A/N: Woah, what's this? Me being on-time with getting a chapter out? That's not happened since forever.
This chapter is mostly Ministry stuff lmao. Buut I've decided to give Ted Tonks a POV, so ta-da!
Incase you need reminding, Ted Tonks faceclaim is James McAvoy, with Andromeda's being either Keira Knightley or Phoebe Tonkin.
Faceclaim for Cruella Bulstrode is Polly Walker
Next Chapter: OWL results! Oh and I might let the Black Manor kids discover the Original Trilogy Star Wars films, as a treat hehe
Also, really sorry if some parts of text in this chapter looks really close together? This has happened with some chapters in the past but I can't seem to remedy it and its really annoying lmao.
Amelia Bones told him a little Ministry secret once his first session as Lord Black was done; get on as many committee's as possible. That way, friendships could be formed between loads of different members of the committee's, and when it would come time to pass a motion or a bill of law, it would be far easier to curry favour and swing peoples opinions to vote your way.
Sirius didn't however imagine that he would ever join a committee that had to do with…
…wand wood.
Specifically, its production, as well as transport and trade across the world.
He thought it a bit wacky on paper - as did some of his new acquaintances. Manuel Zabini had almost scoffed at him when he told them; apparently it was headed by an individual that sounded like a tree-hugger version of Xenophillius Lovegood. But Robin Greengrass supported the idea, as he had said, "even though I can tell you do not know the slightest clue about wand wood, it's a good place to start. It ultimately makes you look good - you're eager to learn and are open to all issues."
The Vice Chair of the committee was a witch called Caroline Melville. She had been the one to welcome him and introduce them to the committee during his first session. A very friendly woman; tall, lean, and short dark hair. A quality he liked was that she had shining eyes that held acceptance and happiness.
At the table, he had a small stack of paper in front of him, which he supposed resembled a welcome pack of sorts. There was a manifesto within the first few pages, with eye-catching banners pledging stuff the committee promised to bring to light and deliver on. Then he cast his eyes over a few information pages (they must've guessed he was rather unlearned in the field of everything wand wood, as it felt like he was reading an easy-to-understand beginners guide to the subject). There were some paragraphs detailing each committee member and what work they do. He raised his eyebrows when almost every member had a line in their profiles that said something along the lines of " ... has their own wand wood farm" or " ...is the chief executive of their own family-run wand wood production company". Did they also expect him to eventually be involved in wand wood himself? Maybe it'll look good if I set out a patch of land on Black Manor and started planting my own holly and acacia trees or something? He thought, and almost smirked at the idea. Dorea would be delighted, and Barnaby would also be if we got some bowtruckles for them too.
"Very good. On to our next point then." All of a sudden he heard the Chairman, a wizard named Colin Jones, say. Oh gosh, did I miss a whole point being discussed? Sirius thought. He was a bit too good at tuning out his surroundings whilst he read sometimes. He hoped someone was taking the meeting minutes.
After a rather long discussion regarding trade tariffs on wand wood sold to Germany (well, at least that's what Sirius gathered it was about), their meeting was adjourned. He spoke with his committee colleagues, telling them how informative they had been and how he couldn't wait to do more. Truth was, he wasn't that thrilled, but he knew the subject itself was handy to be involved in, as it would give him more knowledge about negotiating, and some economic stuff such as trade. Before they left the room and went their separate ways for the rest of the day, Caroline said that the minutes of the meeting and the details of the next one would be sent via memo to their offices.
He knew that Andromeda and Ted were busy literally all day, as there were legal trials being held in the Wizengamot courtrooms today - more Death Eater's from both Hogsmeade and the Ministry were being put on trial. Though the Noble families, as well as the Sacred 28, were part of the Wizengamot, they were not involved in actual court cases unless duty called for them to be. That was left to the Ministry officials itself, and those on the Wizengamot that actually had legitimate legal training - such as Andromeda and Ted.
He went to his office to drop off some of his things, and went to locate Manuel Zabini. He had decided it was probably past time that the man had access to Black Manor's Floo, in order to see his son and send him letters, and arrange times to meet.
Ted Tonks rather enjoyed his job.
You could say that on this day, however, he didn't.
