Chapter 46 – Atrocities

Courtroom ten in the Ministry of Magic was not only famous for being the courtroom in which Harry Potter's infamous trial had been held the previous year, it was also the largest courtroom in the building. Therefore, it was generally used for the most sensational and difficult trials, or in other words those trials which generated the most interest, and which would involve the entirety of the Wizengamot.

It must be said that most members of Wizarding Britain had only a very imprecise idea of the workings of their own government. The Wizengamot served not only as the legislative body for the passing of new laws, but also as the judicial body for the trying of those who contravened said laws. The most common misconception was that the entire Wizengamot was required for every trial, which would truly be unwieldy, not to mention exhausting for its members. In reality, most of those day-to-day trials were held in front of a tribunal of Wizengamot members, who served as both judge and jury. These tribunals were rotated amongst the members at regular intervals, and the members of the tribunals were also shuffled so that the same members did not always serve on the same panels.

In addition, the main body of the Wizengamot served as its own appeals court, with an appeal not possible if one was tried in front of the entire body—in that case the trial had already been conducted by the highest court in the land. Therefore, appeals were not exactly common since the truth could easily be discovered with the use of Veritaserum if there was any doubt. Appeals were generally only initiated when a sentence was considered too harsh. If there was any doubt whatsoever that the Wizengamot would overturn the ruling, the convicted would almost always simply accept their punishment, as the penalties for wasting the Wizengamot's time could be very harsh.

Harry Potter's trial had certainly generated significant interest, in part because of the near constant spotlight on Harry Potter, but also because of the irregularity of such a minor case being held in front of the entire court. The trials of the Death Eaters captured in the Department of Mysteries were every bit as sensational, as they were mostly prominent members of society, and among their number were several who had escaped from Azkaban only months before.

For the public, many were watching closely to see how the Ministry under Madam Bones would deal with the problem, especially given the ineptitude and outright denial which had characterized the previous administration. It would not be incorrect to state that much was riding on the outcome of the trials, and not only because of the message it would send to Voldemort's followers. For many—more particularly amongst the Muggleborn community, the consequences of a lackadaisical approach could mean an exodus of its members to other, more hospitable, lands. Many remembered the terror of the last war, or had taken to heart the stories they had heard from those who had experienced it. Indeed, though the more rabid Purebloods would deny that Muggleborn had any useful function in their society, they were actually a substantial segment of the population. A mass exodus would cause untold problems within British Wizarding society.

Albus Dumbledore was not unaware of this fact. In fact, he had spent many years in the political arena forwarding this very same argument. The fact of the matter was that those who were most at risk from the newly risen dark lord would not be nearly as patient with their government as they were during his first rise. If they felt threatened and saw evidence that the government was incapable of protecting them—or unwilling—they would leave en masse. And though other areas of the world were not precisely the Utopia that most hoped to find when they left England there were certainly enough places which would welcome them with open arms. At the very least, wherever they went, they would not be in danger from a dark lord who was set on exterminating them because of the circumstances of their birth.

As there were eleven Death Eaters to put on trial—Bellatrix being the only one of Voldemort's task force who had escaped the Ministry—it had been decided to try them over the period of two days. Not only would this allow them to be tried in a timely, yet unhurried manner, but it would also allow the depravities of the first defendants to sink into the public's consciousness before the higher profile Death Eaters were tried on the second day. Trials were not always made public, but in such cases as this, it was deemed better to lay their dealings bare for all to see, so that the defendants were not only convicted in the Wizengamot, but also in the court of public opinion. The lesser names, such as Mulciber, Jugson and Crabbe set the stage, confessing under the influence of Veritaserum the actions necessary to gain the dark mark in addition to whatever subsequent crimes the Auror questioners had been able to pull out of them. It was the more prominent names of Macnair, Lestrange and Malfoy who generated the bulk of the interest, but in their cases, it was hoped that the words of the first Death Eaters would echo in the minds of those who were following the proceedings, further convicting those who might otherwise be insulated by their fortunes and names.

As the time slated for the beginning of the trial arrived, Kingsley Shacklebolt, in his new position as Head Auror, entered through the door to the courtroom, signaling to Albus that the prisoner was ready to be brought in. At his signal, Albus rose and approached the lectern.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot, once again we thank you for your attention and patience. I believe we are now ready for the final trial in this distasteful process." Dumbledore motioned to Shacklebolt, who was waiting patiently, and motioned to him. "Please bring in the prisoner."

At Shacklebolt's direction, the double doors to the courtroom opened and Lucius Malfoy, bound with chains, was brought in and deposited in the same chair which had once held Harry Potter only eight short months before. The elder Malfoy was certainly not his usual perfectly coiffed and impeccably dressed self—his hair was askew, his eyes were bloodshot, and his robes, which may at one time have been fine, were dirty and rumpled. But his ever-present sneer of superiority was on full display for the body he now faced.

Once he was secured, Albus continued, "Thank you. I will now ask Rufus Scrimgeour, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to step forward and make the Ministry's case against Mr. Malfoy."

Albus turned and took his seat again, watching as the younger man took his place at the lectern. Scrimgeour peered, first at Malfoy, then about the chamber with some seriousness before he began.

