Chapter 230
"Department of Mysteries," the female voice sounded and left it at that.
They were on the only floor that Harry had not been to in his tour with Mr. Bagman all those months back. He quickly cast an Observe on the label above the lift button labeled 9, hoping it would work.
Level 9: The Department of Mysteries
The Department of Mysteries, located on Level Nine, is a section of the Ministry of Magic that carries out confidential research regarding particular enigmas that magic has yet to solve. Most of its operations are carried out in total secrecy from the general wizard populace.
Harry frowned. Why were they here?
The grill rattled open all by itself this time and answered Harry's question, revealing the familiar form of Professor Dumbledore, dressed in a midnight blue set of robes.
"Good to see you here Nicholas," he greeted before turning to him, "Ready Harry?"
"Hold on Albus," Nicholas interrupted, "Are you absolutely sure that they will not allow me to sit with Harry? This is highly unusual for a court to do."
"I am positive. The judge waived the guardian's rights for the trial because both the accused and the primary witness are underage. It was done by popular vote to avoid delaying the trial more. Miss Turpin's mother was quite devastated, but I couldn't do much to stop them." Dumbledore gravely replied.
The statement had all sorts of bad implications, but the one that struck Harry the hardest wasn't the legal stuff.
Her mother. Lisa had a mother. She was a widow who worked at the Ministry.
'I had forgotten that,' Harry thought as his stomach churned with an odd mixture of shame and guilt. He wondered what she must be feeling right now, with her daughter being pushed into a trial that could get her branded as a criminal and her job no doubt in peril.
Deciding to put that into the pile of reasons why it was important to save Lisa, Harry started to pay attention to Dumbledore again. They had started to head down the corridor towards the polished door.
"…you will have to sit in the viewer's gallery I'm afraid, but Mrs. Turpin will be sitting there as well and I am glad that you will be there to give her at least some support through this."
"There is that," Nicholas said with a sigh as they reached a fork in the corridor, "Well. This is where I have to go right and you left. Good luck Harry. And to you too Albus. I will be watching."
With that, Nicholas headed through an opening and down the flight of stairs towards the right, and Dumbledore guided Harry down the left.
They reached the bottom of the steps and walked in silence along yet another corridor, which bore a great resemblance to the one that led to Professor Snape's dungeon at Hogwarts, with rough stone walls and torches in brackets. The doors they passed here were heavy wooden ones with iron bolts and keyholes.
The Professor opened one of the heavy doors and walked right in. Harry eyed the engraving on top of the door.
Courtroom Twelve
There was a bleak and forbidding air about the place. The walls were made of dark stone, dimly lit by torches. There were no pictures on the walls, no decorations at all. Just the serried rows of benches full of people that Harry knew were Wizengamot members, rising in levels all around the room, all positioned so that they had a clear view of the center, which was presumably where the arguments took place.
Ahead, in the highest bench of all, was a shadowy figure. The Judge. The window above his head told Harry his name, which was Rudolph Barnes. Harry had no idea who that was, which was why he cast the Observe.
Rudolph Barnes
(Relationship Meter: 0%)
Lv-50
HP-17000/17000
MP-8000/8000
Race-Wizard
Str-21
Vit-32
Dex-20
Int-39
Wis-29
Luc-16
Rudolph Barnes is a wizard and a member of Wizengamot of some influence. He has practiced traditionalist leaning politics, but is seen as a fair minded family man on both sides due to his past service in DMLE. He is a decent dueler and is fluent in Spanish. He has two daughters and a wife whom he dearly loves.
He has never before been appointed to the position of acting Judge, and is quite nervous, but is trying not to show it.
He has no strong opinion about Harry.
Harry waved away the Observe. There wasn't anything too notable here but did help dissuade a lot of his fears. The low voices that had been echoing around the courtroom stopped as the heavy door swung close behind Harry and Dumbledore.
A cold male voice, Judge Barnes's voice, rang across the courtroom, "Take your seat in the witness gallery Mr. Potter."
Harry looked around, before quickly identifying the slightly raised group of benches beside the Judge's seat to be the witness section. He obligingly walked over and took his seat, which he realized was quite lower than the Judge's.
An elderly man who looked a few decades younger than Dumbledore walked over to stand just off the center of the room. Dumbledore walked over to stand beside him.
"Lord Mulciber," the judge asked, "Will the accused not be presented to the court?"
"The Prosecution has waived the presentation of the accused until the time of her testimony arrives out of respect for the families of the deceased amongst us" the elderly man, Mulciber, said with a genial smile.
"Very well then. Is the defense ready to begin?"
"We are your Honour."
"As is the Prosecution."
"Very well then. Court scribe take note. This trial has begun," The judge said out loud to the silent room, before reading the charges from a file on his desk.
"The accused Lisa Turpin stands charged with the following: Murder of 8 minors and one Silvanus Kettleburn on January 9th 1993; Purchase of illegal potion ingredients; Purposeful endangerment; and Terrorism. Prosecutor Mulciber and Defence Attorney Dumbledore arguing before the presiding judge Rudolph Barnes, along with court scribe Bigglesworth McToot. How does the defendant plead?"
"Not guilty on all charges."
A wave of murmurs spread across the room. Harry could make out quite a few faces in the darkness, easily picking out Amelia Bones and Malfoy along with quite a few other people he had met at the New Year's parties, all keenly watching Dumbledore.
.
.
.
.
🙏🏽patreon.com/William777🙏🏽
🎉Subscribe to my Patreon for more advanced chapters🎉
.
.
.
🎉The novel is available in (PDF), visit my Patreon store🎉
🎉patreon.com/BlackGoku222🎉