Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, nor do I own Harry Potter.
(J.K Rowling owns them, lucky woman.) I only own my original characters and
my own original plot.
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Chapter 28: The Path of the Guilty
The sun rose over the Hogwarts grounds as Jesabelle stared out the window. Luna had already left to check up on the others, while Dumbledore and Tonks were in Madame Pomfrey's office, probably discussing how to best handle the situation they were in.
"All right, dear," Madame Pomfrey said, handing Jesabelle a goblet with steaming liquid inside, "take this potion, it will complete the healing process."
"Thank you, Madame." Jesabelle said, taking the goblet and downing it's contents.
"Would you like some breakfast, dear?" Madame Pomfrey asked, taking the goblet from Jesabelle's hands. "I had the elves bring up a tray of food for you."
Jesabelle turned to look at her, seeming as if she was trying to process what she said. "No," she said finally, "No, that was very kind of you Madame, but I'm not hungry, thank you very much."
"All right then. Just call me if you need anything. I'll be coming by in another hour to check up." Madame Pomfrey said, closing the curtains around Jesabelle's bed.
Jesabelle smiled and nodded, trying her best not to look anxious.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Anyone up for another game of football?" Seamus asked.
"No, Seamus, sorry, thanks." Ron said.
Harry and the others were sitting at their usual spot underneath a tree by the lake. It was already noon. They had seen Jesabelle make her way slowly out an hour ago, sitting herself five trees down, burying herself in a book, trying not look at the others.
Seamus nodded and walked away, a concerned look upon his face. He knew it best not to get involved or ask if there was anything he could. It was like that with Harry and his friends. Sometimes, they didn't know what to do. Now was one of those times.
Harry spent most of his time in the Boys' Dorm, only coming out when Ginny begged him to. He didn't say a word for the entire time they had been out by the lake. The others did not say anything either.
"I believe her." Luna said, breaking the silence. "I think she's telling the truth."
"How do we know that for sure?" Hermione asked. "It's not like we can find Veritaserum lying around so we could feed it to her."
"Isn't Dumbledore's belief in her enough?" Luna asked.
"Of course it is." Ginny said. "And I believe her too, it's just a bit, well, hard to understand the whole thing."
"She doesn't expect you to, at least not right away." Luna said.
"Why are you defending her?" Harry asked.
"Because I know that she feels guilty, Harry." Luna said, turning to him. "I stayed with her after you all ran away."
"We didn't run away!" Ron said defensively.
"You all ran away and you know it." Luna said forcefully. "I stayed with her after you all left. She cried and cried for hours. And then cried again. The tears wouldn't stop coming. She felt beyond terrible for everything. She thinks that we will never understand. Ever."
"How can you be so sure that it isn't just an act?" Harry asked.
"Truthfully, I don't know, Harry." Luna said. "But I trust her, and if you want to question my judgment, go ahead. But you're her cousin, you're family."
Harry twitched at the word 'family'. It was apparent that the whole thing was having a great effect on him.
"True friends believe that the others are able to change, despite what they had done in the past. I believe in her. I believe she's innocent, I believe she is for us, not against us. And if you all were really her true friends, you would believe in her too." Luna said, giving them a look of slight disgust.
Neville sighed and ran his fingers through her hair. Ron looked out toward the lake.
"I agree with Luna." Hermione said, gripping Luna's hand.
"So do I." Ginny said, nodding.
Ron hung his head low. Neville looked out at the field. His eyes widened.
"Neville, what's wrong?" Luna asked.
Neville turned towards her, slowly growing pale. "Fudge is here, and he doesn't look like he's having a good day."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jesabelle looked up to see Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, walking towards the steps leading to the entrance doors, seven Aurors following closely behind. He had this sour look on his face that made Jesabelle shiver slightly. She lifted her book up to cover her face as she watched as Hogwarts students parted to get out of their way, whispers spreading throughout the area.
Jesabelle grew pale, as she put down her book, and turned her head, catching Neville's eye. This is it, she thought. They've come for me.
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Fudge made his way up the steps, meeting Professor McGonagall.
"Minister." McGonagall said, surprised. "What brings you here?"
"Where is Dumbledore?" Fudge asked.
"I believe he's upstairs in the Hospital Wing, with Professor Tonks." McGonagall said.
"Yes, we would like to speak with her too." One of the Aurors behind Fudge said.
McGonagall looked around and found that it was Kingsley Shacklebolt who spoke. She met his worried gaze and nodded, leading the ways towards the Hospital Wing, students parting to let them through.
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"The Ministry's here?" Harry asked, standing up, looking at Fudge.
"Oh no!" They've come for her!" Ginny said. "We have to do something!"
