Roger's case was not made public due to its sensitive nature, but it was no secret among the upper echelons of wizarding society.
The core members of many resource-rich pure-blood families, powerful wizards, discussed the matter during their leisure time.
Although the lawyer wasn't part of that circle, he had a friend... Without connections, how could anyone become successful in the legal profession? As the saying goes, the key to a court's verdict lies outside the courtroom.
And the whispers he'd heard weren't good.
"At the age of 10, he managed to rally a respectable team in a chaotic and terrifying Muggle firearm war, led his team to kill so many people, and emerged unscathed from the brutal conflict. His mindset, leadership, and execution were all incredibly impressive."
"Those who have brushed shoulders with death understand the preciousness of life even more."
"So, if one day, he seeks greater power, perhaps to protect himself or for other reasons, and turns to dark magic, what then?"
"His mind is very strong, and the power of magic is closely related to the mind. And he's also a... Seer!"
"This world doesn't need another Grindelwald, nor another mysterious person!"
—These were the words the lawyer heard from his friend. It had only been a few years since the shadow of the mysterious person had left British wizarding society. Those who had experienced that terrifying era were still alive.
This short period was not enough to heal the scars and restore the courage of those who had been terrified by the mysterious person.
Could Roger Virgil grow to become the next mysterious person who slaughtered wizards?
Nobody knew.
But even a 10% chance was difficult for many to accept.
In their eyes, Roger was indeed talented, but wizarding society had no shortage of talent.
They actually disliked such talents somewhat.
Voldemort, Grindelwald, Dumbledore, Nicolas Flamel, Merlin, Slytherin, and the four Hogwarts founders... New powerhouses were joining the table, new powerhouses wanted the era to follow their will, and new alchemy and magic were set to change the world.
The changes they brought had both good and bad consequences, but undoubtedly, every time such a person appeared, it caused upheaval in wizarding society.
Many people disliked upheaval; they wished for everything to remain unchanged.
Would Dumbledore risk the disapproval of so many wizards and pure-blood families to use his 'power' to 'pardon' Roger?
The lawyer thought it was highly unlikely.
Knock, knock, knock! The heavy, unceremonious knocking echoed.
Then came the voice of the prison guard: "Mr. Roger Virgil, Lawyer Wick, the trial starts in five minutes. Have you finished your discussion? If so, we'll head to court."
As the voice faded, the lawyer looked at Roger.
Roger said nothing more. He calmly stood up and walked towards the door.
"Roger!" the lawyer called out.
"Hmm?"
"In the detention center, you must have heard how terrifying Azkaban is. Aren't you afraid?" After a moment of hesitation, Lawyer Wick asked the question that puzzled him.
The image of the young 11-year-old child was reflected in his eyes. He couldn't understand why Roger appeared so calm.
Did he have any other trump cards?
Or did he, as a Seer, foresee something? Well, one of Roger's charges was impersonating a religious seer, but the fact that he truly possessed the ability of a Seer was also mentioned in the file.
It was precisely by constantly predicting the future that Roger Virgil had been able to lead those who believed in him to survive the war.
Roger replied with a smile, an answer that completely surprised Lawyer Wick: "I am very afraid. My heart is racing, and my muscles are trembling."
"I haven't encountered Dementors. I don't know how much harm they will cause me, but people are still alive in Azkaban, aren't they?"
"From the moment I returned from hell twice, I resolved never to give up the hope of living, no matter what."
"I will fight forever, until the moment of my death."
"Until then, nothing will break my will." Roger stated this not with grand pronouncements but in a very calm and natural tone.
At that moment, the lawyer understood.
The young Seer had no trump cards.
He simply possessed the courage to face hell, even with a heart full of dread.
And at the same time, the lawyer felt... fear! The lawyer also understood why some of the wizarding society's upper echelons, even knowing the low probability of Roger becoming the next mysterious person, still did not want Roger to be acquitted.
Such a resolute person, if he ever deemed wizards or Muggles as enemies...
Creak—
The door opened, and Roger walked out. The four wizard prison guards waiting outside resumed their previous formation, surrounding him for escort.
