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Chapter 58: Trials Pt. 1
🕑 Added 2020-11-04 02:01:52 +0000 UTCThen as if magic was on his side, the court crier shouted, "The trial of Albus Dumbledore will begin in 5 minutes!"
Shuffling to their seats, Harry meets up with Sirius along the way. "So how are things is the Wizengamot?" he asked as he took a seat.
"Good, better than good," he answered, "no one is too happy about the old geezer did to you, and they feel pressured by the public to take a stance and punish him. The Dark are all jumping up and down to bring him down, the Grey couldn't careless, but they will follow the wind in the direction it's heading, and the Light there are some that are holding out on the bastard, but they are very few."
"Good," Harry said with a nod of his head and then once against the court crier shouted, "All Rise for the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge."
Walking into the court from the fireplace since that was the only means into this place, thanks to it being all high class and ultra secret. Behind him was a toad-like woman that he knew of pretty well, Undersecretary to the Minster, Dolores Umbridge.
Remus never despised anyone in his life, but this woman who made his life and all werewolves living hell was one he spit vitriol at every day.
Giving an obsequious smile to the court at large, he took his seat at the front of the stands. Promptly Lucius Malfoy was right beside him, whispering into his ear the devil he was.
"Wonder what he is filling his mind with," Sirius commented with a sneer of disgust. It was no secret that Lucius was the man behind all of Fudge's policies and ruling, manipulating the idiot to his heart's content while also funding him as he made plenty of donations for him.
Watching as the buffon nodded his head along, lapping up everything the snake had to say, for a few moments he wondered if the haughty man had the idiot under an Imperius curse, but knew the safety detail of Minster was much more secure than that to let a curse like that slip through.
No, sadly, the issue was the buffon. You just couldn't cure idiocy. Nevertheless, Lucius was doing his work for him, so he couldn't complain. But the man would be an issue in the future if just about anyone, especially a Death Eater, could twist him any which way he wanted.
Maybe, he decided, he should be looking into dethroning him. But who to put into his place.....
As he was musing over removing the most powerful man in the land from his office, the crier called out, "Welcoming Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Albus Dumbledore!"
Rising up for the man since he was after all, the wizard that presiding over the Wizengamot, overseeing court procedures even if he was the one facing a trial.
Someone didn't find that too fair as once everyone was seated, an Independent wearing a green robe and hat rouse up. "How is it fair that the man facing trial today is the man overseeing the procedures?"
"Yeah," someone else agreed from amongst the crowd. Slowly other head begin to nod their head in agreement.
"I believe if my lords of this house agree with me, that Dumbledore should step down for the duration of this session," Lord Nott got up and declared loudly.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," more people began to shout.
Raising his hand up, which slowly got the proceeding silent, "If my lords are all in agreement, then I should comply."
"We are more than in agreement," Madam Longbottom proclaimed.
"Then," Fudge spoke up, "as much as it pains me," he said as he gave the old man a glance, "I strip you, Albus Dumbledore of your position for the duration of this session."
"Enough of this," Charles Greengrass spoke up, the leader of the Grey and head of house Greengrass. "let's begin the proceeding!"
Nodding his head, Cornelius Fudge shouted, "then let the trial of Albus Dumbledore begin!"
"First to step up is Investigator Alex, which the Ministry has hired to investigate these allegations of Neglect, Mistreatment, Abondement, and Disregard that chief... old Chief Warlock faces."
Walking up to the podium in the center of the chamber hall was a young man either in his late twenties or early thirties, one that Harry knew of pretty well. He was an agent of the Magic Task Force.
Those fools didn't even know it, but right before them was an agent of the Crown. He was also the someone that apprehended the Dursleys, when the goblins turned to the Queen since they knew they couldn't find any useful help from the Ministry of magic, which put in his very good books.
Recalling well that secret force that the Queen introduced him to and how deeply they were embedded into the magical world, he had to give it to the sharp old woman. She did something no Monarch has done for thousands of years, have deep roots in the magical world.
The royal family wasn't the least bit respected by the Great Houses since they were nothing more than distant cousins of King Arther and weren't that magical in nature. Now however, the old lady gathered up all the dissatisfied muggle-born that couldn't find any purpose in the wizarding world and put them in her corner.
She was a powerful force to be reckoned with thanks to her efforts.
"You may begin, Investigator Alex," the Minister declared.
"Thank you, Sir," the young man said with a nod of his head, then turning to face the gathering at large, "My Lords and Ladies, today I come to you with the most disturbing of finds.
