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Chapter 9: The fifth corridor

For several minuets I simply stared immobile at the note in my hand. This perhaps made the least sense of anything that had happened so far.

How could one word indicate a move? How could one word written on a piece of parchment indicate anything at all? I realized that it must have been a code. Of course such a note would be written in code in case it fell into the wrong hands. It would be catastrophic if such a note was discovered by the wrong people not only for Celia, but for the minister as well. If he was found to have ties to a werewolf it could very well be the end of his career.

But, while this conclusion was well enough to explain the note, it left me with still more questions

What right had they to take Celia? It seemed to me that if anyone was to be arrested it was her sister. After all, the monthly potion had been made for Alieanna. Alieanna had been suffering from a mysterious illness. If any one was a werewolf it was her. Celia was simply looking after her out of a family duty.

Unless she had lied. Unless the potion was for her. But what motive would she have to lie to me?

I folded the note at the crease once more and, hesitantly, placed it in the pocket of my robes. As I walked out of the kitchen and into the living room, I inadvertently glanced up at the portrait of Celia's mother.

She had left her chair and was staring in the direction of the door. Tears were running down her cheeks as she closed her eyes and whispered 'Forgive me, forgive me' over and over again.

I considered asking her what she meant by this, but thought better of it.

If I wanted answers I would have to go the ministry. There, at least I would be able to find a file. something to tell me what was going on. I had the clearence necessary to enter the filing system.

I quickly disapperated from the house and into the atrium of the Ministry. The slowed pace of the few employees still meandering about the green house gave the distinct weariness of the end of the day. I could indeed tell by the light on the ceiling that the sun was setting off to the west.

I picked up my pace to the front doors and flashed my clearance badge at the wand check station. The filing room was on the third floor, so that was where I was headed. Before I reached the elevator however, I saw the minister walking towards me. He walked briskly past me saying:

'Weasly. Follow me.'

Bewildered, I turned and followed him cautiously in the opposite direction of the lift. We continued walking downward towards the fifth corridor. This contained rooms that, to my knowledge, no one had used since the days of You-Know-Who. The courtrooms then had been used to try magical creatures suspected of working for the dark side. My mind immediately jumped to werewolves and proposition 133. But, the case couldn't have come to trial so soon. Could it?

'Sir?' I asked a perturbed and frazzled looking Fudge as we neared the entrance to the fifth corridor.

'A rather sudden case has been .er. investigated this evening Weasly.' He said while we passed several rather abandoned looking rooms bearing the #1,2,3, and4.

'It concerns the passing of proposition #133. And certain members of the Wizengammot have.uh.requested that we proceed with the initial review as soon as possible.' We turned the corner and passed #'s 5,6,7,and8. I began to vaguely recall the rumors about a room #13, shrouded in the fifth corridor. Those were just myths, weren't they?

'Of course the entire trial will not be held this evening, the case is far too, er, complicated. However, they seem to think that it would be best if the basics were reviewed tonight. ah here we are.' A slightly relieved feeling emmited in the pit of my stomach as we stopped out side door #11.

We stepped inside a smaller courtroom then I was used to. However, as I reminded myself, these court rooms were meant to try smaller cases. The room was otherwise identical to the courtrooms used in the bottom corridor.

I looked sideways at Fudge as he made his way up to the top level seat. He was extremely pale, and his hands as well as his face seemed to be unduly shaking.

For the first time perhaps, I began to think about Fudge's relationship to the entire situation.

If this case we were supposedly reviewing was Celia's case, obviously fudge would be nervous about revealing his ties to a known werewolf. But, his ties would remain to her Father, not Celia. He could deny that he had any knowledge that his college's daughter was unregistered. So why should this man whom I had always admired be shaking feverishly like one who was already condemned.

He took his seat, apparently attempting to remain calm, even as the quill he placed in his hand began to shake forcefully. I stared around the room; only the Minister's senior staff seemed to be present. Of course one could not call the entire court into session for a mere review. Only a few members of the Wizengammot were stationed around the courtroom, I counted about twenty in all. These included Emma Ducareless and a few of the other elders.

I sat down in my usual tabled seat to the right of Fudge. It was not long after every one had been seated that the large double doors burst open and Volsnick entered the courtroom, followed by the large man whom I had seen at Oswald Manner still dragging Celia by the arm.

She looked calmer now then she had at the manner. Her eyes had darted downward to the floor of the courtroom, yet there was something almost defiant in the way she walked.

The large man led her to the chair in the middle of the courtroom and shoved her rather violently down into it. Only seconds after she had been placed in the chair, the metal chains at the bottom of the floor began to coil up her legs and arms binding her there.

'High court initial review The twelfth of June.' Fudge began. I reluctantly took up the quill and began writing his words onto the parchment in front of me.

'Into offences committed under the Code of Magical Beasts concerning the amendment of Werewolf registration by Celia Oswald resident at number 13 Charad street, London.' At this address several mutterings broke out around the courtroom. It was no more then I expected, the street was supposed to be abandoned.

