DEAD TO ME → (h. potter)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

When she sat down into her chair, two Aurors flanked her sides; the one on her left was burly and looked as though he had woken up late that day, in comparison to the one on her right, who was thinner and had a neat head of shiny brown hair. They stripped her of her wand and placed it on the judge's desk, that of which was void of said judge. In the middle point of the courtroom, there was a tall, round black cage, only big enough for a single person to fit. Indiana was not sure what the purpose of it was.

"The court will come to order!" The bailiff of the court said, who was a rather heavy-set man with beady black eyes and a balding head. "Please rise for the Honorable Judge Caedius C. Conifer."

The judge who entered the room was a skinny and frail looking white man, with thin, wrinkled skin and cold blue eyes; his tag read JUDGE CONIFER. All those in the courtroom (there were several reporters in the rows of seats behind her, she had not realized until then) got to their feet out of respect. Simon begrudgingly followed instruction, but he was glaring at the Judge rather maliciously. Judge Conifer's gaze raked Indiana quickly as he entered as though she were the scum of the earth, and she never felt more vulnerable than she did then.

"Please sit," Judge Conifer began sternly, shuffling through a rather thin stack of parchment on his desk. Indiana shifted around in her seat, taking in her surroundings and trying rather hard to ignore the Dementors drifting above. "The court is now in session. Calling the case of the Ministry of Magic versus Indiana L. Jones."

Indiana glanced across the courtroom where she saw Rita Skeeter, her blonde hair sleek and shiny in a professional updo, beside a rather large camera. They locked eyes and the woman quirked an eyebrow before snapping her fingers; her Quick-Quotes-Quill began furiously writing.

"Are both sides ready?"

"Ready for the people, Your Honor," The District Attorney said. Indiana shifted her eyes for a split second to view the man speaking; he was a short and rather round man, although his charcoal gray suit looked to be of only the best fabric there was. His chin was pointed high as though he had already won and the silver watch on his wrist was ticking rather loudly.

"Ready for the Defense, Your Honor," The woman who was defending Indiana had pursed pink lips and rough skin, and she did not seem very adamant on defending her. Indiana assumed her father had met with her at least once, and her stack of evidence looked small and weak. The girl glanced over at the stack of papers and saw that the woman's name was Gertrude Hargreaves.

"Will the clerk please swear in the jury?" Judge Conifer said, still shuffling through his papers.

"Will the jury please stand and raise your right hand?" The jury stood, and Indiana avoided their eyes. They didn't look like the friendliest bunch of people. "Do each of you swear that you will fairly try the case before this court, and that you will return a true verdict according to the evidence and the instructions of the court, so help you, God? Please say 'I do'." They did so. "You may be seated."

"Ladies and gentlemen," The District Attorney began as he and a short, stocky woman stepped forward. "My name is Nigel Bowman. The defendant has been charged with the crime of having a role as a Death Eater for the duration of the Second Wizarding War and as being an accomplice of the attempted murder of Albus Dumbledore. The statements from our witness and our evidence will show that Miss Jones accepted the Dark Mark on her left forearm as an official initiation of joining Voldemort's followers. The evidence I present will prove to you that the defendant is guilty as charged."

Merlin, that sounds awful, she thought. Indiana tried her best not to flinch at the name of the Dark Lord, but she could not help the slight wince and twitch of her head. She refrained from scratching at her left forearm and remained seated still as best she could.