Disclaimer: I know it must be a shock to you, but all the wonderful characters belong to J.- except Sunny, he's all mine.

Author's Note: Yes, yes, I know it took me long, but here's the long-awaited revenge...

Oh, and sorry, I haven't answered your reviews yet, but I still have to wrap all the presents for Christmas and think of a few others. And someone pointed out that I should update more often and shouldn't demand that you review. Well, I'm sorry I can't update as regularly as I used to, but I have a lot of other things to do and I think it's not too much to ask that you tell me what you think.

Well, anyway, since this is the last week of school this year dances around the table and since I have no more tests hops on the table, I think I could manage to update every two days... Better?

Oh, and you can now read all the edited scenes on adultfanfiction . net.

53. TRIALS

The day of the first trial, against Ginny Weasley, approached sooner than Harry would have liked. Sure, he had said all those things and for that one conversation he had managed to push his fear into the background, but that didn't alleviate his fears. He had hugged Sirius the other day, from behind so that the Animagus wouldn't be able to hug him back and he had relished in the contact, but from everybody else, including Severus, he shied away and the only contact he had with Tom was pressing his hand from time to time. Still, he had to flee back to his room more than twice a day, though he made sure that no-one saw it as what it really was: anxiety attacks. He still zigzagged in the hallways so that he wouldn't have to pass the doors directly, he still bolted at every loud noise, he still cried himself to sleep and he still had to put Silencing Charms around his bed to keep the nightmares a secret. And despite all this, he knew as well that everyone in that house knew what he was doing, that he was hiding again and he knew that he would have to give up on it soon. But not quite yet. Not as long as Dumbledore was still there.

Yes, he certainly had all the pieces, but they were all jumbled together, some had dog ears and others were covered in dirt or blood, and some pieces didn't belong to the picture and had to be disposed off, like for example his fear.

But the 20th came and Harry put on his best pair of trousers and his best shirt and threw ordinary black robes over them, remembering his own trial of the beginning of his fifth year. This memory didn't dwindle either when Percy's personal secretary led them to the same courtroom after they had flooed to the ministry. His six guardians warded off any reporters that crowded in the Atrium since the only reporter allowed into the courtroom itself was Sirius as Harry's godfather and he grabbed Sirius' hand on the right and Tom's on the left, drawing support from their presence.

The young ministry witch led them to the long bench in the very front of the room that was separated from the others by a small railing, where Lucius was already waiting for them, smiling reassuringly at the small boy, who half hid between the taller wizards.

Harry would only stand up as a witness since the magical prosecution department had adopted the lawsuit. Nott had offered to support them and was now sitting with the other lawyers. In the other row of benches to his right, sat the considerable dwindled Weasley clan, only Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, he could feel their eyes boring into him and he slid closer to Sirius, who slowly put an arm around his shoulder, but he still couldn't help but feel sad for them that they had more or less lost all of their children- and all because of him. And now he would steal Ginny from them, he could understand their hatred towards him.

"The case is rather easy", Lucius informed them, "Weasley made a full confession and pleaded guilty. Her lawyer wants an Azkaban term of eight years under appeal on youth custody. Amelia Bones is presiding her and Granger's trial, but for Dumbledore's the whole Wizengamot will come together."

"Please, rise for the venerable High-Judge Bones", a cranky voice announced suddenly, making Harry wince before he pulled himself together in order to be able to stand up.

Amelia Bones, Percy Weasley and two other judges entered the room from the door behind the long desk and except for the new Minister, who took a seat at the left end of the table, they sat down in the high-backed chairs in the middle, opposite of the dock. They shuffled a while through their papers before setting them down and expectantly turning to a small iron side door.

"The accused Ginevra Molly Weasley", the same cranky voice said and Harry realised that it came from the wizard to Madam Bones' left as the iron door was opened and Ginny stumbled into the room, framed by two Dementors. Harry heard Mrs. Weasleys half horrified, half indignant cry. Ginny was pushed into the chair he had sat in a good year ago, but this times the chains not only rattled, but strapped the red-haired girl to the chair.

The cranky-voiced wizard stood slowly as if every single bone in his body protested against the movement and began to read the bill of indictment: "The following deeds are held against the present Ginevra Molly Weasley: deprivation of liberty, bodily injury and rape of the also present Harry James Potter. You will be judged by the Juvenile Magic Court, what do you plead?"

