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 35: The Hearing

Notorious Death Eater Brought Into Custody

Jesabelle Potter, who was originally arrested and sent to Azkaban on June 11th, was brought into custody yesterday after Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, allowed for her to properly graduate from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as requested by Headmaster of the school, Albus Dumbledore.

She is currently being held for further questioning and imprisonment at the Ministry of Magic Headquarters, where her hearing will take place tomorrow, on Sunday, June 27th.

But, the growing dislike of this Death Eater only grows even stronger as new information about this mysterious Death Eater has arisen, thanks to an anonymous source.

"She is the daughter of the Dark Lord." Our source states. "She is his own flesh and blood."

Although this statement has not been proven true, members of the public are already criticizing Fudge by keeping her alive.

"If everything is true, then we have more to fear." A female village member of Hogsmeade said. "Even if we defeat the Dark Lord, will this daughter of his rise to take his place and continue his work?"

"Fudge is a fool to keep her alive."

Protesters are already beginning to form at the Ministry of Magic, carrying signs and demanding that Potter should receive the Dementor's Kiss.

Members of Fudge's council are already working to control the crowd, explaining to them that by killing Potter, they may not be able to gain any new information about her supposed "father" that may aid them in the upcoming war.

"I think the rumors are true though." One of the protestors said. "Why would You-Know-Who go through so much trouble to capture Azkaban if his daughter wasn't there in the first place?"

"Common sense. Once Potter was sent to Azkaban, the siege began. The Ministry is blind to that fact, thinking that there is a possibility that it could just be come sort of false rumor caused by the tabloids to make them look bad."

"I agree with them." Another anonymous source said. "I know for sure, and I am willing to bet my life on it, that Jesabelle Potter is the Dark Lord's daughter."

"What makes you say that?" a representative for the Prophet asked.

"Because I was an undercover Death Eater for the Ministry of Magic until recently, when my cover was blown. I was there at Azkaban. And he (Voldemort) always spoke of retrieving his daughter, Jesabelle Potter." The source replied.

We say again to the public that despite all the other comments printed here, that the Ministry of Magic is running some tests to see if the rumors are true. We can only wait for the outcome of the hearing that will take place tomorrow.

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"Argh!" Harry screamed, hurling the newspaper at the wall.

They were still in Hogwarts, sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room. Everyone else had already left for summer vacation on the trains just that morning.

Dumbledore had allowed them to remain behind, along with the staff and some members of the Order, knowing that Hogwarts was the safest place to stay at the time.

The Dursleys were currently being persuaded by Lupin and Tonks to leave Privet Drive and come to Hogwarts for their own safety.

"Who told the Prophet about Jesabelle's past?" Luna asked as Ron ran hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Probably a pawn sent in by Voldemort to make Fudge look bad." Harry said angrily as Ginny got up and picked up the paper from the ground where it landed.

Ginny glanced at it. "They want her to receive the Death Eater's Kiss!" she screamed in terror.

"Is there no mercy left in this world?" Hermione asked, feeling Harry's anger rising within her as well.

"We have to go to the hearing tomorrow." Neville said.

"But what if they won't let us in?" Ron asked.

"We'll just say we're there to witness the 'event' or something." Hermione said.

"We have to talk to Dumbledore about this." Harry said.

Then, as if on cue, the portrait swung open and Dumbledore stepped in, followed by McGonagall, who looked grim, the Daily Prophet in her hand.

"Pull your cloaks on." He said. "We have a hearing to go to."

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Jesabelle sat in a room with a small table and chair. She was chained to the chair and she listened, the silence beginning to take its toll on her patience.

She was brought in here yesterday evening and questioned for the entire night. She didn't risk sleep; she did not want to have nightmares, especially here in the Ministry of Magic, where everyone thought she was lower than dirt.

She lifted her head as Hestia Jones stepped in, closing the door she entered through behind her, its outline and doorknob disappearing with the rest of the war, camouflaged.

Smart, Jesabelle thought as Jones sat down in a chair across the table from her.

She was carrying a file in her hand and opened it, looking at a stack of papers stating date of birth, living areas, time of arrest, papers on the siege, and blank pieces of parchment.

"Good Afternoon, Auror Jones." Jesabelle said, bowing her head as a sign of respect towards her.

"Good afternoon Jesabelle." Jones said, giving her a small smile.

"You're still exchanging pleasantries with me, that's a good sign." Jesabelle said. "Isn't anyone listening to our every word?" she asked, looking around the room. It was painted in a neutral shade of gray.

"No, it's just the two of us." Jones said.

