Artemis Hexley and the Return to the Riddles

Chapter 4: The Defence of Jacob Hexley

The trial of Jacob Hexley and Patricia Rakepick was to be held in the courtrooms on the very lowest level of the Ministry of Magic. When the morning of the trial arrived, Artemis and Madam Rosmerta, who had closed the Three Broomsticks for the day in order to accompany her, met Kingsley Shacklebolt next to the fountain in the atrium before making their way down to the belly of the Ministry together.

"Level Nine," the cool voice of the lift announced, after a short descent from the atrium. "Department of Mysteries."

"The lift doesn't go any lower," said Kingsley, as the doors rattled open. "We will have to walk the rest of the way."

With Rosmerta's arm still wrapped around her shoulders, Artemis followed Kingsley down the corridor. She had not had any reason to visit the Department of Mysteries during her two weeks of work experience, and she was struck by the difference between the corridor she was now walking down compared to those of the higher levels. This corridor was bare, without any windows or doors, save for a single jet black door at the very end of it. Something about the door made Artemis shudder, though she was not certain why. She stared at it, and as she did, it opened to reveal a young witch with thick-rimmed glasses and curly dark hair pulled back into a bun.

"After you," said the woman, closing the door quickly and gesturing to a set of stairs on the left.

Madam Rosmerta's arm steering Artemis down the stairs prevented her from looking at the black door or the woman who had stepped out of it, but she could hear a fourth set of footsteps behind her as they descended to Level Ten, where the courtrooms were situated.

The courtroom itself was a large, high-ceilinged room with dark stone walls illuminated by torches. Rows of benches rose up on three sides, highest on the wall opposite the door, with people occupying seats on all sides.

"Spectators to the left, witnesses to the right," said a squat witch with a toad-like face and pastel pink robes, her high-pitched voice ringing like a shrill bell. "I'm afraid that the seats straight ahead are reserved for members of the Wizengamot and Council of Magical Law."

She said the word 'members' with a slight inflection that made it clear that she believed said members to be far more important than Artemis or either of her friends. Rosmerta pursed her lips before she hugged Artemis tightly and made her way to the benches on the left, leaving Kingsley to lead her across the courtroom to the right, past the rows of benches seating the members of the Wizengamot and Council of Magical Law, who were dressed in plum-coloured robes.

The witnesses' seats were mainly empty, aside from the two pale, drawn faces of Artemis' fellow students Merula Snyde and Ben Copper, sitting side-by-side on the front bench; the grubby features of Mr Borgin, who owned a disreputable shop in Knockturn Alley; and a wizard on the very back row, whose face was cast in such dark shadow that Artemis couldn't recognise his features save for a flash of his white beard.

"You okay?" she asked Ben as she sat down beside him. He shook his head silently, his lips pressed tightly together as if he was trying not to be sick. Artemis placed a hand on his forearm and squeezed it gently, before leaning across to Merula.

"Sod off, Hexley," Merula hissed, before Artemis had the chance to say anything.

"I just-"

"I said, sod off."

Artemis rolled her eyes and faced forward, just as the young witch from the Department of Mysteries made her way up the rows of benches to sit a few seats behind them. Artemis watched her, frowning. She didn't recognise the witch at all. Were more trials taking place than that of her brother and Rakepick?

She turned back to Kingsley to ask him, but found herself unable to say anything as she noticed yet another woman enter the courtroom and make her way over to the spectators' benches, dark hair half-covering her face as she walked to the very back row with her head lowered. Artemis' mouth went dry. Even with her half of her face obscured from view, she was able to recognise her own mother.