Sunflower. [F. W]

128. Trial

Fred Weasley had never been this nervous. This was make or break. He stood in his suit, friends and family behind him as he have his statement. Him and Bee weren't the only ones speaking but they were the ones who held the most power. 

"Before we have our decision, we'd like to go over the trial of Arabella Weasley-Black. Is that okay?" 

"Yes, sir." Answered Bee more than eager to just get over with it.

Bee thought that was going to be easy, until she spotted a certain someone in the Wizengamot. How she had earned her spot back in there was beyond Bee but there she was, Dolores fucking Umbridge. Bill seemed to notice the woman too, and mouthed a "It's going to be okay" to a now shaking and nervous Bee. With the way the twins and her had left Howgarts Bee was sure Dolores was out for blood. 

"Mrs Weasley you are accused of using two unforgivable curses for unknown purposes." Started the Minister. "Dolores here has had a request for your trial to go a little differently."

"Okay." She said, Bee knew how to play the game, this was just a little setback.

"We didn't ask for your permission."

"Dolores keep quiet! We are going to proceed by asking the people who have request to testify as witnesses for your case. Mr. Potter?" 

"Yes sir. You see, Arabella, Bee, has been like my sister since she met me. She took me in when she didn't have to, she was there to protect me no matter what. She is a brilliant witch, and when the moment came, she jumped in front of the killing curse for us. For me. When she used both unforgivables was something needed. Had she not killed Lucius Malfoy, who by the way was still a Death Eater just like Jessica, that night would have been the last one for a lot of us. She was ready to die for us too. Say what you will, Minister, but this magnetic force of a woman, my sister, has done everything and given a good chunk of her life to protect us and save her family."

"What do you mean she jumped in front of the killing curse for you?" 

"We never disclosed to the public how exactly did Voldemort die. Truth is, she jumped in front of the killing curse that was supposed to hit me so that I could kill him once and for all. Again, pretty much the whole of the Wizarding World would be under some monster's control if it hadn't been for her." 

"Thank you, Mr. Potter." Umbridge whispered something to the Minister, making Ginny cough loudly so that the whole process would not stall. "We now call Mr. Longbottom." 

Neville had never seemed so confident in his life, not even when he obliviated Oliver. As soon as he heard from Ginny what was going on he said he'd be there to help and he even brought Dean and Seamus, who were happily married, for moral support. 

"Right, um my name is Neville Longbottom. I met Bee when we were at Hogwarts. I got teased a lot but Bee made sure I was always okay, she made sure the teasing stopped no matter how little. I got kidnapped by Death Eaters and forced to take care of little Sirius, who by the way is a brilliant kid. She had no obligation to come save me but she did. As Harry said, she's always saved us all if she could. I don't think she should be sent to Azkaban because what she did was noble, something to protect her family and loved ones. My grandma used to say that my parents loved her, she was raised with nothing but love and adoration and that is what she has always done. She is not a bad person, she is the complete opposite." 

"Thank you, Mr. Longbottom... Very... Touching." 

Neville left to sit next to Seamus and Dean who hugged him for some comfort, as to tell him they were proud of him. Bee was relieved, things were going well and they were going to get better. 

"We now call Narcissa Black to speak." 

"I'd like to start off saying I can tell you just how bad the atrocities Lucius Malfoy did to me or our late son Draco. We ran away when Draco was to be inducted into the army, I just couldn't do it. Bee took us in after I had helped when she got kidnapped, she never had any petty feelings towards me. She helped us hide, she helped me out of an abusive marriage. The night Draco died, it was at hands of his own father. She tried to bring my little Draco back, give him a third opportunity at living a happy life. But she couldn't, and that's okay. She avenged him, she did for us what no one would have done. If you send her to Azkaban, you are sending not only a mother, a sister and a wife to prison, you are sending a hero, you are going to make the same mistake you already did once."

"Thank you, Ms Black. Mr. Weasley, if you will."

"First things first, I am speaking on behalf of my whole family. Picking up with what our dear Narcissa said, you sent my father in law there without actually trying to prove he is guilty. I've seen my Bee, my love suffer through so much. She grew up loved, of course, but that doesn't mean she didn't get relentlessly bullied up until she was 15 because of that. And she never once lost her smile nor loveliness, because she understood, she always have, to use power when needed, to help those in need and that there is no need to be rude or violent if there is another way around. My wife is not a criminal, she has never been. She acted out of love, and protection. I'll gladly go under Veritaserum to tell you all of this again, because it is nothing but the truth. Ask Minerva, ask Sprout, hell ask professor Binns! They'll tell you what we've all said, Bee wouldn't have used those spell if she didn't really need to."

"Thank you Mr. Weasley, Mrs Weasley would you like to say anything to help your case?" 

Bee saw Umbrigde smile and look down to her cup of water, and understood the little smiles. She was under Veritaserum. 

"Dear Minister, first things first, maybe you should be more careful with who you have at the Wizengamot, as the woman who inflicted such foul punishment on kids now has put Veritaserum without my consent in my water. That being said, I have nothing to say for myself other than what my loved ones have already said. I have done my fair share of mistakes in life, I am many things but first and foremost I am human. I've always looked for my people. But I'm just going to say, when you have seen as much pain and darkness as I have and still stived to be nothing but good, using those spells for selfish reasons would be out of place. Don't make the same mistake you made with my father."

The Minister took a deep breath but instead of resuming and giving out a sentence decided by the whole of them, only a few words came out of his mouth. 

"Mrs Weasley, it's clear you wouldn't have used those spells if you weren't in great danger. You are innocent, go home, be with your family." 

The end (kind of).