The day had finally come. My trial. They finally let my parents in to help me look my best, namely Mum. Makeup was smeared over my face, concealer over my scar, and my purple hair was brushed out, and styled into a little elegant knot at the base of my neck. I wore a midnight blue velour dress that was simple and elegant. I was also traipsing around in matching heels, since apparently that gave me more elegance. Whatever.
"If you look sane, they'll think you are," she assured me. It made me want to shout with ridiculousness. They're never going to believe me, or act like they do. They'll only see their version of the truth, no matter how many people back me up, no matter how sane I appear to be.
Still, I marched into the courtroom. I hate the wizarding courtrooms, let me tell you. I had to sit in a chair where chains restrained me. What the hell, guys? Muggles do just fine without these!
"This is the hearing of Alice Petunia Potter, who has been accused of treason," Fudge said. "Her actions include disrupting the peacetime with the claim that the dark wizard whose name we shall not speak of has returned from the dead and has trained her as his apprentice along with another young man by the name of Ky Marco Emrys. Her actions also include conspiracy to train half of her school in defensive arts as well as dueling."
Madam Bones, the Head of the Law Enforcement Department, looked down at me. "Miss Potter, how plead you?"
"Not guilty of treason," I replied.
"But you have an army-" Umbridge interrupted.
"Explain yourself, Miss Potter," Madam Bones said.
"Voldemort is back," I said. "I was merely teaching defensive techniques. I don't want people getting hurt, so someone has to teach them how to fight, don't they? We were getting crappy education from your appointed teacher."
"Madam Umbridge was using Ministry-approved techniques," Fudge said.
Okay, let's play this.
"May the first witness of the prosecution please come forward," Fudge said.
The lawyer on the other side, a woman with short red hair in a sci-fi bob stepped forwards in startling turquoise robes. "The prosecution would like to bring forward Marietta Edgecombe."
Every muscle within me tensed at the sight of the traitor. Her curls were held back by a giant sunflower-yellow hairbow, and she was wearing a yellow dress that was simple yet childish. It made her look innocent.
"Miss Edgecombe, tell us, what did you witness Miss Potter doing over the past five months?" The lawyer asked.
"She told six others to come into the common rooms and convince us that You-Know-Who was back," Miss Sunshine said. "She was teaching them certain wand techniques that weren't taught in classes, as well as dark magic."
"Did she ever talk about defying the Ministry of Magic?" The lawyer asked.
"Many times, she was almost paranoid about Headmaster Dumbledore and Madam Umbridge never finding out about what she was doing," Marietta said.
I frowned. What the hell, Marietta? I explained several times that the Ministry wouldn't listen to me, and you knew that! You act like I really was someone out of my mind!
I felt a sharp nudge to my ribcage, and returned my face to a neutral expression.
"Does the defendant wish to cross-examine the witness?" Fudge asked.
"Yes," Tallow said. "Miss Edgecombe, did Miss Potter ever say anything about the Ministry refusing to believe what she said?"
"She did," Marietta answered honestly.
"Did she ever seem of unsound mind?" Tallow asked.
"She did, sometimes," Marietta said. "When she got really angry, her eyes would turn red and she'd summon sort of shadow stuff."
The High Council muttered about nervously.
"The defendant has no more questions for the first witness," Tallow said, and she sat down.
"The prosecution has a second witness," the second lawyer said. "Ky Marco Emrys."
Oh crap. And this is how justice dies.
"Mr. Emrys, Miss Potter claims that you trained under You-Know-Who along with her. Is that true?" She asked.
"No," he lied.
That freaking liar! I hate you! You're going to get me killed, you idiotic liar!
"Mr. Emrys, is it true that You-Know-Who is back from the dead?" The lawyer continued.
"No," he said, looking straight at me.
You're going to die. A very painful death.
"The prosecution has finished questioning the witness." The lawyer said.
"Thank you, Perkins. Does the defendant wish to cross-examine the witness?" Fudge asked.
