|
|
Post by Jadrin G. on Oct 18, 2011 22:43:31 GMT
Jadrin sat back down, pleased by Fudge's almost instant apology, and amused by the Dottore's condescending little speech. What she lacked in stature and strength, she more than made up for in wit and scorn. He released his grip on Sanguini's shoulder, and gave the man a polite smile. "All taken care of," he said calmly.
He glanced over at Ophelia in the cage, and despite his advanced age and all the horrors he had seen in his long years, he still found the sight of this mad girl creepy and disturbing. It was what all vampires feared - the madness that often accompanies the long years in the dark, and here was a slip of a girl, little over a quarter of a century in the blood, and crazier than half of the inmates an the Carmilla LeFanu Asylum. He shivered, unable to help himself.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dottore Giulietta de Medici on Oct 18, 2011 23:03:01 GMT
Giulietta nodded her thanks to Madam Marchbanks, and gave a worried glance to Ophelia. Something had caught her attention, and was clearly causing her distress. The doctor looked around, and when she spotted the source of her patient's upset, she gave a low sigh. This, she decided, could certainly be trouble, but if Sickness was content to merely smile at the mortal in that insane fashion, Giulietta saw no reason to disturb her at that moment. If she could explain Ophelia's situation without having to mention him at all, she would do so. Best to keep that all quiet, and ensure a scandal didn't accompany the trial's sensational coverage in the papers.
"You are most kind, Madam Marchbanks," Giulietta said smoothly. "Now then... Miss Fuilteach had indeed been at her father's residence in Ireland that night. Lord Fuilteach had written to me prior to this event, explaining that he was worried by his daughter's behaviour, saying she was most unlike herself. We had arranged an appointment for me to pay her a house visit that month, but what happened that evening rendered our arrangements rather belated."
She began to walk slowly around the cage, glancing at the members of the Wizengamot, and gracing Cornelius Fudge with a haughty stare as she passed him. "Lord Fuilteach and his son both described Miss Fuilteach as being agitated and incoherent, claiming she babbled about, and I believe this is verbatim, 'a losing battle with her own mind', and 'a dark presence whispering things to her that she could not fight against'. Naturally, her family were quite disturbed by this, and sought to calm her, but Miss Fuilteach only became more distressed, finally announcing that things had only 'gone wrong for her' when she encountered Miss Phoenix one night in Knockturn Alley, and that she could 'right everything by killing her'."
She paused, listening to the rumbling whispers that now passed around the courtroom, and gave a little sigh. "Alas, the delusions that Tepes Syndrome can cause! It is not uncommon. Sufferers can become paranoid, and convinced that there is a cause to their anguish that can be rectified through the act of feeding. Miss Fuilteach was clearly no different, and before Lord Fuilteach could stop her, she disapparated to Hogsmeade village to seek out the Phoenix girl. Lord Fuilteach can not apparate, and was forced to seek other methods of transport, leaving his son at home as a precaution should Miss Fuilteach return."
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Sanguini Fuilteach on Oct 18, 2011 23:11:02 GMT
Every word Giulietta spoke, describing that awful night when Sanguini realised he had lost his daughter to her insanity, was like a dagger in his heart. It was one of the worst nights of his life, the other being the death of his wife. He could not bear to even look at the pale, child-like figure wandering the room, depicting the details calmly and with ease. It had been for the best, then, that they had refused him as the one to speak for Ophelia. He would have been too emotional to be objective, as Giulietta was being.
Snape's presence in the court did not go unnoticed to him. Had he not noticed signs of Ophelia's deteriorating mental state before she had met that man, he would have blamed him. As it was, Sanguini had no-one to blame but himself for failing to get her the help she needed before things went too far. He fixed Snape with a cool gaze, his eyes the colour of dried blood and just as hollow as his daughter's. He was unsure as to whether or not he wished to speak with the wretched man, but he knew that if he did exchange words with him, they would not remain civil for long.
|
|
|
|
Post by Rufus Scrimgeour on Oct 19, 2011 11:09:09 GMT
*Taking down a few notes here and there as he saw fit, he listened to the words spoken in court without giving anyone his full attention until a question came to mind. He looked towards Dottore with a straight yet inquisitive expression and spoke calmly.*
So you freely admit that the defendant killed the Phoenix girls?
