96

CHAPTER NINETY SIX:

A hush fell over the Wizengamot chamber when Harry walked in, and it was hard to keep from rolling his eyes. He knew he was an important figure in the wizarding world, but the wary and respectful hush got old very quickly.

Nodding to Amelia and Sirius and bowing slightly to Madam Longbottom, Harry made his way to his seat and sat down. He was just a spectator today, just one of the many people who had turned up to see Dumbledore's execution in person. Only members of the Wizengamot, Heads of Office and press representatives were allowed in the hall, but along with the large number of Aurors on duty it made for a rather full courtroom.

Settling back and listening in on the conversations around him, Harry was secretly pleased at the displeased and angry undertones he heard. Rita's book had been an instant hit, people queuing the whole length of Diagon Alley to purchase a book – Harry had found to his pleased surprise that Rita had thought ahead and sent him a signed edition, and he had just skimmed the tome before handing it on to Severus. Rita really did do great work, even under such extreme pressure.

Now, three days later, everyone had read the book and was gathered for the execution of the man who had come across as nothing less than insane in Rita's book. Another hush fell over the courtroom, and Harry leaned forward to see who had gotten the same reaction from the hall as he had – only to grimace when he saw a Dementor being led into the room. A flattering comparison.

When Dumbledore was led into the room, on the other hand, chaos erupted. Everyone seemed to have something to scream at the bowed wizard being dragged in by a team of Aurors, Harry sitting calmly in the midst of vitriol and recriminations.

"Silence!" Madam Longbottom's voice cracked through the room, a grudging silence falling with many disgruntled mutters. "Sit and bear witness," the elderly witch ordered, imposing order on the room.

"We are gathered here today to witness the execution of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, former Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock, and Supreme Mugwump. Tried for charges too numerous to list and found guilty of the highest crimes by this august body, his wand is to be snapped, he is to be administered the Dementor's Kiss and subsequently incinerated, his ashes vanished and no grave erected. We have shown this to be a just punishment, but I would have you join me in agreeing that it should be so."

"So mote it be," the entire hall joined in, speaking as a single chorus of voices. Harry was reminded of the oath he had sworn before the Order and allowed a tiny smile to touch his lips at the thought that he had fulfilled that oath.

Augusta Longbottom nodded gravely. "Kingsley Shacklebolt, as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement it is your duty to carry out the punishment. Escort the prisoner to the Dementor's Corner."

There was no sign of Kingsley's former allegiance to Dumbledore in the tall man's solid grip on the dying wizard's arm. Like a rag doll Dumbledore was hauled, unprotesting and blank, to the corner in which the Dementor waited – and slung inside by the stone-faced Head of the DMLE. Several people in the press corner shrieked as the Dementor swooped down upon the frail wizard, reaching out and lowering its face to Dumbledore's. Harry wondered whether anyone other than him had ever seen a Dementor's face before.

There was an unearthly rattling sound, a whoosh like air through a tunnel, and Dumbledore fell limply to the floor, open eyes unseeing. Without a word Kingsley drew Dumbledore's wand from within his robes and cast a spell that incinerated the body, vanishing the ashes and snapping the wand with a resounding crack before returning to his position silently.

Harry felt a profound sense of rightness – Dumbledore was dead and gone, the last Dark Lord removed from the country, and he only now realized how much Dumbledore's continued presence had weighed on him, regardless of the fact that he had trusted Amelia to keep the man incapacitated. He was gone, and all was right in Harry's world.

Everyone else seemed far too shocked to move, but Harry stood easily once Madam Longbottom declared the session finished. Walking down and ignoring the numb gazes staring blankly at the Dementor's Corner, Harry went and clapped Shacklebolt on the upper arm. He didn't say anything – for what would have been appropriate? – but Kingsley seemed to accept his gesture in the way he meant it. Nodding to Madam Longbottom and giving Amelia a little wave, Harry sighed slightly as he moved towards the exit. It seemed he hadn't needed the extra protective artifacts after all, he thought as he slipped off the gaudy rings and bracelet he had put on earlier.

"It seems so anticlimactic, again," a voice muttered to him as he left the courtroom, and he gave Amelia an even look.

"It's the way it should be," he said lowly. "He didn't deserve a big battle with many casualties, and neither did Voldemort. It's much better this way."

"Oh, I agree," Amelia said, falling in next to him as he made his way up to the Atrium "Still – usually you lose at least a few Aurors when bringing in a criminal, and those aren't even the powerful wizards. I think about it and can't quite believe that the two most powerful wizards of our time were executed without bloodshed."

Harry's expression tightened at that. "Not without bloodshed," he said shortly, and a heavy silence fell between them. He had lost everyone before managing to kill Voldemort, even if they were still alive here. So many lives had been sacrificed to Dumbledore's games before he'd managed to come back in time and give him the death he deserved.

When they reached the Atrium Amelia stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "This is it, then," she said. "The last Death Eater trial was yesterday, so with today's execution you don't have any reason to come here anymore."

"Except for the attempts on my life," Harry interrupted her with a dark mutter, and she blinked.

"Ah. Well, yes. There is that."