"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, you have been brought before the Wizengamot today to answer to the charges brought against you. Those charges include murder, conspiracy to commit murder, rape, kidnapping, torture, extortion, bribery of government officials, and theft. Be advised that the use of Veritaserum has been authorized in your case and that you will be magically compelled to speak the truth. How do you plead?"

"I do not recognize the authority of this court to try me," Lucius replied with a snarl. "Everything I have done, has been done in the service of my Lord. He alone has the ability to determine if I have done wrong. I defy you and this entire court!"

As he spoke, Malfoy raked his eyes defiantly over the courtroom, daring anyone to contradict his words. Albus could almost feel pity for the misguided man if he was not such a loathsome stain on the very fabric of society.

"Whether you recognize our ability to try you or not, the fact of the matter is that you are in the Ministry's custody, chained to a chair, and charged with some very serious crimes. I believe I do not need to state exactly what conviction will entail for you." Scrimgeour's eyes bored into Malfoy, who was doing his best to appear unaffected. "Voldemort does not rule magical England, though he undoubtedly wishes he did. Until he does, you will have to be content with being tried by our laws, not whatever corrupt mockery he would install in its place. Again, I ask—how do you plead?"

Malfoy glared, but refused to speak. After a moment, Scrimgeour glanced at Albus, prompting him to rise.

"As the court is well aware, as evidenced by every Death Eater who has already been tried over the last two days, a refusal to enter a plea is considered by our laws to be the same as admitting the crime. An involuntary guilty plea will be entered into the records on Mr. Malfoy's behalf."

Nodding at Percy Weasley, who was again acting as scribe for the Death Eater trials, Albus once again resumed his seat.

Scrimgeour once again fixed his acid gaze on Lucius Malfoy. "Since you have not seen fit to enter a plea of your own free will, I suppose we may dispense with hearing your statement. Aurors, please administer Veritaserum to the accused."

For a moment Albus thought that Lucius would resist being dosed, following in the footsteps of all his compatriots. He glared up at the Auror holding the bottle and appeared ready to make some retort. The words died on his lips, however, and he seemed to realize that he would not escape this, regardless of his own wishes in the matter. A grimace appeared on his face, followed by his customary sneer. He made no further attempts to avoid his fate—he simply opened his mouth when required and accepted the potent potion. It was a remarkable piece of restraint and showed on the surface anyway, that Lucius was somewhat more civilized and smarter than the others—to a man they had had to be stunned and fed the potion.

Scrimgeour allowed a few moments for the potion to take effect before he motioned the attending Auror to move away from the accused.

"The defendant will now state his name."

"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy," he said in the typically detached voice associated with Veritaserum.

After meeting both Albus's and the Minster's eyes for a brief moment, Scrimgeour began the questioning.

"Mr. Malfoy, are you a Death Eater?"

"Yes."

"Auror Danvers, please expose the defendant's left arm."

The Auror stepped forward and, grasping Malfoy's arm—none too gently—raised the sleeve past his elbow. There on his arm, the skull and snake of the mark writhed against his skin, seemingly agitated, if a mere mark could be termed as being so.

"Did you take this mark of your own free will?"

"Yes."

"Now, just so that we are completely clear," Scrimgeour pressed, "you were not coerced in any way to accept this mark?"

"I was not."

"To the best of your knowledge, can a person be coerced into accepting the Dark Lord's mark?"

"I do not know," Lucius replied.

"Do you know of anyone who has ever been forced to take the dark mark?"

"I do not."

"In your opinion, would the Dark Lord force a person to take his mark?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because the Dark Lord would never favor someone who did not follow him willingly. It is a mark of being chosen to enforce my lord's will to be favored with his mark."

"So a person cannot be marked unless he chooses it?"

"Is there a reason for this?" a voice rang out from the members of the Wizengamot.

Albus looked up to see Erastus Avery standing and witnessing the proceedings with an expression of extreme distaste on his face. Avery was another one of those who had escaped Azkaban after the first war by use of the Imperius curse defense. He was also, Albus suspected, a member of Voldemort's inner circle.

"What this man's opinions are do not prove anything at all, and we've already heard the testimony of his fellows. We know that they all took the dark mark willingly. Why are you rehashing old arguments?"

"We have indeed," Scrimgeour agreed. "But we are also setting a precedent. This man is one of the Dark Lord's closest confederates, and his opinion is vital to establishing a picture of what he requires of his followers."

"I agree with Avery," Selwyn spoke up from another part of the room. "It means nothing unless you suspect that Lucius Malfoy is You-Know-Who in secret and marked himself."

A titter of nervous laughter broke throughout the room as Selwyn had no doubt intended. Scrimgeour, however, was completely unaffected by Avery's persistent questioning.

"It is obvious that Lucius Malfoy is not Voldemort. However, our questioning will show that he was high in the Dark Lord's counsels, and his testimony is valuable in determining the requirements for receiving Voldemort's mark. If you feel that I am doing Mr. Malfoy a disservice with my line of questioning, you may, of course, pose any questions you like."

Though the two Death Eaters' countenances darkened, they made no further comment. It was, Albus reflected, a legitimate line of questioning, as Scrimgeour stated, while in truth proving nothing, as Selwyn and Avery had pointed out. Still, it was valuable, in the perceptions of the members of the Wizengamot, if nothing else. The Imperius curse defense had been widely used after the first war as a defense against prosecution, and the groundwork they were laying now would go a long way toward rendering that defense ineffective in the future, and doubly so if the accused bore the dark mark.

