Upside Down Mirror: A Grim Tale (Harry Potter Fanfic)

Trial

"How do I feel right now? I don't know."

Regulus felt overwhelmed with the feelings rolling around in his head, struggling with everything that was going on. Sirius betrayed Lily and James leaving their son Harry an orphan. His grandfather secured him a trial that Regulus knew the public did not want. Logic also dictated that because he was a Death Eater he should be in Azkaban, yet some thought that completely illogical.

He didn't feel as if he prepared for the trial either, the trial being an enigma in his mind that simply shouldn't be happening. His grandfather showed, telling him it would happen, while his father showed saying that he and Walburga were glad that Regulus would be returning home. Dawlish came and got him along with Kingsly, transporting him to the ministry where his trial would happen, but he waited in a side room in his prison uniform.

Regulus sat in the room, trying to think of how he felt, particularly after finding himself free of the Dementor's which plagued Azkaban, but one thought, in particular, occurred to Regulus. "It's not as if a trial will do anything, but if I provide my testimony I'll simply confess."

"They're ready for you Black," Dawlish said, stepping into the room and leading him away, into the courtroom where the Council of Magical Law board which would preside over his trial waited for him, but he was surprised not to see the senior Bartemius Crouch leading the board. He tilted his head, examining them carefully.

At first, the judge and jury panel didn't say anything and he waited for the verdict to come as they didn't ask for his testimony. Except, Regulus couldn't say they weren't saying anything as the judge and panel whispered with each other, which didn't make sense given the fact everything should have been decided by this point.

This allowed Regulus' silver-grey eyes to drift and he found himself locking eyes with Walburga Black, but the look on her face made him stiffen. The coldness made him look away from her, knowing just how much of a disappointment he ended up being, but even more importantly he finally felt something—guilt for being such a failure at everything he did, for not yet dying as he should have.

"Mr. Black?"

"Yes?" Regulus turned his head to look at the judge.

"We're going to listen to your testimony."

"Oh."

"You seem surprised."

"Well, you do know that I confessed, right?" Regulus listened to the silence, but the silence made him hope...

"Would you be willing to take Veritaserum?" The judge, a female, cleared her throat. "No. Let me clarify that you will be taking Veritaserum."

Regulus winched, looking down at his hands knowing just what the truth serum meant. Someone brought the portion forward and he swallowed the dose, closing his eyes knowing he would need to tell the truth. H moved his mouth, waiting for the first question. "So, how old are you?"

"I'm nineteen."

"Mr. Black, what year is it?"

"Nineteen-eighty. I've had two birthdays while in Azkaban."

"Three," he heard his mother state, making him look over, his mind still trying to understand that his perception of time was off.

"Three?"

"Yes. It's Nineteen-eighty-one. December to be exact."

"Oh." Regulus tilted his head, wondering how the visits on his birthday blended one into the other.

"How old were you when you turned yourself into the ministry?"

"Seventeen. Legally, I was an adult when I turned myself in, but I have the Dark Mark. What more evidence do you need."

"You're being evasive, but Dumbledore and Moody forewarned us that you might. Have you ever killed?"

"No." For, even if his research was used to kill, he didn't know if it had been used to kill, thus he couldn't argue he'd indirectly killed.

"Have you ever used an Unforgivable Curse?"

"No."

"Have you ever witnessed it being used?"

"No."

"So you've never been on a raid?"

"I don't think so."

"What does that mean?"

He felt nauseated. "Um. Well..."

"That's a rather simple question?"

"I was sent places with my cousin Bella and her husband, but they always went into another room while I was around." Regulus looked at his hands. "Actually, I think they liked torturing and killing knowing I was oblivious to..." The realization made his eyes widen, but a hand clasped over his mouth. He lowered the hand. "I have the Dark Mark."

"How old were you when you received the Dark Mark?"

"Sixteen."

"So, at the time of receiving the Dark Mark, you were still a minor."

"Yes, but..." He looked up. "Using that as an excuse to set me free is unfair to those Voldemort has..."

"How about you focus on my questions?" The judge asked, making Regulus look at his hands. His stomach lurched slightly, but his anxiety levels kept rising.

"Yes, mam."

"If you received the Dark Mark as a minor, then it is safe to assume you became a Death Eater as a minor."

"Yes." Regulus felt frustrated, but the things he knew the Death Eaters did in his name made him sick to his stomach, sending shivers down his spine.

"How old were you?"

"Fourteen."

"Fourteen?"

"It was right after my brother left home that Bella took me to one of the meetings."

"That's rather odd, isn't it? Voldemort wanting someone so young amongst his ranks when minors have the Trace on them and thus can't do magic outside of Hogwarts, so what did he want from you."

"Research," Regulus muttered.

"Could you speak louder?"

"Research, mam."

"And what did you research?"

It was then that he froze, the word Horcrux frozen on his lips. While there were other things that he'd researched, that was the foremost on his brain but he glanced around, noting a few wizards and witches scribbling on paper—journalists. What he researched shouldn't be public knowledge, but the word stuck on his tongue while his eyes rolled.

It was then that he vomited all over the place, his hands not being able to reach up as they were secured like all other prisoners to the chair. He heard his mother scream, only to be escorted out, but he felt shivers run down his spine, letting out a groan as he did so. His head nearly banged forward, though he wasn't sure if there was anything there to bang his head against.

He then heard Dumbledore's voice. "Regulus, why are you fighting the Veritaserum?"

Regulus shook his head, knowing that particular information shouldn't get out, for the public good, else everything he'd done would be for nothing.

The man spoke quietly. "You can tell the truth to just me if you want, if that helps."

"Horcrux," Regulus muttered quietly so only Dumbledore could hear, his eyes closed.

"How?"

"Kreacher."

"That..." He felt someone brush a lock of black hair away from his forehead. "Well, aren't you full of surprises?"

It was then that he blacked out.