At Hogwarts there was a large group of upset students. Not upset that one of their own was taken away, but at the sight of that person having their wand snapped. The older students explained to the younger and muggle born students the significance of that action. The thought of having no magic or being cast from the magical world was unthinkable. It would take time for the wounds to heal.
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Harry sat in his dorm with his friends talking about the events of the day.
"Neville? What did Madam Bones mean about the 'Ancient and Noble House'? I thought that the Potter's were just another family and that was that?" asked Harry.
"Sorry Harry. I forgot that you are muggle raised. It means that your family is old and titled. 'Ancient' means that you can trace your family back to before the Norman invasion in 1066 and the 'Noble' means that you have a title to inherit when you come of age. The 'Most' at the start of the title means a high title, like an Earl, or you can trace your family back to before the Romans. There are five families that fit the description. Potter, Longbottom, Bones, Lovegood and Moon. That's the top of society."
Discover moreFan fiction booksAuthor resourcesFan fiction forumComicsFiction writing tools"So even if my parents lived I would still be known?" asked Harry, trying to understand.
"Yes. All pureblood children grow up knowing the families equal to them or above them socially. Next are the Ancient houses, then the Noble's, then purebloods, halfbloods and then muggleborns. Below muggleborns are the foreign families. Unless they marry into a higher ranked family they always sit at the bottom." Explained Neville.
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"So how did the Malfoy's get so much power?" asked Hermione curiously.
"Ahh, I know this one," laughed Seamus. "They married into the Black family. Paid a fortune and a half for the 'privilege' me gran said. Right lot of tossers they were too! Before that no one wanted anything to do with those 'Frogged albino's' as me gran calls them."
They all laughed at that.
Discover moreCartoonsAnime & MangaCrossover fictionWriting workshopsMovies"So if it wasn't for the Black's, the Malfoy's would be no-bodies! That's something to dream about." Laughed Dean.
"But why was it so bad that stealing my dad's cloak got an extra charge? It sounded like it was the more important charge." Harry said a bit confused.
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"It was. Stealing from anyone is bad, stealing from an Ancient and Noble house is a higher level of trouble. But stealing something that is an heirloom to an Ancient and Noble house is like stealing a part of that family's history. Anything that has been in your family more than three generations is considered an heirloom. It could even be a dirty pair of knickers! That is why it is so bad. It is like taking the past away from your family." Neville explained.
"Ok. So what happens now? I wish there was a class to explain these things! It would make things so much easier if everyone knew the same!" Grumbled Hermione.
Discover moreBooksScience Fiction & FantasyFan fiction writingStory writing softwareAnimeFred (or was it George?) stuck his head around the door. "I know you probably don't want to see any Weasley's now but…"
"Get in here you twin twits! It was Ron, not you so build a bridge!" Harry said with a smile.
"Err…was that the punishment you wanted us to do? Build a bridge? Where do you wa…" asked George.
"Muggle saying. 'Build a bridge and get over it!'" Harry explained. "It means that it's over and we move past it, ok?"
"OK!" was shouted by the others.
"We wanted to warn you about what will happen. Dad spoke to us in Hogsmeade and told us everything." Fred said seriously.
"The hearing will be on Monday and you will need to tell the courts what happened. Then they might ask you to supply memories or take truth potions. Because you are all minors you will have to have your guardians there to OK it. Harry, you will probably have the headmaster of Professor McGonagall. After that Ron will be questioned and the court will break to make their decision. After that it is time to find out the punishment and then its butter beer and bickies." Said George.
Discover moreApp store optimizationMobile app marketingCookiesMobile app fanfictionFan community platformMonday arrived faster than anyone wanted it to. Today they have to put someone they once considered a friend in prison.
Molly Weasley entered the court room uncharacteristically quiet. She was hearing in her head all the things that Minerva McGonagall had said to her the previous week and was forced to confront her own actions.
"Well, Molly, I have a few things I would like to say to you. And since you can't talk back, you can just sit there and listen. Over the years we teachers encounter overbearing, domineering, overprotective or controlling parents. Usually it is only one or two traits that we see. You however fit all the descriptions and possibly more.
"You coddle your children, under the guise of loving them, until they rebel just so that they can grow into adults, as they are supposed to. It has not escaped my attention that your children are leaving home as quickly as possible. William ran to Egypt a week after he graduated and Charles joined the dragon reserve the night after his graduation. If that doesn't tell you anything then I am probably wasting my breath!
