Harry Will Be Accused and Locked up in Azkaban/ His Escape

[happybean98 <kathleen@happ.net>]

No: HPFGUIDX 50873

<Kathleen whips out her wand to block Azkaban!Harry from the 
onslaught of objections>

Pickle Jimmy writes:
I don't see the relevance of the occasions that Harry facing 
Voldemort alone- If "they" don't believe that he was facing LV to 
vanquish him, why believe that he saw LV at all...(snip)

Me:

Good point.  I guess I should more specifically say that Lucius 
Malfoy will accuse Harry of being in league with Voldemort.  He knows 
Harry has faced him because he saw the pierced diary and had it 
returned to him by Harry.  He could easily tell a half truth, 
admitting Harry saw Voldemort, but he could twist Harry's motive for 
encountering Voldemort alone into an evil one...of helping Voldemort 
back into power.  No one can testify that this was not the case 
because none of Harry's friends were with him during all three of his 
encounters except unconscious Ginny.

Pickle Jimmy:
The only thing "they" may have against Harry is the death of Cedric, 
but then if he was guilty of Cedric's Death, why would he bring back 
the body- and if he was suspected, they would have checked his wand 
to see if AK was the last spell cast.  And what is Harry's motive?...

Me:

Again, good points.  But the death of Cedric will be the crowning 
jewel in Lucius's accusation.  You see, Harry needn't have done the 
dirty work himself...Lucius could simply accuse him of bringing 
Cedric to Voldemort.. and letting Voldemort finish him off.  As for 
Harry's motive, I think Lucius, with the grief stricken/egotistical 
Amos Diggory's help, could devise a believable motive.  I could see a 
scene where Cho Chang, at the prompting of Amos Diggory, takes the 
stand. "Yes, *sob*, *sob*, Harry might have been jealous of Cedric.  
Yes,*sob*, he asked me to the Yule Ball.  Yes, Cedric did beat him to 
the snitch during that Quidditch match his third year", (etc).

Lucius NEEDS to discredit Harry, namely because Harry has witnessed 
his loyalty to Lord Voldemort as a Death Eater.  It is either accuse 
or be accused.  Lucius may even play the "concerned parent" card and 
fear that his precious Draco, (hexed by Harry and Co. on the train) 
may be the next victim.  

Pickle Jimmy:

And the book is "kind of" written from Harry's point of view...this 
would be a bit limiting if he were locked in jail for 1/2 of book 5.

Me:

Yes, but remember that GoF starts out in the third person narrative, 
and then jumps to the point of view of Frank Bryce.  I could see the 
possibility of parts of the fifth book being told through the point 
of view of Voldemort...creepy.

Dimo writes:

(Commenting on my theory of Harry using the Patronus charm to help 
him in Azkaban)
The only problem with this idea is that you have to have your wand to 
perform this spell...MoM not going to allow this.

Me:

Good point.  Scratch that theory.  I've got a better one.  Harry 
escapes the same way Sirius does!  By becoming an Animagus!  Sirius 
escaped by becoming a dog, slipping through the bars and swimming 
back to the mainland.  He survived before that by the knowledge that 
he was innocent.  If Harry learns to be an Animagus, a snowy owl 
perhaps?, he could slip through the bars and fly home!  Becoming an 
owl would also come in handy before Azkaban.  He could pose as 
Hedwig..or even pose as a school owl and get access to lots of juicy 
correspondence...from Lucius to Draco perhaps?  Fun Fun Fun!  Or for 
all you devoted SHIPers... a note from Ginny to Mum about her 
affections for Harry? The possibilities are endless... but I digress.

Dimo:
(Commenting on my theory that the trial against Harry will divide the 
Weasley's, with Percy testifying for the MoM against Harry.)

OOh...now THAT'S an interesting prospect... I never did like Percy... 
to sycophantic for me:)

Me:

Glad you agree.  I think Harry's trial will be a defining moment for 
Percy... his ambitions will conflict with his family loyalty, and the 
Weasley's will reel from his betrayal of Harry.  

Ethanol writes:

(Commenting on my theory that Fudge will welcome Lucius Malfoy's 
accusation against Harry because it will let him use Harry as the 
scapegoat.)

I like the scapegoat theory. It fits to Fudge's display of disbelief 
at the end of GoF.

Me:

Yes.  Fudge's cooperation in this is critical to the success of the 
trial against Harry.  Fudge will desperately want to be able to hold 
his head up to the WW once more.  What better way to do this than to 
give the appearance of "having his man" when he locks up Harry?  He 
will also be able to discredit Dumbledore once Rita Skeeter gets back 
to him about what she saw in the hospital wing.  Fudge will also 
blame Dumbledore for harboring the previously elusive Sirius Black.  
Wow! That's 3 for 3 for Fudge!  He calms fears about Voldemort by 
locking up his "assistant" Harry, He discredits Dumbledore,(who has 
embarrasingly "parted ways" with him), and finally, he has a chance 
to get his mitts on Sirius Black, courtesy of Rita Skeeter.

I know that the thought of Harry in Azkaban is disturbing to many, 
but maybe by facing his worst fear, Harry will grow stronger and 
perhaps unlock the mystery of his parent's death.  He does hear a 
little more of their final moments each time he encounters the 
dementors.  Besides.. remember how much nail biting we did thinking 
about the prospect of Harry facing Voldemort in 1-4? Well, now that 
Harry has escaped him 3 times... I think we need another challange 
for him to overcome..otherwise the books may get too predictable.

Kathleen

<sighing delightedly at the vision of Harry transfigured into a snowy 
owl soaring out from Azkaban...>