Jake couldn't believe what he read. Surely it must've been a joke, or maybe just a formality to send a letter to him, because the Ministry knew who he was, what he was capable of, there was simply no way they expected to be taken seriously about this. He looked over at Hermione and she was going into hysteria.
"Oh... this can't be happening... this simply can't be happening, Jake!" She practically yelled his name, panic filled her voice.
Before Jake could say anything to Hermione, at least twenty Witches and Wizards appeared around them, wands trained on them. In response, his eye began to glow, and he was ready to kill any of them that attacked or harmed Hermione. A few more Witches and Wizards appeared, but they began to alter the memories of any muggle in the area, and they were sent away after being reminded of an important appointment.
"Jake Kidd, you are hereby ordered to hand over your wand for immediate destruction, and you are to come with us!" A wizard yelled at him.
Jake didn't say anything immediately, "Are you deaf?" A witch asked him, "he said hand over your wand and come with us!"
"Are you sure you all feel up to it?" Jake glanced around in front of him as he spoke.
Many of the Witches and Wizards seemed to lose some of their confidence, as though just remembering who it was they were dealing with. The Wizard who spoke first didn't seem put off, "You have been ordered to give up your wand and come with us, we will not ask again."
"Who had you all come out here? Fudge? Umbridge?" He sneered at them. He stood there for a moment longer, but then gave an answer, "I'll go with you, but my wand stays intact."
"Jake?" Hermione spoke his name so quietly, she wasn't even sure she actually said it.
"Hand over your-" the Wizard was cut off.
"I'm being generous with my offer to go with you, I suggest you take it," Jake said.
"Let's just take his offer," a Witch said, "it's the safest option."
"I am in charge here!" The Wizard yelled. He suddenly found himself choking as his air flow had been cut.
"You were never in charge. I will go with you, but my wand stays intact, I won't say it again," Jake said calmly, releasing the hold he had on the Wizard. He glanced around at each Witch and Wizard around him and Hermione, and he didn't recognize any of them. He turned to Hermione, "Tell your mother I had something important come up and won't know when I'll be back, okay?"
Hermione had tears streaming down her face, "But Jake-"
"I'll be fine," he whispered to her, "I love you."
"I-I love you t-too," Hermione said in a quiet, but shaky voice. She was losing the one thing she couldn't bear to lose right then, and it was breaking her heart with every passing second. "Y-You better come b-back to me..."
"I will," he smiled at her. He turned his attention back to the Ministry Officials, "Let's go. Oh... before I forget to say it," he looked at the head Wizard that thought he was in control of the situation, "if even a hair on Hermione's head is disturbed by any of you... I will mercilessly slaughter you."
None of them seemed to dare oppose what he said. It wasn't a secret that Jake was feared as much as he was respected, but Hermione seeing first-hand the fear he could spread, it almost rivaled Voldemort's ability to do so, maybe it even surpassed it. The very thought worried her greatly. She watched with tear-stained cheeks as Jake was surrounded by all of the Witches and Wizards before they disapparated back to the Ministry. She wiped her face, but new tears formed and ran down her face. She walked home in a depressed, borderline catatonic state.
*******
The feeling of being squeezed through a tiny tube was a feeling one was never sure they'd get used to. Jake began to think he'd never get used to it.
When the feeling evaporated, he found himself inside a large room that was dimly lit. It gave off the feeling of unease. He wasn't put off by it by any means, but he was sure many a Witch and/or Wizard got that feeling. If many of them cringed and recoiled upon hearing the name Voldemort, they likely were put off by a little unease.
He was forced to sit in a chair, but only because he allowed them to. He had come this far with cooperation, he figured he'd play along for a bit longer.
The Witch from earlier that wanted to take his offer spoke to him as many of them spread out, "Why did you come here with us? We know who you are, what you can do..."
"To gather information, why else?" Jake asked her.
She didn't answer back, but continued to look at him. More lights turned on and it was revealed that he was in a room for what seemed to be a Wizarding Courtroom. He figured this must've been the same room, or a similar one, that Harry was in back over the summer.
'Getting right to it, aren't they?' He thought to himself as Witches and Wizards of varying ages began to fill the seats in attendance for his hearing. 'Tomorrow is Christmas... must not have had anything better to do.'
Right across from him, a seat was filled with a Wizard who looked at him with disdain. He had brown hair and blue eyes, eyes filled with hatred. He wondered whether or not Amelia Bones would show up, but she was likely at home for the Holidays, so her assistance on this was unlikely.
One thing Jake didn't miss was the appearance of both Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge. Umbridge didn't hide her glaring sneer, but Fudge kept his disdain for him off the surface level. Jake still saw it behind his eyes, though.
He also saw many older looking Witches and Wizards sitting on a bench above him, 'The Wizengamot...' "I didn't know I was so popular," he remarked.
