"You'll wear a hole in the floor," Silver said, coming to sit beside Harry on the bench outside the courtroom. They were meeting in the same room they'd held the preliminary hearing in.

"Sorry," Harry said, stilling his leg, though it only lasted a moment before his other leg began to bounce nervously.

"Were you this nervous when you got up in front of all those people the other day to tell them you plan on changing how both alleys work?"

"That was different," Harry said, wiping his sweaty hands on the sides of his brand new dress robes.

"How?"

"If I messed up that was all on me. I was in control of that. I don't get a choice in any of this. I could end up back at the Dursleys by dinner tonight and not get a say at all."

"Even if things don't go our way today you're guaranteed to stay on Diagon Alley until at least Friday."

"It won't all be over today?" Harry asked looking up.

"Since we're bringing the case, we get to present first. Theodore will open with what we're asking for, in this case for the court to mandate you be moved to a new home or be emancipated so you can make that decision yourself. Then he'll present all of our facts, interview you and wizarding welfare, and if he can get through it all today, deliver a closing argument. We have four hours today for court. If he can't get through it all today he gets the floor tomorrow to start. When he's done, Dumbledore's barrister, Coombs, gets to present his case in the same way. All of that will take at least two days, if not three or even four. After both sides get to present, then there's a day, or even two for both barristers to go back and refute what the other said and re-interview witnesses to make their points. Then the Justice gets to make a decision, and that can take up to a week, though Justice Abbott is known for making quick decisions, so I wouldn't count on it taking more than a couple of hours. My guess would be that we'll wrap up on Friday afternoon, so you'll have until then."

Harry sighed. He wasn't sure if that made things any better, but knowing it wasn't all going to end today made him feel as though he could relax marginally.

"Just remember what we went over yesterday. Answer as best and honestly as you can, try not to have a poor attitude and trust that Theodore knows what he's doing."

"I do," Harry said. The truth was he was feeling uncertain though, but he couldn't put his finger on what he was uncertain about.

The lift at the end of the hall came down from a higher floor and Dumbledore stepped off with Coombs and Snape. Snape went into the courtroom with Coombs without so much as a glance at Harry, but Dumbledore stopped in front of him and looked down at him with a smile.

"And how are you this morning my boy?" he asked. He seemed far too chipper for such a nerve wracking occasion, Harry thought.

Harry wiped his sweaty hands on his dress robes again and said, "Well sir, and you?" He felt anything but well though.

"Quite well," Dumbledore said. Podmore chose that moment to reappear and motioned for Harry to follow him into the courtroom, so Harry did, leaving Dumbledore to follow and then head to his own side of the table.

"Don't throw up in the courtroom," Podmore said quietly as he sat down next to Harry and took in his pale appearance. Harry nodded and swallowed and caught a glance at Snape who seemed to have heard what had been said. Snape sneered as if disgusted and turned away to listen to something Coombs was whispering to Dumbledore.

"The Minister seems to be absent," Silver commented, and Podmore grunted as though he'd noticed already and wasn't happy about it.

It wasn't long before the case investigator and supervisor from Wizarding Welfare came into the room and took seats at the far end of the table, and a moment later the Justice came in. Everybody stood until she sat down and then took their seats and Harry tried to swallow down his anxiety and the nausea that went with it.

The Justice set a parchment and quill down on the table in front of her and the quill stood up on end as if a ghost was holding it.

"I am Justice Araminta Abbot hearing the formal arguments in the case of Potter Versus Dumbledore," she said, and the quill began scribbling down what Harry could only assume were her words. "Barristers, present your parties."

"Barrister Theodore Podmore for Harry Potter," Podmore said, followed quickly by Silver who said calmly, "Harrison Silver for Harry Potter."

Across the table the other barrister said, "Barrister Nathanial Coombs for Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore." The magic quill scribbled all of this down, and Harry wondered what charm had been used on it and if it knew how to spell all of what it was writing down.

"Other parties?" the Justice asked, and Snape and the case supervisor and case investigator said their names and titles. Harry couldn't help but wondering again why Snape was there. If anything he would have expected Professor McGonagall since she was his head of house and the deputy Headmistress. It didn't make any sense for Snape to be there.

"As previously discussed in the preliminary hearing, there will be no extensions granted in this case," the Justice said. "Barristers, present your case on behalf of Mr. Harry James Potter."

