𝐀 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐒 | h. potter

19 | Trial

CHAPTER NINETEEN: TRIAL

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Maya felt like her lungs were about to cave in, and that she was down in the chamber again with a sword piercing her heart. It was a struggle to stop her hair from turning white in fear.

"She is a threat to the Wizarding World, Albus. I would have thought that you knew best of the evil she has committed!" Cornelius Fudge was positively spitting with rage, looking very much like a beetroot as he stood before Maya with other ministry officials.

"Alas, Cornelius, you forget that the crimes of the father are not the crimes of its progeny. Or perhaps you really do need to brush up on your understanding of our judicial system?"

Fudge turned sharply to Dumbledore, who smiled serenely back at the purpling Minister. "I will not stand here and have you slander me while the abomination sits before us! I have listened to your request to hold this trial within Hogwarts, the least you could do is show me some respect!"

"Respect is earned, Cornelius. Surely you have learned that by now," interrupted Amelia Bones, emerging from the fireplace in a flash of green. The woman was immaculate in sweeping robes of deep plum, her brown hair though greying giving her a sophisticated air as it lay pinned at the back of her head. "I apologise for my tardiness; there were a few cases left unsorted that required my immediate attention before I arrived." She pinned Maya with a calculating stare as she sat beside the Minister, looking cool, calm and collected compared to the blustering man. "Rather than demanding the girl be guilty, can we begin the trial to actually determine the fact?"

Maya squirmed in her seat, sweat pooling at her lower back. She had started to regret agreeing to the whole trial as soon as she had walked in and been bound to the chair by her arms, and any optimism (though rather little) she had had been squeezed out by the ropes and replaced with a cloak of fear.

Dumbledore nodded, and waved a hand for his Potions Master to step forward. "If you may, Severus."

The man swooped in and presented a vial to the council of Ministry officials who verified quickly that it contained an untampered brew of Veritaserum. After Maya had swallowed three bitter drops, the questions began.

"Is your name Maya Riddle?"

"No."

There were several splutters and protesting voices, and Maya suddenly felt like she should have just bitten her tongue off to refrain from answering when she was subjected to countless withering glares of suspicion and disbelief.

"Preposterous!" cried Fudge, thrusting a shaking finger in her face. "Don't lie, girl!"

"She can't lie she's under the influence of the truth potion, Cornelius," interjected Bones dryly.

"Unless you doubt my abilities, Minister?" Snape drawled softly, which had shut the murmurs travelling around the room up immediately. The man had a pleased gleam in his eye while his face remained impassive; Maya knew he liked the respect his status commanded, even if he was a mere Hogwarts Professor he was indeed an excellent Potioneer, and that was no new fact for the officials in the room.

Bones took control of the interrogation once silence had fallen, and proceeded with the next question. "Then, what is your name?"

She took a deep breath. "Maya McKinnon," she answered.

"Again, clearly she isㅡ"

Bones interrupted him once again. "The McKinnon family were massacred on October 17th, 1981. What evidence do you have that you are a child of that family?"