They left the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, normally located on the second floor of the British Ministry of Magic headquarters.
Normal minor cases were judged here, but Roger's case was not. He had to go elsewhere.
Descending from the second floor of the seventh level, they reached the eighth floor of the Ministry's first level.
The Ministry's floor numbering was peculiar: the top floor was the 1st floor, the first floor was the 8th floor, the basement was the 9th floor where the Department of Mysteries was located, and the place Roger was heading to was even lower than the Department of Mysteries.
There lay one of the pinnacles of British wizarding society, the Wizengamot, which held legislative and supreme judicial power!
Files and documents were presented one after another before everyone.
The interrogators asked question after question, allowing all the Wizengamot members to understand Roger better and learn the details of the case that weren't in the documents.
As Roger answered, he also paid attention to everyone around him.
The trials of the Wizengamot were very different from normal court trials.
Its trial process involved the interrogator asking questions, the interrogated answering, and then the 50 Wizengamot members voting by raising their hands based on their own considerations whether the interrogated was guilty.
The minority obeyed the majority. In special cases of a 25:25 tie, the Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot would make the final decision. This Chief Wizard's position was roughly equivalent to the speaker of this council.
Well, Lawyer Wick had no part in this entire process.
Normally, if an interrogator's language skills weren't very good, they could entrust a lawyer or someone more professional to speak and defend them.
However, after meeting and talking with Lawyer Wick for a while, Roger felt it would be better to face these questions himself.
Roger didn't have any issues with Lawyer Wick's professional ability; he had other reasons.
Firstly, through their previous conversations, Roger had keenly sensed that Wick didn't show absolute support for his case. This was normal; defending was just a job and didn't mean he approved of Roger's actions.
It was like how an employee, no matter how much they cursed internally, still had to work overtime and toast drinks.
For ordinary cases, this wouldn't matter, but this was the Wizengamot. The voting method here meant that the attitude of the respondent would significantly impact the verdict. If Wick showed even a hint of hesitation on a crucial issue, it would be a fatal blow to Roger.
Secondly, Roger didn't want to entrust his fate to someone else's decision.
Since the possibility of a happy ending was slim no matter who argued the case, he might as well do it himself.
"Yes, after I awakened my abilities, which you call prophetic magic resulting from a magical surge, I believed that only by using the name of the influential local religion could I have the best chance of survival."
After listening to Roger's answer, the Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot, Albus Dumbledore, then asked the next question with a serious expression: "According to our investigation, the intensity of the war had decreased by the end of 1990. With your influence and resources at the time, you had every opportunity to escape the quagmire of war and return to Britain. Why didn't you return and remain in Kuwait as a religious prophet until the spring of 1991, only returning after the Gulf War completely ended?"
At this moment, Dumbledore's expression was not as kind and amiable as when he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Instead, it carried the solemnity and authority befitting the Chief Wizard of the Wizengamot.
And the question he asked was also very critical.
Many of the charges against Roger were valid not only because some magical forces in the Middle East were trying to cause trouble but also because Roger did not return when he had the chance to escape the war. This had gone beyond the scope of "necessity" or "emergency defense."
Necessity or emergency defense meant that when a person's life was under severe threat, they would not be held criminally responsible for certain illegal actions. For example, killing a thief in self-defense or eating a protected animal when starving were both considered under this category.
As Dumbledore finished speaking, the wizards of the Wizengamot turned their gazes toward the young wizard standing in the defendant's dock. He had soft golden hair, a handsome face, a slender build, and was only about waist-high to most wizards, appearing weak, helpless, and pitiful.
However, Roger's answer to this question held no trace of softness or weakness. "At that time in Kuwait, many people followed me because I borrowed the name of a religious prophet. They firmly believed I was the prophet and that I could lead them to survive. And their survival was indeed related to my precognitive abilities."
"Landmines, bombs, bullets, missile attacks – I could sense the arrival of things that threatened me. I was always one step ahead of death, evading its pursuit."
