Free as a Bird

Aver

A couple of days later, it was the day of the Hearing. Newt was dressed in his usual attire, with his bowtie tightened. Fear danced in his eyes as he walked to the dresser to pull out his journal of people who would be acting as the witnesses. The list had only a few people namely Achilles, Dumbledore, Queenie and a few of their friends from work.

Since Theseus, Newt and Tina had their Hearings on the same day, they had to divide up the time slots so everyone could get a chance to testify. Theseus went first, along with his witnesses. After that, it was Tina's hearing, followed by Newt's.

"Wish me luck" Theseus said. He only had one witness, who was Dumbledore. This wasn't enough to win the case. He needed two of them. A part of him hoped that Dakota would come and help him, but he gave up. There was no point.

"Good luck" Tina gave her brother in-law a pat, "You'll do great. Even without Dakota".

Newt hugged his brother, "Whatever happens, I'm here for you".

Theseus walked inside the gigantic hall, where the Wizengamot members sat. Theseus noticed a few younger members in the panel including a man named Cornelius Fudge, sitting in the far left, another man named Bartemius Crouch Sr and an old man in the middle, probably in his forties - Elphias Doge. Then there was Ernest Hawkworth, next to a young woman named Amelia Bones, who looked like the British Youth Representative.

Theseus sat down on the chair, looking up at the disgusted faces of the Wizengamot. He sighed deeply.

Hawkworth brought down the hammer on the gavel, "The Hearing of Theseus Adonis Scamander, Head of the Auror Department in the Ministry of Magic, due to illegal practice of Necromancy. Interrogators ; Chief Warlock, Ernest Hawkworth, Elphias Doge, the jurist, Cornelius Fudge, Advisor to the Minister for Magic, Court Scribe, Amelia Susan Bones".

Theseus gulped as the procedures began.

"Mr Scamander, you have been accused of practicing a dangerous form of magic, namely Necromancy for personal gains, as stated by a report here from the Magical Congress of the United States of America" Amelia Bones read out the charge sheet, "Do you have any witnesses, which point out otherwise that your intentions were good?"

"I call upon Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore up to the stand, please" Theseus said.

Dumbledore walked up smartly and began, "Mr Scamander's intentions were purely honest and for the greater good. Mr Scamander had, unfortunately, taken an extreme decision, in this case, to contact the departed Miss Leta Lestrange, who was Mr Scamander's former fiancee. According to the real case and as a witness, I can assure that Mr Scamander wasn't successful in the process of Necromancy and he immediately was notified about the dangers and he duly dropped the project".

"But why flee the country if your decisions seemed morally correct to you, Mr Dumbledore?" Cornelius Fudge asked, "Why not stay back in the United States and face the legalities there, instead?"

"We had our own. . personal reasons for moving to London" Theseus spoke up, "Things that had nothing to do with Necromancy".

"E-exactly" Dumbledore struggled to keep his composure, "As brought up by Theseus here, we had our own commitments and reasons to move to London, mainly for a fresh start instead. Besides, Mr Scamander and I are based here".

"How can we trust the credibility of your witness here, Mr Scamander? Albus Dumbledore was known to have conspired with Gellert Grindelwald before the Wizarding War?" Amelia Bones asked. Theseus felt his anger shoot up.

"Dumbledore was there when we tried to practice Necromancy. He's the eye-witness in this case. He's a changed man and he's being honest. Which is why I entrusted him with the responsibility of being my witness here today" Theseus snapped back.