Chapter 280 Court Trial (Revised)

"Great," Fudge said. "We're all here, let's get started. Are you ready?" he asked loudly across the bench.

Allen followed his gaze and saw another witch sitting at the end of the bench, but she was sitting too far back on the bench, and her face was shrouded in shadow.

Despite this, it could still be seen that she was staring intently at the parchment in front of her, with a quill in her hand ready to record.

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

"Trial 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: Minister of Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge; former Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Barty Crouch. Trial Recorder: Dolores Jane Umbridge——"

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

She looked like a big pale toad.

She was short and fat, with a broad, saggy face and a large mouth that drooped downwards.

Her eyes are large, round, and slightly bulging outward.

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

Alan couldn't help but wonder what kind of situation allowed Umbridge, who was still just a trial recorder at this time, to ascend to the position of Senior Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magic two years later.

"Defendant's witnesses: Albert Harris, Severus Snape."

Allen tilted his head in surprise and watched his brother and the Potions Professor walk in from a corner.

Albert looks extremely capable with his stride and calmness. Professor Snape followed 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 the half-moon glasses on his crooked nose. His long silver-white beard and hair shone in the light of the torch.

"After discussion, we feel that it would be better for you to sit in the audience first." Mr. Owen said softly. "You don't have to play unless absolutely necessary."

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

After Albert and Professor Snape stood still, Fudge ordered the Aurors to bring Sirius Black and Peter 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—Black, Peter, and two Aurors.

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

The Aurors pushed Blake and Peter to the chairs, and the chains popped up instantly, binding them tightly.

Fudge rummaged through a pile of documents, pulled out a piece of parchment from the pile, took a deep breath, and read it out loud - it was the original trial of Sirius Black.

After he finished reading, there was silence.

"Sirius Black," a voice said abruptly.

Alan 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 were imprisoned in Azkaban for thirteen years and never thought of making a complaint. And now, you tell us that you are innocent and Peter Pettigrew is not dead?"

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

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

After hearing Sirius's sarcastic words, the members of the Wizengamot in purple robes on the podium couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

Barty Crouch's lips turned pale and pursed tightly.

It was not until Fudge spoke again that the podium became quiet.

"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 these testimonies and information, and searched the memories of Sirius and Pettigrew.

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

"Peter Pettigrew, why did you fake your own death and escape?" Crouch couldn't help but ask again when he saw that Pettigrew's fake death was a certainty.

"I lied to everyone, but I had a reason." Although Peter's voice was filled with fear, he was still quibbling.

He reiterated what he said in the Forbidden Forest.

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

"It's really strange to turn into a mouse and live in a wizard's house for thirteen years, UU Reading www.uukanshu.net just to avoid a prisoner in Azkaban."

Before Sirius could speak, a fussy, high-pitched, thin voice like a little girl's voice spoke up - it was Umbridge.

Umbridge suddenly put down her pen and stood up, with a fake smile on her face, and the look on her two big round eyes was extremely cold!

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

What a born politician.

Allen sighed in his heart. Although Umbridge gave people a very disgusting feeling, she was really remarkable for being able to climb to a high position in a short period of time.

There were murmurs in the room, and the members of the Wizengamot were talking and nodding. It was obvious that Umbridge's words touched them.

Peter Pettigrew hesitated, any explanation seemed ridiculous and feeble in front of the reality of his life.

He curled up in his chair, his face pale and 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.

Crouch wanted to ask, but Fudge beat him to it.

"Since the evidence is conclusive, let's vote." Fudge said quickly, turning to the right. "Please pay attention to the jury... Please raise your hands if you agree with Sirius' acquittal..."

Most of the jurors, except Crouch, raised their hands, and some, after hesitation, also raised their hands.

Blake's swollen heart was so suffocating that he couldn't breathe. He just took a deep breath twice and lowered his head to look at the shoes on his feet.