Mira Lima had been through a lot in her life and she liked to think herself quite resilient and persistent. She figured it was in her blood, the child of muggle political activists turned exiles from Chile, she worked herself to near exhaustion getting not one but two law degrees. She had faced sexism, classism, and prejudice to get to where she was- a very successful solicitor who was qualified in both worlds. She was the first to ever do such a thing, to even imagine that it was possible.
When the government turned on muggleborns such as herself, she did not take the easy path and simply hide- she started an organisation that smuggled those hunted and vulnerable to safety. She was a bloody hero and she very rightly deserved the Order of Merlin, First Class they gave her for her actions during the war.
Miraphora Lima was damn bull headed and she eventually, through sheer might and relentlessness, always got what she wanted. And what she wanted was into Azkaban to give her benefactor, her friend the fair sentencing she deserved.
She kicked up an almighty fuss, talking to every reporter who would take her story. She tracked down the Interim Minister of Magic, pestering him with her lack of access to her client. And Cassiopeia was still legally her client- and she had the paperwork to prove it. She hounded the Aurors daily, and they had even tried to ban her from the Ministry building itself but nothing deterred her. The press ate up her stories- particularly one Rita Skeeter who wrote only slightly embellished stories in the Daily Prophet.
She was introducing the world to the other face of Cassiopeia Lestrange- the face her family and friends saw. And with it she found more people willing to come forward and speak their stories about the controversial girl. Some of the stories were good- Cassiopeia protecting a battered wife, sparing a child and old friends whom she urged to run. Ollivander came forward about his experience with her as a jailer. She had been kind to him and the others, when she could. Luna Lovegood, a Hero of Hogwarts, spoke kindly of Cassiopeia- recalling her time captured was made tolerable by the woman. Other stories were less so, families of victims who were slaughtered by her and her troops. Prisoners who were tortured, who were held captive at her hands. It painted a mixed story, and one the British Wizarding public was hopelessly entranced by.
She wasn't going to be quietly convicted like the Aurors wanted. Lima had brought so much attention that it was impossible for her to disappear quietly into the abyss. Cassiopeia Lestrange had rights and Lima would be damned if the state were going to deny them.
Despite her fuss they still refused to let her visit her client. Harry Potter himself had to wade into it- the poor boy badgered by the press, his celebrity even greater in this time of post war celebration. He had said he thought the world deserved to hear her side before condemning her.
The media scrutiny grew to new levels of obsession with Potter's remarks that the government decided this one would need to be handled very carefully and very by the book.
And so Lima found herself walking the dark halls outside of the Wizengamot, ready to see her client, her friend for the first time in months. They had denied her access to her client pre trial, a fact she was going to use to her own leverage when she leaked that tidbit to the press. They got away with it by scheduling the trial early the morning of, hoping probably that Lima would miss the summons.
Lima did not miss the summons.
She had fought for this for over 9 months, she wasn't going to give up that easily.
xxxx
Cassiopeia shivered in the cold light of the courtroom, keeping her eyes trained fully on the ground. Her turn had finally come and though she couldn't hear those in the observation gallery she could see them and the flashing of their cameras.
Trial of the century they were calling it.
Her Azkaban uniform was stiff and scratchy, finely starched and clean. She had been allowed a cold shower before her court appearance which she had been grateful for. She shifted, listening to the clinking of the chains as they chafed around her wrists. It was a blessing that the manacles around her ankles were placed over socks, easing the abrasion against her skin.
At least there were no dementors. Not anymore. This new government was about reform and one of the things they focussed on was prison reform. It also didn't help that dementors were easily exploitable by darker forces, and posed a huge security risk.
She was startled when a side door opened, admitting a short woman who was dressed finely and professionally, carrying a briefcase.
She gaped as the woman, her old friend and she thought her former solicitor sat in a chair directly next to her.
"Are they treating you alright?" She asked lowly, covering her mouth as she spoke.
Cassiopeia stared at her.
"Oh shut your mouth Cass— we don't have much time before the proceedings and they wouldn't let me see you before. Are you doing alright?"
