In Flesh and Bone

Chapter Three: The Order of the Phoenix

    "We are gathered here today to decide the fate of five members of this Order. You will hear, in due course, what they have done, and it will be up to you to determine if they should be turned over to the Ministry for legal proceedings." Dumbledore looked at the faces of the full Order, assembled in Hogwarts' Great Hall. "Some of you may feel that crimes committed in war should not count as such, but I ask you to remember that if we stoop to torture and murder, we are no better than those we have fought. The evidence will now be presented." He sat down, not looking at the five men who sat impassively in front of the assembly.

    Withdrawing the five wands from his robe pocket, Dumbledore laid them out on the table. He continued in a long-suffering tone. "Peter Pettigrew was never accused by the Ministry, but the majority of you all know his crime. For those who do not," he added, nodding to all the younger members, comprised mainly of students from Harry's year and some from above, "I shall go over it briefly." He told the facts of Lily and James Potter's murders at the hands of Voldemort, explaning how the Fidelius Charm worked and what had happened. Most eyes turned to Harry at this, who was not looking at anyone in particular, but rather, the wands that were laid out on the table. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Alastor Moody," he said clearly, touching the tip of his own wand to Moody's.

    The spells emerged in reverse order. The horrific skin-peeling hex came first, and there were low exclamations. The spell to slow bleeding. The cluster of slow-moving flames. The Cruciatus. Moody sat through it all, staring straight ahead, but a movement caught his eye. Tonks. Tonks had buried her face in her hands, and was shivering. He didn't move or speak.

    Dumbledore proceeded to the next wand. "Kingsley Shacklebolt." The needling hex, and the assembled watched as Pettigrew writhed at the pain. "Severus Snape." A faint wince from Snape at the coldness in his tone and then the hex that heated the internal organs, and the Cruciatus emerged. "Remus Lupin." There was a low gasp from Harry as Avada Kedavra came forth with a pale flash of green. By this point, the Order was in an uproar, and Dumbledore raised his hand to quiet them.

    When Dumbledore came to Arthur's wand, he paused. "Arthur Weasley commited no crimes with his wand." He ignored the confused murmurings and pulled a knife from his robes, then laid it on the table next to Arthur's wand, and performed the reverse spell. The Weasleys, sans Ginny and Arthur, were grouped together, watching with morbid horror as the knife produced images of what Arthur had done. There was a silence so complete, it felt as though a silencing charm had been cast. Dumbledore ended the spell. "As most of you know, there is another piece of evidence that needs to be presented. By Ginny Weasley."

    Ginny, head held high, strode into the Great Hall, though anyone close enough could see tears prickling the corners of her eyes. Arthur began to rise, but Ginny got to him first, putting a hand on his shoulder. She leaned close, whispered something to him, and kissed his cheek before turning to address the Order.

    Her voice was shaky, but did not break. "I was doing surveillance with Hermione and Tonks. I got separated from them when I heard a noise in the trees and went to investigate. I was knocked unconscious, and when I came to, Pettigrew was on top of me. He -" she swallowed. "He had torn off my knickers and he was inside me. Raping me." She turned to look at the accused men. "They found me. Cast Stupefy on him. A-and I think someone used a binding spell. My father took me to Hogwarts, then." She lowered her head. "That's all I know," she whispered.

    She turned, avoiding the pitiful eyes of her family, and looked at her father for a long moment. She gave him a tiny smile, and then left the hall. Dumbledore stood again. "The facts have been presented from an unbiased view." He turned to the accused. "Do you have anything to say in your defense before a vote is laid out?"

    Remus looked down at the table, Arthur out the window. Kingsley and Snape exchanged looks, but Moody merely said, "No."

    Dumbledore frowned. "This is your one chance to prove your innocence. To beg-"

    "We're not sorry for anything we've done, Dumbledore," Moody growled. "Get on with it."

    Dumbledore nodded, then sat down. He looked at the group of Order members and frowned. His vote would surely affect a majority of the others. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, then said, "Guilty." He lifted a scroll. "Hannah Abbot."

    Hannah shifted uncomfortably in her seat, feeling the eyes of the entire room on her. After a long moment, she said, "I - I'd rather not vote, please."

    Dumbledore nodded. "Kathryn Bell."

    "Not guilty," she said, with her head held high. There was a nod of approval from the other girls who sat with her.

    "Susan Bones."

    Susan twisted her long plait of hair in one hand, thinking earnestly. "Not guilty."

    "Fleur Delacour."

    Fleur was about to speak when the door to the Great Hall opened, and Luna Lovegood walked in. "I'm very sorry to interrupt, but I need Harry."

    Dumbledore opened his mouth to reprove her, but Harry, knowing that she had been with Ginny for the last week, stood up and quietly left the room with her. Dumbledore looked to Fleur. She flipped back her long blonde hair, not looking at Bill, and said, "Guilty."

    "Dedalus Diggle."

    "Not guilty," he squeaked, turning his top hat around in his hands, somewhat nervously.

    Dumbledore marked votes as he continued, face set in a permanent frown. "Elphias Doge."

