LAST TIME:

Harry wrenched his eyes from the Lords and turned to Susan and found her already roped into a conversation by Augusta Longbottom. Having nothing to do, he turned his eyes back to the file lying on his desk.

"Members of the Wizengamot," Marchbank's amplified voice boomed through the courtroom. "We shall begin the meeting at ten, sharp. Please take your seats."

Harry glanced at his watch. Not even two minutes to ten. All he needed to do was wait.

He proceeded to look around the courtroom. Witches and wizards were walking up and down the rows, proceeding to take their seats. The public gallery was filled to the brim with witches and wizards who had come to witness what was happening.

The Aurors, though, were unmistakable even in the crowded public gallery.

Speaking of security, Kingsley was seated on a chair right behind him. He was tapping his wand against his leg, as his eyes continued to dart around with unnerving alertness. Scrimgeour stood, leaning against the wall to Harry's left, near the Longbottom seat while Hestia Jones stood near Sirius, covering the right of the row.

Directly in front of him, Griselda Marchbanks was seated with Amelia to her left and Dumbledore to her right, making Harry raise his eyebrow. Dumbledore should be in the Order of Merlin row. Not in the front. But then again, he was Dumbledore.

Flashes of yellow light reflected on the shining tiles of the circular chamber as the shields were activated. The Wizengamot was in full attendance, except for the members who were behind bars or dead.

A gong reverberated through the chamber a minute later as Harry felt a prickle of magic on his skin. The doors of the chamber locked themselves and so did the public gallery and the media gallery.

"The doors have been sealed," Griselda Marchbanks announced. "I, Griselda Marchbanks, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, call the Emergency Wizengamot session of twenty-ninth December 1995 to order. Let the session begin."


AN: This chapter is published in the loving memory of Robbie Coltrane, who was famously known to play our beloved Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter films. Hagrid is the most loved character in the Harry Potter universe (I have never seen a Hagrid Bashing fic, and neither do I hope to ever see one) and I am pretty sure that we all now associate Robbie Coltrane's face whenever Hagrid is mentioned. May his soul rest in peace and his legacy remain immortal.

I was going to publish this chapter next week as I was falling short on time, creativity, and energy to write but seeing the news of Robbie Coltrane's passing, I knew that I must dedicate this chapter to him and publish it today. So, I did.

To Robbie Coltrane, our beloved Rubeus Hagrid.


Ch.65 The Fall of Cornelius Fudge

29th December 1995

Courtroom twelve, British Ministry of Magic

"The first of many points of today's agenda shall be the return of the Dark Lords, Gellert Grindelwald, and the one who calls himself Voldemort," Griselda Marchbank's voice drifted through the courtroom, eliciting squeaks and high-pitched screams of terror amongst the members of the Wizengamot and the audience.

'They are so scared of his very name. How will they ever stand up against him?'

"ORDER IN THE COURTROOM!" Marchbank boomed, her voice reverberating through the chamber. Harry could feel his armrests vibrate as she shouted.

'She certainly has a hell of a voice despite being nearly two centuries old. And that's saying something.'

She took a deep breath, her eyes glaring at every person present. "As of this moment, seeing the circumstances we… the world finds itself in, we, Ladies and Gentlemen, are in a state of war worse than we were in fifteen years ago. In the early hours of today morning, our very own Lord Potter and Albus Dumbledore dueled the two dark lords and their men alongside several members of wizarding Britain in this very building. I now ask the Interim Minister of Magic, Amelia Bones to give us a deeper insight into the situation."

Amelia stood up and cleared her throat loudly, making every eye in the room turn to her.

"Between midnight and 0200 hours in the morning, a fight between several witches and wizards broke out in the Department of Mysteries resulting in the capture of sixty-seven terrorists and the deaths of forty-nine people, out of which, one was a civilian, namely Andromeda Tonks nee Black."

Eyes turned to Sirius at the proclamation, who just bowed his head before looking at Amelia to continue.