"Yes," Tallow said. "Mr. Emrys, is it true that you have helped instigate the daily fighting at Hogwarts?"
"No," he said.
I raised my eyebrows. Excuse me, prat? You better start telling the truth, or, court case or not, I will duel you right here.
"Mr. Emrys, does it seem like Miss Potter suffers from delusions or hallucinations?" Tallow asked.
"What?" He frowned.
"Does Miss Potter seem sound of mind?" She asked.
You'd better answer this one truthfully, or I'm gonna knock you into next year.
"Yes," he said.
I fought to keep shock from crossing over my features. He said something true about me.
"We have one last witness," the prosecution interrupted. "This is Wendelin Fawley, our representative for the Unspeakables. She has a report on blood samples taken over the course of Miss Potter's imprisonment."
What the hell? I thought Unspeakables weren't allowed to share their studies! What is going on here?
"Show us your findings, Miss Fawley," Perkins said.
"Well," Fawley said, looking slightly annoyed. "We ran some tests, and the magic in her blood is much higher than it should be. We believe that the night that something happened when the traitor Pettigrew stole her identity and we think something may have happened to her to expand her magical potential, effectively breaking certain mental barriers, which drove her into periods of insanity, like what Miss Edgecombe reported, and for her to experience hallucinations or delusions in that state, and only remember those instead of what actually happened when she reverted back."
I looked at the half-annoyed/bored expression on Fawley's face. Then the fact that Unspeakables don't talk about their studies. Then I looked at Fudge's slightly devilish smirk, and then remembered Ky's lies, as well as Marietta's.
This is a set-up. They're using this to get rid of a superweapon. That's what this is really all about.
Well, if this was a set-up, I'm screwed anyway, so I guess what I'm about to say isn't going to hurt anything. I'm sorry, Wes. I'm sorry, Hayden, Luis, Ellie, Alex, Lux, Korr, Teddy. I didn't mean for you to get caught up in all of this. I hope they don't punish you because of me.
"This was a set up!" I declared angrily. "You're all too scared to face the truth, to face the fact that Voldemort has returned! You're too scared to get your crap together. I hope you take pride in the fact that fifteen-year-old girl has more guts than you could ever have, Minister! And you refuse to treat me like a human being! You treat me like I'm some insane child that can't be reasoned with! Well you know what? I'm not any less human because of the magical experiments that were forced onto me! I'm still just the same as you! If this is justice in the Ministry, I think it goes without saying it's dying! It's dying right here, with a thunderous applause!"
"Who believes that Alice Potter is a sadly deranged and confused lunatic who needs to be put out of her misery?" Fudge called out. All hands raised, everyone's expressions so dead I had a feeling that they were against this, too.
"Then Alice Petunia Potter is guilty! She will be sentenced to death on the night of June 30, in front of the student population of Hogwarts to silence any thoughts of treason," Fudge said.
I'm not playing this game anymore. I'm going to play by my rules now.
"What were you doing?" Tallow cried, after taking me out.
"Don't you see it? The trial was screwed! There was so much lying and falsehoods, and they all knew it! I'm not going to try to fight some battle that the odds are not and never will be in my favor!" I shouted back.
"You don't know that!" She said. "You'll never know what would have happened because you ruined your own life!"
"Everything alright, ladies?" Emrys was standing right there.
I glared at him. "Everything is well in hand, no thanks to you."
"What, I don't get-"
"I'm going to die, and you are a major fact, due to your lies!" I spat. "Congratulations for showing your dedication! What do you want me to do? Give you some badge? Maybe you can get that when you watch the execution, you filthy hypocrite."
Two guards grabbed my arms, and Ky looked absolutely unfazed by what I was saying, except for a tinge of guilt.
"It's too late for doubts and regrets, Emrys," I snarled. "But you knew that, didn't you?"
"Silencio." The guards dragged me away, and threw me back into the holding cell. I lay on my hands and knees for a moment, and it all caught up to me. I just have to wait for the right time, and I will play this right. I've still got one card left.