The Crimes Of The Last Of Lestrange
[William's POV]
After Nate left the room
"You sent for me, dad."
"Ah! Alexander, come in."
"What happened?"
"There is a letter from the wizengamot."
"This is sudden."
William opened the envelope and took out the letter with the levitation charm then used the standard detection charms.
"To Lord William Grey,
Head Of House Grey,
Member Of The Sacred Body Of The Wizengamot.
This is a mandatory letter informing you of the arrest of criminals wanted for severe crimes and requesting your presence at the Wizengamot's emergency trial at 1800 hours on December 13th,1985.
The list of accused and the crimes they on trial for are attached to the letter.
Department Of Magical Law Enforcement,
Bartemous Crouch Senior,
Head Of The Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
Alexander commented,"Let us see who they got this time."
William opened the attachment.
"Bellatrix Lestrange - Member to the House of Lestrange
Rodolphus Lestrange - Member to the House of Lestrange
Rabastan Lestrange - Member to the House of Lestrange
Barty Crouch Jr. - Former member of House Crouch
Charges include but are not limited to-
Murder, Attempted murder, Torture, Multiple uses of Unforgivables, Illegal Spells, Incompetent Legilimency, Conspiracy against the British Ministry Of Magic, Blatant Statue Of Secrecy Violations.
Senior Auror,
Alastor Moody."
Alexander said,"So, are you going to attend the trial?"
"Yes I have to, I don't know what is going on. I had predicted they would have left Britain by now and found a eastern faction to house them since Bellatrix is Voldemort's Second-in-command. This changes things, they have just taken Voldemort's inner circle members, this probably has taken out his whole power base."
"I don't agree. What about Malfoy?"
"Well we can't truly go after Malfoy. The neutrals won't let it slide and us pushing for it might just give them a reason to come after us for our 'betrayal' of the neutrals."
Alexander expressed his outrage,"So Malfoy goes free?!"
"Yes he gets to go free. He is too well connected and it is not like he will be able to manuever a lot, Dumbledore would like to keep him under check."
"So we are going to let the attack on us go unanswered?"
"Yes Alexander. This should be a fresh start."
"You have to be joking, right?! Can't we just talk to Cyrus?"
"What are you going to ask him?! He has a bloody faction to control and run. He can't be seen as bending to every whim of yours. He might be a good young man but he is still bound by the faction he represents and if he leaves, the light side gets too much power making the now weaker faction to get restless. So shut up and leave politics to me."
Alexander deflated at William's rant.
"It is not fair."
"The world is not fair. Merlin, The world is cruel."
"Does mother and Irene know?"
"Not yet."
"So, when are you going to tell them."
"I am not going to do anything other than going to the ministry. You are."
"Oh Morgana! That is why you called me."
William left the Lord's study with Alexander in it and went to his room and after a few spells to dress himself and then he stepped into the living room. He opened the wards around the floo for one person's exit. And took a handful of the floo powder and stepped into the floo and then let the floo slip through his hand and said calmly,"Atrium."
And a green flame burst into life around him and he was not there anymore.
[Atrium, British Ministry Of Magic]
[ TPP]
William walked out of the floo entrance and moved towards the entry to the lifts.He went to the wand check-up counter and gave his wand for identification. The guard took one look at his wand and gave his wand back to William.
"Welcome to the Ministry, Lord Grey."
"So where are they holding the trial?"
"It is the whole wizengamot attending. It is in courtroom 9."
"Thank you Robb."
"It is always a pleasure, Lord Grey."
William entered into the lifts and pushed the button for the courtrooms. On reaching the entrance to courtroom 9, he mentally prepared himself for the trial.
[ Wizengamot]
[William POV]
As I entered the trial, there was this solemn atmosphere that was present unlike most death eater trial where there would be an excitement under the light side but this felt more like a they were here to execute people. I went to take my place behind Dumbledore's seat. I asked Shacklebolt,"Why is everyone so tense?"
Shacklebolt looked at me confused and asked"Nobody told you what happened?"
"Well I would not ask otherwise would I?"
"Moody will be stating the charges."
"OK."
Dumbledore followed by Moody entered the room.
"Gentlemen. Kingsley, William, Arthur and Moody. Looks like everybody is here." he spoke somberly while nodding at them.
"Not Crouch Sr., the man is late." growled Moody.
"Can you blame him?" asked Dumbledore with a sigh.
"No, we cannot. Stronger men have broken seeing their son go down such a vile path." muttered Arthur Weasley.
William could agree, he would never have thought that he would have to sentence the charming young man he met at the ministry ball as death eater but he had seen a lot of people change through both the wars.
Barty Crouch Sr. came in the room with a face as if it was carved out of marble. He was followed by a sobbing woman who William knew as to be Crouch's wife. They were followed by the record keeper. Barty was holding onto his wife's hand like that was his only lifeline. It was heartbreaking seeing a family getting ruined because of the stupid actions of an individual.
Just before the trial was about to begin, two more people entered the room. Augusta Longbottom and Arcturus Black entered the room. The Longbottom matriarch looked positively murderous while Arcturus Black looked every bit as dignified as he generally looked. The room became eerily quite except for the sobbing of Crouch's wife. They took seat in their respective house seats.