Discover moreFan fiction communityMobile app developmentFan merchandiseFiction genre guidesFamily"You seem to delight in yelling at your children in a loud and public manner with little or no regards to their feelings. The howlers you send several times a year are already a part of Hogwarts folklore. But they do nothing but embarrass your children and give everyone in the hall a front row seat at the airing of the family's dirty laundry. This gives others ammunition for teasing your children. Most of your children can tune them out by the end of their first year but the stigma of getting a howler remains. And I am warning you now, if any more howlers from you are delivered to this school I, as deputy headmistress, will be taking legal measures against you.
"The children are already at a disadvantage by wearing and using obviously second hand clothes and equipment. I know that because of your financial position that all your children are here on scholarships that provide for NEW items each year, including a new, fully stocked, potions kit and wand care items. For first years that also includes NEW wands. Not ones that have been handed through several generations of the family. I have seen that only one of your children have ever had new wand and that was Ronald after he broke his in the tree incident. And it took until the following summer for you to replace it! A whole school year! The wands your children are using are ill matched and worn out. This makes them dangerous to use, both to them and their classmates. Yet you have shown no concern about that.
"Your attitude towards your children's education is, at best, neglectful and at worst out right abusive! You are setting these children, which you loudly proclaim to love, up for failure. Without these items they are struggling from the moment they set foot on the train.
"I am going to be asking for the scholarship board to investigate your use of the money in this case. If they find that the amount given is insufficient or if the money has been mishandled then they will deal with you personally.
"As a parent, you have had the children for eleven years before they come to school. In that time you are expected to raise them to be honest and mannered people who know what and where society's boundaries are and which lines not to cross. In most cases, for any child, small slips that are done in ignorance or in fun are often ignored. Ronald, however, shows no sign of knowing or caring of any of them. Did you neglect his teaching? Or were you so overwhelmed at finally having a daughter that you simply forgot to teach him at all?
"I must say that I am disgusted that I have been hearing how whenever Arthur tries to teach or discipline the children you countermand what he says and does so that his time and teaching is wasted and disregarded. Arthur has a good head on his shoulders and can teach your children much more than you would think. It is time for you to let him fill his role as a father. Let him teach the boys how to become good men. They all need that guidance, and they have an outstanding role model to learn from. Your daughter has much she could learn from him too. Or would you prefer to see her in a bad relationship because she didn't know what to look for in a man?"
Molly hated to admit, even to herself, that Minerva was right. She had neglected Ron in favour of Ginny. The twins being mischief on two (well, four between them) legs didn't help either. How was she to fix things with Ron facing prison time? Molly didn't want to think that it was already too late.
Once everyone who wanted to be there (and a few who didn't) was seated the doors to the court room closed and locked themselves. They would not open until after the verdict was read.
Several emotional hours later it was time to hear Ron's fate.
Dumbledore read out the sentence with a heave heart. Another child that he could no longer help.
"On this day, October Fourth Nineteen Ninety Three, We the Wizengamot find Ronald Billius Weasley Guilty on all counts. There is a mandatory sentence in this case of ten years in Azkaban. Owing to the nature of the crimes and the age of the guilty party we are recommending that upon his release that his magic be bound, his memory wiped of all but the time of his sentence and be released into the muggle world. Hopefully you will be young enough to make a productive and happy life for yourself. This, of course, is conditional on the prisoner's survival. May Merlin have mercy on you."
With that Ron was led away in manacles. He did not look around or seem to notice when Molly began screaming. He was resigned to his fate.
"Well, I got something none of my brothers have. A prison sentence. That isn't what I was thinking of."
Molly was led out by Arthur, both of them grieving for their son. They lost him totally today and he would never remember them and Azkaban doesn't have familyvisitation.
The bailiff stood and announced, "The court will be in recess until One PM for lunch. Upon returning we will be dealing with the matter of the Ministry v's Peter Pettigrew."
This drew gasps from those who knew the story of Sirius Black and his murder of twelve muggles and one wizard. There would be a full court room after the word spread.
"Mr Potter," said Professor McGonagall "This man was once a friend of your parents. I think it might be a good idea if you stayed and saw the trial. I don't know the charges but…"
"I want to stay please. If he was a friend of my parents I want to know what is happening. Can the others stay too?" Harry asked politely.
"If that is acceptable to their guardians" she got a round of nods. "Then you have my permission." Finished the Professor.
When the court reconvened there was standing room only in the visitor's gallery. The press were squeezed into their section and there was much jostling and manoeuvring to try and get the best view of the defendant's chair. There was a feeling of quiet excitement in the air.
At the proper time the members of the Wizengamot entered and took their seats.
"Bring in the prisoner"
Peter Pettigrew, a wizard thought dead for over ten years, was led in in chains. He was forced to sit in the defendant's chair that wrapped him in further chains.
Dumbledore, in his role as head of the Wizengamot started the proceedings.
"Mr Pettigrew. Owing to the fact that you have consistently refused to answer any and all questions posed to you by the DMLE you are hereby ordered to answer all questions under veritaserum. Auror, Please administer the potion…let us begin.