"All the aforementioned terrorists were found with the dark mark branded on their skins. But, as we—"

"Objection!" A voice boomed from behind making Harry turn.

Lord Jugson was on his feet with his wand pointed straight up in the air, glowing with a red light.

"You are recognized, Lord Jugson," Marchbank's said, allowing the interruption.

"Thank you, Chief Warlock. I would like to point this fact out to the court that the dark mark is not a concrete sign of being a terrorist or loyalty of a person to anyone. Many members of this very council bore the mark which they took under the Imperius curse placed on them by Lord Voldemort. We all—"

"I would like to add the fact that many who pleaded the imperius fourteen years ago are amongst the terrorists captured as of a few hours ago confirmed to be acting of their own free will and free of any mind control." Amelia swiftly intervened. "This has also led us to believe—"

"A most worrying fact, Madame Bones, I am sure of it. But the objection was on the basis of calling them terrorists because they had the Dark Mark branded on their arms by a psychotic wizard fifteen years ago against their will. You can call them terrorists because they instigated an armed conflict, attacking—"

"Spare us the shit, Jugson!" Sirius stood up, intervening in an agitated fashion. "Those fuckers are Death Eaters serving Voldemort, all acting on their free will. End of the topic."

"Lord Black, I would ask you to mind your language within these chambers," Marchbanks said drolly.

"I think Lord Black isn't in his right mind after losing his cousin."

"And I do not think you are in your right mind Jugson after your sons and their wives were arrested yesterday for being a part of the group who attacked the ministry. Sit down before I rip off your sleeve to check if you are a Death Eater!"

"Lord Black, kindly refrain from threatening other members of the Wizengamot," Griselda Marchbanks warned with steel in her voice. "Also, I bring this discussion to an end. Both of you sit back in your seats."

"Yes, yes, Chief Warlock," Sirius replied, shooting a last look at Jugson before taking his seat.

"Thank you, gentlemen. Now, Madame Bones, please continue."

"As I was saying, all those captured or recaptured in a few cases are being held at a secure facility of the DMLE under sedation and will stand trial as soon as possible. A fair trial, which I propose to be done with the use of Veritaserum on every single suspect." Amelia declared.

A wave of murmurs steadily grew within the chambers at the proposed idea, some voicing their support for it, some opposing it.

"This is outrageous! Today you use Veritaserum to question purebloods and tomorrow someone will use them on purebloods and force them to spill out family secrets! Our treasured grimoires! Magical practices!" Someone shouted over the murmurs, making themselves heard.

"Just throw the bastards to death! Why even use the potion?" Another yelled

"SILENCE!" Marchbanks ordered, firing purple firecrackers from her wand. "This is a courtroom, ladies and gentlemen. I expect you all to maintain decorum in this room. If you can't, you are welcome to leave and if you don't, you will be removed by force. One more person speaking out of turn is going to get kicked out of the courtroom. That is final."

Marchbanks proceeded to glare at every member of the Wizengamot with fire in her eyes which were aiming to burn them all to ashes at the slightest provocation.

"Now, as I saw it, Madame Bones was merely proposing the idea to use Veritaserum on the captured witches and wizards to ensure there is no error in justice this time around."

"All I aimed to achieve is that no innocent like Sirius Black will go to Azkaban nor will a criminal like Lucius Malfoy roam free by making excuses," Amelia clarified. "What better way to do it than allow the use of Veritaserum?"

"Yes, Lord Carrow?" Marchbanks said as wands were raised high in the air, each member vying to give their opinion.

"I can understand what you are saying, Madame Bones and it is quite a novel idea. But one full of flaws as I see it. Today, you use it for criminal trials and quite fairly so. But, in a few years, this might be used to exploit purebloods to spill their family secrets or give out the magics that we treasure. I am sure you wouldn't wish for your niece to be entangled in a web of fake cases and be forced to spill a few family secrets in the future, would you?"

