A/N: Bit of a short one today, but this is the court scene that we've been waiting for. Not super happy with it, and I hope I explained everything well, but this chapter does set up for the events that set the rest of the story in motion. This is not the last we will see of Jase. I have big plans for him!


April 7th, 1977

That saying that "time speeds up when you're dreading something" really applied to me in the two weeks between James's party and the Easter holiday. One minute Jase was pleading with me to drop the charges, and the next I was sitting outside the judge's chambers in the Ministry of Magic, waiting for the Council of Magical Law to hear my case. As Lewis had explained to me, typically there were three judges – Bartemius Crouch, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Alastor Moody, the head Auror, and Albus Dumbledore. Because the case today involved two Hogwarts students, Dumbledore had excused himself due to a conflict of interest. Taking his spot was Amelia Bones, a junior member of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Amelia, according to Lewis, had started as a lawyer like him, and was known for her fairness and impartiality.

I was happy that Dumbledore had excused himself; the thought of sitting in front of my headmaster and explaining how Jase had raped me made me physically ill; at least the other three judges I would never have to see again. Lewis was going to be representing me, while one of his colleagues would be representing Jase. Lewis had told me that he had filed a motion for the use of veritaserum to speed the trial along, and had gotten confirmation that morning that the motion had been passed – meaning we would both be given veritaserum and be asked to tell our sides of the story. Lewis said that although veritaserum would enable the council to make more objective decisions based on fact, it was rarely used due to old laws passed by pureblood families in the 40's – families that hadn't wanted their involvement in the muggle war to come out. The Ministry had been so corrupt, that many of the laws that prohibit truly impartial judicial hearings today were passed during that time and have yet to be repealed.

I sat in a holding chamber with Sirius next to me, and my parents sitting across from me. I had asked that my parents not come in with me, and although my dad had objected, Mom had been able to calm him down with just a hand to his arm. She shot me an understanding look; she knew that if I was going to get through this, I needed them to not be in the room to hear it. I needed some illusion that my parents didn't know about the worst thing that had ever happened to me. Sirius, upon hearing me ask my parents to wait outside, had offered immediately to wait with them, but the thought of him not being with me left me panic stricken. Sensing my rising panic, he had grabbed my hand and nodded in understanding. He knew that I needed him…my rock.

"Okay Addie, it's time," I had been so focused on calming down my rapidly beating heart, that I hadn't even noticed when Lewis had opened a heavy wooden door towards the back of the chamber and walked in to the holding chamber. I got up shakily, wiping my clammy hands on the back of my black dress robes. I was wearing a simple maroon dress underneath, and I adjusted it quickly to ensure I was decent. Sirius got up with me, adjusting his own dress robes; he had actually ditched the muggle clothes and dressed up for me, which had made my heart set to burst with affection when he had stepped out of the floo this morning at Chateau.

"Alright. Wish me luck?" I asked Mom and Dad, feeling like a little girl looking for reassurance from her mommy and daddy. They both stood up and kissed my cheek shakily.

"No need for luck. You have the truth on your side, and he can't hide from that," Dad said forcefully, wrapping his strong arms around me. I melted into his embrace, wishing I could stay there forever instead of walking in to the judge's chamber and facing the next thirty minutes of my life. "You are a Jones, and we push through. Go get 'em, Addiekins."

Mom didn't say anything, looking as though if she opened her mouth to speak she may vomit instead. She gave me an encouraging smile instead, and I turned towards Lewis. Sirius grabbed my hand, and I squeezed hard – so hard it felt like he was my lifeline, the only thing standing between my impending doom and me.

The three of us walked through the wooden door into a wood paneled room. In the front of the room was a big black desk up on a platform. Behind the desk sat three people. The first, sitting in the center, was obviously Barty Crouch; he was sitting with a serious look on his face and an air of superiority that the other two judges did not hold. To his right sat a man with a patchwork face and a magical eye – he was leaning back in his chair, his normal eye watching us walk in, but his magical eye focused on Jase in the left corner of the room. I refused to look over at him, instead focusing on the woman to Crouch's left. She was a young lady, with brunette hair and wearing a soft smile. Her eyes were kind, but curious; she looked like a woman who would be impartial and fair in this trial, which immediately put me at ease. The three of us sat at the table in the right corner of the room.