On the evening of Halloween in 1981, Albus Dumbledore had one by the name of Rubeus Hagrid picked up young Harry Potter from the smoking ruin of the Potter Cottage. How he knew to do so, we do not know; the only public statement he gave was that Voldermort was gone for now.
Then he had Harry brought to his relatives, one by the name of Petunia Dursley, who was known to hate her sister greatly since she was jealous that she was magical in nature. And Vernon Dursley, who was a known magic hating bigot just like his common primitive and suspicious ancestors.
There that night, he left young Harry right at the doorstep....."
"You left him at the doorstep, in the cool autumn night?" a witch asked from among the crowd.
"Well, I.... put a warming charm on him," the man tried to defend himself as more than anything he looked surprised at the question, never seemed to be expecting it.
"What if he had been kidnapped or worse died to the elements?"
"If this doesn't show how careless the man is, leaving a young child outside like some common bottles of milk, then I do not know what is," Madam Longbottom loudly declared.
"Order, Order," Fudge shouted, trying to get the court back on track, "we can ask all the questions after Investigator Alex is done giving his report.
"Yes," the young man nodded his head, "for years, young Harry grew up in that abusive home where he was treated like nothing more than a common house-elf given to cleaning and cooking at only 4 years old. He was also not even told his name until he went to muggle school, where he first picked it up. He was constantly beaten and smacked around with pans, bullied by his spiled cousin, bearly fed at all, given only accommodations in a closet, and the list goes on from there....."
"What savagery," someone whispered out loud.
"I saw we bring them forth right now and give them the Dementors kiss!" someone else shouted as he seems unable to control his fury.
"I ask you right now, Albus," Amelia Bones spoke up as she turned her sharp eyes on him, "Where were you when all this was happening?!"
"ENOUGH," the little man shouted as no one was seemed to be listing to him, silencing up once they saw the loss of cool from the man who was their Minister.
Alex seem to find it pertinent to continue on as if nothing happened, "When young Harry came to Hogwarts, he was malnourished, too small for his age, and lacking any knowledge of the magical world. Dumbledore didn't even look into it even after years of neglect on his part. He carried on as if all was right in his little world. While young Harry has been living hell for decades on end.
To add more to the mix, young Harry spoke admittedly about going back to that cruel home, but once again, Dumbledore showed his careless attitude and had sent back there without a thought.
Now, my Lords and Ladies, I ask you to judge wisely," he finished with as he stepped off the podium.
It was basically a rehash of what was on the news, but for people like them who need to be told how things were right to their face it opened their eyes.
A few moments of loud chatter filled the room as everyone was discussing to their allies and friends what was going on, then the crier called out, "Introducing from the Goblin Nation, Barnott and Gorkit."
"What are goblins doing here?" some wizard sneered as if nothing more than animals on two legs walked in.
Ignoring the comment, Barnott spoke up, "We are here to give more evidence in the case of Albus Dumbledore."
Looking over at the man, Harry could see how uncomfortable he got, but the old foggy could do nothing but only let this play out.
"What evidence exactly?" Fudge asked out of curiosity.
"The Potter Will!" Gorkit said with a savage grin as he brought out the plaque and began to play it.
Listening up as everyone paid attention to what the will contained, finally, the recording ended and silence reined throughout the whole of the chamber. That is until a woman with similar features as Sirius with black hair and similar aristocratic features but with dark green eyes instead.
He knew who she was Amaryllis Mort, Sirus cousin who was contending for the Black family estates and name. "So Albus, did you follow through with the Potter Will?"
"How dare you deprive me of the RIGHT to take care of Harry," Madam Longbottom shouted as she was clearly spitting rage. "He was supposed to fall into my care with the misfortune that befell my daughter-in-law!"
"This is outright kidnapping!" a witch declared.
"Who does he think he is ignoring the Will of a Great Lord!"
"Does he plan on usurping all our right?"
Once again the place broke out into a monotony of noise and shouting as everyone was trying to get their opinion across.
"I did this to protect, young Harry!" the old man shouted cutting through the noise.
"What do you mean?" Lucius asked.
"Harry had blood wards that his mother put up before she died which made it necessary for him to live with his relatives, I did not know that they would treat their own kin and blood like that! All I had was his safety in mind so some Death Eater did not get any fanciful idea."
Rubbing his chin this was a first for Harry to hear about it, it did explain certain things such as why he got sent there. But it did not do away for why he neglected to check up him for nearly 13 years, see how he was doing, and if he was fitting in. No this had a bad stench to it, like the old man was playing a deeper game.
"So you say you had Harry's interest in heart, hmmm?" Amelia Bones asked grabbing on to his excuse like a cat catching a mouse in a trap.
