8 - Trials
18 December 1995
Ministry of Magic
“Any announcements before the trials start?” Fudge said loudly.
“Yes,” Lucius stood up. “I have four. Two people rejoining the Wizengamot, two people joining for the first time.” He looked around to see if he had everyone’s attention. “Rejoining us are Lord Orion Black and Lord Thomas Gaunt, Dark Sect, Walpurgis Group.” There was polite clapping and some disbelief as the men took their seats, and Lucius bit back a smirk. “Our new members are Lady Alhena Peverell-Slytherin-Haydon and Lord William Weasley. Your alliances, Lady Peverell, Lord Weasley?”
“Dark Sect, Walpurgis Group,” Alhena said quietly, but her voice carried anyway. “I am also the proxy for the Houses of Potter and Stinchcombe, appointed by Lord Hadrian Potter-Stinchcombe, and for the House of Dagworth-Granger, appointed by Lady Hermione Dagworth-Granger. Both houses will remain Unallied until the Lord and Lady formally join the Wizengamot.”
“Neutral Sect, Grey Alliance.” Bill spoke calmly.
“What? The Weasleys are Light!” Lady Vance nearly shouted.
“Kindly refrain from making assumptions, Lady Vance. The Weasley seat has changed alliances in the past. In fact, I remember that prior to the scandal that sparked the – thankfully over – Malfoy-Weasley blood feud, the Weasley seat was traditionally Dark,” Bill fixed her with a glare. “And as recently as my great-grandfather, Armand Weasley, the House of Weasley was allied with the Neutrals. As an employee of Gringotts, I will remain neutral.” He took a seat beside Gareth Greengrass, to further his point. “Lord Greengrass.”
Alhena had taken a seat between Orion and Corvus Lestrange, and her hair was honey blonde with amusement. “I wonder how long it will take before a certain former Chief Warlock loses his temper in its entirety?”
“A month is my guess,” Corvus said a little too positively.
“Generous of you, Lord Lestrange,” Alhena said with a small smile.
“Any other announcements? None? Good. Bring in the accused.” Fudge banged his gavel.
Rodolphus entered, escorted by two Aurors, and followed by his lawyer, Conrad Burnett.
Fudge focused on Burnett. “Does your client consent to the use of Veritaserum?”
“He does, Minister.” Conrad nodded.
They didn’t waste time, getting to the point. The Veritaserum was administered, and the questioning started, led by Tiberius Ogden. “Your full name?”
“Rodolphus Corvus Lestrange,” his voice was raspy from disuse.
“Your date of birth?”
“19 April 1951.”
Corvus nodded in response to Tiberius’ silent question, and Tiberius continued. “Were you a Death Eater?”
“Yes.”
“Did use the Cruciatus Curse on Alice and Frank Longbottom?”
“No.” Rodolphus’ voice was vehement, despite the Veritaserum.
“Were you at Longbottom Manor on the 2nd of November 1981 at approximately 4 o’clock in the afternoon?”
“No.”
“Where were you at the time?” Tiberius leant forward.
“I was in France with Rabastan and Barty. Vic Caelum’s Sands of Time had just released, and Barty wanted a signed copy, so we were at Place Cachee’s bookstore.”
Orion arched an eyebrow at Corvus in silent question, and Alhena quietly explained. “Vic Caelum’s Sands of Time is the third book in their Water and Time series. The eighth releases in January. It’s relatively popular despite its darker themes. I’ll explain it fully later.”
Orion nodded in thanks, focusing his attention back on the trial.
“Why didn’t you say anything at the original trial?” Tiberius gave Rodolphus a questioning look.
“I couldn’t. Bellatrix had the three of us under a silencing spell.”
Alhena inhaled sharply, drawing Corvus’ attention to her steadily reddening hair. He laid his hand over hers where it had tightened on the arm of her chair, and was rewarded by her relaxing, and her hair returning to a reddish blonde.
Alhena’s temper kept being tried by Bellatrix’s actions throughout the brothers’ trials, and she was glad for the lunch break. “I hope the disownment finishes dear Bella off, because I’m entirely sure I spent most of Rabastan’s trial in a murderous snit.”
“That’s what the blood red colour was, then.” Benjamin chuckled. “It’s quite amusing, I assure you.”
Alhena’s lips curled up into a wry smile. “Glad my murderous snit was amusing, Lord Nott.”
“Will you be sitting in on your brother’s trial?” Thomas looked at the young Lady.
“Not voting, but yes.” Alhena pulled her arithmancy notebook from her pocket, scribbling furiously.
“What are you working on?” Thomas was intrigued.
“Oh, just inventing creative ways to kill someone.” Alhena muttered under her breath. “The defence teacher is a bitch.”
Thomas nearly choked on his bagel. “Why do you say that?”
“Blood quills in detention. I’ve seen firsties with those scars, mostly Gryffindors. Also, she considers Slinkhard acceptable OWL and NEWT teaching material. We’ve already started an underground study group in the common room, using Redrow’s Advanced Defensive Magical Theory: A Guide to Passing Theoretical Defensive OWLs and NEWTs. It’s like she wants us to fail, since Slinkhard’s Defensive Magical Theory is written for eight-year-olds.” Alhena’s hair went blood red again. “I hope the Defence curse strikes soon, or I’ll find a way to make it.”