"We are here to hear the case of Addison Jones vs. Jason Whitmore. Lewis Jones will be representing the plaintiff. Charles Smith will be representing the defendant. How does the defendant plead?" Crouch spoke curtly, in a booming but bored voice. He was staring down at the papers in front of his, quill poised to take notes.

"The defendant pleads not guilty, and we would like to challenge the veritaserum motion that was passed this morning," Charles Smith, surely a relation to Henrietta, replied, standing up.

"If your defendant is truly innocent, he should be damn grateful to get the chance to prove it definitively under veritaserum. Trying to throw out the motion just makes me think the boy is guily," Alastor Moody growled, narrowing his eyes at Jase. Jase cowered under the intensity of both of Moody's eyes, practically slidding under the table to get out from under the gaze.

"The situation does not fit the circumstances for an exception. I see no reason to repeal the motion," Madame Bones looked over at Jase with an apathetic look on her face. She clearly did not appreciate being asked to repeal the motion, which I had to agree with. Obviously, it was only fair that the truth came out and he face the consequences of his actions, and trying to hide behind outdated laws was a bad look.

"Agreed. The veritaserum will move the trial along, and we do have several other cases to hear today. Motion stands," Crouch said curtly. Smith sat down and leaned over to whisper something to Jase, who nodded his head dejectedly. I looked over towards him for the first time since entering the courtroom. He looked terrible; I could see the dark bags under his eyes from across the room, and his face had an ashy tone to it that I had never seen before. Behind him sat his parents, both of whom I had met on several occasions. His dad had a blank look on his face, and his mom was crying quietly. I looked away quickly…I didn't need to see the people who had raised him realize what a monster he is.

"The defendant will testify first," Crouch declared, levitating a sealed potion bottle over to Jase's table. "Please drink the entire bottle and then we will ask you a few questions to ensure the potion is working."

I watched him open the potion and hesitantly drink it out of the corner of my eye. He blinked a few times, his eyes taking on a slightly unfocused look.

"Name," Crouch demanded, snapping his fingers when Jase didn't answer quickly enough.

"Jason Leonius Whitmore," He said in a detached voice.

"Age."

"Eighteen."

"Okay, now tell us something that you are afraid of," Madame Bones asked, looking for something that would prove the potion was working.

"I'm afraid of the repercussions of this trial and what it will do to my future," Jase admitted, the words tumbling out of his mouth without his permission.

"Now that we have affirmed the veritaserum is working. Jason Whitmore. Did you rape Addison Jones last May?" Crouch asked, putting the papers down finally and glaring at him over the top of his glasses. Moody sat up straight in his chair, leaning forward to better hear his answer. Sirius's grip on my hand increased, and he glanced over at me, worry evident in his eyes.

"…Yes," Jase forced out through his teeth, as though he had been fighting the potion and trying to lie. I sighed and closed my eyes, relief flowing through my body. As I heard Sirius and Lewis exhale their own relief, Mrs. Whitmore wailed. She started crying earnestly, muttering, "Not my boy!" Mr. Whitmore wrapped an arm around her, attempting to quiet her down.

"Please briefly describe the event," Crouch asked, ignoring Mrs. Whitmore completely.

"It was after the Quidditch Cup last year. Gryffindor won and there was a huge party in the common room. I kept getting her drinks so that she would be drunk and easier to control. We'd been dating seven months, and she'd barely let me touch her. I was done waiting, so I pushed her onto the couch in the common room and forced myself on her. Then I left her there, and moved on with my life. She moved on to Sirius Black and fucked him all over the place, so I'm not sure why I'm the one in trouble. The slag clearly enjoyed it," He said in a robotic voice, his eyes unfocused and staring at a spot above Crouch's head. The comment stung, and my face immediately heated, but I refused to let the hurt show on my face. Sirius stood up, an angry look on his face, and opened his mouth to speak, but Lewis grabbed his arm and attempted to pull him back into his seat. Sirius resisted, steam practically coming out of his ears.