"By the middle of the war, I had accumulated enough resources to escape. But what would happen if I left? Without the 'prophet' as a spiritual pillar, many people would go mad. Those individuals within the ranks whose ambitions were suppressed by my presence would seize the opportunity to tear the group apart for power and profit, and people might even kill each other."
"Not to mention, to protect them, we had friction with various armies. Without my 'prophecies,' how would they avoid missile attacks and pursuit by other armies?"
"Many people would die."
Roger paused at this point.
"I hate lies, and I hate death."
"When I was weak, I had to use lies to gain power and protect myself by bringing death to others."
"And at that time, tens of thousands of people believed in me. I had weapons and manpower. I became strong."
"If I have to do things I hate when I'm weak, and then continue to do things I hate when I'm strong, and watch the people who believe in me die... then what's the point of me becoming strong? What's the point of me surviving with all my might? Is it just to keep doing things I detest, endlessly?!"
"People shouldn't live just to constantly disgust themselves; this is not the life I want."
"I don't like separation by death, so I refused to let it happen. I wouldn't allow it to appear before my eyes or descend upon me."
"I don't like lies. I promised them I would lead them through this disaster, so I wouldn't leave before the war ended."
This was Roger's answer, and it was his true feelings.
A true man knows when to bend and when to stand tall. Bowing one's head when weak is not for submission but for gathering strength to counterattack. When strong, one should naturally make the world operate according to their will, not continue to be a deserter or a good-for-nothing! "Hmm," Dumbledore responded noncommittally, then moved on to the next question.
"During the Gulf War, you personally killed 98 people. What are your thoughts on this?"
When this question was asked, Roger immediately felt the air in the entire room become heavier.
Clearly, the wizards were more concerned about this issue than why Roger posed as a religious prophet.
Roger's case had many controversial aspects, but legal technicalities could always be sorted out eventually. The reason this case was brought before the Wizengamot, the 'highest court,' was not only due to international disputes but also because they wanted to understand firsthand what kind of person Roger truly was.
Many wizards familiar with the case believed Roger was a talented individual.
Among them were those who harbored apprehension about the emergence of powerful wizards due to the existence of the Mysterious Person.
Naturally, there were also those who hoped for more powerful wizards to appear and were willing to nurture talent.
If Roger's nature wasn't inherently 'evil,' some people didn't want him to end up in Azkaban.
For the Wizengamot, which held legislative power, their judgment was not merely about whether an action was illegal but about 'right and wrong.' They had to consider more complex factors.
Magic and wizards had evolved from the wild and bloody ancient spells to the more refined and widespread era of today, requiring the contributions of powerful wizards one after another.
Controversy had always existed. Although one faction held the upper hand, the voices of the other faction could not be ignored, hence this trial with its peculiar atmosphere.
Under this heavy atmosphere, Roger replied, "Madmen whose families were killed in the war and suffered mental breakdowns, scum who want to do evil in times of chaos, invaders from Iraq, the US military that spares no expense for its strategic goals. Of the people I killed, 54 were people who wanted to kill me."
"And the other 44 were people who wanted to kill others around me."
"Do you think it's a crime to attack someone wielding a butcher's knife to save someone about to be killed?" Roger calmly asked after his answer.
"If you think it is a crime, then I have nothing more to say," Roger knew that after they finished asking about the people he personally killed, they might move on to questions about those who died because of him.
Roger decided to answer their anticipated questions preemptively.
As Roger finished speaking, a rustling sound arose from the wizards seated in the Wizengamot chamber as they began to discuss in hushed tones. The Chief Wizard, Albus Dumbledore, immediately followed up with his next question, not allowing the wizards more time to deliberate.
"Roger Virgil, you have killed so many people. Do you feel any remorse for ending their lives?"
This question was also within Roger's expectations, and he gave the answer he had already pondered on the battlefield: "No."
Roger's tone was decisive and firm, without a hint of hesitation.
"Those who kill will be killed. The moment they picked up the butcher's knife, they should have been prepared for this. I know they might have been someone's son, husband, father, or even brother. Someone will grieve for them, and they might not have seen their actions as evil; they were fighting to protect national interests and the homes of their people. But that is not a reason for them to slaughter indiscriminately without consequence."
