Harry walked into the dungeon room at the Ministry on the morning set for his hearing, to find that the benches were full, and it appeared that anyone who was anyone had decided to be present. Harry suspected Dumbledore's hand in the matter since, at least this way, Fudge could not sweep the whole thing under the carpet. The only section of society missing, other than the children, was the press, and Harry knew exactly where they were since he had had to dodge them on the way in.

There were several gasps and some low whispering the moment those in attendance caught sight of him. Remus, Molly, Arthur, Hermione, Ron and Neville all gave him encouraging smiles as he walked to the chair before the adjudicating council. One was Fudge; one was Amelia Bones and the third he did not recognise.

Sitting down carefully he waited for what he was absolutely positive would happen, and true to form the chains on the chair leapt into life—Fudge had obviously ordered him bound. There was a murmuring of unrest at the action, but Harry was not about to let it occur anyway. His magic flared into life at the threat and the chains never reached him, becoming seemingly stuck in some invisible substance as they waved almost gently in the air.

"I believe perhaps a mistake has been made," Dumbledore said politely; "Harry is not a prisoner, why have the bindings been made active?"

"I ordered it," Fudge said angrily, seemingly believing that the headmaster was responsible for the halt of the chains. "This hearing is to ascertain how dangerous Harry Potter is to those around him, he must be bound to maintain court security. Release your hold on the chains, Dumbledore."

"Professor Dumbledore is doing nothing to them," Harry said in a menacing, but completely calm tone, "I am. Deactivate them now, or I promise you they will never work again."

It was probably not the best way to start the hearing, but he was in no mood to pretend. The whole situation was folly. Fudge had taken him out of the only place he felt secure and Harry wanted to make sure the man understood his idiocy. The Minister was now looking at him with something akin to horror, but Madame Bones came to the court's rescue, pointing her wand at the chair and speaking one word. The chains fell back to their original position.

"I protest," Fudge said immediately.

"Minister," Amelia Bones said calmly, "the chains are clearly pointless. Mr Potter is here of his own volition, he is not a prisoner and hence binding him to the chair is technically illegal."

That shut up the annoying little man and Harry sat on his desire to snarl at the Minister. Ripping the man's throat out would be such a delightful pleasure, but even if Fudge was an incompetent moron, Harry doubted that action would win him any friends. Focussing everything he had on his Occulmency skills he held on to his darker side.

"I would suggest you call the hearing to order, Minister," the man Harry did not know said calmly.

"Enquiry hearing of the sixth of December," Fudge said through clenched teeth, "in the matter of the magical status of Harry James Potter. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Francis Maxwell Agito, Head of the Department for Control of Dark Creatures. Acting for the defence, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

Harry looked into the eyes of the afore name head of Control of Dark Creatures and the man looked back without flinching. He was impressed, from what he understood, these days that was a hard thing to do. With so many people around it was impossible to isolate what any single wizard or witch was feeling without revealing more of himself than he wanted to, so Harry had to be content with the truth his eyes beheld, rather than the truth his extra senses could give him.

"Mr Potter," Fudge launched in immediately, "are you, or are you not a Dark creature."

"I believe, Cornelius," Dumbledore countered pleasantly, "that this is the question which we have come here to discuss. That Harry has gained certain abilities from several species of Dark Creature is not in question, however, what he has become as a result of Voldemort's," a murmur went round the room at the Dark Lord's name, "meddling is yet to be decided."

"Quite," Agito said evenly, "perhaps, Minister, we should move on. The facts of the case should be entered into the record."

Whether the wizard was on his side or not, Harry rather admired Agito's technique. The instincts clawing just beneath the surface had labelled everyone on the bench an adversary, but the logical part of Harry was not so sure.

"In a case of such grave importance I call for the use of Veritaserum," Fudge said bluntly.

Harry went cold and was unable to completely hide the snarl that threatened. His lip curled and his fingers went white on the arms of his chair.

"If it pleases the Wizengamot," Snape's voice carried over the stunned court room, "I believe that to be unwise."

"The Wizengamot recognises Severus Snape, Potions Master and Professor at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Amelia Bones said smoothly before the Minister could object.

"Thank you, Madame Bones," Snape said in his usual cold tone, standing up where he was still to one side. "Mr Potter's physiology is not understood, and he has shown adverse reactions to some common potions ingredients. To administer Veritaserum would endanger Mr Potter and the Wizengamot."

"I do not see ..." Fudge began to bluster back.

"To place any wizard in an altered state is dangerous," Snape continued smoothly as if the Minister had not spoken, "due to unconscious magic; to place Mr Potter in an altered state could be tantamount to suicide."

That brought the whole room to complete silence.

"The Wizengamot relinquishes its requirement for Veritaserum," Agito said firmly, without bothering to look at either of his fellow bench members.

