Chapter 28

                                        

                                              
"Order! Order! The trial of Draco Lucius Malfoy will now commence!" Chief Warlock Thatchus Reacher called out. "Bring forth the prisoner!"
Draco was shaking badly, Silenced, but thankfully clothed as the Aurors smashed him through the doors of Courtroom 10. The seats were full of angry Wizengamot members looking down at him disdainfully. He heard whispers of how they felt about him. Yaxley's trial had already been held, and Draco spent the previous night alone. Yaxley was Kissed, and Draco had little hope that they wouldn't do the same to him. The Aurors shoved him into the defendant's chair, and the restraints latched onto him
"Madam Arbitor... please read the charges!"
"This Court accuses the defendant of knowingly and willingly committing open treason and rebellion against the Ministry by voluntarily accepting the Dark Mark of He-Who-Must-Not-Be Named! That the defendant knowingly and willingly used the Imperius and Cruciatus Curses on another witch or wizard! That the defendant knowingly and willingly participated in the heinous murder of Albus Dumbledore! That the defendant knowingly and willingly fought against Harry Potter in the Battle of Hogwarts where 55 magical persons died defending our way of life! That the defendant knowingly and willingly fled with the fugitive dark lord He-Who-Must-Not-Be Named and granted him shelter to evade capture! That the defendant knowingly and willingly tortured, abused, and raped our Savior, Harry Potter!"
The Courtroom exploded in anger, and some pulled out their wands. Draco shook as he wondered if he'd get out of there alive.
The arbitor let the noise die down before plowing through more and more crimes. It took nearly ten minutes to read them all. Most were trumped-up charges. Some weren't wrong... but Draco had little choice in the matter. They even tacked on what he did to Greyback and Yaxley. They laid the deaths of Dumbledore and the Fallen at his feet, and even brought up massacres that the Death Eaters did that he was no part of. The mass of wizards and witches were effectively stirred into a lynch mob. Draco wondered if they'd even let him speak.
"Order! The charges are read! Members of the Court... there have been many Death Eaters that have appeared before us! I think that this case is the most egregious! Don't mistake his age! He brought about the death of one of my predecessors, the illustrious Albus Dumbledore! We have heard the testimony from the other collaborators of Malfoy Manor! Draco Malfoy was assigned to personal torture and sexually abuse our Savior by He-Who-Must-Not-Be Named! I don't think we need to deliberate at all, do you?"
Shouts of agreement went through the Courtroom, and Draco was reassigned to his fate.
"Silence! That is not going to happen!" Professor McGonagall yelled out, her voice magnified. "We will have the rule of law in this Court! Now, sit down and do this right! There will be no summary judgments here!"
The rest of the Wizengamot muttered angrily but took their seats. The Chief Warlock banged the gavel and grunted, "Oh, very well!"
"I see no reason why we should continue this!" Minister of Magic Robards growled. "This Death Eater is a war criminal and doesn't deserve...."
Draco's former Transfiguration Professor stared daggers at the man. "The last time the Ministry swept trials under the rug was the first war, and the Ministry sent an innocent man to prison for almost his whole life!"
"There's no way that this... person... is innocent! He doesn't deserve any rights after what he did!"
"Minister Robards... you have no idea what he could say. This Court deserves to hear the truth!" she shouted back.
"The truth? From a loyalist? From a Death Eater till the end?"
The Headmistress stood up. "You know as well as I that Draco Malfoy fought with Harry Potter at the end, and they took out Voldemort!"