Maggie's eyes move to Professor McGonagall, who offers her a subtle, comforting smile. The two witches then shift their focus back to Amelia Bones. Despite the circumstances of the meeting, Amelia was wearing casual attire, a choice intended to put Maggie at ease. The setting is also far from intimidating, taking place in a cosy office rather than a cold, sterile interrogation room.
"Maggie, you're in no trouble I can promise you that," The woman says. "The Ministry would just like to close this case so you can begin the steps you need to take to heal"
"Thank you, Amelia,"
Maggie offers a small smile to the woman who had been nothing but kind to her for as long as Maggie had known her.
"Mister Arthur Weasley and Masters Frederick and George Weasley are just on the other side of that glass as per your request. If at any point you need a break, please let me know and you can take some time,"
"Miss McKinnon, are you sure you're ready?" Professor McGonagall asks Maggie who nods.
"I can do this," Maggie nods, taking the vial of veritaserum and consuming the contents.
"Can you state your name for the record please?"
"Margot Lily Crouch-McKinnon but I go by Maggie,"
"Date of birth?"
"September the eighth, 1977,"
"Current status?"
"Student at Hogwarts,"
"Perfect thank you, as previously stated you are free to take a break or leave at any time. If you feel it is necessary to leave, we will pick this up at a later date. Do you understand?"
"Yes,"
"So Maggie," Amelia says. "Tell me about your father escaping Azkaban and returning home. As much as you can remember"
"It wasn't much after my fifth birthday," Maggie says. "I remember walking downstairs and my grandfather sat me down to tell me that my grandmother had gone away because of me. So I could have a parent"
"Skeletal remains were found in the grave but they were too weathered by time for formal identification but based on evidence, we believe it to be your grandmother," Amelia says and Maggie nods.
"I sort of guessed as I got older," Maggie smiles sadly. "Once he told me that my father walked in and I remember I felt happy because I didn't know what he had done, just that he had needed to go away for a while. My childhood wasn't terrible by any means, I never wanted for anything. Except for one thing I suppose-"
"What was that?" Amelia asks.
"Love," Maggie replies. "I had Flopsy, of course, she loves me more than anyone but I wanted my mother"
"Could you tell me when the abuse started?"
Maggie takes in a deep breath at Amelia's question, trying to steady her nerves. A warm hand on hers causes her to look up from the desk to see Professor McGonagall's hand on top of her own. The Professor offers her a supportive smile and Maggie nods her head at Amelia, gently squeezing the Professor's hand.
"I was seven," Maggie says. "We had attended a Ministry Event, a fundraiser or something, and I had gotten bored and irritable so I had thrown a tantrum. My grandfather said I was tired, I think, and took us back to the house. When we got back I remember him hitting me across the face and a stinging pain that took a while to fade. It worsened over the years"
"When was the worst time?"
"After the Quidditch World Cup," Maggie says. "My grandfather had smuggled my father there, hidden him under a spell. Winky, the Crouch house elf was tasked with monitoring him. He was the one who instigated the attack that day and cast the dark mark"
"What happened when you returned home?"
"I shouted at my grandfather when we got back and told him that I wished he had died. That grandma was lucky because she'd managed to get away from him," Maggie picks at her nails as she talks. "He struck me, hard. Then he left my father to deal with me. That's the first time I ever felt the cruciatus curse"
"The cruciatus curse?" Amelia looks horrified at Maggie's revelation.
"It went on for so long that I have irreversible tremors in my hands," Maggie sniffles. "But not long after I got my escape when I returned to Hogwarts"
"Where you entered the tournament?"
"Yes, he wasn't impressed with that," Maggie shakes her head. "He pulled me to the Great Hall whilst the other staff were trying to understand what happened with Harry and struck me. But something happened on my birthday, my father showed up. Told me he was being a good father by visiting me"
"Did anyone else see him?"
"Yes," Maggie blurts out. "But I don't want them to get in trouble"
"Was it a fellow student?"
"Yes,"
"Their name?"
"Fred Weasley," Maggie can't control the words coming from her mouth due to the potion.
"Mr Weasley will not be in any trouble don't worry Maggie," Amelia says. "What happened after all of that?"
"After the first task was the next time I saw my grandfather." Maggie continues in her story. "By this point, Fred and George both knew what my grandfather was doing. How he was hurting me. So we had formulated a plan, George took a photo when he raised his hand to strike me and I blackmailed him with it"
"Did it work?"
"Yes, his image was too important to him," Maggie nods. "He called off the impending betrothal with the Flint family and left me alone. The next time I saw him was on Christmas Day but we didn't speak. After that-"
"Would you like a moment Maggie?" Professor McGonagall asks the girl who had started crying.
"No," Maggie sniffles, shaking her head. "I need to get through this"
"There's no shame,"
"I can do this," Maggie states. "The next time I saw my grandfather was after the second task when I found him dead in the forest"
"How did you feel?"
"I felt sad," Maggie admits, tears freefalling down her cheeks. "Sad because now the only living family member I had was my father. But I also felt relieved, I could breathe. I was free. Does that make me a bad person?"
"No. It makes you strong and brave Maggie. Something I have always seen in you. Ever since you were a little girl"
As Amelia speaks, Maggie can feel the weight of her guilt lifting off of her shoulders. Tears start to roll down her cheeks as she struggles to keep her composure. At the sight of Maggie's tears, Professor McGonagall pulls Maggie into a warm embrace, holding her tightly as she cries.
"Do you have any more questions for me?" Maggie asks through her tears.
"No. The only thing I have to say to you Miss McKinnon is that you can owl me personally if you need anything. I will support you in whatever way I can and that is a promise. You know I rarely ever make those,"
"Can I visit him?" Maggie asks the woman whose eyes widen in surprise.
"Your father?"
"I need to put him behind me and I can do that without facing him first,"