that you would be that shallow! You have brought shame on your family. By the way, Harry, I hope you like your robes." The last burning embers of the envelope landed harmlessly on the table. Ron looked as if he was going to be sick; his face flushed red and he looked green all at the same time. He shoved himself away from the table and ran from the hall. After a few minutes, the stunned silence that had overtaken the hall dissipated as everyone resumed talking again.

"Well," Harry stated, "it could have been worse."

"Oh, I bet Ron doesn't think so," Ginny replied. They slipped into an uneasy silence as they finished eating.

At precisely 8:25, Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall stood up at the high table. They swept out of the room. Harry and Ginny took this as their cue to be in the Entrance Hall. They pushed themselves away from the table and left the room.

The teachers that were accompanying them were waiting in the Entrance Hall. Harry looked around at McGonagall, Dumbledore, Madam Pomfrey, and, to his disgust, Snape.

"Are we all ready then?" the Headmaster asked.

Harry looked around and noticed that Hermione was missing. "Professor, where is Hermione?" he asked.

"She will be joining us later," the Headmaster casually replied. "Those are exquisite cloaks you are all wearing. The red and gold really suits you, Miss Weasley," he continued. Harry could have sworn that Dumbledore winked at him as he said this.

"Shall we leave now?" Professor Snape interrupted.

"Yes. There are carriages waiting outside for us," Professor McGonagall replied.

They exited the castle and started on their way. After a short carriage ride, they arrived at the train station. When they boarded the train, Professor McGonagall got into an empty compartment by herself and rather rudely shut the door in their faces. "Ah," the Headmaster observed, "it seems that Professor McGonagall wishes to be left alone." Harry was confused by this, since she was supposed to be escorting the rest of them. The Headmaster opened another compartment and slipped inside.

Suddenly, Professor McGonagall opened the compartment up again and barked out, "Why are you all standing there? Find somewhere to sit!" While she was saying this, Harry felt something brush against him into the Professor's compartment. He jumped, and then realized that it was probably Hermione under an invisibility cloak.

"Sorry, Professor," he replied, "we'll be going now." He gave her a knowing grin and joined the Headmaster in the next compartment.

The train ride was boring and uneventful, and they arrived at the Ministry with little time to spare. Dumbledore hurried them to courtroom ten; the same one Harry had been in for his Underage Magic Hearing. To his disgust, Fudge was presiding over the trial again. At precisely ten o'clock, the Wizengamot filed in.

Harry, Ginny, and Ron took seats on the right side of Minister Fudge. The door, which Harry had seen the Lestranges and Crouch Jr. enter from, burst open again. Harry was shocked to see Professor McGonagall standing there with her hand on Hermione's shoulder. Her robes were gold with dark blue trim. He had thought that McGonagall was right behind them. They took seats at the table on the right side of the room. For the second time, the door banged open. This time, Draco Malfoy and his mother, Narcissa, walked in. She took a seat at the other table on the left side of the room, and Draco sat in the chair in the middle. The chair did not bind him though, as Harry had seen it do to the others. Suddenly, the Minister stood up.

"Are you ready?" he called. Murmurs of assent came from most of the Wizengamot. "Very well then," he continued, "we shall begin. This trial, on the tenth of November, will now commence. We will be examining offenses committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restraint of Personal Action and the Rights of Wizards to be Personally Secure by Draco Lucius Malfoy of Malfoy Manor. The Wizengamot notes that the location of Malfoy Manor shall remain unknown at this time." There was a brief flurry of quill movement around the room. Fudge continued, "Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Percy Ignatius Weasley, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Manuel Maxus Bronds." Fudge had promoted Percy after Umbridge had "retired" at the end of Harry's fifth year. The new scribe was a Spanish native that went to the boys only Napoleonic School of Wizardry.

"Witness for the defense: Narcissa Julia Malfoy," Draco's mother stated, in a cold, unwavering voice.

"Witnesses for the prosecution: Hermione Marie Granger, accuser and victim; Minerva Jane McGonagall, presenter; Virginia Anne Weasley, Harry James Potter, Ronald Xavier Weasley, and Poppy Lynn Pomfrey, general witnesses," Professor McGonagall stated in a clear, loud voice.

"Very well then," Fudge said, "The charges are as follows: Mr. Malfoy assaulted Miss Hermione Granger, causing extensive damage to her person. For that, we charge him with two counts of Battery and Assault. Her injuries caused her body to end her pregnancy spontaneously, and for that, we charge him with one count of infanticide. Mr. Malfoy also paid his friends to commit perjury by providing a false alibi when the Ministry questioned him. This offense carries a charge of one count of Deception. Finally, we charge Mr. Malfoy with one count of Attempted Murder, for the attack on Miss Granger's person, and threatening to end her life." He paused and looked at Draco. "You are Draco Lucius Malfoy of Malfoy Manor?"

"I am," Draco coolly replied.

"What do you say to these charges?"

"I am not guilty. I was in my room studying at the time they say I attacked Miss Granger." His tone was polite, but had the air of someone who expected to win.

"Very well then, we shall commence the interrogation. The witnesses for the prosecution need to come down to the floor at this time," he called. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Madam Pomfrey stood up and trudged down to the chairs that were waiting for them.

"Hermione Marie Granger, the Wizengamot requests that you share your story with the court," Amelia Bones finally said, looking down at her.

"All right," she said, standing up, her voice shaking slightly. "On the morning of October seventh of this year, I went to see Madame Pomfrey. I had suspected that I was pregnant and she confirmed it for me." She could feel her parents' eyes on her from their seats behind her. She continued, "Having had only one relationship with any kind of sexual activity, I knew that the baby would be Mr. Malfoy's. I went to tell him, and he became angry."

