Dumbledore's back row, the first row of chairs are sitting on the wizarding department officials, Cornelius Fudge, Amelia Bones, Bathilda Crouch, Dolores Umbridge, as well as their behind sat in turn sitting in each of the head of various departments and the wizarding world in various sectors and top performers.
Amosta hesitated for a moment, uncertain about which seat to take, but fortunately Amelia beckoned to him with a wave of her hand.
"Come here, Amosta--"
Wesenjamo had its unique game rules, Amosta knew the first row was obviously not where he should be, but, Fudge smiled and gestured to him with his hands. After a moment of silence, Amosta laughed carelessly and ignored the odd looks from the crowd. He climbed up the stage through the steps.
The atmosphere here was very solemn. After sitting down next to Amelia, Amosta simply nodded to acquaintances as a greeting and then remained silent.
Dumbledore turned his head and looked at the row of seats behind him, confirming that there were no absentees. Then, his gaze fell on Amosta, surrounded by a cold aura, who was sitting next to him. He said in a gentle tone,
"Just take over, Barty?"
Barty Crouch stood up without a word, his face stern, and walked to the front of the platform, while Dumbledore settled into the newly vacated seat.
"Now we begin."
Barty Crouch said coldly, his voice tinged with humiliation.
Boring.
Amosta, who had been watching the reactions of the Ministry's high-ranking officials calmly, suddenly felt a sense of monotony. At this moment, the grand trial was just a farce. The winners had already harvested their profits.
On the opposite side of the stage was a temporary cell for prisoners. After Crouch announced the start, the iron gate of the small cell clattered, and one by one, iron bars slowly sank into the ground. Peter Pettigrew had his hands tied up by ropes, and at least five wands were pushing against the back of his head.
The meat Peter had amassed in the owlery had all but disappeared during the past month and a half of torturous imprisonment. Now, he looked like a besom with very few twigs.
Peter walked from darkness into the dim light. When he saw Barty Crouch standing on the stage opposite and the officials sitting in the first-row chairs, he immediately trembled and began to sob silently, unable to control himself. If it weren't for a few wands behind his forehead pushing him forward, he might have collapsed on the ground.
Amosta suddenly heard the noise around him increase, as most people glared at the dirty Peter with angry eyes, both for the Potter couple and for the humiliation they had suffered.
And Dumbledore beside him let out a heavy sigh, his once straight back bending slightly in an instant. Many were watching Dumbledore's every move, and a bearded wizard said in an angry voice,
"He doesn't deserve our sympathy, Albus --"
"I agree with your view--" Dumbledore blew his nose and the sapphire eyes brimming with sorrow. "But I can't pretend that I have no responsibility, Coventry, this should have been avoided."
The noisy chatter around became quieter, with some heavy sighs and others casting sly, scornful glances at Dumbledore.
At this moment, the sound of heavy stone grinding echoed from the room that Peter had previously left. Then, Dementor escorted Sirius out.
After a month apart, Sirius looked much worse than before. Of course, being imprisoned in the deepest cell of the Ministry for so long without seeing the sun and enduring wave after wave of interrogation was enough to make anyone lose their edge.
In recent days, The Daily Prophet has revealed the truth from that year, and everyone here knows he is innocent. The gaze of the senators thrown at him contains no fear but rather much curiosity. There is only one exception: the moderator of this trial, Barty Crouch.
"Dirty traitor, shameful coward!"
It was said that when an old rival met an enemy, they saw red. For days, the Ministry had kept Sirius and Peter separated in different cells. Today was the first time Sirius had seen Peter. He forgot all about Astora on the stand who had exchanged glances with him using her eyes. In a roar of anger, he lunged at Peter who was now petrified out of his wits.
However, Sirius's attempt to tear Peter apart was unsuccessful. Seeing him rush in, the several Death Eaters guarding Peter quickly turned their guns towards him, pointing their wands coldly at him.
"If you attempt to disrupt this trial again, I will sentence you to guilty, Sirius Black!"
Barty Crouch responded to Sirius's angry glare with a cold stare and spoke without mercy.
Both Sirius and Peter were forced down onto the stone chairs that rose from the ground. The difference was that Peter was almost completely bound by a chain that grew spikes from the chair itself.
"Trial on February 27th," Barty Crouch opened the file folder in front of him. Even though he knew that his reputation would plummet after today, his figure was still stable and upright.
"Q: International Wizarding Federation President, Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Minister of Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Head of the Department of International Cooperation in Magic Barty Crouch, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Amelia Susan Burns, Senior Deputy Minister Dolores Jane Umbridge. Trial Recorder: Erik Munch—"
Amosta raised an eyebrow in surprise, then noticed that Eric, sitting inconspicuously in a corner, was sitting up straight with quivering lips, clearly excited.
"Defendant, Sirius Black--"
Barty Crouch shifted his gaze from the folder in his hand to Peter, who was paralyzed on the chair like a worm.
"Peter, you are charged with revealing the location of the Potter couple to Voldemort in October 1981, which directly led to their murder. Do you wish to make any defense on your behalf?"
Let alone debate, Peter seemed to be in a state of mind-wandering. He curled up in the chair, trying as much as possible to distance himself from Sirius.
"Previously, it was Sirius Black who bore this charge--"
In the stand, a witch near the back suddenly raised her hand to speak. She drew a lot of attention, including that of Dumbledore. The witch nodded and smiled at Dumbledore, then asked.
"Mr. Dumbledore had previously provided evidence proving that Sirius Peter was the Potions couple's secret keeper. But now the Ministry is prosecuting Peter Pettigrew for revealing the couple's whereabouts. We need to know what happened in between."
The Ministry has already obtained the truth about these things, but according to the regulations, it is necessary for Peter or Sirius to explain the facts to the jury. Peter is unable to speak now, and Sirius can only stand up, grind his teeth, and say.
"That year, when we learned through intelligence that Voldemort planned to kill James and Lily, Dumbledore proposed using the Imperius Curse to protect their whereabouts. But James trusted me more, and he decided not to trouble Dumbledore and let me be their secret keeper."
But at the last moment when the curse was about to be used, I suggested that this scoundrel of a traitor replace me. As everyone knows, I am the best friend of the Potter couple. I thought that if I became the secret keeper, Voldemort would foresee it, so I suggested to James and Lily--"
A surge of emotion choked Sirius, and he couldn't continue. But the members of the jury present all understood the situation.
In fact, when people saw Peter Pettigrew was alive, many things had already been settled. However, the Wizarding Ministry could not base its judgment on conjecture. They still needed evidence.
"This is a record of a statement, obtained after the capture of Peter Pettigrew in the office of the Death Eaters and during the interrogation, using truth serum to obtain a reliable confession--"
During the time when Sirius Black was kept in a queue, Dementor presented the record of the statement to the jury.
This statement solved most of the doubts, including the full process of leaking information to Voldemort, how he managed to escape Sirius's pursuit after the incident, and how he had hidden for twelve years. These revelations chilled the hearts of most members of the jury.
They couldn't imagine that the tiny, cowering Peter Pettigrew who was currently huddled in the chair could have done such terrible things.
"Arthur doesn't know--"
Amosta heard someone talking in whispers behind him.
"It's just terrible. I bet Arthur won't spare any of the rats in his house once he finds out about this!"
(Chapter ended)