    "Abstain."

    Dumbledore noted Moody's nod to Doge before continuing. He looked across the hall to his brother. "Aberforth Dumbledore." No answer. Aberforth had a rather glazed look upon his face, in the direction of the accused. Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Aberforth!"

    Aberforth jumped, then looked over. "Not guilty," he said, sounding tired.

    Dumbledore grit his teeth, marking the scroll. "Arabella Figg."

    Arabella Figg looked directly at Remus. "I knew James and Lily personally." She shook her head. "I can't vote, Dumbledore."

    Dumbledore nodded again. "Firenze."

    The centaur stood, watching the proceedings impassively, as if he found human decisions of life or death a waste of time. "Guilty," he said gravely, with a slight swish of his tail.

    "Mundungus Fletcher."

    "Not guilty by 'alf," Mundungus said emphatically, and there was a little sound through the room that wanted to be a chuckle, but couldn't quite manage it.

    Dumbledore pressed his lips together tightly. "Hermione Granger."

    Hermione looked agonized, and she was staring at Ron and the other Weasleys. There were marks of tears on her face. "Guilty."

    "Rubeus Hagrid."

    There was a low rumble from the half-giant, and then he said, "Not guilty," looking faintly ashamed.

    Dumbledore did not quite meet Hagrid's eye as he marked down his vote. "Angelina Johnson."

    "Not guilty." The reply was almost immediate, and Katie Bell put a hand on her shoulder.

    "Hestia Jones."

    Hestia looked from Moody to Kingsley, then down at her hands. "Guilty."

    "Lee Jordan."

    Lee looked at Fred and George, then up to Arthur, whom he'd been on very friendly terms with, staying over some summer holidays at the Weasleys. "Not guilty."

    Dumbledore continued. "Neville Longbottom."

    There was a very long pause, and soon, all eyes were on Neville. He looked from Snape, then to Moody. Clearly, he had not been at all pleased with the use of the Cruciatus. "Guilty," he whispered, his eyes sparkling with tears.

    "Ernie MacMillan."

    Ernie cleared his throat pompously. "Guilty."

    "Olympe Maxime."

    "Guilty," she said clearly, ignoring Hagrid's startled look.

    "Minerva McGonagall."

    "Guilty," came the reply almost immediately, though she seemed to be trying very hard not to look at Snape or Lupin.

    Dumbledore looked a trifle less grim for a moment. "Sturgis Podmore."

    Podmore ran a hand through his hair and looked at the accused for a long time, locking gazes with Moody and Remus. He gave a little smile. "Not guilty."

    "Harry-" Dumbledore stopped. "We will save Harry's vote until he returns. Alicia Spinnet."

    "Not guilty," she said, in a clear voice, leaning her head on Angelina's shoulder.

    "Nymphadora Tonks."

    Tonks looked at all the accused, her eyes stopping on Moody. Moody shook his head a little, not meeting her eyes. She took a deep breath. "Not guilty." Moody's head snapped up, and she gave him a tight-lipped smile. "I would've done the same," she said, then looked to Arthur. "I'm so sorry about Ginny."

    Dumbledore cleared his throat, dissuading any more talk. "Emmeline Vance."

    "Guilty."

    "Charlie Weasley."

    Charlie, sitting in the middle of the rest of the Weasleys, did not look at Arthur, but to the door where Ginny had disappeared from. "Not guilty," he said clearly.

    "Fred Weasley."

    "Not guilty," Fred said soberly, looking at his father, and then at George, a little anxiously.

    "George Weasley."

    "Not guilty," George said, and his eyes locked with Fred's, and for a moment, the gravity of their expressions dissolved into a smile of perfect intimacy.

    "Molly Weasley." Silence followed, for a very long time, and everyone was staring at Molly. "Molly Weasley," Dumbledore repeated.

    "Guilty," she said, in a voice that was almost shrill, and seemed to hold tears. She did not look at her husband. Arthur looked as if he had been struck, and put his head down on the table, ignoring the hand Remus laid on his shoulder.

    Dumbledore looked as though he were about to say something, but held his tongue. "Percy Weasley."

    Percy sat up very straight, staring at Moody. "Guilty." Fred and George looked murderous, and were already edging their chairs away from the family, toward their old yearmates.

    "Ronald Weasley," Dumbledore said, shooting the twins a glare.

    Ron looked around, almost at a loss. He glanced up at the door, as if hoping Harry would come through and help him, then to his mother, his father, and to Hermione. "Guilty."

    Up at the accused table, Arthur's head had not lifted, his glasses lying next to him, staring into space. He heard Dumbledore pronounce his eldest son's name, and closed his eyes.

    Bill took his mother's hand. "Guilty."

    There was a long period of silence and the accused, except for Arthur, who was flattened with misery, began totting up the votes in their heads. Slowly, they all reached the same conclusion, and looked at one another, fear and hope warring in their eyes.

    The door to the Great Hall opened, and Harry came in, looking very tired. Dumbledore lifted his eyes from the scroll. "Harry, we have concluded the voting. At this time, there are fourteen guilty votes, and fourteen not guilty votes. The deciding vote is yours."