"Quiet, boy!" One of the members of the Wizengamot said.
"Or what?" Jake challenged him, "I let myself be brought here, I can just as easily excuse myself if need be."
"You are already in serious trouble, casting a Patronus in the middle of a crowded Muggle Area," the Warlock said.
Some murmurs were heard about him having cast a Patronus, "Yes, I believe that's because a Dementor showed up. Much like one did for Harry Potter a few months ago."
"You are in a Ministerial Hearing to decide your fate at Hogwarts and your place in the Wizarding Community," the Warlock said down to him.
"A Ministerial Hearing? I thought this was a three-ringed circus," Jake joked as chains suddenly wrapped very tightly around him, causing him to gasp from just how tight they were, "How cute, you think this will hold me."
"Alright," the Wizard sitting across from him said, "let's get this Trial officially underway."
"Funny you can call this official with it happening mere minutes after my apprehension by your Magical Law Enforcement agents, but sure, we'll go with that," Jake relaxed in the chair as the chains held him in place.
"I told you, Minister," Umbridge said, not caring about being heard, "Kidd here is nothing but trouble. More so than Potter's been."
Fudge didn't say anything. He had a look of concern in his eyes, but it wasn't the caring kind. His concern was for his own well-being, and if he'd make it out alive if Jake decided no one in this room was worth his time. Cornelius Fudge was starting to regret revoking Jake's Adult Wizard Status.
"You, Jake Kidd, are on trial for the use of underage magic outside of school, and in front of many muggles. You claim it was because of a Dementor, but do you have anyone who can back up your story?" The Wizard asked.
He thought seriously for a moment if he wanted to drag Hermione into this. She'd gladly defend him in this as he was entirely justified in his use of the Patronus Charm in the presence of Muggles. "I do; Hermione Granger was present with me while I cast the Patronus Charm to send the Dementor away."
"Rufus Scrimgeour," the Wizard said, and looked over to the man he named, "take a few of your team and bring in this Hermione Granger."
"I'll tell you what I told the ones whom I allowed to apprehend me," Jake said, getting all eyes on him, "Hermione is very dear to me, and if she has even a hair disturbed on her head, a slight discoloration of her skin from bruising, I will not hold back, and I will kill you."
A wave of shudders were felt in the room, even the Wizengamot seemed particularly on edge. They all knew he could and would back up his words. The man named Scrimgeour didn't seem fazed, and gave Jake a look of disregard. He said nothing as he turned back away from Jake and disappeared from sight.
"Now, Mr. Shuberforth," Umbridge addressed the man across from Jake, "You should know that the Granger girl will likely say anything to exonerate Kidd here."
"In the same manner how the Ministry will say anything to deny the return of Voldemort?" Jake asked, causing many of them to recoil.
Umbridge was not amused, but her face didn't change from the Toady look, "You are friends with Potter, why am I not surprised you believe his drivel."
Jake was about to speak when the distinct pop of someone apparating was heard, and Scrimgeour had brought Hermione back right in the middle of the Courtroom, "Jake!" Hermione yelled when she saw him and rushed over to him, "Are you okay?" She asked quietly.
"I'm perfectly fine," he smiled at her normally, as nothing was in fact wrong with him.
"Ms. Granger," Shuberforth spoke, "it has come to the court's attention that you were accompanying Kidd here during the usage of underage magic, is that true?"
"Yes," she turned to him and nodded as she spoke.
"Is it true that Kidd performed the Patronus Charm?"
"Yes, an Alligator jumped from his wand," Hermione said, and awes could be heard around them, "it drove away the Dementor that had appeared."
"So you say that a Dementor appeared? Can you prove that a Dementor appeared?" Shuberforth asked her.
"We-" Hermione was cut off by Umbridge.
"Of course she can't. Like I said, she will say anything that keeps Kidd from receiving serious punishment," Umbridge smiled maliciously, no longer putting on the fake smile she did at school.
"I wonder, do you like the sound of your own voice? Because you won't shut the fuck up," Jake said casually.
"You insolent little-" Umbridge was on her feet, not that it was obvious with how short she was, "how dare you speak to your High Inquisitor that way!"
"We aren't at school, you're just Fudge's Senior Undersecretary at the moment," Jake said.
Before Umbridge could say another word, the door to the Courtroom opened, "Oh, sorry I'm late, I ran into an awful bit of traffic."
Jake looked and saw an older looking Witch, and there was only one name that came to mind, "Amelia Bones?"
"Oh, you know who I am?" She asked him.
"What are you doing here?" Umbridge asked in an almost demanding voice.