"What can we do?" asked Ron.
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"Dumbledore!" Fudge called, as he stormed into the Hospital Wing, scaring Madame Pomfrey.
A door to the side opened and Dumbledore stepped out, followed by Tonks.
"What is this I hear about a Death Eater attack?!" Fudge demanded.
"Well, Cornelius," Dumbledore began. But Fudge cut him off.
"A Death Eater attack and no one alerted the Ministry!" Fudge said, growing red. "And what is this I hear about a Death Eater, here at the school?"
"Minister, I," Dumbledore began again, but Fudge interrupted.
"I was alerted by a source who wishes to remain anonymous, that one of the new students, Jesabelle Potter, to be exact, happens to be in league with You-Know-Who and his followers." Fudge said, getting redder by the minute.
"Minister, please, try to see reason!" Dumbledore said sternly.
"What reason? You have a Death Eater running around the premises, and you didn't even bother to alert the Ministry? Oh ho! This is the last straw, Dumbledore. You are finished! Finished!" Fudge yelled storming out the door, the Aurors following. "Shacklebolt, Jones, stay with Dumbledore and Tonks, see to it that they stay here."
Shacklebolt and Hestia Jones nodded and closed the door behind Fudge.
"You have to let us out." Tonks said.
"We can't" Jones said.
"But she's innocent!" Tonks yelled.
"Please, let us try and stop this, before it goes too far." Dumbledore said.
Hestia and Shacklebolt nodded, opening the door and following behind Dumbledore and Tonks.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Where is Jesabelle Potter?" Fudge asked Colin Creevey.
"I believe she's outside, near the lake, Minister." Colin answered, taken aback by Fudge's savage tone and appearance.
Fudge stormed out of the castle doors, scanning the area.
"Where is Jesabelle Potter?" Fudge asked Seamus, who was close by.
"She's over by that tree, Sir." Seamus said, pointing towards the tree Jesabelle was sitting at, and moving out of the way as Fudge ran towards the tree.
Jesabelle's eyes widened in horror as Fudge got closer and closer. She absolutely terrified.
"Jesabelle Potter!" Fudge screamed, stopping in front of her, as an Auror pulled her to her feet. The other Aurors formed a circle around, ensuring that she would not escape.
A female Auror with long brown hair, and blue-gray eyes stepped forward, removing a piece of parchment from her robes, and opening it, holding it before her.
Jesabelle clutched her book to her chest, but it was pulled away from her when two male Aurors pushed her to the ground on her knees, one of them holding her arms behind her.
"They're really going to arrest her!" Luna said in horror, as she raced toward Jesabelle, Fudge, and the Aurors.
"Jesabelle Carlanna Potter." The female Auror began, "You are being arrested under charges of treason against the Ministry of Magic through forming an allegiance with the Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
"No!" Luna said, stopping behind the Aurors and trying to fight her way through. The Aurors held her back. The others arrived right after.
Dumbledore, Tonks, Shacklebolt, Jones, and McGonagall made their way down the field.
"What evidence do you have?!" Neville screamed, trying to fight off the Auror who was holding him.
The Auror holding Jesabelle's arms removed her right arm roughly from behind her, and pulled back the sleeve, revealing the Dark Mark. By then, people were already gathering around, to see what all the commotion was about. Seeing the Dark Mark, they all gasped.
"That is the evidence." The female Auror said. "For you heinous crime," she continued, "you have condemned yourself to a life sentence in Azkaban, wherein your wand will be destroyed and you may possibly be granted a hearing."
Jesabelle hung her head low, tears falling to the grass. It was finally happening. She was being arrested and sent to Azkaban. She would never see Hogwarts again.
"Please, Minister." Tonks said. "She's innocent."
"You are in enough trouble as it is, Tonks." One of the Aurors said. "If you want to keep your job, then I suggest that you stay out of this!"
"But she's innocent!' Tonks screamed again.
One of the other Aurors searched her robes, as another pulled her up to stand on her feet, still holding her arms behind her back. The Auror removed Jesabelle's wand from her right pocket. Straightening up, he snapped it, handing it to the female Auror who was reading the charges, who was obviously the Head Auror of the group.
The Auror holding Jesabelle's hands behind her back handcuffed her hands and pushed her forward.
"Come on, move out of the way." He said to the crowd.
"I will deal with you and the school later, Dumbledore, after I fix this mess." Fudge said viciously, as he followed the Aurors.
The Aurors stood in front, behind, or on either side of Jesabelle, as escort. Neville and the others pulled himself away from the Aurors that were holding them, trying to fight off the other Aurors who were escorting Jesabelle.