Ever since the whole fiasco in Hogsmeade, and the second one in the Department of Mysteries literally a day later, Ted and his wife barely got a chance to have a break at work before they were called into the courtrooms again to attend another person's Hearing. He had a lot of respect for Amelia Bones, but felt that the Minister was taking this a bit too far.
He Apparated into work that morning with a feeling of dread. He had barely gotten to the elevators when he was stopped.
"Oh Ted, here's the schedule for today's Hearings. The ones highlighted in green are the ones we think are innocent, and the ones in amber and red we think are guilty but need confirmation." One of his fellow colleagues on the Wizengamot explained, handing him a sheet of parchment that seemed to be bleeding a lot more red and ambers than greens.
Clambering into the elevator and selecting his level, he barely noticed Amos Diggory getting in just before the grates closed.
"Morning, Ted, busy day ahead?" Amos asked with a knowing smile. Ted felt rather fond of the man, and was very sympathetic to him ever since that horrible day last year where his son had been killed during a Hogwarts competition. He had a feeling that the man was never going to get over poor Cedric's death, and although he now went about smiling, he could still see sadness in his eyes.
"Unfortunately, - have to sign into the office, then get ready for the tons of Hearings for today. Have a feeling I might get out of some of them though. That reminds me - did you finalise that report on that chicken that came in breathing fire?"
"Yeah, we think some bugger illegally bred one of its parents with a Fire Crab, the devils.. We located its previous owner and they said they got it off some breeder in the New Forest - so naturally we sent a notice of a 300 galleon fine through the breeders door." Amos chuckled at the end.
The elevator grinded to a halt, and numerous memos fluttered in. Reg Cattermole entered, looking slightly chagrined.
"Morning gents. That reminds me, Ted, the Department of Magical Accidents & Catastrophes are holding a meeting at noon - something to do with the Obliviators or something - and you're required to attend," Reg said.
Ted glanced down at the Hearing schedule in his hands and noticed he would be free - however, he hoped this meeting wouldn't be lasting long, as he had a Hearing scheduled at 12:40.
Why oh why do I take on so much work with so many departments, he wondered.
When he stepped out on to his level, he was met with many people murmuring "Morning, Ted", some sounding more bored and tired than others. He entered his separate office and saw that a good dozen memos were flapping about, waiting for him.
"Good God," he grimaced. "At this rate, none of these will be getting opened until Thursday."
He took all the rolled up pieces of parchment from the fluttering memos so that they'd leave, and sank into his chair. He couldn't even have a chance to read them all, as he was required in the courtrooms in fifteen minutes.
"Morning, boss, here's the newest copy of current legislation Madam Bones has sent out." One of his chirpy young employees, who couldn't have been much older or younger than his own daughter, poked her head around his door and placed a considerably thin but large handbook on his desk, where there was hardly any space as it was.
He rather unprofessionally threw on his Wizengamot robes and hat, and walked out his office back to the elevators again, carrying his briefcase and his ledger book of the people that were being questioned today. It included almost everything known about the people - their wand type, criminal records, family trees and traits, even Hogwarts records such as their O.W.L and N.E.W.T results (not that they actually mattered in court cases).
He disembarked the elevator on Level 10 (feeling more deflated as he was now required to do overtime according to Mafalda Hopkirk - he had to be present in a private meeting at 5pm of an apprentice wanting to work in his department.)
He entered Courtroom 10 and walked along the top tier of Wizengamot seats before plonking himself down in a seat that had a desk in front of it so he could read his notes. It was barely half past nine in the morning and he had a feeling this was going to be a very, very long day.
Everyone in the room silently grumbled as Cornelius Fudge entered.
Yeah you read that right.
Even though he was no longer Minister for Magic (to the sheer delight of everyone), Fudge had insisted that he most definitely had to keep his seat on the Wizengamot (and showed outrage that Dumbledore had been reinstated to his, although for obvious reasons he wouldn't be attending today due to Headmaster duties). He also insisted on sitting rather near his old seat reserved for the Minister, which Amelia Bones now occupied, and felt the need to comment under his breath about the people who arrived for questioning.
The first person to arrive for questioning wasn't due to come in for another ten minutes, so Ted took this time to read up on his notes in his book.
