[HP] Three thousand days of innocence

Ginny dreamed again that she was standing in court defending Draco, who would be imprisoned forever in a dank cell in Azkaban, making it difficult for her to sleep again.Her mind longed for relief and her body wanted rest, but she could only toss and turn on the bed until the sheets wrapped around her waist and legs.There is no way.She was so excited that she couldn't sleep at all.

So she chooses to handle the case.She took copious notes and outlines to help herself organize her final presentation and cross-referenced them with court precedents that she and Hermione had found in the library together.Every now and then she pulled out Yaxley's Muggle picture and just looked at it, as if staring at his picture would reveal all the secrets of the man.

She really hoped that Percy's theory was wrong, but it was impossible.Something in her heart told her that his version of events was likely, even more likely than hers.After all, she's seen it before: some people, faced with the dire consequences of their actions, are determined to drag everyone else down as much as possible.The Auror Office once caught a supporter of Riddle, a reclusive old pure-blood wizard with no Dark Mark in his family, but who spent most of his personal fortune in support of the Death Eaters.After Danny O'Connell stalked and apprehended him, he provided the Aurors with a wealth of information on how the Death Eaters worked and how Riddle manipulated them, as well as a long list of sponsors like himself list.According to the information he provided, they captured the Carlo brothers and sisters.

Yaxley may be doing just that.Everything fits right up.She just hoped that things would be different, that if something went wrong, she'd be able to save Draco from life.When was the last time he saw sunlight?It has been several weeks.When was the last time he bathed or got fresh air?He was usually so lively, it must have been pitiful to be locked up in that small cell, and she was starting to wonder now what they were feeding him—was he hungry?Can it be eaten?Had the guards who had been guarding him ever laughed at him?If they had a loved one killed in a war, they would use the opportunity to humiliate and taunt him for his part in—

Ginny shook her head and blinked hard a few times.Concentrate, she told herself.Concentrate, concentrate, concentrate.

If Draco killed Colin and Yaxley's memories were true, then Ginny could only hope that she had found that 1650 precedent.As mentioned in Stockley v. Skull Crusher, when murder and other acts of violence are direct inducements to join an illegal society - Death Eaters certainly fit - and membership is not entirely voluntary - Skull Crusher uses Blackmailing, brainwashing, and the oddly seductive to guide their members—criminals shouldn't be punished to the same degree as independent criminals.Yaxley was not insane, the memory was presented in a perfectly legal manner, and despite the initial public animosity, the trial proceeded compliantly and efficiently.

If the memory was real, she could only hope that Draco's sentence would be mitigated.Not going to be sentenced to life in Azkaban for murder, maybe only 20 years.

Ginny pushed the dining table away in frustration, its wooden legs rubbing against the poor-quality tiles.She can't take it.There must have been something else, some case that even Hermione hadn't thought of, that would help them, that would make memory more questionable.She needs to go back to Diagon Alley, to the library.

Time passed slowly as the sun climbed over London rooftops and shone timidly into Ginny's messy apartment, littered with crumpled parchment, her notes, empty inkpots and broken quills.The Agrippa von Neterheim Library opens at nine, so Ginny first owls a brief but crucial letter, and at 9:02 Ginny stands impatiently at the door, waiting The librarian opens the door.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully to Ginny as she opened the door.

"Are you all right?" Ginny said casually, walking past her.She asked for a private study room, and then took many books from the bookshelf, carried them to the room to read and study, and looked for hope.

She used the guide Hermione had given her last time to find relevant cases, then narrowed down further on a case-by-case basis.She couldn't remember the last time she read so many books.Many times, the small print in front of her eyes became blurred, and the bright light above her head hurt her eyes, but she persisted.Nothing can stop her from searching, not even her physical limits.She won't stop until she's done everything she can.

