Another Beginning
Chapter 22
The Weasley's Trials Inocent or Guilty?
"Did you or did you not willingly let your children be sentenced to Azkaban?" asked Minister Bones. She was rather hoping that Molly Weasley didn't know what she had done; she above all else was considered the 'mother' that put other to shame. Well, apart from Lily Evans-Potter, she was considered the number one mother. It was a shame Harry had never really known his mother.
"Yes," replied Molly, Ginny began sobbing violently at her mother's declaration. Neville brought her into a hug, glaring hatefully at Molly as if she was scum. He didn't understand how she could willing hurt her daughter, her only daughter come to that.
"Why?" asked Bones grimly.
"They betrayed their family, they sided with a bloody tool over us," said Molly.
Harry winced; he would have rather had Molly strike him physically. She had been so nice to him, ever since he had joined the wizarding world. To hear her talking about him like that, actually hurt more than he had thought it would. She had almost been the mother he had never had. If this was how he felt, he didn't even want to imagine what poor Ginny, Ron, Fred and George were feeling right now.
"A Bloody tool? Exactly who is that?" asked Bones already knowing but requiring confirmation.
"Harry Potter," said Molly.
"You truly believe your children deserved Azkaban because they sided with a friend they felt loyal too?" asked Bones shaking her head in despair. Perhaps she wouldn't ever be able to be integrated into society after all.
"Yes" said Molly.
"There's something strange about some of their thoughts, they are mixed to the extreme." said Edward quietly to Harry. He had seen his reaction to Molly's question; he had wanted to rip her bloody head from her body. Hearing all their thoughts had made it even worse, he knew the deep betrayal her children felt.
"What do you mean?" asked Harry as the questions continued.
"They are shocked, but then their thoughts change to thinking they deserve it. They are having a fight in their own mind…its disturbing to say the least. It's something you would expect from someone insane." said Edward confused.
"Hermione," said Harry, gesturing for her to come to him. Confusion written on her face she got up and slid next to Harry and Edward. She turned to Harry and stared at him waiting on him talking.
"Edward, explain everything to her, if anyone will understand it's her," said Harry quietly. Ron was staring down in confusion, his eyes glassy with tears he refused to let fall. His brown eyes full of anger and sadness as he thought about his mother.
Harry nodded grimly to Ron letting him know everything was alright.
"How much money did you receive?" asked Bones, causing Harry to stare up at Molly, Ron did the same thing.
"Two thousand a month," said Molly.
"I've asked all the questions I need to, anyone have any others?" asked Bones grimly.
"You basically brought us up to worship Harry, if you felt the way you did why did you do it?" asked Fred desperately.
Molly seemed incapable of answering that question.
"Harry!" said Hermione nudging him.
"What? What's wrong?" asked Harry turning his full attention on Hermione.
"I think there might be a combination of loyalty, obedient and compulsion potions on a few of the Weasley's." said Hermione grimly.
"What? Does that mean some of them didn't mean it?" asked Ginny her brown eyes full of hope.
"Maybe," said Hermione reluctant to give them any hope just in case it wasn't what she had in mind at all.
"Minister Bones may I have a word with you please," said Harry quite loudly, causing people to start talking curiously, wondering what was going on.
"What's wrong?" asked Minister Bones coming over baffled at his interruption.
"We believe some of the Weasley's have Potions in their system, causing their actions and thoughts not to be their own." said Harry honestly.
"I see," said Bones still confused at how they had come by such information.
"My ability as a vampire is I'm able to read minds." stated Edward.
"Ah," said Bones nodding in understanding her eyes lighting up in recognition. If anyone was in any state to understand, it would be this man, er, vampire.
"Can you check them please?" begged Ginny.
"Of course," said Minister Bones, no way would they let someone, be sentenced to Azkaban, if they were innocent.
"Do you know who's minds it is?" asked Hermione.
"I cannot tell, there's too many people in here…" said Edward his voice strained slightly. He actually felt a headache coming on, hearing all those voices; he loved small towns because of the small population for this reason. There was about one hundred maybe more voices in his head right now.
"Do you want to leave?" asked Harry in concern.
"I'll be fine, I just need to concentrate on one mind, it dulls the others out." admitted Edward.
Minister Bones quickly used a message Patronus to get an Auror in immediately. I was during the break, when the Wizengamont decided on, how long Molly was going to prison for or if she would at all.
"They believe she shouldn't be imprisoned," said Edward angrily.
"What do they want to do?" asked Ron angrily.
"Community service," said Edward.
"That's not good enough," snarled Ron furiously.
"Just calm down Ron, it's not our decision to make," soothed Hermione quickly, calming Ron down as much as she was able while deeply angry herself.
"He's right," said Neville grinding his teeth furiously.
"Calm down right now, all of you and lets see what happens." said Luna her voice ending in a growl.
An Auror had finally arrived, stepping into the courtroom; Regulus, Severus and Draco were all missing out in the fun. They were at a different department trying to get their money fixed. Normally one would have to go to Gringotts for such things, but their money had been stopped because of their status as Death Eaters. They needed the signatures to be able to freely enter their vaults again.
Draco was then planning on going to find his mother, who was in hiding. Unfortunately he was the only one with family still. Hermione's parents had been killed during a Death Eater raid before she was imprisoned in Azkaban. It had brought Harry and Hermione closer together; it had taken Azkaban to bring them all truly together in true understanding of what it felt like to loose family. Neville lost his grandmother; she had died protecting him to her last breath. He had survived, as the Order had arrived just in the nick of time, his parents were the same as ever though.