"Stop it!" Jesabelle said, softly, looking up at him and the others. Harry was off to the side, too shocked to move. "There's nothing left here for me." She whispered, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, for everything."
She turned away, looking forward, her head held high, the tears still falling, walking with the Aurors, who felt nothing but pure hatred towards the Death Eater.
Neville and the others backed away, Dumbledore and Tonks standing behind them, as Shacklebolt and Jones ran to head off with the departing Aurors.
Ron rounded on Dumbledore. "You have to do something!" he screamed. "She's innocent! We all know it!"
"You know that I cannot overrule the law, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said sadly.
Luna, Hermione, and Ginny were crying silently, as Tonks dabbed at her eyes. Neville and Ron looked at each other sadly, knowing that Dumbledore was right.
Harry stood a distance from the crowd, people throwing him curious glances. They can and arrested her. It just happened. Jesabelle was gone. She was arrested. Jesabelle is gone! Harry turned away from the crowd and ran up the steps and into the castle, not sure whether he was angry, sad, or happy. His emotions were all in a bunch as the others in the clearing looked up at him, unsure of what to make of his reaction.
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The next morning, whispers followed Harry and the others as they headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast, none of them feeling hungry. They didn't get a wink of sleep last night, staying in the Common Room in silence, not wanting to bring back the awful truth that Jesabelle was arrested, and that she would not be coming back.
They seated themselves at the Gryffindor table as the entire Great Hall grew quite at their entrance. The owls came in and made their usual deliveries. Hermione paid the owl that delivered her the Prophet, and put the paper on the table in front of her. She took a deep breath, and opened it.
The others watched her for any reaction. She finished reading and handed them the paper, putting her face in her hands, sobbing quietly.
Neville, Ginny, and Ron leaned in to read the article.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ministry Officials Arrest Undercover Death Eater
Jesabelle Carlanna Potter, a seventeen year old Hogwarts student, was arrested by Ministry Aurors under charges of treason against the Ministry of Magic yesterday afternoon. Rock-solid evidence has proved her guilty as a prominent Death Eater, serving under the Dark Lord. Jesabelle accepted these charges and came along silently and without a struggle.
Potter has also been accused as an undercover agent, passing on secret information from Hogwarts to the Dark Lord. She has not been proven guilty, but the accusations still stand.
She was said to be involved in a Death Eater attack on Hogwarts the night before, which involved three other Death Eaters that were spotted by a Hogsmeade resident earlier on. Apparently, the Ministry has not received word of this, seeing as Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, failed or may have refused to report it.
Potter will be detained in Azkaban Wizard Prison and placed under top Dementor security until her hearing, which is scheduled to take place on the 15th of June.
Fudge and Dumbledore were not available to address any comment or questions, and further news is still yet to be heard on the matter.
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"We have to go to her hearing." Ginny said. "We have to try and defend her somehow."
"But how?" Hermione asked, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "Fudge and the rest of the council probably won't let us in, and if we are able to get in, how will we convince them that she really is innocent?"
"That's what we have to figure out." Ron said, folding the paper, and putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jesabelle sighed as she sat in between two Aurors. They were on the way to Azkaban on a small boat. It seems as if this had been planned ahead of time, for the Head Auror did not waste anytime squabbling with the Muggles that gave them their boat.
They set out at dawn, and were already at sea for two hours, the fog that was already forming blanketing them in its safe cover. Jesabelle was wondering whether they had gotten lost when the fog receded, revealing a small island, a stone structure resembling a building looking a century old sitting on its rocks, the waves of the ocean crashing down on it.
"Welcome to Azkaban, Death Eater." The Auror said, pushing Jesabelle up the stone steps near the clearing they set their boat at.
Five minutes later, they came to stone double doors, each standing eleven feet high. The doors blended so well with rest of the structure that Jesabelle didn't notice it was there, until they opened, revealing two other Ministry workers, both pale and shivering.
"John." One of the Aurors said.
"Sanders." One of the Ministry officials said.
The Auror called Sanders pushed Jesabelle inside, following a long hallway, which was completely dark, except for the lamps hanging from the ceiling every two feet.
"This, Death Eater," Sanders said, smirking, "is the infamous 'Path of the Guilty'. So-called because it was the same path every Death Eater takes, right to the doom of a broken mind." Sanders continued pushing Jesabelle ahead of him, her hands still chained, the smirk pasted on his face. It was evident he despised Death Eaters.
They reached a steel door, which the Ministry official, John, opened for them, leading the party into a small office, with only a small wooden table, two worn-looking armchairs, and a simple chair set behind the desk.
"Keep moving!" Sanders spat, pushing Jesabelle even more forward, making her trip and fall over. Sanders bent down and pulled her up roughly by the hair, so she was standing up again. He released her hair and forced her to stand in front of the desk as John sat behind it on the chair, removing a piece of parchment.