"We plead guilty, your Honour", the shabby-clad lawyer declared next to Ginny with a self-confidence that surprised Harry, "My client is willing to co-operate with the authorities and will make a full confession. We also ask to take the violent attack on my client five days ago into account."

"Miss Weasley, with the agreement of the magical prosecution department you can take the witness stand", Madam Bones stated and after the lead lawyer had agreed, Ginny was freed from her chains and staggered over to the small box on the right side, one arm protectively pressed against her stomach as if she was in pain.

At first Ginny's voice quivered as she began talking and she refused to look up, but after a few sentences her voice gained volume, though she still stared fixedly at the desk in front of her. No-one interrupted her as she described, how she and Hermione had prepared the room and the potion, how the Headmaster always checked on their progress, finally telling them that the Anti-Magic wards had been placed around the room, declaring that it was time. Her voice faltered as she talked about her own deeds, what she had done to her brother's best-friend, but she didn't stop until she had completed the confession.

"Your witness, Mr. Sire", Ginny's lawyer said, taking his seat as the attorney planted himself in front of the youngest Weasley child: "Miss Weasley, is it true that Mr. Potter spent some time at your family's home?"

"Yes."

"Would you call Mr. Potter a friend of yours?

"Yes, he loved me", the witch regained some of her smugness.

"What impression did he make on you?", the attorney ignored the second part of her answer.

"Polite", Ginny answered hesitantly, "And nice."

"And what happened to your view on him that caused you to rape him? Did he maybe insult you or left you alone in a situation when you needed him?"

"No."

"So you woke up one morning and decided that raping was a nice demonstration of your friendship, did you?"

"No, damnit. We were meant to be with each other, everyone knew it, only he didn't realise it", snapped Ginny, "I wanted to show him where he belonged! Those Death Eaters brainwashed him."

"And how exactly was raping supposed to bring him 'back'?", the attorney asked quietly.

"It wasn't rape!", the witch snarled infuriated, "Harry would have wanted to if he hadn't been under the influence of a potion or the Imperius."

"Madam Pomfrey sent us the written testimony that Harry Potter was not under the influence of any potion or curse", Percy spoke up in a neutral voice, "Do you have anymore questions, Mr. Sire?"

"No further questions, your Honour", the attorney declared, stepping back and Ginny slumped in her chair.

"Mr. Potter, would you like to add something?", Madam Bones inquired, looking at the covering boy.

"Everything I remember happened like she said", Harry answered.

"Miss Weasley you have the final word."

"I don't regret it", Ginny sneered, ignoring her lawyer, who gesticulated furiously, "I enjoyed it", she laughed almost happily, before her lawyer hit her with a Silencing Spell.

"The court will retire for deliberation", Madam Bones and her two colleagues stood and disappeared through the same door that they had come through earlier.

Harry closed his eyes, trying to forget where he was, imagining to lie somewhere on a sandy beach. Not ten minutes later the judges returned and they were asked to stand up for the sentencing, which was a lifelong sentence in prison. Until her coming of age Ginny would spend the time in juvenile prison without Dementors, but after that she would be shipped off to Azkaban to the high-security tract.

Their bench waited till everyone else was gone, the others shielding Harry from any well-wishers or furious Weasleys.

When Lucius went to leave Harry tugged Sirius sleeve and whispered: "Tell him that I'm sorry. And that I thank him and tell him to say hello to Draco and Narcissa, please?"

Sirius nodded and slowly, so as not to scare Harry, stood up and caught up with Lucius, who was talking to Nott.

"Malfoy", Lucius turned around to see one of his best-friends and raised an eyebrow.

"Black."

"Yes, Harry sent me. He said to thank you and that he's sorry. And greetings to Narcissa and your son."

"How is he?", Lucius asked, disregarding that he just had a civil conversation with the Animagus.

"He locked himself in his room for the best part of this month. He doesn't allow anyone but me and Riddle to touch him and he's more frightened than I've ever seen him, but he tries at least", Sirius sighed, "Could you maybe tell his friends to write him? I think he would like that."

"As good as done", agreed Lucius, "I guess, I'll see you tomorrow. Tell Harry that he doesn't need to be sorry for anything."

