This is my first fic, so I'd appreciate constructive critic. If you have any questions or if you find any errors, do not hesitate to notify me. I also have no idea whether the rating and category are correct.
The story may seem similar to others, but I assure you that, as far as I know, the plot is unique.
If you find something strange about the dates/numbers/times; they are not randomly chosen.

Disclaimer: Everything that seems familiar doens't belong to me.

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Chapter 01: Imprisonment

He waited. And waited. He didn't know how long he had been waiting, but he was paitent. He knew they would come soon enough. He knew that soon, they would learn, find out, and then they would come to free him.
Freedom at last.
He had been in there long. Although he didn't know how long, he knew one thing for certain: It's been too long. Even though the foul beasts that patrol through the corridors did not affect him, even though he did not have to hunger, he wanted out. Not because he missed his friends or his teachers, not because he wanted to pursue a career and found a family; he wanted out for one single reason:
He was bored out of his mind.
True, it would be normal to be bored being confined to a room barely long enough to lie in, with nothing but a small cot any sane person would choose not to lie on and a stool that would collapse if you as much as look at it. But his fellow inmates did not have any opportunity to think about the state of their current home, since they were busy reliving their worst memories over and over again, being driven to insanity. But he had nothing to do but to ponder his current situation.
He was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall of High Security Cell Nr 5 of Azkaban Prison, known to the world as Prisoner 2W5V3, Harry James Potter, The Boy Who Betrayed. Sentenced to a life sentence for the murders of two teachers and one student. No Dementor was necessary to make him relive the farce of his trial…

-

6.10.1996 09:59 AM.

"Harry James Potter, you are accused of the murder of Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy and Minerva McGonagall on Sunday, September 25, 1996. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty."

"On the evening of the 25. September at 7 PM you claimed that you have been summoned to the Dungeons of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by late Professor Snape. The evidence is that you, after a loud argument, took out your wand to perform the killing curse on him, seconds before late Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy, opened the door. After noticing him you performed the killing curse on him as well. After exiting the office you met late Professor McGonagall and used the killing curse a third time. About 41 minutes later you returned to the Gryffindor Common Room and proceeded to bed. Vincent Crabbe found all three deceased at quarter part eight in Professor Snape's office. Aurors have been alarmed and your signature has been found at the site of crime. Priori Incantatem revealed that the last three spells you have performed were all Avada Kedavra. I ask you again, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty."

Harry Potter sat before the Wizengamot, his head high, his voice unwavering. His dark green robes were spotless despite the eleven days he has already been in Azkaban. He sat as proudly as one can sit while being tied to an old wooden chair between a jury and an angry crowd that wants nothing more than to see your early demise.
He didn't have to look around to know who was there. Rita Skeeter was taking notes, already trying to think how she could twist the story to make him look like a cold-blooded killer without any remorse. Of course, sitting calmly in his chair, unperturbed by the story of the demise of his head of house did nothing to refute such a story, making her job a rather easy one, but he would prefer that to being known as a mentally unstable kid wailing about how he didn't do anything. He knew they would neither listen to his side of the story nor question him using any truth serum. He could do nothing but wait. Thus he simply ignored the following hearings of witnesses and went on thinking about the agitated crowd, consisting mainly of ministry workers. This, of course, included Mr Weasley, who was sitting in the midst of a bunch of redheads, including a certain bushy-haired girl that was shooting Harry venomous looks. He knew beforehand that they wouldn't believe him as soon as they had been told he was a murderer. Why should they believe him, their best friend of five years, Boy Who Lived, after he had defeated Voldemort three times, always having been opposed to violence and saving the life of the man who had practically killed his parents, when he said he was innocent. What good was his fame if he couldn't even decently sway the judge?

"Did you notice some oddities in his behaviour in recent times?"

"Indeed we did. At the start of our sixth year he was mainly depressed. But two to three weeks prior to the homicide he -"

"Learned a new word, did you? Did it hurt?" Harry interrupted, unable to refrain from commenting.

"Shut up you bloody peace of filth. If I -"

"Silence! Mr Potter, kindly refrain from interrupting the reports. Mr Weasley, please continue."

"About three weeks ago he changed. He wasn't depressed anymore but became sarcastic. He often left Gryffindor Tower, claiming he would study, always coming back late after midnight. At some point we only saw him in class. We noticed though he said he would study we never found him in the library." After that he went on about how Harry became more and more distant, rejecting and ignoring them.

The accused resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It would have been kind of hard to study alone in plain sight. Sure, this undoubtedly proved his guilt.

"At first we thought he would try to distance himself from the events that took place in the Ministry of Magic at the end of our fifth year, but in hindsight it is a clear sign of him going dark."

As he would have appeared even more lunatic than Rita Skeeter had already made him look like, he refrained from laughing out loud. This was just ridiculous. Not that he had expected anything else from Ron, but he had thought that at least Hermione would have a little bit of common sense. Ah well, he mused, she must still feel utterly betrayed.

The reports went by fast, but it was still possible to analyse every damn thing he had done which could be interpreted as another step on his way to homicide, like eating dark chocolate and drinking his coffee black. 1 hour and 16 minutes later, the verdict was passed. He was, of course, proven guilty, sentenced to a lifelong holiday on Azkaban Island, constantly supervised by two hooded, personal entertainer who were making their way down to his chair, chilling the crowd to the bone. Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, who was sitting next to the inquisitor looked very happy. Finally, Potter has been taken care of. And soon, Dumbledore will follow him. Now I shall receive my reward for my first task has been completed.

