It was the most talked about event since the end to the Battle of Hogwarts.
The trial of Draco Malfoy.
The troubled young man had been convicted of having a heavy hand in several fatalities while being an accomplice for Voldemort's followers; more commonly known as Death Eaters. He faced an indefinite amount of years at Azkaban along with the removal of his wand and all magical powers.
The case would be presented before the members of the Wizengamot. Draco's ultimate fate relied in the hands of the Minister for Magic and a jury made of twelve anonymous wizards and witches. A small group of witnesses who went to Hogwarts with Draco would be commenting on his behalf.
Harry, Ron and Hermione share a tense lunch at the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley upon trial. Although they usually agreed upon most matters, the golden trio shared differing perspectives in regards to the trial. Each one of them would take the stand as a magical witness.
"Almost three o'clock." Hermione observes her pocket watch. "Best get going."
"The sooner the better," Ron mutters between bites of sausage.
"All right there, Harry?" Hermione leans forward in her seat and places a hand over his. "You've barely eaten."
Harry stares off into the distance behind her. "I'm fine, Hermione." He uses his fork to toy with a piece of tomato, rolling it back and forth across his plate. "Ron's right. The sooner this is over, the better."
Harry, Ron and Hermione arrive at the entrance to the Ministry. An overbearing swarm of paparazzi surrounds them. The blinding bulbs of their cameras flash relentlessly.
A black limousine can be seen from the lengthy driveway. The gravel beneath the car's tires crackles as it rounds about the corner.
The anxious crowd surrounding them erupts in utter chaos. Harry pushes through the crowd, Hermione and Ron close on his trail, as he parts the rowdy group of people and nears the railing. The knuckles of his fingers whiten as his grip tightens against the fence.
The driver emerges from the limousine and opens up the door to the back seat. The three are shoved to the side as eager paparazzi force their way to the front.
A dress shoe appears from behind the door and presses against the gravel. Draco ducks his head from beneath the roof while rising to his feet; straightening his suit jacket with both hands. His icy blonde hair is neatly gelled to the side and his grey eyes are hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses. His jaw visibly tightens as his teeth harshly press together.
The paparazzi encircles him like a pack of rabid wolves. "Mr. Malfoy! Over here, Mr. Malfoy!"
Harry's blinded by the cameras encompassing him. He raises a hand to cover his eyes while keeping focus on his classmate standing before them.
"Get back you bloody vultures!" the driver shouts with his wand drawn. The media slowly retracts a few steps with their cameras held in Draco's face. He moves through the sea of people in controlled, calm movements.
Next to leave the limousine is a brunette man in his mid-fifties; predictably Draco's attorney. He wears an expensive navy-blue suit and flashy jewelry beneath his robes. He holds a firm hand against Draco's back, supportively guiding him through the disorderly crowd.
"Look." Hermione tugs on Harry's sleeve from behind. "It's Katie Bell."
They look across the crowd to find Katie, accompanied by a couple fellow Gryffindors. She stands with her arms protectively wrapped around herself with her gaze transfixed on the ground.
"Do you think she'll be taking the stand?" Ron offers.
"Clearly," Hermione snaps. "Can't just be the three of us."
"Bloody hell, stand back!" A woman in red robes flicks her hands through the paparazzi as she hurriedly approaches the three. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger."
Hermione shakes her hand with a curt nod. "Hello."
"Please follow me."
The woman casts a charm that creates an invisible physical barrier between them and the rest. She guides them through the entrance to the Ministry; something that the trio had grown familiar with due to their break in just earlier that year.
High ceilings accommodate numerous tall golden statues and black tiling lines the floor and walls. The witch leads them toward one of the bronze elevators and swishes a hand before it, pulling the caged entrance to one side. They each grab onto the hand pieces hanging over head as the gate slowly closes.
They're promptly teleported up, down, left and right on the way to their destination on the tenth floor. After reaching the dungeons they're led to the general seating area.