The two men parted and Sirius relayed the message to Harry, who smiled relievedly before once again hiding between the taller wizards to get through the reporters.

Hermione's parents were sitting on the bench on the other side, where the Weasleys had sat the day before, and Harry felt suddenly guilty when he saw Mrs. Granger's tear-clouded face, though he wasn't sure if it was more the loss of her daughter or the fact that her daughter was able to do something like this that grieved her so much. A groomed lawyer sat at the desk next to the chair in the middle, tons of papers weighing it down, and leafed through a thick book. Lucius once again smiled at him and with much conquest he smiled back before snuggling into Sirius, closing his eyes until they had to stand up.

"What do you plead?", Madam Bones asked after the reading of the bill of indictments, which was expanded to one more charge: physic cruelty.

Hermione had been led into the courtroom by two looming Dementors and Harry had had to once again fight the bad memories they brought back, glad when the two creatures left immediately. Her hair was even more frizzy, but she wore a fine simple cut dress that fell over her knees and a beige blazer over it. All in all she looked like mixture between a naive country girl and a over-ambitious career girl.

"We plead guilty", the lawyer stood with a small bow and pleasant smile fixed on his face, "And mitigating circumstances, your Honour!"

"Very well then. Miss Granger is refusing to give evidence, is that correct?", Madam Bones continued and the lawyer agreed, "You are aware that Miss Weasley already made a confession?"

"Yes, your Honour, my client still prefers to stay silent since this whole ordeal has been rather gruelling for my client, also considering the vicious attack on her."

Madam Bones scowled at the lawyer: "You were sent a protocol of Miss Weasley's testimony?"

"Yes, your Honour", the lawyer bowed again, "But we noticed that Mr. Potter didn't say very much and we would like to hear his point of the story."

"Objection, your Honour", Nott jumped up, "Mr. Dendie claims that this process is gruelling for his client, but I think we all agree that Mr. Potter has more right than Miss Granger to that claim."

"I merely wanted to suggest that since Mr. Potter agreed to act as a witness it would be best if we started with him", the lawyer chuckled a little.

"Please, refrain from such inappropriate behaviour", reprimanded the judge to Madam Bones' right, "This is no laughing matter."

While this small argument Mr. Nott had walked over to them: "Mr. Potter, are you sure of your decision to make a testimony? Dendie will not let you down easily", Harry nodded wordlessly, too frightened by the unfamiliar presence to speak, "You can go into the witness stand."

Harry waited till Nott had sat back down before carefully disentangling himself from Sirius embrace and Tom's hand. He took a deep breath and then slipped out from the railed bench and then walked over to the small box with utter calm and unbroken pride radiating from every pore. Of course he didn't feel like this on the inside, but he had years to perfect this farce. He stared straight ahead as he told what had happened that Halloween up to the point when he blacked out and the attorney just thanked him, not asking any questions.

"Mr. Potter, how are you?", Dendie asked pleasantly and Harry involuntarily shied back when he planted himself in front of the box.

"I don't see why I should answer that question, Mr. Dendie", answered Harry, "How would you feel?"

"I would be sad that my best-friend was condemned for something like this", Dendie returned, "Aren't you sad?"

"As far as I'm concerned that friendship ended when she started to insult me for something I hadn't done and had no control over. And I think on her part that friendship never existed", retorted Harry.

"Is it correct that you signed a contract that stated that you have to have sexual intercourse with Mr. You-Know-Who once a week? Isn't that like rape as well?"

"So, in your opinion, if someone is raped repeatedly he is supposed to like it, or what?", Harry said sharply, "Yes, I signed that contract, but Tom never raped me, the way I see it."

"Is it correct that you kissed Mr. Weasley, even though you knew that Miss Granger had a crush on the first?", the lawyer asked, lurking.

"I knew that Hermione had a crush on Ron", said Harry deliberately, "Which is the reason I never kissed Ron. He kissed me. He pushed me against a wall in the alley behind Florean Fortescue's. You can ask him if you don't believe me. She and Ron got together soon after- I really don't see how this connects to the rape. I am married, I never gave Ron or anyone else a sign that I was interested in them in that way."

"You stupid liar", shouted Hermione straining against the chains, "You drove everyone insane with your supposed innocence. Just one bat with your eyelashes and you had everyone at your feet. And now you did this to me..."