Cassiopeia snapped her mouth shut with a click, stilling staring at her friend. "What are you doing here Lima?" She asked
"I am still your counsel idiot, and with my Order of Merlin I am permitted to speak to the Wizengamot. I am here to represent you during these proceedings." She said popping open her briefcase and pulling out some papers.
"Why would you sully your honour by working with me." She asked, her body numb with disbelief. "I deserve this Lima. I deserve all of this." She continued, glancing around the courtroom.
She could see the angry glares and twisted faces as the audience hurled abuse at her. She was deaf to their words but their faces expressed enough.
"I am representing you because you do not deserve this. People need to know what you did during the war. All of it. I only have my Order of Merlin because of your actions. You saved me and let me save hundreds of people. That story needs to be told." Her face was red as she spoke, her eyes burning with determination.
"I killed people. Tortured them. I am not innocent." She said simply.
Lima nodded, taking a deep breath as she organised her papers once more. "The whole story needs to be told. The good and the bad." Was all she said.
Cassiopeia sat quietly as she watched Lima disappear into a back room with the prosecutor who was fuming and the Chief Warlock. They had only initially scheduled a half day for her trial, assuming correctly she would plead guilty and accept the punishment handed down to her with no complaints. It seemed however Lima was not happy about that.
She ducked her head as the group came back out, Lima looking smug and the prosecutor looking murderous.
The Chief Warlock stood, her arms out to silence the observation deck as she spoke clearly and thinly.
"Miss Lestrange- please rise."
Cassiopeia did so immediately, looking uncertainly between the witch and Lima.
"You are accused of war crimes and crimes against muggles, including murder, unlawful incarceration, kidnapping, and torture. How do you plead?" She asked imperiously, staring down the woman in front of her.
Cassiopeia refused to look at Lima. She wasn't going to play her game. "Guilty mam. I have already given a full signed confession to this court and have testified on behalf of the government in several cases." She said, her voice clear and strong.
The Chief Warlock nodded. "Very well. At the request of your counsel we will proceed with a longer than usual sentencing hearing. It appears you have multiple witnesses to testify on your behalf. We will pick up these proceedings in one weeks time to give our prosecutor adequate time to build the government's case.
In that time, and in light of your cooperation we will move you out of maximum security and place you in isolation in the minimum security level of the prison. You will be permitted to leave your cell for no less than 2 hours a day however you are not to mix in the general population." The Chief Warlock's judgment was proving to be rather unpopular, and she had to raise her voice over the objections of the other witches and wizards on the Wizengamot.
She looked sharply at Lima, she was trying hard not to smirk as she gathered her papers.
This was too much. She didn't deserve it. However she was pushed out of the room before she could fully object.
Cassiopeia experienced what followed as if she were in a dream. Everyday she was escorted to the Wizengamot where Lima would smile at her warmly, and ask concerned questions about her well being. Cassiopeia stared at her in incomprehension, feeling as if she were underwater, unable to clearly hear what her old friend was saying.
The first day Arthur and Molly Weasley testified on her behalf. Cassiopeia closed her eyes as they recounted the story of her as a child- how they found her. They spoke about her time in the Order, at the final battle as she helped Molly fight her mother. Cassiopeia had protected Ginny and Hermione, and was prepared to sacrifice herself for them.
Molly Weasley cried on the stand, dressed in black as she mourned her son. Cassiopeia had tried and she had failed to protect the family who helped her all those years ago. Fred Weasley was dead. She hadn't been good enough to save him.
The government prosecutor pulled out the confession that Molly had spent part of the war afraid of her, cutting off all ties when it seemed she had turned completely. Her help at the end had been opportunistic, he argued, when she realised her side would lose. She shook her head as he spoke, as he tried to convince them of her duplicity.
He thought she fought at the end to survive. She had been fighting to die.
Charlie came on next and Cassiopeia couldn't bring herself to look at him. She kept her eyes closed and retreated into her mind. He spoke about finding her all those years ago, and all of her strange behaviours. How she had never had sweets before, how she told him about mother's with such conviction and confidence. Where did his mother hit him? How did she hide the bruises? When did she show her true face? He spoke about her posession- the torture the Dark Lord had put her through- he had seen the bruises, the scars, and the aftermath first hand.
