Wow, I love the response and feedback I'm getting from all of you, and I'm so terribly sorry it has taken me forever to update! I've been tweaking and re-tweaking the future of this story, trying to keep all the characters as close to J.K. Rowling's image as possible, but especially with Harry, it's been getting difficult. Thank you all so much for your support and patience, and especially thanks to all of you for not letting this drift to the back of my mind. The reminders kept me excited that you all love the story so much. Remember to keep any constructive criticism coming, and please review whether you like it or not! Remember to review!
Chapter 24: The Truthful Lies
"Please state your name and occupation," said a deep, monotonous voice.
Lily quivered in her chair, feeling strangely like an animal on display as members in the Ministry sat in the seats that surrounded her. Her own chair seemed to be in the center of a miniature arena and faced the stand where the presiding judge's seat remained empty. She twisted the sleeves of her long-sleeved shirt in her hands nervously. Her only comfort was the kind hand on her shoulder.
"L-Lily Luna P-P-Potter," she stuttered. "A-And, um,st-student at Hogwarts." Her eyes glanced up, to see her father sitting two rows up away from her. Her eyes dropped away just as quickly, but the look of regret in his eyes could not be easily forgotten. The hand squeezed her shoulder gently, and she looked up to see Aunt Hermione's soft brown eyes, full of care and love despite the cruel words Lily had shouted at her aunt when Lily first found out that Hermione would be the attorney in her case.
The owner of the monotonous voice was a large, burly man who appeared to be in his fifties. He scribbled down her answer, the only sounds being the scratch of his quill on parchment and the periodical shifting of one of the many witnesses, staring down at Lily, waiting expectantly for something interesting to happen. One pair of eyes in the crowd glared at her with a malice that made chills rise on her spine. Of course Draco Malfoy would want to get a front row seat at the trial of the tramp who 'mauled' his son. An awkward silence encased the dimly lit room, and Lily couldn't refrain from noticing the shackles on her chair from the dark times when the occupants of the room were terrified of the mention of You-Know-Who. Her fingers cringed away from the cold metal.
The door at the back of the room opened with a loud clang and the Minister of Magic himself walked in, sitting himself in the judge's chair. Lily's heart did a little flip. She had been terrified enough to know that her trial would not be the case of a mere minor, but a full-fledged trial of the use of curses and an impending sentence to Azkaban. With Shacklebolt there as well, the terror settled in deeper as she attempted to keep her panic at bay.
"Mr. Shacklebolt," Harry addressed with surprise. "I was not aware that you would be presiding over this case."
The man had many wrinkles on his face that had begun to accumulate when he entered his position as Minister. He looked worn out to Lily, with blood-shot eyes and a weariness in his posture that came from overworking. "Yes, it seems that this case is one of great importance, and my assistant Jeanette suggested I look over it for a fair ruling."
"A fair ruling?" Hermione voiced with raised eyebrows.
"Where is Jeanette?" Mr. Malfoy asked curiously. "She always tends to cling to your side."
"She will be along shortly," Kingsley Shacklebolt dismissed. "Let's go ahead and get this over with, shall we? Mrs. Weasley, please present the case."
Aunt Hermione cleared her throat and stepped toward her audience, removing her hand from Lily's shoulder, leaving a cold, sinking feeling in Lily's stomach. "Members of the Ministry, we are here to find the answers to questions that have been nagging us for some time. Three weeks ago, in the early hours of December 24th, Alicia Baddock, a fifth-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was attacked by a person, or persons, unknown to the Ministry. Miss Baddock was left with severe mental injuries that she most likely will never recover from.
"Also, that morning, Lily Potter, a fourth-year student who also attends Hogwarts and has a close affiliation with Miss Baddock, awoke with strange injuries on her back and her leg that she had no explanation for. Both were admitted to St. Mungo's where Miss Potter was visited, against her wishes by Mr. Harry Potter, the Head of the Auror Department. In the midst of a rising argument by Miss Potter and Mr. Potter, she heatedly admitted that she had knowledge of what happened to Miss Baddock and was placed in custody to be questioned at this time."