"I see." Jesabelle replied, looking back at her.

"The Head Aurors agreed with me when I wanted to have a one on one with you." Jones said. "We all know that it is the best way to get information out of suspects."

"And if you can't get any information out of me in the next hour and half, depending, you have permission to beat me for it." Jesabelle said.

"We usually do that for the lower criminals." Jones said. "Now the bigger ones are usually harder to crack. We've found in years past that beating a criminal of your stature gets you nowhere. So we have settled for the nice, slow way, the manipulation of the mind."

"Ah, yes, psychology." Jesabelle said, obviously impressed by the Ministry's sense of change. She leaned forward in her chair.

"You sit there, talking with the most evil Death Eaters, making them feel guilty, and naming all the people they killed, imitating the screams they made as they killed them. Then," she clicked her tongue, making Jones jump slightly in her chair.

"Those with the weakest will crack like an egg during breakfast time. And as you continue on your verbal assault, you add oil to the frying pan where they lay, and they continue to shrink and shrivel, feeding you every piece of information you want to know."

Jones remained silent, staring at the seventeen year old girl sitting in front of her, slightly shaken by Jesabelle's cool attitude. She cleared her throat and shifted uneasily in her chair, still eyeing Jesabelle.

"And even with the most toughest, like, let's say, Bellatrix Lestrange, you just try to force her to drink Veritaserum, and when an Auror gets a piece of his hand removed, thanks to her teeth, you just decide that she won't say anything and throw her into Azkaban." Jesabelle finished, obviously disgusted.

Jones went over Jesabelle's statement in her mind. If her memory served her right, that was exactly what happened when they brought Lestrange in two years ago.

Jesabelle leaned back in her chair, smiling.

"Voldemort knows a lot more about the systems in here than you do, Auror Jones, so I think you should all be careful." Jesabelle said.

"Listen, Jesabelle, I can sit here all day, and I will if I have to, but listen and listen good." Jones said, leaning forward, folding her hands in front of her on the table. "You're not very popular with the people protesting on the floor above you."

"Obviously not." Jesabelle said. "I'm a Death Eater."

"And word has spread throughout the public and the media about your secret connection with Voldemort." Jones said.

"Let me guess, an 'anonymous source' was sent out there to ruin the Ministry?" Jesabelle asked, not surprised.

"Yes, and the public are criticizing the Ministry. They want you to receive the Dementor's Kiss." Jones said.

Jesabelle sighed and shook her head. "But?" she asked.

"Fudge wants to keep you alive." Jones said. "He thinks you could be useful."

"As bait, right?" Jesabelle said. "Leverage?"

"Exactly." Jones said.

Silence fell upon them as Jesabelle went over the entire situation in her head.

"What questions do you have for me?" Jesabelle asked.

"Before we start, I need you to drink this." Jones said, pulling out a vial.

"Veritaserum." Jesabelle said as Jones stood up and walked around the table towards her.

"Hestia." She said. "My hearing is tomorrow, I hate my father, and I am as guilty of as many crimes as Lucius Malfoy himself, I don't think I'm going to lie to you when I answer your questions. I want my punishment to be as lenient as possible, considering the crimes."

Jones stepped back.

"I'm willing to accept whatever punishment they will give me." Jesabelle said.

Jones nodded and sat down in her chair, removing a quill from her robe and placing the Veritaserum on the table. She flipped through the file again and stopped at one page, reading it over in her mind. A few seconds later, she looked up and inhaled deeply.

"Jesabelle Carlanna Potter. Born September 15, 1986. Parents Gema Potter and Thomas Marvolo Riddle." Jesabelle said, before Jones could ask.

"All right." Jones said.

"In the time when my mother was working for the Ministry of Magic as an Auror for the Department of Mysteries, she also served as a double agent for the Ministry, passing on information from Voldemort's inner circle until her cover was blown." Jesabelle continued.

"The Ministry granted her protection and she left Voldemort's fortress when she found out she was pregnant with me. Sean Freedman, Auror, Department of Mysteries, help set up secret safe houses for us for eleven years. We move twenty-three times, until my mother's death on March 19, 1997. I was then kidnapped and forced to study the Dark Arts."

Jones scribbled on the parchment in front of her, listening attentively.

"I was bitten and became a vampire when I was five, but we never registered." Jesabelle continued. "And yes, I plotted against Harry Potter and the Ministry of Magic."

"Why?" Jones asked.

"I did not know I was a Potter." Jesabelle said simply. "We were always registered under a different last name."

"I left Voldemort, or, ran away from him to Durmstrang in Bulgaria when I was sixteen, where I studied before coming to Hogwarts."