He told the world that he had been romantically involved with Cassiopeia Lestrange, even during the war. And he showed the world he still stood by her side, after it all. He had been there when she was arrested.
The Aurors delivered her the newspaper every day and she read with horror as her friends and family were scrutinised and vilified by the press. The opinion articles were the worst, as were the letters to the editor. Charlie Weasley especially was victim to the whims of the gossip columns-his every move and every word being analysed and criticised by the press. The speculation was horrible- who would come forward next? Her jailors were amused by her frustration.
The second day Lionel Spavin came. She looked away from him whenever he tried to make eye contact, ashamed. He had believed in her, had helped her in those early days, he nurtured her curiosity and mentored her- she was a cracking curse breaker because of him and she abandoned him. Gave it all up to help the Dark Lord.
He spoke about the notebooks she left him, that time in the hospital. He spoke to the abuse he witnessed, her mother cruelly cutting her with a knife as she disobeyed the woman. He told the world that she was poisoned often by Bellatrix, and he could see the injures that suggested torture. The notebooks had been filled with her spell diagrams, clues he had been able to use to break her spells and save dozens of lives. Her tip off about acromantula poison also led to the hospital stocking more anti venom- saving even more.
The state pointed out how she had made those curses anyways. She put people into danger by crafting them. They shouldn't have needed the counter curses in the first place.
St Mungos was graffitied that night, 'terrorist sympathiser', and Spavin had a sandwich thrown at him, hitting him in the side of the head as he left the courtroom. A member of the audience was cited for misdemeanor assault and fined. The press reported the sandwich was egg and cress.
The third day Draco testified, looking pale and skinny with dark circles under his eyes. Cassiopeia looked at him with pain, she had been unable to protect him and now he was being dragged into her mess. Harry Potter had intervened on his behalf, and he had been mostly pardoned for his part in the war.
He spoke about life in the Malfoy Manor and the pressure she had been under. He spoke about the way the Dark Lord treated her, like a pet and how he lived freely in her head, influencing her and moulding her. He also spoke about what happened when she disobeyed. How Bellatrix would delight in punishing her, sometimes spending hours. How she was always in pain, always being punished and how he was certain she had intentionally botched plans to save lives.
She had saved him from being on the front lines. She took over his duties so he would never have to kill or torture. He cried as he told the court and the wider world how she shielded him from the worst of things, how she worked to save his soul.
Narcissa came next, looking far older than she actually was. She sat regally however, and made direct eye contact with her accusers. She testified how Cassiopeia had saved her life. Putting herself between the Dark Lord's wrath and Narcissa, creating distance that saved them in the end. She also spoke of her sister's cruelty, both as she was an adult and as she was a child. She spoke of how Rodolphus would poison her when she was bored and she remembered Bellatrix torturing her daughter since she was barely older than a toddler.
The prosecutor argued that many had terrible childhoods without becoming murderers. That her past was not an excuse for her actions. And that Cassiopeia's actions were motivated by familial bonds and not by any sense of empathy.
Lima's lips curled as she observed the silent courtroom. Even without the spells in place to quiet the observation decks, it was clear that the audience was silent in horror and pity. Narcissa had been clear, detailed and graphic. Gone were the angry snarls and bloodthirst, Lima could work with pity.
Cassiopeia stared at the floor, her face stony as she listened to the testimony. She was barely listening, withdrawing until her head, letting the madness take her away from reality for a bit.
The newspapers published in gory details the darker parts of her life. Spending an almost obscene amount of time going through the exact tortures her parents had cast on her. They had to charm the papers with an age rating to read the more explicit, unsavory details.
Her childhood friend Constance Green testified the next day. Cassiopeia coughed quietly as a strong emotion overtook her as she saw her. She had survived. Good. At least somebody had listened to her warnings. If only others had done the same. She smiled sadly as Constance told her story- how Cassiopeia had cornered her in the muggle world. Had directed her to the resistance. How she escaped with her husband.
Selfishness the prosecutor argued. She had been motivated by some obligation for an old friend. Who was Lestrange to decide who was deserving of warning and who not. She was in charge of the Snatchers after all. She had to admit- he did have a good point. She had been in charge- she had signed the orders- she presided over the whole thing.
