"Silence!" he hollered.
"Please continue Ms. Williamson," he ordered.
"Professor Snape, while you were in with Voldemort's crowd, was their any indication that Mr Black was a Death Eater, or in any other way affiliated with Lord Voldemort?" Anya's question was keenly percepted by the judge.
"No, there wasn't,"
"In your opinion, was Sirius Black responsible for this crime he is on trial for?" The answer to this question was dreaded by a few people in the room. Sirius took in a deep breath, and prepared to say goodbye to freedom.
Severus took in a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"No, he couldn't and wouldn't do that to James, or any other innocent people for that matter," Snape let out his breath in a long whooosh. The gallery now rose to fever pitch, louder than before.
"So you believe Sirius Black is completely innocent of this crime?" Anya asked, quietening now.
"Yes," Snape spat out, with a look that Harry couldn't quite read.
The opposing wizard cross-examined Snape, but again he did a poor job, not helping his case in the slightest.
The judge was taking everything down that any of the witnesses said. As the opposition finished, the magical quill stopped writing and laid itself down, looking as woebegone as a quill could.
"Right, we'll take an hours recess, then I expect everyone back in this court. On the dot of...3pm!" The judge was quite intimidating, and Harry and Hermione both set their watches to his word. Sirius was led away by two guards, but Anya promised Harry he would be able to see him. She led the way quickly to where he was being remanded.
"How do you think the trial's going?" Remus asked a fast-walking Anya.
"Well, we're putting forward a good defence, but it's going to take quite a lot to convince a judge that this man spent 13 years in gaol for a crime he didn't do. It would be so much easier for the Ministry to find him guilty. Let's just hope this judge is fair," her words ended abruptly as they arrived outside Sirius' cell.
Sirius looked up, Harry could see that his eyes were rimmed in red. Anne's face crumpled at the sight of them.
"I'm doing my best, I really am!" Anya promised Sirius. He nodded, looking sombre.
"I know, I just...I have bad memories, and the trial is just bringing them up again," Sirius looked ready to break down, and Anya rushed forward to hug him, but she instead crushed her hand on an invisible barrier.
"They put up a barrier, they don't want me escaping again, as they put it," Sirius said bitterly. Anya looked ready to cry, and everyone present saw the pain that was evident in both their faces.
Remus, Ron and Hermione left to get food for lunch, while Harry and Anya sat with Sirius. Sitting crosslegged on the floor, with such a sad expression on her face, Anya looked almost childlike. Sirius also looked like his life was over. Harry didn't know what to say, he wasn't really good at comforting people when he didn't know the full extent of a situation.
When the other three arrived with Lunch, they ate in silence, finishing just before they bailiff called them back into court. Anya took a deep breath.
"Ok, this is what we call closing. I make my finishing comments and I do everything in my power to make the judge believe me," Anya explained as they walked briskly along side the guards escorting Sirius.
On entering the courtroom, everyone feel silent. The room slowly filled up and Sirius was once again bound to the chair.
"Miss Williamson, do you have any other witnesses?" the judge presiding asked again, his quill looking much more refreshed. Anya looked lost in thought for a second, then asked a question.
"Can I approach the desk your honour?" she asked. The judge nodded and she returned back to her desk. The judge spoke while the gallery puzzled.
"The trial of Sirius Black will continue this coming Thursday. For now, court is adjourned," The judge pounded his gavel and exited to his chambers. Five bemused faces turned to Anya. "What have you done?" Hermiones, Harrys, Ron's, Remus's and Sirius's voices all blended into one. Anya looked confident but nervous.
"We're putting you on the stand Sirius!" she shouted as Sirius was led away.
Over the next two days, Remus and Harry saw very little of Anya and Sirius. Sirius was still in custody of the courts, and Anya seemed to be spending all her time at the Ministry of Magic. She only gave vague details of what she was doing there, saying only that it was a big help for Sirius's case. Hermione had gone to stay with Ron, and after Sirius's trial, Harry too would be joining them for a few days.
When Thursday dawned, the day was bright and dewy. Remus woke a sleepy Harry and told him to get dressed. The trial was set to start early today, the judge didn't want the same number of twittering gallery members. While Harry was dressing and eating, Remus gathered Sirius's best robes, and a razor. After the dishes were done, the pair left Lupin's in a comfortable silence.