"Ah, yes, Jesabelle Potter." John said, removing a quill and inkbottle from a drawer. "Place your fingerprint on this section here." He gestured, pointing towards the bottom left hand corner of the parchment. Jesabelle looked up and realized that the parchment was completely blank.
Sanders took the dry quill from John, and took Jesabelle's hand, pricking her index finger with the tip of the quill. Jesabelle flinched slightly in surprise. Sanders placed Jesabelle's finger on the parchment, the blood going together to form a fingerprint of blood.
Jesabelle turned around in time to see her fingerprint sink into the parchment.
"Now please sign right next to the print there." John said, pointing towards the bottom right corner, handing Sanders the inkbottle.
Sanders dipped the quill into the bottle and signed his name, the signature sinking into the parchment as well.
Jesabelle continued staring at the parchment, until Sanders unsuspectingly unchained her hands. Before she could rub them together, because of the strain, a binding curse was placed on her. Sanders pushed her to the floor as John removed his wand. Sanders lifted Jesabelle's left arm, pushing it upward, so that her forearm was facing John. For a second, fear coursed through her as John pointed the tip of his wand to the piece of flesh near the vein protruding from her arm.
John muttered a spell that Jesabelle could not hear, and felt a sharp pain and heat shoot through her left arm. She whimpered.
John backed away, placing his wand back into his robes. She still remained controlled by the binding spell. Sanders lifted her up and pushed her into an armchair. The other Ministry official moved towards her, needle in hand. She recognized the liquid in the vial immediately. The bluish- purplish substance could not go unnoticed. Vampire repellant. They were going to inject her with vampire repellant.
Jesabelle writhed in her seat, struggling, but failing, to move away. The other Aurors held her down as the Ministry official injected her with the repellant. She felt the scars from last night reopen, and she closed her eyes, as she gritted her teeth, willing herself not to scream, not to give those idiots the satisfaction.
She opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by the Aurors, all them smirking at her reaction. She could feel blood seeping out of her gashes. She was beginning to fall in and out of consciousness, as part of the repellant's effect. She could feel someone holding her head up and forcing her mouth open, making her drink a burning substance. She cried out and turned her head, coughing.
"You'll never see daylight again, Death Eater." Sanders said, before Jesabelle collapsed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jesabelle woke up to find herself in a small cell, a small cot and tin blanket to her right, and a toilet at the far corner of the room. From the temperature inside the cell, Jesabelle assumed it was night. She got up and, surprisingly, found a small window a little higher above her head. She stood on her toes and looked out to see a full moon.
She sat down on the stone floor and leant against the wall, sighing heavily, rubbing her temples with her left arm. It was then that she remembered everything that happened before she woke up, and looked at her left forearm, seeing, for the first time, what they had put on it.
"72589." She read. Her brand number. She was no longer Jesabelle Potter, she was just 72589.
Suddenly, the whole room went cold, and darkness fell over her cell. Jesabelle turned her head from side to side. Suddenly, she heard a slow, rattling breath. She froze. She wasn't alone. Then, she heard the voices. She was in a different place.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Mum, please come with me! He'll kill you!" she yelled.
"No, Jesabelle, go to the safe house." A woman replied, her mother.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jesabelle's eyes welled with tears.
"No." she whispered.
She was reliving the night her mother died.
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"But mum!" Jesabelle said.
"GO!" Gema Potter said. "I will come back for you."
"I love you mum." Jesabelle said. Gema nodded and Jesabelle ran towards the safe house, barricading the door.
"You fool." A male voice said. "Did you really think that you escaped?"
"Get out of my house!" Gema said.
"The Dark Lord always knows, traitor. For your treachery against the Dark Lord, you will pay. And then your daughter will be next!" The male voice said again.
"No!" Gema said. "Not Jesabelle!"
"Yes!" the voice said. "Sooner or later we will find her, Gema, sooner or later. Avada Kedavra!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Jesabelle screamed, throwing her head back, as she saw the flash of green light, returning back to the present. She sobbed loudly. "No, mum, no." she whispered, pulling her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth. "NO."
Eyes still full of tears, Jesabelle looked up to see a Dementor, feeling its gaze upon her. She shivered. Sanders was right, she thought, I'll never see daylight again.
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There you go! I hope you all like that chapter! Anyways, just so you all know, I might not update for a while, the reason I cannot say here. But don't worry, I'll be back. I just don't know how long I may be gone. Just check every once in a while just in case I am able to update.
Thank you all for reading! Please read and review!
Coming Up.....Stay Tuned!