In the end, there were only two useful cases left, but even those didn't completely exonerate Draco.A precedent meant she could get Yaxley to take Veritaserum and testify again—only if it proved his memory had indeed been tampered with.And the other case was purely for fun, because Ginny had thought that, in the history of the Wizengamot, they'd never tried a man who didn't remember his crimes.It turns out that in 1398, a witch named Arbitrary Elf Gifford claimed she had no recollection of luring a Muggle boy into a deep pond and that he would have been killed if his parents hadn't found him. drowned.Throughout the trial, she categorically declared that she had amnesia, and the Wizengamot commuted her sentence—not five years for inducing Muggles, but three years—until Alf Gifford accidentally Revealed, she didn't have amnesia at all; she just lied.Ginny was surprised that Hermione hadn't found out about the relevant case when they had come to the library, but she looked at the back of the book afterwards and saw that it had been borrowed.

Armed with her new research and eager to present her findings, Ginny left the library and returned to the Ministry of Magic.William Harper's office was on the same floor as the Auror's, and she decided to bypass his secretary and go straight to him.

His secretary happened to be Pansy Parkinson.

There was no emotion on Pansy's face when Ginny walked into the reception area of ​​Harper's office.In many ways, she was still the girl Ginny had despised at Hogwarts; Ginny could see her cocking her chin haughtily.She wore a sparkling wedding ring on her left hand, and she remembered reading a notice that Pansy had married Theodore Knott some years before.But her clothes weren't as good as they used to be, and Pansy had a low-paying, low-level job in government, which meant she was in a tough spot like everyone else with ties to the losing side.

"I'm going to speak to Lawyer Harper," Ginny said.

"He's not here yet," Pansy said coldly. "You can wait or leave a message and he will reply as soon as possible."

"I'll wait." Ginny sat on a chair by the wall, neatly laying the papers on her lap.

The silence lasted for a full 5 minutes.Ginny noticed that Pansy was doing her best to ignore her, pretending to be busy with several long scrolls on the table, taking notes on a piece of parchment with a brand new eagle quill, and sorting out several heavy files.But Pansy's hand trembled a little, and his movements were uncomfortable, and Ginny knew that she couldn't ignore it.

Ginny broke the awkward silence out of an unexpected act of pity. "He was telling the truth," she said. "He doesn't remember anything."

Pansy was about to drink tea when the cup stopped in mid-air.She put it back on the table again, stared at it for a while, and then spoke. "Don't remember anything?" she said softly. "Even...me?"

"Can't remember anything or anyone."

Pansy nodded calmly.She stared intently at her glass. "Has he seen his mother?"

"I see," Ginny said. "Narcissa didn't know he had lost his memory when he died. Don't tell anyone else."

Pansy nodded again. "Has he been happy the past eight years?"

"I don't think he knows who he is except he," replied Ginny. "He's happy. He has friends who love him very much."

Pansy seemed to want to refute, but held back.She was obviously struggling in her heart, and after a while, her frown relaxed, and she regained her calm.

"Thanks," she said, finally looking up into Ginny's eyes.Ginny looked at her too, not knowing what to say when William Harper walked into the office.

Harper wasn't as good at disguising his reaction to seeing Ginny as Pansy was.He was taken aback, stopped his hand which was taking off his robe, and then came back to his senses. "Miss Weasley," he said, "what can I do for you?"

"Lawyer Harper," Ginny said calmly, standing up. "I have new evidence in the Draco Malfoy case, which I can legally present to the Wizengamot under the Statute of Henry."

"Yes," said Harper, with a strange smile on his face, "but I don't see why you would do that. Miss Weasley—"

"I'm a defense attorney like you," Ginny said, raising her eyebrows. "I wish you could call me that, Mr. Harper."

His strange smile didn't waver at all. "Of course," he said with feigned regret. "I'm sorry. All I want to say is that I believe the memory of what I saw in court yesterday cannot be denied. Mr. Malfoy killed that poor child, and unless you change his plea, I don't see how you can How to commute his sentence."

"My tactics and strategies have nothing to do with you," Ginny said. "I just need you to be present when I present new evidence."

"Okay, but I'll have to check my timetable to see when I'm free." He turned to Pencey. "Mrs. Knott, is there any agenda for this morning?"

"No." Pansy said immediately, without even looking at the notepad on the table. "Sir, you are free until noon."