Susan narrowed her eyes and went to stand up, but Harry hissed at her to remain seated. "Let your aunt handle it, Sue. Don't."

"Are you threatening the House of Bones, Lord Carrow?" Amelia demanded, her eyes alight with fury.

"No, Madame Bones. I am just presenting a hypothetical situation in which the use of Veritaserum in trials might be misused. It was just an example. I assure you that House Carrow has no quarrel with your House. I am just trying to show you the other side of the coin."

"Thank you very much, Lord Carrow, for the clarification. Lord Jones, you may speak."

"Thank you, Chief Warlock. In my opinion about this particular topic, I strongly feel that it is our responsibility as the members of the Wizengamot that a situation like Lord Carrow graciously described shouldn't arise. That is what we are here for, aren't we? To ensure that justice is rendered impartially and correctly?"

"A sentiment I quite agree with," Dumbledore spoke up, allowing himself to be heard for the first time since the trial began. "Chief Warlock, if I may?"

Griselda Marchbanks gave Dumbledore a curt nod, allowing him to speak.

"Justice, as I say, should be absolute," His serene voice was met with absolute silence as he stood up from his seat and turned to face the crowd. "It is a shame on us wizard kind that criminals can go scot-free by lying their way through the trial and making excuses of the imperious curse when we have so many ways to detect lies and also make a person tell the truth. We have a truth serum, a potion that induces such a powerful compulsion, to tell the truth, that no one can lie under it. Then, why not use it?"

Dumbledore spread his arms to the crowd, his beard fluttering slightly due to an invisible wind. His eyes were devoid of the customary twinkle that the world was accustomed to seeing and instead, set in stone with determination, glimmering softly even in the bright lighting of the room.

"Amelia's idea is quite sound," He continued quietly. "Today, we all know that mistakes— grave mistakes— had been made after the first fall of Lord Voldemort. Innocents, like Lord Black, had been thrown in prison while criminals roamed free and became upstanding members of the society. I find me asking myself, 'Is this how I want this war to go as well? By letting criminals walk free or innocents be jailed?'"

Dumbledore paused meaningfully, looking each member of the Wizengamot in the eye.

"So, in my humble opinion, we should try the criminals that myself, along with Lord Potter and our friends captured in the Department of Mysteries, under Veritaserum, even if there is a little doubt about their true motives."

"Thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore and Lord Jones. I believe that we have heard sufficient facts about both sides of the argument. If anyone has anything to add though, please do."

No one raised their wands to speak up.

Harry hadn't expected them to. Not after Dumbledore had spoken in favor of it.

After the great fiasco that had been up for the past six months, there were a few in the world who would question Dumbledore's judgment. Even Harry's own for that matter but unlike Dumbledore, Harry's name hadn't been dragged through the mud, and neither had he been as vocal as Dumbledore had been on Voldemort's return. Not on the public stage anyway.

"Now, I propose that we immediately put this to vote. A trial under Veritaserum for all those captured down in the Department of Mysteries… and if I might add to it, all Death Eaters who are captured henceforth, attacking innocents or such. All those in favor of this proposition, kindly tap your wands twice on your tables."

Harry drew his wand from his sleeve before tapping his desk twice with it. The desk glowed green.

"And those against, please tap your wand four times," Marchbanks added.

All around the room, desks glowed either red or green as people tapped their wands on their desks to cast their votes.

'That might be close. But all of the Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses have voted for it. So, it is going to be in our favor.'

Marchbanks paused for a moment before clearing her throat.

"The motion is passed, with sixty-six percent of votes by the Wizengamot. The Death Eaters will now be tried under the influence of Veritaserum." Marchbanks declared, banging her hammer.

A light round of applause rose before dying down within moments.

