Title:

Author: Knife Hand

Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated

Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.

Summary: Harry's trial before fifth year goes differently because someone knows more than they should about Harry. Time Travel Fic.

Harry sat nervously in the chair down in the centre of the Wizengamont Hearing Chamber, his arms and legs chained to the chair. From the moment the Dementors attacked to now had been a total blur, and he felt so alone. No one was there to help him

"I had to…" Harry tried to defend himself.

"I am sorry to interrupt what I am sure is a very well rehearsed story." Minster Fudge said.

"Rehearsed when, Minister?" a voice came from the body of the Wizengamont.

Harry looked over and saw a middle aged woman, with dark red hair kept back in a severe bun and a monocle.

"Miss Bones." Fudge began before being cut off.

"Refer to me by my Title, Minister. I am the Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." The woman, Bones, replied. "I want to know when you think Mister Potter had a chance to rehearse his story? In the seven minutes between when he cast the Patronus and when you sent my Aurors, without my knowledge or permission, to arrest him. Or in the two hours between his arrest and this trial when he was, again by your instructions, kept unconscious?"

"You are speaking to the Minister, Bones." A lady in shocking pink under her black Robes almost shrieked.

"Senior Undersecretary Umbridge, what are you even doing here?" Director Bones asked. "You are not a member of this Body nor does your position warrant a seat here. Guards, remove her immediately."

The guards hesitated for a moment. Umbridge was not someone you wanted mad at you, but Bones could make your life a living hell. In the end, they sided with Bones and Umbridge was escorted out.

"Back to my question, Minister. When did he have time to rehearse?" Bones said, glaring at Fudge, who looked away from her. "Then, as is both my right and job, I will ask the questions from here on in."

There was a mummer around the room and then a general sense of consensus.

"Mister Potter, do you deny that you cast the Patronus Charm?" Bones asked.

"No." Harry replied.

"Were you aware that it was illegal to use Magic in a Muggle neighbourhood?" Bones asked.

"Yes, Director." Harry replied.

"So why did you cast the charm?" Bones asked.

"There were two Dementors, they would have killed Dudley and myself if I had not driven them away." Harry replied. "Everyone else ran away before the Dementors got there."

This caused a stir. Fudge was about to say something before Bones shot him a glare.

"And how were you able drive away two Dementors with a spell that most Aurors can only form a weak shield that can barely hold off one Dementor?" She asked.

"I learnt it in Third Year when the Ministry stationed Dementors as Hogwarts. They seemed to like me so Professor Lupin taught me how to cast a full bodied Patronus." Harry replied.

Again a stir ran through the members and Bones visibly clamped down on her anger.

"Can you please confirm the identity of this 'Dudley' for the members of the Wizengamont?" Bones asked.

"He is my cousin." Harry replied. "I have lived with him since… well as long as I can remember."

"So it is safe to say that he was already aware of the existence of Magic?" Bones asked.

"Aware, and hates it." Harry replied with a shrug.

"So, in summary, you cast a Patronus to protect yourself and your Cousin, who is aware of Magic. Does that about sum it up?" Bones concluded.

"Yes, Director." Harry replied.

"A far cry from a deliberate and malicious breach of the Statute of Secrecy, wouldn't you say, Minister?" Bones asked with a smirk.

The trial quickly wrapped up with almost everyone voting not guilty. Moments after the verdict, just as the chains around Harry's arms and legs retracted and he stood up, Dumbledore swept into the room.

"Witness for the defence." Dumbledore announced.

"Trial's over, Dumbledore." Bones announced. "Mister Potter, if you would come with me?"

"Amelia…" Dumbledore began.

"That is Director, Dumbledore." Bones replied. "Mister Potter has been found not guilty."

Harry looked at Dumbledore for a second before turning away and following Director Bones.

Amelia walked into the DMLE's bullpen to her office, with Harry walking behind. She left him in her office before heading out into the bullpen, seeing it was quite packed.

"Dawlish, Marks and Thompson, front and centre." Amelia called out.