Mr. Shacklebolt nodded his head. "Miss Potter, will you please relate to us the detail of what happened the night Miss Baddock was attacked?"
"O-Of course…" Lily answered nervously. "W-Where would you like me to begin?"
Mr. Shacklebolt looked to Aunt Hermione, and she told Lily, "Perhaps you could start with your reasons of why you were staying the night at the residence of Theodore and Victoire Lupin."
"Well, I went to my godbrother's house because I had a row with my family."
"And what was this argument about?" Aunt Hermione asked, guiding Lily through what little of the story was already known.
"Um, my… relationship with Scorpius Malfoy." Lily's eyes rose from her hands carefully folded in her lap to the audience, only to cringe at the heavy glares of Mr. Malfoy and her own father.
"Would you please explain this relationship, so that everyone might understand why this would provoke such an argument in your family?"
"Um, " Lily blushed a deep pink with slight embarrassment. "Scorpius Malfoy and I had been… dating in secret for some time. When the Malfoys so graciously held a Christmas party and invited my family, our secret was brought into the open light. Obviously, our parents were much more than angry with this turn of events, and it sparked an argument between Mr. Potter and me. Enraged, I ran away and went to the closest person I have besides family, my godbrother Teddy."
"What happened when you went to Mr. Lupin?"
"I explained my story, and we all went to bed," Lily answered readily. Her hands were shaking nervously, and her heart beat quickly out of rhythm. She had explained everything that anyone knew so far. Now, the territory would become extremely dangerous, and just a few wrong words would lead her to getting expelled from Hogwarts.
"When did you wake up?" Hermione asked, thinking that she had asked the right question.
"I was awoken by the pain from the injuries I sustained, whenever Teddy and Victoire came in and took me to St. Mungo's."
She looked around nervously at the confused eyes that gawked obviously at her. "Miss Potter," Mr. Shacklebolt said in his deep voice, "You have sworn to tell the truth. You are required to tell the truth."
"I am well aware of that," Lily answered formally. "I am telling the truth. You see, Mr. Shacklebolt, I am very used to extraordinary dreams happening to me, sometimes while I am even awake. In these dreams, I am physically wherever I am in my dreams. So when I went to sleep in the Lupins' house, I woke up moments later in Alicia Baddock's bedroom, yet I was also still asleep in the Lupins' house."
"That makes no sense," Mr. Shacklebolt said, disgruntled.
"I know it doesn't, but does all magic make sense?"
No one answered her, staring with tight lips and taut jaws.
She continued, her voice breaking occasionally. "I saw Alicia lying on the bed, asleep, and to my greatest relief she was only sleeping, but I knew that if I was here, Alicia was in grave peril."
"How did you know that?" Hermione asked, having regained her ability to speak.
"That's usually why I witness these… visions."
"So every time someone is hurt or killed, the famous Lily Potter sees it happen before it does?" A man in the audience sneered. His gray hair was thin and wispy, and his angular features only enhanced Lily's idea that he resembled a vulture.
"Someone is making examples out of these visions. She wants me to see what will happen to anyone who isn't her supporter."
"What woman are you speaking of?" Mr. Shaklebolt inquired.
Right on cue the door near the top of the stairs opened with a loud creak, as the latest Ministry worker arrived. People turned in their seats to see who would so rudely interrupt such an important trial, only to see a young woman step in, looking slightly self-conscious although she obviously radiated self-esteem. She gracefully glided over to the vacant chair beside the minister and said in a bittersweet, extraordinarily familiar voice, "I'm so sorry I'm late; I got held up with the French minister."
No one else seemed to detect anything wrong. Mr. Shacklebolt graciously smiled and said, "Not a problem, Jeanette." Lily glared with bright eyes, and her hands gripped the chair, as though restraining herself from pouncing on the new focus of attention in the room. Mortellea's eyes slid casually over to see Lily, and her lips stretched in satisfaction at the reaction she had solicited.
