Megan felt a horrible lurch when she entered the courtroom. She had seen it in Dumbledore's Pensieve, when they were hearing Karkaroff. It took all her strength to make her legs move. She gulped and marched forwards where she was indicated a seat in the centre of the room. Behind her was a set of seats, all empty. Ahead of her were three rows of people in red or black robes. Ministry officials, Megan realised with a shudder. Fudge, in black, sat in the centre, Percy just behind him.

"Disciplinary hearing of August twelfth for the offence committed by Megan Jennifer Potter, resident at Number Four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. Interrogators, Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic, Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary and Amelia Susan Bones, Head of Magical Law Enforcement..."

"Witness for the defence," called a calm, clear voice. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

Megan's eyes widened. She looked quickly around. Sure enough, the Hogwarts Headmaster came striding in and stood beside Megan, who suddenly felt more confident.

"Ah..." Fudge looked disconcerted, and... was that a hint of annoyance? "You got our message that the time and place had been changed."

"Oh, I must have missed it, but by a happy mistake I was here three hours early." Dumbledore said serenely. "Now, if that's all right, may I hear the charges?"

"The charges are the production of a Patronus Charm in presence of a Muggle in full awareness of the illegality of such actions. Do you deny these charges, accused?"

"No, sir, but –" Megan began.

"Your Patronus was corporeal?" asked Mrs Bones.

"Yes, it's a phoenix, but I only –"

"You are fifteen and you master the Patronus Charm?"

"Yes..."

"You learned it at school?" She inquired.

"Professor Lupin taught me," Megan answered. "On my insistent request," she added, not knowing if that was something he was supposed to do.

"I see. Impressive," she said, her piercing eyes fixed on Megan. "Mastering that complex a charm at such a young age is quite a feat."

"Then, the offence is all the worst, is it not?" Fudge snapped, his eyes narrowing at Megan. "The girl did it in plain view of a Muggle!"

"We were being attacked by Dementors, what was I supposed to do?" Megan asked, getting irritated herself.

A silence fell.

"Dementors in Little Whinging?" Madam Bones asked with a frown.

"Yes. Two." Megan said. "One attacked me, the other my cousin Nathalie. If I hadn't cast a Patronus, she'd be worse than dead, now."

"How convenient," said the woman called Umbridge. "Are you aware that Muggles cannot see Dementors, Miss Potter?"

"Yes, I am. But if you don't believe me, ask my cousin! She may not have seen them, but she was sick for three whole days after it happened!" Megan said. "I'm not lying, I–"

"We do, in fact," cut in Dumbleodre, silencing her by placing his long thin hand on her shoulder, but not looking at her when she glanced up. "have a witness. Miss Arabella Doreen Figg. Who, actually, can see Dementors as clearly as you or I."

Fudge looked furious, but said nothing.

"Very well. We shall hear the witness." Madam Bones declared. "Please send for her."

So a moment later, Mrs Figg was brought in and asked to witness.

"Please describe the attack," Madam Bones asked.

"... Er... well... Megan and er... Nathalie were walking by a playground near their street," old Madam Figg said. "I was coming home from shopping and I saw them some twenty yards ahead. And then, it went all cold... then Megan pulled her cousin by the arm and they ran. So I followed, to see what was wrong... and then I saw these tall, eerie black hooded figures and it went even more dead cold. I'd never felt so cold and hollow in my life. Like all the cheer had gone from the world. It was quite a horrible sensation."

Megan knew this was an accurate description, and the jury had to know that too.

"But we have no records of any other witch or wizard in that area," Umbridge said. "So who exactly are you?"

"Well, I'm Squib, so that means you wouldn't have me in your records," Mrs Figg answered with a shrug.

"You'll leave parentage details for verification with my assistant," Fudge said.

Percy was scribbling away with his peacock quill. Fudge, however, wasn't finished.

"But I have to say, the odds of Dementors wandering into a Muggle suburb and happening to run into a young witch are astronomical..."

"Oh, I'm sure no one believes they were there by accident, Minister." Dumbledore interjected calmly.

A small "hem hem" made them look at Mrs Umbridge.

"It is so silly of me, but it sounded for a moment as though you were suggesting that the Ministry ordered the attack?"

Megan's first thought when she looked at Umbridge was that she looked rather like a toad. Wearing red robes, she had round, puffy cheeks, little eyes and fat lips, and stubby hands folded in front of her.

"Oh, I would never suggest that," Dumbledore said pleasantly. "I think it more likely they are taking their instructions from someone else, these days."

