The 4 of them got to the Headmistressess office 10 minutes early. It was empty when they got there.
"The Minister has requested you meet at the detention chamber." Severus said sternly.
They all looked puzzled.
"Detention chamber?" Max asked.
"Yes Mr Fawley. As outdated as it is I assumed you all would have stumbled upon it by now. It's on the first floor, near the History of magic classroom." Severus sounded bored.
"Would you like us to bring you?" Riley asked.
"I am a mere portrait. What would be the use." Severus said slowly.
"Well isn't your purpose to council the Headmistress? Surely you can't do that from here." Elanora said gaining a smile from Riley.
"Apparently smart minds think alike. Minerva has already moved my joining portrait to the chamber tonight so I can observe." Severus paused. "Your gesture is appreciated." He finished.
Riley laughed. "You're welcome."
"Come on, Riles. Don't won't to be late." Teddy called over his retreating shoulder.
They sprinted down the staircase and found their way to the detention chamber.
"Wow. No wonder we never found this place. It's creepy as hell. One look in here and I want to run in the opposite direction." Max whispered.
"Ah Riley and friends! Take a seat please." Kingsley ushered them to their seats.
"I apologize for the location, it's a bit of a creepy feeling place if you ask me. But that's why we chose it." Kingsley told them.
"See if you can scare them into telling the truth before resorting to the serum?" Enquired Teddy.
Kingsley smiled. "Can't blame me for trying." He shrugged.
Not long after their arrival a few ministry guards came in with the boys. Arlin in front followed by the other 5 who were then followed by Murik. His hands were bound.
"Gentlemen, please be seated." Kingsley said.
All the boys looked terrified except for Arlin and Murik.
Kingsley nodded to McGonagall.
"As Headmistress I sent word to the Minister for magic about this incident, obviously Mr Norwoods actions mean immediate expulsion. His wand has already been snapped. We are here now to find out the rest of your motives and reasoning. You will be each given the opportunity to tell your side of the story and your actions. If we feel as though you are lying or hiding something you will be subject to a truth telling serum, so we can know wether or not you will harm more students." McGonagall finished. Some of the boys had paled.
Arlin spoke up. "If I may, Headmistress. I think it would be better for everyone if we hear Murik first and then the rest of us." Arlin looked from the Headmistress straight to Riley. She could tell he was trying to say something to her but she couldn't figure out what.
Elanora whispered to Riley. "He wants Murik gone for when the rest of them speak. Look at them, they seem terrified. It's not the serum truth they are worried about, it's Murik."
"Something on your mind Miss Killick?" Asked McGonagall.
"I think once we are done with Murik he should be escorted out, if you want to get through this with minimal stress and lying." Elanora spoke up.
"Oh no that's quite alright, I think I'd like to stay." He said with a sinister sneer.
"My point." Elanora motioned at him looking to McGonagall.
"I tend to agree with the girl, he will cause problems." Severus said from the opposite wall. Riley smiled at him, she was glad he was here.
"Yes very well." Kingsley agreed.
"Please bring Mr Norwood forward." He asked.
They sat him on a single chair facing towards everyone. His hands still magically binded.
"Tell me Mr Norwood, did you or did you not use the cruciatus curse on Miss Alton?" Kingsley asked.
"Of course not. It's an unforgivable curse, there's a reason why they're unforgivable." He turned to look at Riley and smiled at her. It was more of a malicious grin though which he didn't do very well at hiding as everyone could see it. "Mr Norwood, you are aware there are multiple witnesses?" Kingsley asked his voice sounding lighter all of a sudden.
"No, there is only Riley who is claiming I did that." He looked over at the other frightened boys.
"The Headmistress, Teddy Lupin and Elanora Killick came forward as witnesses." Kingsley said pointedly.
"They were not there. Ask any of the others, I didn't perform the curse." He said confidently.
Teddy nudged Riley. Pointing his head at the other boys, they looked like they'd seen a ghost. They were so frightened they said nothing.