"Mortellea," Lily growled, wishing her eyes would burn a hole through the woman's head, and her blood rushed through her veins, begging for action, such as throttling the virulent adversary.
Mortellea pulled a mask of innocence, and said, "What does Mortellea have to do with this case? Is she really trying to blame a nonexistent terror for what happened?"
Harry, who seemed to completely accept 'Jeanette' as well, muttered, "Apparently so."
"Mortellea is most certainly not nonexistent!" Lily declared with disbelief.
"Miss Potter," the minister addressed, "this 'Mortellea' is a farce used by former Death Eaters to justify their actions. They believe that they can blame someone who does not exist for their wreaking havoc on innocent wizarding families, and even muggles." At the mention of Death Eaters, Harry's eyes flashed accusingly to Mr. Malfoy, who glared back impassively.
"I've seen her with my own eyes!" she exclaimed heatedly.
With a calm demeanor, he continued, "Death Eaters try to claim that she is the cause of this, and younger people than you have been enticed by the lies of Death Eaters…" he trailed off.
"Are you insinuating that I'm a freaking Death Eater?" Lily stood up, her cheeks turning bright red with anger. "Do you know who I am?"
Aunt Hermione put a hand on Lily's arm and murmured, "Why don't you just relax, and tell your story?"
The girl took a deep breath and sat back down. "As I was saying, Mortellea likes to give me 'examples,' show me just exactly how much power she has. She took me to Alicia's bedroom, and asked me if I was afraid of her."
"What did you say?" Hermione asked.
"Only a fool would say no," Lily answered distantly, her eyes trained on Jeanette with her sadistic smile, as though she knew something Lily didn't, which she probably did.
"I knew I still had the chance to protect Alicia; she was still alive. I searched my pockets for my wand but realized that I had left it on the nightstand at Teddy's house while Mortellea had a wand and a knife. I didn't know what to do, so I attacked her."
"You attacked Alicia?" Jeanette asked.
"No, I attacked Mortellea," Lily insisted. "I just thought I could distract her from Alicia, buy some time. Her wand fell to the floor, and… and I tried to choke her."
Whispers echoed around the room. "You attempted to kill someone?" Jeanette asked with a triumphant grin on her familiar face, thinking she might have trapped Lily.
"Yes," Lily admitted. "I tried to kill someone who was going to hurt my friend, my friend who was completely innocent in this matter. Isn't that… almost self-defense?"
"Continue," was all Shacklebolt said.
"I'd forgotten about the knife, and Mortellea used it to cut my thigh, not very deeply, but it gave her the chance to regain control. The wound was enough to make my leg give out, and she took the time to begin spreading her spells. It was like a spider web had weaved itself around her head, and she started screaming." Lily's voice cracked as the haunting sounds resurfaced in her memory. "I knew I had to do something quickly, so I grabbed the sharpest thing I could find in the room. A letter opener. I-I just wanted to save Alicia, that's all. I saw an opening and I stabbed Mortellea in the side with the letter opener.
She was bleeding, a lot, but I was more focused on Alicia. She w-was screaming," Lily spoke almost in whispers, but it still echoed in the deathly quiet courtroom. Her voice began to tremble more, and tears formed in her eyes and quickly began spilling over. "I tried to help her. Sh-she was tr-trying to get rid of the spell, the web, b-but she only succeeded in scratching her face. Sh-she kept screaming…" Lily trailed off, tears silently dripping down her face and into her lap.
"What happened next, Lily?" Aunt Hermione asked with such a gentle tone, that Lily had never heard it before.
"M-Mortellea wasn't to be deterred for long, and she sliced across my back with her knife. She was done with Alicia, and she pulled me up to her level. She used her knife to slice open one of my scars." Lily shuddered. "The pain was so overbearing that I awoke from my vision and screamed."
