Peter's Advocate

There was an elderly witch in her sixties or seventies standing as far as Ivan could see, wearing ragged, worn-out robes.

She was quite short, with a hunched back and tear-streaked eyes. She was pleading with a member of the Wizengamot Inquisitorial Squad, clutching a shiny golden object in her hand.

Perhaps sensing Ivan's gaze on her, the old witch turned to face him. When she saw who he was, she glared at him with hatred.

Yvonne found this odd, as she did not know him.

However, the old witch's face turned red and she angrily swung her walking stick at him.

Luckily, the Auror reacted in time and stopped her. However, the old witch refused to give up. She tried to break free, crying and cursing.

"You liars, scum! My son is the glorious Merlin, hero of the resistance against You-Know-Who…"

The member of the Wizengamot Tribunal next to her waved her hand in annoyance, and the two Aurors dragged her out…

Hermione and Ron were horrified by the old woman's behaviour, and Ivan had a vague idea of what was going on, but he turned to Dumbledore and asked.

"Who is she, Professor?"

"That's Mrs Peter, the mother of Pettigrew!" Dumbledore replied with a slow sigh.

Hermione and the others fell silent as they watched the old witch being dragged out of the waiting room.

Yvonne shook her head to herself. No wonder he was so excited.

Any mother would be overjoyed to learn that her long-dead child was still alive.

However, the Aurors who came to inform them would soon shatter their illusions!

This is because Pettigrew is no longer a hero who died gloriously for his friends, but a thug who betrayed his friends, defected to the Dark Lord, and murdered many Muggles!

Now facing more than twenty charges, it is highly likely that he will be executed immediately after this trial…

The contrast was clearly not acceptable to an elderly witch in her sixties or seventies.

It was at this point that Dumbledore spoke up. "You should be aware that I have learned from a friend of mine in the Wizengamot that Madam Peter is to be the defender of Pettigrew."

"But… she's so old! How can she be a defender?" Harry gasped.

"Age is not an issue… Harry! The long years may actually give some people more wisdom! For example, I will be the one to defend Sirius this time," Dumbledore quipped.

"I didn't mean anything by it, Professor…" Harry tried to explain.

Dumbledore smiled, indicating that he did not mind, but he quickly composed himself and continued.

"In short, you'd better not look down on her because of her age. Madam Peter is not to be trifled with. You should know that Pettigrew's achievements were far from worth a First-Class Order of Merlin!"

Dumbledore was so tactful that Harry could not understand a word he was saying.

Ivan, however, understood what Dumbledore was trying to say.

In other words, the Order of Merlin did not intend to award Peter Pettigrew with the Order of Merlin. It was likely that the mother of Pettigrew used her son's death as an excuse to claim the Order of Merlin!

Yvonne was left speechless at the thought.

He knew better than anyone how difficult it was to obtain a First-Class Order of Merlin. He had done so much for the Order of Merlin that they would only consider him if both Dumbledore and Minister for Magic Fudge nominated him.

At that time, Pettigrew had at most a reputation for courageously dying to avenge his friends, and nothing to show for it.

During the Wizarding War, there were many casualties, such as Pettigrew, and it was not easy for his mother to win him the highest honour in the wizarding world.

After all, Peter Pettigrew was not born into a pure-blood family and presumably had little influence in the wizarding community.

Dumbledore was troubled by the memory, as he was the one who nominated Peter Pettigrew for the Order of Merlin.

For one thing, Peter Pettigrew was a member of the Order of the Phoenix.

This old woman cried, threw tantrums, and tried to hang herself to win glory for her dead child, and tortured him for a whole month!

Given that he had just lost his only son, Dumbledore had no choice but to agree to the nomination, as he had to console him instead of making nasty comments.

He thought it was just a formality, but it actually passed the application…

Dumbledore wondered if his other colleagues were suffering the same fate as him.

Knock knock…

At that moment, the bell tolled and the Aurors in the waiting room escorted Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew out of the room as if they had been ordered to do so.

Dumbledore turned to Harry and the others, and finally warned them, "The hearing is about to begin. Don't be too nervous. Wait here until you're summoned, and when you're asked a question, just be honest!"

With that, Dumbledore left with the Aurors.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were left behind, were very nervous, discussing strategies in low voices and even mimicking answering each other's questions…

"Ivan, aren't you nervous?" Hermione looked at him strangely.

Ivan shook his head. It was his first time in a wizarding court, but the odds were in his favour. He was not the one on trial, so there was nothing to be alarmed about.

Harry and Ron, on the other hand, were frantically imagining the possible difficulties they would face in the courtroom, and anxiously asking Ivan how to deal with them.

"Didn't Professor Dumbledore tell you? Just tell the truth! Just make sure you don't get led astray… If you have to hide something, just say you don't know! Not sure! Just don't lie!" Ivan said in exasperation.

He believed that Harry and the others were so bad at telling lies that they could be seen through on the spot, in which case the truth would be discredited.

This is probably why Dumbledore insists that they speak the truth.

As Harry and the others chatted, the door to the waiting room opened and a solemn-looking Auror stood there, speaking to Ivan.

"Mr. Ivan-Harrs! The advocate, Albus Percival Wulfric Dumbledore, requests your testimony!"

Ivan nodded, stood, and followed the Auror to the door of the courtroom.

The Auror pulled the door open and spoke expressionlessly.

"Go in! Also, for the safety of the venue, you cannot bring your wand!"