Podmore waved his wand and copies of a single parchment appeared in front of every person in the room. "I intend to prove that there is no option other than the removal of Harry James Potter from the care of his Muggle relatives Vernon and Petunia Dursley. If Mr. Potter's current guardian Albus Dumbledore does not agree to remove him from the unsatisfactory and hazardous care of his muggle relatives, I intend to make a case for early majority for Mr. Potter so he can make his own choice of where to live."

Podmore waved his wand again and several enlarged photos of Harry's initial injuries that summer appeared against the wall at the far end of the table where everyone could see. With the photos blown up like that Harry thought his injuries really did look gruesome. He hadn't really looked that bad at the start of the summer had he? One eye was black and blue and swollen nearly closed, there was a bruise on his chin and another on his neck, and several large purple areas across his chest and back.

"As we intend to prove, Mr. Potter was physically, mentally, and emotionally abused at the hands of his Muggle relatives, not just the one time but over the course of his entire stay with them, from age one to age twelve and a half. These photos show the most recent injuries he received. I call Mr. Potter to answer questions."

Harry looked at Podmore, who gave him a look to relax. Harry shifted in his chair and tried to remember all the questions and responses they'd already gone over in the last several days.

"Mr. Potter, tell us how and when you received the injuries sustained in the photos."

"A few days after I got home from Hogwarts aunt Marge, uncle Vernon's sister, came to visit. Aunt Petunia told me to bring her things inside and make dinner. I was in the kitchen washing dishes after I made dinner while they were eating and aunt Marge started calling my mum names. It upset me and I said she was wrong about my mum. Before I knew what was happening aunt Marge started to get bigger. I mean, like a balloon, she was blowing up and floating towards the ceiling. The door was open out to the patio and she floated out and then she floated away. My aunt and uncle were angry with me. They told me to undo the magic and bring her back and I told them I couldn't, that it was an accident. Then uncle Vernon hit me in the eye and in the stomach a couple of times and said I had better bring her back or I was going to spend the summer locked in my cupboard. I told him again I didn't know how to undo the magic and he hit me three or four more times and threw me on the floor. That's when I got up and ran to my cupboard. I broke open the door and grabbed my trunk and wand and ran out the door."

"What names was Marge calling your mother?"

"She called her a-" Harry paused. This hadn't been one of the questions they'd gone over, and he really didn't want to say what she'd been called. For one he didn't want anyone to think of Lily that way and for another he wasn't used to using that kind of language.

"Go on Mr. Potter. You won't be in any kind of trouble for using that language to answer questions in court."

"She called her a bitch," Harry said. "She was talking about how my father was a no-good drunk and then she called my mum that- name. She said if there was something wrong with the bitch there was something wrong with the pup and that's just the way it was with dogs too. She said those pups should always be drowned." Harry was surprised he'd remembered much of any of that conversation because he'd been so mad he thought he was going to see red while it was going on.

"Did you mean to blow up Marge?" Podmore asked.

"No. I was upset and angry she was talking about my parents like that. I didn't want anything bad to happen to her though. I just wanted it to stop. I wasn't allowed to leave and she just kept going on about it."

"Mr. Potter, you said your uncle struck you several times. Can you show us how he did so?"

Harry held up his fist and swung it.

"Was this the first time it happened?"

"No. Usually something happens right after I go home and he gets me."

"Only when you first return home for summer holiday?"

"Usually whenever the bruises start to heal he gets me again. Then when it gets close to time to go back to school he stops."

"Does it always happen because of accidental magic?"

"It used to happen when I did magic before I started Hogwarts. But after I started Hogwarts I stopped doing accidental magic until the one time this summer. Usually he gets mad my chores weren't done how he wanted them or my cousin makes something up and I get in trouble and he gets me."

"What kinds of things does your cousin make up?"

"Dudley broke one of aunt Petunia's vases playing a game with his friend and blamed it on me."

"And your uncle struck you for that?"

"He pushed me up against the wall and got me in the gut a couple times."

"When did this happen?"

"Last summer a couple weeks before I went back to school for my second year."

"Mr. Potter, you said your uncle threatened to lock you in the cupboard for the summer, what cupboard is this?"

"My cupboard. The cupboard under the stairs."

"Please explain what you mean when you say ‘your cupboard.'"