Cruella Bulstrode was the first person in for questioning, and Ted faintly remembered her from his Hogwarts days. Still to this day he never understood how or why the woman had passed her O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's, as she was described by many as being 'thick as a castle wall' (not to her face, obviously). He remembered one time he had to work with her in Potions in fourth year - it had been a disaster as she almost melted one of Slughorn's cauldrons. She was the mother of Millicent, a Slytherin in the same year as Andromeda's nephew, and he knew that her brother Arsenius was one of the Death Eater's that had evaded capture at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries - her other brother, Axel Bulstrode (who was a very cruel individual), who, earlier in the week had been sentenced to Azkaban for life after killing two Slytherin seventh years at the Hogsmeade battle. The families of Scarlett Lympsham and Patricia Stimpson - the girls that had been killed by him, had apparently cheered and cried when the verdict was given. Whether or not Cruella was actually a Death Eater remained to be seen.
The doors soon opened, and Cruella was escorted to the chair in the middle of the courtroom. She was a bit taller now than what he remembered, and she seemed to be very nervous. This should be fun , he thought.
"Hearing Inquiry on the third of July," Amelia Bones called out in a ringing voice, and the Court Scribe started taking notes at once, "into possible knowledge of offences committed inside the Ministry on the twenty-sixth of June. Interrogators: Amelia Bones, Minister for Magic; Kingsley Shacklebolt, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Andromeda Druella Tonks; Senior Warlock to the Ministry. Court Scribe; Percy Ignatius Weasley."
The Minister paused for a moment, but then spoke up. "Cruella Bulstrode, resident of Bulstrode Manor, Yorkshire. Mother to Millicent, and sister of Arseius and Axel Bulstrode - known Death Eaters."
Cruella shivered from her seat below, and seemed put off by the presence of Dementors. Even though Amelia Bones despised the things, one faction of the Wizengamot in particular (which included Fudge) insisted that they must stay, although Madam Bones made sure that they were only allowed to stay for intimidation purposes.
Madam Bones could be heard turning a page in her own book of notes, and others shuffled theirs about. However, before she even got a chance to speak up, Fudge got there first.
"Mrs Bulstrode, your Hogwarts house was Slytherin, is that correct?"
The Wizengamot seemed to all collectively roll their eyes.
"Objection - Cornelius, may I remind you that Mrs Bulstrode is not on trial for her Hogwarts house, but for the fact she may know of or be involved in Death Eater plans and knowledge?" Andromeda said rather sharply. Ted smirked at that. His wife was a Slytherin herself at school, but she didn't share the typical pure-blood ideology and hated it when Slytherin's were generalised because of that. He remembered his wife telling him how she hated every second spent in that house, the only good thing about it being Horace Slughorn.
"Why yes, of course I do, Andromeda-"
"-and in case your brain has failed you, you are not permitted to ask the potential offenders questions, as you are no longer Minister and therefore no longer an Interrogator." She reminded the man sharply, earning silent cheers from the Wizengamot members.
Fudge looked very embarrassed to be put in his place.
Madam Bones started speaking. "Mrs Bulstrode, for the purpose of your potential conviction, you are required to take a dose of Veritaserum which will make sure you aren't hiding anything from us."
Kingsley then got out of his seat and put four drops of the truth serum into a cup of what looked like tea, and then stepped forward to give it to Cruella Bulstrode. He even stayed by her side to make sure that she was actually drinking it. Cruella now looked terrified at the fact the drink would now be speaking for her and revealing potentially crucial information.
"Mrs Bulstrode, were you raised to be a Death Eater?" The Minister asked.
"My parents were pure-bloods, yes, and even though they supported the Dark Lord's views, never were Marked Death Eaters themselves."
"Your brother Axel was recently sentenced to Azkaban for life, on accounts of Death Eater activity, murder, as well as physically harassing countless female Muggles and Muggleborns - some cases were even sexual harrassment. Do you support his actions?"
"Yes, I do. Muggles are all filthy and shouldn't be welcome in our world. Those that he killed and abused deserved what they got."
At that, Ted tensed considerably. He was a Muggleborn, and hated how he was prejudiced by these types of people because of it.
Amelia Bones looked like she had already made up her decision, but kept asking questions nonetheless. "Have you ever attended any Death Eater meetings?"
"Only one, and it was recently."
"What was discussed at it?"
"It was on the eve of the Ministry infiltration, and it was mostly plans on what would've happened if we had been successful. The New World Order, it was dubbed."
