"So they can't judge you for something you weren't convicted for."
Sarah Beth placed Eleanor's tea in front of her. "These two don't listen to protocol. I, er, may have called one of them out on during a presentation while I was studying Wizard Law. Just saying."
Draco finally spoke. "What I don't understand is why you just won't plead insanity."
"I've improved too much since the 90s. It's a fool's wager to try that." Eleanor started twisting her hair in her fingers after taking a sip. Her hand tugged at her hair until Draco had to pull it away. She looked embarrassed. "Sorry."
I went back to staring at the window and the tiny slivers of light in the dim room. I was brought back to the present by Sarah Beth's hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at her. She wore a fitted, magenta dress with a little emerald brooch. There was a sense of "otherworldliness" to her appearance that separated me from her. I wore a more mundane suit (the same one from our previous trial), navy blue and white. I was a dull, sore thumb in the midst of much brighter hues. That is, with the exception of Eleanor Malfoy, who wore something more akin to a funeral garb. Whether this was a sign of defeatism or just plain habit was unknown to me. Her husband and father-in-law each wore a green cloak with a silver chain. Narcissa Malfoy stood with Eleanor, fussing over her dress. Another woman, dark-haired and very stoic, wore a white suit with a red neckerchief. She spoke to Eleanor very calmly. Another man stood with the woman, a curly-haired, blond man even more colorful than the others. He wore a bright, pink plaid cardigan. His brown pants were normal enough, but he wore red and white All Stars. The casual clothes were certainly more pedestrian than the other clothes in the group, but that did not necessarily make it more "normal," per se.
Sarah Beth walked me over to them. "Ashley, you should meet Eleanor's nurse, Healer Fuchs. Healer Fuchs, Ashley Carter."
The woman smiled tiredly. Her face was lined, not from age, but rather some amount of stress. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Carter."
"I- it's nice to meet you, Mrs. Fu...oooks?"
She chuckled. "It's 'Fooks', and I am Healer Fuchs, not Mrs. This colorful fellow here is Chase Gravely. Another patient of mine."
"Another patient?" I asked.
"Kleptomaniac," she replied. "Mind your watch. And your wallet. And your keys. And your Muggle electronics."
The man, Chase, chuckled and chimed in: "And your glasses. I've gotten good at that, too."
"What, is he like Apollo Robbins or something?" I asked him, amused. Admittedly, I also touched my glasses out of unease.
"Don't know who that is. Anyway, I'm here to help my good friend Ellie. Not for souvenirs. Besiiides, if I did take anything, I would give it back."
A witch walked into the corridor and waved to us. "We will be starting soon."
I could hear Eleanor take a breath, tensing up. I didn't look back at her lest I make her more nervous. She had not taken much medication that day, if any, at the request of the judges for her not to be under any influence. Sarah Beth whispered to me, "Just be calm, and be careful with your words."
I had sure been hearing a lot of "be careful" that week. I'd already been through an insane trial with the shop. I didn't want to sound too big-headed, but I wasn't worried.
---
Let me rephrase that. I wasn't worried until the thing began. The two Wizengamot guys came in wearing plum robes. Both looked as old as time itself, and just as unforgiving. Harbing had a tiny button of a nose, but a round face with thin wisps of white hair that formed no beard in particular. Frey had a large nose that curved outward. He wore thick, golden spectacles and sported a mustache that hung below his chin. His horsey, yellow front teeth were always showing. He was the first to speak.
We Go to Court Again!
Start from the beginning
