Book 2, Chapter 11, All you need is an Innocent verdict.

November the tenth.

Hogwarts Great Hall.

I told you last time that Ron felt ashamed about the howler sent by his mother. I think I must give you some precision here.

Molly Weasley's howler went on twice the average time of the other ones received that day.

It an important detail, because while the others died and went silent, hers was still going and was the last screaming.

That plus the fact that Errol was last to arrive at the castle...

What the student that didn't go deaf or were smart or fast enough to protect themselves heard went on like : 

- ...you swore to me and my family that you knew what the chamber's of secrets' monster was and would take care of it. That you only needed a few more days to finish the potion's preparation to mend my son's and the others victims' curse. You're and will never be anything else than a quack ! A petty thief ! And a crook ! I will never let you forget what you did to your victims, what you let be done to your students and to my son.

I couldn't hear the first part of her speech, but apparently, it rocked.

Students gave thumbs up to the Weasleys present. One didn't feel well, two were playing sports commentators on the side, giving a play by play explanation. Only one went red.

Should some parents reed this, you now know who to contact for your respective howler's speach. She can always use a few more galleons.

Oh, yeah, I didn't told you about it, but Percy being attacked made his parents come to visit him on the very same day.

What everyone was waiting for right now was the report on THE trial.

We were all listening to some music as it wasn't supposed to start until eight in the morning.

It let me notice a very important thing about the calendar.

How do you notice when you passed Halloween ?

THAT SONG COMES UP ! ! ! !

Yeah.

That song.

The one with that singer, dancing on stage, in a red and white short dress. Her song would go live on perpetual repeat for three months from November to January.

But lucky for you muggles, her plan say she will only release it on your wireless in the year nineteen ninety four. As a witch she didn't need to hide her real age to the magical community. Not even her lineage.

Any guesses ?

Let me give you some hints.

No muggle understood how :

- she could walk around looking so young for so long without surgery, they didn't know that she's part snow-woman, who age slower and but aggro jealousy faster.

- she could walk around in those tiny costumes without being frozen-cold like the other people on stage, again, they didn't know that she's part snow-woman, who strive in temperature lower than minus forty degrees Celsius.

- and how she could be so beautiful ? Do I really need to repeat myself ? It's the same process as with Fleur Delacour. 

So, to explain it all, just like Fleur, she's a quarter snow-woman, a half wizard/witch, and a quarter muggle. Just like in the movies about Newt Scamander, her parents' muggle/wizard marriage had to be hidden. 

Thank the MACUSA for that...

---

Ministry of Magic, Wizengamot, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Courtroom ten.

November the tenth.

- Welcome everyone, and thank you for joining us this morning for what is announced to be the trial of the year. My name is Jeremy Clarkson and I will accompany you all along what promises to be a shocking venue.

As always, Clarkson was at the top of his game while commenting what was to come, letting us in on this adventure as we couldn't be physically present.

He described the walls and the gloomy mood along the spectators and the Wizengamot's members.

One of which was easily recognizable. For once, professor Dumbledore was wearing plum like his colleagues of the British magical jury, all with a bright silver W on their robes.

The defendant was sitting on a chair, at the same place Harry did in HP5. His arms weren't bound unlike the death eaters and more dangerous criminals.

The presence of Kingsley Shaklebolt, some of his colleagues and especially Madeye Moody and his protégé Nymphadora Tonks, made clear to all that no interruptions would be tolerated. 

Just on time, the lights around the room dimmed. (I would really like to know how professor Dumbledore did that with torches, without putting them out). 

The ominous silence was broken at least.

You could see here how professional Jeremy Clarkson was, being able to broadcast his voice to the wireless network while muting it in the room he was physically in.

The culprit was trying to smile and charm the people on the bench above him. Them having their faces in the shadows prevented him from judging their reactions.

There were more than sixty of them. Fudge's purge wouldn't start until some more years.

Each member looked at Dumbledore as he made his stand about the current trial.