'Miss Oswald would you like to enter a plea at this time?' Fudge asked not looking up from his notes.

My hand stopped at the end of this sentence. I stared down at Celia whose eyes were still staring intently at the floor beneath her feet.

'Guilty.' She said softly, so that even in the small court room it was barely audible.

This seemed to be enough for Fudge however. He began to speak again in a much louder and more confident voice.

'You realize that you are admitting that you knowingly, and purposefully failed to register yourself as a Werewolf with the Ministry of Magic?' he asked.

Celia nodded, though I noticed that her hands had begun to shake inside the chains that bound them to the chair.

'And that by doing so you knowingly endangered the health and lives of others?'

Again Celia nodded.

'You admit that you failed registration of your own free will and were not persuaded to do so by any other party?' Fudge asked this question very slowly. For the first time his eyes moved from the notes on his desk to gaze down at Celia.

There was a rather long pause.

As I looked once more from my parchment to Celia, I saw her eyes flit quickly in my direction. But no sooner had this happened than she reverted her gaze back to the floor, biting her lower lip.

'Yes' She answered finally.

'Well then' Fudge said sounding oddly relieved as he returned to his notes.

'The plea being entered, a sentencing hearing will be scheduled for.'

'Minister, if I may-' Emma Ducarless stood up from her seat to the left of the center

'Yes Ms. Ducarless' Fudge said.

'I would like to remind the court of amendment 133 which was passed this morning, which instigates the use of execution in cases such as this. In view of this I would ask that this case be reverted to the department for the disposal of magical creatures'

At the word execution Celia's eyes moved very suddenly from the floor to Ms. Ducarless. A look of pure terror seized her face as her whole body began to shake visibly. Once Ms. Ducarless had finished Celia turned her gaze to Fudge who was once again consumed in his notes

'Very well,' He said rather quietly. ' In conjunction with amendment 133 the defendant will be sent to the department for the disposal of Magical Creatures for sentencing.' I could hear the beginnings of more muttering from the committee but before the usual noise could take hold a much louder voice came from the defendants chair

'Father Please!'

The room fell silent. Celia who had been starring pleadingly at Fudge shaking with fright now reverted her gaze to the floor once more as if just realizing what she had said. I could feel the energy of the entire room centered towards Fudge, but I kept my eyes on Celia.

It couldn't be. It simply wasn't possible. People would know if Fudge had a child.

Still as I watched Celia's face, as her eyes began to well up with tears even as she focused on the gravel beneath her feet, I knew it was true.

'Court is adjourned' Fudge said finally, as if attempting to forget what had been said. Willing the others to forget what they had heard. Which of course was impossible

The tall man touched Celia's arm once again as the chains binding her to the chair fell. She looked only slightly over her shoulder in my direction as they led her away. To where I did not know.

The rest of the Wizengammot slowly began to rise from their seats. Still muttering to each other. I knew what they were saying. This would be catastrophic for the ministry if the prophet found out. Comparisons were already being made to Barty Crouch.

I left the court room feeling more betrayed then I had ever remembered being. First Celia now Fudge. A man I trusted more then my own father. It seemed that every one in my life was hiding something from me. I would never truly know anything.

I walked down the corridor wishing only to wake up in my bed and find that the entire ordeal had simply been a nightmarish dream. I walked no further then the double doors, however, when I heard a voice whisper behind me.

'Weasly.'

I turned. To my surprise Jane Brightman was standing in the hall way.

'Yes?' I asked. I was growing used to the feeling of bewilderment.

She beckoned me closer to her. When I approached, she produced a cauldron. It was filled with what I now recognized to be wolfsbane potion.

'Quickly. You have to take this to room 12.'

'May I ask why?' I said coldly. I had long since grown impatient with being told by my superiors what had to be done. Ms. Brightman rolled her eyes appearing just as impatient as I was

'You know as well as I do that the full moon is tomorrow night. If she doesn't take the potion, it'll be a disaster.' She said.

'Does the minister know?' I asked

'No. He told me it wouldn't be necessary to make it tonight. Now of course I know why. Having the Oswald girl turn into a fully fledged monster will certainly strengthen Emma Ducarless's case.' She said.

'How long have you known about this?' I asked darkly.

She gave another impatient eye roll. 'Long enough.' She replied shortly. 'Now will you take it to her or not?'

I paused for a few seconds. I had never, in my life, so much as dreamed of disobeying an athourity figure. Let alone the Minister of magic. Doing such a thing could jepordize my entire career.

But then I thought of all the questions I still needed answered. All the lies I had been spoon fed. All the secrets and betrayals. I thought of the look of utter disgrace on Celia's face as she left the courtroom. A sudden daring seized me.

'Yes. I'll do it.' I said

'Good.' She answered quickly. 'I've forged a note with Fudge's signature. That should be enough to get past the guards at the door.' She said handing me the cauldron along with a folded piece of parchment.

'Good evening.' And with a nod she walked out the double doors and into the atrium.

After a few seconds, I reluctantly set off in the opposite direction. Down the fifth corridor, where I would stop in front of door #12. Directly opposite #13.