The members of the Wizengamot are seated at the benches above. They each wear an array of purple plum robes with the letter 'W' embroidered in the front.
Hermione sits between Ron and Harry along their bench. She anxiously wrings her hands together while glancing to the men on either side of her who wear different expressions. Ron appears irritable while Harry remains composed and hard to read.
The new Minister for Magic would be serving as the Judge. Kingsley Shacklebolt stands at the front of the room, elevated behind a tall podium. He wears an all-black robe and a matching hat.
Draco remains stationed in the center of the room confined to a chair. His wrists are tied to the arm rests by a binding charm. His sunglasses had been removed exposing glazed over eyes. The faint shadows beneath his eyes translate the lack of sleep and overall fatigued appearance of the Slytherin.
His attorney sits behind him using his wand to sort through a pile of papers against the desk.
An unidentified member of the Wizengamot was representing the people in court. She's a slender blonde with royal purple robes that cinch at the waist. The female prosecutor would be interrogating the defendant along with the witnesses.
Draco Malfoy's case was something that someone in her field could only dream of taking on. He was ranked as the most wanted young wizard following the Battle, and many wished to have a hand in the outcome of his trial.
Shacklebolt stands from behind the podium with both hands clutching either side. "Thank you for joining us this afternoon. On behalf of the Wizengamot, court is now in session; please rise."
Everyone in the room aside from Draco promptly stands to their feet in a uniform manner. Hermione and Ron follow Harry's lead, silently clasping their hands before themselves.
Draco keeps his vision set straight forward. He notably hadn't looked around the room once.
"Today we shall be discussing the case of Draco Malfoy versus the people," Shacklebolt introduces. "Mr. Malfoy serviced the Death Eaters, along with allegedly committing a few heinous acts of his own. Through analysis of this session, we will come to terms on the basis of Mr. Malfoy's punishment."
Draco's body language appears rather unphased and characteristically composed.
Harry didn't expect anything different.
Shacklebolt reads from a piece of paper from beneath him while using a charm to elevate his voice so he could be heard throughout the courtroom. "You may now be seated."
Harry flattens his tie against his chest while taking a seat against the bench. Once seated, Hermione anxiously picks at the hem of her skirt and Ron fiddles with his thumbs in his lap.
Shacklebolt removes the reading glasses from his nose while stating, "Mr. Malfoy, how do you plead?"
Draco apathetically tilts his head to the side and doesn't miss a beat while announcing, "Not guilty."
"Of course," Ron mutters to Hermione resentfully. "Does he have no shame?"
Hermione presses a finger against her lips. "Shh."
"Ms. Prisley," Shacklebolt references the prosecutor. "You may approach the defendant."
"Thank you, Minister." The member of the Wizengamot taps her wand against the podium which unravels a piece of parchment against the surface. It lightly levitates in the air as a quill silently runs across it, copying her notes. She lowers herself from behind the podium as the parchment hastily flutters on her tail.
Draco glares at the witch with his face tilted downward.
"Today we will be covering the events that took place over the last couple of years," she advises. "Draco Malfoy served as an accomplice to the Death Eaters and his actions assisted numerous fatalities through the careless usage of Dark Magic. Insight to his motive for committing these heinous acts can be understood through further questioning of the defendant. Today I have been given the honor to defend the people, and affirm that the families that have been affected will be vindicated."
"Thank you, Ms. Prisley. Mr. Dorgard, you may address the people."
"Thank you, Minister." Draco's attorney, a family friend to the Malfoy's, rises to his feet and faces the audience. "My client has been faced with the harrowing accusation of engaging in crimes that he did not commit. At the age of sixteen Draco Malfoy's home was used as the Headquarters to the Death Eaters. He was constantly under the surveillance of what our people referred to as the Dark Lord. On the evening of Albus Dumbledore's death, he was cornered with the task to follow out with a murder that he, in fact, did not commit. He was coerced and manipulated at such a fragile age, under duress, with the threat of having his entire family murdered. Draco Malfoy should be held free of all punishments due to the simple fact that he did not, when faced with an unimaginable burden, commit murder. I ask that the jury keep that in mind while making their final decision."
