Shadow of the Force
Chapter 16
-Marcus-
Head held high, Marcus walking into the Ministry courtroom, the enchanted chains rattling and clinking around his wrists and ankles. The seats were packed with the Wizenagamot, with reporters, with curious civilians wanting to see what would happen. From what little he could gather form his cell, Cornelius Fudge, he refused to call that man the Minister, had been pushing the press to talk about his 'crimes' and 'dark acts' in the hopes of getting a court case thrown out before it could even come to trial, have him convicted immediately. Given he was being led in for trial it clearly hadn't succeeded. Seeing, and pointedly ignoring, the Fudge and Umbridge, Marcus began looking around. He saw Dumbledore sitting with Amelia Bones, saw his parents holding on to each other nervously, saw Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus sitting together, both of them disheveled with dark bags and sunken faces, but they were there for him.
He didn't have time to observe anything else as an auror, one he recognized as the arse Dawlish, roughly shoved him into a wooden chair, a spell from the auror forcing the chains around it to lash around Marcus' limbs. Seeing this, Fudge stood up "I hereby call to session todays court. Before us stands the accused, Marcus Sirius Potter, for the crimes of studying, learning, and performing dark magic. Representing the prosecution is Lord Yaxley, representing the Defense is Miss Tonks." The last was said with a barely repressed disdainful sneer towards the woman that Marcus recognized as the one cousin Uncle Sirius actually liked.
"Objection!" speak of the devil, or Grimm, Uncle Sirius shot up, his face gaunt but his voice hard and angry "Minister, you shall pay my cousin the respect she deserves and not slander her name again. Andromeda Tonks was reinstated into the Black Family; she has all the rights of a Lady of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. She is also married, as you notably ignored, so even without her Ladyship she should be referred to as Misses. If you dare to insult my kin once more, I shall demand an honor duel, and I promise you that you won't survive it." that threat sent a ripple of shocked whispers around the courtroom. There was no law to prevent anyone from demanding an honor duel with the minister, or a declaring a blood feud, but it wasn't seen as something one did regardless. If it happened, then Uncle Sirius would be the first to issue a duel to the Minister in over three centuries.
"How dare you threaten the Minister!" Umbridge screeched, face turning violet "Aurors! Arrest him and his half breed pet!"
"I demand an honor duel." Uncle Remus' cold voice carried before the aurors could carry our their order or anyone could attempt to belay it, primal eyes boring into a paling Umbridge "To be done immediately lest the house of Lupin declare a blood feud against the House of Umbridge."
"Given that Undersecretary Umbridge did try to have a Lord of a Most Ancient and Noble House thrown from a trial where their vote would count and insulted the head of a minor house it is within the law." Amelia spoke up as she rose, turning to Umbridge who's red skin was now a ghostly white "What will it be Madame Undersecretary? Accept the duel here and now or deal with a blood feud?"
"That…that thing is a half breed abomination!" Umbridge snarled "It has no rights! Much less the right to declare a blood feud or demand an honor duel against a pureblood such as myself! Guards! Throw him in a cell! He is to be taken to Azkaban later."
"A pureblood?" Dumbledore raised a cold eyebrow "An odd lie to tell Dolores, especially since I taught you at Hogwarts. I'm well aware that your father was Orford Umbridge, the old floor mopper at the Ministry, and that your mother was a muggle who took your squib brother to the non-magical world after your father left her. But if you've claimed to be pureblood and placed that on your records that would be a case of fraud, would it not?" the question was directed at Madame Bones "Why, an investigation would have to be done at once. It wouldn't look good at your own hearing if it also came to light you ran from an honor duel, you'd brought upon yourself."
"F-fine!" Umbridge spat out, attempting to remained composed as Marcus' chair was quickly pulled back to allow room for the two duelists, a tradition that hadn't been used in the Wizenagamot court for decades. She and Uncle Remus took their places and went through the traditional steps before the duel was to begin, "Bombard-" Umbridge began, speaking with a noticeable slow cadence as she worked to carefully enunciate. Her speech was cut off though as a silent curse, one that looked like a piercer, punched through her chest with ease. The only sound is the wet thud as Umbridge's body hits the ground, Marcus deliberately looking away from the sight he was sure he didn't want to see.
"Honor satisfied." Remus rasped out coldly before retaking his seat, the words echoing in the court room. From where he was looking, Marcus could see Fudge and his faction were looking a lot less confident now.
"W-w-well, we should resume this hearing." Fudge squeaked out, Marcus' chair being brought forward as what used to be the Senior Undersecretary was removed from the room and the blood cleaned away. "Mis-…Lady Black, what does the defendant plead?"
"Not Guilty." Mrs. Tonks said, smirking at the Minister's obvious near slip up, complete with nervous glances at Uncle Sirius.
"What evidence do you have for your client?" Yaxley scoffed, the man's smug confidence grating to Marcus' ears, the man clearly was unshaken by the death of Dolores Umbridge, he honestly seemed bored by it.
