Chapter II

Trial of wolves

The business car flew for another twenty minutes, passing over each and every house along the way, nobody had seemed to have noticed the odd car above their head, almost as if it was invisible.

Remus' stomach lurched as the car lowered, it was exactly the same as lifting into the air, excluding the weightless drop and tickling feeling that made him feel sick. As nervous as the young werewolf was, he had to act out his part, even if it counted showing himself up completely, anything was better than spending an era dying in a prison cell.

Remus pressed his forehead against the cold window as it landed, staring off into space thinking of what a wizard trial would be like, he had no doubt that they had their own language, or even spoke about things he had no idea about.

"OK, follow me, its not going to be a full hearing like I said before, its going to be located in a rundown house. Deserted, no crowd just three employees from the Ministry of Magic" Came the voice of his father. Remus sighed, and looked in his direction, the tall adult seemed happy about the trial, almost as if he wanted to get rid of the eleven year old.

The young werewolf joined his dad, as they crossed the road, it was a cold afternoon, winter had most defiantly come early, it was misty and icy on most of the windows which made the hazel eyes boy shudder. Passing homeless people on the roads just made Remus unease more and more. He looked up hoping to get rid of the rigid thoughts, there were more clouds than usual, its appeared it was going to rain any second. Trotting, his father led the eleven year old to what looked like an old pub, the windows were boarded off and spider webs were nested at corners of them. This was most defiantly the 'rundown house' His dad had gone on about.

"Come, come. Don't want to keep the ministry waiting" Mr Lupin informed, as they trod through the damaged door, and into the darkness of an opening, they waited. Remus was fidgeting around with his hands, and pacing back and fro until a clacking sound emerged. He stopped dead, and waited when three ordinary people walked swiftly into the room, fussing about with suitcases and papers. There were two men, one with a bowler hat and the other with a bald patch with hair on either side of his head. The man wearing the hat was tall and skinny with a nose that stuck out like a pipe with a black blazer, pants and shoes along with a dark blue blouse underneath.

The other man wore a white, plain, shirt and black pants and shoes, but was pump around the face and stomach. The woman wore the same as the bald man, but was bony and straight-standing with long, straightened black hair.

"Welcome. I'm Von Cartright" The man with the bowler hat introduced, "this is Margaret Minstowe" He indicated towards the black haired woman, "and this is the Minister of Magic, Paul Longstrough. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I see the young one is our main problem?" Von sneered, shooting a disgusted face down at the young werewolf.

"Yes, Remus John Lupin, our 'main problem' It is. I am Mr Lupin, the boys father, we've come for the..."

"Hearing, yes" Paul interrupted, "Now, please stand, this is the last place on the face of the planet I've of expected my employees to have held the trial, but now that we are here there's no going back"

"Sorry"- Von began, but the Minister gave him a look, Remus couldn't see it, but it cut the male ministry worker off.

"As we were saying before, the hearing is going to be held here. So lets start" Margaret announced, the Minister and his workers each placed down their own trunk, and stood behind an old, dusty table. Remus and his father stayed where they were stood, nerves striking painfully at his stomach sickness building up immensely then a buzzer came and the Hearing begun.

"Is it true that on the twelfth of August, the boy named, Remus John Lupin escaped from his house at midnight and was plainly bitten by a ... werewolf?" Von begun, Remus nodded at the same time as his father, he glanced at his dad, and back to the party of ministry workers.

"Is it true that the one called, Remus John Lupin tried to run away from home at the time?" Margaret enquired, lifting her head upwards staring down over her bony nose. Yet again, Remus and his father nodded.

'This is great, I'm going to be known as the boy who was bitten by a monster or something...' Remus thought, he ducked his head forward, and the coughing of someone, made his head jolt upwards.

"Is it true that you tried to take no responsibility from this boys actions? And that the boy was completely responsibly for them? That he was being childish and foolish, and ignorant before he ran off?" The minister of Magic asked, with a small grin on his face. Remus felt horrible, sick, tired, nervous, upset and ashamed from the sentences of mocks from the elder people. The young werewolf hesitated to answer, his dad replied for him, by nodding. "Boy?! Do you agree?" Paul snapped, this face going a pale red. Remus gulped and nodded.

"We will now, take our own actions towards these dire decisions of yours" Von begun, before he had looked more of a kinder folk, but now he looked stern and serious.

"We can add him to the collection of disposal of magical creatures..."

Remus had no idea what he meant, this was what he was dreading, but when he thought of each word, it made sense.'Their going to dispose of me?' Remus thought horrified.

"No! He is only young, we cannot! We can't send him to Azkaban prison, or kill him, he is a wizard, but has not committed a crime. We have to think more of this..." Paul mused, his eyes became crossed and wrinkles on his forehead began to appear as he thought.

"Maybe a...hmm, cage?" Margaret suggested, her stern look reminded Remus of a raven ready to seize upon on its prey, but there was something about her that made him jog his memory.

"A cage, what are you mad"- Von begun, cut off yet again by Paul's expression.

"I think it's a grand idea. A cage will do perfect. Lock him in every full moon, and all will be safe! Meanwhile, we will track down the werewolf who goes by the name of Laurden Banks. He will be able to answer a few questions"

Remus had a puzzled face about him, 'Who is Laurden Banks?' He mused. The young werewolf's look was caught by the stern Von, who answered for him.

"Laurden Banks; you were bitten by him"

"No need for inconvenience, but a cage? I agree with Von Cartright, Remus John Lupin does not deserve such, inhospitalities! He was merely bitten by a werewolf; there must be some other way!" Mr Lupin boomed, the Minister plastered a disgusted face upon himself, "Sorry sir, but there must be another way"

"If you think of any safer ways than a cage, feel free to tell me, but otherwise we are not letting loose a mad maniac werewolf free to roam the forests and streets! This will not do! If Remus John Lupin is set free he will most defiantly bite or kill another human being, and I am not letting that happen! A cage, Mr Lupin. Our time is done, fair well; I look forward to seeing you in the future. And Remus John Lupin, please do not cause havoc, please I beg you, because if you do the only decision we have is to lock you up for thirty years in Azkaban. If you don't want that I advise you listen to us and fit yourself in a big enough cage!" Paul shouted, his face had turned bright red, he had barely breathed in the long mixture of speech, the he begun again. "I'll send a cage to your house soon Mr Lupin, and make sure the damn kid sticks to it!"

The Minister left unannounced, Von Cartright and Margaret Minstowe nodded their heads once, retrieved their suitcases and bid their fair well's, following on after Paul. Remus let out a long yawn; he'd needed it half way through, but had held it till the end.

"That went well, better than any other hearing I've seen, but the Minister and his employees walking out on the scheduled guests? Never before. We need a new minister, you agree?" Remus' dad noted, the young werewolf grinned, as the tall, brown haired adult led him out of the rundown house, and back to the flying, business car.

When they had started off again, the horrible sickening sensation and greasy, slimy seats slid Remus along. He sat in the back this time, smiling to himself, the hearing hadn't gone well, but there was one thing that was printed in his mind, when the Minister of Magic said, 'he is a wizard'.