"Miss Evans, can you relate to us the events of December 20th, 1979?"
"Certainly. I was not at the party. I was at home, and Potter came to my door and asked me for help. He told me promptly that Ministry officials were chasing him and he didn't know why. We learned that he was suspected for the murder of Ellen Bones. Shortly afterward, we were conversing and trying to figure out why he couldn't remember and what was happening. Then we received word that Edgar Bones, Ellen Bones' twin brother, had been murdered and that Potter was suspected for that as well. The trouble is, Malfoy, that Potter was with me at the time of Edgar Bones' death."
"You are saying, Miss Evans, that Potter could not have murdered Edgar Bones, but he could have murdered his twin sister."
"No, sir, that was not my point. I was saying that if this Ministry intended to catch a killer they could not have convicted James Potter for these murders. As it is, the Ministry is interested in creating a killer and then catching him to give the public some closure."
The jury didn't just titter this time; a babble of voices broke out. James had to hold back a laugh at her frankness; behind him, Sirius did laugh. Fudge and Malfoy had equal expressions of lividity on their faces.
"Miss Evans, are you quite finished with this propoganda?" Fudge demanded.
"Propoganda, sir?"
He was so angry he could hardly find sentences. "Lucius -- finish up before she makes up more stories."
"Yes, sir." Malfoy stepped closer to Lily with an aura of power greater than before, with his anger added to the mix now.
"Miss Evans, your testification neither advances or sets back this case. There is little evidence to point to any conclusion."
"Pardon me, sir, but I was not originally planning to act as your witness. I was planning to act as Mr. Potter's lawyer, so what I have done is raised questions contradicting the currect evidence. If you believe it is possible to view my insights as unimportant, then I can scarcely believe we are in the same courtroom."
"A present witness, Evans, informs us that you and Potter had an intimate relationship throughout your 7 years at Hogwarts. My question becomes this: was it so intimate that you would be willing to commit perjury to save him?"
Lily blushed, her guard falling momentarily for the first time. ". . . Quite the contrary, sir. Mr. Potter and I were . . . childhood rivals. For the majority of our time at Hogwarts we were on very unfriendly terms."
"And the minority?"
"What does that have to do with --" James began furiously, but not sound came out of his mouth. His voice had been temporarily disabled, probably by Sirius or Remus behind him, so he wouldn't talk himself into trouble.
"We became --" Lily paused uncomfortably -- "friends in the 7th year. I assure you this has no influence on my present actions. I am merely presenting the truth of the situation."
"So the accused has no personal value to you, Evans? Then I suppose your choosing to sleep at his house last night was not an act of personal value?"
James stared in fury and horror and Malfoy, then the Minister; his throat worked soundlessly, but nobody was even looking at him; all attention was fixed on Lily.
"Godric's Hollow is frequented by Mr. Potter's friends. It's not uncommon for any of us to retire there on occasion," Lily said in a small voice.
"Oh? And is it equally common for his 'friends' to retire to Mr. Potter's own bed?"
Lily was now absolutely speechless. James tried to leap out of his chair but the chains grabbed at him -- nobody noticed his impassioned struggles because behind him, Sirius leapt up and exclaimed, "Objection! How did you get that information?"
"You are a spectator of this trial, Mr. Black!" Malfoy said.
"There was espionage involved, wasn't there? How dare you! How dare you invade such privacy; how dare you attribute their relationship to a matter of shame!"
For the third time the jury broke out in a babble of voices. A triumphant grin spread across Malfoy's face. Without knowing it, Sirius had just answered Malfoy's questions exactly the way he wanted. Lily stared at him. James stared at Lily, begging silently, Look at me. Look at me, Lily, and leave that stand.
And a whisper of her name escaped his lips. He could speak again.
"Ah! Progress! Thank you, Mr. Black," Malfoy said gleefully. "Miss Evans, do you confirm or deny these accusations?"
"Your honor!" James exclaimed. "Miss Evans is not being put on trial, I am."
"You have not been recognized to speak, Mr. Potter. Miss Evans, are you and the accused not lovers?"
"Your honor, forgive me for speaking plainly," James pressed, "but I must beg you to allow Miss Evans to step down from the witness stand."
"Very soon, Mr. Potter," said Malfoy calmly. "My conclusions, your honor, formed after observing the circular methods Miss Evans uses to answer my questions, are that she has something to hide and would twist the truth to save her lover's freedom."
"Miss Evans, you are dismissed," said Fudge.
Lily left the witness stand. She had not helped him; that James knew, but found right now he didn't care. He was just glad she was done being questioned, and wished he hadn't pulled her into this; it hurt him to see her up there under such inquiries. And as she was passing him to sit down, their eyes met for the first time since the night before. Her expression was deeply ashamed; but James nodded with a small smile, communicating to her his pride in her fortitude.
As soon as Lily saw that nod, her expression changed, and she turned back to face Fudge.
"Minister, if I have been twisting the truth, I would like the opportunity to make up for it now before the court is adjourned."
"You've been dismissed!" Malfoy said.
"Lily, don't," James whispered. He was fully aware he was addressing her by her first name in front of everyone, in front of the top reporter of the Daily Prophet (Rita Skeeter's Quill was scribbling at a near-impossible speed) but he didn't care. The entire courtroom knew much more than that now, thanks to Lucius Malfoy.
"Lucius, I hardly think anything she says can make this situation better," said Fudge drearily. "Continue, Miss Evans."
Lily began quietly, all her attention focused on the Minister.
"Maybe I do love Potter. If so, why would I be inclined to deny it?"
James gazed at her in astonishment. The jury, the prosecutors, the judge, and the press shared similar expressions; but Lily forged on, building confidence with every word.
"Love is scarce in this world; hate and death outnumber it. We never really know who to trust. Any man in this courtroom could be having direct contact with the Dark Lord, and you would never know it, and that makes you all afraid; and instead of letting bravery and love stem from this fear you use it attack." Her voice raised and the Minister said nothing to suppress her. "You are frantic to accuse him and put him in jail, even though there is no evidence that Potter committed the murder except the evidence that could easily be seen as an attempt to frame him! Everyone in this room who is acquainted with James Potter knows that he could not possibly have committed this crime, but you are so desperate to place blame, you will put him in Azkaban despite what you know, simply to temporarily satisfy your own and the public's need to understand what is going on, what is happening to our world -- a lame attempt to regain control of this world as it crumbles under your feet. Maybe if you did love, if you did trust, if you did look deeper at what is wrong and what is right, who is Dark and who is Light instead of running around and pointing fingers at anyone whose photo might look good under the words 'GUILTY' on the front page of the Daily Prophet, you might find strength -- we could band together, unite, and take back our world! Thank you, Your Honor; that is all I have to say."
And she sat down at the table behind James, her arms folded dutifully.
No one moved. Rita Skeeter's Quik-Quotes Quill was absolutely still. James stared at the floor, his mind awhirl with emotions and thoughts incomprehensible.
Finally, Fudge cleared his throat. "This -- erm -- this court is adjourned. The defendant shall be released until the jury decides his verdict."
Released? James half-heard. He was released? He was free?
The chair's chains slipped down off his wrists. Everyone around him was getting to their feet, gathering papers and notes and cloaks, but James just sat there. He turned his head slightly to the right to look at Lily; she rolled up a parchment and then looked at him, and was still. The two were motionless and stable among the restless, rustling attendants exiting the courtroom, sharing silent questions and answers.