"How dare you, you fucking disgusting, misogynistic pig. How dare you compare consensual sex with rape. She doesn't need to explain anything to the likes of you, and I promise you, the only time she enjoyed it was with me. If you knew how to please a woman, you wouldn't need to rape them to get some," Sirius spat, a wild look in his eyes.

"Order! Mr. Black will sit down and watch his language, or be thrown from the courtroom. Understood?" Crouch slammed his gavel into the desk, staring Sirius down with a heated glare until he relented and sat down with a huff. Sirius crossed his arms and continued to glare at Jase, but did not move to speak again.

"We will now have the plaintiff take veritaserum and give her version of events, and then we will deliberate," Crouch said once Sirius had calmed down. He levitated a bottle over towards me, and I uncorked it with sweaty hands. Veritaserum had no smell or taste, so it went down easy. A feeling of calm washed over me, as if I was no longer in charge of my body. And I guess I really wasn't; the feeling was freeing – freeing me of expectations to hide the truth.

"Name?" Crouch asked bluntly, starting the process over with me.

"Addison Marie Jones. Age 16." I answered automatically, the words falling out of my mouth without conscious thought.

"To confirm that the veritaserum is working, please tell us how many sexual partners you have had," Crouch was looking down at his papers again, his voice bored. Madame Bones looked at him shocked, a look of outrage at his question. Lewis stood up, as if to challenge the question, but I had already answered before he could speak.

"Two. Jason Whitmore, against my will. And Sirius Black, all over the place, as you just heard. And I did enjoy Sirius…thoroughly," The last words tumbled out in response to Jase's disgusting comment. I looked over at Sirius to judge his reaction. Instead of the burning embarrassment that I felt, Sirius wore a look of pride. He was staring right at the group of judges unabashedly – a smirk on his lips. Seeing his smirk made me smirk. I shouldn't be ashamed to have had good sex with Sirius – Jase should be ashamed that instead of good looks and charm – like Sirius – he had to resort to rape.

"So Jason Whitmore did rape you last May after the Quidditch match, and then never spoke to you again?" Crouch asked.

"Yes, he raped me. But he didn't leave me alone. We had three interactions early in the year, one that ended with Sirius, James Potter, and him in a fistfight. Then he came up to me a few weeks ago and asked me to drop the charges so that he could go to his pre-healer program this summer," I explained. I looked down at the table, which was chipped, wishing suddenly I had chosen anyone but my brother to represent me. I knew he was going to be upset with me for not telling him about Jase talking to me, especially since he had specifically asked me to let him know immediately if Jase broke the restraining order in any way.

"I have another question for the defendant," Madame Bones interrupted, looking to Crouch for permission. He sighed and glanced at his watch before nodding his head that she could continue. "Is Addison Jones the only person you have sexually assaulted?"

Jase's eyes widened and his face whitened. That reaction alone told me, that the answer to that question was no. He confirmed that a minute later when a quiet "No." escaped his lips. Madame Bones nodded solemnly, folded her hands, and leaned back against her chair.

"I have no further questions," Madame Bones said simply, looking to Crouch and Moody.

"Let's get this over with an convict the bastard already," Moody said gruffly, his eyes still narrowed at Jase. "I've had his number since the minute he walked in."

"Alastor! We first must deliberate." Crouch reprimanded, casting a silencing charm on the three of them so they could speak in private. The three had a quick conversation, with Moody gesturing wildly, and Madame Bones nodding in agreement. Not even a minute later, Crouch lowered the charm.