"The trials will be held en masse for them all, the day after tomorrow. A notice regarding the same will be sent out soon. Now, since that is out of the way, we have a bigger problem. Namely, the charge of high treason against Cornelius Fudge by Lord Potter under the reasons of, I quote, 'purposeful sabotage of national security, suppression of freedom of speech and the freedom of media, wiping and sabotage of evidence, and supporting terrorists against the nation.'"

Marchbanks paused meaningfully, allowing everyone present to take in the charges.

"In such a situation, as we are aware, Mr. Fudge has been dismissed from office for the time being and Madame Bones is the interim minister while Rufus Scrimgeour, the head of the hit wizard force, is the interim Head of the DMLE. Now, we must determine whether Mr. Fudge is guilty of high treason or not. Bring him in!"

Murmurs spread across the room as Fudge was led into the room in chains, wearing a pinstripe cloak over his pajamas, his head bowed low in shame.

The Aurors gestured him to the chair at the center of the room and he sat down on it without an iota of protest. The iron chains immediately leaped up and bound him.

"Cornelius Oswald Fudge," Marchbanks said, leaning over her desk. "Standing trial for high treason against the nation of Magical Britain. Interrogators: Griselda Marchbanks, Chief Warlock. Amelia Serphina Bones, interim minister of magic. Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin- First Class. Prosecutor, Lord Harry James Potter. Now, before we begin, do you have an attorney for defense? In case you do not have one and wish for an attorney, the state will provide one."

"N-no. I will fight my own case, which admittedly, I don't have much to say for myself after my disastrous actions." He admitted, making people raise their eyebrows.

"Then, how do you plead, Cornelius Fudge?"

Fudge looked up toward the Wizengamot and for the first time, Harry noticed that his eyes were red.

Taking a ragged breath, he cleared his throat. "Ch-Chief Warlock. I— I never knew. I th-thought that it was a plan by Lord Potter and Albus Dumbledore to usurp the ministry and its power. It was a grave misjudgment, I admit. And, for that, I am prepared to face any punishment the Wizengamot deems fit to levy on me."

'You can take the man out of politics but never the politician out of the man.' Harry mused as Fudge addressed the Wizengamot, looking perfectly repentant for his action, yet maintaining the fact that everything he did was not on purpose but a misjudgment.

"But I wish to make one thing very clear," Fudge continued over the slight murmurs that were beginning to arise. "I, in no form, have ever supported He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I am not a sympathizer to his cause, and neither am I a Death Eater. You all must understand. It was near impossible for me, or anyone for that matter, to believe a tale about a dead man returning to life!"

"While I agree that a proclamation like that might sound a bit hard to believe, but it came from Lord Potter and Albus Dumbledore, whom, I must add, have always been highly respected and trustworthy members of the society. And, not to mention, regarded amongst the greatest users of magic in the world."

Fudge smiled humorlessly. "I do not deny that Madame Bones. As I said, it was a grave misjudgment on my part. I looked at it as a ploy by them to usurp the ministry and… my position. I became deluded by the notion. I believed that they were making up a situation to create panic and take over the country. After all, the other two of the greatest magic users tried to do the same, and are trying once again, aren't they?"

Outrage murmurings broke throughout the chamber at the proclamation, making Marchbanks bang her gavel loudly and call for order.

"As I already said, it was a grave misjudgment on my part. Nothing more, nothing less." Fudge repeated. "And I am ready to confirm the same under Veritaserum and take an oath to prove it. I was not, am not, and will not ever be a Death Eater or a supporter of You-know-who."

Harry cleared his throat loudly at that and raised his wand in the air, drawing the court's attention to him.

"Yes, Lord Potter?"

"Thank you, Chief Warlock. Now, with your permission, I wish to pose a few questions to the accused, as I believe I should have, seeing I am the prosecutor today."

Marchbanks paused for a moment before nodding. "Permitted."

Harry nodded briskly before looking straight at Fudge. "Mister Fudge. Now, let us assume for a moment that you never internationally supported Voldemort—"

Shrieks and gasps filled the courtroom at the name making Harry pause briefly.