“How far would you go?” Orion arched an eyebrow.
“Gargantuan murderous serpents, even if that requires dabbling in Necromancy.” Alhena scribbled furiously.
“How original.” Thomas muttered into his teacup.
“Alhena, eat.” Orion pushed a bagel into her line of sight.
“Hmph, fine.” Alhena picked up the bagel, eating while scribbling.
Thirty minutes later saw them back in the courtroom, Alhena between Orion and Corvus like the previous two trials.
Tiberius spoke this time, instead of Fudge, much to Alhena’s silent relief. “Now for the trial of Sirius Orion Black, represented by Edward Tonks. Bring in the accused.”
Alhena’s hair turned into the Black Family blonde, causing Orion and Lucius to bite back smiles, as Sirius was led in.
“Lawyer Tonks, does your client agree to Veritaserum?”
“He does, Chief Warlock Ogden.”
“Administer the Veritaserum.”
As soon as the Veritaserum took hold, Tiberius started the questioning. “Your full name?”
“Sirius Orion Black.”
“Your date of birth?”
“8 November 1959.”
“Were you a Death Eater?”
“No.”
“Did you betray the Potters to Voldemort?”
“No.”
“Were you the Potters’ Secret Keeper?”
“No.”
“Who was the Potters’ Secret Keeper?”
“Peter Pettigrew.”
There were loud outcries from several people in the public gallery, but one withering glare from Alhena shut most of them up, and so Tiberius continued. “Did you kill 13 Muggles and Peter Pettigrew on the 2nd of November 1981?”
“No.”
“Please explain the events of the 2nd of November 1981.”
“I’d been looking for Pettigrew for two days, since the Fidelius around Potter Cottage fell. I found him in the street, and was planning on taking him to the DMLE. But then he shouted at me about how I could betray Lily and James, before he shot off a Bombarda at a gas line. He cut off his finger and transformed into his animagus form – a common grey rat – before escaping into the sewer among the chaos. And I couldn’t do anything except laugh from disbelief, because I didn’t expect him to be capable of what he’d done.”
“How did you escape from Azkaban?”
“I shifted into my animagus form. I was thin enough to slip between the bars.”
Alhena pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering under her breath. “Obviously. It’s a torture facility, not a prison.”
“And what is your animagus form, Mr Black?” Tiberius asked with a raised eyebrow.
“A Grim.”
“Administer the antidote.” Tiberius waited until Sirius’ eyes cleared, before calling for the verdict. “Guilty?”
One single wand – namely that of Dolores Umbridge – was lit.
“Not guilty?”
The courtroom was awash in light as practically all the wands – besides those of Orion and Alhena (as well as the spiteful toad)- were lit.
“Mr Black, you will be compensated with 10,000 Galleons for every year you spent in Azkaban and on the run, although 100 Galleons will be deducted for your failure to register as an Animagus.” Tiberius and – surprisingly – Lucius gave Fudge withering glares when he opened his mouth to protest. “That means…”
“149,900 Galleons,” Alhena said out loud, “for those of you that are unfortunately challenged in the realms of mathematics and arithmancy.”
“That’s too much!” Lady Vance exclaimed.
All traces of humour and warmth vanished from Alhena’s tone and gaze as she addressed Lady Vance, her hair turning an icy purple colour. “Lady Vance, in my opinion, it barely scrapes the bottom of repayment. Azkaban is a torture facility, Lady Vance, which does not even begin to conform to either the Muggle world or the International Confederation of Wix’s standards of basic human rights.” The temperature of the room was plummeting with every word, making most of the older generation look at the young Lady with new respect. “Dementors were stationed around Hogwarts for the entirety of my third year, Lady Vance. The whole year, my cousin – Lord Potter-Stinchcombe – and I were forced to relive the worst memory we have – Samhain 1981 – and we threw ourselves into learning a spell not even most seasoned Aurors can master – the Patronus Charm – to make it stop. It is a miracle that my brother is as sane as he is, because I nearly went insane from dementor exposure – and that’s when they were at the gates. My brother, even after two years on the run, is emaciated and suffering from nightmares. Nearly a hundred and fifty thousand Galleons will not bring back his health, or all the time he’s lost. And the fact that you insinuate otherwise makes me sick.”
“Alhena, breathe. Breathe, child.” Orion’s hand on her arm steadily brought her back to reality. The room was as frigid as the weather outside, and the loose strands of her hair were floating from the sheer amount of magic surrounding her.
“Are you sure we should let her on the Wizengamot?” Lord Diggle said loudly. “I mean, she can barely control her magic or her temper.”
“If it was your brother that had been unlawfully incarcerated without a trial, Lord Diggle, you would be saying something very different,” Bill glared at the man. “Lady Peverell is the most even-tempered person I know, and I rue the day someone truly gets on her bad side. Because this isn’t even the beginning. As for the issue of barely controlling her magic, please remember that even the magic of wixen five times her age will still respond to their emotions, Occlumency shields be damned. Her situation isn’t unique.”
Most of the Light faction were truly done with Diggle and Vance by this point. They were only sources of annoyance now, even to their peers.
And there was still the trial of Augustus Rookwood to get through!