He crossed the room and said in a lower voice:

"I implore you to see reason, Cornelius." He said. "The evidence that the Dark Lord has returned is undeniable."

"He is not back!" Fudge hissed.

Dumbledore sighed and turned away, addressing the assembly.

"As I'm sure you are all very aware, the law clearly states that in the event of a life threatening position for oneself or anyone around them, underage wizards are authorized to use magic."

"Don't be ridiculous, Dumbledore! How many times has the girl come up with all sorts of cock and bull stories! Might I remind you that she performed a Hovering Charm three years ago!"

"That wasn't me, it was a house elf!" Megan protested.

"A house elf in a Muggle house, I ask you!"

"I can summon that very house elf in the instant, if you wish. He is currently employed at Hogwarts."

"I don't have time to listen to house elves, Dumbledore! But I still maintain she finds more and more creative ways out of trouble! I hate to think what she gets up to when she's in school..."

"As you know, punishments for what occurs in Hogwarts is not part of the Ministry's authority," Dumbledore said sharply, a flicker of warning in his eyes.

"Oh, isn't it?" Fudge said angrily.

"No, it is not. The Ministry has no power to expel a student, as I reminded you on the Second of August." Dumbledore said, his eyes still glinting dangerously. "It can no more confiscate wands or dispose of them until charges are proved."

"Laws change!" Fudge snapped.

"So I see," Dumbledore retorted crisply. "Holding an entire criminal trial for a simple case of underage magic."

There was some uncomfortable shifting and whispering.

"And in my understanding, this court is not here to punish Megan for every use of magic she has done." Dumbledore said. "She is charged with one offence, and we have presented our defence. All we can now do is wait for your verdict."

Fudge glared at him. Umbridge looked expressionless. Madam Bones's face was thoughtful. Megan tried to glance at Dumbledore but he determinedly averted her gaze. This made her even more nervous and uncomfortable than she already was. Then, finally...

"Those in favour of conviction?" Fudge demanded.

A few hands rose, including Fudge's and Umbridge's.

"Those in favour of clearing the accused of all charges?" Madam Bones asked.

To her amazement, all the other hands went up, clearly more numerous.

"Fine, fine," Fudge growled. "Cleared of charges."

And he banged his gavel which echoed through the courtroom.

The crowd bustled about leaving the room. Megan let out a sigh of relief. Knowing you were innocent and being told you were were two very different things. She made to turn to Dumbledore, thank him, only to find that he was gone. She glanced around, but he was nowhere to be seen. She stood taken aback a few seconds, then sighed and left the dungeon. Mr Weasley was sitting outside, waiting. When he saw Megan he jumped to his feet.

"What did they say? Dumbledore didn't tell me..."

"Cleared of all charges," she said.

"That's wonderful! I knew you weren't guilty, of course, but still..."

Megan nodded.

"Blimey, were you tried by the entire court?" he asked as he watched people exit the chamber.

"I think I was, actually," Megan answered.

He frowned slightly at that but didn't comment.

"Well, come along, I'll drop you off on my way out, I've got a regurgitating toilet in Bethnal Green..."

Megan giggled. Everything seemed much funnier without the trial on her shoulders.

"How are you going to solve that?" Megan asked, earnestly curious.

"Oh, simple enough," he said. "But it's the attitude behind it that worries me, it usually hides something nasty..."

But before he could go on, they came face to face with Lucius Malfoy.

"Well, well... Patronus Potter."

Megan froze, fingers itching for her wand. The last time she had seen him, he had been in the graveyard with Voldemort.

"Fudge was just telling me about your escape," he said. "Very good, I must say."

"Yeah," she said defiantly. "I've gotten quite good at escaping."

They both knew she wasn't talking about the trial, this time.

"Clearly." He sneered. "Shall we, Minister?"

He and Fudge marched off, and Megan and Mr Weasley moved on.

"What was he doing down here?" Megan asked.

"If you ask me, he was trying to get into the courtroom, find out if you'd been expelled," Mr Weasley said. "I'll have to let Dumbledore know of them talking," he added in a low voice.

"What could they be doing together, anyway?" Megan inquired.

"Lucius is very well connected." Mr Weasley said darkly. "He gives money so he can ask favours, delay laws to his suiting."

"... What if... Fudge's been put under the Imperius Curse?" Megan whispered to him.

"Oh, we've thought of that," he answered. "But Dumbledore thinks he's not, and that's not much comfort. Come on, up here."

When they passed the statues, Megan said:

"Hold on a second..."

And, true to her promise, poured not ten, but fifteen Galleons into the collection pot.