They arrived at the courthouse early, having plenty of time to talk to Sirius before the trial started. They gave him his clean robes, along with the razor, which Sirius looked eternally grateful for. "Has our Ms. Williamson explained her cock-a-mayme idea to you?" Sirius asked, feeling refreshed and clean after his shave. Harry and Remus shook their heads.
"Well, she's only given me sketchy details, but basically she wants to put me on the stand, and draw lots of emotion and stuff from me, to convince the judge. I don't know if it'll work," Sirius looked worried again.
"Sirius, Remus and Harry!" Anya's voice echoed down the corridor. They turned and saw her half-running down the halls, with her royal blue fitted robes billowing behind her. The clock in the hall chimed loudly, and Anya turned to face the anxious group around her.
"Well, this is one of the best defences around. Sirius's chances are so greatly increased now, I'm very optimistic," Everyone could tell that Anya was still worried, but was putting forward a brave face. Remus took her hand and squeezed it.
"You'll be fine, and in a few days, we'll all be eating dinner together, and having a good old laugh. Ok?" Remus reassured her. She nodded nervously, and again walked into the silent courtroom to save the man she once loved.
"This is the last day of Sirius Blacks' trial. There will be no more extensions, and it is only because this case is so high-profile that I allowed the first one. Are we clear Ms Williamson?" The judge was still behaving in an old and bitter manner. Anya nervously nodded her head, and the judge continued.
"Right, then feel free to call your next witness Williamson," The judge allowed.
"I would like to call Sirius Black to the stands!" she announced in an almost triumphant voice. If the gallery had been fuller, the noise surely would have reached deafening proportions. Being only half-full, the gallery noise was bearable, but only just. Indignant yells bounced off the walls, and screaming from angry wizards. The judge waved his wand, and the gavel pounded several times.
"Mr Black, please take the stand!" the judge yelled. Sirius quickly jumped up, free from his magical binds and crossed over to the stand.
"Please continue Ms. Williamson," he ordered.
"Professor Snape, while you were in with Voldemort's crowd, was their any indication that Mr Black was a Death Eater, or in any other way affiliated with Lord Voldemort?" Anya's question was keenly percepted by the judge.
"No, there wasn't,"
"In your opinion, was Sirius Black responsible for this crime he is on trial for?" The answer to this question was dreaded by a few people in the room. Sirius took in a deep breath, and prepared to say goodbye to freedom.
Severus took in a deep breath and opened his mouth.
"No, he couldn't and wouldn't do that to James, or any other innocent people for that matter," Snape let out his breath in a long whooosh. The gallery now rose to fever pitch, louder than before.
"So you believe Sirius Black is completely innocent of this crime?" Anya asked, quietening now.
"Yes," Snape spat out, with a look that Harry couldn't quite read.
The opposing wizard cross-examined Snape, but again he did a poor job, not helping his case in the slightest.
The judge was taking everything down that any of the witnesses said. As the opposition finished, the magical quill stopped writing and laid itself down, looking as woebegone as a quill could.
"Right, we'll take an hours recess, then I expect everyone back in this court. On the dot of...3pm!" The judge was quite intimidating, and Harry and Hermione both set their watches to his word. Sirius was led away by two guards, but Anya promised Harry he would be able to see him. She led the way quickly to where he was being remanded.
"How do you think the trial's going?" Remus asked a fast-walking Anya.
"Well, we're putting forward a good defence, but it's going to take quite a lot to convince a judge that this man spent 13 years in gaol for a crime he didn't do. It would be so much easier for the Ministry to find him guilty. Let's just hope this judge is fair," her words ended abruptly as they arrived outside Sirius' cell.
Sirius looked up, Harry could see that his eyes were rimmed in red. Anne's face crumpled at the sight of them.
"I'm doing my best, I really am!" Anya promised Sirius. He nodded, looking sombre.
"I know, I just...I have bad memories, and the trial is just bringing them up again," Sirius looked ready to break down, and Anya rushed forward to hug him, but she instead crushed her hand on an invisible barrier.
