Karina Potter, Aunt Marauder

Chapter 15

After Harry's birthday, the day that Karina had been dreading for the longest time arrived. Barty Crouch Jr's trial. She really didn't want to go, but Moody was making her go.

"You're still training, even if they call you an Auror." He told her as they headed for the courtroom. "You have to get used to be called into the trial." She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

"I know, Alastor, I know." She muttered, and he stuck his walking stick out in front of her, stopping her. 

"I mean it, Potter." He told her sternly. "This attitude of your's is getting out of hand. You're not a teenager anymore, you don't get to be unruly." She crossed her arms, annoyed.

"But I shouldn't be at a trial for one of my old classmates! I should be at home with Harry!" Molly was watching Harry today, as Remus had finally found a part time job, sorting books at Flourish and Blotts. 

"You can't be taking care of the boy your whole life, Potter, despite your promises." He told her roughly. "Remember, you still have a job, despite the inheritance money." After her parents had died, Karina and James had split the inheritance money. After James's death, she inherited his half, which she spent much of for his and Lily's funerals. The rest was put away for Harry for when he was older. She wasn't sure how she felt spending James's money. 

"I know, but it's hard to be away from him." Moody put his hand on her shoulder.

"I understand Potter, I do." He insisted. "I remember the Potters as well as you do, remember that. But, we still have to keep going with our lives. If you have to, leave your heart here in the hall and bring your head into the courtroom." Karina nodded, remembering just how much she sarcastically enjoyed these pep talks with Moody. He was right, however. She needed to keep her heart out of this trial and use her head when putting Crouch away in Azkaban. 

She and Moody then entered the courtroom, and trapped inside a cage and chains was Barty Crouch Jr. himself, looking as mad as ever.

"Ah, Mr. Moody and Ms. Potter." Barty Crouch Sr. sat in his position as the judge. "I was afraid you wouldn't be joining us." Karina and Moody went over to him and shook hands with him.

"We had a few complications ourselves on our way here." Moody told him, and Karina nodded, earning a sigh from Crouch.

"An Auror's work is never done, I suppose." She shook her head this time, and they went to sit up by Dumbledore, who had been at Karkaroff's trial with them. She felt better seeing that silver beard out of the corner of her eye. At least she knew that if Barty Jr. tried anything mad, Dumbledore would be there to stop him. 

"Mr. Bartemius Crouch Jr." Crouch had started, and he did not look too happy about it. "You have been brought here on the grounds of being accused of fraternizing with You-Know-Who and for torturing the Auror Franklin Longbottom and his wife Alice."

"Yeah, and it was right good fun too!" Barty Jr. announced loudly, laughing. 

"So you admit to these accusations?" Crouch croaked, trying to stay strong, but Karina could see how hard it was for him at the current moment. No matter how well he cared for the boy, no matter what he had done, this was his son. He didn't want to believe anything that was happening.

"Admit to it? I'm proud to say I did it!" Barty Jr. told him, then looked over at the Aurors. "And I would have tortured her too! If the Dark Lord had allowed me!" Everyone looked to Karina, and she wanted to disappear. "If it hadn't been for her, the Dark Lord would still be here today!" 

"I had nothing to do with Voldemort's disappearance!" She shouted, standing up and scaring half of the courtroom. "We ought to turn him in to the dementors before he makes the prisoners of Azkaban more miserable than they already are!" Barty Jr. smirked, as if he had her right where he wanted her.

"Like your fiancee?" He asked, and she felt her temper flare. "Like your murdering fiancee, who would have killed your so called son at a moment's notice?" 

"Sirius didn't murder anyone!" She screamed across the courtroom, sending the crowd into an uproar. Crouch banged his gable down, trying to get everyone's attention.

"Order! I will have order in this court!" But Barty Jr. wasn't done. 

"Oh, please! The whole Black family was involved with the Dark Lord! I'm almost certain that he had been hiding as his most trusted companion the whole time! Along with the less successful, Severus Snape! And I wouldn't be surprised if you had tried to kill the boy yourself, seeing as with whom your own parents loyalties lay!" Karina jumped up from her seat onto the arms of her chair and aimed her wand at the cage. 

"Petrificus Totalus!" The cage was spell proof, just in case of a criminal somehow sneaking a wand into it, so the spell bounced off and flew around the room.

"Take cover!" Everyone dove down, covering their heads as the spell flew around, until it hit a woman wearing a pink cardigan. She immediately froze, and fell to the ground.

"Ms. Umbridge!" One of the other court members ran to her aid, then pointed her finger at Karina, who stood there, glaring angrily at Barty Jr, who was thoroughly enjoying the scene before him. "Throw her out of here!" Two other Aurors came hurrying over to her, but Karina wasn't done with Barty Jr. She jumped over the seats and stepped right up to the cage, reaching through the bars and grabbing at Barty Jr, who's smile slipped away faster than Tonks down a pair of stairs. 

"You've been to Azkaban, have you not?" She growled, and Barty Jr nodded quickly.

"Yes, yes I have!" 

"What sort of state Sirius Black in right now? What has become of my fiancée?" She demanded.

"H-He's there! He's alive! I saw him! He just sits there, day by day." Karina stopped panting so hard as she listened to Barty Jr. "He doesn't move, or wail like the others. If he didn't get up to get food, I would think he was dead. But, he's alive. And he's spoken of you." 

"What did he say?" Barty Jr smiled an evil grin.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She let out a furious yell, just as the Aurors came over and grabbed her by the arms. But they gave her enough time to throw him against the back of the cage into spikes, causing him to let out a scream of pain. 

"Sirius Black didn't murder anyone! You hear me!?" She screamed, looking as mad as the man in the cage. "He's innocent! Innocent!"