Author's Note: This chapter's more like bits and pieces over a course of two, three weeks. Despite her crimes being atrocious and this is a magical world, you can't hurry the judicial system. It's part of a democracy. That and the in-betweens would be boring to read and write.

As well, this chapter has quite a bit more spoken bits than any other chapter, what with the Ministry being windbags.

Also, forgive me. I can never remember Cadley's parents' names. So, I have the ones I've always liked the best.

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Through shades of red, foreign shapes charged. Pain was obvious and without hesitation, the monster countered. Like a caged animal finally set lose, Golby fell away from the struggled and watched as his mistress rolled over a wizard, dragging a potentionally-letal swipe at the man's head. A scream boomed over the shouting and his mistress went flying, thrown up and away. The werewolf ripped through the flowerbed she landed in, shrieking outrage before shredding a wizard to pieces as he drew close.

Golby's voice added to the confusion, and flapping his hands at the injured auror the man flew away from his mistress's grasp. He wouldn't allow her to murder, they would take her away from him if she caused such a trouble. The auror toppled the house elf as the man's dead weight collided against his slight stature. Golby struggled out from under the man, nose scrunching in distaste. It was almost traitorous, helping anyone who harmed hismistress. A monstrous roar caught his attention,and turning his eyes widened as the werewolf chased after, launching itself in his direction.

Hands were thrown up in protection, but his magic failed to domuch more thanshield him from her. A house elf could no more harm its owners than disobey him. Aurors threw spells at her and he shrieked in alarm. "Mistress!"

---

The pain was unimaginable, most unlike anything I had felt before and, longingly if not unconsciously, my hand searched for the comfort of cool stone. Churned gravel met my touch, however, just as a boot met my wrist. Restricted and confused, I allowed myself to finally meet the early morning and my oppressor.

"Your name, Madam." Something stuck into my side and whilst failing to answer I realised just what it was. My nose lay but an inch away from the destruction, and meeting his eyes I felt my own life slip away. A lifeless thing lay next to me, wide-eyed, breathing, but an empty-shell with my mark upon him. Every fear imagined since my primary years choked me. I was my predecessor; reaper of human life and mother of a monster.

I screamed, pushing myself away from the ruined man without success. The boot became a man, livid and vengeful, with no need to push around his full weight but pushing it all the same. Whatever had been in my stomach the night before was immediately rejected.

"What happened to him? No, get off me! I haven't done anything! It isn't time yet, I didn't do it!" I lashed out at the motionless man, grasping at the front of his robes. An almost ironic movement after my recoil a moment before. " I didn't do this; I'm not the monster! I'm not the monster! Golby, tell them; please, tell them!"

"Will you shut up already! He's dead and you're the one who done it."

"No, he's breathing! Don't you see? I didn't kill him, he's not hurt. He's fine, he's just fine." The man leaned in close enough that I could count the wrinkles to his crows' feet.

"Stupid; just blind and stupid. Not Whiterby, he's worst off than dead by you. Your house-elf, your Golby. He's the one s'dead. As dead as You-Know-Who hisself. You, in all your fury and destruction, ripped him limb from limb. Standing at your defence no less!"

I had the distinct feeling that grief stopped my heart from beating. I allowed an auror to pull 'Whiterby' from my grasp as another yanked me into a sitting position while the aches and pains of my 'adventure' disappeared.

"He can't die," I mumbled thickly. Numbly, I recognized that restraints flew from the watchman's wand. "Who'll watch the house when I leave?"

"What's it matter t'a piece a trash like you? By Jove, you'll never see the house again anyways. Dementors'll eat you all up, see if they don't."

The garden was a complete mess, a combination of churned mud and grass. Gravel was sprayed across the yard, mixed with the greatest evidence of a struggle. My eyes refused to search for the house elf as my mind assured itself that he was hidden in the house, just as I had said. These Aurors were obviously bitter. The man on the ground couldn't have been bitten. I would never bite another human being, I knew the pain all too well. Obviously, they were bitter. Almost morning wasn't it? Had to leave their husbands and wives, I'm sure. They were all just upset at getting up.

"Please get Golby." I said, licking my lips. "He's in the house, kitchen. He sleeps in the kitchen. Can't get him into a guest bedroom for the life of me. Parents too, they tried. Won't budge. Gobly, house elf to the bone, he says servants belong in their quarters and no where else. Silly things, house elves." An auror off in the corner of my vision jerked away from the side kitchen door.

"I don't know where he got the idea that he's anything but family, do you? He was my best friend, bought when that monster bit me at the park. Lots of people came, you too, yes? Surely you remember. Golby does. Get him please?"