"If I could say something, your Honour", interjected Tom and stood up, "Harry never gave me a reason to doubt his faithfulness", he carefully approached the small boy and held out his hand, "And he would never do something to purposefully hurt another person. What Granger did is not excusable."

"And what you did is, Mr. You-Know-Who?", the lawyer mocked.

"No, it isn't, but I'm not standing trial here", he stated and squeezed Harry's hand leading him away, "I gained amnesty. I'm sure that if Granger was a Dark Lord, too, you could arrange something with this court, but as it is... Have fun in Azkaban."

"I want to go, Tom", whispered Harry near tears, "Bring me home."

Tom nodded and their whole party flooed home. Later Lucius sent an owl: Hermione had been sentenced to a life long stay in Azkaban in the high security tract and was denied any medical aid. Harry locked himself in his rooms as soon as they got home, trying to get his emotions under control.

"Uncle Severus", Harry stopped the Potion's Master in the hallway and the man turned, surprised- Harry hadn't really talked to any of them, "Can I have a Calming Draught?"

"Of course, I thought you might need one", he reached into his pocket, hauling out a plastic bottle, "I watered it down. You can drink the whole bottle if you feel the need to, but it will not knock you out, only sedate you a little."

"Thank you, Severus", Harry smiled a bit unsurely, "Also for Snuffles and I'm sorry that I'm like this."

"It's fine, Harry", Severus returned the smile, "Just make sure that you'll be okay soon. We should go now", he made to walk down the stairs in front of Harry, but the small boy hesitantly grabbed his hand: "Let's go."

Harry's first impression of the members of the Wizengamot was that they were all incredibly old. The eight wizards and five witches all wore long black ceremonial robes with a small emblem on their chest. The only two he knew with name were Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden because they had once retired from their position in protest to Dumbledore's suspension.

"The Wizengamot has come together today for the grave matter of the punishement of the former Chief Warlock Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore", Tiberius Ogden, who had been appointed as the temporary Chief Warlock, greeted them, "The accused is charged with accessory to rape, cruelty, child abuse and defamation all against his ward Harry James Potter."

"Mr. Dumbledore has decided to defend himself", the wizard to Ogden's right continued, "What do you plead, Mr. Dumbledore?"

"Please call me Albus, Ramon", Dumbledore spoke cheerfully, "And I plead not guilty, thank you."

A murmur went through the courtroom.

"Silence", admonished Ogden, "I think the facts of the case have been sufficiently illuminated. What do you have to say in your defence?"

"I don't deny the facts, yes, I did what I'm charged off", answered the former Headmaster with twinkling eyes, "However, I did so to bring Mr. Potter back to the light."

"Could you elaborate, Mr. Dumbledore", Ogden scowled, "I fail to see how child abuse could possibly help in such a case."

"As you can undoubtedly see, Mr. Potter, is very in favour of the Dark side, right now", all eyes swivelled around to land on the delicate boy, nestled in between the Dark Lord and Sirius, "I feared and still fear that this influence could not only lead him away from the Light, but form him into a new Dark Lord. And, honestly, no-one wants that, right?"

"Do you have any prove of that assumption other that Mr. Potter made friends with his husband?", asked a witch with grey fluffy hair.

"He pulled back from his friends and associated with people like the Malfoys. His reactions to friendly concern became violent and I have the suspicion that Voldemort is controlling him. There was an incident, following which I informed the Ministry of the abuse I suspected. I went to Mr. Potter's room to inquire about his health since he had acted strangely the week before and found him back to normal and very eager to get away from his husband. And who can blame him?"

"Your Honour", Tom stood up slowly, "This 'incident' indeed happened and, as you were undoubtedly informed of, I didn't abuse my husband and I think it's clear by now that Harry doesn't want to be away from me. During that conversation I was in the next room and I could hear every word- you can safely assume that if Harry had really wanted to get rid of me, he would have found a better way to relay that information. Harry was angry with me and he wanted Dumbledore to leave him alone. You married him off to me, what did you expect? That he kills me in my sleep?"

"I expected him to fulfil the prophesy", Dumbledore gave back.

"And what does this prophesy entail, Mr. Dumbledore?", inquired Griselda Marchbanks, "You reasoned every decision of yours with this prophesy. That you alone know. I begin to doubt that it ever existed."

