The world around Morgan came to a defining halt as he and the Aurors waited restlessly for the entire Wizangamots to come out of the pensive memories. Malfoy had gotten hold of one of the Auror's memories who was present that day. Memories of him killing a man for the first time. An act so barbaric that even he was ashamed of killing Monsters disguised as humans. Yet a large part within him regretted not hurting that man enough before killing him, A part of him that still craved blood of the Death Eaters that sat in the court, judging him with their stuck up nose. Yet it seemed like he was trapped in their net that they had spread and all he could do was watch helplessly.
He knew how it was going to look from the other side's perspectives. The purist faction, from what he understood was trying to make him look like some kind of monster who took pleasure in killing. A person whom Morgan believed was just a man created because of the war, A man who was long gone along with the war. yet even he didn't believe that shallow lie.
Alaster waited in silence at the rooms corner, his eyes stabbed at Burkes promising murder for the betrayal. The slizzy lawyer just stood there at the opposite corner of the court house. His shifty eyes nervously darting at the Grand Magus multiple times who also stood calmly in front of his pansive, He didn't need pansive to read memories like others.
The old man pulled out his wand and with a flick, the white mist of memories from the veil instantly disappeared into his head. Those blue eyes went blank for few seconds before going calm again. No one would believe that the old man had just witnessed the murder of a man.
Unfortunately, not everyone shared Dumbledore's reaction. As soon as various ministers began to return from their pansives, the Wizangmotes decended into chaos. Some vomited, some were trying not to, some looked at him like he was some second coming of Voldemort and some looked at him with disgust. The Minister Of Magic's face was pale, sweat running down his head like a small stream, his hands shaking and his meek eyes refusing to meets Morgan's eyes.
Morgan had expected that reaction, who would blame them. He would had similar reaction if he were to relive that memory.
The opposition lawyer who has been waiting patiently for the entire time, walked camly in the middle of the stage.
"The horror show you just witnessed ministers, Tell me, does this actions looks like the actions of a hero?. Does the actions that you just witnessed belongs to any sane man?" He pointed straight towards Morgan, "This man is no hero, He is a monster who killed a person in cold blood, and with such brutality that I don't think any dark wizard is capable of,"
Even in this situation, Morgan found the lawyer's statement quite funny. He knew what he had done was something that no sane man was capable of, Yet he had also been on the other side of the fence to witness what the death eaters and dark wizards were capable of. He had seen, how sadistic they can be, how utterly ruthless they could be. Yet according to the lawyer, killing a person with a killing curse was more clean and sane than killing a person with a machatte.
'What a joke.' Morgan sneered.
"I have nothing else to say ministers. The decision is upto you, Do you want to let this man get away with this henious act, or do you want to protect our community from monsters like Morgan Graves,"
After his little speech the lawyer went back to his seat, proud at the strong case that he had just build up, Triumph shinning through his eyes.
Morgan glanced at Burkes who just stood silently like a monk. The slizzy man didn't say anything to counter it. It seemed like even the Minister Of Magic was in it, Earlier when he tried to protest about changing his lawyer, He was shot down for wasting minister's precious time. An anger burned within him, his eyes glancing at all the wand in his vicinity. The escorting Aurors stood just a few feets away from him. And he was ready to take action as soon as the voting started, He knew he wasn't getting any justice here. He cursed himself for every trusting the bastards again, He shouldn't have come back here, he could have found ways to deal with the Aurors team, But here he was standing helpless, weaponless, in the heart of the Ministry, completely at the mercy of this bastard. His eyes caught Alastor's, Who just gave him a reassuring nod, and indicated him to wait and as much as he wanted to punch that ugly face of his, He decided to trust his friend one last time.
Fudge cleared his throat.
"Now that we have heard all arguments, lets start with the voting. Those wh…."
"If I may have few minutes of you times," A calm voice interrupted the Minister Of Magic. And leader of the magic world didn't protest. Albus Dumbledore walked calmly towards the center. His eyes calmly gouging every ministers in the in the stand.
"My fellow ministers, I would like to say something before we go ahead with the voting," being the most powerful people in the Wizarding World, not one minister protested, even Lucius sat on his seat coldly observing the events unfolding. The only one who had the right to object was Minister Of Magic, for interrupting him. Yet the meekly old man didn't dare to say anything. After all, outside this walls the old man might be a simple headmaster, holding a fancy title on the international Magical community. But in Wizangamotes, The Grand Magus held the most power. Not politically, but judicially. And Dumbledor's lack of political side was compensated with his magic prowess and people's trust in him after 2 Dark wars that the man fought at the very front.
"The dreadful memory you just witnessed is something no person have to witness or experience it in their life. An experience that could scar a person for life. Yet that incident was but a small instant of the years long war that this brave Aurors fought continuously against the dark forces, while we watched it from safety. What you saw, was a small glimpse of how the war looked like from the eyes of the people at the very fore front,"
He paused for the brief moment before continuing.
"We cannot pretend that war is some Quidditch match, where there are authorities monitoring the rules, punishing anyone who violets them. With such violence and daily skirmish, Such incidents were bound to happen. Being a Death Eater made Abraxas Malfoy Mister Morgan's and Ministry's enemy. The Law Enforcment Office had already provided the evidence to your offices," He glanced at Amelia Bones, who just gave him a nod, "On the day of the Ministy's siege, Voldermort," Everyone in the room beside few flinched, "was at the height of his power. The Vampires decided to side with Voldemort, and when the Aurors marched towards them to subdue the rebellion. The Ministry was left in hands of 30 brave Aurors, 30 young students who had just graduated Hogwarts. If it wasn't for this brave Aurors, Voldemort would have gained control of the Ministry, and peraphs some of you might not be sitting among us today,"
The old man observed the crowd with calmness of a water.