Ted lit his wand briefly, which signalled to the Speaker of the Wizengamot (the individual who oversaw proceedings and decided who got to speak and when) that he wanted a question to be put to Cruella Bulstrode. He was granted permission to speak, and he stood up.
Cruella took a few seconds, but it looked as though she recognised him. He started speaking. "Mrs Bulstrode, what exactly was detailed in this 'New World Order'?"
He almost didn't want to know the answer, thinking it might sound remarkably similar to Nazi Germany or something. But it could further strengthen throwing Cruella in prison, and having one less Death Eater associate in society.
He was sure that Cornelius Fudge was silently fuming, and if he was allowed to speak at this moment would probably be objecting, saying something along the lines of, "I think we can already work out the gist of it, there's no need to ask that".
Cruella looked downwards briefly before looking back up. She seemed a bit too gleeful as she spoke. "Anti-Muggle Legislation galore. I know it included a policy to throw the scum in Azkaban just for that basis alone. Should have been made a crime long ago; there's no reason why you should be up there asking me questions whilst I am down here , Edward-"
Ted had never fallen against such taunts. She really thinks she's being scary and intimidating, he would have laughed, if he was not a professional Wizard Lawyer.
After being reminded sternly to answer the question, Cruella spoke about Voldemort's plans - everything from the Anti-Muggle stuff she was talking about before to how Hogwarts would have been run. He imagined a few people were quite surprised when Cruella detailed how Voldemort didn't really plan to be Minister himself, but rather have a puppet Minister in his stead that he could use to speak through. There was also a plan to have the Daily Prophet under the Death Eater's control. Cruella finished with a plan that was discussed to scrap the illegality of using Unforgivable Curses.
Percy Weasley was copying down everything being said at lightning speed, but the questions kept coming and he was looking left behind already.
"Some Death Eaters managed to Apparate away before we could capture them on the evening of the 26th June. Mr Shacklebolt will present you with names given by your fellow Death Eaters of those who managed to get away. Mrs Bulstrode, do you have any knowledge of where they might be hiding? A safe-house under Fidelius? And if so, who might be the Secret Keepers?" Andromeda asked, as Kingsley summoned the parchment with names of wanted Death Eaters.
"I only know the location of Marius Lee. We all thought he'd gone on the run, but before my brother was imprisoned he mentioned that Marius was actually living in a safe house in South Wales." Mrs Bulstrode admitted, even though she looked like she was hating every second of this interrogation as the truth serum was speaking for her, whether she liked it or not. "In fact, the safe house is located in Porthcawl, near Sker Point."
"And what about the others on the parchment?" Madam Bones asked.
"I do not know of the others, Minister. Rabastan and Rodolphus could be with the Dark Lord right this second, but I do not know where." Cruella admitted, but Ted noticed something odd.
She had a twinkle in her eye.
"Alert Madam Bones right this second that the Veritaserum is wearing off," Ted whispered to the colleague in front of him, who was instantly up on his feet and at the steps to the Minister's podium. It was quiet for a few seconds before Amelia Bones began again.
"Mrs Bulstrode, please drink some more Veritaserum."
Cruella looked drained of colour now, her big disguise to make them think she was still on the truth serum exposed. Kingsley practically shoved it down her.
"I'll ask again, Mrs Bulstrode, do you know the location of the others mentioned on the parchment?" Amelia Bones asked again, this time a lot more harsher.
"Rabastan and Rodolphus will be hiding out in Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire."
"But that's not possible?!" Now Kingsley had spoken up, still standing right next to Cruella. "Rufus sent out a whole squad of Aurors, including myself, to raid Malfoy Manor after Lucius was imprisoned. It was virtually empty apart from Malfoy's wife and son?"
"You obviously didn't look hard enough," Cruella Bulstrode now wore a grin. "They said that their hiding place would be deep down in the dungeons. They fooled you!" She screeched in glee at the end.
The whole Wizengamot started whispering amongst themselves. Some were calling for Minister Bones to shove her in Azkaban and be done with it, whilst others were even suggesting she receive the Dementor's Kiss.
Ted still couldn't believe that the thick dunderhead Cruella from his school years, who couldn't even concoct first year potions without almost blowing up the dungeon, ever made it to Voldemort's ranks.