    Harry looked bitter. "It would be, wouldn't it?" He looked around him helplessly, at Ron and Hermione, who were staring determinedly at the floor, at Hagrid, at the Weasley family, and finally, at the accused. He locked eyes with each of them, staring at Remus the longest.

    Dumbledore cleared his throat impatiently. "Harry, we need your vote."

    Harry seemed to shake himself a little, and spoke before he gave his vote. "I've been a victim all my life," he started slowly. "A victim of this school, of you, Professor," he said, nodding at Dumbledore, "my relatives, my scar... my destiny. I never really had a choice in life." There was silence as he took a breath. "Peter Pettigrew was the reason I had no choices, no proper family... except... you all. The Order has been my family." He looked slightly uncomfortable. "I've seen death and destruction... hatred, racism... And I'm only eighteen. I've been faced with the choice of letting someone live, or killing them," he said, looking at Remus closely. Remus held his gaze for a minute, then looked down, and there was a silent understanding between them. In Harry's third year, he'd let Pettigrew go free. "However," he said, with another breath, "these men, all very brave, did what they had to do." There was a murmur through the crowd. "And," he said loudly, "because of them, I was able to fulfill my destiny, and I can get on with my life." He looked Dumbledore in the eye. "Not guilty."

    The room erupted in noise and babble, and Dumbledore sat down, looking defeated. Molly was the first to stand and leave the courtroom, closely followed by Percy and Bill. Ron sat still, eyes never leaving the floor, looking as if he had lost everything. Fred, George and Charlie hurried to their father, and embraced him. He held them tightly, unable to speak, his life destroyed.

    Tonks stood up and walked slowly towards Moody. She paused in front of him, looking him in the eye. "Let's go home, Alastor," she said softly. He nodded, and stood, not shaking her off when she moved to support him as they walked out of the Hall.

    Snape began to leave, but Remus caught his arm. "No. We're together now, Severus."

    Snape looked down at him. "I can't-"

    "We leave together," Remus said firmly, and walked over to Harry. He couldn't speak, just looked at him for a long time.

    Harry smiled weakly. "You're all I've got left, Moony," he whispered.

    Remus swallowed. "About the curse-"

    "Shush," Harry said, tears in his eyes. He embraced Remus tightly around the middle. They hugged for quite some time, then Harry pulled back, looking at Snape, Kingsley and Arthur. "What's going to happen to them?"

    Remus frowned. "Kingsley has his job with the Ministry. Dumbledore won't tell, not when the Order voted not guilty, and he didn't use an Unforgivable." He shivered a little, but forced himself to continue. "Severus no doubt will have to get used to doing freelance potions work, and Arthur..." He looked to the door that Molly had run out of. "I don't know."

    Harry looked at the remaining Weasleys, unable to say anything. Fred and George led Arthur over, Charlie following close behind. Harry nodded to them, then then twins nearly flattened him in a hug. Arthur, who was being supported by Charlie, couldn't speak.

    "All right!" Harry said, his voice wavering with what might have been a chuckle.

     Arthur finally found his voice. "I - I want you to know how...how grateful I am..." His voice broke, and he leaned on Charlie heavily.

    "It's all right, Dad," Charlie said softly. "Let's just go-" He broke off, realizing that going home might not be the best option right then.

    "Home," Arthur finished. He closed his eyes. "I have to go sometime. Even if...even if I can't stay."

    George looked at his father anxiously. "Dad, you can always stay-"

    "With us," Fred finished.

    Arthur shook his head weakly, and looked at Remus. "Remus..."

    "Always," Remus said. He gave a hoarse chuckle. "You and I and Severus...quite a thought, isn't it?"

    There was no answer, as at that moment, Ginny came running into the room. She didn't stop, just flung herself at her father. "Daddy."

    Arthur wrapped his arms around Ginny, as if just holding her would make everything all right. Harry settled into Remus' embrace, watching, and wondering. Ron had voted guilty, then. And so had Hermione. His heart ached at the thought of losing his two best friends, because he knew that his vote wouldn't go overlooked.

    Arthur was whispering to Ginny quietly. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there sooner. I'm sorry, Ginny. Princess."

    "It's okay, Daddy," she assured him.

    He eventually let her go, and wiped the tears from her face, then turned to his remaining children. "I suppose we should go."

    They said their goodbyes to Harry and Remus, who watched them leave, all forming a sort of protective circle around Arthur. Snape stood, coming to stand in front of Harry and Remus. Harry looked at Snape, almost smiling, but rather hesitantly. Snape extended his hand, slowly, and Harry took it. "Thank you, Potter," he said softly.

    "Well, the charges weren't being an unfair git," Harry said, looking a bit more comfortable.

    Remus looked almost cheerful at this development. "Come on, Severus. Let's go home."

    Snape stood for a moment, looking over his shoulder at Dumbledore. For a moment, an abandoned child looked out of his eyes, and his austere face was wistful. When he turned back to Harry and Remus, it was set. "Yes. Let's."