Recusing himself.

According to him, his position as Hogwarts' headmaster was preventing him from leading the trial fairly. Something that gained him his colleagues unilateral approval.

The headmaster having vacated his position, the Minister of magic Cornelius Fudge took the stand. 

Having changed seats to take the one just vacated, Cornelius Fudge seamed to have forgotten his indulgent smile at home, more like he had gotten up on the wrong foot.

Amelia Bones sat on his left, beautiful even with the start of her greying hair which conferred her an air of majesty.

I don't remember, is Clarkson married ?

She a little on the younger side compared to him.

On Fudge’s right was another witch, her sitting forward on the bench allowed the spectators to admire her bushy and wild moustache.

 

...

What ?

 

My description don't add up with the one Carlson provided ?

You don't remember the pink frog looking like that ?

BUSTED  ! ! !

Remember folks, she wasn't here yet. She would only become a head of office in ninety four, using the period following Fudge paranoia and rejection of baldy's comeback to snare her ways into power. She's not yet an old pink frog, just a pink tadpole.

 

Too bad we couldn't squish her...

- Very well, said Fudge. The accused being present let us begin. Are you ready?  he called the bushy moustache wizard.

- Yes, sir. He answered, listing the offences.

- Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic ; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement ; Senior Undersecretary to the Minister Barney Hayhoe. Court Scribe Timothy Matlack.

Timothy Matlack extricated a piece of parchment from the pile before him, took a deep breath, and read out, ‘The charges against the accused are as follows :

‘That he did knowingly, deliberately and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions...

For more than four hours, witnesses succeeded each others. Some having been accompanied by the St Mungo's Hospital's staff.

The defendant made clear nothing was his fault, he had to pretend to be the main character of the stories or they wouldn't sell. Some of this characters had disgraceful faces, bodies or speech paterns. Plus recording all their stories and compiling them was a more straining job than people knew.

I really liked Clarkson's description.

He looked like a peacock, playing rock paper scissors in an international chess tournament.

...those in favour of clearing the accused of all charges? said Madam Bones’ booming voice.

It was like looking at a picture. The ones from the muggles...

Those where nobody moves.

Lol.

That one wasn't even from me but from Clarkson. It was spot on.

Madam Bones then said, And those in favour of conviction?

Fudge raised his hand ; so did all the others others.

It was like asking who liked quidditch.

Professor Lockhart, who stood proud and confident in himself and his righteousness, fell backwards on his chair. His pompous smile going from :D to :C.

He would have slipped on the ground if not for having each of his shoulders grabbed by Kingsley and Madeye when the court announced the lifetime sentence.

Nymphadora was keeping her gaze on the crowd, ready to intervene should something happen.

 

All my life I will still ask myself this question.

Did you really think you could talk yourself out of it when the Wizengamot ordered your trial to be under the veritaserum potion's influence ?

So yeah, that's all that happened that day.

Pretty usual.

A criminal was sent to jail.

---

While a student was sent to the infirmary.

 

I almost punched Cluzo...

 

So, as the saying goes, when the cat is away, the mice dance.

Let just say this particular mice-balilisk, was very happy to obey it's owner and run amok among the students.

Poor Dean Thomas.

And poor Seamus, the lad looked like his husband was on deathbed... Not that I judge.

I got nothing against you, I didn't even put your name on the list of potentials victims. Poor bloke went back from detention and got attacked.

Don't worry, he just got paralysed like the others. It seems that he walked in the corridor when he may have looked at the monster's reflection out of an armour chest plate. A good thing as Filch couldn't remember when that section of armours was supposed to have been polished by students in detention to bring them back to be bright as light. Like the other armours of this level.

I wasn't really worried. I saw the headmaster on the school's map during the trial.

Of course Cluzo thought the illuminati, martians, some others and their two special agents in school were accountable. Including the potion master that gave the victim detention.

With our DADA teacher getting arrested, lessons on this course were temporary suspended.