"What I am trying to say is that, the only reason we are sitting here today is that because of people like Mister Graves defended the ministry to the very end, even it meant losing their souls. The memory that you just saw, I agree was dreadful and I would never want any other human to go through same fate. But you also have to remember that in those days, Aurors didn't have the luxury to be civilized,"
His blue eyes swept through the room.
"The sad reality of war is that it is brutal and there will be casualties. So all I have to say is that we cannot judge a decade old situation in today's standard. We should think about the situation those Aurors were in on that day. Alone, Afraid and outnumber. Yet bravely facing hundreds and hundreds of Death Eaters. And their sacrifices were the reason we are seating here,"
The old man walked to his seat and didn't say anything else, But few sentences from him changed the atmosphere in the room. The horror were replaced with indifference, some even in support. In Wizangamots, Justice wasn't served with laws, but on emotions. He could feel and see how much power the old wizard wielded in the court, and how his words could alter as trials result. The type of power that was scary to have in wrong hands.
Morgan glanced at blonde bastard in the corner, Lucius Malfoy was fuming from inside, his indifferent face failing to hide the anger that burned within him. No one expected Dumbledore to speak up and throw his weight behind the trial.
Quite a few netural ministers were influenced by his word and Morgan was found not guilty with 60 percent votes in his favour.
He was relieved of any charges, and the court was dismissed. All ministers began to leave the court. And the Aurors informed him, that he was free to go. He walked towards Dumbledore who was talking to Alastor. It was impolite to not say thanks to someone who kept you out of Azskaban.
"Thank you Mister Dumbledore for your help, I would be not a free man today if you didn't intevine," Morgan knew, if the old man didn't intervene, he would have been in Azskaban, or killed while fleeing. Before Alastor stopped him, He was already planning on snatching a wand from one of his escort Aurors.
"There is no need for that Mister Graves," His iconic twinkles seemed to have return in his blue eyes, "I and all the Ministers of the court will always stand behind what was right, And the outcome of the trial wouldn't have changed a bit even If I had stayed silent. And besides, please call me Albus, Mister Dumbledore sounds too old for my taste,"
'…..' He heard Alastor give a chuckle, and Morgan didn't say anything else. There was nothing to be said.
The old man just gave him a nod, Before excusing himself out of the court house.
"That was a close call," Morgan muttered as he glared at Alastor "And thanks for Burkes, He was trust worthy indeed,"
"Don't look at me like that Graves, Dumbledore informed me about his betrayal moments before the trail started. If I had known about that traitor, I would have strangled that backstabbing bastard right than and there. Anyways it's a good thing that Albus had brought him under control before the trail, our you would have been in much more trouble than we would like,"
Morgan just stared at that former Aurors.
"Anyways lets go to hogs head. I have a few things to discuse with you," Morgan looked at him skeptically but followed him towards his temporary residence.
They both sat in hogshead at the very corner where the invisible guest of the pub couldn't hear them, both drinking in silence. Morgan drank his Goatmix slowly as he wanted to savor the taste for the last time, He didn't know if he would ever get to taste of the drink ever again.
Alastor sat beside him silently, He didn't even touch his glass. The paranoid man just staring in deep space, his both real and artificial eyes diluted into deep thoughts contemplating something, Leaving Morgan in constant state of worry. The man had said he wanted to talk about something and now he has been quite for half an hour which worried him even more. Few days ago, his friend relied the news of him going to Azskaban in mere seconds, But here he was, taking an abnormal amount of time to say something to him. And he decided to get the hell away from this place as soon as possible.
"I have been sitting here for 30 minutes, If you don't plan on saying anything than farewell," Frustrated Morgan downed his entire glass and got up from his chair. He hurriedly walked towards the bartender, Some part of him didn't want to hear any bad news. Even if it meant running form it.
He placed a pouch on the counter which contained the entirety of his gallons. He didn't want to deal with those pointy bugger at Gringotts again. Not like he would need those gallons again.
"You might want to stay here for a while Morgan," Alastor said gravely from behind and Morgan cursed under his breath for his late decision. He had a bad feeling about it.
Alastor limped towards him and handed him a picture of a 12 years old girl looking at him with a frown on her face, blonde hairs, sharp black eyes and facial feature that reminded him of those pureblood snoobs.
For some reason she seemed familiar, those silver white blonde hairs and those dark pitch black eyes reminded him of someone. And as he looked closer, he felt his stomach twist. He instantly knew whose daughter she was and the surname confirmed it.
"Meet Cassara Selwyn," Alastor said, " And she is your…"
Within millisecond Morgan connected the dots and he yelled anger.
"Don't you fucking say it,"
The bomb shell was too big for him to take it.
"She is your daughter," Alastor continued, and all Morgan wanted was to punch that disfigured face of his. And for the first time in his life, He gave into that urge.
He swung his fist with every bit of anger that was burning inside him, yet the paranoid man dodged it swiftly and gave him a quick jab in his stomach. Morgan fell on his knees.
"You….knew," he coughed out a droll of saliva as he somehow managed to breath.
"Of course," Alastor snarled, " I knew the moment I saw her with her mother on annual ministry meeting. Now how about we sit down and talk about it,"
Morgan shakily got up, his stomach still aching, and his mind in mess. His heart beating hundred times faster than when he used to fight in the war. At that moment, Azaskaban didn't seemed that bad.
After calming down a little, His eyes meet with the bartender hoping to get something out of that huge tip. The old man speedily snatched the bag of gallons from the table, speed illegal for such an old man to have and gave him a cold look.
He sighed, After all that was all he could do.
"Alastor, You are paying for the next round,"