"Before I got my first Hogwarts letter I didn't have a bedroom. I slept in the cupboard under the stairs."

"Is this cupboard big?"

"No, just a broom cupboard."

"But you had a bed in there? A wardrobe? Toys?"

"No, well I mean I had a couple broken toys that used to belong to Dudley that I got out of the trash when he threw them out, and I had a cot and pillow and blanket, but that was it."

"What is a cot?"

"It's like a camping bed. A metal frame with a piece of fabric stretched around the metal and four legs that go to the floor."

"Was this comfortable to sleep in like a bed?"

"No," Harry said. "I never slept in a bed until I went to Hogwarts and got to sleep in Gryffindor tower."

"But you have a bedroom at the Dursleys now?"

Harry explained how his uncle had grown paranoid after his Hogwarts letter had come addressed to the cupboard under the stairs and moved him to Dudley's second bedroom, though his cot had gone to the bedroom with him since there wasn't a bed in there.

"You enjoyed having a bedroom?"

"Yes," Harry said. "Until summer before my second year."

"What happened that made the bedroom unenjoyable?"

It took Harry several minutes to describe the bars on the window and the cat flap in the door, and what a cat flap was and how that worked, as well as how often he was let out for bathroom breaks and how his friends had broken him out with a flying car and how his uncle had fallen out the window trying to keep him captive there.

"You described having to break into your cupboard before you left the house this summer. Why did you break into the cupboard?"

"My school things are kept locked in there when I'm back on holiday."

"What school things? Your robes and wand?"

"Everything. My books and summer homework and my photo album of my parents. Anything that has to do with magic except my owl. I usually send her to stay with my friend for the summer."

"When do you get to do your summer homework?"

"On the train ride to school."

"Wouldn't you rather spend the train ride to school catching up with your friends?"

"Yes, but I have to get my homework done. If I didn't get it done on the train I'd have to stay up late after the feast to do it."

Podmore spent an hour asking Harry about the kinds of chores he had to do at the Dursleys, the things he was allowed to eat and how often he was allowed to eat, what he did for fun at the Dursleys, about how Dudley treated him, and about primary school.

"I have here a copy of the last several years of Mr. Potter's primary school report cards. He had failing grades in all subjects that required him to turn in homework. As he told us earlier, he was not allowed to do homework. In all subjects that he was allowed to do solely at school he received passing or excelling grades such as in reading, science and vocabulary."

When he was finally done asking Harry questions after nearly an hour and a half, he called on the case supervisor for Wizarding Welfare to answer questions.

"In your opinion, did you have time to thoroughly investigate Mr. Potter's case? If so, can you describe that investigation to us?"

"Of course," the case supervisor said. "We had ample time to investigate. We spoke to Mr. Potter and observed him for a day and a half in his normal routine on the alleys, both with and without his knowledge. We spoke to his cousin Dudley, his aunt and uncle Petunia and Vernon Dursley, Vernon's sister Marge, to several of his professors at Hogwarts and by owl to Harry's friend Ronald Weasley."

"Do you feel any more investigation needs to be done to get a clear picture of Mr. Potter's circumstances or abilities as they stand now?"

"No."

"From your investigation, please tell us what you learned about Harry's home life with the Dursleys."

"Vernon said he was strict with the boy and admitted that this included physical punishment, though he said he never left marks on Mr. Potter. His direct words to us were, ‘If I don't keep the boy in check there would be chaos. If it were up to me he'd be at a boarding school for other criminals and mischief makers like him.' Petunia said it was necessary to keep Mr. Potter so occupied with chores that he was tired out at the end of the day or else he would find mischief to get up to. When we asked what he was fed and how often, both his aunt and uncle seemed flustered by the question and took long moments to come up with an appropriate answer. When asked about the cupboard neither would answer us. We saw the cupboard and it is small. The cot was in there and the cupboard was barely big enough to hold the cot. A small child would be unable to stand up straight in the cupboard and there was a lock on the outside of the door that was inaccessible from the inside. There was evidence a child had stayed inside at some point as there were crayon drawings and scribbles on the walls. The smallest bedroom upstairs did have a cat flap in the door and bars on the windows and Ronald Weasley confirmed that he and two of his brothers rescued Harry midway through last summer and that he had been locked in the room with bars. Harry shared many of the details he shared today with us, and we also discovered he has trouble sleeping most nights because of nightmares about his time with his relatives."