But so had others in the government, so many people- just following orders.
The courtroom grew quiet as Andromeda entered, handing an infant to someone off to the wings. Cassiopeia sat up in her chair, eager to catch a glimpse of her godchild, of the last Tonks alive by blood. Teddy, Dora had called him. Teddy who had blue hair. So enraptured by the glimpse of her nephew that it took her far too long to realise who was holding him. Harry Potter himself who was staring at her like she was a particularly hard puzzle to solve.
She coloured under his gaze, quickly returning her stare to the floor. She was doing everyone a favour by staying out of that little boy's life. Dora was wrong about her, she only ever brought pain and suffering into the lives of her family.
Andromeda's testimony was the hardest to listen to so far. And she was the longest to speak of her supporters. They had to keep taking breaks as the emotions overtook her. Andromeda had lost everything in the war- her sister, her husband, the love of her life, her daughter, her son in law and very soon her niece. All she had was her grandson. Her beautiful grandson.
She testified about the trauma Cassiopeia had when she was picked up from the group home when she was 11. How afraid she had been of her mother, how she had nightmares daily that were so bad that she had to drug herself to sleep. She was a child who had never been shown love before and she smiled warmly through tears as she recalled her first Christmas as she unwrapped a present. The first time she had ever been given one. Every scrap of kindness and love that was given to her was met with suspicion and fear.
She also spoke about her and Dora's relationship. Even in the height of the war she knew they were in touch, that they were talking. Even after she left the Order she knew that they were working together. Cass had been at her wedding under a disguise. After everything Dora still made her the godmother of her child.
Cassiopeia bowed her head, her cheeks wet, doubled over as far as her chains would allow as she thought of her sister- the lifeless body as she found her, next to her husband. She relived the memories as Andromeda told them, a gaping hole in her heart and an unbearable pain taking over.
The papers published Andromeda's account in full, word for word. There were no embellishments, there was no need to add it. There was a smaller profile of Nymphadora and her husband- Heros of Hogwarts.
The final day of her sentencing hearing she was led to the stand. She didn't remember agreeing to this, though she did remember Lima saying something to her. She supposed she might've agreed. It was hard to keep track of things now.
She fidgeted on the stand, colouring under the stare of all of those present. The chains around her wrist clinked loudly as she moved, making her even more nervous and painfully aware of her surroundings. It had been easier to ignore the observation gallery when it had been to her back. But now she saw just how many people were in there, there was standing room only and she could see many more trying to cram in the back.
There were reporters up front, snapping photos. She saw all of those who had testified on her behalf, former friends and colleagues. What was left of her family. Even little Teddy was there, his big eyes looking around the room curiously, laughing at the flashes.
"How are you Cassiopeia?" Lima asked softly, giving her friend an encouraging smile.
"Er-" she swallowed thickly before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She could do this. Just look at Mira. No one else. "I am tired." She sighed honestly.
Lima frowned a little and nodded, "this must've been an exhausting week for you. Having all these memories brought back up in full view of the court. I can only imagine." Cassiopeia remained silent. There had been no question asked for her to answer.
"I want to go over our relationship Cassiopeia, how we first met. You were 17 years old is that correct?"
Cassiopeia nodded. "Can you tell the court why you hired me?"
"When I turned 17 I suddenly had access to my family's vaults and accounts. I needed a solicitor to manage it. Nobody had ever even counted how much treasure was in our vaults or had ever truly compiled an inventory of our assets or an appraisal of the objects that were contained. I needed someone to count it and help me do something with it." She swallowed staring only at Lima.
She nodded, "and how did you instruct me to manage the fortune?" She asked.
"We invested some of it into various businesses across a few industries. We also bought a few properties and rented them out, as well as renting out several properties that were vacant. We started a few charities, in both worlds- donating money for them to be self sustaining and offering endowments when necessary. We started a few art collectives, community housing projects, a few shelters, food kitchens, clothes and food banks. We offered scholarships and donated heavily to the school fund to help children who couldn't cover the cost of supplies. Those were the ones I thought of, you had plenty of ideas too." She almost smiled as she thought of those early days of idealism where the possibilities were endless. They had helped people, really helped people with that blood money.
