Title: A Little Bit of Love
Rating: R
Pairing(s): HP/DM, LV/SS
Warning(s): slash, violence, language, angst
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. I own nothing here except for the plot.
Summary: The summer after fifth year finds Harry depressed. His godfather is dead, his relatives are being worse than usual, and the prophecy is weighing heavily on his mind. So when a shocking letter arrives at Privet Drive how does Harry cope?
Chapter Nine
Ryu was sweating when, several days later, they got around to calling up the death eaters that had been captured. According to Allens, who was continuously watching and studying the jury, they had a good chance of acquittal without even calling the death eaters or the mediwizards. Veritaserum had not been used on the victims, but none had been able to tell for sure that Tom was the one that attacked them.
"Can you clarify for the court what exactly you were arrested for, and what deal you made for your testimony?" Switzer was practically spitting at the man on the stand. Ryu felt sorry for the guy, who was one of the lesser Death Eaters Tom had ordered to be caught.
"I was arrested because I used an unforgivable on a muggle." The man said in the monotone voice of one under the effects of Veritaserum. "I was sentenced to only a year in Azkaban for this testimony."
"Did you participate in any of the larger raids?"
"No."
"Then why are you here? You couldn't possibly know any of the details about them." The death eaters began to stammer out and answer while Switzer took his seat. Allens stood.
"Don't answer that. Are you aware of the raid on Willow Brook?" Ryu raked his brain until he remembered an incident where a bunch of wizards attacked and killed a large farming community of muggles.
"Yes."
"What was the date?"
"April 22, 2003."
"You were not there?"
"No."
"Where were you?"
"At the home base of the time."
"Where was that?"
"I am not the secret keeper. I do not know."
"Were you alone?"
"No."
"Who else was with you?"
"Lucius Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew.." He rambled on a list of names that made Ryu roll his eyes. "…And Our Lord."
"Your Lord? Clarify who that is?"
"Lord Voldemort."
"What was he doing?"
"He was locking in one of the bedrooms."
"How do you know?"
"I served him his dinner. He did not eat it."
"Did you see him?"
"Yes."
"Thank you." The man was escorted away, and another was brought out. Augustus Rookwood, if Ryu remembered correctly. The man was given the Veritaserum and Ryu watched as Switzer grew pale. Not surprisingly he waved away his right to question the man first, so Switzer stood again.
"State your name for the record?"
"Augustus Rookwood."
"You are one of the people closest to Lord Voldemort, are you not?"
"Yes."
"How close?"
"I am one of his inner circle."
"How long have you known him?"
"For as long as I could remember."
"So you know him well. When you first met him what was he like?"
"Ambitious, charming. He wanted our world to be separate from the muggles and he wanted the muggleborns to be monitored."
"Did he ever say why?"
"He always said that too much muggle blood would dilute the magic in ours. He would say that muggles did not understand our kind and they should not be allowed into our world."
"What happened to him as time passed?"
"He got very happy. But then for some reason he wouldn't say he grew very depressed and began to withdraw."
"How so?"
"He wouldn't eat, he mentioned not sleeping."
"What about his temper?"
"It grew short. HE started to curse us. He started to campaign against certain people."
"What people?"
"The minister, Dumbledore, James Potter."
"So you would say that after a certain time he became short of temper and obsessed with certain people."
"Yes."
"Like a totally different person?"
"Yes."
"Thank you." Allens took his seat and was replaced by Switzer.
"So he changed, just like that?"
"Yes."
"But you don't know why?"
"No."
"I thought you said you were close to him? How could you not know something so life altering?"
"He didn't share everything with me."
"So if he wanted to he could have planned this long ago as a safety net?"
"I don't know."
"Could he be faking it?"
"Objection! Witness is not qualified to answer a medical question." Switzer glared.
"Does he seem to change like this a lot?"
"Yes, lately." Switzer ran out of steam and sat down. Rookwood was led away.
"Let's take a break and return tomorrow." The judge said with a sigh. "Eight o'clock."
TBC