Author's note: The courtroom dialogue is not mine, it was taken from chapter 30 of Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire
Bellatrix Lestrange glanced over her shoulder at the dementors that hovered there, steeling herself against the tendrils of cold that radiated from it. She refused to look bothered by its presence, even if the icy grip that one of the blasted things had on her over the past day still lingered under her skin. She glanced in the other direction, towards Rodolphus, who looked as unbothered as she did, before her eyes settled on large metal door in front of her.
They'd been caught by the ministry roughly 72 hours ago, and after 24 of those hours being taken up by rigorous questioning in which, Bellatrix at least, admitted to the torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom, the department of magical law enforcement decided that they wanted a trial as soon as possible.
It had been six weeks since the incident occurred, which during her questioning, Bellatrix openly laughed at them for taking so long. As soon as the word got out about what had happened, the Death Eaters who had managed to evade capture or where still in hiding somehow knew they'd done it. The three of them had left Lestrange manor, choosing to stay with Bellatrix's mother and father so they could keep in touch with Crouch inconspicuously, but as soon as it became obvious that they were suspects, Bellatrix's father tipped them off. After that they had taken to living in an abandoned house in the isolated countryside.
"You're doing it wrong," argued Bellatrix, shoving Rodolphus out of the way from where he stood in front of a non working muggle oven. There was a pan on top of it, which was boiling over a flame, or attempting to.
"How am I doing it wrong?" hissed Rodolphus, moving back to where he was stood, bumping into Bellatrix in the process. "And last time you used your wand, which we aren't supposed to be doing anyway."
"Merlin's beard," exclaimed Rabastan, advancing towards both of them. "You're both fucking useless, let me do it." He moved between them, pushing them in opposite directions as he took control of the pan.
"I survived on my own abroad for years," explained Rabastan, irritation still lingering in his voice."You should let me do the cooking."
Rabastan was growing increasingly on edge as the days passed. He was the one going out and getting food, which explained his shift in mood, but now all three of them were constantly at each other's throats, which did nothing to aid the living situation. Adding in the fact that they'd heard nothing from Crouch for two days now, the atmosphere, unlike their dinner, was at boiling point.
A loud bang interrupted the tension. It sounded like it came from the roof.
"Shit," hissed Rabastan, just before four aurors crashed through their door.
The guards grabbed Bellatrix roughly, removing the chains that linked her hands together behind her back. The other guards did the same to Rodolphus, Rabastan and Barty. Bellatrix took a slow breath. It was time.
They were marched into a round room with the walls covered in people sat watching, some looking over at Barty Crouch Senior and some staring at them in disgust. Bellatrix felt the force of their stares fuelling warmth in her chest. She was more than ready for what was about to happen.
They were placed into four chairs, chains snaking their way up their arms. Barty was trembling, Bellatrix could tell from the slight clinking noise his chains made. She didn't make a glance in the other direction, to gage the reaction of her husband and brother in law. She sat upright and crossed her legs, looking more than comfortable as hundreds of condemning eyes bore down on her.
"You have been brought here before the Council of Magical Law so that we may pass judgement on you, for a crime so heinous-" began Barty Crouch Sr, his face cold and emotionless, before he was interrupted by his son.
"Father! Father please!" he cried, but Crouch just shook it off like Barty was a stranger and continued.
"That we have rarely heard the like of it within this court," his voice raised, clearly furious.
"We have heard the evidence against you. The four of you stand accused of capturing an Auror, Frank Longbottom, and subjecting him to the Cruciatus curse, believing him to have knowledge on the present whereabouts of your exiled master, He Who Must Not Be Named-" Crouch was distracted again by his sons pleas.
"Father I didn't! I didn't, I swear it Father, don't send me back to the Dementors," he screamed again. Bellatrix rolled her eyes, feeling anger at his denial of the act they participated in together spread through her.
"You are further accused of using the Cruciatus curse on Frank Longbottom's wife, when he would not give you information. You planned to restore He Who Must Not Be Named to power, and resume the lives of violence you presumably led while he was strong. I now ask the jury-"
"Mother," Barty shouted, only worsening the sobbing state she was already in. "Mother, stop him Mother, I didn't do it, it wasn't me!"
"I now ask the jury, to raise their hands if they believe, as I do, that these crimes deserve a life sentence in Azkaban." Crouch shouted over Barty's cries. The witches and wizards of the jury all raised their hands and the crowd began to clap ferociously, triumphantly.
Bellatrix shot a glance towards her younger companion, a person she'd taught and trained and shaped, and felt a rush of stinging betrayal. She was furious with him for denying his involvement, when they were the only people willing to take action. She hated people who couldn't stand by their convictions, whereas she would defend hers to the death.
A part of her wondered if he was trying to gain sympathy in order to escape being sentenced, but considering that just made her think about how she was more than willing to go to Azkaban and wait out hell until the Dark Lord rose again. Barty being unwilling to do the same just enraged her further.
"No, Mother No! I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't know! Don't send me there, don't let him," Barty continued to cry and scream as the dementors entered the room. Barty struggled as the rest of them rose from their seats to the sound of the audience yelling their disgust. Bellatrix let out a quiet hiss at the jeering crowd.
"The Dark Lord will rise again, Crouch," she started, looking up at him fiercely. "Throw us in Azkaban, we will wait! He will rise again and he will come for us, he will reward us beyond any of his other supporters! We alone were faithful! We alone tried to find him!" Barty was struggling against the dementors, his limbs flailing like a fish out of water as they tried to remove him.
"I'm your son, I'm your son!" yelled Barty, but to no avail. A face completely devoid of acknowledgement was now in his father's place, a hint of shame in his father's eyes.
"You are no son of mine. I have no son," Crouch shouted as Barty looked up, just in time to see his mother faint. Bellatrix felt a silent joy over the chaos happening around her.
"Take them away," ordered Crouch to the dementors. "Take them away, and may they rot there."
They were dragged from the room and thrust back into the dark corridor, the awaiting guards shackling them as soon as they were free from the dementors influence. Bellatrix watched Barty crumple into a snivelling heap on the floor after being chained, writhing as they grew tighter and more uncomfortable on him.
"What in the name of Salazar was that?" snarled Bellatrix, feeling her own chains tighten as she projected her anger onto the boy.
"I never wanted this," he cried, the guard hauling him to his feet. "I never wanted any of this."
"I thought you were loyal," spat Bellatrix, watching without sympathy as Barty was dragged away from the others. She glanced over at Rabastan, who looked somewhat uncomfortable, before meeting the gaze of Rodolphus, who looked completely unbothered.
She knew that they would be rewarded for their loyalty, that this wouldn't be the end. That confidence was what she sent her husband in a glance before the guards apparated them back to Azkaban, where they were to begin their very long wait.