Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Peter

Chapter 221 Let the dead rest in peace

After talking about the really important things, Lucius made a statement for himself for another 5 minutes. The main content was how he regretted being with the dark magic forces, and what contribution he would make to the Ministry of Magic in the future—or, in other words, donation.

Lucius had omitted the part about forging the death certificate, which would have relieved him of his responsibility, since bringing a dead body to the Dark Lord was not the same thing as using a dying living person as a test subject.Snape also expressed no objection to this, and this detail was not important to the whole case.

Crouch finally interrupted Lucius and asked the dementor to take him down again. After that, Mr. Crouch bowed his head and browsed through the thick file for a long time before speaking again.

"I've never heard of this kind of magic," he frowned, as if talking to himself, "This...impossible, the dead cannot be brought back to life, this is the most basic law of magic."

"The Dark Lord can use magic we don't understand," Snape said.

"Voldemort stole the Philosopher's Stone." Amelia Bones spoke for the first time.

Crouch asked Percy to show the Wizengamot and the jury evidence such as the death certificate, Snape's hospital records in St. Mungo's, and the file materials of the Sirius murder case, and the people in the room talked a lot.

Peter was a little surprised by Crouch's attitude. He was completely free of the hatred and tendencies of a week ago. Since the trial began, Crouch's presiding can be called fair.

"The evidence has been presented, let the witness speak." Crouch said.

Dumbledore and Peter told Snape's story separately, and Harry also bravely stood up in the back row and told what happened in the cemetery.Then, many Ministry of Magic staff who participated in the Battle of Hogwarts also stated that they witnessed Snape's battle with the bone dragon.

The witnesses spoke for a long time, and finally Mr. Crouch knocked on the table and the courtroom fell silent again.

"Snape," Crouch asked sternly, "do you have any tendency to attack humans now?"

"what?"

"Have you at any point longed to engage in aggressive behavior such as biting, scratching, or turning anyone into an Inferi?"

"I think it's an insulting question," Snape replied darkly.

"Although the Wizengamot can sympathize with your fate, we must evaluate your sanity. The Ministry of Magic is obliged to ensure the safety of the wizarding society. It is irresponsible to put back an inferi that may harm others. " Crouch said flatly.

The wizards and wizards on the bench nodded in agreement, and the civilians who were listening whispered to each other, with fear or suspicion in their eyes.

"So, how do I prove that?" Snape said sarcastically, "How do I prove that I don't want to tear a passerby to pieces?"

Crouch discussed with the people around him for a while, and before long, he looked up and asked, "Are you afraid of fire or sunlight?"

Snape hesitated. "I just loathe them, and does it matter?"

Mr. Crouch gave some instructions in a low voice, and a young staff member came down from the back row, took the torch from the wall of the courtroom, handed it to Snape, and then ran away in a hurry, as if he was really afraid that Snape would take the torch away. He was "torn to shreds".

Snape's face grew haggard under the firelight, and he looked away, keeping the torch as far away from him as possible.

Crouch made a request: "Please put your hand into the flames... Of course, just for a moment, this will only cause a very slight burn—"

Beside Peter, Dumbledore said, "Mr. Crouch, please allow me to raise an objection. Such an approach is very inhumane. You know that flames can dissipate black magic."

"I'm sorry," but Crouch didn't show apology on his face, "but I must confirm that the defendant's reason is enough to restrain his - please forgive me - nature of being a ghost."

The wizards and wizards of the Wizengamot expressed their approval for Crouch, and the jury also looked at Snape with probing eyes. One of the witches even suggested that Snape should be handed over to the Dangerous Creature Disposal Committee for "harmless treatment". Because her brother died at the hands of Voldemort's Inferi.

"Silence!" Mr. Crouch roared, and the courtroom fell silent, "Snape, you have the right to refuse this judicial experiment that may harm your body, but you also have to bear the corresponding consequences."

Snape looked at the fearful or suspicious eyes of wizards and wizards. Peter noticed that his black eyes had become hollow and loose. He seemed to be using Occlumency. Could it be that he wanted to use Occlumency to suppress his fear of fire and Pain when exposed to flames?

He paused for a long time, and finally raised his left hand.He quickly put his hand into the flames, and quickly withdrew it——

He uttered an inhuman scream, which was creepy.

He no longer looked human at all, and all human reason had disappeared from him.

As he screamed, he dropped his torch and jumped from his chair, and the Aurors sprang to their feet, pointing their wands at him warily.The wizards and wizards of the jury were in a mess, and they crowded into the back row to avoid being torn apart by this maddened corpse.

"Silence! Silence!" Crouch yelled loudly, "The defendant is under the control of the Ministry of Magic, please keep the jury calm!"

Finally, Snape restrained himself and stopped screaming. He retreated to the chair panting, his whole face contorted.This time, the chain on the chair stretched out like a poisonous snake, and bound him tightly with a clatter.

"Everyone has seen the results of the experiment just now," Crouch said calmly. "At present, there is no law regulating the disposal of such black magic creatures. Therefore, I would like to ask everyone to express their opinions."

An old wizard stood up, "I suggest that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement destroy the defendant's wand and appoint a reliable supervisor for him, so as to take care of humanitarianism and social security."

"Mr. Smith's plan is very constructive, but the safety of the supervisor himself is a problem," a serious witch suggested. "The defendant is a Legilimency. Even without a wand, he may turn the supervisor into a own puppet."

"And who knows whether this corpse's consciousness is its own or the mysterious man's?" A small wizard in the back row shouted fiercely, "I must remind everyone that the wizarding world has not been brought back to life. When the corpse speaks, the only The explanation is: a living person is secretly manipulating it!"

The jury nodded in favor, and Dumbledore frowned worriedly.

"Severus Snape is an innocent child!" said a wizard in the back row with emotion, "but his body, manipulated by the dark arts, is another matter - his life is long gone, and we His body should be cremated as soon as possible so that the deceased can rest in peace."

Snape heard the words despite the din, and turned to the wizard, looking at him meaningfully.His expression was still calm, obviously he had made enough mental preparations, but his fingertips on the armrest were still pinched white by him.

"I now invite the jury to vote," said Mr. Crouch loudly. "If you agree with me that Severus Tobias Snape should be acquitted, please raise your hand!"

The jury raised their hands in unison, except for the bereaved witch.

"Next, any wizard who thinks his body should be cremated, please raise your hand—"

"Wait a moment!" cried a trembling voice, "I have something to say!"

Everyone turned to look at the back row, behind Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, Seamus Finnigan stood up.

(End of this chapter)