Chapter 29: Harry has a dream, and more on Azkaban.
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Chapter 28: The Path of the Guilty
The sun rose over the Hogwarts grounds as Jesabelle stared out the window. Luna had already left to check up on the others, while Dumbledore and Tonks were in Madame Pomfrey's office, probably discussing how to best handle the situation they were in.
"All right, dear," Madame Pomfrey said, handing Jesabelle a goblet with steaming liquid inside, "take this potion, it will complete the healing process."
"Thank you, Madame." Jesabelle said, taking the goblet and downing it's contents.
"Would you like some breakfast, dear?" Madame Pomfrey asked, taking the goblet from Jesabelle's hands. "I had the elves bring up a tray of food for you."
Jesabelle turned to look at her, seeming as if she was trying to process what she said. "No," she said finally, "No, that was very kind of you Madame, but I'm not hungry, thank you very much."
"All right then. Just call me if you need anything. I'll be coming by in another hour to check up." Madame Pomfrey said, closing the curtains around Jesabelle's bed.
Jesabelle smiled and nodded, trying her best not to look anxious.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Anyone up for another game of football?" Seamus asked.
"No, Seamus, sorry, thanks." Ron said.
Harry and the others were sitting at their usual spot underneath a tree by the lake. It was already noon. They had seen Jesabelle make her way slowly out an hour ago, sitting herself five trees down, burying herself in a book, trying not look at the others.
Seamus nodded and walked away, a concerned look upon his face. He knew it best not to get involved or ask if there was anything he could. It was like that with Harry and his friends. Sometimes, they didn't know what to do. Now was one of those times.
Harry spent most of his time in the Boys' Dorm, only coming out when Ginny begged him to. He didn't say a word for the entire time they had been out by the lake. The others did not say anything either.
"I believe her." Luna said, breaking the silence. "I think she's telling the truth."
"How do we know that for sure?" Hermione asked. "It's not like we can find Veritaserum lying around so we could feed it to her."
"Isn't Dumbledore's belief in her enough?" Luna asked.
"Of course it is." Ginny said. "And I believe her too, it's just a bit, well, hard to understand the whole thing."
"She doesn't expect you to, at least not right away." Luna said.
"Why are you defending her?" Harry asked.
"Because I know that she feels guilty, Harry." Luna said, turning to him. "I stayed with her after you all ran away."
"We didn't run away!" Ron said defensively.
"You all ran away and you know it." Luna said forcefully. "I stayed with her after you all left. She cried and cried for hours. And then cried again. The tears wouldn't stop coming. She felt beyond terrible for everything. She thinks that we will never understand. Ever."
"How can you be so sure that it isn't just an act?" Harry asked.
"Truthfully, I don't know, Harry." Luna said. "But I trust her, and if you want to question my judgment, go ahead. But you're her cousin, you're family."
Harry twitched at the word 'family'. It was apparent that the whole thing was having a great effect on him.
"True friends believe that the others are able to change, despite what they had done in the past. I believe in her. I believe she's innocent, I believe she is for us, not against us. And if you all were really her true friends, you would believe in her too." Luna said, giving them a look of slight disgust.
Neville sighed and ran his fingers through her hair. Ron looked out toward the lake.
"I agree with Luna." Hermione said, gripping Luna's hand.
"So do I." Ginny said, nodding.
Ron hung his head low. Neville looked out at the field. His eyes widened.
"Neville, what's wrong?" Luna asked.
Neville turned towards her, slowly growing pale. "Fudge is here, and he doesn't look like he's having a good day."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jesabelle looked up to see Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, walking towards the steps leading to the entrance doors, seven Aurors following closely behind. He had this sour look on his face that made Jesabelle shiver slightly. She lifted her book up to cover her face as she watched as Hogwarts students parted to get out of their way, whispers spreading throughout the area.
Jesabelle grew pale, as she put down her book, and turned her head, catching Neville's eye. This is it, she thought. They've come for me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Fudge made his way up the steps, meeting Professor McGonagall.
"Minister." McGonagall said, surprised. "What brings you here?"
"Where is Dumbledore?" Fudge asked.
"I believe he's upstairs in the Hospital Wing, with Professor Tonks." McGonagall said.
"Yes, we would like to speak with her too." One of the Aurors behind Fudge said.
McGonagall looked around and found that it was Kingsley Shacklebolt who spoke. She met his worried gaze and nodded, leading the ways towards the Hospital Wing, students parting to let them through.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"The Ministry's here?" Harry asked, standing up, looking at Fudge.
"Oh no!" They've come for her!" Ginny said. "We have to do something!"
"What can we do?" asked Ron.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Dumbledore!" Fudge called, as he stormed into the Hospital Wing, scaring Madame Pomfrey.