"Oh." Harper frowned, then shrugged. "Looks like I'm going to see the Wizengamot. Get the owl mail for me until I get back." He hung his coat on the coat rack by the door, and led the way out of the office.Before Ginny left, she glanced back at Pansy and mouthed "thank you" to her.Pansy watched them leave, clenching his fingers on the table.

The Wizengamot deliberates on cases in a separate conference room next to the courtroom.It's at the end of a long corridor.Ginny could almost feel the entire Ministry of Magic piled on top of her head, topped by a Muggle building that had inadvertently risen above it.Two guards stood guard outside the door, but they didn't say a word when they saw them approaching.Along with them was a third wizard, younger than Harper, who seemed rather out playing Quidditch than bothering with such legal matters.He was Miles Bletchley, Yaxley's lawyer, and Ginny vaguely remembered being the Slytherin Keeper when she was at Hogwarts.

"Very well, you have my owl," Ginny greeted.

"My client has been sentenced," Bletchley said sullenly. "I don't know why I'm here."

Instead of answering, she turned to the guard. "I am defense attorney in the case of Draco Malfoy v British Wizarding World," she said formally. "I have new evidence and wish to present it to the Wizengamot."

"I'm an attorney in the aforementioned case," Harper said. "I'm here to hear what the defense has to say."

The two guards looked at each other before one of them entered the room.Seconds later, he came out and opened the door to let Ginny, Harper and Bletchley in.They followed him in.

The seating arrangement here was the same as in the courtroom, and Ginny looked up at the members of the Wizengamot sitting on it.Kingsley sat front and center, as he did in court.Ginny focused on her breathing, feeling the slight dizziness that had plagued her for the past few days again.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot," she said clearly, standing in the middle of the room. "I understand that the trial has been adjourned until sentencing, however, I am exercising my client's right under the Henry Statute to submit newly discovered information and evidence."

Kingsley seemed surprised, as did Hiram Kincaid. "Okay," Kingsley said. "please continue."

"This requires the presence of both Mr. Malfoy and Yaxley," she said. "I hope to prove to the Wizengamot that the two of them know more than they let on."

Kingsley gestured, and Ginny heard the guard leave the room again.Her heart beat wildly involuntarily when Draco was brought in with Yaxley a moment later; each man was guarded by two guards, bound with many spells.Draco looked fresh again in the three-piece suit John had lent him.The guards called out chairs, and they sat down in front of Kingsley.

Ginny stepped forward bravely. "I also request that Mr. Yaxley be given Veritaserum—"

"What?" cried Bletchley, jerking awake.

"—under Ridley v. British Wizarding World," she continued, "any convicted criminal who testifies in a related or similar trial can be found not credible. Frankly," she added said, "I don't trust Yaxley."

"Yaxley is not insane," an official said.

"Of course he's not insane," cried Bletchley.

"But he was a murderer and a torturer," Ginny said. "He gets satisfaction from destroying others. In this case, as the only witness, he has the ability to destroy my client, so I believe that is the rationale for the Ridley Code."

Kingsley conferred briefly with the Wizengamot, then agreed with her.

They called a therapist.Yaxley accepted the truth serum dripped under his tongue without hesitation.After taking the medicine, Ginny immediately came to him with her hands behind her back, she didn't want to waste any more time.

"The last time you saw Draco Malfoy was at the Battle of Hogwarts?" she asked.

"No," Yaxley replied.

She had the Wizengamot's attention immediately, as she had known it would. "Did you see him in Paris six years ago?" she pressed.

"Yes," said Yaxley.His smirk made her uneasy.

"Did you say your name was Ofius Yaxley?"

"No."

"So you used a pseudonym for the son of one of your close allies?"

"Yes."

Ginny turned to Draco, who was already sitting up straight.There was a bright, terrifying light in his eyes—she thought it might be hope. "Mr. Malfoy," she said, "can you add some more details about the encounter in Paris six years ago?"

"Okay," he said eagerly. “I was working as an assembly line chef in Montmartre, and this guy on my left came to a restaurant I frequented. He told me his name was Richards, and he was investing in a vineyard outside the city. We started talking about French food, and then We went out to dinner every night for the next few weeks."

"When did your friendship end?"