"—and thought that Professor Dumbledore and I were plotting against you based on our statements. But then, as I am informed, you were made aware of the fact that Barty Crouch Junior, a convicted Death Eater had impersonated Alastor Moody at Hogwarts, instead of choosing to interrogate him, you straight away destroyed the evidence in the form of a dementor's kiss, no less. Please inform the court of the reasons for the action."

"The man was deranged and dangerous," Fudge reasoned.

"And bound," Harry added. "Not to mention, stunned and under a full body-bind hex. And under the guard of Minerva McGonagall and Amelia Bones, whom, I might add, are quite accomplished witches themselves." Harry listed off, ticking his fingers. "So, for the life of me, I cannot understand why you chose to terminate him permanently that too after being informed of the things he had spoken under the influence of the truth potion."

"The truth potion only reveals what a person believes. There was hardly a doubt that Crouch Junior was a madman. I admit, it was not the right decision to have him kissed right away but I had taken the call that I felt was the best in the situation."

"So, another misjudgment on your part," Harry prompted.

"Yes," Fudge admitted.

"You know, Mister Fudge? There are an awful lot of misjudgments happening. Once is happenstance. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is enemy action. So, I do not know what to believe now."

"I just wish to clarify one thing. That I am not a Death Eater, or a sympathizer and my actions were born of paranoia and delusions rather than being an enemy action. That is all. I plead guilty to everything else." Fudge said, making Harry pause.

"So, you plead guilty to the suppression of freedom of speech and the freedom of the media along with wiping and sabotage of evidence?"

"Yes, I do," Fudge admitted, his eyes downcast.

"And the torture of children?" Harry asked, making his head snap up.

"Excuse me?"

"Lord Potter?" Marchbanks asked, making Amelia clear her throat.

"If I might, after Dolores Umbridge was arrested, my Aurors searched her office and found quite a few things. Including parchments on which lines were written in blood with a blood quill. Lines written by students during detentions under Umbridge."

Pandemonium broke as outraged gasps sounded and people rose to their feet, demanding Umbridge's head along with Fudge's.

"SILENCE!" Marchbanks shouted, blasting purple firecrackers from her wand.

The pandemonium refused to cease as Lords roared themselves hoarse calling for Umbridge's execution.

Then, Dumbledore got to his feet, the elder wand in his hand. As Dumbledore raised it above his head, multicolored firecrackers burst from it with an unearthly boom, making people, including Harry, clutch their ears.

"SILENCE! I understand your outrage, members of Wizengamot. But this is no way to deal with it!"

"Thank you, Albus," Marchbanks said, rubbing her ear. "Now, might I know what this is about? And when were you going to bring this to my notice, Amelia?"

"At the trial of Dolores Umbridge, ma'am."

"And how do you, Lord Potter, know of this? After all, the findings of the DMLE are to stay with the DMLE." She asked, sending Harry a glare.

"It is almost as if I go to Hogwarts, Madame Marchbanks," Harry replied dryly.

"Cut the cheek, boy. Give me a straight answer." Marchbanks snapped.

"I go to Hogwarts and many of the students put into detention were my friends or acquaintances," Harry repeated patiently.

"So you knew of it and did nothing?" Marchbanks demanded in outrage, making Harry narrow his eyes at her.

"Who said I didn't do anything?" Harry questioned over the rapidly rising volume of murmurs, quietening them down.

"Lord Potter, I am warning you. Do not take that tone with me. Now, what did you do?"

"Made sure that the Blood Quills didn't use the blood of the students. I altered the enchantments on it."

"A level six illegal artifact and you tampered with it?" Marchbanks clarified.