Arlin spoke up. "I would like to take the truth serum, Minister."
Murik looked murderous. "Now why would you want to do that? Sit down, Lawrence and be a good little Gryffindor." Murik bullied.
"No. I think I would like to know the truth, Mr Norwood." Kingsley said walking over to Arlin. "Here you go." He dropped a couple of drops into Arlin's mouth and waited a few minutes.
"Mr Lawrence, did Murik Norwood perform the cruciatus curse on Miss Alton?"
"Yes Sir. He performed the curse 3 times. Twice directed at Riley and once directed at myself which Riley tried to deflect. Not only that but he tried to make me do it too, on Riley. I instead hit her with a stunning jinx." Arlin admitted.
"Why did you stun Miss Alton?" Kingsley asked.
Arlin took a deep breath.
"Because I was scared to say no to Murik."
"Did you want to hurt Miss Alton?"
"No."
"Why were you there if you didn't want to hurt her?" Kingsley continued.
"They were my friends. I never thought it would get that bad." Said Arlin.
"Why did you throw the second stunning spell?" Riley asked. Kingsley looked towards her, eyebrows raised but nodding.
"I followed my instincts. Some how I knew what you were going to do." He replied.
"Some how you knew?" Severus asked.
"Yeah, like I could almost hear her telling me she was going to deflect." Arlin said.
"Did you intend on helping Riley? Elanora asked.
"Yes." He answered.
"Why did you help her?" She asked, Elanora knew Riley wanted confirmation on this but had a feeling she wouldn't ask.
"I didnt want to be there in the first place. I realized how bad the situation was when Murik used the cruciatus curse and I didn't want things getting worse. If I didn't try to help it would have gotten worse. I know my apology means very little but I am sorry for the part I played and I'm glad that I did try and help. Knowing what I know now Riley is more of a kinder human than Murik." Arlin said looking at Riley, letting his words sink in.
"I think we have everything we need from you Mr Lawrence. I appreciate you being so cooperative, if the Headmistress thinks you need punishment for the part you played than that's her decision to make. However, if my opinion has any influence I would say you get a pass for the help you provided." Kingsley finished, turning to smile at Riley.
Riley piped up quickly. "I agree with the Minister. I don't blame Arlin for stunning me and I don't think he needs to be punished." Riley said to Minerva.
"I will make my decision later, I would like to hear what the others have to say first." McGonagall said.
Kingsley turned to the other boys.
"Do you all consent to the truth Serum? Know that if you refuse we will investigate further and the possibility of expulsion and having your wands snapped is high whereas if you cooperate, even if you say things that aren't good we will go easier on you than if you were to make things difficult." Kingsley said sounding stern but calm.
All 5 boys consented to the serum.
"Did any of you going into the room that night intend on using the cruciatus curse?" Kingsley asked.
A consecutive "No" rung through the room.
"You binded Riley magically. Did you intend on hurting her?" He asked.
"Yes. Although we thought it was more of a shake down. None of us had any idea Murik would use the cruciatus curse." One of the boys said.
"If the Headmistress had not entered and sorted out the situation would you have tried to stop Murik?" Kingsley asked.
"No."
"We were rooted on the spot, too scared to move. I don't think any of us intended to help but none of us would have joined in." The same boy spoke.
"You were all apart of the attack in the prefects bathroom, Yes? You knew Murik had performed an unforgivable curse before but you didn't know he would perform another? You have all expressed hatred towards both Riley and Elanora, how are we suppose to trust you?" Minerva asked.
"Yes we were apart of that. The imperius curse didn't seem that dangerous, I assure you I did not know Murik would perform the cruciatus curse. If we are guilty of anything it's of being bullies, we never intended on torturing anyone. Did we hate those girls, yes. Mainly because Murik did and we just kind of followed his lead. We are bullies and cowards Headmistress but I assure you we are not evil." The boy said looking into McGonagall's eyes.
"Do the rest of you feel the same?"
There was a chorus of "yes" throughout the room.