And then the trial began.
Moody began to explain how they had caught the accused, how they had received a distress signal from Frank Longbottom as he fought against the four intruders after coming home from auror duty along with his wife, Alice Longbottom, how when they reached the mansion they caught the accused using the unforgivable curses on Alice Longbottom.
And how the accused had under Veritaserum admitted to committing the torture of Frank Longbottom and Alice Longbottom to the point that their minds fractured. The reason the aurors were tortured was to get the information about Neville Longbottom and Voldemort's whereabouts as they believed for some reason that their leader was invincible. And it looked like the aurors broke before they bent.
And it looked like that most people did not know how and why they had been caught. The outrage from the faction he was sitting was so large that it would have been concerning if Albus wasn't here. A single "Quiet!!" was enough to make them go quiet.
After all that was described by Alastor, Crouch Sr. said,"Bring in the accused." while trying to cast the patronus which unsuprisingly he could not. As the feeling of cold started fill the room Dumbledore cast the patronus in his place.
The door opened and entered six dementors and seven aurors dragging four people who looked haggard, ugly and dirty.
When the dementors released them onto the chairs. The chains bonded to the chair started chaining them up. There was a peculiarity that William observed but did not comment upon.The chair would not allow them to use any magic or speak unless given permission to.
"We have seen the evidence, we have seen the auror testimonies, we know for a fact from various turncoats that the accused are liable for the all the aforementioned crimes, the Wizengamot is free to make its decision." stated Dumbledore.
The recordkeeper stated ,"All those for life in Azkaban."
All hands raised except for Augusta Longbottom and Arcturus Black.
"All those petitioning for a change in sentence?"
Both the head of houses raised their hands.
"I do!"x2
"Lady Longbottom?"
"I demand a dementor's kiss."
"So do I." Arcturus Black added.
The whole of the traditionalist faction looked surprised at their leader.The progressives however looked at Black as if they were seeing him for the first time, William himself was shocked by Black's actions. Arcturus Black was a man known to value family above all. While it would be a wonderful thing if they executed them, he knew Dumbledore would not allow it and he was right.Dumbledore raised his hand and said,"That would not set a good precedent."
Augusta Longbottom looked coldly at Dumbledore, "My son and daughter-in-law are dead, and you worry that killing terrorists would set a bad precedent. I want justice for their deaths." while Black looked as if they were talking about the weather when he added, "Well dear old Albus has a habit of not killing people who deserve to rot in hell. Why do you think me and Potter did not like him?"
"Augusta, I understand that you want them dead but please think if we allow the ministry to have so much power. Where does it stop? What if they say that you and I were dark wizards and ordered a kiss? They won't die but remember there is a good reason Azkaban is called ' Hell on earth', I hope you understand that they could toss any of us in there and we could atleast have a chance of freedom but no magic can bring back the dead, Augusta."
"Still afraid of your own power Albus? You are honestly pathetic. I don't understand what Grindlewald saw in you to call you his brother. Maybe the power, but when he saw how much of a coward you are, he tossed-you-away."
There was a pulse of magic so strong that William felt himself nearly get moved a few inches back. The origin of the pulse was Albus Dumbledore. The aurors had drawn their wands to stop any fighting that might occur while the dementors had moved towards the prisoners. He had a stony expression as he looked at Arcturus Black as he said,"Do not speak of things, you do not know about Lord Black."
Arcturus Black was unbothered with the anger Dumbledore was showing,"I am not afraid of you Dumbledore but it feels bad when someone makes light of your pain and hurt, does it not? That is exactly what you did to a woman who lost her family with your high moral ground bullshit. You may not want something to happen but do not act as if you are in the right in not doing it when you are just desperately trying to preserve the status quo."
"Arcturus, I did not make light of her pain-"
"You know Dumbledore, you always look at the larger picture. The smaller pictures get lost in your board. Now sit the hell down and let the vote happen."
Dumbledore sat down knowing when a battle was lost.
And when the vote happened, the traditionalist families all voted in Augusta's favor, the neutrals abstained while sadly Dumbledore's initial opposition stopped many of the progressives from voting in favour. William himself voted in favour of execution. Dumbledore gave a disapproving look to William to which he just shrugged.
When the result was announced Augusta looked sad and looking at many of Light heads hurt while they grimaced and when she saw William he just offered a sympathetic smile while bowing a bit. Amelia Bones, the auror incharge was also looking hatefully at many of the light heads.
"The Wizengamot has decided the sentence. The accused are allowed to make statements."
Bellatrix Lestrange simply laughed and said,"The Dark Lord will rise again. Throw us into Azkaban, Crouch- We will wait. And our loyalty will be rewarded."
Rabastan and Rodulphus simply shook their head looking at Bellatrix in disappointment.
Rodulphus muttered,"Crazy bitch." which the room heard but the chair prevented her from listening.
Barty Crouch Jr. simply whimpered,"Father don't let them take me! Mother tell father I didn't do it."
It was honestly pathetic William concluded when he heard Crouch's mother saying,"He is your son." to Crouch.
Crouch however as ruthless as always simply stated,"You are no son of mine. Take them away."
And Crouch Jr. started crying and pleading again.
Everyone started leaving while William also left the ministry to go home while processing what all that happened today.