"The most ironclad evidence actually." Andromeda Tonks' smirk was cold as any Slytherin's as she pulled out a vial "The law and Veritaserum. My client has agreed to voluntarily take Veritaserum to clear his name. Marcus Potter, are you still agreeable to this?"
"I am." Marcus nodded, looking Fudge dead in the eye as he willingly drank the three drops, his vision clouding over as he did so, a feeling of weightlessness overtaking him.
"What is your full name?" his defense asked, testing the serum as was standard.
"Marcus Sirius Potter." He heard his voice answer, feeling like he was listening to a recording.
"What is your date of Birth?"
"September thirtieth, nineteen eighty."
"What year are you in at Hogwarts?"
"I am a Second year Gryffindor."
"Does this test satisfy the Wizenagamot?" he heard his defense ask, hearing a confirmation from Madame Bones. "Marcus Potter, the charges are the study of Dark Magic, did you learn or perform any dark magics?"
"No."
"Objection!" the voice of Yaxley protested, "He might not consider them dark which would affect his answer!"
"Fine then. Marcus Potter, did you study any illegal magics?" Mrs. Tonks rephrased the question.
"No."
"What did you learn that caused these accusations?"
"I was reading a book on theoretical applications for the modernization of Aztec War Enchantments." He responded dully, his head feeling fuzzy from the truth potion.
"He also resisted arrest!" he heard Fudge shout, the man's voice sounding desperate.
"Marcus Potter, did you resist lawful arrest?"
"When I was arrested the first words spoken by the aurors was a spell fired at my back. I responded in self-defense and when I froze in surprise at seeing the red auror robes I was struck with three stunning spells." At those words, those not already in the pocket of Fudge started shouting angrily, knowing the dangers of receiving multiple stunning curses simultaneously.
"No further questions." Mrs. Tonks declared as he felt three drops of liquid hit his tongue as the fuzzy weightless feeling vanished and he could see once again.
"The evidence is clear." Madame Bones declared strongly, her voice silencing the furious shouts from the various Wizenagamot members "I move for an immediate vote so I may more quickly move to questioning my aurors. Such illegal actions, more a kidnapping than an arrest, should not be permitted to happen again."
"Seconded." Dumbledore rose up, Marcus recognizing that the two had come in with a plan that day. The rushed trial, one where Fudge's main supported was killed in a lost honor duel followed by Mrs. Tonks quickly proving every charge false without Yaxley or Fudge getting a chance to lead questions or manipulate things caused a massive vote for him to be found not guilty.
"If that is all, then I declare this session adjourned." Fudge scowled irritably but before he could bang his gavel to end the session, Dumbledore stood back up.
"I move in a vote of No Confidence against Cornelius Fudge for arranging the kidnapping of Marcus Potter, the pressing of False Charges, and betraying the oaths of the Minister." Dumbledore spoke loudly, the man showing his planned intent to make such a declaration when he pulled out his shrunken pensive, projecting a conversation with Fudge where the man had openly stated that the people needed a 'scapegoat' and how he intended Marcus to fill that role. "We need a competent Minster in this time of crisis, one who obeys the law, one who cares more about the people of our country than they do about lining their own pockets with blood money. I move that Minister Fudge be removed from such a position and arrested, as well as move to have Lady Amelia Bones named our new Minister!"
-Vader-
Standing tall, Vader stared out the window of the Death Star's main bridge, seeing the planet of Yavin coming into view as they exited light speed, the Moon with the Rebel Base on the far side of the planet. "Lord Vader." Hearing the voice of the competent officer he'd taken to dealing with, Vader turned to see the man saluting him, "I've news you should be made aware of. I took it upon myself to study the plans the rebels stole and have discovered an exploitable weakness the rebels could make use of."
"Speak Captain." Vader ordered seriously, the man nodding as the salute dropped, the officer now standing at attention.
"The core for the Death Star generates a great deal of energy and requires ventilation to avoid detonating from within and destroying the station. The exhaust ports are a straight shot to the core itself and just big enough for a weapon such as a proton torpedo to be used to cause a chain reaction and destroy the Death Star. A near impossible shot for the best of pilots, especially given that it would be expelling gas, but if the Rebels have force users it becomes quite feasible."
"Did you report this to anyone else?" Vader questioned, curious if Tarkin knew.
"I reported it to Tarkin and recommended a retreat or evacuation. He refused to leave during what he declared to be his moment of triumph, not considering the rebel force users a threat. He has ordered all those here under his command to remain at their posts and threatened anyone who disobeys this order with desertion and treason."
"It is good you've notified me of this Captain." Vader straightened up "I will be helping lead the fighter attack. You will be transferred to one of my ships along with my own personal crew. Should this station blow up it would be best not to waste your talents because Tarkin is a senile fool."
"Yes, Lord Vader." The captain saluted before moving to the Hangar bay, not questioning, not protesting, simply obeying and ensuring Vader was kept informed. A useful officer indeed.