The Fall of Me (an HP fanfic)

IX

"How did he- she do it?" George asked. "I bet she didn't do it alone, she must've had someone to help her."

"Yes, Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint-" Charlie whipped his head as soon as he heard the name of his Quidditch keeper- "so she'd draw the designs at day and sneak out to one of her friends' house at midnight, when we're all asleep. Wood would come up with the places and be their defence, and Flint would help her drawing. After that, they'd drink and have drugs together, then return before any of us are up, sleeping until late in the day." Arthur revealed. Ron widened his eyes, no wonder she rarely played chess with him anymore.

"Who are his friends again?"

"Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint," Arthur answered. "Oliver Wood is transgender agender, and Marcus Flint is gay. All three of them are atheists, I guess you could see why they're leftists."

"I bet!" Bill exclaimed. "Dad, we have to get her out!"

"We are trying, Bill. It's not that easy-" Arthur shook his head. "Her court hearing is scheduled on 25th of August-"

"Percy's birthday is at 22nd!" Fred jumped in. Arthur turned to look at him. "Sorry, I mean Cundrie. Does that mean that she'll have to spend her birthday there?"

"We might not have a choice-" Arthur shrugged defeatedly. "What can I do? What can we do to fasten the process? We tried to negotiate so that Cundrie is home with us until the final court hearing, a process called 'bail' in the Muggle world, but no such luck."

"So we won't see Cundrie again for two weeks?"

"You're right, Ron-" Arthur nodded weakly. Ron puts his hand down, trying to find his father's hand, and Arthur reached his hand. "That is, if her sentencing is lightened."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that we don't know Cundrie's official sentencing," Arthur reiterated his statement, rubbing circles on Ron's hand with his thumb. "The court will consider Cundrie's age, but even then, Cundrie broke eight laws, the Auror thinks that she'll be sent to a juvenile detention centre for a year. We don't know how long will Cundrie stay in Godric's Hollow precinct or if she'll be moved to a juvenile prison or mandatory rehab. If that's the case, we can only see her by visiting her."

"Well, I'll be visiting her-" without doubt, Bill pushed the seat away from the table, allowing him to move out. Bill didn't bother for Arthur's yells for him as he kept running out, apparating once he is outside. Godric's Hollow precinct, right?

Bill looked around, noticing how he's standing right in front of the Centre Church. Just a few metres, he can see a graffiti drawing of a bloodied decapitated black Jesus. Bill shuddered, it's his sister's drawing. His sister drew this right in front of a church. No wonder she got herself arrested. If the artist is not his sister, he'd advocate for the artist's prison time. Maybe longer, screw the artist being a minor. That looks like an adult shit to Bill.

"I'm here to visit Percival Weasley," Bill requested once he had reached the desk front.

"Visiting hours is twenty minutes from now, you can wait there-" the Auror points to a row of empty wooden seats nearby. Bill thanked him and leaves, sitting on one of the empty seats.

Shit, what a messy situation. On one hand, Bill desperately wants his sister back. Not seeing his mother because she had been too distraught to see him broke his heart, this whole situation. She's too young to be arrested, she's barely even 14. His little sister who he loves so much, being scared shitless. On the other hand, she is guilty of her crime. She did draw the blasphemous art. She did ruin public property. She did break nine laws. She does deserve the prison time, there's no one but herself to blame. She ignored all the warnings and tried to swim in the adult pool, and ended up drowning herself.

He can't help but beg to Jesus that this whole thing is one giant nightmare. Bill takes out a rosary from his pocket, holding to it.

Please let it be that Cundrie didn't spray paint the leftist propagandas. Please let it be that Cundrie didn't ruin public property. Please let it be that Cundrie didn't abuse drugs. Please let it be that Cundrie didn't drink alcoholic drinks. Please let it be that Cundrie didn't own an illegal wand. Please let it be that Cundrie didn't attack two Aurors. Jesus, save his sister. Please let this all be one giant nightmare that Bill desperately wants to wake up from, and his little sister is still safe back in the Burrow, reading one of her boring history books.

But yet again, maybe letting Cundrie learn history beyond Hogwarts curriculum is what got her into leftism. Many historical figures had been leftist, Merlin himself was a leftist. Leftist socialist, more exactly. What if Cundrie is also a leftist socialist? Trans atheists tend to be leftist atheists, being trans and an atheist is already non-conservative. What about Wood and Flint? Maybe they're the ones who influenced Cundrie into leftism. If that's the case, maybe Cundrie shouldn't be friends with them anymore.

"Visiting hours have begun." Bill had never jumped from his seat faster in his life. Another Auror approached Bill, Bill following wherever he goes. He'll meet his sister, let it be in a cell. The Auror unlocks and opens a steel door, gesturing towards a steel prison cell filled with three teenagers. Bill's heart broke, seeing how young these kids are as they played charades together. They're just kids, kids shouldn't be behind bars.

"Bill!" Cundrie called, running to touch their brother's warm hands, blocked by the prison bars for them to hug. Bill held his little sister's long, sweaty hands so tight, feeling the cold metal bars against his skin.

"How are you?"