"And did you personally profit from any of this money?" Lima asked.
"No. All the profits fed back into the programs to pay you and your army of clerks that eventually rose. I had my own income source from the hospital which was enough for me."
"And what did you do at the hospital?" She asked.
"I was a curse breaker working under Lionel Spavin. Completing my residency for my qualification and later I worked there part time while I freelanced."
"Why curse breaking?" Her eyes turned sharp
Cassiopeia knew what she was doing. It was pointless, and she would be sure to point it out at the end. But this was her friend. She would play along for now.
"I had seen what curses could do to people. I had first hand experience of some of the worst curses known to our kind. If I could save someone from that pain, if I could help someone out of it, that was something special. Something good I could do." She stared at the ground as she spoke. She had done some good, it was true, but she also had done so much evil that could never be erased.
"Why were you so fascinated with curses?" She asked.
Cassiopeia swallowed. Very few people had ever known about her bracelet.
"My mother gave me a cursed object when I was young. After I ran away. It was a bracelet that let her find me, wherever I was in the world. It connected us, linked us together. I knew I could never hide from her again. After she went to prison it stayed with me, on me. I couldn't remove it, not with natural ways. I started learning about curse breaking so I could break that curse. So I could be free of that woman, so she couldn't find me." It had been much more than a tracking charm she later found out. It had tied their magic together, so Bellatrix could pull strength from her daughter. It had helped keep her mind sane while she was in prison.
"When he came back after the triwizard cup, what did you do?"
"I started to work with you to bury our trail, to make the charities completely self-sustaining. I bought houses, hideaways for you and Ted. We built in security should I die or the Lestrange fortune be turned by my parents for the war effort. And I cut off my ties. Broke up with my boyfriend, said my goodbyes."
"Why?"
"Because if He was back then it wouldn't be long until she broke out. Do—" she choked unable to say her name. "My cousin tried to tell me that it was safe, that it could never happen. But she didn't know Him like I did. I had seen his power as a child, felt it. It was only a matter of time. And once she was out, she would come for me. I couldn't hide from her, not with the bracelet. And she would surely torture and kill everyone I was with- to punish me for choosing Andromeda, for becoming a Tonks."
"And when she broke out?"
"They put me in protective custody. My mother was smart though, she waited. He eventually came for me."
"What were your options?"
"The night he came back I thought I had three options. Run and die painfully. Join the resistance, be hunted easily before dying painfully. Join him and become a monster before hopefully dying quickly. Professor Snape gave me a fourth option—spy. Sabotage from within."
She continued her story- looking only at Lima and ignoring the crowd the best she could. She spoke about the atrocities she oversaw, and Lima pointed out the small bits she had done to help. She had helped save the Muggle Born registry- she intentionally sabotaged the war efforts, controlled the most dangerous Death Eaters and hired incompetent wizards.
She was exhausted by the end of it. And relieved- feeling lighter than she had ever felt in her life.
She had told them everything- nearly all of the secrets she had held so close for so long. It was out in the open- a matter of public record. And they would judge her as they saw fit.
She didn't bother reading the prophet the next day- though the guards made it a point to tell her the headlines.
Murderess Tells All
Deranged Lestrange- Inside a Demented Mind
What Makes a Lestrange?
She received a visitor that day- the first she had ever been allowed.
Harry Potter.
She was struck by how young he was- he was barely 18 now. A child who held himself like a man who had seen too much.
"Good to see your swollen countenance was not permanent Potter." she greeted, eyeing him warily.
He laughed easily, taking a seat and smiling at her. "It was the best Hermione could do on such short notice," his eyes caught hers as his grin gave way to something more serious. "You helped us escape that day, at the Malfoy Manor," he said.
She shrugged, "I did nothing. If I recall it was an elf who did all of the work. Rather clever- I can honestly say no one could have planned that." she said.
He nodded, "You did other things. Small things, to buy us time."
"I have never done anything for you Potter." she said, a little more sharply than she intended.
He smiled sadly, nodding as he sat back a little. "You did help though. I saw it- Snape showed me."