A door to the side opened and Dumbledore stepped out, followed by Tonks.
"What is this I hear about a Death Eater attack?!" Fudge demanded.
"Well, Cornelius," Dumbledore began. But Fudge cut him off.
"A Death Eater attack and no one alerted the Ministry!" Fudge said, growing red. "And what is this I hear about a Death Eater, here at the school?"
"Minister, I," Dumbledore began again, but Fudge interrupted.
"I was alerted by a source who wishes to remain anonymous, that one of the new students, Jesabelle Potter, to be exact, happens to be in league with You-Know-Who and his followers." Fudge said, getting redder by the minute.
"Minister, please, try to see reason!" Dumbledore said sternly.
"What reason? You have a Death Eater running around the premises, and you didn't even bother to alert the Ministry? Oh ho! This is the last straw, Dumbledore. You are finished! Finished!" Fudge yelled storming out the door, the Aurors following. "Shacklebolt, Jones, stay with Dumbledore and Tonks, see to it that they stay here."
Shacklebolt and Hestia Jones nodded and closed the door behind Fudge.
"You have to let us out." Tonks said.
"We can't" Jones said.
"But she's innocent!" Tonks yelled.
"Please, let us try and stop this, before it goes too far." Dumbledore said.
Hestia and Shacklebolt nodded, opening the door and following behind Dumbledore and Tonks.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Where is Jesabelle Potter?" Fudge asked Colin Creevey.
"I believe she's outside, near the lake, Minister." Colin answered, taken aback by Fudge's savage tone and appearance.
Fudge stormed out of the castle doors, scanning the area.
"Where is Jesabelle Potter?" Fudge asked Seamus, who was close by.
"She's over by that tree, Sir." Seamus said, pointing towards the tree Jesabelle was sitting at, and moving out of the way as Fudge ran towards the tree.
Jesabelle's eyes widened in horror as Fudge got closer and closer. She absolutely terrified.
"Jesabelle Potter!" Fudge screamed, stopping in front of her, as an Auror pulled her to her feet. The other Aurors formed a circle around, ensuring that she would not escape.
A female Auror with long brown hair, and blue-gray eyes stepped forward, removing a piece of parchment from her robes, and opening it, holding it before her.
Jesabelle clutched her book to her chest, but it was pulled away from her when two male Aurors pushed her to the ground on her knees, one of them holding her arms behind her.
"They're really going to arrest her!" Luna said in horror, as she raced toward Jesabelle, Fudge, and the Aurors.
"Jesabelle Carlanna Potter." The female Auror began, "You are being arrested under charges of treason against the Ministry of Magic through forming an allegiance with the Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."
"No!" Luna said, stopping behind the Aurors and trying to fight her way through. The Aurors held her back. The others arrived right after.
Dumbledore, Tonks, Shacklebolt, Jones, and McGonagall made their way down the field.
"What evidence do you have?!" Neville screamed, trying to fight off the Auror who was holding him.
The Auror holding Jesabelle's arms removed her right arm roughly from behind her, and pulled back the sleeve, revealing the Dark Mark. By then, people were already gathering around, to see what all the commotion was about. Seeing the Dark Mark, they all gasped.
"That is the evidence." The female Auror said. "For you heinous crime," she continued, "you have condemned yourself to a life sentence in Azkaban, wherein your wand will be destroyed and you may possibly be granted a hearing."
Jesabelle hung her head low, tears falling to the grass. It was finally happening. She was being arrested and sent to Azkaban. She would never see Hogwarts again.
"Please, Minister." Tonks said. "She's innocent."
"You are in enough trouble as it is, Tonks." One of the Aurors said. "If you want to keep your job, then I suggest that you stay out of this!"
"But she's innocent!' Tonks screamed again.
One of the other Aurors searched her robes, as another pulled her up to stand on her feet, still holding her arms behind her back. The Auror removed Jesabelle's wand from her right pocket. Straightening up, he snapped it, handing it to the female Auror who was reading the charges, who was obviously the Head Auror of the group.
The Auror holding Jesabelle's hands behind her back handcuffed her hands and pushed her forward.
"Come on, move out of the way." He said to the crowd.
"I will deal with you and the school later, Dumbledore, after I fix this mess." Fudge said viciously, as he followed the Aurors.
The Aurors stood in front, behind, or on either side of Jesabelle, as escort. Neville and the others pulled himself away from the Aurors that were holding them, trying to fight off the other Aurors who were escorting Jesabelle.
"Stop it!" Jesabelle said, softly, looking up at him and the others. Harry was off to the side, too shocked to move. "There's nothing left here for me." She whispered, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, for everything."