"And last question, Mrs Bulstrode," Madam Bones hesitated for a moment, and looked like she couldn't wait for this to be over and done with, "are you a Marked Death Eater?"
"Aye, I am," the Wizengamot let out gasps when the woman actually rolled her left sleeve up and presented the Mark to them. Fudge almost fainted.
It took a minute before Madam Bones called out, "Those in favour of conviction?"
It seemed stupid to ask, as everyone's hand rose into the air. He caught his wife's eye, and they smiled gleefully. Another Death Eater in Azkaban, one less to worry about.
"Mrs Cruella Bulstrode, you have now been convicted and found guilty of Death Eater activity and treason, and I sentence you to a fifteen-year prison sentence in Azkaban. You will be escorted from this courtroom straight to the prison. You may find that your evasive brother may be joining you in due course." Madam Bones called out, and the two people guarding the door strode forward at once and bound Cruella with magical restraints before wordlessly escorting her away.
Now free of Veritaserum, Cruella was screeching and screaming like a banshee. She foolishly tried to break free of her bounds, even going down on her knees in refusal, but was dragged back to her feet and led from the room. There were threats made - she threatened to bring the whole Ministry institution down if any of her children were harmed. Once she was out of the room, the doors shut, loudly echoing, and it was now quieter barring the sounds of the Wizengamot talking amongst themselves.
Ted crossed Cruella's name out on the list of trials - to think this was only the first trial of the day done, and there were many more to come, almost drained him. Lucius Malfoy's trial was in two hours - he didn't want to miss that one for the life of him. Ideally, Lucius's trial would have been one of the first ones to happen since he was quite high ranking among Voldemort's ranks, but the sod had tried to delay his own inevitable trial by threatening to starve himself if they didn't allow him to speak to his wife and son beforehand and also allow them to be his witnesses - despite the fact neither of them had witnessed the Hogsmeade battle or the attempted Ministry takeover. A lot of the convicted Death Eater's they had already put in prison didn't have their own lawyers - because who would want to represent a Death Eater, but yet Malfoy had been permitted to have one representing him. And he'd only gotten himself the best Magical Lawyer in the country that money could buy.
That won't help him though, Ted thought confidently, he may be able to bribe people, but not here.
Harry had, for some reason, been lying on top of his bed just staring up at the ceiling for the past half an hour. It wasn't that he was bored, or had nothing to do, but he just found it quite relaxing to just lie down and unwind, not having to move a muscle.
He was almost drifting off to sleep when he heard Barnaby Lee humming out in the corridor. Then he noticed the boy coming into his room - which wasn't unusual by any means, but it normally didn't happen unless he was about to inform him of something or just talk to him.
"You know Millicent Bulstrode in your year?" Barnaby asked him, not looking perplexed at all at Harry's current position.
"Yeah?" Harry replied.
"Her mum just got sentenced to fifteen years in Azkaban. Regulus has the Wizarding Wireless on downstairs, and they're reporting on who's got off free and who hasn't." Barnaby continued.
Harry sat up, raised eyebrows, and he let out a low whistle. "She ain't going to be happy about that."
Barnaby agreed. "One of Millicent's uncles is still on the run - Arsenius, I think. The one that killed… the one that killed Patricia and Scarlett got a life sentence, which everyone cheered about apparently."
Harry didn't begrudge Barnaby for hesitating slightly. The deaths were still so recent and fresh in the memory it was painful. "That was the right decision. Hopefully he rots in his cell for the rest of his life."
Barnaby then had a thought come to him. "I wonder when Theo's dad will be getting his trial.."
Harry hummed. Lucius Malfoy and Rohan Nott had cornered both him and Dorea during the Hogsmeade battle, and had them bound in some cruel enchanted ropes that seared pain throughout their bodies. Dorea had sent a curse at Theo's dad which had sent him flying backwards and into a concrete wall. The man's spine had been very badly damaged as a result. Hopefully he's not getting treated medically for it whilst he's in custody, Harry thought, perhaps a bit cruelly, he deserves to be in pain for causing his wife and son so much grief. "I think Sirius's cousin, Andromeda Black, is a lawyer with her husband at the Ministry, so they would know all of that kind of information."
Barnaby nodded. Harry noticed a slightly faraway look in the fourth year (well, after the summer he would be a fifth year) Slytherin's eyes. "Did you see your own parents at either battle?" He asked him.