She watched him carefully, her eyes narrowed. "I am not sure what you mean Potter." she said stiffly, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Here," he pulled out a folded up magazine and placed it in front of her. It had two pictures, one of Professor Snape, glaring at the camera as he stood next to the headmaster's desk. The other was hers, the picture they took the day they arrested her.
'Bravery Behind Enemy Lines' it read in bold print- 'Quibbler Exclusive interview with Harry Potter'
She sniffed suspiciously, flipping open the magazine.
The more she read the more irritated she became. Snape, the bloody two faced bastard had not died alone- he had died next to Harry Potter- using his final moments to pass on his memories. Memories which also contained information about her. Information that Harry Potter was now sharing with the world.
She flipped the magazine shut and pushed it back, feeling conflicted about the publication- she did not miss that Luna Lovegood was the editor of this piece. It was messed up, the whole situation.
"I wanted your permission before publishing it. That is just a mock up you see." Harry said, leaning forward.
"It's a free country Potter and you're the chosen one. You can say what you want." She said stiffly, still staring at the cover. Dumbledore's portrait was in the background- his face serene as Snape scowled.
"It's your life Cassiopeia- and this might not be my story to tell but I think it's an important story and one the world should know. Both of you deserve to have your stories told."
She shook her head, feeling tired and wishing they would sentence her already so she could begin wallowing in her own self pity. "I think it's nice that you asked Potter- that's more than anyone else has done- what I wish my solicitor had done. But I think it's also important for you to know that what I think and want is not relevant anymore- I gave all of that up when I turned in my wand and surrendered myself. You do what you think is best and i'll live with it. Now if that is all- I have a big day tomorrow and I would rather like to be alone with my thoughts if you will."
She stood before the Potter boy could say more, motioning to the guard that she was ready to go.
"Take care of Teddy," she said softly before leaving, her eyes staring straight ahead.
Xxx
She felt oddly calm the final day of her sentencing- facing the crowd once more, mildly amused by the amount of copies she saw of the Quibbler magazine. It seemed everyone had one, including her jailors. Good. She hoped Luna made a killing.
She sat quietly as Lima addressed the Wizengamot and the press.
"Cassiopeia Lestrange was as much a victim of her parents and her upbringing as anyone. Here is a child who was deprived of love and comfort, who was beaten and tortured, tagged like an animal and promised to serve as a soldier for a cause she understood nothing about.
Away from that influence she struggled, daily nightmares plagued her, she lived in fear of her mother and Lord Voldemort. When her fears were realised what choice did she have? She has been promised to this man, it was to serve him or die with no chance of hiding.
He manipulated her mind, twisting her memories and planting false ones. He tried to break her down and rebuild her more fully than he had ever done before.
And through this all she clung to a small part of herself. A small hint of resistance. She passed information that saved hundreds of lives, and she funnelled enough money to keep the resistance alive. She sabotaged plans and gladly took the punishment. She gave us identity cards, allowing even more to escape persecution. She couldn't save everyone. When it was clear that a person was doomed to a terrible death, she would do it herself ensuring a quick end for those who otherwise would have been tortured.
Is Cassiopeia innocent? I believe her to be as innocent as those under the influence of an Imperius Curse though she would disagree. She freely admits to her crimes. But does she deserve to be locked up forever? No. We need to look at the whole picture and act accordingly
Cassiopeia is no Lestrange. Cassiopeia is a Tonks and embodies everything Ted And Nymphadora Tonks died to protect
I urge in this case to use sense and to not punish out of vengeance but out of empathy
I rest."
The prosecutor took the centre stage next.
"Let us look at the facts today ladies and gentlemen and only the facts. Miss Lestrange has admitted to 37 murders in her lifetime. Her first crimes dating back to the age of 7. 37 people that we know of who are no longer with us today because of her actions. We have convicted others to life in prison for far less
But she has plead guilty to more than murder hasn't she? Assault, kidnapping, torture, and a slew of other war crimes.
No good deed can outweigh murder. No amount of lives saved replaces those lost. She has taken away lives and in return we should do the same.
If we want to rebuild this community, we need to be firm with those who broke it in the first place. We need to use her as an example of what we do to those who flaunt our laws. If we are lenient with her, it sets a bad precedent that we can not afford. I would urge this court to look at the facts and only the facts.