"Did Dumbledore know about your past and you connections with the Death Eaters when he accepted you into the school?" Jones asked, still scribbling.

"Yes." Jesabelle replied. "Does that pretty much cover all of it?"

"Just about." Jones said, eyeing the parchment before closing the file.

"Thank you." Jesabelle said as Jones got up.

Jones nodded and smiled at her. "Oh, and just so you know," she said. "I think you're not at fault for a lot of things that you did. I think you're innocent."

Jesabelle gave Jones a small smile as she turned around and knocked on the wall behind her. The door appeared and she stepped out, closing it behind her, the door once again fading into the wall.

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"JESABELLE POTTER IS GUILTY!" a man screamed over the crowd, standing at the raised platform of the fountain that was situated in the middle of the Atrium.

Harry, Hermione, Ginny, Ron, Neville, Remus, Tonks, Moody, and McGonagall, led by Dumbledore pushed through the protestors. It took them the whole say yesterday to get from Hogwarts to the Ministry.

"SHE DESERVES THE DEMENTOR'S KISS!" the man screamed again.

The crowd screamed, throwing up their signs, showing their agreement.

Harry and the others looked at the crowd; a few of them (the tall and skinny ones) were wearing gray cloaks, representing Dementors. Others were carrying signs with grotesque portraits of various forms of torture. Others were carrying signs that bore the Dark Mark with a big red X slashed across it.

The crowd was beginning to heat up.

"DEATH TO THE DARK LORD'S DAUGHTER!" he continued. "DEATH TO JESABELLE POTTER!"

The crowd screamed again in response as Harry and the others finally pushed their way to the front.

"It's Harry Potter!" one of the protestors screamed.

It was chaos as the crowd began turning towards where Harry and the others stood. Suddenly, tens of voices were all talking at once.

"What are you going to do about your cousin?" one asked.

"Do you think she deserves the Kiss?" another asked.

"Were you two close?"

"Is it true that she's You-Know-Who's daughter?"

"Is it true fought against you in Azkaban?"

"Is it true that she's one of the most powerful Death Eaters in the Dark Lord's army?"

"Is it true she's been studying the Dark Arts since she was three years old?"

Is it true?

Is it true?

IS IT TRUE?

Harry rolled his eyes and pushed through the crowd, finally making it to the elevator. They pilled inside and pushed the button that lead them down to the lower levels, where the hearing would take place. The doors closed just as the crowd was moving towards them.

They exhaled deeply and stood in silence as the voice once again proclaimed what levels they were heading past.

Finally, five minutes later, they reached the ninth level.

Harry and the others walked out and Dumbledore turned to the right, opening a wooden door and proceeding down some stairs, leading to the tenth level, the Courtrooms.

"According to Hestia, the hearing should take place at Room 17." Tonks said, taking the lead.

They reached the room in not much time and opened the door, stepping in cautiously.

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"Sunday, June 25." Jesabelle said, looking up at the ceiling. "My, is this going to be fun."

The door appeared again, except to her left and it opened, revealing five Aurors. Jesabelle recognized three of them to be part of the party that arrested her just a while ago. They were all wearing black coats.

Two Aurors removed the chains from around Jesabelle's torso as the other three stood on. They pulled her out of the chair a little roughly and placed more chains on her, handcuffing her hands. One led them out while Jesabelle followed, one Auror on either side of her.

Jesabelle eyed the stone walls as they walked. A few minutes later, they came to a door guarded by another Auror.

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Harry and the others took seats behind the back. Surprisingly, no one noticed.

The Hearing Room was packed with people, their faces grim and set. Harry and the others doubted any one of them would show any mercy towards Jesabelle.

Hestia Jones stood up from the front row, holding a piece of parchment. Neville checked his clock.

"Right on time, ten o'clock." He said, looking up to the front as Jones stood in front of the court, unrolling the parchment and holding it before her.

"All rise for the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge and his Council." Jones said, her voice ringing out through the room.

Everyone in the room stood up as Fudge, followed by Umbridge, Percy, and three other older Ministry members walked in from a door and took their seats at their raised platform, Fudge at the center, Umbridge on his right. Everyone sat back down.

A door on their right opened and Jesabelle stepped in, flanked by the Aurors. They led her to a chair and she sat down, placing an arm on each arm of the chair. The chains surrounding it surrounded her torso and shackles came around her hands and chained her to the chair.

Jesabelle looked up at Fudge and the council.

Harry and the others watched as the entire process took place, all feeling equally nervous about the hearing that was about to take place.

