SABAISM | H. POTTER

NINETEEN. | THE TRIAL

The air in the courtroom was thick with tension, a palpable dread that clung to the stone walls of the grand chamber, where the members of the Wizengamot cast wary glances at the figures before them.

Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, sat at the long table, visibly uncomfortable, as he prepared to preside over the trial of Sirius Black—an innocent man wrongfully imprisoned for years. Beside him, Sirius sat with his mate, Remus Lupin, whose steadfast presence radiated unwavering support. But it was the presence of their children—Draco and Gemini—that truly electrified the atmosphere.

Draco stood with quiet fury, his jaw clenched, while Gemini exuded an unsettling aura. Her mercury eyes, fierce and unyielding, scanned the room, assessing those who dared to judge her family. The air around her crackled as her magic promised confrontation.

"Order!" Fudge's voice cracked, echoing through the chamber as he struggled to regain control. "This trial is to determine the validity of Mr. Black's—excuse me, Mr. Lupin-Black's—innocence regarding the murder of Peter Pettigrew and others." His eyes darted nervously to Gemini, apprehension flickering across his features.

Gemini leaned forward, her presence commanding, hands gripping the edge of the table. "Minister Fudge," she began, her voice steady and sharp, "we must establish one crucial point before we proceed: my mother should never have been subjected to this mockery of a trial! How many more hours will we endure this charade before you take responsibility for this travesty?"

A murmur spread through the chamber, eyes wide in astonishment at the boldness of her declaration. Fudge opened his mouth to retort, but Gemini silenced him with a snap of her fingers, her aura shifting into something predatory.

"Mr. Lupin-Black is innocent of all charges," she declared, her voice icy and commanding. "We know who the true murderer is: Peter Pettigrew, who turned traitor, and I made you aware of this not even a fortnight ago!" The force of her words resonated throughout the courtroom, silencing dissenters.

As she spoke, Gemini's gaze fell upon the members present, one by one, her sharp confidence instilling an unsettling chill in the hearts of the seasoned tribunal. "If it takes Draco and me avowing through the most considerable source of evidence imaginable to exonerate my mother and expose your incompetence, then let it be known—we will stop at nothing. You will answer for the agony you've inflicted on him and our entire family. You've let prejudice and fear cloud your judgment, and this is utterly disgraceful."

Fudge's expression morphed into disbelief and frustration, unable to counter the undeniable truth behind her words. The murmurs of the assembly intensified, whispers of hesitant admiration for the fiery girl echoing through the chamber.

"What evidence do you plan to present for your accusations, young lady?" a wizened member of the Wizengamot finally managed to interject, peering down his sharp nose.

"I don't need to present evidence—it's right there!" She swept her arm toward Sirius, who sat like a storm ready to unleash. "Look at him! Does he resemble the man you vilified sixteen years ago? No! Because he is not that man! He is a husband and a mother who has suffered for the sins of another."

Her voice heightened, crescendoing into a fervent pitch, igniting the passions within the audience that had long lain dormant. "You see, perhaps you haven't realized how deeply intertwined our lives are, but I assure you—we are far more than mere symbols of a failed Ministry's policies. You have wronged not just my mother but thousands of innocent beings caught in the crossfire of your prejudices and greed! More specifically...you have slighted THE HOUSE OF BLACK!"

"Gemini, stop—" Remus softly started, sensing her fury rising beyond protective instincts. But she wouldn't listen; she had crossed a threshold, her mission clear and her drive unwavering.