Barnaby shook his head. "No idea. I did try to find Marius - my dad, at both, but I couldn't see him. My mum would never actually get involved in any fighting unless she was forced to, so I'm fairly certain she wouldn't have been there either."
They heard footsteps come off the staircase and eventually voices - both Theo and Blaise. The two did walk past Harry's open bedroom door, but then they doubled back and looked in once they realised they were in there. "Oh, is this where we're meeting now?" Blaise said jokingly.
Theo and Blaise sat on either side of Barnaby on Harry's bed. "Barnaby told me about Millicent's mum," Harry said, "we were just thinking about when your dad might be sentenced, Theo. Have you heard anything on the Wireless?"
Theo didn't baulk at the question. "Not heard anything yet, though they might be putting his trial later - since Dorea damaged his back, he won't be able to stand upright probably, so they're probably reluctantly treating him for that before they get him to take the stand."
"Hopefully they get Richard," Blaise said, referring to his mothers boyfriend, "and charge him for being a racist prick as well as being a Death Eater."
"Here here," Harry concurred, Theo and Barnaby also agreeing.
They all spoke for a while, until Theo seemed to blanch. "Wait a minute, what day is it?" He asked, rather frantically.
"It's the third of July, Theo, why?" Blaise replied, chuckling, but wondering what had gotten his friend so worried all of a sudden.
Theo almost shrieked. "You guys realise that we get our OWL results on the sixth, right?"
To be honest, Harry had plain forgotten about the OWL results day. He had pushed everything to even remotely do with OWL out of his mind since the end of the exam period, which wasn't that hard to do considering there had been two serious events happen since. He knew they got their results in the summer holidays, but he hadn't really paid attention to when the exact date was that they got them, and he certainly didn't expect them to be so soon. But he supposed it was to allow students time to mill over them and properly consider what to take for NEWT.
He wondered if the teachers knew the results before they were sent out. If they did, he would pay serious money to see Snape's reaction when he realised he would be continuing Potions at NEWT; after all, his Draught of Peace had been near perfect, and he thought his Erumpent Potion was definitely of very good quality if nothing else. Above all, he hoped his Arithmancy grade was okay, though he did have his doubts.
"Mr Malfoy, I believe that during your school years you were… shall we say, on rather friendly terms with some of the Death Eater's that we have captured?" Minister Bones asked carefully.
"Objection!" Lucius Malfoy's lawyer, a wizard by the name of Vince Warleggan, said immediately. Ted rolled his eyes - it seemed that every question put to Malfoy had been met with an objection, ever since the trial had started ten minutes ago. He was quite sure that if Malfoy was asked to confirm the colour of his wand that Warleggan would still be screeching objection. The man had even had a problem with Lucius being required to drink Veritaserum. "My client's friendships made during his teenage years have no bearing on this trial."
"Mr Warleggan, for a decorated lawyer such as yourself, you sure pay no heed to court proceedings when it suits you," the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Tiberius Ogden, voiced, and Ted knew he wasn't the only one smirking, "for you have spoken more than Mr Malfoy, and he is the one on trial here, not you. So I suggest you let him speak."
Warleggan looked peeved, but held his tongue and leaned back slightly in his seat. He shared a look with his rather dishevelled looking client. To think Lucius is Andromeda's brother-in-law, Ted thought, despite the fact he was quite sure they had never had a conversation; after all, Narcissa and Bellatrix had cut off Andromeda probably seconds after hearing she was dating Ted. He wondered if Lucius even knew who he was.
"I-I did befriend them, and I still remain in contact with a lot of them to this day." Lucius answered, sounding a bit parched. He was permitted to drink water; though on the condition he had to drink more Veritaserum after - there wasn't many research studies suggesting that water nullified the truth serum's effect on an individual's ability to tell the truth, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
"Do any of the following names sound familiar to you?" Andromeda started, and then looked down at a parchment and started reading names off of it. "Edmund Crabbe, Gregory Goyle Snr, Reginald Jugson, Rohan Nott, Felix Avery?"
Ted braced himself for Warleggan to burst out saying "Objection!", but Malfoy got in there quite quickly. "I do know them, yes, but I do not know Reginald Jugson."