"I expected something like that and therefore will provide you with the memory of when I witnessed the prediction", Hagrid, whom Harry had strangely enough missed, stepped forward and extracted Dumbledore's Pensieve and put it on the table in front of Ogden, who tipped it with his wand.

Once again the pearly figure of Professor Trelawney rose from the bowl and spoke in a raspy voice the words that had haunted Harry since the end of his fifth year. At the part of killing each other Tom's hand twitched, before pulling away slightly from his and Harry sobbed softly.

"Mr. Potter, you were aware of this prophesy?", Madam Marchbanks asked and Harry nodded weakly, "And are you planning to fulfil the prophesy?"

"Your Honour", Sirius suddenly jumped up, despite Harry's sobs, "The prophesy has already been fulfilled", he turned back to Tom and Harry, who looked tearfully at him, "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...Just because Harry has the power to kill you doesn't mean he will do so, Riddle... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... You did mark him, first with his scar and now also through your marriage... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... Think Tom, didn't you hear that sentence before? Didn't someone die indirectly at your hand?"

/The child/, Tom hissed and took Harry in his arms, totally forgetting Harry's current state of mind.

Harry's body convulsed and he started to sob even harder as he felt the strong arms surrounding him: "No!"

"Let him go, idiot", Sirius pushed the Dark Lord back, "Don't you see, you're upsetting him?"

Harry slid under the bench, curling up under it. The others backed away quickly, but still shielded him from prying eyes.

"What is the matter?", a hunchbacked wizard at the end of the table wheezed, leaning back as Tom rounded in on him: "This is what happens when someone is raped repeatedly by the ones he calls friends or even family. Here you can see what your good, benevolent hero did to an innocent child."

"Mr. Riddle", Ogden spoke up, "Could you maybe explain to us what Mr. Snape was implying?"

"After Harry has calmed down."

"Don't worry, Riddle", Sirius stated, who had managed to take Harry in his arms, still sitting on the floor, "I have him. And for your information, I'm not Snape- the thought alone makes me sick."

"Beg your pardon?"

"You haven't by any chance noticed that there are two people looking like me?", Snape snapped, "Dumbledore's little plot had as a result that Harry is deadly afraid of the sight of his godfather, which is why I gave him Polyjuice Potion."

"Oh, you know- an old man's eyes", Ogden said with a self-deprecating little smile, "Could the Wizengamot have an answer now?"

"This prophesy is not only about Harry and me", Tom started, trying to find the right words, "Harry was pregnant."

The assembled witches and wizard gasped and the news had managed to shock even Dumbledore: "Why did you give him the potion?", a doddery woman with crinkled eyes asked; she looked like the stereotype of a grand-grand-mother and had a motherly air surrounding her old form, "The potion is illegal to administer to underage wizards."

"I never cared much about the law, you should know that, but in this case I didn't administer the potion. Harry was a bearer."

Once again the room gasped collectively and Ogden said in a questioning tone of voice: "But there hasn't been a natural Male Pregnancy since two hundred and forty-seven years... this isn't possible."

"We're talking about Harry Potter here", Tom smirked a little and pulled out one of Harry's medical reports, which Madam Pomfrey had sent to him because she had thought he might need that, "These are the documents of Harry's treatment after he had been attacked."

The wizened judges all quite undignified scrambled to get a look at the papers and everyone who had found the corresponding line sank back into their chair with a stunned expression.

"As you can see his condition was quite grave and to make a long story short, I had to choose one of them, Harry or the baby. I chose Harry. One of them had to die through my hand or at least through my decision because neither could have lived while the other survived. So you see the prophesy is fulfilled."

"That still doesn't change the fact that Harry is on the best way of becoming a Dark Lord, all your Death Eaters have corrupted him", Dumbledore intervened and some of the Wizengamot wizards nodded, though the story of a killed child seemed to have convinced all the witches and the majority of the wizards- apparently they thought that killing a child was just too high a prize to assure someone's loyalty.