Harry sighed. "Don't worry, it isn't an issue. To be honest, after having Voldemort trying to kill me all my life the assassins are pathetically easy to deal with." Her expression at that was rather entertaining, but Harry's mood was too dark to laugh. "If Minerva manages to organize that parents' visiting day at Hogwarts I expect a whole bunch of Aurors at the castle. I'm done with the whole political and martial stuff; I've already called an Order meeting for tomorrow, so you won't have to worry about vigilante groups anymore. I'll hang around until the summer, deal with a few personal things, and then I'm leaving. We're thinking France."

"France is a nice country," Amelia offered when Harry stopped talking. "I'll see you before then, though – we'll get lunch again or something."

"Sounds good," Harry agreed, managing a tiny smile. Deciding that was quite enough and he needed Severus, he spun on his heel and apparated out before the media could catch him. That was something he could definitely do without.

Trudging up the path to Hogwarts, Harry wondered if he could interrupt Severus's class. Suddenly he felt weary, as though he had nothing left in life to work for. His greatest enemies were finished, wizarding Britain was on the path towards restoration, and he had no great goals left. No crushing responsibilities to occupy his every waking hour. When was the last time he'd had no madmen trying to kill him?

A spell splashed harmlessly against his shield, and Harry sighed as his overpowered stunner took out the masked assailant. Alright, so he still had people trying to kill him, but it was like swatting flies after spending so many years caught up in intricate plots thought up by ruthless Dark Lords. He hadn't been joking when he'd told Amelia it was pathetically easy to deal with these assassins. Sending a Patronus to Amelia about the stunned wizard, Harry continued up the path to Hogwarts for several steps before he froze.

With the new wards, that assassin shouldn't have been able to get onto the Hogwarts grounds.

Turning back, Harry hit the prone figure with another stunner before jogging over and tugging off the mask covering the wizard's face. His eyes darkened at the features he exposed.

"Malfoy," he hissed. Seriously – hadn't Severus cautioned the student not to attack Harry? Frankly, he'd thought Malfoy – oops, Black – would go after Hermione or Neville, not attack him directly. Frowning, Harry poked the unconscious boy with his wand. "Polyjuice Potion?" he mused aloud. It just didn't make any sense for Malfoy – damn it, Black – to attack him like this. The boy had always been a terrible Slytherin, but this attack didn't even have any kind of plan behind it. And Narcissa must have warned Draco not to attack him, too.

Just then two Aurors jogged into view, and Harry stood with a sigh.

"Assassination attempt," he told them shortly. "Probably Polyjuice Potion; I don't think Draco Black is really foolish enough to attack me out in the open like this. I can check at the castle whether he's in a class right now." The two Aurors nodded with awed respect, and Harry sighed inwardly before nodding and walking away. Well, at least now he had a good excuse to interrupt Severus's class.

Upon reaching the wooden door, Harry didn't hesitate before rapping on the door, only waiting for the call to enter before doing so. His eyebrows rose slightly when he saw which class was there.

"Someone with your face just attacked me," he informed Draco Black blandly. "The Aurors have the perpetrator and will probably want to hear your alibi. Just to be thorough – Severus, can you confirm that this Draco Black is the real one?"

Severus took one long look at his student before looking back at Harry. "He is." Harry accepted the statement without question. If Severus said this Draco was the real one, then he was.

"Can you cancel the remainder of your classes for the day?"

Severus's eyes narrowed slightly. "There is a N.E.W.T. class I cannot miss later today. Is it urgent?"

Harry shrugged minutely. "No." He could tell that Severus was torn between being there for his lover and fulfilling his duty as Potions Master and shook his head, annoyed at himself. "Sorry – forget it. I'm feeling a lack of enemies today." There was a choked sound from the Slytherin side of the room that Harry ignored.

"I see," Severus said, and Harry saw that he really did. "The execution went smoothly, then?"

"Yeah," Harry ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "Amelia thought it was a bit anticlimactic. Have you ever seen the face of a Dementor before?" he asked abruptly.

The Potions Master's face grew slightly pinched. "I have not."

"Good. Unpleasant sight." Harry shuddered. "Anyway – sorry for interrupting. I told the Aurors I'd check that Malf- ugh, Black, was here. I'll see you later." Turning and closing the door behind him, Harry sent another Patronus to the DMLE and headed for Severus's quarters. Not even lunchtime and he had no clue what to do with himself. He could pester Amelia about setting up that werewolf department in the Ministry, he supposed, and the full moon was in only four days so he should see about organizing Wolfsbane Potion for Remus, at least, but he felt so very… purposeless. Greeting Medusa listlessly, he headed straight for the bedroom and crawled under the blankets. Maybe he'd just nap. It wasn't like anyone would miss him anyway.

OoOoO

He woke up when Severus pressed a kiss to his head and untangled himself from him, slipping out of bed. The man must have joined him after he'd fallen asleep, Harry realized with a rush of warmth.

"Thank you," he mumbled drowsily, and Severus's face softened.

"Of course," the older wizard said, reaching out a hand to touch his hair briefly before turning and leaving to teach his N.E.W.T. class. It was with a smile that Harry closed his eyes and went back to sleep.