"SILENCE," Dumbledore commanded, This time it was in a voice that radiated his power causing Umbridge to take a step back as her eyes flew open wide in fear. "As of the hearing on the eleventh of June you have been removed from the position of Senior Undersecretary. You WILL take the seat of the accused now."
Umbridge swallowed, an act that reinforced her toad like appearance. She didn't seem to notice the two aurors physically pick her up off her feet and carry her to the chair. It was only when the cold chains started to snake across her body that she regained her senses. "CORNELIUS!" She shrieked as she started to struggle against the restraints. "YOU CAN'T LET THEM DO THIS!"
"Chief Warlock, may I suggest a silencing charm?" The Minister of Magic said. The last thing Fudge wanted was for Umbridge to keep calling out his name or the fact she had been his Senior Undersecretary.
"Certainly," Dumbledore replied and with a flick of his wand, Umbridge's voice failed even as her mouth kept opening and closing.
The trial would have been over fairly quickly as Umbridge was given the truth serum once more and unsilenced, but as she admitted to each crime, the Minister of Magic interrupted and requested that it be confirmed that he knew nothing of the crime.
"Now Madam Umbridge," A weary Dumbledore said almost two hours later when she'd been given the truth serum antidote. "You have confessed to all of the crimes you were charged with, do you have anything to say in your defense?"
"I did what was necessary for the good of the Wizarding World. Without me, we'd be overrun by muggle loving people and muggleborns would be allowed to continue to steal our magic."
"Anything else?" Dumbledore asked, again his voice was calm but sliced through the increased murmuring from the crowd of onlookers.
Umbridge once again looked toward Cornelius Fudge but her eyes fell on the dark-haired bespectacled young man near him. A boy who was staring right at her with a smile on his face. "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT HARRY POTTER," Umbridge screamed. "YOU AND THAT MUDBLOOD..." Her voice fell silent once more as Dumbledore put his wand away.
"I believe that concludes her defense," Dumbledore said. He'd silenced Umbridge as quickly as he did because he'd been concerned about Harry defending his wife with violence and possibly causing Umbridge harm or death. He glanced at the young man in question and sighed a bit of relief to see him sitting calmly next to Hermione. Dumbledore turned back to face Umbridge and continued. "Does anyone else wish to add anything?" The courtroom was silent. "Very well. Members of the Wizengamot, I shall read each charge against Madam Delores Umbridge. I would like a show of wands if you feel she is guilty of that particular charge."
Percy Weasley grabbed a piece of parchment and handed it to the Chief Warlock. Dumbledore proceeded to read off each charge.
"Willfully planned and executed the murder of Matthew Corrigan..." He paused and turned toward the Wizengamot only to find every wand raised and lit. "Guilty," He turned back toward Umbridge and read the next one, "Willfully planned and executed the murder of Thomas Carlton...Guilty," Dumbledore continued until he reached the final charges. "Willfully utilized a Blood Quill in torturing students at Hogwarts..." Only about half the wands rose this time and there was a delay as Dumbledore sent a spell that counted those lit from those not responding. "Guilty," He finally said. "The last charge is of the illegal use of Veritaserum on a minor..."again not all of the wands were lit, but it was clearly evident more than half were. "Guilty," Dumbledore turned to Percy Weasley. "Mr. Weasley please record that today, two July nineteen ninety-six, Delores Jane Umbridge was found guilty of all charges against her."
"Yes sir," Percy replied and quickly inked his quill and started writing.
Dumbledore next faced Umbridge. "Delores Umbridge, by the vote of the Wizengamot, you are hereby found guilty of all charges. We will now consider your punishment."
A single voice shouted from the spectators "Kiss" and then another and another until "KISS" was being shouted from nearly everyone in the courtroom.
"Silence," Dumbledore said once again and again the courtroom fell silent. "I must remind everyone that the Dementors have revolted and joined Voldemort," A collective gasp rose from the crowd at the name. Dumbledore waited for several seconds before continuing. "I can see only one punishment that is fitting of the crimes. A lifetime in Azkaban."
"Chief Warlock," Amelia Bones said as she rose to her feet. "I feel that with Madam Umbridge's connections as well as her understanding of Dementors, if they should ever return to Azkaban, such a sentence would be unwise. In fact if He-who..." Amelia paused and then took a deep breath before she continued. "In fact if Voldemort," Again a collective gasp rose," If Voldemort," Bones repeated, "were to look to our prisons for supporters, it is clear that Madam Umbridge would be a likely ally. She has shown the same propensity toward cruelty, the same disregard for life and the same disdain for muggles and muggleborn as the Dark Lord."
"What are you suggesting?" Dumbledore asked already knowing what was coming.
"Chief Warlock, fellow members of the Wizengamot, I feel her crimes justify her being sent through the veil," Amelia replied.
"Haven't there been enough deaths associated with that device recently?" Dumbledore asked as he glanced at Harry and back at Amelia.
"There are no quotas when it comes to punishment Albus," Amelia replied coolly. "If a hundred men commit heinous crimes, then a hundred men should pay the same price."
Dumbledore could see the nodding of over half of the Wizengamot and he sighed. "Very well. Members of the Wizengamot, we shall have three levels of voting. Please raise your wands lit if you believe, as I do that Madam Umbridge should be sentenced to a lifetime in Azkaban; raise the wand unlit if you believe, as Madam Bones, does that the guilty party should be sent through the veil, and finally if you believe there should be a lesser sentence for her crimes, do not raise your wand at all. If the no wands have the majority, we will then discuss the lesser sentence."
All the wands came in the air almost at once, though several of them were lit, a clear majority remained unlit.
Dumbledore sighed once more but nodded and then turned to Percy. "Mr. Weasley, please record that at this time, on today's date, Delores Jean Umbridge has been sentenced to death. The punishment will be carried out, per custom, on the last day of the month."
....
Join my P*atreon to enjoy 60+ advanced chapters.
Link: p*atreon.com/ScarletRosee (Remove the *)
Free members can get 2+ advanced chapters FOR FREE.