"Would you please show the court your scar?" Shacklebolt asked.
Lily swallowed and pushed up her long sleeves. Her right arm had been bandaged where Mortellea had hurt her, but the rest of her arm was covered in the white, slightly raised runes. She undid the bandages and stood up, holding her shaking arm up for the whole courtroom to see. "This is what she did to me," she managed to say in her best grown-up voice, glaring at Jeanette. "She tortured Alicia to insanity. How can you see the evidence, but not see that she is real?"
A drawn out silence engulfed the room. Finally, Jeanette said, "I must commend you on your well-thought-out lies, Miss Potter."
"They aren't lies!" Lily exclaimed passionately, snapping more at the imposter than she would have at anyone else. "Doesn't anyone here believe me?"
Her eyes cast around the silent room, wishing someone would vouch for her. Mr. Shacklebolt looked over at Harry, and Lily couldn't help but follow. "Mr. Potter," the minister addressed, "This is your own daughter, and you are also the Head of the Auror Department. Do you have any belief that Miss Potter's claims are valid?"
His face was an unreadable mask as he stared at her. "No, sir. I do not believe that what she is saying is true."
Lily grit her teeth and held betraying tears at bay. So that was how things would be.
"Your own father doesn't believe you, Lily," Jeanette sneered. "Why would anyone believe you now?"
Lily glared malevolently. "Doesn't at least one person believe me?" An elderly woman in the back coughed, interrupting the silence. "If none of you believe me, then what do you expect happened?"
No one else answered immediately, so Jeanette spoke with her voice like bitter honey. "Perhaps this is your cover story. Where did you learn these curses, Lily? Who's been helping you dabble in the Dark Arts? Would it have been the Slytherin students you tend to hang out with at school?"
"No!" Lily protested. "They're good kids!"
"Good kids with bad parents?" the woman asked with raised eyebrows.
"You're claiming that I'm a horribly screwed up kid with good parents." Lily crossed her arms across her chest.
"Enough," Shacklebolt commanded, "I won't accept this childish squabbling in my courtroom. As it is, Miss Potter, there is no proof that Mortellea even exists."
"The proof is staring you in the face!" Lily exclaimed, losing her temper.
"Another outburst like that, and I'll have you expelled from Hogwarts," he said severely.
Lily sat down and slumped in the uncomfortable chair.
"As well-concocted as your story seems, there is no validity to it. All in favor of Miss Lily Potter being expelled from Hogwarts and sent to—"
"Mr. Shacklebolt," Aunt Hermione interrupted suddenly. The Minister was obviously agitated at the lack of formality in the courtroom but allowed Hermione to speak. "If I may point out, there is nothing linking Li—Miss Potter to the crime other than her testimony, which has been determined to be riddled with false information." Lily leaned forward to protest, but Hermione silenced her with a glare.
"What are you suggesting, Mrs. Weasley?"
"I'm suggesting that Miss Potter concocted the entire thing, just to solicit a reaction from her father to gain attention. She has a plausible motive for lying to her father, seeing as they were arguing vehemently. It also seems that perhaps this is just one of her teenage rebellious streaks in a poor attempt to make people pay her attention." Lily's mouth dropped open with offense. "There is no reason to believe that she was even involved in this case. And even if she did have something to do with the case, there is no solid evidence that actually linked her to the crime."
Shacklebolt rubbed his chin absentmindedly as he considered the idea. "I understand what you are saying, and it does seem to be an excellent explanation. Alright, all in favor of expelling Miss Potter and sentencing her to at least two years in Azkaban, say 'I.'"
Not to Lily's surprise, Jeanette voted for her expulsion, along with possibly five others, but the majority voted to allow her to remain at Hogwarts, without severe punishment. As tears of relief flooded her eyes, she recognized that neither Harry nor Mr. Malfoy had voted on her future. Aunt Hermione hugged her tightly. "Oh, thank Merlin, Lily."