I rest "
It took the Wizengamot three days to decide her fate- arguing behind closed doors.
"Cassiopeia Lestrange please stand before the court."
She stood, her back straight and her chin raised. She would not hide from her punishment.
"Never have we faced such a dilemma as this one Miss Lestrange. We have heard testimony from extenuating factors- details about your life, your parents, and your upbringing. We understand that you may have never had a choice but to become what you are- and we are sympathetic to that. We see that you tried, in your own way to balance the scales.
And yet it also can not be denied that you played a pivotal role in this war and your actions likely ended the war sooner and with less bloodshed. Your actions indirectly saved hundreds if not more.
You are a murderer Miss Lestrange- and a Death Eater. Your crimes are both heinous and undeniable- we have sentenced others to life imprisonment for a fraction of the crimes that you have freely admitted to.
You served an organisation that values magic and magical purity above all else. Your kind policed and decided who was deserving of magic and who was allowed to perform it. Muggles were seen as a different species and muggle borns were seen as foreign usurpers who are unworthy of the magic they have.
The life that you have lived and the background you come from, your culture, magic is essential, it is a core identity, a way to mark yourself above others and used to assert your dominance and control.
Under subsection C paragraph 4 of International Convention of Statutory Magic of 1765 I, Griselda Marchbanks, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot Court of the United Kingdom, hereby strip you of your magic Miss Lestrange and release you on your own cognisance. Your wand will be held by the government until such time as your death in which case it will be passed on to your next living descendant.
You are banished from this world Miss Lestrange and you are not welcome here- never forget that.
And never forget your victims."
Cassiopeia jumped as the courtroom exploded in cries as the crowd's volume grew so loud that the silencing spell could no longer hold it.
"You will be released into the custody of your counsel. You will be subject to intense ministry scrutiny and subject to random searches at our will. You will present yourself to an- to an officer of the court- oh shut it!" She was red in the face as she had to shout over the roaring crowd, waving her wand trying to silence the oncoming tide. The best she could manage was to muffle it.
"If you are found using any magic or violating any magical law the court reserves the right to in prison you on Azkaban island in maximum security with no possibility of release. This is your only chance Miss Lestrange as I suggest you use it wisely.
I dismiss the Wizengamot"
Cassiopeia was numb as the Chief Warlock dropped her spell, allowing the tide of outrage and shock to spill across the courtroom filling it with a deafening roar. She watched in amazement as the shackles popped open- she felt dizzy with the shock and horror at the judgement. This wasn't right, how could this be right?
She followed Lima as she was led into another room and she dressed out of her Azkaban uniform in a haze. Lima had brought her clothes, just in case.
She clutched to Lima as she walked outside, the cool air on her face and the rain soaking through her clothes. Her legs felt weak and she was struggling to stand.
Andromeda was there, and so was Narcissa- estranged sisters coming together to help Lima support her as they walked her to the apparition point. The women clustered around her, shielding her from the huge crowds that had lined up outside of the courtroom. She stumbled in a haze, her eyes blurred as she took in the crowd. Some were supporters- she could see them holding signs, their sympathy in their eyes. Most were not- and she flinched when Andromeda had barely managed to deflect what looked to be a smoothie that had been hurled her way.
She cried when she clutched to Andromeda as she was dragged along with her apparition, unable to do it herself.
A/N Welp- This is finally out after several re writes- I had initially written this months ago and had a running tally of who would testify and what they would say. Naturally after reading it I hated it so I did a complete rewrite- and then re wrote that and the cycled continued. I also got distracted with some Drabbles of Bellatrix's childhood (in about 40 more pages maybe that'll become another fic god help me.) I am really curious about what you lot think of her sentence- I honestly was tempted to give her the life imprisonment, but I also think with the intervention of someone like Harry Potter and Lima, with the press so on their side- that a life without magic would be a fitting punishment. Especially to a pureblooded blood supremacist they think she is- that would be worse than death.
The epilogue is out now- a double header! That's it- a trilogy all done and good- at the end of this chapter we are at approximately 380,046 or 846 pages. about 70% all written on an iphone and copied over to Google Docs which is mental.