"We have deliberated and come to a verdict," Crouch announced, stamping something onto his papers, and passing them over to Madame Bones for her to file. Sirius grasped my hand again, although it was apparent what the outcome would be, and I allowed him to. I knew that he was more interested in what the punishment would be, which I was having a hard time deciding how I felt about. "The Council of Magical Law finds the defendant…guilty of rape, breaking a restraining order, and intimidation. He is sentenced to–"

"Sir…Mr. Crouch?" In interrupted him. I looked over at Jase, who had his head in his hands, and at his parents. His mother was sobbing again, and his dad's face was as red as a tomato. "Can I please ask Jase a question, before you determine his punishment?"

"I suppose so, if you keep it quick." He sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Jase…do you regret it at all? Do you regret what you took from me? The pain you caused me? How you took away my identity and my feeling of safety?" I asked him, searching in his eyes for something redeemable.

Jason took a moment before answering, the look on his face never faltering. He was still under the influence of veritaserum, so he answered truthfully, "No. I only regret that my future is in jeopardy. To be honest, I never think about you. I took what I wanted and then I moved on, and I think you should have too. But you just had to be a drama queen, and ruin my life."

I nodded at him, pursing my lips. I hadn't been sure how he really felt, but now that I did I felt myself let him go. I had been feeling guilty that my decision to press charges was going to affect his future. But knowing now that not only did he regret it, but that he'd done it to other girls? He could rot in Azkaban for all I care.

"Sir, I was going to ask that you be lenient on him and allow him to graduate Hogwarts so that his future wouldn't be completely derailed. But since he has admitted that there are other victims, and did not express any remorse, I'd ask that you consider that in the sentence he receives," I spoke up, addressing Crouch. I glanced at Lewis, who smiled at me in encouragement, pride shining in his eyes. I took a deep breath and nodded, accepting that I had done what I needed to do to assuage my conscience. Madame Bones smiled kindly at me, nodding once in affirmation.

"Thank you Ms. Jones. We have decided that the proper punishment for his crimes is four years in Azkaban. The Aurors outside the chambers will take him now," Crouch banged his gavel on the desk, and the doors opened, allowing three cloaked Aurors to flood in. They shot chains out of their wands, binding his hands behind his back, and marched him out of the room. Jase looked backed over his shoulder, a wild look on his face. I cowered slightly, leaning back into Sirius. He looked absolutely deranged, like a wild animal being taken for slaughter. And I understood how scared he must be – even one day in Azkaban would be enough to drive any sane person crazy.

"You'll pay for this one day, bitch," He spat, before one of the Aurors silenced him. The doors slammed behind him and the Council dismissed us with a, "Next case!"

The Whitmores were ushered out of the room through another door than the one we went through. As soon as we got through the doors, Sirius picked me up in his arms and spun me around, laughing in happiness. I squealed, relief and joy overwhelming my body – I locked my legs around his waist and clung on to him. It felt like without him holding me, the adrenaline would cause my knees to buckle and I wouldn't be able to support my own weight. Lewis walked over to fill my parents in, shooting us a warning look. I pushed to the back of my mind for a minute that my parents were in the room and that this was probably an inappropriate display of affection, letting myself lean in to the pure happiness I felt in the moment.

"You, my kind, empathetic, thoughtful, wonderful witch," He stopped complimenting me to kiss me, mid spin, "are incredible. You were so strong and composed that entire time, even though I felt like I was going to lose my toast."

"She was truly incredible. And even thinking of offering him a chance to finish school? You are capable of much more compassion than I ever thought possible," Lewis grinned at me, his arm around my mom. Sirius put me down, and I blushed when I turned to look at my parents, although they had pointedly ignored the display.

"We are so proud of you, honey," Mom was crying slightly, dabbing at her eyes with my dad's handkerchief. She sniffed again before running over to me, throwing her arms around me. Lewis joined in, and my dad joined in after. Mom tugged Sirius's cloak, pulling him in to the mix. We stood like that for a moment, all of us relishing in the joy of the moment. The nightmare was over, and Jase got what he deserved. Hopefully four years of thinking in Azkaban would force him to reevaluate his selfishness, to consider how his actions hurt other people. But that was a problem for another day, a day that hopefully wouldn't come for a long time.