Hadriana Potter and Mother Magic: Betrayals Chapter 1

Chapter 17

The retrials of the Azkaban prisoners was bound to be a spectacle, but Hadriana hadn't imagined just how much. She, Draco, Lucius and Narcissa fought their way through the crowd of Lords and Ladies and reporters to the courtroom. It was courtroom one in which the trials were taking place, and the room was huge and cavernous with hundreds of seats raised above where the prisoner, their lawyer, and the prosecution would sit.

Hadriana had to be separated from Lucius, Narcissa and Draco for the proceedings. Her rank in the Ministry was higher, so she was able to sit closer to the Minister and Madame Bones. She would be voting along with the other Wizengamot members. She looked at their faces, now so familiar because of her lessons, and noted that many looked anxious; all except for Dowager Longbottom, who's expression was so severe it seemed the old woman was carved from stone, her lips pressed in a thin line.

Hadriana took her seat between Lords Nott and Parkinson. Lord Parkinson offered her an unsure smile, aware that he'd made a mistake in talking about her plans for the werewolf sanctuary in front of Dolores Umbridge; Tom had chewed the man out quite effectively. Lord Nott murmured a polite greeting, but she was interrupted from answering when Madame Bones entered looking as no nonsense as usual with the Minister trailing behind her, mopping at his sweaty forehead. They climbed the podium and sat down, Minister Fudge at Amelia's left elbow. Amelia was presiding over the proceedings as she was the head of the DMLE and the investigator into Azkaban.

Amelia banged her gavel down, and a hush fell over the courtroom, "Order, please. Thank you. We are gathered here today to retry the prisoners of Azkaban. I, Amelia Bones, shall preside. Prosecution for the Ministry is Oliver Barrows, Law-Wizard. The accused shall have their own representation; if representation could not be found for them, a Ministry appointed Law-Wizard shall be appointed for them. Let us begin."

Hadriana clenched her hands on her lap as the doors at the back of the courtroom opened and a prisoner was brought forward. A file appeared on the small table before her chair, and she picked it up. All the members of the Wizengamot received court files to read as the trial commenced. She flipped hers open and peered at the information.

Balthus Avery II, son of Balthus Snr and Odette Deveraux, had been arrested shortly after the war had ended with Tom's death. He stood accused of being a Death Eater and Crimes Against Wizard Kind. He was only thirty-three. He'd spent ten years in Azkaban.

"Balthus Avery," Amelia said once the man had been placed in the chair next to his lawyer, "You stand accused of Crimes Against Wizard Kind, how do you plead?"

Hadriana pursed her lips as Avery coughed and cleared his throat, trembling. He still wore the filthy prison garb that all Azkaban prisoners wore. His hair was stringy and oily. Why hadn't they let him wash? Hadriana glanced around her, noting the sympathy on many witches and wizards faces and realised, with sudden clarity, that Amelia had planned it that way; she wanted them to see what Azkaban as it was did to it's prisoners.

The woman was smart.

Avery finally spoke, voice hoarse and raspy, "Not guilty,"

A few of the Wizengamot hissed under their breath, and the Dowager scoffed lowly. Hadriana remained silent, watching like a hawk as Amelia asked, "Do you consent to the use of Veritaserum?"

"Yes," Avery said strongly, a challenge in his eyes despite his clear weakness and vulnerability.

Shocked gasps echoed throughout the chamber, but Amelia merely nodded to a dark-skinned woman standing on the fringes near the court scribe, who nodded briskly and held up a vial of clear liquid, "Veritaserum brewed by me and sealed." She showed it to Kingsley Shacklebolt, who approved that it was untampered with. The woman placed three drops on Avery's tongue, and his eyes went vacant.