Scrimgeour turned his attention back on Malfoy. "Mr. Malfoy, you will answer the question. Only those committed to his cause may receive Voldemort's mark?"

"Yes."

"And then would it be safe to assume that the Imperius would be used for those unwilling?"

"Yes."

"And what must one do to prove oneself worthy of receiving the mark?"

"The Dark Lord requires a sacrifice."

Though Albus already knew of this and had learned from his questioning what Malfoy had done to gain his own mark, it still disgusted him. Moreover—and more importantly—though the Wizengamot had heard the testimony during the previous trials, the mere suggestion that Lucius had performed "a sacrifice" had many faces blanching, as the other Death Eaters had already relayed their own gruesome actions.

"What kind of sacrifice does he require?"

"Anything will do," Lucius stated, "as long as it benefits the Dark Lord, and falls within the proper definition of the word."

"Are some sacrifices considered to be better than others?"

"Yes."

"Please elaborate."

"The Dark Lord believes that the loss of innocence is by far the most worthwhile sacrifice a supplicant can make. However, he will accept donations of a more monetary nature, or even other sacrifices."

"As long as they can be properly termed as a sacrifice?"

"Yes."

"You mentioned the loss of innocence. What did you mean?"

"Anything which renders the supplicant to no longer be an innocent."

"Please give the Wizengamot some examples."

"Usually, the loss of innocence means that the candidate has killed someone, but it can also mean the passage to an adult, either from a physical or mental standpoint."

A murmur rose up in the courtroom, though Albus reflected that they truly should not have been surprised. To a man, every one of the previous defendants had reported a killing at the very least as being their action which had won them the dark mark. The room quickly quieted as Malfoy was still speaking.

"There have been other sacrifices, either accompanying the murder, or in place of it. The master's Death Eater candidates have raped—usually Muggles, or an occasional Mudblood we have been able to capture. Occasionally, a female Death Eater has given herself to the Dark Lord as her sacrifice."

The issue of rape had certainly come up before, though it had been surprising, but the other was new, not that Albus could be surprised at the revelation, either. Tom Riddle had been a charmer as a student, and Albus could well imagine his vanity at having women throwing themselves at him in this manner.

"But a murder is considered the best in the Dark Lord's eyes?"

"It is."

"Why?"

"Because it serves two purposes. It helps cleanse the stain of lesser beings, Muggles and Mudbloods, but it also shows the depth of commitment one has to the Dark Lord."

"Very well." Scrimgeour paused, while gazing about the courtroom to see if anyone else had any other questions to ask. No one took him up on his silent offer. "Now we will go into your specific actions. When did you receive your own mark?"

"The summer after my fifth year."

By this time everyone was quite familiar with the fact that Voldemort liked to brand his followers at a young age, and there were no gasps of surprise or outrage. Albus had known it for some time, in fact—the earlier a person was corrupted, the better in Tom Riddle's eyes, likely because they would more quickly arrive at the stage where they would almost literally do anything for him.

Scrimgeour was eying Malfoy with disgust for some moments before he continued, likely pausing to impress to the membership what Malfoy had just admitted—that he had essentially been a hardened criminal and murderer since the age of fifteen. "How did you come in contact with the Dark Lord?"

"I had known the Dark Lord personally for several years as my father was a Death Eater."

"And your father did not put any pressure on you to become a Death Eater?"

"It was expected that I would," Malfoy replied, "but I was eager. I knew the Dark Lord would require me to accept the dark mark soon after my fifth year. I spent the entire year planning it."

"The entire year?" Scrimgeour interjected.

"It was for my lord," Malfoy intoned. "I needed to make certain what I did was acceptable to my lord."

"Very well. Please detail to the court exactly what crimes you committed to gain your own mark."

"There was a particularly disgusting Mudblood attending Hogwarts in my year. She was annoyingly smart, seemed to flaunt it at every opportunity, and had a rather distressing lack of respect for Purebloods of my standing. The final insult was that she was a Gryffindor.

"The day before school let out for the summer, I managed to corner her in one of the lesser used halls in Hogwarts. I put her under the Imperius curse and forced her to give me her address. Then I obliviated her and allowed her to return home. Two weeks later when the Dark Lord summoned me and offered the mark, I put my plan into action."

Albus surreptitiously glanced around the room, noting the looks of disbelief on the faces of many of those in the courtroom. It was apparent that this disgusting tale was, though perhaps not a surprise, it was at least still distressing to many in the room. There were likely many who had hoped that Malfoy's crimes would be, if not explainable, at least mild enough that they could fine him, or some other such petty punishment. The extent of his planning and the shadow of what was likely to come next was clearly shocking and repulsive to many of even those who supported Voldemort's aims.

"As I was still underage and could not apparate, the Dark Lord provided me with a portkey to the town in which the Mudblood lived. I quickly disillusioned myself and made my way to the address she had given me, letting myself into the house silently. As she was the oldest magical in the house, and therefore the most dangerous, I stunned and bound her, before doing the same to the rest of the family. I then brought them all into the same room, ennervated them and silenced them, before raping the women and killing the entire family by removing their heads. I left the girl for last. The look in her eyes as she watched as I violated and put to death each member of her family was exquisite. I made it very clear to her that she was the reason why I had targeted her family. It was her fault. Of course, they would have died eventually anyway—such disgusting filth must be purged for the good of us all. My lord was most pleased when I provided him with the memory of the event. He was even more impressed when I presented to him the heads of the family."

