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Post by Rufus Scrimgeour on Sept 29, 2011 10:25:27 GMT
*Finally, the day had come of the vampire-witch trail. It had taken some time to prepare the suitable witnesses and cases, but now the proceedings were ready to begin.*
*The courtroom was full as the members of the Wizengamot awaited the defendants arrival along with the representatives who would be speaking on behalf of her and the Pale Court.*
*More vampires. Scrimgeour knew that this would cause unease among many of his court members, but it was the only option.*
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Post by Cornelius Fudge on Oct 6, 2011 0:19:07 GMT
*Cornelius sat awkwardly in the courtroom, painfully aware of the presence of two vampires - Jadrin and Sanguini (and what was it with vampires and only going by a single name?) - already in the court, and knowing that two more would soon show their pasty, creepy, befanged faces within mere minutes. He shuffled his notes and dabbed at his perspiring forehead with a linen handkerchief his wife had given to him, and felt that the trial could not end soon enough for him* *The vampire due to stand trial was definitely dangerous. So dangerous that she would be entering the courtroom the same way Death Eaters would after Voldemort's downfall - in the cage, with her hands shackled. Fudge would have certainly preferred if she had some sort of mask on, so as to prevent her from biting anyone if she somehow managed to escape.* |
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Post by Jadrin G. on Oct 6, 2011 0:34:13 GMT
Mortals. How Jadrin despised them, despite their necessity. The smell of so many of them cramped together in this Wizengamot court room was almost overwhelming, especially now. He had spent the last few weeks surviving on animal blood and "donations" at the Society for Tolerance of Vampires, and like any vampire, he ached for a true kill. The feeling was akin to a coffee lover switching to de-caff for several weeks, and then walking into a café at an hour he would normally be asleep. Why they had to have this accursed trial during the hours of daylight was a mystery to him.
He glanced at Sanguini, sitting to his right. The vampire looked a mess. Thinner than usual, gaunt, and almost unkempt in appearance. It was most unlike him. Clearly, the stress of his daughter's trial was getting to him.
"There, there. At least it will be over soon," Jadrin said to the dark haired vampire, in a ghastly attempt at empathy, and patted Sanguini's pale hand.
He didn't comfort well.
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Post by Dottore Giulietta de Medici on Oct 6, 2011 0:41:25 GMT
*She was earning some funny looks from the Wizengamot, even as she received a respectful bow from both Sanguini and Jadrin. At least vampires knew that stature was no indication of power. Despite the strange hue of her eyes and the uncanny pallour of her skin, she was still viewed as a child, even here! It niggled at her, particularly when she realised that her appearance might cast doubt on her testimony.*
*Giulietta sat as close to the cage as she possibly could, still shocked by the sight of it. She found it barbaric, excessive and downright degrading. A young woman of such distinguished lineage, bound and disgraced like this... it reminded the tiny doctor of the stocks that criminals would be sent to hundreds of years ago, and worse still, the cage looked like an Iron Maiden.*
*She pursed her lips. She hoped that Ophelia would be somewhat lucid today, and able to defend herself and answer any questions put to her with ease, but based on what she had seen when last she had stopped by the poor girl's cell, that was unlikely.*
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Post by Lord Sanguini Fuilteach on Oct 6, 2011 0:52:46 GMT
Sanguini stared at Jadrin, red eyes wide and disbelieving. Was he really trying to make him feel better?
There was nothing that could make him feel better. Not today, and not ever again if this trial went badly for Ophelia. She was all he had left, the only family that still survived. He felt a knot of fear in his gut, and had very uncharacteristically not taken many pains with his appearance before arriving for the trial. He had taken the Floo Network to the Ministry, knowing he could not risk the daylight outside.
"Do shut up, Jadrin," Sanguini said with a sneer, and ignored the redhead at his side. Jadrin had been there the day Dante had burned, and he had done nothing to save him. Jadrin's own skin was far too precious to risk saving his friend. Sanguini would have given anything to save his only son from such a fate... and now he was sitting here, doing things "legally", waiting for his daughter to arrive and be subjected to interrogation and sentencing, all for a crime that could have been prevented if she had been well.
He clenched his fists, his usual urbane demeanour a thing of the past. Today, he was a worried father. He didn't care who saw him for what he was. Tomorrow, depending on what the verdict was, he could be the eloquent monster once more.
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Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Oct 6, 2011 0:56:25 GMT
*Ophelia hummed to herself while some Ministry Aurors cuffed her hands in front of her body. Physically, she was in a holding cell beneath the courtroom, waiting to step into the cage and be transported up to face the Wizengamot. Mentally, she was a million miles away, safe in her own mind, and completely unafraid. The potion her father and Dottore deMedici had forced her to drink had all but worn off, and there hadn't been time to administer more. So she hummed, and whispered half-remembered fragments of nursery rhymes and lullabies to herself, and did everything the Aurors asked of her without ever giving an indication that she had heard a word they said.*
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Post by Griselda Marchbanks on Oct 7, 2011 9:51:44 GMT
Griselda moved discreetly as much as possible away from Cornelius, casting indignant looks on his sweaty face. Rufus should have summoned someone else. She wasn't happy about the trial either, but she was sure she could handle it with the necessary objectivity, whereas Cornelius ...
She greeted the vampires with a neutral expression, although she was slightly shocked about the tiny Italian doctor. It was different reading a mere description with all the impressive credentials in the trial files and then finding oneself in front of a child.