"I would like to say something", Lucius stood next to Tom, "I always was a Malfoy. Malfoys are always ruthless, they are cunning and they are always on the winning side. I never saw myself as evil, I did what I did to assure the well-being of myself, my family and the Malfoy line. If that meant being a Death Eater, so be it. But since Harry spent some time in my manor this view point changed. I am not a bad person, no, but I'm not good, either. Harry is. Harry helps others for reasons I can't even begin to understand, he does things that don't make any sense to me, but somehow make everything better. My son is dating Charlie Weasley because Harry thought they would match- I have never seen my son so happy before. The first thing my wife will ask when I'm home again will be how Harry is doing and I'm sure there will be at least five owls asking the exact same thing. Harry didn't change, your Honour, he changed us. I always was first a Malfoy and then a Death Eater. Now I'm first Harry's friend. I would chose Harry over the Dark Lord anytime and I know most of the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord himself would do the same. And that is not because he's more powerful than the Dark Lord."

"The accused has the last word", Ogden stated after a long silence, turning his eyes back to the old man, who had slumped in his chair.

"Can't you see they're manipulating you?", he mustered up his remaining strength, "This whole show with breaking down and losing a baby and about being changed. They're Slytherins. They wanted this contract and it destroyed everything."

"I was in Slytherin as well", Ogden sneered and four other members nodded in agreement, "And you talked the Ministry into accepting this contract and as I see it Mr. Riddle and his followers have changed for the better, while you did everything to break this agreement and young Mr. Potter, who, in my opinion, is not at all faking. Maybe I'm fooled, yes, but I'd rather be fooled and live in peace and than be manipulated and fight a war of a power-hungry senile man. And now, Albus, your last word!"

"You will perish without me", Dumbledore, spat revealing the corrupt man he really was, "This world is held together by me. If I hadn't saved your arses so many times you would have gone under. You're fools and I enjoyed what I did, I watched the whole thing, and I knew exactly how Potter was treated at home, I joined in a couple of times, such a good little whore, aren't you, Harry? Try to fix your broken toy, Tom, if you think you can stand all the dirt and cum staining him. You're both freaks, disgusting little freaks and..."

Tom waved his wand at the maniac man, silencing him: "I suggest you pass the sentence before I decide to take it out of your hands."

Ogden nodded: "I propose the maximum punishment: the Dementor's kiss, the revoking of all his titles, the assignment of his vaults and worldly possessions to charity organisations and the snapping of his wand. Are there any other suggestions?", no-one spoke up, "Who agrees?", everyone lifted his or her hand and Ogden tapped his wand on the desk with a loud snap that echoed around the room and filled in the papers.

After each of the members of the Wizengamot had signed the sentence, Ogden stood up a long thin wand in his hand and for everyone to see snapped it in two halves before putting it back down and handing the sentence over to his secretary.

"The sentences may be passed immediately", Ogden stated, giving the Dementors a sign with his hand, but before the vile creatures could feast on Dumbledore's soul, a loud rustling could be heard that seemed to come from every dark corner of the room and seconds later the assembled wizards were surrounded by hundreds of vampires.

"Not so fast, human", Sunny stepped out of the mass of pale-skinned vampires accompanied by five other clan chiefs, "It is not only your law that applies here. He hurt a child of our clan. You can have him kissed once we are through with him."

He smirked viciously and the other vampires barred their fangs.

"Which child are you talking about?", one of the witches spoke up bravely.

"Harry Potter", Sunny rolled his eyes at her, "He is a child of our clan and we don't take kindly to see our children being abused and raped."

He made an imperative hand gesture and four of his vampires moved to get Dumbledore.

"Harry Potter is no vampire", the wizard Dumbledore had called Ramon earlier objected.

"You obviously enough don't know anything about vampires", the vampire to Sunny's right whispered, "Children of our clan are those, who are so by birth, those, who gave us their blood and those, who we care about. Harry Potter is a child of the clan."

"Our court will pass its own sentence and will execute it", the vampire on Sunny's other side declared and the four vampires who held Dumbledore vanished into thin air with the better part of the non-humans, "After that you can have him back- or what is left of him."

The last few vampires plopped away and only Sunny stayed a moment longer to pull Rabastan aside: "Take good care of Harry", he whispered urgently, "And tell him that if he needs me or wants me to do something he just has to ask. Keep me informed, okay?", he gently smiled at his brown-haired mate before kissing him passionately and also following his clan.

"Well, that was kind of unexpected", Ogden seemed strangely happy and satisfied, though and most of the other members of the Wizengamot seemed to think that Dumbledore deserved whatever they had in store for him.