By this time, most of those listening had decidedly green casts to their countenances, and not a few were vomiting. Some had even managed to conjure buckets before they lost their last meal, though many had not had sufficient foresight. This crime was truly the most disturbing account they had yet heard. Unfortunately, Malfoy had many more to relate which would almost be its equal.

Scrimgeour was not finished, however. He waited until those who had lost their composure recovered somewhat before he turned his attention back to Lucius Malfoy.

"Mr. Malfoy, what was the name of the girl whose family you murdered?"

"Deborah Grantley."

"Auror Moody, are you aware of this crime?"

Alastor, who had been sitting in one of the gallery seats, rose and eyed the director. "Aye, I do. We were called in when the dark mark was spotted over the house. We found the bodies of the families mutilated almost beyond recognition. It was difficult to even identify them, and we never found anything which would help us determine who had done it." Both Moody's eyes were fixed upon Malfoy, an expression such as one would use for vermin adorning his face. "It does my old heart good to see their murderer finally brought to face justice for his crimes."

Scrimgeour turned back to Malfoy. "Please tell the court about the family, and explain just exactly what you did to them."

"Besides the parents, there were four children. Deborah was the oldest, and then she had a brother two years younger, another sister due to start Hogwarts that September, and a younger sister."

"How old was the youngest girl?"

"I do not know."

"Estimate."

"Probably five or six years of age."

"And you raped the little girl too?" an outraged voice sputtered from the upper sections of the courtroom."

"I did."

More vomiting ensued at Lucius's words, but this time Scrimgeour did not allow for any respite. "That makes a total of four females. Either you must have incredible stamina, or you used magical means to assist you."

"I planned everything in advance," Lucius stated, and Albus thought he could detect a hint of pride through the Veritaserum. "I took stamina potions and lust potions to make sure I could finish the demonstration of my devotion to my lord without fail."

"What exactly did you do to them?"

"I used a dark cutting curse on the two males to castrate them, and allowed them to bleed to death while I dealt with the females."

"How long did it take for the males to die?"

Malfoy shrugged. "The boy died while my attention was fixed on the women. The father lived long enough to see me take each of his daughters at least once. He may have died before I got to the wife—I am not certain."

Outraged murmurs began rising throughout the chamber. Albus, sensing the mood of the Wizengamot was turning dark, stood and motioned for silence.

"Members of the Wizengamot," he stated, "I understand your fury over Mr. Malfoy's testimony, but I would urge you all to stay calm. Though listening to what he has done is repulsive, it is necessary. Once his crimes have been brought to light, his punishment will be determined. Please wait until then to express your fury."

Almost reluctantly, the Wizengamot soon quieted and Scrimgeour was able to continue. "And what did you do to the women?"

"As I stated," Malfoy continued in his monotone, "I raped them, used cutting curses on various parts of their bodies when they struggled too much. I also used the Cruciatus on each of them several times, including the women while I raped them,."

"You cast the torture curse on the women as you were raping them?" an incredulous voice called out from the upper reaches of the courtroom.

"I did."

"Tell the court why," Scrimgeour commanded.

"Because they twitched and writhed most delightfully when under the curse. That and it caused them even more pain and humiliation."

By this time the murmurs had begun again, and Albus was certain that there was nothing he could do to settle the Wizengamot. This was far beyond what any of his fellows had admitted to, and the mood was changing—if Malfoy were sent to prison and was ever to be released, Albus was certain there was now a country full of vigilantes who would be all too eager to end his miserable existence.

"Please continue, Mr. Malfoy."

"Once the potions I took had run out and I my stamina began to flag, I relieved the entire family of their heads. The men were, of course, already dead, and of the women, I believe the younger girls were already catatonic, though the mother was barely conscious. I kept Deborah for last. When she surrendered her head to me, I watched eagerly as the light left her eyes forever."

Again Scrimgeour paused and looked out over the courtroom. It was interesting, Albus thought, that even those who were suspected of being Death Eaters—and who likely had committed similar crimes of their own—appeared pale because of the testimony just given. Scrimgeour allowed a moment before he finally looked back at Malfoy, and expression of utter disdainful repugnance etched upon his features.

"And how did Voldemort respond to what you had done?"

"The Dark Lord told me he had never seen such ingenuity and devotion. I was given the dark mark immediately." This time the pride in his voice was unmistakable.

"Didn't you feel anything while you were committing those unspeakable acts against those poor people?" an outrage Madam Longbottom demanded.

"They were nothing more than vermin," Malfoy replied. "Such as they, were nothing more than a stain upon our society. They must be purged in any manner possible. My lord commended me for removing two such, and for preventing two more unworthy vermin from entering our world. Doing it in such a way sends an object lesson to the rest of them that this is what they can expect."

The courtroom descended into a shocked silence. There was no more doubt at all that Malfoy had always been a believer, and was far more deranged than anyone had ever imagined. Albus almost wished that the former Minister were here to hear this account of his most prominent backer's confession, to learn what Malfoy's blood money had bought him.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot," Scrimgeour spoke up again into the silence. "This is what we as a society have allowed to escape judgment all those years ago when Voldemort first fell.