"My job," Amelia said, "I would've been here sooner, but I only just heard about this a minute ago. I was talking to Susan, my niece, about what she had gotten her mother for Christmas, when I received an Owl that informed me of one Jake Kidd's apprehension by the Ministry's Department of Magical Law Enforcement, my Department to be exact. I should've been informed about this the second it happened, Ms. Umbridge," Amelia narrated the events.
"I think they got sidetracked," Jake joked.
"How can you possibly joke at a time like this?" Hermione asked him, her eyes wide.
"What's more, there is a process that is followed, and no Ministry Witch or Wizard in this room, except for myself, seems to care about it," Amelia ridiculed them, "a trial happening the same day of Jake's use of underage magic, a Corporeal Patronus in the form of an Alligator no less. Susan told me about it, if you were wondering, and Jake was apprehended mere moments afterwards. That is not how my department works, Minister."
Fudge tried to speak, but it only came out as garbled gibberish.
"I believe that this happened once before, back in July, did it not?" Amelia asked the court, "Harry Potter was accused of the exact same thing. The question that should be asked is Why did three Dementors go rogue and attack these two specific Wizards? They are the guards of Azkaban, they should not be wandering off from their post unaccompanied."
Shuberforth seemed to squirm in his seat under Amelia's gaze.
"Unless there is nothing else, I see no reason Jake should not be allowed to walk freely, given that he was well within his right in using underage magic to defend himself," Amelia said, "Minister, may I speak to you in your office before I return home?" Amelia walked up to and used her wand on the chains.
The chains around Jake went limp and fell off of him. He stood up, stretched, and turned to Amelia, "Thank you for your timely arrival. I'd have hated to fight my way out of here."
"It's a good thing I received that Owl, otherwise I wouldn't have shown up at all," Amelia said and looked at both Hermione and Jake, "you two make a great match," she said suddenly.
Hermione's face turned a noticeable shade of red, "Wh-What m-m-makes you th-think that?"
"Susan actually told me, when she was talking about Jake's Patronus being an Alligator, she said you both were pretty close," Amelia said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, "and just looking at you both, I can see she was right. She said, 'There probably isn't anything Jake wouldn't do for Hermione,' and I think she's right, not that I need to tell you both that."
"Did Susan say how obvious it was?" Jake asked, afraid of the answer Amelia would tell them.
"Jake, b-but w-we a-a-aren't t-t-together," Hermione stuttered out.
"You're not?" Amelia asked.
"No, but the love Hermione and I have for each other, how obvious is it?" He asked again.
"Susan said it was as obvious as water being wet," Amelia informed him.
"Okay, thanks," he said and looked at Hermione, then back to Amelia Bones, "oh, before I forget to mention it... could you see about getting my Adult Wizarding Status reinstated? It's fine if Cornelius Fudge doesn't, I'm just asking to see if you can convince him to?"
"I'll see what I can do," Amelia said, smiling.
"Okay, so... how do Hermione and I get back to her home?" He asked, "Normally I'd just apparate her and I there, but if my Adult Status is gone, I can't very well do that without getting in trouble again with the Ministry."
"I'll cover that for you," she said and looked across the room, Rufus Scrimgeour was still standing there, looking at them, "Rufus, could you come here, please?"
Scrimgeour walked over to them, his glide not much unlike Snape's, "Madam?"
"Take these two back to where Jake was apprehended, would you?" Amelia asked him.
"Of course," Scrimgeour said in the most unenthusiastic voice he seemed to muster, "grab on."
Jake and Hermione each grabbed onto one of his arms, and they were apparated back to the park, which was void of Muggles. Scrimgeour then disapparated just as fast, "Guess he didn't want to stay for a cup of tea," Jake joked.
Hermione slapped him on the arm, "How can you possibly joke at a time like this!? You were almost ruined in an unfair trial!"
He just shrugged, "Hey, Hermione..."
Her expression changed when she realized his voice was serious, "Yes?"
"About us... if it's as obvious as both Susan and Hannah say it is... maybe we should go ahead and just make it official between us?" He suggested to her.
Her cheeks became red, and even though it was still cold outside, they hadn't been back in the cold winter air long enough for it to be the cause, "D-Do you think w-we should?"
"I wouldn't ask if I didn't think so... if you don't, I'll understand," he paused, "but if you want to make it official at Hogwarts... we can."
Hermione's face was deep in thought for a while. It was a solid three minutes before she looked back to his face, "I want to as well."
He smiled and pulled her closer to him, "I'm glad you want to as well."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought their lips closer in a loving passion that felt amplified from their now official relationship. They separated a moment later, "Come on, let's go back home, mum must be wondering where we are."
"Probably, yeah, obviously leave this little incursion out of the explanation for what we did," he said, unable to stop his smirk.
"Obviously," Hermione grinned at him before taking his hand in hers, leading him back home. Despite what transpired, she felt like nothing could put a damper on her feelings of elation.