Born From Madness (Harry Potter Fanfic)

126

Hermione screamed as they went falling down faster and faster till they landed into one of the benches with people surrounding them. Hermione and Harry climbed to a sitting position where they had falling on. Hermione glanced around to find they were in some sort of courtroom. There was a chair in the middle of the room with chains encircled around the arms. It gave her the creeps. Her eyes scanned the crowds seeing there were tons of judges and a couple of reporters, one of which was Rita Skeeter herself when she was younger. She tilted her head to the side to find she and Harry were sitting on either sides of Dumbledore. 

"Professor! We're sorry-- We didn't mean--" Harry mumbled to him. 

"Harry... I don't think he can hear us," Hermione suggested to him, noticing how Dumbledore hadn't even turn to look at him. Harry suddenly waved his hand in front of Dumbledore's face, but he didn't blink. 

"Where are we?" Harry asked while pulling his arm to his side. Before Hermione could guest, the sound of a door opening caused them to turn to see a man and two dementors walked inside. They glided across the room towards the chair as they dragged the man across the ground. As they got closer, Hermione noticed who the man was. It was Karkaroff. The dementors tossed him roughly into the chair as the chains suddenly wrapped around his arms, binding him against the chair. 

"Igor Karkaroff!" a curt voice from their left spoke out. They turned to find Mr. Crouch standing up in the middle of the bench beside him. 

"You have been brought from Azkaban to present evidence to the Ministry of Magic. You have given us to understand that you have important information for us." Mr. Crouch stated almost sound emotionless. 

"I have, sir." Karkaroff mumbled, sounding frightened, "I wish to be of use to the Ministry. I wish to help. I-- I know that the Ministry is trying to-- to round up the last of the Dark Lord's supporters. I am eager to assist in any way I can..." 

"You say you have names for us, Karkaroff?" Mr. Crouch asked. 

"Antonin Dolohov... I-- I saw him torture countless Muggles---" 

"We have already apprehended Dolohov. Anyone else?" 

"Rosier! Evan Rosier!" 

"He's dead." 

"Travers! He murdered the McKinnons! And-- and Mulciber! He specialized in the Imperius Curse! And--Rookwood! He was a spy!" 

"Travers and Mulciber we already have. We will look in to Rookwood," 

"Snape! Severus Snape was a Death Eaters himself! And Ludo Bagman! He gave information to Rookwood!" 

Hermione gasped. That's why Karkaroff was always wanting to speak with Snape. They used to be on the same side of the Dark Lord. But she couldn't believe that Bagman would be a Death Eater. He was too stupid to be one. 

"Snape has been cleared by this council. He was vouched by Albus Dumbledore..." 

"GREYBACK! Fenrir Greyback! He was responsible for the turning and killing of numerous of wizards and Muggles! And-- and Scabior! He aided in Greyback's slaughter!" 

"Both Fenrir and Scabior... have been cleared by this council," Mr. Crouch growled, clearly upset with the mere thought, "they were both vouched for by Rose Nylund." 

Hermione's eyes widened. Fenrir Greyback and Scabior were on his side? And did horrible things. How could her family vouched for them? She didn't have time to think it over as Mr. Crouch was about to send Karkaroff back to Azkaban to review his case when suddenly Karkaroff coldly laughed. 

"Oh no, no, no, no... I have one more name." 

"What's that?" 

"I know for a fact that this person took part in the capture and by means of the Cruciatus curse.... tortured! Of the Auror Franklin Long Bottom and his wife!" 

"The name! Give me the wretched name!" Mr. Crouch shouted at Karkaroff. 

"BARTY CROUCH!" Karkaroff shouted loudly, causing everyone to gasp and murmur among themselves, "Jr." 

The room suddenly shifted around till it was the same courtroom but it was more darker and gloomier. Karkaroff was soon replaced by Barty Crouch Jr., who was struggling in his chair against his bonds. Hermione and Harry were still in their same seats but instead of sitting in between Dumbledore, they were sitting right beside.... Rose. Hermione gasped as she looked at Rose with her lovely short wavy dark chocolate-colored hair with bright red lipstick. Hermione felt her heart pounding within her heart as she couldn't believe she was standing by Rose. She felt tears were in her eyes. 

"This is wrong. I don't think this is right... it can't be right!," Hermione turned around as her jaw dropped. Sitting right behind Rose was none other than Blanche, Sophia, and Dorothy, whose eyes darted between each other and Barty Crouch Jr. and Mr. Crouch. 

"I agree with you Blanche," Dorothy mumbled to Blanche, "Mr. Crouch should not be the judge of his own son's trial. He's bias either way. He should have listened to me and make someone else in charge of it." 

"Yeah especially since I heard horrible rumors, which I believe are true, that he personally doesn't care for his son. Every time I ask him if he would like to go home earlier to be with his son, he looks at me like I mumbled one of the Unforgivable Curses." Sophia murmured to them, "It wouldn't surprise me if that drove his son to the Dark Side." 

"Oh! Girls! It's starting," Rose told them. 

"You have been brought here before the Council of Magical Law so that we may pass judgement on you for a crime so heinous that we have rarely heard the like of it within this court," said Mr. Crouch, "We have heard the evidence against you. You stand accused of capturing the Auror-- Frank Longbottom-- and his wife and subjecting them to the Cruciatus Curse, believing them to have knowledge of the present whereabout of your exiled master, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named---"

Hermione shook her head as she looked at Harry. 

"Evidence? They just have Karkaroff saying he was there! That's not much to accuse him. Karkaroff could have been lying for all they know. This isn't just!" Hermione whispered to Harry before turning to the trial. 

"You are further accused of planning to restore He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to power and resume the lives of violence you presumably led while he was strong. I now ask the jury--" Mr. Crouch started when suddenly the room was filled with a malice and eerie laughter, causing Hermione to turn to look at him. Slowly he raise his head from his chest as there was now a smirk running across his face. 

"You are mistaken, Father. I did not do it for-- Voldemort," he mumbled, causing everyone to gasp and mumbled to amongst themselves, "I did it for... her." 

"Her? Who's her? Tell us her name? I demand you to tell us her name!" Mr. Crouch asked Barty. Barty suddenly turned his head to the side where his eyes landed right on Rose. 

"She told me to tell you, she says 'Hi, Rosy.' and that 'you're going to be wishing you hadn't removed her from the family tree.'" He told her before continuing his insane laughter. Hermione watched as Rose's entire body stiffened while she stood up from her seat and rushed out of the courtroom, followed by her friends as Barty Crouch Jr. laughter echoed louder and louder until... 

"I think, Hermione and Harry, it's time to return to my office." a quiet voice said.