Chapter 280 Trial (Revised)

"Very well," said Fudge, "we're all here, let's get started. Are you ready?" he called out toward the bench.

Alan followed his gaze and saw another witch sitting at the end of the bench, but she sat so far back on the bench that her face was in shadow.

Even so, it can still be seen that she is staring intently at the parchment in front of her, with a quill in her hand ready to record.

"Judgment on February 12th," said Fudge in a booming voice, and the witch hurriedly began to take notes, her head bowed.

"The case of Death Eater Sirius Black betraying the Potters and killing Peter Pettigrew thirteen years ago." The Minister of Magic looked around and continued calmly and forcefully.

"Interrogator: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Barty Crouch, former Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Interrogator: Dolores Jane Umbridge—"

The woman in charge of recording suddenly raised her head, leaned forward, and revealed her true face.

She was like a big pale toad.

She was short and stout, with a broad, flabby face, with a large mouth hanging downward.

Her eyes were large, round, and bulged slightly.

The little black velvet bow in her short curly hair looked like a big fly. It was as if she was about to stick out her long, sticky tongue to catch it.

Allen couldn't help but wonder what kind of circumstances would allow Umbridge, who was only a trial recorder at this time, to be appointed as the Senior Deputy Minister of Magic two years later.

"Witnesses for the accused: Albert Harris, Severus Snape."

Allen turned his head in surprise, watching his brother and the Potions professor walk in from a corner.

Albert was striding, unflappable, and looked extremely capable. Professor Snape followed behind him with a gloomy expression.

Seeing Professor Snape, Allen couldn't help but look at Principal Dumbledore on the stage.

Dumbledore was looking at Professor Snape through half-moon glasses perched on his crooked nose, his long silver beard and hair gleaming in the light of the torch.

"After discussing, we think it's better for you to sit in the auditorium first." Mr. Owen said softly. "Unless it is absolutely necessary, you don't have to play."

Allen nodded, knowing in his heart that this was his father's love for him, and perhaps it was one of the deals between him and Fudge.

After Albert and Professor Snape stood still, Fudge ordered the Auror to bring Sirius Black and Pettigrew into the deliberation room.

There was a sound of footsteps, and the door at the corner of the dungeon opened, and four people walked in—Blake, Peter, and two Aurors.

"Hmm..." Fudge pondered for a moment, stretched out his wand, shook it slightly, and a chair exactly like the one in the middle of the previous deliberation room appeared.

The Aurors pushed Black and Peter onto the chairs, and the chains bounced instantly, binding them tightly.

Fudge rummaged through a pile of documents, pulled out a piece of parchment from a pile of documents, took a deep breath, and read it aloud—it was the trial book against Sirius Black.

After he finished reading, there was silence in the arena.

"Sirius Black," said a voice abruptly.

Allen turned his head and saw Mr. Crouch standing up in the middle of the bench next to him.

He looked very serious, and said solemnly: "You have been imprisoned in Azkaban for thirteen years, and you have never thought of appealing. Now, you tell us that you are innocent and Peter Pettigrew is not dead?"

"Yes, at the beginning you didn't give me a chance to appeal, you threw me into Azkaban directly, didn't you?"

Sirius glanced at Crouch contemptuously, "Peter Pettigrew, he appeared in front of you. Didn't the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic use all means to confirm his identity last night?"

Hearing Sirius' sarcasm, the members of the Wizengamot in purple robes on the rostrum couldn't help whispering to each other.

Barty Crouch's lips turned pale and were pursed tightly.

It wasn't until Fudge spoke again that the rostrum fell silent.

"Please provide the results of last night's trial." Fudge said solemnly.

Lloyd came up with the pensieve, and d'Artagnan followed him, holding two bottles and some parchment.

The members of the Wizengamot, headed by Professor Dumbledore, looked through the testimonies and documents, and checked the memories of Sirius and Pettigrew.

Allen noticed that the two women among the members of the Wizengamot looked at Sirius Black with tears in their eyes.

"Peter Pettigrew, why did you feign death to escape?" Crouch couldn't help asking again when he saw that Pettigrew's feigned death was a certainty.

"I lied to everyone, but I did it for a reason." Despite the fear in Peter's voice, he was still quibbling.

He reiterated his rhetoric in the Forbidden Forest.

Sirius straightened up angrily, but was pulled tightly back into the chair by the chains.

"It's a strange thing to be a mouse and live in a wizard's house for thirteen years, just to avoid a prisoner in Azkaban."

Before Sirius could speak, a high-pitched voice sounded like a little girl fussing - it was Umbridge.

Umbridge suddenly put down his pen and stood up, with a smirk on his face, and the expression revealed by those two big round eyes was extremely indifferent!

Ellen didn't miss the eye contact she had made with Fudge earlier.

What a born politician.

Allen sighed in his heart, although Umbridge feels very repulsive, but he was able to climb to a high position in a short period of time, which is indeed extraordinary.

There was a murmur in the room, and the members of the Wizengamot nodded as they discussed, apparently moved by Umbridge's words.

Peter Pettigrew falters, and in the face of the reality of his life, any explanation seems ridiculous and pale.

He curled up on the chair, his face was pale, and he was sweating profusely.

"Umbridge, the court has not allowed you to speak." Crouch stood up and said coldly.

Umbridge sat down obediently, but looked at Fudge with a look of asking for credit.

Fudge nodded slightly, imperceptibly.

Crouch wanted to ask again, but Fudge beat him.

"Since the evidence is solid, let's vote." Fudge said quickly, turning to the right, "Attention the jury... Raise your hand if you agree with Sirius' acquittal..."

Except for Crouch, most of the jurors raised their hands, and some people also raised their hands after hesitation.

Blake's swollen heart suffocated him, and both times he just took a deep breath and looked down at his shoes.