"Thanks, Aunt Hermione," Lily said between weak sniffles.
"I'm just glad you're okay."
Lily hesitated a moment. "Aunt Hermione? D-do you believe me?"
Her aunt's motherly brown eyes searched for something within Lily's bright green. After a moment, she solemnly answered, "Yes, Lily, yes, I do."
Lily sighed and wiped away her tears with a light smile. "When can I go back to Hogwarts?"
"Probably this afternoon. Your Uncle Ron and I will take you."
"Okay," Lily answered. By now most of the people had filed out of the room, including Harry and the minister, but Jeanette lingered behind, doing paperwork. Her black eyes glanced up from the papers and looked directly at Lily, as though sending her a message instantly. "Um, Aunt Hermione, you go ahead outside and wait for me, okay? I'll be out in a moment." Hopefully.
Hermione gave her a strange look but didn't argue. All of the other people had drifted out of the room, leaving it eerily silent, with the only sound being the rustling of papers in Jeanette's hand. "Let's stop playing games, Mortellea," Lily said severely. Her eyes narrowed cautiously, and her hand subconsciously moved to her wand.
"But they're so fun to play," Mortellea said with a fake pout as she stood up. Lily hated the feeling of having to crane her neck up to see Mortellea, but she was still in the lower area where the criminal chair sat while her enemy towered over her in the raised rows of seats.
"I am surprised," Lily tried to comment nonchalantly while Mortellea weaved her way to the steps and walked down into the accused area.
"Surprised at what?" Mortellea asked with curiosity. It was beginning to amaze Lily of how well they were able to read each other, but she supposed that they knew each other as well as best mates after being absolute enemies for over a year.
"You always swore that whenever you first saw me in person that you would strangle the life out of me. And yet here we are, both still alive."
"That is true," Mortellea mused. She moved subtly, slowly circling Lily with her feline-like movements, while Lily took minute steps to back away from her. "But, as you have matured over the past year, I have grown wiser; you are not simply a weed to be uprooted. You are much more complex than that, and I am bidding my time until my plans are prepared to be put into action. If I am not cautious, my tedious plans that I so painstakingly worked on will completely fail if each action is not executed at precisely the right time. That is where Voldemort went wrong."
"What?" Lily blurted, surprised by the mention of the Dark Lord.
Mortellea nodded. "I would not wish for history to repeat itself. Voldemort was a fool because his focus was so intently centered on Harry Potter that he had flaws and mistakes in his plans. I will be sure not to make the same mistake."
"You learn from your past successors," Lily commented, unsure of what that meant.
"So it seems," Mortellea agreed.
Silence filled the room, and Lily was unsure of how to fill it. None of the usual malice radiated from her enemy, although the wary presence of a tentative truce lingered in the air. "Here's what's going to happen now, Lily," Mortellea said, as calmly as though she was commenting on the weather. "You are going to walk out of that door behind you and will go greet your aunt. I will go back to being Jeanette for the minister for now. You and your aunt and uncle will take you out for lunch and then will return you to Hogwarts. You will say nothing to anyone about this, and your aunt and uncle will return you to Hogwarts, and things between us will go back to the way things have always been. Understood?"
"Clearly," Lily answered firmly.
That's exactly what happened.
Lily closed the door to the courtroom behind her and turned to see her worried aunt waiting for her. "Are you alright, Lily?" Hermione asked, wrapping a motherly arm around Lily's shoulders.
"Perfectly peachy," Lily answered, though her face was very pale with her scattered freckles standing out.
"Maybe you'll feel better after lunch," Hermione said as they began walking towards the elevator. "And then Uncle Ron and I will take you back to Hogwarts."
Lily grinned lightly at the thought of returning after so long. "Brilliant," she said quietly, her mind lingering on thoughts of Scorpius.
Please review! Please tell me your theories and ideas on what you think will happen, and sometimes, they DO affect the story, so be sure to tell me! Thank you for reading!