*To most of the court, there had never been any real question as to whether this was the case. The real problem lay with Ophelias condition.*
|
|
|
|
Post by Cornelius Fudge on Oct 21, 2011 23:01:08 GMT
*Fudge scowled. The doctor had patronised him from behind a mask of genteel indignance, and had now identified the Fuilteach girl as the murderer, and she was still trying to garner sympathy for her! Unbelievable. The girl was a murderer by heart, and a monster by nature. It wasn't possible that she could be any other way with vampire blood in her veins.*
As if there was ever any doubt she was responsible...
*He spoke in little more than a mumble, knowing the vampires had sensitive hearing, but still too indignant to keep his thought to himself.*
|
|
|
|
Post by Dottore Giulietta de Medici on Oct 21, 2011 23:28:52 GMT
Giulietta looked sadly at the pitiful figure her patient cut in the cage, terrifying as her expression and eyes were, but a creature to be pitied more than feared. She looked into Minister Scrimgeour's eyes, understanding that he recognised that Miss Fuilteach had indeed been unbalanced at the time of the murders, but the vampire knew that he had to ensure justice was done. She gave a little sigh before continuing.
"Yes, Minister. My patient killed those girls," Giulietta admitted. "From what I could gather from Miss Fuilteach's fractured accounts of that night, Miss Jane Phoenix was her target. Ms. Willow Phoenix was unfortunate enough to be visiting Miss Phoenix while my patient was there. Miss Fuilteach panicked, and killed her too. As to method, Miss Fuilteach drank their blood, which I am sure your excellent Aurors were able to tell upon examining the victims."
"I am also sure your court is wondering why the vampires did not contact you regarding our knowledge of the perpetrator of the crime," she added, after a moment of what in a lesser creature might be referred to as hesitation. "The reason is simple - it was a vampiric crime, committed by someone suffering from Tepes Syndrome. We believed it was best dealt with amongst our own kind."
|
|
|
|
Post by Ophelia Fuilteach on Oct 21, 2011 23:36:43 GMT
"Like little lambs, they were," Sickness whispered, a wild smile on her face, and looking into the distance with an almost dreamy expression on her twisted face. "So sweet and helpless. So innocent and trusting, like Ophelia herself, but I showed her what becomes of innocence and trust. I made her see what good intentions are good for. I demonstrated what becomes of love, and all the things she thought were good and noble in the world. She wants ever so much to be a good vampire, you see. She only wants the Little Drink, and never a full kill. She will learn, one way or another."
She smiled at the Minister, and added sweetly, "Justice, love, trust, honour, duty, law... can you show me even one of those exists beyond mere pretty words? Can you boil the world down to its base elements and show me one tiniest fragment of any of those concepts? No... because they don't exist. Ophelia is weak, but I am showing her the way. I will give her horror. I will give it to her until she and I are one, and she cannot fight me any longer." She threw her eyes toward Dottore de Medici, and said in a venomous hiss, "She tried to cure me. She tried to get rid of me. She wastes time with words, all while I secure my hold on little Miss Fuilteach's brain. Her hold is weakening, dear dottore. She's fading fast. Can you really help her while you stand there, talking to wizards?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Lord Sanguini Fuilteach on Oct 21, 2011 23:49:21 GMT
Sanguini almost couldn't bear it a moment longer. The way Fudge spoke, the way he glowered at his daughter made him feel physically ill in a way he had only ever experienced once before - the night he heard his son screaming in pain, screaming from the fire that had taken Dante from his life. Sanguini felt the same wave of nausea now - the fear that prickled along his skull warning him that he may lose yet another child, and it may happen today... but he could not allow this! She was far too precious to him to risk losing, his only daughter, and his last living link to her mother. He had to fight, had to try!