Ogden looked like he caught Malfoy in a snare. "Is that so, Mr Malfoy? Because Mr Jugson was sentenced yesterday, and he told us all about how meetings regarding Death Eater activity were held at your very house-"
"-Objection!" Warleggan cut in. Ah, there he goes again. Ted shared a knowing look with one of his colleagues sitting next to him - Warleggan was being ridiculous in objecting everything. "My client has clearly stated he does not know this Reginald Jugson, so cannot be held accountable for knowing him."
"Mr Warleggan, another outburst from you will see you swiftly out of this room unless your next objection is on reasonable grounds." Andromeda snapped, reminding everyone that she was indeed a Black. Ted stifled his smirk, that's my wife. The weight of his wife's words did leave Vincent Warleggan looking a bit startled, and Ted could only hope that had shut him up.
"Mr Malfoy, you were caught red handed at the battle at Hogsmeade, and we have had testimonies from two particular students - who shall remain anonymous - that you and another Death Eater, Rohan Nott, cornered them during the battle and bound them in a type of rope that causes searing pain to those caught in them." As Minister Bones was speaking, Ted heard hisses throughout some of his colleagues - they were clearly disgusted. "These ropes are conjured via a spell - Incarcerous Dolor , and I wanted to ask you if you were aware that this spell is banned in many countries - including Britain, - for its inhumane use?"
This was getting interesting. The truth serum started speaking for Malfoy. "I know of the spell, and knew it would keep the targets from escaping. I did not know that it was a banned spell, I confess, but I knew it would do the job."
Ted signalled to the Speaker he wanted to speak, and he was granted permission within a handful of seconds. "What job would that be, Mr Malfoy?"
Malfoy didn't seem to recognise him. "I had a task to do for my master. I had to regain his trust in me after I had.. Failed him, a few times before, and to do that I needed to deliver him Harry Potter. Either him or his twin sister. It just so happened that Potter was with his godsister Dorea Black, but that was also a part of the plan as also handing Black over would only further put me in the Dark Lord's good books. I cast the spell to bound them, and was so close to delivering them away when Potter's wretched friends appeared. I got knocked out after that, so I do not remember anything after."
That's only sealed his fate, Ted thought, smirking.
"Even though you were in custody in the Ministry holding cells, you and multiple others were broken out of your cells on the night of the Ministry skirmish, where you and the Death Eater's staged an attempted coup. You took multiple Ministry workers hostage, including myself, members of this Wizengamot and Aurors. You stood by your 'Dark Lord' and watched and listened as he planned to torture hostages with archaic and forbidden methods of curses in order to get information. It took school children to stop the coup. Mr Malfoy, and even though nobody was killed, people involved were left deeply disturbed. In the First Wizarding War, you paid and bribed your way out of justice, and quite frankly have been doing so ever since, but this time around it will not be happening." Minister Bones said.
Ted wondered if this trial would be coming to an end soon - just as well. He had a feeling this sentence was going to be 20-30 years, if not life. Warleggan looked defeated.
The verdict was reached five minutes later. "Mr Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, you have been convicted and found guilty of Death Eater activity and using banned spells, and I hereby sentence you to life imprisonment in Azkaban prison." Tiberius Ogden said for all the court to hear. Ted cast his eye towards the section where witnesses were held - Narcissa and Draco looked very, very angry. Draco was even gripping the backboard of the wooden bench in front of him so hard his knuckles were as pale as his hair. The two of them had been called as witnesses pretty early on into the trial - Narcissa of course had pleaded her husband's innocence, though her argument was very weak. She had cited Lucius's goodwill and generosity towards charity donations as a reason why he shouldn't go to prison. Draco had equally been weak in his defence - he had even admitted that although Death Eater meetings did take place at Malfoy Manor, he'd insisted that they never actually discussed killing people. Ted almost laughed at how poor a liar the boy was.
Lucius Malfoy was led away from the courtroom, bound in restraints. Surprisingly, he went rather quietly. Narcissa and Draco had marched out of the room rather briskly in comparison - Draco had an arm linked with his mother, but the briskness of the shorter woman's walk (which showed her fury) meant it looked like he was being pulled along. He knew how angry they would be.
He caught eyes with his wife, who due to her position was sitting right at the front of the Wizengamot. She grinned at him, and he grinned back. This was a big win, getting Malfoy in prison.