Chapter 080

As soon as they walked out with one of the aurors closing the office door behind them, Hermione started into Harry, "Harry! I didn't plan for us to go home tomorrow evening! I haven't even sent them a letter telling them we'll be there within the next few days!

"I mean, even if I send Hedwig... Oh! I need to borrow Hedwig again―"

"Hermione! Stop!" he interrupted. "If we head to the owlery right now and you finish your letter there, letting your parents know we're coming, Hedwig will arrive in plenty of time before we do."

"Excuse me, Lord Potter?" asked one of the two aurors.

Turning, Harry asked, "Yes?"

"It would have been appreciated if we had more notice than approximately twenty four hours," replied the auror.

"Sorry, but I think it's necessary," said Harry. "I really have little faith in the Wizengamot actually sending Dumbledore to Azkaban, as I firmly believe he bloody well should be. Therefore, he will have to be immediately released as of the close of his trial.

"As he will be, that means he's going to head directly here, to Hogwarts. And, I can guarantee you, he's immediately going to be seeking me out. I believe I can also guarantee you one of the first things he's going to do, if it isn't immediately seeking me out, is tossing you lot out of 'his' castle.

"Actually, that second one will be the first thing he does so that he can then get me somewhere alone so he can both berate me and say things like; 'Harry my boy, I'm so disappointed in you.' or 'Harry my boy, that was a truly unwise thing to do, showing everyone those memories.' or 'Harry my boy, you must give up this nonsense and hand back your Lordship. You're simply not ready for the strain and you should immediately make me your master... I mean, Regent... again.'

He gave a snort and explained, "That's why I need to be gone before he's even released by the Wizengamot. I need to be rushed out of the chamber and away before he has any chance of getting anywhere near me.

"And that's why it is my intent to head directly to Hermione's place direct from the chamber. That way, he won't have a chance to waylay me."

"Alright, I can see that," said the auror. "However, that's all he can do. He cannot stop you from heading to your friend's place."

"Really?" he snorted back. "As Headmaster, he controls the castle. And I mean everything about the castle. How hard do you think it would be for him to have you lot all immediately bounced out and new wards erected that will block you from returning and me from being able to leave?"

The two aurors glance at one another before they turned back to Harry. The one who had been speaking said, "I'll alert Madam Bones you'll be leaving for Miss Granger's home directly from the chamber on the conclusion of Dumbledore's trial."

"Thank you," he simply said.

Turning back to Hermione he said, "Now, I believe we were heading for the owlery?"

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

The next morning's Daily Prophet contained all the information Professor Flitwick made known to the students the previous evening, but also included what happened to the Dursleys.

Further, it also included a great deal of what Harry had said about his relatives and how it had probably saved them from a likely lifetime stay in Azkaban; which, as muggles, meant it wouldn't be long at all.

One Prophet reporter stated it showed Harry to be weak, while another stated he had great courage and showed compassion to those who had abused him so. None of them understood it was because he couldn't care less for his relatives and only used the opportunity to show Dumbledore in a bad light on the eve of his own trial.

However, both reporters and the other couple, who were there to write similar or aligned pieces, did take Harry's bait and wrote about how Dumbledore had practically set them up to fail. Then took it further and wrote about how a great deal of the evidence that had been presented across almost all the cases, including Cornelius Fudge's, had reeked of Dumbledore's influence - and not in a good way.

But there was also a long article on the second page of the paper, referenced on the front page, about Dumbledore and his achievements. It was also joined by the Editorial, which paid lip service to his achievements before it laid out all the things Dumbledore had done that had already come to light in the trials leading up to his own, before concluding with the Editor's opinion.

~ # ~

[...]

Based on the information laid out above - and we have very little doubt this is not the totality of the wrongdoings for which Dumbledore is guilty - we cannot see how the old man can escape a substantial prison sentence. A review of previous sentencing for such crimes, if added together, already exceed what would be considered a best guess of Dumbledore's remaining years of life.

However, the Wizengamot often jamb such determinations all together to be served concurrently. This means if the most Dumbledore is sentenced to serve time in Azkaban for one of the crimes for which he has been accused is, for example, seven years; then that will be the totality of the time for which he will be incarcerated.

Once a determination is reached regarding guilt, the Wizengamot all too often take into consideration both extenuating circumstances - such as the person committing the crime was under some form of duress at the time - and other contributions the wizard or witch has made to the wider wizarding world.

In Albus Dumbledore's case he is, to start with, attributed as having rid wizarding Europe of one of the darkest dark lords in recent history - Gellert Grindelwald. Against that is that Albus Dumbledore's alleged crimes are mainly purported to have been against young Lord Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived, who is attributed to having rid wizarding Britain of the latest dark lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

It is our opinion those two cancel each other out. We hope the Wizengamot agrees.