Using every scrape of vampiric power he had, he reached out to his daughter's mind with his own, and pleaded almost desperately with her. Do not stop fighting her, Ophelia. I cannot lose you. You are all I have left, and I will not lose you to Tepes Syndrome. Please, my darling, fight this. All is not lost yet, and I refuse to believe that it is, but you must fight. If not for me, then for Dante, for Bojan, for all those you love. I have faith in you!
|
|
|
|
Post by Rufus Scrimgeour on Oct 22, 2011 14:05:01 GMT
*Dottore brought up an interesting point, but was interrupted by Ophelia or Sickness. The creature addressed him, but he realised that this was not one to be reasoned with. He knew the importance of law and justice, but felt trying to explain it here would be a losing battle. He chose instead to continue along Dottores reasoning.*
So what steps did the Pale Court take after discovering her crime?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dottore Giulietta de Medici on Oct 22, 2011 15:49:35 GMT
"Ophelia, please hush. You will get your chance to talk, but for now, hush!" Giulietta said to her patient. She knew the girl couldn't help it, but it still wore on her nerves slightly. The doctor felt slightly irritated that even after centuries of dealing with cases like these, she still found the behaviour aggravating.
She regarded Scrimgeour with golden eyes that carried the weight of her true age, and an intelligence that seemed out of place in such a young face. Giulietta knew exactly what the Pale Court had done about Ophelia's crime, but she felt that it was not her place to relate its details. "I reported the case to the Pale Court when Miss Fuilteach arrived at the asylum. Jadrin and Lord Fuilteach are perhaps better informed regarding the actions of the Pale Court. I am merely a Healer, Minister Scrimgeour. Medicine is my calling, not politics."
|
|
|
|
Post by Cornelius Fudge on Oct 22, 2011 16:06:39 GMT
*Fudge scoffed again, but gestured toward Sanguini and Jadrin*
Well then? Minister Scrimgeour wishes to know what the Pale Court did after hearing of Miss Fuilteach's crimes. Explain this for us, please.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jadrin G. on Oct 22, 2011 16:15:20 GMT
Jadrin stood upon being addressed by Giulietta, and then Fudge. He had been worried it would come to this. Vampire laws were secret, and not commonly revealed to mortals, even the wizards. Usually, the wizarding community's delusions and false beliefs about vampire society and their weaknesses (garlic, stakes through the heart, and so on) were allowed to continue without vampire interference, due to the fact that the lies they believed were infinitely better protection for blood drinkers than the truth.
"As well the Wizengamot knows, our laws are our own, and unless your court applies to have a suspect extradited from our protection," Jadrin said pointedly, "we are under no obligation to do so. We prepared a case file, anonymously donated a substantial sum of galleons to Saint Mungo's and the victims' family to make reparation for Miss Fuilteach's actions, and waited for further developments. In this case, Miss Fuilteach was apprehended by Aurors in a fair arrest in London, and the Pale Court had co-operated with this trial in every way we possibly can since then."
He pursed his lips. "Although I hardly see how this is relevant. This seems to be an opportunity for the Wizengamot to infer that we were harbouring a criminal."
|
|
|
|
Post by Baron Papanoida on Oct 22, 2011 19:44:34 GMT
*To him it sounded exactly that and he could not stand to stay silent. He spoke sternly.*
So what you are saying is that if the Aurors had not arrested Miss Fuilteach, you would have let her roam free to kill again?
|
|
|
|
Post by Jadrin G. on Oct 22, 2011 20:07:32 GMT
Jadrin was irritated now, and could not keep it in check. "And what of the one you refer to as He Who Must Not Be Named? Is he not roaming free, killing all who cross his path? He has even killed vampires! Do you see us, demanding his imprisonment? No... We understand that you deal with your own kind, with your own laws." Jadrin asked, barely keeping the scorn from his voice. "People in glass houses should not throw stones, wizard."
"As for Miss Fuilteach..." Jadrin said at length, recovering his calm demeanour at last, "she had been interred safely at the Carmilla LeFanu Asylum, and had been granted a week to return to her home in Ireland to pick up some personal effects. A holiday, if you will, or parole is perhaps a better word. She was due to return to the asylum within days, and was under the care of her father, Lord Fuilteach. All her meals were obtained legally through the Society For Tolerance Of Vampires, and you have my oath that she did not kill during that time."
|
|
|
|
Post by Elric Marwood on Oct 23, 2011 11:45:07 GMT
*An opportunity appeared and he rose from his seat to offer his support.*
Hear hear. The vampire community is clearly better equipped to deal with this case than our own mediwizards. It is clear to me that the Pale Court agree that Miss Fuilteach is a danger and they will do all that they can to prevent further trouble.
I say let them keep her in their asylum and take care of her in the way that they know best.
*He nodded in closing and returned to his chair.*
|
|