"Is there anything left that you would like to say?" the inquisitor asked.

"Indeed there is."

"Go ahead."

"Wizards of Britain. Today you have made a choice. You choose to sentence me for a crime that I time and again have assured not to have commited. Soon you will learn the truth and see the errors in your ways." At this point he looked at Albus Dumbledore who was sitting amidst the Hogwarts Staff. "But then " he gazed at Hermione, who was looking unsure next to Ron, who was looking angry, " it shall be too late to apologise, too late to make up for the serious" he continued, now looking at Remus, "errors of judgement you now commited. For now, I shall accept this undue punishment, but fear not, I will take revenge."

Having said that, he let himself be taken away by the Dementors, still looking at Remus who had a sudden sense of déjà vu after hearing the name of his late best friend embedded in Harry's sentence.

-

6.10.1996, after the trial

"What if he tells the truth?"

"I don't think -"

"What if we condemn another innocent to a life of hardship just because we're too blind to see the truth?"

"You are in no way - "

"Damn, he even referred to Sirius. I'm sure he -"

"Remus!" The werewolf in Dumbledore's office stopped suddenly, staring at the headmaster with a blank face before he let himself fall into the chair. The ancient man before him sighed.

"Remus, this is nothing like it was 15 years ago. We have direct evidence. Harry had a fair trial. We even -"

"You call this fair? We didn't use Veritaserum." The Marauder became agitated again. "We didn't even listen to his side of the story. We didn't -"

"Remus! Listen to me. We performed Priori Incantatem. We found his magical signature at the site and you know such things are impossible to fake"

"But … but … he could have … Sirius would -"

"I'm sure Sirius would be pleased that you're trying to find the truth. He, however, wouldn't be pleased that you're trying to get a murderer out of prison."

Remus fiercly shook his head. "Harry couldn't have done that. It's not like him."

"People change. Didn't you see his calculating look? Didn't you notice how unaffected he remained, despite the death of three persons, including his Head of House? You are right, this is nothing like the Harry we knew and loved. He, however, has changed. " Professor Dumbledore sighed and looked the werewolf deep into his eyes. "Believe me, Remus, I don't like it anymore than you, but Harry is guilty and there is nothing you can do to change it."

The only Marauder left slumped down in his seat, covering his face with his hands. "Why, Harry? Why did you do this?"

-

28.05.1997 23:56 o'clock

An angry werewolf sprinted down the corridors of Azkaban Prison, followed by an ancient wizard of 149 years at whom the werewolf was angry. But his anger towards Albus Dumbledore was nothing compared to the anger he felt towards himself. It had already happened once and he told himself he would never again let something like this happen. But the tragedy has occurred again; another innocent graces the halls of the place many people deem the Hell on Earth.

How could I have been so stupid? How could I have been fooled once again?Damn, Sirius at least had his Animagus form. Harry has no way of protecting himself from the Dementors. At least it has only been seven months instead of twelve years. Oh my god, please be ok Harry.
He arrived at High Security Cell Nr 5, skidding to a halt before realising that he couldn't open the door. Damn, where is that man when you need him? Unable to open the door with his wand he reviewed the day's events again …

-

28.05.1997 18:14 o'clock

"Remus, I have a disturbing piece of news for you."

"What do you mean, Albus?"

"Yesterday, Seamus Finnigan, a Death Eater, has been captured. We have interrogated him today at 14:09 with Veritaserum."

"Wasn't he in Harry's year?"

"Indeed he was. He was his roommate. However, he confessed a large number of murders, including the murders of Minerva McGonnagal, Severus Snape and Dravo Malfoy."

"You mean -"

"Yes. If that what he said is true, Harry is innocent."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's get him out Azkaban immediately!"

"Remus, this may not be as easy as it looks like. There are certain risks -"

"Screw risks!" The werewolf approached the ancient wizard. "There is no logical reason to keep Harry in Azkaban when his innocence is proven. You may have steered James away from me, you may have kept Sirius away BUT YOU WILL NOT KEEP HARRY AWAY FROM ME DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

At the end of the sentence the headmaster had his back against the wall of his office in order to escape the advancing Marauder.

"Now, Remus listen-"

"Shut up! I'm going to get Harry out of Azkaban and you're coming with me."

"I -"

"NOW!"

Albus Dumbledore finally conceded. He sighed. "All right. I shall contact the Ministry in order to convince them of getting him out of there."

"You must be experiencing hearing problems, headmaster. I said WE are going to get him out of there." Remus growled at the one wizard who was feared by Voldemort, making him flinch.

"Alright, alright. Let's go." Having spoken those words the ancient wizard made his way out of his office, intending to apparate to the Ministry of Magic in order to visit Hell on Earth, Remus Lupin at his heels.

-

When Albus Dumbledore finally arrived at the prison cell which sported an agitated werewolf in front of it, he deliberatly took out the key he had reluctantly been given by Minister Fudge himself. It took Remus all his self-restraint not to yank the key out of his hands or blow up the wall to speed up the process. When the lock finally clicked he threw the door open and rushed into the cell, timidly speaking Harrys name.

-

Soon they will come. Yes, soon they will know, soon … Damn, I don't even need a Dementor to go insane. Blasted prison. Just why did I say that I would accept this?It would have been so much easier to just say I'm going to break out and be on the run until they find out but nooo I just had to agree to this. Ah well, it's going to make things easier in -

The convict suddenly sat up and listened. Ah, here they come. It's showime …

The voice of a werewolf broke the eerie silence.

"Harry?"