She turned away, looking forward, her head held high, the tears still falling, walking with the Aurors, who felt nothing but pure hatred towards the Death Eater.
Neville and the others backed away, Dumbledore and Tonks standing behind them, as Shacklebolt and Jones ran to head off with the departing Aurors.
Ron rounded on Dumbledore. "You have to do something!" he screamed. "She's innocent! We all know it!"
"You know that I cannot overrule the law, Mr. Weasley." Dumbledore said sadly.
Luna, Hermione, and Ginny were crying silently, as Tonks dabbed at her eyes. Neville and Ron looked at each other sadly, knowing that Dumbledore was right.
Harry stood a distance from the crowd, people throwing him curious glances. They can and arrested her. It just happened. Jesabelle was gone. She was arrested. Jesabelle is gone! Harry turned away from the crowd and ran up the steps and into the castle, not sure whether he was angry, sad, or happy. His emotions were all in a bunch as the others in the clearing looked up at him, unsure of what to make of his reaction.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next morning, whispers followed Harry and the others as they headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast, none of them feeling hungry. They didn't get a wink of sleep last night, staying in the Common Room in silence, not wanting to bring back the awful truth that Jesabelle was arrested, and that she would not be coming back.
They seated themselves at the Gryffindor table as the entire Great Hall grew quite at their entrance. The owls came in and made their usual deliveries. Hermione paid the owl that delivered her the Prophet, and put the paper on the table in front of her. She took a deep breath, and opened it.
The others watched her for any reaction. She finished reading and handed them the paper, putting her face in her hands, sobbing quietly.
Neville, Ginny, and Ron leaned in to read the article.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ministry Officials Arrest Undercover Death Eater
Jesabelle Carlanna Potter, a seventeen year old Hogwarts student, was arrested by Ministry Aurors under charges of treason against the Ministry of Magic yesterday afternoon. Rock-solid evidence has proved her guilty as a prominent Death Eater, serving under the Dark Lord. Jesabelle accepted these charges and came along silently and without a struggle.
Potter has also been accused as an undercover agent, passing on secret information from Hogwarts to the Dark Lord. She has not been proven guilty, but the accusations still stand.
She was said to be involved in a Death Eater attack on Hogwarts the night before, which involved three other Death Eaters that were spotted by a Hogsmeade resident earlier on. Apparently, the Ministry has not received word of this, seeing as Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, failed or may have refused to report it.
Potter will be detained in Azkaban Wizard Prison and placed under top Dementor security until her hearing, which is scheduled to take place on the 15th of June.
Fudge and Dumbledore were not available to address any comment or questions, and further news is still yet to be heard on the matter.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"We have to go to her hearing." Ginny said. "We have to try and defend her somehow."
"But how?" Hermione asked, wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. "Fudge and the rest of the council probably won't let us in, and if we are able to get in, how will we convince them that she really is innocent?"
"That's what we have to figure out." Ron said, folding the paper, and putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jesabelle sighed as she sat in between two Aurors. They were on the way to Azkaban on a small boat. It seems as if this had been planned ahead of time, for the Head Auror did not waste anytime squabbling with the Muggles that gave them their boat.
They set out at dawn, and were already at sea for two hours, the fog that was already forming blanketing them in its safe cover. Jesabelle was wondering whether they had gotten lost when the fog receded, revealing a small island, a stone structure resembling a building looking a century old sitting on its rocks, the waves of the ocean crashing down on it.
"Welcome to Azkaban, Death Eater." The Auror said, pushing Jesabelle up the stone steps near the clearing they set their boat at.
Five minutes later, they came to stone double doors, each standing eleven feet high. The doors blended so well with rest of the structure that Jesabelle didn't notice it was there, until they opened, revealing two other Ministry workers, both pale and shivering.
"John." One of the Aurors said.
"Sanders." One of the Ministry officials said.
The Auror called Sanders pushed Jesabelle inside, following a long hallway, which was completely dark, except for the lamps hanging from the ceiling every two feet.
"This, Death Eater," Sanders said, smirking, "is the infamous 'Path of the Guilty'. So-called because it was the same path every Death Eater takes, right to the doom of a broken mind." Sanders continued pushing Jesabelle ahead of him, her hands still chained, the smirk pasted on his face. It was evident he despised Death Eaters.
They reached a steel door, which the Ministry official, John, opened for them, leading the party into a small office, with only a small wooden table, two worn-looking armchairs, and a simple chair set behind the desk.
"Keep moving!" Sanders spat, pushing Jesabelle even more forward, making her trip and fall over. Sanders bent down and pulled her up roughly by the hair, so she was standing up again. He released her hair and forced her to stand in front of the desk as John sat behind it on the chair, removing a piece of parchment.