"Jesabelle Carlanna Potter Riddle. Prisoner number 72589." Jones said. "You are present here to be properly charged for you crimes."

Jesabelle nodded.

"These crimes include conspiring against the Ministry of Magic, participating in the Dark Arts, becoming a Death Eater, serving the Dark Lord, conspiring against Harry Potter, and, lastly, for the murder of Draco Malfoy." Jones finished, a questioning look on her face.

Harry and the others gasped.

"NO!" Harry said, standing up.

"Harry!" Dumbledore said.

"Potter." Umbridge snarled.

"She did not kill Draco Malfoy!" Harry screamed.

"Harry!" Jesabelle screamed.

"Mr. Potter, restrain yourself!" Fudge said as Auror made their way towards the back where they sat.

The rest of the assembly turned around, surprised.

"Sit down Harry!" Ron said, pulling Harry down.

The Auror stopped at their row and stood behind it, eyeing Harry with dislike.

"As Auror Jones has stated, among the other crimes that we all know Riddle is guilty for," Umbridge said, "she is also responsible for the death of Draco Malfoy."

Jesabelle twitched slightly at being called a Riddle and glared at Umbridge. She knew better than to try and defend herself. She decided to try and relax, waiting to see what the Ministry had up their sleeves.

"To present proof of this accusation," Jones continued, "the Ministry of Magic brings to you our witness, Gabriel Parker."

Jesabelle, Harry, and the others looked up in surprise as Gabriel Parker walked into the room, holding a white handkerchief, sniffling slightly, sitting in a chair on a raised platform at the assembly's left.

"Welcome Ms. Parker, we are glad you were able to join us." Umbridge said, using the most disgusting sweet voice they had ever heard.

"Thank you, Madam." Parker said. "But I am only here to assist the Ministry in bringing this monster to justice."

Parker looked at Jesabelle, and she felt anger rush within her.

"Would you please tell us what you witnessed at Azkaban prison?" Umbridge asked.

"Yes, of course." Parker said, wiping her nose.

Jesabelle could tell she was faking and was disgusted beyond words. She felt she was going to throw up any second as Parker continued.

"I've been working with the Ministry as an undercover Death Eater." Parker said.

Jesabelle grunted.

"I was summoned by V-V-Voldemort to come to Azkaban. I left Hogwarts and headed to the island. When I got there, Jesabelle had already been released, and she was speaking with Voldemort about their plans to take over the Ministry." Parker said.

She paused, wiping the corners of her eyes.

"A few days later, I was walking down the corridors of the prison, searching for Jesabelle when I heard laughter coming from her "cell". Then I heard screams. I decided to see what was going on."

"And then?" Fudge asked softly.

"And then," Parker 'choked', beginning to 'sob'. "I walked in to find Jesabelle, holding up a dagger, laughing like a maniac, Draco's body covered in blood at her feet."

The assembly nodded to each other as Parker began to 'sob' greatly, using the handkerchief to 'wipe her tears away'.

"Do you have this dagger?" Percy asked. He, as well as Harry and the others, could see through the act. He didn't trust her.

"Yes, I do." Parker said, opening her purse and pulling out a dagger with a silver crusted base. "She threw it at me with Draco Malfoy's blood still on it, saying that it as too bad I missed the show and that this was a souvenir."

Jones walked up and examined the dagger.

She looked up at the council saying, "There are traces of dried blood left on this dagger."

Percy sighed inwardly as Fudge leaned over to him.

"We've got her now." He whispered, obviously pleased. "She won't be able to wiggle her way out this time."

Percy nodded, feeling grim.

Parker began crying loudly now.

"She's a murderer." She said, pointing across the room at Jesabelle. "She must suffer for killing him!"

The rest of the assembly nodded their heads in approval as Parker was escorted out of the courtroom.

"She makes me sick." Hermione said.

"She deserves a good slap, she does." Luna said, her hand forming into a fist.

Fudge and the rest of the council huddled together, discussing Jesabelle's punishment.

Jesabelle sighed as she looked at Dumbledore and the others. Members of the Order had their faces set grim and angry as Harry and the others conversed about Parker as a so-called 'witness'.

Five minutes later, fudge stood up.

"I, Minister Cornelius Fudge, as with the support of my council hereby find Jesabelle Potter guilty of all charges that she has been presented with." Fudge said. "Her punishment," he paused, "will be life imprisonment, unless called back by the Ministry of Magic, and complete banishment from England and the Wizarding World. "

The assembly's voices rose.

"We know that the question on all of your minds is 'why keep her alive?'. But I say this to you; we shall keep her alive until we can find further use for her. This hearing is now adjourned."

