Lord of time (chapter 41-107)

63

Shock, disbelief, anger then a blank mask overcame all fifty members of the Wizengamot, some struggling to regain their impassive look but inevitably they all succeeded. In fact Hadrian caught sight of what could have been a witch at the back looking horrified by what had come out of Dumbledore's mouth. Cocking his head to the side, wondering just why he felt as though he recognized him or her. Frowning in annoyance, it was right there, he could feel he'd seen this person before but where? Where? He was just about to give up hope when the face he knew flashed before his eyes, melding with the one in front of him. Bloody hell, this was Doge, he wasn't a dull eyed, scraggy face, short podgy thing he remembered, he was thin, hair wasn't grey and he looked full of life. Dumbledore's greatest defender, refusing to ever believe a bad thing about the old fool even when it was in black and white, after his death. Look at him now, horrified to the core at what he was hearing coming out of his friend's mouth.

It wasn't like Dumbledore to make such a mistake, to say something like that; it was very out of character. He must be panicking and very worried to screw up in such a measure. It gave him a great deal of satisfaction to know Dumbledore was terrified. He was getting a doze of what he had gone through faced with the entire Wizengamot on a trumped up charge of underage magic. He could have made sure everyone knew about Voldemort right there and then, pensive memories couldn't be faked but he'd been content to let things play out, no, he thought angrily, that wasn't his life anymore, and he was going to ensure that nobody suffered at Dumbledore's hands ever again.

"Boys?" Professor Slughorn's voice brought Hadrian out of his dark thoughts.

"Yes, Professor?" Tom asked, none of his sadistic amusement showing on his curious yet serene face.

"They will be busy for at least an hour while they view all the memories, are you hungry?" Horace asked them, praying that they would say yes, he couldn't very well be irresponsible and leave them sitting here while he went for a cup of coffee and he desperately wanted a cup of coffee. He was extremely tired, slightly vexed too, unable to believe the nerve of Albus to give him HIM! That disappointed and betrayed look. He just wanted to get out of the room for a brief moment.

"Wait, what memories?" Hadrian asked, looking around the room only to realize that the Wizengamot were no longer there, in the middle of the room a pensive was glowing blue. "They view them and don't just take the Auror's word for it?" he was quite surprised, it didn't seem to him that pensive memories were all that big in his time.

"They don't," Horace said, educating the teenager with a smug smile twitching at his lips, "Each and every memory submitted by the witnesses, defence or prosecutor are viewed so that the Wizengamot may get a real feel of what happened."

"And fifty people can view them without a problem?" Hadrian asked, gazing at the basin in bafflement.

"Without a doubt," Horace informed Hadrian. "It would be next to impossible to converse, but they aren't there to talk, they are there only to observe."

"I assume the Ministry has a cafeteria?" Tom questioned the professor, knowing Hadrian was done with his questions.

"Two in fact," Horace said, "One is in basement level two, used by the law enforcement mostly, and basement level eight is the cafeteria for the general public, next to the reception area." as the entire Ministry was underground they usually didn't bother with 'basement' in the titles but it was nonetheless there in the directory. "Shall we go?" if he had realized just how hopeful he looked he would have been deeply embarrassed by his lack of restraint, he was after all, first and foremost a Slytherin.

"I am thirsty," Hadrian said in agreement, plus his butt was numb sitting in the same place for ages, he wasn't sure how long he'd already been there. Perhaps he'd underestimated how long the process would take, his own trial hadn't lasted all that long and assumed they were always that way.