Now with a new attack in the school ? First years walked in packs. All loners were suspected.

Ok. That's wrong.

One loner and one leader of a trio.

Who kept making accusations in your opinion ?

Several hundreds students and he only proposed two possibilities...

I really want to punch Cluzo.

That lead to an annoying event I didn't plan.

---

At the end of the music, the voice spoke for he second time that month.

"Good afternoon good people of Britain, I hope you're all well. I deeply regret that I once more have to interrupt your regular days' activities to relay to you some sad and disturbing news. But circumstances, alas forced me to.

In our old and proud school of Witchcraft and Wizardry of Hogwarts, the Chamber of Secrets has been opened.

For many years at Hogwarts, generations of teachers and students have tried to locate and search this famous Slytherin's legacy. Relegating to myth the very fact of it's existence.

Most of us thought this legend was only a myth.

But in this dark times, the myth came out to hunt for blood.

I'm talking about you professor Dumbledore, you failed your students and their families. What are you doing to protect your pupils in front of this mortal danger ?

Already three students now lay unconscious and petrified in the school library.

How many more should fall before you to force you to act ?

The world is watching professor.

We can't wait for long...

 

It went on a few more lines then the music came back again.

 

Surprisingly, it was followed, but absolutely not copied as V's not a real journalist so this can't be plagiarism, by an inquisitorial article made by Rita Skeeter in less than three hours, just in time for the next morning edition of the Daily Prophet.

 

If V's broadcast was inquiring, her article was down right insulting, throwing mud on all parties involved.

---

I'm pissed.

With Fred and George.

And the rest of the students.

And the staff.

Come on.

The twins even made a joke about Harry's favourite snake. And nobody noticed...

And now with their brother petrified, they don't make it anymore.

Slytherin.

Slytherin's chamber of secrets.

Slytherin and Parsletong ?

Ring a bell anyone ?

Oh crap, I need to go fast.

- I said yes. I answered.

- You, but, that, you, before...

- I telling you I accept to go on a date with you. It's just that I can't do it right now. I'm late for a private lesson. And as you know, professor Snape hate tardiness. What about later in the afternoon ? We could see each other after today's lessons.

- YES. I mean, yes of course. That would be perfect, Emma said while twirling a brand of her hair, her cheeks going bright pink as she blushed in happiness.

The other girls in the background were looking at us with google eyes. Fuming with jealousy.

It didn't stop them from showing a kind and admiring smile when Emma turned her back to me to join them.

A real school of sharks...

Can I go back to fight Quirrel instead ?

The sacrifices a man would do for his country.

(Please play your national anthem here).

What ? 

You thought I really wanted to go on a date with her or someone else ?

No, I just had to find a fast way to get rid of her while being sure she would not follow me.

All so that I could check on the trio that just exited the great hall towards Hagrid's hut.

I had a bad feeling about this.

Stalking them with good intentions, I maintained a certain distance between us. It would not bode well if I got myself noticed.

---

I got close enough to the window to listen to them.

The trio was trying to question Hagrid without being too harsh on him and deliberately accuse him of murdering someone/Moaning Myrtle. (They still didn't solve the Riddle of Voldemort's first victim identity).

Apparently, Harry took a peek in Ginny's journal.

A good advice for all of you.

Don't peek in your future wife's journal. It could be deadly.

Also, did you know ?

The only reason Voldemort went from his teenage appearance to his final one ?

He's the only one with a nose in his adult form in the Lego adventure or figurines.

There you go.

THE big mystery answered. 

Pretty easy no ?

Oh crap.

Here they came.

Good thing I wasn't wearing my invisibility cape.

Visible ? 

Nope.

I will explain later.

Walking on the gravel path from the castle to Hagrid's hut were professor Dumbledore, Cornelius Grudge, (did it on purpose), Dawlish, and that man...

He really liked to poop everywhere.

Guess why he brought Dawlish here ?