The Potter Twins and the Order of the Phoenix {5}

27. The Black Trial

"Let's raise a glass to freedom, something they can never take away, no matter what they tell you" ~ The Story of Tonight, the cast of Hamilton

A cold chill comes over me when we enter the courtroom, and I get flashbacks to the memory we saw in Dumbledore's Pensieve last year. Though I doubt that this is the exact same courtyard, it shares a striking resemblance to the courtroom wherein Bellatrix Lestrange, Barty Crouch Jr, and their other conspirators were found guilty of the torture of the Longbottoms. 

The walls are made of dark stone, dimly lit by torches. Empty benches rise on either side of me, but ahead, in the highest benches of all, are many shadowy figures. They had been talking in low voices, but as the heavy door swings closed behind us, an ominous silence falls. Dumbledore is already seated on the benches, and I feel a twinge of disdain for him. Kingsley directs us into the benches and then continues with Sirius into the middle of the room, placing him in the chair with chains on its arms. They burst into action the moment Sirius sits down, binding him tightly. He looks over his shoulder at us, his skin essentially translucent at this point. 

Feeling rather sick myself, I look up at the intimidating people seated on the bench above. There are about fifty of them, all, as far as I can see, wearing plum-coloured robes with an elaborately worked silver 'W' on the left-hand side of the chest and all staring down their noses at Sirius, some with very frightened expressions, others with expressions of outright disdain. 

In the very middle of the front row sits Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic. Fudge is a portly man who often sports a lime-green bowler hat, though today he has dispensed with it; he has dispensed too with the indulgent smile he had once worn when he spoke to Harry and me. A broad, square-jawed witch with very short grey hair sits on Fudges left; she's wearing a monocle and looks forbidding, Harry tells me that this is Madam Bones, the women who had a part in his trial, too. On Fudges right is another wizard with stern eyes and brown hair; he looks terrifying, to say the least. And when Remus leans in to tell me that he is, in fact, Gawain Robards, the Head of the Auror Office, succeeding Rufus Scrimgeour. It doesn't surprise me that they've got the Aurors involved in this; all around the room Aurors are positioned, wands out, ready to attack Sirius if need be, 

"Very well," Fudge says, nodding to Bones and Robards on either side of him. "The accused is here, are you ready to begin?" he calls down the row. 

"Yes, sir," says an eager voice that I know all too well. Ron's brother Percy is sitting at the very end of the front bench. I don't even bother looking at him; his letter to Ron at the beginning of the school is a clear indication of where his loyalties lie. 

"The Ministry court appeal hearing of the 2nd of January," Fudge says in a ringing voice, and Percy begins furiously taking notes, "into the offences committed under the International Statute of Secrecy and the murders of Sirius Orion Black, residence, unknown.

"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Gawain Robards, Head of the Auror Office. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley. Testimony for the accused, James Fleamont Potter, and Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

 Dumbledore and Dad leave the stands to sit beside Sirius in two, much less intimidating chairs. 

Looking mildly spiteful of the situation, Fudge pulls out a piece of parchment, takes a deep breath, and then begins reading, "You have been brought here before the Council of Magical Law so that we may, yet again, pass judgment on your most heinous crimes. You stand accused of the murder of twelve Muggle onlookers and one wizard. You are further accused of affiliation with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named and the Death Eaters, as well as the betrayal of Lily and James Potter which led to their death on the 31st of October 1981."