"This... this... vile, sadistic, remorseless murderer has been allowed to exist without punishment for far too long." Scrimgeour's sharp denunciation thundered throughout the room, up into the rafters, only to echo down into the room again, a sharp and blistering indictment on them all. He paused for a moment, glaring about the room, almost daring anyone to contradict him. No one did. It appeared that his denunciation had reached even those who were hardened supporters of Voldemort and caused more than one head to lower in shame.

"Mr. Malfoy has many other crimes to relate today," Scrimgeour continued in a lower—yet no less outraged—tone of voice. "Remember that as he continues to relate his crimes. Remember that we as a society have failed to take action to ensure he does not continue to kill, rape, maim, and torture in his master's name. Listen to his words and feel your shame."

Rufus Scrimgeour was not considered an eloquent man; he was more of a man of action. Yet Albus could not remain unaffected by the man's passionate words. It seemed no one could. With this opening, coupled by the words of the accused himself, Albus knew that the war of words had been won almost before it had begun.

The testimony of Lucius Malfoy continued for the next two hours, during which time the man continued to recount as many of his crimes as the interrogators had been able to uncover. The sickness of the man disgusted most of those in attendance and it was clear that whatever happened, he would not walk from this room a free man. Malfoy had been involved in some manner or another in almost every major manner of crime, and in particular, every one with which he had been charged. Many other acts he had committed had been every bit as sickening as the acts of his first crime and by the end of his testimony, most of those listening were almost inured to the depravity and viciousness of which he was clearly capable.

As she listened to his initial account of his deeds, Amelia found herself in a rage. Her brother and his family had died at the hands of these animals and while their fate had not been as gruesome as some, Amelia could still feel the helpless feeling of impotence she had felt on being informed that her only brother had been murdered along with his family, with only a small child surviving the carnage. These disgusting people did not deserve to live. With Scrimgeour's surprisingly powerful and passionate words, Amelia found that she had been given an opportunity to ensure that every one of them would pay the price for what they had done.

Once Malfoy had finished giving his testimony, he was given the counter agent and removed from the room. He remained stoic as he was led out, though it was clear that it was at least partially a show. The way that many of his erstwhile supporters would not meet his eyes must have told him just exactly how his words had been received.

Conviction was a foregone conclusion—every right-thinking person could not with any conscience whatsoever conclude his actions had been anything less than the heinous work of a monster, masquerading as a civilized man. And those who agreed with Lucius Malfoy in principle or in deed could hardly say so in front of the world. Even the Selwyns of the world—he had been remarkably silent and stoic throughout the testimony given by his fellows—would dare to say anything in his defense.

When the prisoner had exited the room, Scrimgeour once again paused as though assessing the mood of the Wizengamot. "You have all heard the testimony of Lucius Malfoy, heard the accounts of his deeds from his own lips. Though I cannot imagine anyone condoning his actions, I will put the question before the Wizengamot. Is there anyone in this chamber who believes that Lucius Malfoy is not guilty of the charges which have been levied against him?"

This time, unlike the previous trial for Sirius Black, there was not one who even appeared to be contemplating speaking up in the man's favor.

"I apologize, members, for the sordid details I brought out with my questioning the past two days. It was sickening to say the least, but I believe it is incumbent upon all of us to understand exactly what we are dealing with. I also thank you all for listening with your conscience and acting in the best interests of the entire Wizarding world. I now cede the floor to our esteemed Chief Warlock."

Bowing, Scrimgeour turned and walked away from the lectern, and Dumbledore approached and looked out over the Wizengamot.

"Esteemed members. In the matter of the charges against Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, I ask you all to declare your verdict. If you believe Mr. Malfoy to be guilty, you will raise and light your wand."

Though the result was never in question, Amelia was gratified that there was no one who even abstained from pronouncing a verdict of guilt upon Lucius Malfoy. Even those suspected of being Death Eaters had no choice but to rise and vote with the rest of the body. There was no other option.

In a grave voice, Dumbledore said, "It appears that the guilty verdict is unanimous, and as such, I declare Lucius Abraxas Malfoy guilty of all charges, in accordance with those verdicts which fell upon his compatriots, the other ten Death Eaters."

As Dumbledore fell silent, this time the chamber remained silent with him—it was not an unexpected verdict after all, given all they had heard over the past two days.

"Then we shall move on to sentencing," Dumbledore declared.

Knowing this was her cue to act, Amelia stood. "Chief Warlock, if I may speak for a moment."

"Of course, Madam Minister," Dumbledore said, and with a short bow, he backed away from the lectern and sat.

Amelia took her position behind the wooden structure and paused to look out over the chamber. It was perhaps a little unusual for a sitting Minister to ask to address the Wizengamot in such a manner in a criminal trial, but Amelia thought she detected more curiosity than annoyance over her minor breach of normal procedure. Fudge had been Minister for more than ten years, Amelia thought wryly, and some of the things he had done, including a trial for underage magic use and changing the time and location for said trial with hardly any notice, were not among his most unusual offenses.

"Members of the Wizengamot," she began after she considered what she wanted to say for a moment, clarifying her thoughts and deciding how to present her case, "I thank you for your attendance today, and your indulgence. I had thought to allow the Wizengamot to follow its normal deliberation process in regard to these men, but I found I cannot stay silent.