The booted auror ignored me, still as red as can be. 'Whiterby' was carried off, sheltered for view by his own cloaks. "Show's over!" I shouted hoarsely, slumping back when a wand entered my line of vision. "Shut up," a whiskered man said unevenly. "Just shut up, and you'll get out of here in one piece. More than I can say for Whiterby or your Golby. Keep quiet or we won't hold back. Wizenmagot doesn't care how injured they get you, and we can say you did it to yourself."

Suddenly, I didn't have the strength to look up at them anymore. I decided, with what conscious thought I had left, that sleep was best.

---

Passing through the halls of St. Mungo's, plastered to the armed arms of two burly Aurors, I caught sight of Rupert around the corner. My eyes caught his, and I know he must've mistaken me for someone else, because he looked away. Despite our fight, he would never think ill of me, would he? Of course not. We're friends. More than friends according to some, even if it isn't true. Rupert would never cut a friend like that, ignore them when they needed assurance.

I stared after him, hopeful that he would turn around and finally see me. 'Rupert, turn around please. Just a wave, anything before I get sent away.'

Rupert did catch my eye, but there was none of the friendliness I had known before. Cold and distant-looking he was choose not to acknowledge. His reputation was on the line, I couild see it in his expression. I saw Nurse lead him away before I turned the corner.

---

After six visits to the Ministry of Magic, various departments, the day of reckoning had finally arrived. I was dragged down the hall, unable to walk myself because my knees refused to work properly. I don't blame them though. Even if it's only a third of the Wizenmagot, being placed in front of them terrifies me beyond reason. Werewolves haven't been executed since You-Know-Who's disappearance, but compared to my likely destination I can't help but hope for the worse.

Death Eaters, traitors and mass-murderers have been brought in front of these people and now I've joined their ranks. As if the weight of Golby's death hadn't been enough, that thought alone sent me reeling anytime I thought about it.

The doors were open already and I was unable to prepare myself before being thrown to the sharks. Not much that I could have done anyways. I was shoved in the chair and bolted down before I could even think 'Dumbledore.'

"Cadley Maureen Abernathy, daughter of Alios and Mariska Abernathy. Residents both of 28 Dibbing Boulevard, but out of the country. Correct?"

The woman was obscured by shadows; stark contrasts to the bright lanterns lit around the wall. "Ah," I started. "Yes, correct."

"Cadley Maureen Abernathy, your testimony has been witnessed before a select group of impartial wizards. The Wizenmagot finds you guilty of twenty-one of twenty-two offences brought against you. Ascending from least to worst, they are listed
as follows:

"One count of misconduct: conspiring to commit civil disobedience within a private, unsanctioned residence.

"Three counts of civil disobedience: failure to comply with 'The Werewolf Charter of 1963', the 'Domesticated Lupine Act' and the entirety of 'The Guard and Protection of Magical Creatures Decree of 1972'.

"One count of destruction of property: the attack and butchery of 'Golby' the house-elf.

"Seven counts of misuse of Ministry forces: Aurors Arabi, Bones, Fabians, Griffin, Richards, Robard, Whiterby.

"Six counts of individual endangerment: Aurors Arabi, Bones, Fabians, Griffin, Richards, Robard.

"One count of destruction of life: the contamination of Auror George Whiterby.

"Lastly, two counts of social endangerment: both the wizarding and the muggle world.

"The Wizenmagot has, unbiasedly, decided upon your punishments and your sentencing goes as follows. The lighter penalties: For the count of misconduct, fifty galleons. The three counts of disobedience, fifty galleons each. For the destruction of your house-elf, the wizarding privilege of hiring such civil servants has been stripped. For the seven counts of misuse, a hundred galleons a piece.

"The heavier penalties: For the six counts of individual endangerment, a hundred galleons each, as well as a week in Azkaban per count. For the contamination of George Whiterby, two hundred galleons, all healing fees and six months in Azkaban. For the social endangerment of two communities, six months each in Azkaban. Your properties will be stripped.

"For your irresponsibility and trouble you have brought upon the wizarding community, you shall be listed as dangerous in the next criminal posting. The Wizenmagot, however, is sympathetic to your plight and inability to alter your existence, and upon your release from the prison island your wand shall be returned to you. The Wizenmagot as well grants the possibility of early release for respectable conduct.

"Thank you for your time and patience, Madam Abernathy, your fines and consequences add to a loose seventeen-hundred galleons, excluding the future costs of Auror Whiterby's medical care. The loss of wizarding privileges, and

five-hundred and forty-six days confinement. Roughly a year and a half incarceration.

"Good day Madam Abernathy, your punishment shall commence directly."