The Trial
Harry looked around the courtroom and took in his surroundings. In front of him was a very tall raised platform where several people were sitting, and behind him was a ring of seats for what he supposed were spectators, of which there were none thankfully. The Minister For Magic, Cornelius Fudge, who was sitting on the raised platform at the very front, welcomed him and began listing off his charges and the people around him.
"Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August into offences committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey."
Harry rolled his eyes. "There were dementors!!" He said loudly.
Fudge continued on like he didn't hear him.
"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister For Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister; Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley-"
Harry looked over at Percy hoping to see some flicker of recognition, but he was already bent over his parchment writing furiously.
Then Harry heard a calm voice behind him say: "Witness for the defence, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore"
Harry spun around so quickly he hurt his neck but he didn't care.
Dumbledore was there! He would make it right. Surely he wouldn't get expelled with Dumbledore in the room right?
Fudge looked distinctly unhappy about Dumbledores arrival but didn't say anything. Then he asked for Harry's account of what happened.
"Well sir me and my cousin, Dudley, we're walking down the street and all of a sudden it just got cold. And everything went dark. And Dudley was freaking out. I saw dementors and what they did to people last year at Hogwarts so I knew it was a dementor when I started feeling sad and like nothing would ever make me happy ever again. It was awful. Professor Lupin had taught me the Patronus Charm last year and a dementor had grabbed Dudley and was about to kiss him so you see I had no choice but to use the Patronus Charm sir."
Once he finished his explanation, one of the woman leaned forwards, she had a small stout figure with a toad like face and a big pink bow on top of her head which looked frankly a bit ridiculous.
"Are you telling me, Mr Potter, that there were dementors in Little Whinging."
"Yes mame."
"Now that's just ridiculous, why would there be dementors in Little Whinging?"
"Oh idk. Maybe Voldemort has started to take control like we warned you he would" Harry spat angrily.
"Now, now Harry" Fudge interrupted. "Voldemort is not back. He will never come back"
Harry scowled but he knew a lost cause when he saw one and didn't argue anymore.
The trial went on and on, he spoke, Dumbledore spoke, Fudge spoke amongst his little minions up there, and even Miss Figg came and spoke! Harry still couldn't believe she was a squib.
Eventually. It came time for the Jury to decide his fate. He couldn't be expelled right? He had done the right thing hadn't he? He waited with baited breath as the minister and his people talked quietly amongst each other.
Then Fudge stood up and said. "All in favour of punishing the accused."
His hand went up and so did the toad like lady's. He made note of this and sighed in defeat.
"All in favour of letting the accused go and clearing him of all charges" everyone else's hands went up.
"Very well then" Fudge said "I hereby clear Harry James Potter of any and all charges placed on him by this court of law"
Harry didn't think he'd ever smiled this wide. But. He didn't think he was as happy as he should be. Still he walked out with Dumbledore looking happy and he went home with Mr Weasley and told everyone the happy news and celebrated with them. He was glad that that weight was off his shoulders but there was something more, pressing, on his mind.
He'd been noticing things lately. Things being guys. Muggles on the street mostly but also how fit the Weasley twins were, or how Ron's jawline had a gentle, attractive slope to it. Stuff like that. He wasn't sure exactly what it meant but he was pretty sure that, he, Harry James Potter, was gay.
And he wasn't sure exactly what to do about it.