"The fact of the matter is that we have heard these last few days, criminals, disgusting hardened murderers and thugs, who have related their various crimes before us. The things these men have admitted to doing in the service of their so-called lord should fill everyone with not only disgust and revulsion, but also with a righteous fury!"

Amelia paused and looked out over the courtroom. The members almost appeared to be riveted in place, their eyes affixed upon her and their ears trained upon her voice. Amelia could even see the hint of tears in some eyes. She had always thought the Wizengamot was a self-serving, emotionless group, except when it came to their own interests. Today, however, it was clear that few remained unaffected by what had transpired.

"How many people's lives have been changed irrevocably by the actions of these men?" she cried. "How many have had their lives ended before their time, and under the most horrific circumstances? How long have we allowed this cancerous filth to grow unchecked in our society?

"It is my opinion that we can allow this to continue no longer. It is time for us, as leaders of our society, to once and for all declare that such filth as these men will no longer be tolerated. It is time for us to forever take a stand and act in the best interests of all of our society. I move that we levy the severest of punishments against these men for the crimes they have committed. Let us push them all through the veil and be done with their evil."

Amelia watched as those in the chamber digested her words. There was no outcry; there was no dissent; it seemed as though it had been an expected motion. A death sentence was not precisely common, but neither was it unheard of. For crimes such as this, it could not be a surprise, though the Death Eaters themselves likely expected to simply be thrown back into Azkaban where Voldemort could simply free them again.

Tiberius Ogden stood and indicated that he wished to speak, and Amelia motioned for him to do so.

"Madam Minister, I believe that we can all agree that the crimes these men committed are especially barbarous, and please do not suppose for a moment that I am speaking on their behalf. I simply wish to be sure of our course, and knowing your personal history with You-Know-Who's followers, I wish to make certain that your judgment is not being affected by this."

It was a reasonable question. "How can anyone be certain that they are being completely objective?" Amelia asked rhetorically. "Yes, the deaths of my brother and his family have affected my life and not a day goes by when I do not think of them. And my niece Susan is a daily reminder of what could have been, had the evil of Voldemort and his followers not existed.

"However, I believe that all who commit crimes such as this should be required by society to pay the price for their actions. I will remind you that none of these men were involved in the murder of my brother and his family."

Amelia glared up at the elderly man, daring him to contradict her, but Ogden merely nodded and continued to watch her.

"But even more than my brother's family, my thoughts are more with Deborah Grantley and her family. The entire family was murdered and had unspeakable acts perpetrated on them, all so that a sadistic murderer could please another sadistic murderer. Should we give the likes of Lucius Malfoy another chance to commit such vile acts in the future?"

"Minister Bones," Alaric Morgan spoke up, "we cannot condemn men to death to prevent future crimes."

"Nor do I suggest we do so," Amelia replied. "But I believe that the particulars of these cases speak for themselves. Some may call this Old Testament judgment, but I truly believe that these men have provoked our society to the point where if we don't respond by exacting the harshest punishment possible, we do a disservice to us all. We must hold these men accountable in equal measure to the severity of their crimes."

"If I may, Minister Bones," Sirius said.

Amelia motioned for him to speak, while wondering what he would say. As a man who had been incarcerated for many years unjustly, he may very well have a different take on her motion.

"Thank you." Sirius turned and addressed the chamber. "I believe that the Minister is right in this instance. These men deserve to die. To do otherwise is to betray those who they have harmed by their actions, not to mention those who have died fighting against their evil. If we cannot stand firm and condemn these men for what they have done, we invite others to follow in their footsteps. We invite Voldemort to even greater boldness if we do not do what we must."

"I am surprised to hear that from you, Black," Selwyn interrupted with a sneer.

"Perhaps," Sirius agreed pleasantly. "I suppose that you are all considering my time spent with the Dementors." His tone was genial, but his demeanor was solemn. "I cannot argue the point—if Minister Bagnold and Director Crouch had decided I was worthy of different treatment, then I would not be here today speaking to you.

"But you must acknowledge that the situation is clearly different from mine. I was never given the benefit of a trial. These men have. If they were not worthy of death, their own words would have exonerated them, as mine exonerated me. The depravity of their crimes leaves us one option. We must do as the Minister suggests and exact the ultimate price for their crimes."

Sirius sat back down, and Amelia looked on with relief.

"What does the Chief Warlock think?" Tiberius Ogden asked, with an eye towards Dumbledore.

Though reluctantly to Amelia's eye, Dumbledore stood and faced the Wizengamot. Not a word was said as the entire body's attention was fixed on the respected wizard. Dumbledore was known to be somewhat of a pacifist, one who respected the sanctity of life and preferred reconciliation to vengeance, regardless of his defeat of Grindlewald all those years ago. Here was one who could, if he chose, derail her proposal.

"Esteemed members, I believe you have all heard me proclaim the benefits of the doctrine of forgiveness in this very chamber, and I must say that I do believe that everyone should be given the opportunity to atone for their actions and learn to live better lives.

"Unfortunately, I believe that these men are beyond any reasonable expectation of atonement."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Amelia allowed herself to relax slightly.

"There comes a time when a man's deeds progress to the point where he is beyond our ability to reach him. If these men showed even a hint of remorse for their actions which was not motivated by fear of reprisal or consternation at being discovered, then I may feel differently. They have not. They have been defiant to a man. We should consign them to whatever deity exists beyond this life to judge."