"I will not feel even a shred of remorse for killing them."
"Life is priceless. One life should not be nobler than another, nor should a hundred lives be more valuable than ten, and vice versa. Life is not something that can be placed on a scale."
"If anyone hates me for killing them and wants to kill me, then let them come. The same principle applies to me. I don't play by double standards. From the moment I engaged in combat, I was prepared to face death."
"However, no matter how deep their hatred or how justifiable their reasons, I will show no mercy to those who raise their weapons against me."
When Roger finished speaking, he noticed that some of the wizards in the courtroom had expressions that were slightly off.
Clearly, some wizards couldn't quite accept Roger's statements.
But he didn't mind.
Albus Dumbledore, as the Chief Wizard, had also noticed the reactions of those wizards. While maintaining a serious and solemn demeanor, a flicker of something unusual crossed his eyes.
He then asked a question that seemed somewhat unrelated to the case: "Mr. Roger, you must have communicated with your lawyer before coming to court. If you are found guilty, it will certainly be a serious offense, and the British Ministry of Magic typically confines serious offenders in Azkaban."
This question seemed out of the blue, but Roger understood Dumbledore's implied meaning.
Roger's originally calm gaze showed a slight ripple, but he managed to suppress it.
"I know I am a child, much weaker than any wizard present. You don't even need magic; your strong bodies could pin me to the ground with one hand. If I said some soft words, or even shed a few tears and wept bitterly, it might be more beneficial to my situation."
Upon hearing Dumbledore's question, Roger realized that this elderly, white-haired wizard wasn't the utterly corrupt figure depicted in some conspiracy theories from his past life. Dumbledore was subtly hinting that his current stance might not be favorable for his judgment.
He... was actually trying to help him get acquitted?
Roger felt Dumbledore's good intentions, but he still intended to follow his own path.
"But I don't want to do that."
"This is the Wizengamot. Esteemed members, you are powerful wizards who hold the legislative and supreme judicial power over the entire British wizarding world. I know that to reach this position, each of you must possess extraordinary qualities."
"Vast knowledge, ancient bloodlines, exceptional wisdom, immense power, extensive influence and connections... I don't believe that possessing these would make you easily deceived, and I, too, detest lies."
"You have asked me many questions, but my answer has always been the same: during the Gulf War, all my actions and all their consequences were because I wanted to save myself, to save those who believed in me, and to fulfill my promise to bring everyone through alive. I have no regrets. Even if you judge me guilty and give me a chance to turn back time and return to that battlefield, I would still choose to fight."
"All my answers come from the heart, without a single lie. If you have means of mind-reading or lie detection, as long as it doesn't harm me, you are welcome to verify them," Roger said with utmost sincerity.
As his words fell, the Wizengamot courtroom fell silent.
All the wizards gazed at the child who met their eyes with an unruffled, calm demeanor.
Though he was so small, all the wizards could feel it at that moment.
Beneath that young body lay a soul tempered by the fires of war, forged back to life from a heap of dead in hell – an unbreakable soul! Such willpower, even if thrown into Azkaban, would likely be impervious to the Dementors.
According to procedure, Chief Wizard Dumbledore should have had more questions to ask.
But at this moment, Dumbledore felt that whether he asked or not, the outcome would be the same.
As Roger had said, he had already answered all the questions.
"Then..."
Dumbledore, seated in the central seat of the Chief Wizard, hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Members who agree that the charges are proven, please raise your hands."
Some hands went up, while others remained still.
And if one had known these Wizengamot members beforehand, they would have noticed something quite interesting.
Many of those who had strong opinions about Roger before the trial and had decided to confirm his guilt did not raise their hands.
Conversely, a significant portion of those who believed Roger was an innocent child before the trial and wanted to help him get acquitted raised their hands to agree that Roger was guilty.
Of course, more people did not immediately voice their opinions but turned their gaze towards the center of the courtroom, towards Albus Dumbledore.
And Dumbledore...
Remained motionless!
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