"Might I remind you that my actions are not on trial here, Madame Marchbanks? I did what I did for the safety of myself and my fellow students. But her intent, in this case, was clear. To torture students into submission, and perhaps, by extension, alienate them from the authority figures in Magical Britain driving them to Voldemort." He replied evenly as gasps sounded again through the court. "And I believe that Cornelius Fudge ordered her to do so under orders from his master. I ask the court to move onto Veritaserum questioning immediately without wasting further time."

Marchbanks nodded before gesturing to the Aurors to feed Fudge Veritaserum.

A rather short Auror in scarlet robes walked forward immediately with a small vial of clear liquid in his hand before asking Fudge to open his mouth before administering three drops of the potion to him.

In a moment, Fudge's eyes went blank as he sat straighter.

"Cornelius Fudge, can you hear me?" Marchbanks asked.

"Yes, I can," He replied in an emotionless, near-robotic voice.

"Excellent. Lord Potter?"

"Cornelius Fudge, were you or were you not informed of Voldemort's return on the night of the twenty-fourth of June?"

"I was."

"Did you, or did you not hear the testimony of Barty Crouch Junior under Veritaserum?"

"I did not. I received the transcript of the questioning written by a legal dictaquill through Amelia Bones."

"So, you agree that the testimonial couldn't have been tampered with in any way or form?"

"Yes, I agree."

"Then why did you execute Barty Crouch Junior through the means of the Dementor's kiss?"

"Because he was a deranged murderer known for heinous crimes and I felt that I would sleep easier knowing that he was no longer a threat."

"Didn't you think that the decision should've fallen to the Wizengamot?"

"I did it because of my responsibility as the Minister of Magic. I did what I thought to be the best to protect the country."

Harry's jaw twitched. He had expected something of a revelation at the question along the lines of Fudge doing it because he was scared and/or didn't want any secrets to be spilled. Or, perhaps, wiped the evidence to forestall a panic that he thought Dumbledore was going to spread.

"Very well. So, do you or do you not support the terrorist known as Lord Voldemort?"

Shrieks sounded in the courtroom just before Fudge replied in a resolute no.

"Could you repeat the last answer, Mr. Fudge?" Marchbanks asked.

"No, I have never supported He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in any way or form consciously."

"Lord Potter, continue."

"Then did you, or did you not use your power and position to bend the media to your will and report what you wanted?"

"I did. I wished to discredit Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter so that no one believed the lies, or in the current case, the truth that they spoke. No one in the Daily Prophet wished to go against Potter but agreed to defame Dumbledore under threats from myself"

"Chief Warlock, point to be noted that the accused has admitted to being guilty of suppression of freedom of media. Along with purposeful defamation of Albus Dumbledore." Harry pointed out.

"Duly noted."

"Now, Minister Fudge. Tell us why did you send Dolores Umbridge to Hogwarts?"

"To suppress the freedom and reign Dumbledore and you have in the school. I believed that you were forming an army at the school to take over the ministry by force. So, Dolores Umbridge was sent to ensure that no one made the mistake of revolting against the ministry in any way possible."

"Did that include torture of school children to have her way?"

"I never gave Madame Umbridge any specific instructions. I trusted her judgment to do the best. She has, after all, served me for more than a decade. I just authorized whatever she forwarded to me. I—" Fudge's voice faltered. "I saw-wear that I-I never knew ab-about her torturing st-students."

'This shouldn't happen under the influence of Veritaserum. It is wearing off.'

"Auror put one more drop of the potion on his tongue," Marchbanks ordered, noticing the same.

A few seconds later, Fudge's eyes glazed over again, staring blankly at the Wizengamot.

"Can you hear me, Cornelius Fudge?"

"Yes," He replied in an emotionless voice.

"So," Harry continued. "You were not aware of Dolores Umbridge torturing students?"

"I was aware that she was restricting the students with her whole power and the power of the ministry behind her. That is what she told me. And I knew of the decrees and saw no harm in passing them for her, giving her power to undermine the authority at Hogwarts and weed out Dumbledore's influence. I even threatened the Board of Governors to comply with my wishes."