"Shortly after I told him I had dissociative fugue and couldn't remember anything before November 1998."

Ginny looked at Yaxley again, her heart beating fast. "You know he's lost his memory. Is that why you left Paris?"

"Yes," said Yaxley.

Dear Merlin.That's right.From now on, she had to tread carefully within the acceptable limits of a Veritaserum interrogation. "Are you leaving because Mr. Malfoy doesn't remember the Death Eaters and the war, and it's useless for you to hide from the Ministry?"

"No," said Yaxley, laughing.

"You left because you knew you could use this information to your advantage, didn't you?"

"Yes."

Ginny took a few steps forward and asked what she thought was the most crucial question. "Is the memory you gave the Wizengamot of him killing Colin Creevey true?"

"I don't know," Yaxley replied.His smile didn't disappear.

Ginny was a little unsteady, and his words hit her like a solid body.This was definitely not the answer she expected.Or an answer you can count on. "You don't know?" she repeated.

"You heard him," put in Bletchley. "Mr Yaxley, as a former therapist, will tell you - and perhaps the therapists present will attest - that there is a high probability that people will not be able to recall the exact circumstances of the event."

"Chief Wizard," Ginny said, turning to Kingsley, "I think that makes the memories we watched in court yesterday very suspicious. It's the only evidence that Mr. Malfoy had anything to do with Creevey's death, but Aya Mr Kesley doesn't even know if it's real."

"Not exactly," said Kingsley, frowning. "We still have Narcissa Malfoy's wand as the murder weapon. Mr. Yaxley, did you witness Draco Malfoy's murder eight years ago?"

"I don't know," repeated Yaxley, grinning wider.

"I need to bring to the Wizengamot's attention a fact that came to my client's trial," Bletchley said, rolling his eyes. "My client was able to tell little lies under the influence of Veritaserum. So this interrogation is pointless."

Ginny felt that the weak foundation she had built for the case was being eroded before her eyes.Of course, when she was still working in the Auror office, she had seen some reports circulating in the office-in a few very unusual cases, the suspect had taken Veritaserum, but it was not quite true.The Aurors were told, though, that such cases were rare, and they were unlikely to be able to deal with the ramifications of the situation.

So the key witness at Draco's trial must be someone who can resist the most powerful truth-telling potion known to the wizarding world.

"We've been through so many cases that it's a miracle we can figure out any of them," Kingsley muttered, shifting in his seat. "Now that I think about it, Mr. Yaxley is resistant to Veritaserum. What exactly are you trying to explain, Mr. Weasley?"

It took Ginny a moment to find her voice, and when she spoke, it was not as firm and confident as before. "My point is — I believe Mr. Yaxley had reason to want to destroy my client," she said. "As my character witness, Simon Kincaid, mentioned at the trial, I don't think my client would kill. I think Mr. Yaxley used Creevey's murder to try to separate my client from his Drag them into Azkaban together."

"We'll consider your theory," Kingsley said. "If there is nothing else to discuss..."

"Yes." She regained her strength. "I want to show Yaxley's memory again. If he can lie under the influence of Veritaserum, it's entirely possible that he can tamper with his own memory."

"Interesting point," Kingsley said thoughtfully, "also worth exploring, does the Wizengamot agree?" The officials murmured, but no one objected.

The screen eye was brought in again, and the memory of Colin's death was played again.This time, Ginny stayed as close to the white screen as she could, determined to find something.There must be something for her.

They watch again as Draco meets the trio wearing Harry's invisibility cloak, Yaxley ties up Colin and encourages Draco to torture him.Just then, Ginny saw it.

"Wait!" she called.The screen froze to a haunting image: Yaxley grinning evilly, Draco crying, and Colin writhing on the floor in agony.

"Did you see anything, Mr. Weasley?" asked Hiram Kincaid.

Ginny moved closer to the screen, looking up at the magnified face of teenage Draco. "Look," she said, pointing to the screen. "Look at the direction of his eyes and wand. Can it turn? Can we see in three dimensions?"

The therapist replaying Yaxley's memory adjusted his eyes, and the image on the screen slowly rotated until Draco's left was facing them. "Now lower the angle and pull it out a little more." Ginny pointed, and the therapist complied.