"In your opinion, should Harry return to the Dursleys, and under what circumstances should he be returned to their care?"

"Under no circumstances should he be returned to their care."

"Under none at all? What if charms were put in place to protect him whilst there?"

"There are no charms that can protect against the mental and emotional abuse he would be under if returned to their care. No child deserves to be put down and called names or be told they're worthless. We were appalled to learn that a child under the authority of wizarding welfare had been subject to that, and even more so to find he was subjected to that for this many years. Such treatment can have a lasting impact on a person's self esteem as they grow as well as on their outlook on life and in all situations they encounter in life."

"Tell us what you observed when you observed Harry during his time living at the Leaky Cauldron," Podmore said.

"The first thing that struck us is how serious Harry appears to be about his education. We were surprised to find that he had set up his own educational opportunities and that it had been his idea in the first place. He set up two internships with businesses, bought and studied several business books no thirteen year old would normally be interested in, and was sharing notes with a friend who was also doing a work internship at a local business. Harry asked thoughtful questions during his internships, he showed up to his internships on time, and in general seemed serious about following through on the educational commitments he'd made for himself."

"What about the rest of his routine? His ability to care for his day to day needs?"

"He seemed capable of getting himself up and ready for the day. From what we observed he ate balanced meals three times a day and at regular times. He was back in his room at a reasonable hour for his age and kept a regular bedtime. He also appeared clean and well kept. His room at the Leaky Cauldron was also tidy and well ordered when we visited."

"If Harry were to remain under his own care for an extended period, for a year let's say, what would you say would be the outcome?"

"Harry would likely continue on as he has, getting himself ready for the day, feeding himself, seeing to his education and remaining studious, showing up for appointments on time and possibly even setting up more educational opportunities for himself."

The case supervisor looked like he wanted to say more, but Podmore smiled and said, "Thank you." Conner looked perturbed but kept his mouth closed.

To Harry's surprise, Podmore asked Dumbledore about Harry's performance at Hogwarts and Dumbledore told him that Harry did quite well in the majority of his classes and was very studious in the subjects that interested him. Dumbledore smiled at Harry while he spoke and Harry squirmed, feeling uncomfortable with the attention. It didn't make sense for Dumbledore to say nice things about him when he was against him in court.

Podmore asked Harry a dozen more questions about his routine. He asked things like where and how did Harry get his clothes, what did he eat and when, how and why he set up his ‘internships' with Flourish and Blotts and Tantalizing Sweets, and even how he summoned the Knight Bus and why he decided to go to Diagon Alley.

"I asked where was cheapest to stay and the bus driver told me the Leaky Cauldron," Harry told him.

It was nearing one o'clock and Harry's stomach was beginning to rumble uncomfortably when Podmore decided to make his final argument.

"As we've learned today, it would be unsafe to return Mr. Potter to such unsuitable living conditions as those he endured at the hands of his Muggle relatives, and we would not expect any person, whether they'd reached majority or not to live in those conditions. It would do Harry great harm to return him to the care of the Dursleys, if not physically than mentally and emotionally. If Headmaster Dumbledore is unwilling to move Harry to a more suitable living arrangement than he is an unfit guardian and Harry is more fit to look after his own needs and affairs. Mr. Potter has shown himself in the past month and a half to be a responsible young man, ready to look after himself and his family's business interests. He seeks out legal aid when he feels he needs it, sets up his own educational opportunities and gets himself to and from those opportunities. He pays for his own meals, buys his own clothes, and takes care of his personal hygiene, all without being told to by an adult or being supervised. He's able to communicate with adults to set up business deals, secure opportunities, and exchange services. He does decently in school with an O in Defense, an E in Charms, an A in Herbology, an A in Transfiguration and an A in Astronomy. And in case of emergency, such as being thrown out of his home by his abusive relatives, he was able to secure transportation for himself to a safe place where he could reside until a more permanent solution could be found. In the eyes of The Wizarding Welfare Authority he is more capable at 13 of taking care of himself than his adult guardian and muggle relatives and could continue to take care of himself if necessary."

It seemed that Podmore was done and Harry tried to keep himself from squirming in his seat as his stomach rumbled again.

"Is your final argument concluded?" the Justice asked, and Podmore told her it was.