"That is an abuse of power, I believe. Another charge to be levied on Mister Fudge." Harry declared.

"Noted."

"That is all, I believe unless, of course, I ask him what other crimes he has committed knowingly."

"I have taken several bribes from people to pass different laws and regulations," Fudge spoke up before someone could stop him. "I have purposefully misled and overruled investigations against many of my friends. I have also redirected funds and donations to the ministry to my personal account at Gringotts. I have also passed laws which would favor me like the minister not having to pay taxes."

Stunned silence filled the room before Harry broke the silence in a bored drawl. "Add money laundering to that as well, Madame Marchbanks. Along with grave abuse of power. Now, if I may ask, who were these friends of yours, Fudge?"

"Many, including Lucius Malfoy, Nott, Gibbons, Avery, Goyle, Crabbe, Jugson, Crouch, and a few others who had been caught for petty crimes and such. They paid me to keep their freedom and consequently, I let them go with mild to no punishment."

"All of these names, if I heard correctly, are the Death Eaters who pleaded the Imperius Curse. Also, excusing criminals of their crimes on bribes is a sabotage of National security, I believe. Not to mention, accepting bribes is in itself, a punishable offense."

Fudge remained silent, staring blankly at the Wizengamot.

"Noted. Lord Potter, is that all?"

"Yes," Harry nodded. "I suppose we can move on to the punishments for his crimes."

"Very well, this court finds Cornelius Fudge is found guilty of the following charges: Suppression of freedom of speech and the freedom of media, wiping and sabotage of evidence, sabotage of national security, and multiple counts of money laundering, abuse of power, and bribery. He is declared innocent on the charge of supporting terrorists against the nation." Marchbanks declared with pursed lips.

"Now, according to the law, Mr. Fudge should get… more than two hundred years in prison, considering we do not know the exact count. But the main charge was high treason, which shall warrant immediate execution. So, everyone in favor of clearing the accused of the charge of high treason, tap your wands on your tables."

Around the chamber, tables glowed, registering their vote.

"And all those who find Cornelius Fudge guilty of high treason, tap your wands now."

Several tables glowed, including Harry's own, registering his vote.

Marchbanks waited for a minute before clearing her throat. "In the favor of charging Mr. Fudge with high treason, we have seventy-nine percent of votes. Cornelius Fudge is found guilty of high treason against the state. As per the law of Section E clause four, all of his assets now belong to the state and Mister Fudge shall be executed at sundown today."

As Marchbanks said this, she picked up the eagle-feather quill on her table and snapped it in half before putting it back down on the table.

"Take him away."


And… DONE! Hope you liked the chapter. I know there wasn't anything new that happened in here, but this chapter was important to what I have planned NEXT. (Did you think the Wizengamot session ended with Fudge's trial? Well, it didn't!)

And if you're wondering why I got Fudge executed despite the… remorse arc I put in the previous chapter, it is because, despite his remorse, his actions did grave harm. Not only that but even in canon (same with this story), Cornelius Fudge was a nasty, corrupted piece of shit. His actions were, in my opinion, the greatest reason for the fall of the ministry in the seventh book.

Tbh, it is not much. Either he was going to prison for the rest of his life, or he was going to be executed. I chose to get him executed.

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A huge thanks to GenesisWolfGaming, Luls, and I_amaSWITCHbot for betaing the chapter at very very short notice (I legit finished WRITING this chapter six hours ago)

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Harry Malfoy9397: Tbh, why she is dead is not the question to be asked. It is war and there will be death on both sides. Heck, I had originally planned a couple more deaths in that fight but then I realized that I was going to put the 'Gellert Grindelwald plot twist' at the end of the same chapter which would've made the deaths ineffective to the plot. Point to be noted, here, you paid attention to Andromeda's death two chapters after it happened.

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Thank you all for your comments and the love you are showering on the story!

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4. SECRETS: Another romantic one-shot I published recently. Complete as well.

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