"Well then. Unless anyone else has any other questions I think we are done with these boys." Kingsley looked around the room.
"For so called Gryffindor's you're a bunch of cowards." Severus spat. "I assure you if you hurt Riley ever again there will be a price to pay." Severus Snape oozed hatred in his words.
The boys looked terrified. Murik on the other hand laughed.
"And what exactly do you plan on doing huh? You're a portrait! You literally can't do anything." Murik snickered.
The room went eerily silent.
"The serum. Give him the serum. Now." Severus commanded.
Kingsley looked at Severus confused. "He's not going to consent-" Kingsley started.
"It doesn't matter. I saw something you're going to want to know. Trust me." Severus said sharply.
"We need to ask the parents for consent, we've done this cleanly so far I would rather not have a law suit on my hands. Minerva did you end up getting a hold of them?" Kingsley asked.
"No-"
"And you won't. Please, Kingsley." Severus almost begged. Before anyone could argue Riley had snatched the serum and tipped the remainder into Murik's mouth.
"You bitch." Murik laughed. He looked deranged.
"Your parents, what happened to them?" Snape asked.
Murik's mouth started twitching. He was clearly trying to keep himself from talking.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?!" Severus bellowed.
"Died." Murik was trying his hardest to fight the serum.
"How? How did they die, Murik." Severus spat.
Murik turned his head to look at Severus, his smile was malicious. "I killed them." He kept smiling.
Kingsley looked shocked.
"What do you mean you killed them?" Kingsley asked in disbelief.
"In detail. Tell us the details." Severus demanded. Severus looked at Riley. She saw something in his eyes, terror. What did he see in Murik's head?
"I tortured them. I used the cruciatus curse on them and listened to them scream. It was like music to my ears. They begged me to kill them, so I did. I used the killing curse on them both. I killed my mother first. I tortured my father for days before I killed him." Murik said proudly.
The whole room was still.
Riley realized why Severus had looked at her terrified. She felt Elanora move next to her.
"You planned on doing that to Riley." Elanora had her wand raised pointing at Murik.
"I suggest you take him straight to Azkaban before anyone has a chance to kill him." Severus said surprisingly calm.
"Elanora, lower your wand." Severus asked.
She looked over at him.
Elanora felt a wave of calm pass through her. She could hear a faint voice in her head telling her he wasn't worth it. That he would rot in Azkaban for the rest of his life. That her life wasn't worth giving away just to hurt him.
She shook her head clear, looked Severus in the eyes. He was right. She could feel his pain along with hers. Murik would pay but it was not her place to do so. She lowered her wand.
She hadn't felt it before, Riley had put her arms around her waist. She leaned into her sighing.
"I'm sorry. I lost myself for a second." Elanora admitted.
"It's okay, I understand. He won't ever be able to hurt me again." Riley squeezed Elanora's waist.
"Why did you want to hurt Riley?" Minerva asked.
"Because she's evil." His jaw twitched again.
"Why? The truth, now." McGonagall said sternly.
Murik laughed. "Because I can. Because I just wanted to. My original target was the other bitch. Her parents were Slytherin scum so I-" he cut off his words.
"Tell us the rest of what you were about to say." Kingsley said.
Murik craned his neck trying to deflect and not talk but he couldn't resist for long.
"I used the excuse that her family was evil to hurt her. When I found out that bitch was Bellatrix Lestrange's kid I knew no one would care if I killed her. They probably would have celebrated." He smiled a full teeth smile at Riley. It made her shiver.
"You really are insane." Teddy said. "You knew I couldn't be trusted, that's why you knocked me out. You knew I cared for her you lying son of a bitch." Teddy was shaking with anger.
"I was quite impressed with your commitment. I believed you up until the night in the common room. You did a good job at making her cry, then you went off and cried by yourself. Pathetic." Murik spat.
"Having emotions isn't pathetic, not that you would know. We are done here." Riley said standing and walking out dragging the other 3 with her.