There wasn't much known about vampire traditions and their legal system, but it was generally believed that they took Talion's law (1) rather literally. No-one expected to see Dumbledore for the next few months and most were even slightly surprised when Dumbledore was returned to them four months later in a rather small package, which he had to share with several rats. But there wasn't much of him left anyway and though several Aurors and Ministry officials expressed the wish to practise some spells on him, most everyone seemed to agree that Dumbledore wasn't worth the bother and on top of that stank too awfully to be around. There were no meaningful last words, either, since the Dumbledore-package was short of one tongue and several other body parts. But that was still in the future and Dumbledore had yet to pay for his crimes...

"Mr. Riddle, I hope sincerely that you have been honest with us today and under those circumstances I apologise on behalf of the whole Wizengamot for the inconvenience we have caused you and your husband", he held out his hand, "I have to admit that I don't know Mr. Potter personally, but no-one deserved what he had to go through and I hope he will recover."

Tom took the hand, shaking, just as a reporter slipped through the Security Spells and Aurors and snapped a photo before quickly pulling back: "Thank you, Mr. Ogden, I hope so, too. And although I know, this doesn't mean much to you, I was more sincere today and in the last weeks and months than ever before."

"It actually means something, Mr. Riddle", the old man smiled, "You probably don't remember, but I bethink you as a young man and I never knew you to be a liar."

"Thank you, Mr. Ogden, though I'm afraid all I have is a very dim memory", the Dark Lord smiled back, "If you don't mind I would now like to take Harry back home."

The Chief Warlock nodded and followed his colleagues out of the room. Harry's friends all sat or stood around the still slightly hysterical boy, who sat in Sirius' lap, who on his part sat on the floor, quite narrowed down by the railing on one side and the bench on the other side.

"I think it would be best if you got rid of all the reporters and left us alone", Sirius stated, "That was quite a stupid thing to do, Riddle."

"I hadn't noticed", Tom returned sarcastically, but still in a soft voice, "Are you sure you can handle him alone?"

"Well, there isn't anyone else, Riddle, since you just had to upset him so much that he's still crying after drinking all of his Calming Draught", Sirius retorted.

"I'll stay", Severus offered, "He took my hand this morning and he talked to me and you can't possibly get him out of here without anyone's help."

Sirius agreed reluctantly and the others left, closing the door behind them and starting to scare away all the reporters, making sure they couldn't return too soon before flooing to Marauder's Reserve.

"Hey, Snape?"

"What?"

"I think, Harry has fallen asleep", Sirius stated after half an hour, "Think, they already got rid of the reporters?"

"I'll check", Snape stretched his long legs and walked over to the door, peering through a small gap, "I think they are gone."

"Well, could you help me up?"

Snape's eyes spoke volumes as he pulled his doppelganger to his feet.

"Thanks."

"Don't go sappy on me again."

"I'm trying to be civil- something I'm sure you never heard of", Sirius retorted.

"I heard of it, I tried it and then decided against it", the Potion's Master sneered, "And you certainly never earned a medal for your civility, either."

"Okay, Snape, listen", Sirius kicked against his leg to stop him since both his hands were occupied with holding Harry, which in hindsight was perhaps not the best way to start this particular conversation, "I know, I was a brat at school, I know, I was actually worse than that. I know, I hated you for no reason at all and that I acted unfair and prejudiced against you. I won't try to explain this to you and I'm not trying to excuse it. But I really am grateful for what you did and I'm grateful that you care about Harry. I changed, Snape, I grew up, I'm no longer the big-headed boy you remember from school and I am sorry for what I did, if only because Harry was so disappointed as he found out about what we did to you."

"What if I want an explanation?", Severus demanded.

Sirius took a deep breath: "I hated my family and I hated Slytherins because that is what they wanted me to be. I hated you because you were like me in a way. I saw you as the incarnation of what I would have been like if I had lived up to my family's expectations. I hated you because sometimes I wished to be you just to be accepted by my family and then I hated myself because I was so weak as to wish for something like that. Other times I hated you because if it weren't for people like you, my family wouldn't hate me, if there wasn't someone else they wanted me to be, then I could just be myself. You were an outlet every time I hated myself and my family."

"That is actually a pretty decent explanation. I guess it makes sense for people, whose dumb little brain works like a Gryffindor's", Severus smirked, glad he could accept the apology and still jibe at the Animagus, "I accept your apology, but we'll never be friends and if you think, I should apologise as well, just out of the goodness of my heart..."