"What is your name?"
"Peter Yaris Pettigrew" was said in a monotone.
"Have you ever committed any crimes?"
"Yes"
This caused a stir among the crowd.
"Please list the five most serious crimes."
"I am an unregistered animagus, I know of two other unregistered animagus and have not reported them, I stole food and money from many people, I framed Sirius Black for murdering muggles and I betrayed James and Lilly Potter to my Lord Voldemort."
There were several gasps and muffled screams at the final confession.
"How did you betray the Potters?"
"I was the secret keeper. I told my Lord the secret and led him to the house."
Harry was shaking with anger hearing that. There were too many people to get through to try and leave so Hermione did the only thing she could to calm him down. She hugged Harry and then held his hand tightly. Professor McGonagall saw this and smiled approvingly.
Dumbledore continued the questioning. "Were you aware that your actions could and probably would lead to the deaths of all three Potters?"
"Yes. I wanted all of them dead."
Harry and several witches and wizards jumped to their feet yelling.
"Order! Order! Any more outbursts and I will clear the court! Mr Pettigrew, why did you want the Potter family dead?"
"James always had everything he wanted. Good looks, the family that everyone envied, a 'best friend' that he loved so much that he named Black godfather to his brat rather than ME, money… I wanted that too but couldn't get it. Who wants me if you can have James bloody Potter instead? So I got rid of him." Peter started giggling insanely.
Harry was sickened by what he was hearing but bravely sat listening to the poison coming out of the traitor's mouth.
"How did you frame Sirius Black?"
"I yelled that he betrayed the Potters and cut my finger off and cast a 'bombarda' at the ground. I think I hit a gas pipe or something because it was a big explosion. Much bigger than I expected. I turned into my rat form and ran away. I thought it was funny you all got it wrong for so long."
"How did you live?"
"I found a family of wizards after a few days and one of their brats kept me as a pet."
"Who are the other unregistered animagus that you know of?"
"James Potter was a large stag. Sirius Black is a black dog that looks like a grim."
"I see… lords and ladies of the Wizengamot. Do we need to hear any more? Or should we pass judgment now?"
Most of the judges nodded that they had heard enough.
"Very well. We will deliberate and pass judgment shortly."
With that they stood and left the room. Everyone started talking about what they had just witnessed.
"Harry! Are you alright?" cried a worried Hermione.
"No." Harry said through gritted teeth. "But I just… I needed to hear this through. That scum wanted me dead and I want to see what is going to happen to him. If it's not bad enough I just might use some of this 'fame' of mine to change a few opinions. So, Black is my godfather? I wonder if I have a godmother too?"
"Your mum was my godmother and my mum was, well is, yours. From what my gran told me we were like brothers when we were babies." Neville said softly. "I thought you knew, that's why I didn't say anything. I thought that you didn't want to know me anymore."
"Hey, that makes us 'God Brothers'" Harry laughed. "Brothers for life?" he asked Neville, reaching out his hand.
"Brothers for life!" Neville grinned, gripping Harry's hand tightly.
Harry was swamped by hugs from not only Hermione, but from a tearful Professor McGonagall. The twins and Neville shrugged and made it a group hug that got everyone around them laughing.
When Dumbledore returned so did the solemn feeling that swept through the court room.
"We have made our decision. Peter Pettigrew, you are to be remanded into the care of the department of magical law enforcement and questioned, under truth potion, for all the illegal activities that you may have committed or have any knowledge of. The results will be available to any who wish to read your despicable confession after a period of two years. When your questioning is complete you will be cast through the veil of death. May Merlin have mercy on you.
"Furthermore, owing to Pettigrew's confession, Sirius Black is hereby granted an immediate pardon and compensation will be negotiated with him at his earliest convenience. His animagus description will be broadcast on the wireless and printed in all newspapers. If any member of the public see's Mr Black, either in his human or dog forms, please approach him with care and then tell him the good news. If I remember him from his school days the bearer of the good news may need their ribs repaired at Saint Mungo's hospital from the hug he may give the bearer of such good news. There are no other matters here today and so this court is dismissed."
A gavel was banged and everyone started talking as they left the ministry.
"What…? Three unregistered animagus were running around Hogwarts and I didn't know? They could have been killed! They could have been injured. They…they could have asked me for help." Professor McGonagall said sadly. "It does explain one thing. Harry, one morning in your fathers fifth year James came into breakfast with the most magnificent set of antlers on his head. Sirius Black had dog ears on the top of his head. We all thought that it was a prank gone wrong. They must have not been able to transform back entirely. It was funny to see. I think I still have a picture of them in my office."
"I would love to see it Professor" Harry laughed.