This was unusual enough that everyone in the bullpen look at her, as the three Aurors made their way to her. The three stood in front of her, Dawlish looking smug.

"Why were you three at the Dursley Residence to arrest Mister Potter?" Amelia asked.

"Dawlish gave the go order." Marks said, and Thompson nodded.

"Dawlish?" Amelia asked.

"I received orders." Dawlish said.

"Not from me. I assume from the Minister or his office." Amelia replied, before raising her voice. "No one here is to take orders from anyone but me. Dawlish, you are fired. Proudfoot, escort him out of here. The next time anyone takes orders from any other department without running it by me won't just losing their job, they'll be looking at jail time. Get him out of here."

Proudfoot escorted Dawlish out of the bullpen as Amelia went back to her office and Harry.

"Director Bones, is everything ok?" Harry asked as she re-entered the office.

"Fine Mister Potter." Amelia said, sitting down behind her desk. "You have my and the DMLE's apology for the way you were treated."

"I appreciate it." Harry replied. "And thank you for what you did in the courtroom."

"As I said, I was just doing my job." Amelia replied. "I'm sorry but we will not be able to give you back your wand until tomorrow."

Harry simply nodded slowly.

"Is that everything?" Harry asked.

"The DMLE has organised you a room at the Leaky Cauldron." Amelia said, before pulling a thick brown A4 sized envelope from under her desk. "This is some stuff that was recovered from your residence. Don't open it until you are somewhere safe and alone."

Opening the door, Amelia called out for one of the Aurors to escort Harry to the Leaky Cauldron. She closed the door behind Harry and the Auror and sat back down at her desk. After a moment she opened the top draw and pulled out a picture which had been face down. In the picture two teens waved out at her. One was her younger self, the other had just left her office.

"You'll see me soon, Harry." Amelia whispered to herself.

The Auror left Harry with Tom the Barkeep at the Leaky Cauldron. Harry walked up the stairs to the rooms of the Leaky Cauldron when something seemed to wash over him and he fell. He awoke a second later to see that everything seemed to have changed. Well, not everything, he was still in the Leaky Cauldron but everything else was different. Gone was the grungy décor and the square tables, instead the Leaky Cauldron was decorated in a cool dark blue with round tables and tasteful floating candlesticks with lit candles that gave a warmth to the place that the previous gas lanterns could never achieve.

"Where did you come from?" a stout woman behind the bar asked. "You know it is rude to just pop into an establishment?"

Harry looked around in confusion for a moment.

"Sorry. Can I rent a room?" Harry asked.

"You got gold?" the woman asked.

Harry nodded, he always kept some Galleons on him. He paid the witch and went up to the room he had rented. Sitting on the bed he looked at the large envelope that Director Bones had given him. Personally he could not think what they could possibly have gotten from Number 4 that was his. Opening the packet, he found a bunch of documents bound in a sheaf, a smallish coin purse and a letter. Putting the sheaf of papers and the coin purse next to him he picked up the letter and began to read.

Dear Harry,

I have tried a thousand ways to think of how to tell you what I need to tell you without affecting what needs to happen. I almost felt tempted to simply tell you when I heard that you were on trial, but I knew that I couldn't. There are a few things that I can tell you so I will stick to the facts.

I have never been able to figure out how, but you have travelled back in time. The year is nineteen sixty-five, the summer before my own fifth year at Hogwarts. Obviously you cannot walk around as Harry Potter nearly twenty years before your birth. The attached sheaf of papers is your new identity, one William Harrold Tenor, along with school records based on your own academic records, along with the needed forms to transfer to Hogwarts. The coin purse is charmed with an extension charm and contains enough money for your needs.

There is only one last piece of advice I can give you. Do not try to force things, just let them happen.

With Love,

Amelia Bones

Director of the DMLE

Harry re-read the letter five times before falling back on the bed and put his arm over his eyes. He had been thrown back in time, and somehow Director Bones had known.

TBC…