In Griselda's opinion the cage wouldn't have been necessary, the vampires were very cautious in presence of humans, and if the convict would show any kind of dangerous behaviour they would step in in time. After all, they knew the signs better than any wizard.
"Rufus, Cornelius?" she turned towards the other Wizengamot members, "Are we ready?"
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Post by Elric Marwood on Oct 7, 2011 11:58:33 GMT
*He sat silently, watching as the group of vampires and his fellow Wizengamot members prepared themselves for the trial. He had promised to do everything he could to help ensure Ophelia avoided imprisonment. If he failed, he knew there was a chance he would have a number of vampires on his own back, likely including his friend Nyx.*
*For him, this trial was not just about a vampiress. It was a chance for a personal and political victory.*
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Post by Rufus Scrimgeour on Oct 7, 2011 12:02:59 GMT
*His eyes slowly crossed the room, taking in as much information as possible. He could tell that the vampires were nervous about what was about to happen, but why shouldn't they be? A beloved family member in trouble was enough to worry anyone.*
*He nodded in response to Griselda.*
Care to begin?
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Post by Gawain Robards on Oct 9, 2011 10:48:26 GMT
*Robards took the tip from Scrimgeour and cleared his throat before standing.*
The purpose of this court is to discuss the murders of Jane and Willow Phoenix. The defendant, Miss Ophelia Fuilteach, is here on suspicion of both.
I would like to start by asking the defendant to tell us where she was on the night of said murders.
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Post by Cornelius Fudge on Oct 9, 2011 22:26:04 GMT
*Cornelius mopped his brow with his handkerchief once more, and gave a startled gasp when the vampire woman was moved into the cage. She looked like an animated corpse, emaciated and unkempt, and her eyes chilled him to the bone. Though she was clearly alive (as much as any vampire could be) and blinking and moving, her eyes looked hollow and dead.*
"Merlin's beard..."
*He muttered, and found himself wishing he had thought to bring some garlic along with him.*
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Post by Jadrin G. on Oct 9, 2011 22:32:47 GMT
Jadrin shrugged, ignoring Sanguini's sneered reply. He understood that the man was suffering and stressed, but he would remember his rebuke. Sanguini had been nothing but antagonistic to him since Dante's passing, and Jadrin had his pride. He would not take kindly to this continued abuse.
When Ophelia was lifted into the courtroom, he was shocked by the cage she was held in, and also by her appearance. Where was the pretty sister Dante had spoken of? This girl was the image of a storybook vampire, a night ghast or Nosferatu used to frighten mortal children into staying in bed after dark. He risked a glance at Sanguini, wondering how he would react upon seeing his daughter in such a state, and readied himself to hold him back should it be necessary.
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Post by Lord Sanguini Fuilteach on Oct 9, 2011 22:42:28 GMT
*Sanguini was horrified by the cage. To him, it appeared completely savage and barbaric, and was downright insulting to his daughter. Ophelia was ill, and even though she was unpredictable, the cage was unnecessary. Worse still was the sight of his only daughter inside it, looking far more frail than the last time he had laid eyes on her.*
"A leanbh na bpáirte...!"*
*He clenched his fists so hard that his nails broke the skin on his palms. He wanted more than anything to hold his child, tell her that everything was all right, and that this would all be over soon, but he couldn't even give her that small comfort. It all but broke his heart.*
* = My darling child!
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Post by Dottore Giulietta de Medici on Oct 9, 2011 22:50:15 GMT
Giulietta pursed her lips. Ophelia had clearly not been eating well of late. Stress, perhaps, or maybe her jailers had been somewhat lax in preparing blood for her meals? Either way, she was incredibly displeased by the poor girl's appearance, and equally so by the necessity of the cage. Unlike Jadrin and Sanguini, however, the tiny doctor believed it may be a wise decision.
She stood and cleared her throat, and hoped her youthful appearance and voice would not hurt her case. She approached Ophelia's cage and stood by it, four feet six inches in height, but standing as proud and tall as a queen.
"Ladies and gentlewizards," she said, her young voice strong and confident, "I would like to take this opportunity to speak for my patient, Miss Fuilteach, and stress the fact that she is suffering from a severe mental illness, and may not always understand your questions, or may be less than lucid when providing answers. In these situations, I beg your patience, and will strive to answer for her, or call witnesses that can provide evidence that will answer your queries."
She looked at Ophelia and said softly, "Ophelia, dear... they want to know where you were on the night of the murders of the Phoenix girls. Please tell them."
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Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Oct 9, 2011 23:02:14 GMT
Ophelia looked around the courtroom, and started to feel the first prickling of fear at the back of her neck. Sickness had told her this would happen, but she hadn't realised it would be today. She looked anxiously around the gathered witches and wizards, all of them seeming terribly intimidating and disapproving. Her eyes travelled quickly, and she felt some of her fear subside when she saw her father. "Daddy," she whispered. She glanced around again, apparently searching for someone else she could not find. "Bojan?" she murmured, and her face fell when she could not find him.
She listened to the doctor speak as though her voice were coming from a great distance away. He hadn't come to the trial. She wasn't sure what to think. She had hoped that he would, but apparently she had hurt him too much. Nothing mattered now. She might as well admit to what she did, come clean, and let them sentence her to whatever end.
"Where was I?" Ophelia asked, her voice a little louder now, her words coming slowly and her tone flat. Her eyes stared into the distance, focused on nothing at all. "I was visiting my father and brother in Castle Fuilteach. Then I made a little trip back home to Hogsmeade." She shivered suddenly, as though she was cold.
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