Fudge and the other council members gathered their things as Harry and the others rushed to where Jesabelle stood.

Just as Fudge had said the last word, the same five Aurors that escorted her to the hearing unchained her and began escorting her towards the door that they entered through.

"No!" Harry said as Jesabelle began to disappear behind the door.

"Please, sir, keep your distance!" an Auror said. "Or we may have to call security."

Harry watched as the door swung closed.

They walked to the back of the courtroom, hope dwindling.

"Harry." Jones said, coming up to him.

"Auror Jones." Harry said as Sean Freedman emerged from the side, apparently, they did not notice him when they came in.

"Auror Freedman." Ron said.

"They're taking her upstairs tot eh Atrium, through the crowd, they are going to transport her through the fireplaces." Freedman said.

"To the prison?" Neville asked.

"No," Jones said, "to a secret safe house until it is safe to transport her to the prison."

"Let's go then." Harry said, rushing down the hallway.

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Jesabelle was somewhat surprised at the Ministry's model of punishment, and it kept picking at her as the elevator reached the Atrium.

As the doors opened, Jesabelle could hear the screams of the protestors.

My, this really is going to be fun, she thought sarcastically as she and the Aurors stepped out.

It was pandemonium as the protestors surrounded them, some clearing their path, others standing right in front of them.

Jesabelle could hear their screams as she was showered with spit and insults from the crowd around her.

"Death to Jesabelle Potter!" they yelled in unison.

Harry and the others ran out of the door leading to the Atrium, having used the stairs instead of the elevator. Seeing Jesabelle disappear into the crowd, Harry, followed by Dumbledore and the Order, rushed after them, fighting their way through the crowd.

The crowd was beside themselves with anger as they pushed and shoved each other, and the Aurors, so as to get a chance to try and rip Jesabelle's head off.

Harry fought through the crowd and finally came up behind the Aurors just as a man broke out his wand forced the Aurors backward. The male protestor dropped his wand and grabbed Jesabelle's neck, choking her.

"Here is the mighty daughter of the Dark Lord." He screamed. "What are you going to do now, little girl? You will pay."

Jesabelle stared the man in the eye, and like Fudge, the man felt a twinge of fear, but it subsided as he pushed it aside, tightening his hold around Jesabelle's neck.

The crowd screamed in entertainment as Jesabelle fought for breath. She didn't try fighting off the man, she knew she deserved it.

"DEATH TO JESABELLE POTTER!" he screamed.

The Aurors, momentarily surprised, got up, but Harry beat them to her.

He lunged for the man, who he recognized as the same man who was stirring up the protestors when they reached the Atrium to attend Jesabelle's hearing.

He punched him, sending him backward into the crowd.

The protestors gasped and fell silent as Harry, filled with rage, eyed them angrily.

Jesabelle coughed, having landed hard on the ground after Harry made the man release his grip on her.

Harry, hearing her, turned around quickly and pulled her up to her feet.

"Thanks Harry." Jesabelle whispered as Harry nodded and turned around, standing in front of her, shielding her from the crowd.

Dumbledore and the others were busy helping the Aurors up.

"Back off!" Harry screamed at the crowd. "Or else you'll end up like the man who is lying unconscious, or maybe even worse."

An Auror made his way through the crowd, checking the man Harry had beat down while another one approached him.

"How does it look?" he asked.

"Out cold." The other responded.

The crowd backed up a few steps, eyeing Harry with fear.

Another Auror appeared and with the help of Dumbledore and the others, helped restore order in the crowd.

Five minutes later, when the man Harry attacked was taken away by other Aurors, the five that had flanked Jesabelle earlier removed their wands and stood by her again, continuing on towards the fireplace, Harry and the others close behind.

The crowd followed closely, though keeping enough distance so as not to go too near to any member of the Order or Harry for that matter.

The Aurors made their way through and one of them threw powder into the nearest one, the flames turning purple.

Two of them entered and the time, disappearing behind the flames. And just as Jesabelle walked into the fire with an Auror on each side of her, she turned her head and looked at Harry, giving him a small, but sad smile, and with a small pop, she disappeared as well.

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Hi everyone! I'm really sorry for the long time I've been taking to update (Ducks, narrowly missing bullets. I feel like Neo from the Matrix.). So what? Good, bad, ugly, tell me!

Please read and review!

Coming Up...............Stay Tuned!

Chapter 36: Jesabelle is taken to the 'safe house', more on that (insert the worst word you could use) Gabriel Parker, and (sob) Draco's funeral service.