"I get it, Snape", Sirius laughed, "But you know, once Harry has recovered he will make us get along until we declare that we are the best of friends..."

"Of course, I will", Harry mumbled sleepily, "Can we go home now?"

"Sure thing, honey", agreed Sirius, stepping into the elevator and mouthed "I told you so" to Snape, who just rolled his eyes.

"I see you're feeling better, imp", the Potion's Master remarked and pressed the right button.

"I think so."

"What do you mean?", the Animagus asked concerned, "That doesn't sound very convincing.

"It's just", Harry pulled back to be able to look in his face, "Why did Tom pull back? Doesn't he know that I would never kill him?"

"Harry, he was in shock. Today he heard the whole prophesy for the first time", Severus reassured him, "And despite your thinking that ignoring it will solve the problem, prophesies have the unpleasant habit to become true. I guess, he just didn't want to lose you. If he had to fulfil the prediction, Harry, he would have killed himself, I can assure you of that. However, that would mean he would have to leave you alone and probably hurt you."

"Really?", Harry looked at him hopefully and Severus nodded decidedly, "Thank you", he half twisted around and hugged the Potion's Master, "You know it's kind of weird to suddenly have two Severus Snapes around."

"But you must admit that I look really good- even for Snape", Sirius remarked and Harry laughed, hitting him over the head, "Let's get you home, kiddo."

He stepped into the fireplace with Harry still in his arms, pressing the slight boy close to his body, as Severus threw some Floo Powder in the fire, stating their location. With the ease of someone who had used this way of travelling practically all his life he kept the two of them exactly in the middle as unknown fireplaces rushed by them and then swung into his living room, overbalancing a little, but catching himself before he could land face down on the floor and on Harry.

"How do you do that?", Harry asked frustrated as Severus, too, stepped out of the fireplace, dusting of his robes, "That is so unfair."

"Some are just gifted like that", mocked the Potion's Master, "And now off to bed with you."

"Can I ask something?"

"Of course, Harry", Sirius carefully sat them down on the sofa, waiting for Harry to continue.

"I thought about the other trials", Harry murmured, "What Hermione and Ginny said. What did they mean? What happened to them?"

"They were attacked while they were in Azkaban", Severus explained in a neutral voice, "Dumbledore as well. Someone castrated them."

"Oh", Harry said softly, "Who was it?"

"They don't know, but I guess it was a friend of yours", Sirius answered, "And that means they have a lot of suspects."

Harry looked at him inquiringly for a moment, but as Sirius just calmly returned his gaze he nodded in understanding: "I shouldn't feel that way, but I'm glad they'll never be able to have children."

"They deserved it, Harry", Severus stated gently, "And you didn't, it's as easy as that."

"Tom said I was a bearer", Harry whispered after a while, "Am I not anymore?"

Sirius took a deep breath, kissing Harry's hair softly, before he answered: "You are still a bearer, but it never happened that bearers got pregnant again after a miscarriage. That's why he said 'was'. You can still conceive with the help of potions, but it is highly unlikely that you will get pregnant the natural way."

"Don't worry too much about it now, okay?", Severus added as Harry kept silent, "If you ever want to have child of your own, we will find a way. I promise."

"Thank you", Harry smiled briefly before burying his head in Sirius' chest once more.

Severus got up, opened the door for them and then followed them to Harry's room, waiting outside as Sirius put his godson to bed.

"Is there something you need?", Sirius carefully closed the door behind him.

"Just wanted to give you this", he handed Sirius a potion's bottle, "It's Wolfboy's potion."

"Thanks. Goodnight, Snape."

The Potion's Master only spun around and disappeared in the room he shared with the Dark Lord and Sirius rolled his eyes, thinking that this new development was almost as amusing as their mutual hatred. It seemed it was true after all: Be nice to your enemies, nothing irks them more!

(1) Talion's law is this law from the Bible with an eye for an eye and so on... I learned in my religion class #is very proud of herself#

sobs No-one wants to read my original version- oh, okay, I admit it, there are some people, who want to read the dramatic one, but the clear majority thinks Tom should realise his mistake sooner.

Well, anyway, it's still time... Tell me which version I should post...

Until Thursday...