"And if there is no such deity?" a voice rang out from the top tiers of the room.

Dumbledore gazed up into the gallery at whoever had spoken. There was not a hint of anything other than seriousness and slight sadness on his face. "Then we should confine them to the oblivion as they so richly deserve."

With that the aged Headmaster looked about the room as the chamber fell silent. There were many thoughtful expressions, some filled with fear and a few etched with disquiet. What was clear was that there were few who were unmoved.

After a brief moment Dumbledore looked to Amelia, but she shook her head, indicating that she had nothing further to say. The Chief Warlock once again directed his gaze out at the members of the Wizengamot. "Thank you to all who have spoken today. I now ask the Wizengamot to render its judgment. Those who vote to sentence the defendants to death please light the tip of your wands and raise them. Those who believe some lesser sentence is warranted will leave their wands down."

A moment passed before there was any movement in the chamber. When there was, it began slowly and picked up speed as more and more members began to raise their wands. There were certainly some whose support was expected—Augusta Longbottom, whose son and daughter-in-law would finally come closer to being avenged with the deaths of the Lestrange brothers; Tiberius Ogden, a staunch and courageous ally throughout the years; Albus Dumbledore, who had just made his opinion known before the entire court; and Elphias Doge, longtime friend and supporter of the Headmaster, and a good, if cantankerous man. But there were also other supporters who were not quite so expected, such as most of the neutral bloc and, perhaps most surprisingly, Alaric Morgan, former candidate for Minister, who it had appeared was doing all he could to thwart them. Amelia wondered just what his game was.

When the votes were tallied, Amelia felt her tension drain—the sentence had been accepted by far more than the two-thirds necessary to authorize an execution.

"Thus, the Wizengamot has spoken," Dumbledore intoned. "At this time I would like to make one final proposal. The threat of Voldemort os very real, as he proved only a few short months ago. We cannot risk these men being released by their master once again. I move that the condemned be executed today."

A cacophony of voices rose from the midst of the Wizengamot, mostly amongst the darker families, Amelia noted. She could not help but wonder if Voldemort's plan had always been to wait until his followers were condemned to Azkaban before effecting a rescue. He would have no reason to suspect that they would be executed, given their standing and influence in society. If they were executed today as Dumbledore had suggested, then Voldemort would have no opportunity to secure their release.

"I will not be party to such barbarity," Selwyn bellowed into the din.

"What, does the scent of blood suddenly make you squeamish, Selwyn?" Sirius jibed at the apoplectic man. "Given your past... associations, I would have thought it would be right up your alley."

Selwyn sneered back at him. "You are not even worthy of my attention, Blood Traitor."

"And I would one day expect you to join your buddy Lucius in the death chamber."

A collective gasp went up in the chamber—both men had just committed a serious breach of etiquette in the Wizengamot.

At the lectern, Albus spoke before the disagreement could escalate any further. "Let us remain civil, shall we?"

Selwyn grumbled and shot Sirius a dirty look, but the irrepressible Marauder did nothing but grin in return.

"If there are any others who wish to speak on this matter, please do so." When no one indicated their desire to speak, Dumbledore continued, "Very well, we shall vote on the proposal. Again, all in favor of immediate execution will raise their wands."

This time the response was much quicker, and turned out to be much the same as the previous vote had gone. Precedent had been broken. The Death Eaters would be put to death that very day.

Whatever Sirius Black had expected, it was not that the Death Eaters would pay for their crimes so quickly. Madam Bones's appeal was not unexpected, nor was the fact that they had been able to get guilty verdict. Their crimes had spoken for themselves, after all, and Sirius had already had an idea of exactly what the investigators had uncovered, as Albus had been very forthright in letting him know.

Now as the prisoners were led back into the room as a group, Sirius allowed himself to feel a hint of satisfaction that they would finally pay for the crimes which they had committed. Finally, James and Lily would receive some measure of justice for what had been done to them, even though none of these condemned men had actually cast the spell which had ended his friends' lives. But they had, by accepting and supporting Voldemort, and making him into a feared Dark Lord, played a part.

Sirius studied them as they walked into the courtroom to stand in front of the Wizengamot. To a man, they appear to be confident—even a little on the cocky side, if he could use such a term. They were murderers to a man, and they all obviously held a great deal of trust for Voldemort. He was their master, was he not? He had escaped death once and returned to once again terrorize the world; why should he not extricate them from their current predicament?

Smiling a slow and cocky grin of his own, Sirius caught Lucius Malfoy's eyes and just barely restrained himself from making a rather vulgar gesture at the arrogant Pureblood. Yes, Lucius Malfoy was in for a very rude awakening indeed.

When the prisoners had been brought to a stop, Dumbledore, as Chief Wizard, rose to pronounce the judgment of the Wizengamot.

"Let the accused stand forward." The men were pushed forward by their Auror escorts, and reluctantly faced the lectern of the courtroom. "Lucius Malfoy, Augustus Rookwood, Rudolphus Lestrange, Rastaban Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, Magnus Mulciber, Gerald Goyle, Vincent Crabbe Sr., Walden Macnair, Antonio Jugson, and Judas Nott, the Wizengamot has deliberated your cases based on the testimony you have given. The judgment of this body is that you have all been found guilty of all charges which have been levied against you."