The expression on Fudge's face was furious, but the Minister had been out manoeuvred.

"Mr Potter," Fudge launched straight in again before either of the others had a chance, "on Saturday the twenty seventh of November you went from Hogsmeade village to Malfoy Manor in the company of four Death Eaters, is this not correct?"

"Was taken," Harry said firmly, "by force."

He was no longer the scared fifteen-year-old he had been last time he had set foot in this room and he was not about to take Fudge's contemptible bullying. The Minister's attempts to skew the court record were, quite frankly, annoying rather than worrying.

"Would you care to tell the court, in your own words," Madame Bones put in before Fudge could react, "what happened that afternoon."

Having to sit quite firmly on his desire to tell Fudge exactly what he thought of him, Harry nodded.

"Ron and I were in Honeydukes," he began as evenly as he could, focusing on the woman who had asked the question rather than the vexing Minister.

"This would be Ronald Bilius Weasley, son of Arthur and Molly Weasley?" Agito clarified calmly.

"Yes, Sir," Harry replied, though he really didn't feel like being particularly polite. "It was when we walked out of the shop that it happened; there was a large explosion, at least I think it was large, but I was right next to it and it hit me full on so I could be wrong. I hit my head when I fell back and I vaguely remember a couple of people grabbing me, but nothing else. The next thing I knew I was being dragged in front of Voldemort. He jeered at me for a while, gloated, the usual thing, and then he had one of his Death Eaters force a potion down my throat. That's the last thing I remember except for vague feelings and pain, until I woke up in Draco Malfoy's bedroom."

He stopped, unwilling to just plough on unless he was pushed. It seemed that for now Fudge was more interested in the events he had described rather than anything else, if the malicious glint in the man's eye could be believed.

"So, you claim you were not a willing participant in the Dark Magic performed on your person," the Minister said.

Harry knew what was coming, but there was little he could do to avoid it; he just hoped he could hold on to his temper better than he had when Caveo had accused him of the same thing.

"I offer into evidence the report of the specialist Auror unit who examined, revealed and catalogued the spells performed to render Mr Potter into his current state," Fudge said, barely hiding his glee.

"So noted," Madame Bones said formally.

"Mr Potter, are you familiar with the Crevitemero ceremony?" the Minister asked and Harry just about managed to keep his features from showing his anger at the wizard.

It was a stupid question; they both knew Harry had no idea what Fudge was on about.

"No," he answered shortly.

"It is a Dark Magic ceremony to take power from one wizard and place it in another," the Minister continued eagerly, "it requires the wizard receiving the power to be a willing participant. A variation of this ceremony was performed on you."

A muttering filled the room and Madame Bones struck a large round stone on the desk to quiet everyone down.

"Could you be a little clearer in your definition of 'willing participant', please, Cornelius?" Dumbledore's calm tones begged no argument, even though he sounded as if he had just asked the Minister to pass the butter.

"The participant is required to chant the ceremonial spells with those performing the power transfer," Fudge said victoriously, "and hence Harry Potter must have been complicit in his own transformation."

When Dumbledore did not immediately deny this Harry looked round at his mentor, to see what the headmaster was up to.

"Come now, Cornelius," Dumbledore said pleasantly as if speaking to a child, "Harry had already revealed that he was drugged. A drugged mind cannot protect itself. When I arrived at Malfoy Manor on the morning of the twenty ninth of November, I took the liberty of having Harry checked for traces of Imperio. The results I believe were positive and are also a matter or record."

Fudge appeared dumbfounded, the Minister had obviously not read that far in the report.

"I would put it to the assembled council that Harry was not complicit in his own transformation, but was drugged to prevent his resistance of the Imperius curse, and was subsequently forced to take part in the Crevitemero ceremony," the headmaster said calmly.

Both Madame Bones and Agito nodded in agreement, Fudge had no choice but to come into line. Smug satisfaction was not something Harry often felt, but he experienced it now on Dumbledore's behalf. It couldn't last though, and he knew it.

"What happened after you woke up, Mr Potter?" Madame Bones asked kindly, but professionally.

He went cold again and the hostile feelings rose to just below the surface as everyone became the enemy once more.

"I met Draco Malfoy for the first time since the train home after the sixth year," he said, picking his words very carefully and holding on to his feelings with an iron will.

"And?" Agito prompted evenly.

"He told me what had happened, what I was becoming," Harry said shortly.

"So, at this point you were still human?" Amelia Bones looked sorry to have to ask the question, but her tone was firm nevertheless.

"Yes, Ma'am," Harry replied, trying to distance himself from the memory, "I could feel the power inside, but it hadn't changed me yet. I think the patterns were some sort of holding spell and only when they started to fade could the magic alter me. Once that started, I passed out."

This time the murmuring sounded vaguely sympathetic.