A wave of excitement welled up in her. "Look here." She pointed at Draco in her memory. "Look at my client, and then at Colin Creevey. Mr Malfoy is neither looking at Colin nor pointing his wand at him, but in his memory he should be torturing Colin. In fact— —" Ginny studied the memory carefully. "Mr. Malfoy seemed to be looking at the floor, casting a torture spell on the floor, not on Colin."

The Wizengamot didn't respond.Ginny hoped they'd be at least as shocked as she was when they discovered such a startling element in their memory. "Most of the memory is likely to be true," she went on, "but some facts have been falsified. Mr. Yaxley and Mr. Malfoy were present when Colin was killed, and Narcissa Malfoy's wand was there, but I think Mr. Yaxley killed him himself. Mr. Malfoy couldn't bear to watch, so he stared at the floor."

The room remained silent until Yaxley laughed.Bletchley glared at him and shut him up, but Yaxley was still smiling.

"We'll take those findings into account," Kingsley said. "If there is no other evidence..."

Ginny shook her head silently.Kingsley gestured for the guards to step forward and send Draco and Yaxley back to their cells.

Ginny suddenly had a vague idea that was not yet formed, and she impulsively blocked Yaxley's way.He was tall enough to block the Wizengamot's view and frightened her. "You like to watch other people suffer," she said. "Whether you took Veritaserum or not, it's a fact you can't deny. I've seen pictures of what you did to people, and I've read eyewitness and victim testimonies."

"What's going on here?" Bletchley looked around. "She can't pester my client like this—"

"So I became a therapist," Yaxley said, grinning sinisterly. "Having the power to control the weak."

"Typical Death Eater answer," said Ginny angrily. "I suppose it would make you happy to separate a son from a father who loved him and looked for him for years, right? Draco's parents escaped prison and let him stay there for the rest of his life?"

Yaxley just laughed.Draco stared at them with wide eyes.

"Prisoners need to be sent back to their cells," Kingsley said.

"To frame Draco with murder, to prevent a happy family reunion, is a lot like what you'd do." Ginny's voice over someone. "You're going to Azkaban, where you can no longer manipulate people, so you're leaving another family in despair as a parting gift to yourself." She moved closer to him, shaking her head. "Give it up," she said. "We saw you through."

"My client has accepted the judgment!" Bletchley complained to Kingsley. "He's been sentenced!"

"Lawyer Weasley, because of your inexperience, you don't realize," Yaxley replied condescendingly, "that humans are creatures of habit. I got arrested, yes. But have I changed?"

Yaxley moved closer to her, and she could see his shrewd eyes.He is not insane.Just exudes indifference and mad intelligence. "Have I changed?" he repeated. "I don't think so. I'm not going to stop until I'm dead." He straightened up. "But you surprised me, Mr. Weasley. I didn't expect to meet someone like you."

"Enough," Kingsley roared, and Bletchley came running.

"Stop it," he snapped at Yaxley. "Idiot, stop digging your own grave."

"Yes, boss," said Yaxley cheerfully.The guard took him away, but Ginny didn't continue to stop him.

"I don't know what you think you've accomplished," Bletchley said to her grumpily. "I don't think there is anything. Draco didn't look at Colin, that's a very weak argument."

"If I wanted your opinion, I would have asked," Ginny said.She strode out of the conference room, followed by Harper and Bletchley, and the guard closed the door behind them, allowing the Wizengamot to continue conferring.

"I agree with Mr. Bletchley," Harper said as they walked back down the corridor. "I didn't know Mr. Yaxley was immune to Veritaserum, but I don't see the point of today's events either."

Ginny wanted so badly to pull out her wand and cast a Bat-Spirit Charm on them both, but she could barely restrain herself. "Gentlemen, I'm sorry to disturb your morning," she said stiffly. "Lawyer Harper, see you tomorrow at the sentencing. Good day." With that, she turned and left them.

She stopped to catch her breath when she saw the daylight.Leaning against the building next to the red phone booth, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her rushing thoughts.

She has tried her best.

They can only wait for tomorrow now.