"Yes," the man nodded his head sadly, projecting the image of a man whose heart was bleeding at all the mistreatments he suffered. "I never intended for Harry to suffer so. All I wanted was for him to be safe and live a happy life far away form any sort of danger."
"Well then let's introduce the next key witness to the court," she said as walking out of the fireplace in chains was an old woman. "Arabella Figg!"
This time Harry saw how worried the old man was as sweat formed on his forehead and his grandfatherly guise cracked a bit.
"Ms. Figg you are a squib, correct?"
"Yes," she answered as the chains begin to wrap around her and she refused to left up her head at all.
"Now, now," the old man said, "this is no way to treat an elderly woman. We should know better than that even if he or she is a squib," he commented towards the hard woman, clearly questioning her morals.
"Mhh," she chuckled, "did you know this fragile woman you call so is a criminal. The muggle courts handed her to us since she falls under our periphery. Today she is here to answer for her crimes against young Potter!"
"Let it be so," he continued try to delay anything she had to say, "but we should question her another day."
"I think, I would like to hear what she has to say, Albus," Fudge butting in, "and I believe the court agrees with me on that."
"Let the squid speak!"
"Yea, what are you hiding!"
"If the court wishes so," he said as he sat back in his chair in clear defeat.
"Now Ms. Figg," Mrs. Bones continued, "were you aware of the treatments that young Potter was suffering at the hand of his so-called relatives?"
"Yes," she answered to the sharp breaths of all the attendants here.
"That is why you can never trust a squid," a man shouted. "They are always jealous of us and lust after what were born with!"
"If you can QUITE down for only a single second," Amelia Bones shouted to the crowd to her frustration. These were the people in charge, children you had to speak over each other as everyone believed they were entitled to their own opinion. No wonder this was a failing government.
"Ms. Figg," she carried on with asking the most important question that would wrap the old man nicely in a bow tie. "Who put you up to keeping an eye on young Potter, I assume you didn't do this of your own accord."
"Albus Dumbledore," she answered as she gave the old man a flattering glance.
Smiling as she held her hand out to stop any further dissension from breaking out, "So, are you telling me he knew the treatments that the Lord of house Potter was suffering?"
Staying silent for a very long time, the old woman finally answered at long last, "N-no, I acted on my own and kept the mistreatments to myself. If Albus knew about it, he would have put it to a stop."
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT," the stern woman shouted, losing control of herself, "You know, he knew, you all KNOW. Admit it."
"No," the old woman repeated, sticking to her guns on it, "You were right of us, squids, I was j-jealous of you more naturally gifted of us. So I.... I wanted to get even."
"Enough of your LIES! I call for the administration of Veritaserum right now!"
"Amelia as you can see the woman acting all on her own," the old man cut in as if he was the more cooler head trying to prevail. "Are you trying to imply that I had young Harry suffer all those horrible things, if so, then what would I even gain? Did you even ask yourself that?"
Looking at him with narrowed looks, she zipped her lips and took a seat.
"Still," Lucius spoke up, "this does not look. You couldn't take command of your own people, you had the young Lord of house Potter live a life of slavery, you ignored the Potter Will. The list just keeps going on. I think, no... We all think you are getting a bit old Albus, so I think its time you stepped down and let more spirited people lead.
So as much as it pains me, I call for an immediate vote of no confidence!"
"If this is what the body wishes for then I must abide by it," Fudge declared pompously.
"Hear, Hear!" numerous voices called out.
"Then on Wednesday, September 22 of 1994. This body calls for a vote of no confidence for Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Albus Dumbledore. As the presiding member of this assembly, I will put the question to the body at large,
All those in favor of the motion, say Aye!"
Without a doubt the nearly everyone was in favor of the motion, once again they knew they had to do something about the old man or the public wouldn't be all that happy with them. Plus this did not look good, a member of their ranks and a very high ranking one at that, suffered at the hands of muggles because one old man couldn't keep a closer eye on him. That too didn't look good as it sent the message any good old muggle could mess with them.
All those against the motion, say Nay!" Fudge shouted but it was only a show of going over the motions as barely anyone voted to save him.
"Then," he said as he looked over at the giant scoreboard like device sitting in the room. The tally was in with 2736 votes in favor of the motion and 264 votes against it. It was the most momentous occasion in this house as never before were the houses ever united like this, then today.
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, I remove you from your post as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot as you are no longer deemed fit to hold that position. Is there anything you have to say on the matter?"
Comments
Thanks for the chapter on a good story
ha, soon harry will be running his beloved school
KristofferXxXxX
Albus Dumbledore is slowly but surely losing his supporters and power. I’m very satisfied with the results.