"Court is adjourned for the day," the Justice said. "Court will resume at nine tomorrow morning with an opening statement from Barrister Coombs on behalf of Albus Dumbledore."

The Justice rose and everyone stood until she'd left the room with her magic quill and the stack of papers the quill had been scribbling madly over for hours.

Harry glanced at Dumbledore's side of the table as they moved to leave. Snape narrowed his eyes at Harry as he exited and Dumbledore seemed... disturbed. It wasn't quite the same as when the sparkle had gone out of his eyes before when they'd gone to lunch. He'd been upset then, but this was different. Harry couldn't put his finger on how but it was.

"That went well," Podmore said happily as they took a separate lift up through the Ministry a few minutes later.

"Dumbledore looked strange," Harry commented.

"What was said in court today was disturbing," Silver said. "No one could hear that and think you should return to the Dursleys. It really is a shame we can't bring charges against them as they're Muggles and can't be held accountable in our world."

They took a cab to a restaurant where Podmore paid for lunch and then took Harry back to Knockturn Alley.

"Get some rest," Podmore told Harry. "Tomorrow's not going to go well for us."

"It's not?" Harry asked.

"It's their day. They'll try to paint an ugly picture of you and your shenanigans at school and paint a lovely picture of the Dursleys. Luckily there will be a day for rebuttal."

Harry tried to imagine what that would look like, but couldn't and left his two barristers at Podmore's office. He'd barely made it around the corner and into Gringotts Plaza and down Diagon a few minutes later when someone called out his name. Harry turned and found Draco Malfoy strutting down the alley towards him.

"Potter," Draco sneered. "Imagine finding you here. I didn't think you'd be able to scrape enough knuts together to even come to Diagon Alley."

Harry was about to tell Draco to bugger off because he wasn't in the mood when Ollivander came up to him. Ollivander ignored Draco and said to Harry, "I want to move by the end of the week. The window in the new building is far too small. I want floor to ceiling windows but I need permission to put them in."

"Are you going to have a construction firm do it?" Harry asked.

Ollivander handed Harry a piece of parchment with the name of the same firm Harry had used at the Orphanage. It looked like a work estimate and had things listed like new shelves, windows, counters, and a back room that Ollivander wanted built as well as installation of a new fireplace to be connected to the floo.

"It needs a signature," Ollivander said, and handed Harry a quill. Harry took it and signed it, and Ollivander thanked him and hurried off as fast as his aging legs could carry him.

Harry had almost forgot Draco was there until he turned and found the boy slack mouthed and staring.

"What was that?" Draco asked.

"Paperwork," Harry said. He was about to walk away but Silver had come up behind him now and seemed to want Harry's attention too.

"Relax," Silver said, "this isn't about tomorrow. I barely made it out of Knocturn because of the number of people that wanted my attention for approval of building orders."

"Send them to me," Harry said. "I just signed off on changes to Ollivander's new building."

"Here," Silver said, and handed Harry several parchments. "Bring them up to my office when you've looked them over and signed them. Look over them carefully, there are some outlandish things people are asking to do. I would advise against allowing a third floor that extends all the way across the alley. That would have to be held up by charms and if those fail you're liable for damages and injuries."

"Thanks," Harry said, and Silver hurried off.

"What have you got to do with a barrister like Silver?" Draco asked, pushing towards Harry before anyone else could demand his attention. "Even we aren't represented by Harrison Silver! He's the Minister's barrister!"

Harry almost laughed at the look on Draco's face. Draco had never taken such an interest in him before and now he was practically demanding Harry's attention and answers.

"I'm renovating Knockturn Alley. A few businesses are moving over there."

"What do you mean you're renovating Knockturn Alley?"

"I own most of the buildings on Knockturn and Diagon. And a few on Payne," Harry added as an afterthought.

Lucius Malfoy came to stand beside Draco at that moment, and instead of calling Harry a liar Draco turned to his father and said, "Potter says he owns the alleys."

"We don't speak of such business matters in polite company Draco." He sneered down at Harry and then beckoned for Draco to follow him. Draco turned back just as Basil came up to Harry to ask him a question, and Harry remembered he wanted to ask him about the door that led out the back of his shop to Knockturn Alley. Harry couldn't deny that he enjoyed the look on Draco's face as he was called on to keep up with his father. It was the only positive part of his day.