Harry and Vampire

Chapter 6: Trial.

Harry in his hooded cloak sat with his friends in the witness corner while a smug Vlad took his position in the defendant's box.

He wasn't worried, because he had the ultimate defense against the murder charge, aka the 'victim' alive and well.

The kidnapping charge will be easily dealt with as well, simply because he has custody in the muggle world before leaving England with Harry, and since he didn't have a magical guardian at that time, there was nobody to protest, and he had become said guardian in less than a week, with documents signed by the British Ministry of magic.

Really, it looked like Dumbledore was relying on the illegal spells and trackers that he hadn't apparently looked at in over two years, something that would be the final nail in the coffin to the old human's case.

Shaking his head he turned his attention to the floor, where an unusually burly wizard commanded, "All rise for The Honorable Judge."

As everyone did, a truly ancient man walked in. the man was nearly as old as the ICW, and his life was preserved by the many, many Geases and Magical oaths, and rituals he had taken when he became the judge. He was bound by the magics to make determinations in the best interest of justice, irrespective of race, age, or creed.

Personal feelings, on the other hand, were neglected intentionally, for if one was stupid enough to piss the arbitrator of the ICW off in the first place, they deserve what they get when he is judging them.

Oh, he'd follow the law, but he would have no problem nitpicking procedures using rules not enforced in centuries.

If he had some favor to you, he would let minor infractions slide unless someone pointed them out.

Dumbledore had pissed him off with how he was leading his section of the magical world, and via his position in the ICW, the rest of the world, while Vlad had always been respectful.

"Be seated," The Judge stated in a clear strong voice, a voice that was clearly at odds with his withered appearance. He had been at the job so long he had forgotten his real name, so he just was now known as The Judge.

As everyone did, he turned his head to the headmaster of Hogwarts. "Professor Dumbledore, you have called this trial with some rather serious accusations, state your case," he stated sharply.

The man in question winced. He had forgotten that The Judge disliked him, mainly for his greater good philosophy, and the fact that the only one that he saw determining 'the greater good' was Albus Dumbledore.

None the less, he stood knowing that if he made his case, that the man would rule in his favor. "That vampire..."

"You will use names Albus," The Judge stated, interrupting the headmaster.

Albus scowled. Then restarted, "Very well. Vlad Tepes the Third kidnapped from the people I had entrusted the boy to, and murdered a British citizen and hero, Harry Potter."

The Judge looked at the preliminary evidence lists provided by both sides again, and looked at the other old human, and replied, "And your proof?"

Dumbledore smirked and levitated a large collection of devices, most dead, and a few were emitting black smoke, and solemnly explained, "These devices are blood bound to track Harry, keep track of the wards at his home, and his health. As you can see almost all are nonfunctional, with the ones that are still functional are the health monitors, and the black smoke indicated that he is dead."

The Judge looked at the Hogwarts headmaster blandly and asked, "You are aware blood binding anything without the permission of a child's magical guardian is illegal yes?"

"That is not a problem, I am the child's magical guardian," Dumbledore smugly stated.

"Do you have proof?" the centuries-old man asked blandly.

Dumbledore faltered, and replied, "Not on me, but my word should be good enough."

"Do you have Progress reports on him? Medical Reports? Proof that you visited him? Proof that you got him the standard Immunizations at the correct ages? ANYTHING to show that you have provided the services a magical guardian should do?"

Dumbledore was taken aback by the questions, and fumbled out, "Well... no, but it was for his safety. It required that he be hidden."

"I see," The Judge stated flatly. "any other evidence? Or witnesses?"

"No, but the monitors are proof enough," Dumbledore stated.

"Very well, Headmaster Tepes, your defense?"

"I call my ward as a witness," the vampire stated.

A cloaked figure in the audience stood up and made his way to the witness chair, one that had been heavily enchanted to force the witness to speak the truth.

"Remove your hood child, and state your name for the court."

The figure did so, revealing messy black hair and emerald green eyes, but no scar. "My name is Harry James Potter"

"Objection! That Can't be Harry! They made a mistake with the impostor! He doesn't have the scar!" Dumbledore shouted.

"Quiet Dumbledore, you know very well that chair is heavily enchanted to for the person on it, to tell the truth, and there is no known way or race that can overcome it, even if the queen of the fae were to sit on it, she would tell the truth."

"But..." Albus started.

"Silence! Now Harry, please tell me how you came to be with Vlad."

"Part of my story would require the Vampire Rose to testify, but here is the week before I met my current guardian," Harry started describing how the people Dumbledore left him with had left him outside in the middle of winter and how he had fallen unconscious, how he was, according to Rose, rescued by said vampire, how she apparently coincidentally brought him to the Dursley home, and how they tried to beat him for getting fed off the left behind food, and how Vlad had taken in him.