Neville's grandmother had been a formidable woman, a harsh taskmaster and ever harder to please. However, Neville had the proof that she had loved him in her own way. She had raised him, she had to have had feelings for him, it was a shame she had shown it by dying.
Regulus' parents had died while he was in Azkaban; he hadn't exactly been devastated by it. Although he had loved them regardless of their faults, he hated them more for encouraging him to join Voldemort. He understood the most of what Ron, Fred, George and Ginny were going through.
"They're coming back," said Harry getting their attention.
"Who's affected?" asked Ron warily.
"Charlie Weasley and Bill Weasley," said Bones.
"What about my dad?" gasped Ginny feeling betrayed all over again.
"I am sorry there isn't anything in the others," said Bones softly as if hoping to lessen the blow.
"Does that mean my Bill is free to go?" asked Fleur Delacour hopefully her French accent nowhere to be seen. She had obviously, finally spent enough time in England, to make her French accent disappear. Her hands were on her very expecting stomach, she looked so nervous and worried.
"Yes he is he cannot be charged as his actions weren't his own." said Bones speaking directly to Fleur now.
"So how do you get the spells and potions off?" asked Harry.
"The spells can be removed, the potion will have to wear off itself but without the spells he should be mostly back to normal." said Hermione before anyone could answer. The Auror nodded his head in agreement, with the bright young woman who had answered their question.
"What about my Percy?" sobbed Penelope.
"I am sorry he seems to have been acting on his own," said Bones.
"I don't get it, why did he warn Ron away from me and Dumbledore if that were the case?" asked Harry.
"That's a question I will have to ask him," said Bones seriously.
Penelope sobbed harder, she looked so confused and hurt, Harry had to feel sorry for her.
"I am sorry," said Bones to everyone present.
"What am I supposed to do? I cannot bring a baby up myself!" she cried bitterly.
"Yes you can, women do it all the time, in fact single mothers earn more respect." said Hermione soothingly.
"I'm scared," she whispered pitifully.
"Come on," said George helping Penelope up and out of the courtroom.
"This court is now in session!" yelled Minister Bones making the vampires jump at the loudness and suddenness of the yell. Everyone reclaimed their seat, waiting eagerly for the verdict.
"We believe Molly Weasley deserves five months in Azkaban Prison, afterwards she will do community service. She will work from morning to night, earning only the food she gets. We will have her working down in the pits of Gringotts, where she will help create new vaults. Without a wand, using only Muggle tools, her magic bound until she shows repentance to what she's done" said Jared.
"Ouch," winced someone from behind them. Taking someone's magic was like Obliviating them of who they were.
"Do you think the others will be punished the same?" asked Ginny sadly.
"I think they will, they haven't really…killed anyone," said Hermione reluctantly an ugly sneer on her face.
"I suppose it's better than nothing, no magic will hurt them the most though." said Ron grinning sadistically.
Molly wasn't given the chance to speak, as she was silenced, they didn't want to hear what she had to say. Plus Minister Bones didn't want the children hurt anymore, than they were.
The rest of the Cullen's had been very silent during the proceedings, they were just sitting there like statues. It was the quietist Harry had ever seen them, hell, Edward was supposed to be the quiet one.
The rest of the Weasley's had there own turn, Arthur Weasley and Percy Weasley. Both of them had, done everything on their own free will. For a simple thing like money, and it disgusted everyone. Sure the Weasley's didn't have much money, they were known widely for that. But regardless, most had felt a grudging respect for them, especially considering how many children they had.
They received the same fate as Molly Weasley, but Amelia Bones, the new Minister of Magic made sure they weren't going to be near each other. Their time in Azkaban was going to be truly lonely, with nothing but Dementors for company. After that they would be working and staying down in the pits of Gringotts. Helping them creating new vaults, the wizarding world was growing in size after all. Most Muggle born's started vaults, it's where they would be staying after all so why not.
Bill and Charlie were extremely confused, they had been Portkey'd straight to St. Mungo's. The Wizengamot had voted and they all agreed every single last one of them. They would remain there until the potion was completely eradicated from their systems. Only then would Ron, Ginny, Fred, George and Fleur be allowed to visit. Only family would be allowed to visit them full stop, just in case anyone took revenge.
"What happened?" asked George coming back in confused to see everything was over with. What had happened? Where was everyone? He hadn't been gone that long surely.
"They are all receiving five months in Azkaban, and then they will be living in the pits of Gringotts. Working to earn their food and drink, we aren't sure how long they will do that. They are also loosing their magic, it will be bound until they finally understand what they had done was wrong." said Hermione getting in before anyone else could say anything.
"Five months? That's all? After what they did to us?" ground out George feeling decidedly cheated. He had been in Azkaban for years, and they were getting five months it wasn't fair.
"They are being punished that's all that matters," said Luna calmly. She had lost her father early on in the war. For his outspoken ways, in believing Harry, after that it had cemented her place in Harry's circle of friends.
"Lets just get out of here," grimaced Fred, they would never be punished enough really for what they had done.
"You can all move on now," said Amelia calmly and soothingly.
"Not likely," snorted Ron rudely.
Who will stay in the wizarding world and who will leave? will harry go back alone for a year? coming back with the entire cullen clan who move into the wizarding world and get jobs there? living in a world they dont have to hide in? no more school? or will they join a squib community where they can live in peace perform magic and be unknown? what will happen to regulus severus and draco? R&R please