"They put up a barrier, they don't want me escaping again, as they put it," Sirius said bitterly. Anya looked ready to cry, and everyone present saw the pain that was evident in both their faces.
Remus, Ron and Hermione left to get food for lunch, while Harry and Anya sat with Sirius. Sitting crosslegged on the floor, with such a sad expression on her face, Anya looked almost childlike. Sirius also looked like his life was over. Harry didn't know what to say, he wasn't really good at comforting people when he didn't know the full extent of a situation.
When the other three arrived with Lunch, they ate in silence, finishing just before they bailiff called them back into court. Anya took a deep breath.
"Ok, this is what we call closing. I make my finishing comments and I do everything in my power to make the judge believe me," Anya explained as they walked briskly along side the guards escorting Sirius.
On entering the courtroom, everyone feel silent. The room slowly filled up and Sirius was once again bound to the chair.
"Miss Williamson, do you have any other witnesses?" the judge presiding asked again, his quill looking much more refreshed. Anya looked lost in thought for a second, then asked a question.
"Can I approach the desk your honour?" she asked. The judge nodded and she returned back to her desk. The judge spoke while the gallery puzzled.
"The trial of Sirius Black will continue this coming Thursday. For now, court is adjourned," The judge pounded his gavel and exited to his chambers. Five bemused faces turned to Anya. "What have you done?" Hermiones, Harrys, Ron's, Remus's and Sirius's voices all blended into one. Anya looked confident but nervous.
"We're putting you on the stand Sirius!" she shouted as Sirius was led away.
Over the next two days, Remus and Harry saw very little of Anya and Sirius. Sirius was still in custody of the courts, and Anya seemed to be spending all her time at the Ministry of Magic. She only gave vague details of what she was doing there, saying only that it was a big help for Sirius's case. Hermione had gone to stay with Ron, and after Sirius's trial, Harry too would be joining them for a few days.
When Thursday dawned, the day was bright and dewy. Remus woke a sleepy Harry and told him to get dressed. The trial was set to start early today, the judge didn't want the same number of twittering gallery members. While Harry was dressing and eating, Remus gathered Sirius's best robes, and a razor. After the dishes were done, the pair left Lupin's in a comfortable silence.
They arrived at the courthouse early, having plenty of time to talk to Sirius before the trial started. They gave him his clean robes, along with the razor, which Sirius looked eternally grateful for. "Has our Ms. Williamson explained her cock-a-mayme idea to you?" Sirius asked, feeling refreshed and clean after his shave. Harry and Remus shook their heads.
"Well, she's only given me sketchy details, but basically she wants to put me on the stand, and draw lots of emotion and stuff from me, to convince the judge. I don't know if it'll work," Sirius looked worried again.
"Sirius, Remus and Harry!" Anya's voice echoed down the corridor. They turned and saw her half-running down the halls, with her royal blue fitted robes billowing behind her. The clock in the hall chimed loudly, and Anya turned to face the anxious group around her.
"Well, this is one of the best defences around. Sirius's chances are so greatly increased now, I'm very optimistic," Everyone could tell that Anya was still worried, but was putting forward a brave face. Remus took her hand and squeezed it.
"You'll be fine, and in a few days, we'll all be eating dinner together, and having a good old laugh. Ok?" Remus reassured her. She nodded nervously, and again walked into the silent courtroom to save the man she once loved.
"This is the last day of Sirius Blacks' trial. There will be no more extensions, and it is only because this case is so high-profile that I allowed the first one. Are we clear Ms Williamson?" The judge was still behaving in an old and bitter manner. Anya nervously nodded her head, and the judge continued.
"Right, then feel free to call your next witness Williamson," The judge allowed.
"I would like to call Sirius Black to the stands!" she announced in an almost triumphant voice. If the gallery had been fuller, the noise surely would have reached deafening proportions. Being only half-full, the gallery noise was bearable, but only just. Indignant yells bounced off the walls, and screaming from angry wizards. The judge waved his wand, and the gavel pounded several times.
"Mr Black, please take the stand!" the judge yelled. Sirius quickly jumped up, free from his magical binds and crossed over to the stand.