"Ah, yes, Jesabelle Potter." John said, removing a quill and inkbottle from a drawer. "Place your fingerprint on this section here." He gestured, pointing towards the bottom left hand corner of the parchment. Jesabelle looked up and realized that the parchment was completely blank.
Sanders took the dry quill from John, and took Jesabelle's hand, pricking her index finger with the tip of the quill. Jesabelle flinched slightly in surprise. Sanders placed Jesabelle's finger on the parchment, the blood going together to form a fingerprint of blood.
Jesabelle turned around in time to see her fingerprint sink into the parchment.
"Now please sign right next to the print there." John said, pointing towards the bottom right corner, handing Sanders the inkbottle.
Sanders dipped the quill into the bottle and signed his name, the signature sinking into the parchment as well.
Jesabelle continued staring at the parchment, until Sanders unsuspectingly unchained her hands. Before she could rub them together, because of the strain, a binding curse was placed on her. Sanders pushed her to the floor as John removed his wand. Sanders lifted Jesabelle's left arm, pushing it upward, so that her forearm was facing John. For a second, fear coursed through her as John pointed the tip of his wand to the piece of flesh near the vein protruding from her arm.
John muttered a spell that Jesabelle could not hear, and felt a sharp pain and heat shoot through her left arm. She whimpered.
John backed away, placing his wand back into his robes. She still remained controlled by the binding spell. Sanders lifted her up and pushed her into an armchair. The other Ministry official moved towards her, needle in hand. She recognized the liquid in the vial immediately. The bluish- purplish substance could not go unnoticed. Vampire repellant. They were going to inject her with vampire repellant.
Jesabelle writhed in her seat, struggling, but failing, to move away. The other Aurors held her down as the Ministry official injected her with the repellant. She felt the scars from last night reopen, and she closed her eyes, as she gritted her teeth, willing herself not to scream, not to give those idiots the satisfaction.
She opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by the Aurors, all them smirking at her reaction. She could feel blood seeping out of her gashes. She was beginning to fall in and out of consciousness, as part of the repellant's effect. She could feel someone holding her head up and forcing her mouth open, making her drink a burning substance. She cried out and turned her head, coughing.
"You'll never see daylight again, Death Eater." Sanders said, before Jesabelle collapsed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jesabelle woke up to find herself in a small cell, a small cot and tin blanket to her right, and a toilet at the far corner of the room. From the temperature inside the cell, Jesabelle assumed it was night. She got up and, surprisingly, found a small window a little higher above her head. She stood on her toes and looked out to see a full moon.
She sat down on the stone floor and leant against the wall, sighing heavily, rubbing her temples with her left arm. It was then that she remembered everything that happened before she woke up, and looked at her left forearm, seeing, for the first time, what they had put on it.
"72589." She read. Her brand number. She was no longer Jesabelle Potter, she was just 72589.
Suddenly, the whole room went cold, and darkness fell over her cell. Jesabelle turned her head from side to side. Suddenly, she heard a slow, rattling breath. She froze. She wasn't alone. Then, she heard the voices. She was in a different place.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Mum, please come with me! He'll kill you!" she yelled.
"No, Jesabelle, go to the safe house." A woman replied, her mother.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jesabelle's eyes welled with tears.
"No." she whispered.
She was reliving the night her mother died.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"But mum!" Jesabelle said.
"GO!" Gema Potter said. "I will come back for you."
"I love you mum." Jesabelle said. Gema nodded and Jesabelle ran towards the safe house, barricading the door.
"You fool." A male voice said. "Did you really think that you escaped?"
"Get out of my house!" Gema said.
"The Dark Lord always knows, traitor. For your treachery against the Dark Lord, you will pay. And then your daughter will be next!" The male voice said again.
"No!" Gema said. "Not Jesabelle!"
"Yes!" the voice said. "Sooner or later we will find her, Gema, sooner or later. Avada Kedavra!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Jesabelle screamed, throwing her head back, as she saw the flash of green light, returning back to the present. She sobbed loudly. "No, mum, no." she whispered, pulling her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth. "NO."
Eyes still full of tears, Jesabelle looked up to see a Dementor, feeling its gaze upon her. She shivered. Sanders was right, she thought, I'll never see daylight again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There you go! I hope you all like that chapter! Anyways, just so you all know, I might not update for a while, the reason I cannot say here. But don't worry, I'll be back. I just don't know how long I may be gone. Just check every once in a while just in case I am able to update.
Thank you all for reading! Please read and review!
Coming Up.....Stay Tuned!
Chapter 29: Harry has a dream, and more on Azkaban.
