Harry was in the middle. Surrounded on all sides.
Both his hands and feet were restrained through chains. At the front was the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones. Rufus and the other Aurors were around.
The trial had ended, and now, at night, Harry was being transported to Azkaban.
The whole journey was silent. The Aurors did not even talk among themselves. The only sound was the wind.
As they approached the island, the weather got more violent.
Harry saw clearly how everyone was on the edge. They remained alert, ready for any unwelcome interference.
Luckily, nothing out of the ordinary happened, and they finally landed on the desolate platform at Azkaban.
Harry's heart sank at the sight of the looming fortress and the sinister presence of the Dementors, their dark forms swirling in the mist. Harry had once experienced the dreadful effect of being close to a dementor. Even the Aurors accompanying Amelia Bones instinctively took a step back.
This was no place for a sane human to visit. The only person who appeared unfazed was Mrs Bones. After the others removed the chain binding Harry, Amelia walked him towards the entrance.
Just before reaching the dementor, Amelia leaned in close to whisper in his ear.
"Our Lord has said that this is your final test," she murmured, her voice barely audible above the howling winds. "Survive four months in Azkaban, and you will return by his side."
Harry's heart pounded in his chest as he processed her words.
Never in his wildest nightmares would he have imagined that Amelia Bones, a respected figure in the Ministry, could be a servant of Lord Voldemort.
It all began to make sense now. The way the trial had been orchestrated.
The last time Harry met Voldemort, the latter told him that he would have someone in the Ministry to take care of him.
Harry would have never guessed that the person was Amelia Bones.
Harry couldn't help but feel a sense of relief knowing that he had an ally within the Ministry, especially one in such a prominent position. It was a reminder that he wasn't alone in his fight against the corrupt system, Dumbledore, and the Muggles that sought to condemn him unjustly.
With a newfound determination coursing through his veins, Harry met Amelia's gaze with a grateful smile.
"Thank you, Amelia. I won't fail our Lord. I'll endure whatever it takes to prove my loyalty."
With that said, Harry walked on his own inside the prison as the dementors began to envelop him until he disappeared inside.
-----
The atmosphere at 12 Grimmauld Place was usually tense, but today was very different. The Order of the Phoenix has gathered here after the trial, but each was in their own world. No one was talking. They sat with their heads bowed.
After a long time, it was Arthur Weasley who finally broke the silence. He could not take it any longer.
"How could you choose the first option, Albus?" he questioned in disbelief. "The rest of us chose the third option, expressing our disagreement with sending Harry to Azkaban even for four months."
Dumbledore looked at the head of Weasley. "My dear Arthur, you must understand that my vote would not have changed the outcome. The majority had already chosen the path they deemed fit for Harry's punishment."
Arthur wanted to question him more. Even if the world was against Harry, at least Dumbledore could have shown his support.
But Dumbledore moved on and thought out loud.
"I have been feeling a sense of unease regarding Harry's situation for some time now. There is something amiss, something I cannot quite grasp."
Turning to Snape, Dumbledore sought confirmation. "Severus, does everything that Harry's account of the events in the graveyard match that of Voldemort's narration to the Death Eaters. Is that correct?"
Snape nodded solemnly. "Yes, Headmaster."
Despite Snape's confirmation, Dumbledore's furrowed brow deepened. "And yet," he murmured, "there is still a piece of the puzzle missing. Something crucial that eludes me."
Molly had had enough; her patience was wearing thin.
"Albus, did you know?" she demanded, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Did you know that Harry was being mistreated by his aunt and uncle all those years? How could you let the boy suffer like that?"
Dumbledore's silence spoke volumes.
When he finally spoke, his voice was tinged with sorrow. "It was necessary, Molly," he explained. "Necessary for Harry to reside with his relatives in order to maintain the protection against Voldemort."
Molly's anger flared at Dumbledore's justification, raising her voice. "How could you justify such cruelty, Albus? Look at what you have done to that poor boy!"
Molly considered Harry as his own son. She felt pain when she got the news about how Harry had been leading his life. The boy was always smiling. How could she know that behind that smile, Harry was hiding his pain?
If only she knew. She would have taken Harry to reside in her home during school break.
Nymphadora Tonks could not believe what Dumbledore had just said. "Wait, it's true?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with a dawning realization. "You knew Headmaster?"
For the first time, every member of the Order was disappointed with Dumbledore. How could Dumbledore let this happen?
Remus Lupin spoke up with a note of sadness in his voice. "If Sirius were here," he began, "he would have erupted in anger at the thought of Harry suffering under the Dursleys' care, and you did nothing to protect him. And where is Sirius? I have not seen him."
Just as he looked around the room, Remus saw Kingsley Shacklebolt enter the room with a sense of urgency.
"Remus, there's something you need to see." Kingsley gave Lupin a piece of paper.
Remus was puzzled. He took the letter and immediately recognized the handwriting.
This was Sriuis's.
He started reading the content as everyone waited for him to finish.
The letter detailed Sirius's resolve to take matters into his own hands, to no longer remain idle while his godson suffered. He expressed his willingness to defy the Ministry and risk capture in order to protect Harry from further harm.
"The house-elf gave it to me, saying that Sirius told him to give it to you specifically," said Kingsley.