"I see," said The Judge in contemplation. "And your first weeks under his care?"

Harry complied, speaking how the first few weeks were, how he met the one who would become his first-ever nonservant friend, shopping for clothes that weren't intended for someone between three and four times his mass, a few toys, and games, then a ritual to remove malignant magic from him, then his first-ever medical appointment to get his physical condition, start him on potions to correct his health problems and to remove the residual scar.

After he was done, The Judge turned towards Vlad, and said, "Headmaster Tepes, please come to the witness chair as you are listed as a witness."

After he was seated, The Judge started, "you have submitted two years of monthly medical reports with Harry's written permission, are these the true medical records?"

"Yes."

"Did you hold anything back in them?"

"No."

"What is your relationship to Harry Potter?" the old man asked with a slight smirk.

Vlad looked at his rival headmaster with a fanged grin, and replied, "I am his magical and mundane guardian, both have been confirmed by Romania, and Great Briton. I have submitted the magically verified copies of the signed and sealed paperwork as evidence."

Dumbledore paled, then reddened in fury. He didn't know who had approved the documents, but he would make them pay when he got home and would make the old Judge pay for embarrassing him. He also didn't see any point in asking his own questions, as the answers were too complete and truthful for him to think of a way to twist them, and he wouldn't be able if he was called as a witness.

He almost missed Vlad's next words, "I have also provided proof, in the form of a magically verified copy of Dumbledore's declined custody form, proving that he was never Harry's magical guardian."

"Will you tell the court, why you think the devices Albus Dumbledore revealed show Mr. Potter to be dead?"

"The goblins, in the first week, performed a scapegoat ritual, the ritual transfers all unwanted magics to an animal, usually a goat, and then the goat is butchered. More than likely the ritual transferred the blood bindings to the goat, and when it was killed, it made the instruments think Harry was killed. Which raised the question, how long has it been since Dumbledore had checked the devices? If we consider that this was two years ago, and he's only now finding out, combined where he left him when he thought he was Harry's magical guardian, we can get an idea of how he thinks Harry should be raised."

"I can see that, you are dismissed, would Rose take the stand?" after she was seated, she was asked, "how did you become Harry's servant, and how did you meet him?"

Rose explained how she found Harry and the binding, and how that first week went as master and servant. She was dismissed soon after.

"Mr. Dumbledore, I need you to take the seat for a single question," The Judge waited until the old man sat down, and then continued, "Mr. Tepes asked a good question when was the last time you checked those illegal devices of yours?"

Dumbledore didn't recall, but the chair helped him bring the information out, "Over three years ago."

It was a disturbed Dumbledore that returned to his seat. He was sure that he had won, after all, he was human and Vlad was a vampire.

The Judge stood up and began to speak in a formal voice, "Normally, I would call an end to the session today, and give my verdict tomorrow, but the evidence I have seen, as well as the testimony, has led me to a quick verdict. Mr. Tepes, you are free to go, and by the authority granted to me, I confirm your guardianship of Harry Potter.

Mr. Dumbledore, I am appalled at how you treated a boy you claim is a hero. I am placing a magical restraining order on you, that you may not come within fifty feet of the boy. I am also, due to you violating international law about blood bindings, removing you from the position of Grand Warlock, elections for the next one will be in the next session. Case dismissed!"

"Objection," Dumbledore shouted. "You can't let a vampire take a human into custody!"

"I can Dumbledore and I did. He had proven to be a better guardian than you. Goodbye."

Dumbledore shook in fury as he saw Harry leave with a group of monsters, and he could feel his plans crumble. He would get Harry back under his control, after all, he thought, the boy would be attending Hogwarts in two years.

He would be wrong of course.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

It had been a week since the verdict, and Harry was once again wandering the halls alone. He wasn't concerned though, what were the chances that he would be two for two in wandering alone and finding a girl in...

CLANG! Went what sounded like a suit of armor, followed by a scream of agony.

Palming his face he followed the sound to see a girl? That looked a little younger than him and she was pinned beneath an old set of armor.

A set of armor that had fallen on her when it's rusted legs gave out.

A set of armor that had a label warning students that it was made of cold iron.

The girl below the armor had a black school uniform on, one that the top had been ridden up by her struggles to get out from under the armor, and her exposed skin was reddening quickly as if she had a severe allergy to the metal.

Three feet away from her was a scythe that was proportioned for her small frame.

Harry quickly moved the armor, and knowing that the girl would have been in no condition to move herself, snagged the weapon, and carried them both to the medical wing.

The only thing that the on-duty medic could say, with a tone that was an odd mixture of exasperation and amusement, "Again Harry?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

End Chapter