"Moving on." Shacklebolt clears his throat. "Ms. Prisley you may approach the defendant."
The prosecutor clasps her hand behind her back as the clunking of her high heels echoes off the walls. She stands before Draco who stares back at her fearlessly.
"Mr. Malfoy, would it be fair to infer that you consider yourself to be a charming, cunning young man? Full of charisma and swagger?"
Draco smirks while tilting his head to the side. "Thank you for the compliment, Ms. Prisley."
A mixture of laughter emits from the jury.
Ron sneers at Draco with a slow headshake. "Such an arrogant prat," he mutters.
Hermione rolls her eyes and purses her lips.
"Mr. Malfoy," Shacklebolt states in a stern voice. "Answer the question."
"Yes, I've been referred to as such."
"And have you been referred to as someone who has the ability to talk his way out of situations to his benefit?" Ms. Prisley adds. "Someone with these convenient characteristics would presumably display such."
Draco confidently kicks up his heels against the pavement. "Perhaps my teachers would say that. I possessed an uncanny ability to talk my way out of homework."
The prosecutor reveals her wand and flicks it at each of Draco's hands. He agitatedly wrings his hands around each sore wrist. She directs his line of vision to her right toward the jury. "Mr. Malfoy. Please reveal the Dark Mark on your arm for the court."
Draco fingers the cuff of his shirt and yanks up his sleeve with one swift movement. A few gasps can be heard in the room as he stands to his feet and turns to the jury. His chest visibly rises and falls as he exhibits the fading print on his inner arm.
"What exactly was your motive for joining the Death Eaters?"
"I didn't possess a motive; I was forced," he replies through clenched teeth. "Surely you would do anything to keep your family out of harm's way, Ms. Prisley. I acted on something of the same sentiment."
He irritably shoves the sleeve of his shirt down while taking a seat.
"During your time at Hogwarts, it was brought to our attention that you harassed your fellow classmates; especially those who were not of pure blood."
"And I am not proud of that."
"Is it true that you referred to certain schoolmates as Mudbloods; a hurtful, disgusting racial slur that praised the mistreatment of Muggleborns?"
Harry turns to Hermione who doesn't look back at him. Her rigid posture falters as her shoulders sag. Her misty eyes hadn't left Draco as she disapprovingly shakes her head.
As if he had felt his eyes on her, Draco cranes his neck her direction and makes blatant eye contact.
"Once again, I am not proud of that and I apologize for my ignorance." He responds to the prosecutor as though he was speaking directly to Hermione. "However, that doesn't justify the accusation of purposely placing Muggleborns in harm's way."
Hermione breaks their stare and lowers her vision to the hands clasped in her lap.
Ms. Prisley faces the audience with her hands held out to the side. "We've watched Draco Malfoy grow over the years; from being a student at Hogwarts to becoming a Death Eater." She points a fierce finger at Draco. "We're looking at the face of an emotional bully, the face of heartless actions. His wand has been stripped to confirm that he has used the Imperius curse on several occasions, he repaired the Vanishing Cabinet in Hogwarts for the ease of access for the Death Eaters, and he served as an accomplice in the murder of Albus Dumbledore. Resounding evidence shows that Mr. Malfoy deserves time in Azkaban, if not a life sentence." Turning back to the Minister once more, she adds, "No further comment."
"Thank you, Ms. Prisley. We may begin with the witnesses at this time."
The member of the Wizengamot has an alert stare while making her way through the crowd. She plants her feet at Harry's row and holds her chin high while her eyes search the line of wizards.
"I will begin this afternoon by calling Mr. Ronald Weasley to the stand."
So, the questions remains: Did Draco deserve to do time in Azkaban following the Battle? I'm interested in hearing your guys' thoughts. Any constructive criticism and feedback is greatly appreciated. :)