Sirius was watching closely for any reaction, and he was largely disappointed, as most of the men stood stoically as the verdict was announced to them, with only Goyle swallowing heavily and closing his eyes. From Lucius Malfoy, who Sirius was specifically watching, there was nothing more than a slight grimace, no doubt from the damage to his precious reputation, rather than any sort of remorse.

"Furthermore, I would inform you of this body's revulsion regarding the testimony you have so unwillingly given." Dumbledore paused and gazed out over the eleven men, disgust and contempt evident in his disapproving glare. "You have all passed well beyond the boundaries of any civilized being and have richly earned the disgust of society.

"In the matter of the sentence which shall be imposed for your heinous crimes, it is the judgment of this body that you be taken to the veil room in the Department of Mysteries and sent through the veil. The sentence is death, and it is to be carried out immediately."

That got the Death Eaters' attention, and for the first time Sirius was able to see a reaction from most of them. To a man they paled, while a few expressions of terror appeared several faces. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most visual and verbal reaction was that of Lucius Malfoy.

"What?" he screamed once the implications of the sentence had made their way through his consciousness. "How dare you? Do you not know who I am?"

"You are a traitor to civilized society and a murderer, amongst many other things," Dumbledore replied with distaste.

"My master shall hear of this!" Malfoy screamed, though Sirius could detect a desperate hysteria in his voice. "He will storm the very gates of—"

"You have had your say, Mr. Malfoy," said Dumbledore in an icy cold tone of voice as he put his wand down, the silencing spell once again bringing order to the courtroom. He then looked down at the other Death Eaters. "Do any of you have any statements to make before the sentence is carried out? Perhaps a statement of remorse for what you have done might be appropriate?"

"You'll get no such pleasure from us," Rastaban Lestrange growled. "Our Lord's work will continue long after we are gone. One day he will cleanse the land of Mudbloods and Muggles, and we will be heroes in his new order."

"I believe I will have something to say about that, Mr. Lestrange."

He looked expectantly down at the Death Eaters, but no one made any more move to speak; the Lestranges, Malfoy—who had now stopped trying to speak—Macnair, and Dolohov, all gazed defiantly up at the Wizengamot, while the rest appeared shell-shocked.

"Very well," Dumbledore finally stated, before motioning to guarding Aurors. "Take the prisoners down to the veil room and hold them there for the Wizengamot's arrival."

A few moments later Sirius had made his way to the veil chamber along with more than half of the Wizengamot. Notably absent were those who were suspected of being Death Eaters, or those who had pled the Imperius curse from the first war. With Dumbledore, along with a sizable contingent of the Ministry's Auror force present, it was clear that there was to be no last minute rescue staged by Voldemort's forces. These men would die here this day, and the world would be made a safer place because of it.

As they stood in front of the veil—Sirius found a place near it so as to witness the departure of Lucius Malfoy from this world—Sirius looked at the looming device with some disquiet. Though the Ministry studied such things, he imagined that not much was truly known of the veil, nor exactly where the Death Eaters would appear when they were forced through. His proximity to it was highly unsettling. The rent black veil which hung over the arch fluttered and eddied in an unfelt breeze, and if he listened closely enough, Sirius almost felt like he could hear the whisper of eldritch voices. On one occasion, he almost fancied he could hear James's voice among the whispers, which caused a shiver to run down his spine. Sirius hoped—believed—that he would one day see his friend again, and he looked forward to the day when the Marauders would be unleashed upon the afterlife with pleasure. But he was not eager for it to happen again soon; he hoped for a long life watching over James's son, watching him grow and live his life in happiness. It also followed that he hoped that this would help atone for his mistakes the night James and Lily had been slain, but that was more a thought of his subconscious mind.

The prisoners were brought in one by one bound in chains and pushed through the veil. It seemed like some had come to life in the past few moments, as they struggled against their fate, while others faced it more calmly. Strangely those who fell in either category were not necessarily those whom Sirius would have expected.

Finally, Lucius Malfoy was brought in, the last of the condemned men. He glared wildly around the room, clearly attempting to show bravado, while desperately hoping that there was someone—anyone—who would extract him from his predicament. Of course all of his confederates had chosen not to attend, and no one currently in the room would reach a hand out, except to push him through all that much sooner.

As he approached the veil, struggling against his bonds and the Aurors who were forcing him forward, Sirius was not able to resist one last dig against the man who was unwillingly related to him by marriage, and who he had hated for years.

"You filthy murderer," he snarled at the blond Death Eater. "I hope you rot in hell for what you have done."

Lucius Malfoy fixed his glare upon Sirius and his mouth lifted in one final sneer. "You will soon join me, Black. The Dark Lord will make sure if it. You and your pathetic little godson."

"Maybe I will join you," Sirius agreed amiably. "But I rather suspect that Voldy will beat me there."

"You're delusional if you think a brat could defeat the greatest Dark Lord of all time," Malfoy snapped.

"I don't think so," Sirius said with a grin. "Hadn't you heard? There's a prophecy which foretells that my godson will kick your master's arse. Have an enjoyable afterlife."

Malfoy did not reply. He ceased struggling and did nothing more than smirk at Sirius as he was led to the veil. In a moment, the Aurors pushed him forward and he disappeared, never to be seen again. It was done.

Updated 05/29/2014