"Where were you and Mr. Malfoy when he allegedly attacked you?" the Minister interrupted.

"We were in an empty classroom off of the North Tower. We had often gone there to talk," she replied.

"What happened when Mr. Malfoy became angry?" Fudge asked.

"He grabbed me and spun me so my back was to him. He then pulled out a knife and held it to my throat and threatened to kill me," she replied, then paused at the audible gasps from the audience. "Then he spun me around and drove his fist into my stomach repeatedly. I fell to the ground and he kicked me all over my body. He was calling me all sorts of awful names. I blacked out," Hermione explained, "I came to a few times, before Ginny found me, but blacked out again from the pain. When Ginny found me, I was almost incoherent. I think I told her that Draco did this and that I was pregnant. That was the last time I was awake. I woke up almost three weeks later in the hospital wing. I lost the baby, and I had broken arm, shattered pelvis, and three cracked ribs, as well as bruises and internal bleeding. I am still not fully recovered."

"Thank you for sharing that with us. You may sit back down," the Minister said, then called, "Virginia Weasley, please stand." Ginny stood up. "Is it true that you found Miss Granger after Mr. Malfoy allegedly attacked her?"

"Yes, Sir, I did."

"Please tell us how you found her and what happened afterwards," the Minister insisted.

"I searched everywhere for her that day. I was worried about her because I saw her crying earlier by the lake. I was starting to get desperate when I remembered that I could use a locating charm that I had learned in class a few days prior. I followed the charm to the classroom she mentioned. When I walked in, she opened her eyes. They were gray," she explained.

"What does the color of her eyes have to do with anything?" Amelia Bones interrupted.

"Her eyes are usually dark brown. The fact that her eyes are gray shows how far gone she was," Ginny clarified.

"I see," she replied.

"Anyway," Ginny continued, "she told me that Draco had hurt her and that she was pregnant, and then went unconscious again. Harry and Ron ran in just after I did. Ron carried her to the hospital wing. There we met Madam Pomfrey, who took care of her. I haven't seen Hermione since she woke up a month ago."

"Thank you Miss Weasley. You may sit down," the Minister said.

"Mr. Malfoy, as the accused in this case, you are not required to submit to Veritaserum. We would like to hear what you were doing on the day of October seventh," Amelia Bones explained.

"Very well," Draco replied as he stood up.

"She was waiting for me in the Slytherin common room. I said 'Hello'. So did she, but her voice was cold. She had been like that for a few weeks. She wanted to go somewhere private and talk. I suggested the Astronomy Tower first, then the lake, but she said 'No, people would be there'. We went to the old charms classroom, the one off the North Tower. She said no one would find us there for hours. I leaned against the wall and she turned around to face me. Before she could say anything, I interrupted and asked why she had been so cold lately. She just told me she had visited Madam Pomfrey that day. She told me she was pregnant. I accused her of having it on with Potter or Weasley. She said that the child was mine. I told her she was mistaken, and then I walked out," he replied.

"You didn't touch her?" the Minister asked.

"I never laid a hand on her in anger throughout our entire relationship."

"Where were you when she was being attacked then?" Percy finally spoke up.

"I was in my room, writing a potions essay for Professor Snape," he explained.

"Can anyone attest to your whereabouts?" Percy asked.

"I'm head boy. I have my own room. Of course no one was in there with me," he snapped.

"I find his evidence inconclusive, Minister," Percy stated. "I think he is lying."

"Well, I bet there were times when you've been unaccounted for too," Draco replied in his annoyingly droll voice.

"Hmm..." Percy said.

"Well, now that we've heard Draco's story, are there any other questions?" Amelia Bones asked. A murmur of 'no' came from all sides of the room. "Very well, we shall return in fifteen minutes with our decision." The Wizengamot filed out.

Harry turned to Hermione and hugged her. He whispered in her ear, "It's going to be okay. He's going to go away for a long time."

"But how do you know?" she whispered back, "it's just my word against his."

"I know, but you've also suffered damage somehow. They can't let him off, especially since he admits he was with you that day for a little while."

"If you say so," she replied. He hugged her tighter, then let go.

"Hi Hermione," Ginny said, coming up to them. She threw her arms around the older girl. "I've missed you so much." Hermione visibly stiffened, and then gradually relaxed.

"I missed you too, Ginny. I am sorry I avoided you, but I just could not deal with everyone. I can't promise to be around when we go back to school."

Harry could tell that, even though Hermione meant well, she still hurt Ginny slightly with her words. He formed a plan to get Ginny into the Hospital Wing as much as possible. Some things were meant to be handled by females.

"The Wizengamot is back," Ron observed. They returned to their seats.

Minister Fudge stood up. "The accused will please stand for the verdict." Draco stood up. "Draco Lucius Malfoy, we find you guilty of all charges minus Perjury. Have you anything to say for yourself, Mr. Malfoy?" Fudge's voice boomed throughout the room.

"I am not my father, though it seems to be a misconception here. If the court wishes to send me to Azkaban like him, then so be it." he replied with a sneer.

"I hereby sentence you to a term in Azkaban that shall last for not less than five years. You are expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Break his wand and take him away," he commanded to the two officials in the back. The Wizengamot filed out. Two officials came and grabbed hold of Draco.

As they led him by Harry, Hermione turned and buried her face in Harry's chest. He stopped and gave the traditional Malfoy sneer. "Make no mistake, Potter, in a few months time I'll be out of here. Mark my words, I'll see you again soon!" he threatened. The officials led him out.

"I think it's time we made our way back to Hogwarts," Headmaster Dumbledore said, as he turned and walked out. Professor McGonagall followed him. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny went after her.