The trial of Kingsley Shacklebolt

"I would like to argue on the point that I used students in the battle of Hogwarts. They volunteered, I did not tell them to fight for Hogwarts," Shacklebolt explained. "But the other things, no I do not deny them. The aurors had it coming for them. And the corruption.. yes, but that is the past. That is why I resigned, I felt ashamed.' Shacklebolt expected that Vincent would make up a lot of stuff, this was good, it would increase his chances of going to Azkaban. However, Vincent hadn't said enough stuff. "I would like to confess here and now, I have commited many acts that I feel ashamed of now, but feel necessary. The aurors I attacked, weren't the first of them. I was also responsible for the death of the german minister of magic, because I did not like his racism against Vampires," he lied. "If you want to send me to Azkaban, let it be, I believed that I have deserved it, you may decide how many years, though I don't think I have many left in me."

Khaat sat, doing her best to be stonefaced. She studied Shacklebolt. He was no fool, she was certain. And she'd had little else, besides Remus, going through her mind but replaying that little business in Shacklebolt's office. He had actually fired on aurors when he could have simply apparated out. That had been very calculated, and Khaat had spent her time trying to get him to do something he didn't want to do. Now she felt he was deliberately lying. Either that or she was a much poorer judge of character than she believed herself to be. Whatever was going on, she wasn't going to do any "kneejerk" reacting here when she didn't have to. "Please, Headmaster, "Khaat said, keeping her voice as cold and distant as she knew how to be and yet deliberately delighting in any opportunity to aggravate Majere, "do you mind slowing that all down, and telling us about that again?"

Vincent raised his eyebrows at Shacklebolt's confessions. In fact, they weren't even confessions, none of it was true. Vincent had expected Shacklebolt to vehemently deny all these accusations, not accept them. Also, Shacklebolt had even gone on to add further lies. Still, Majere was no fool, he thought he knew what Shacklebolt was doing. Kingsley knew that whether he won the trial or not, he was going to be sent to Azkaban. He probablt just didn't want Khaat, Narcissa and Cho to be in trouble. Smart thinking from a senile old man. "Whats wrong Lupin? If you were too slow or dimwitted to understand, Shacklebolt has finally admitted his crimes. Something he was hiding from all the wizarding world. This man is indeed a criminal, and he doesn't even deny it. Now Lupin, what can you say in his defense?" asked Vincent with a sneer.

"I was aware that you were sacked Kingsley." Narcissa smirked. "If you merely resigned as you said then there would have been no need for the skirmish in your office. It would have made more sense to have gone peacefully. Maybe then you could speak with truth instead of lies and deception.”

"Lies Narcissa?" Vincent said slowly, a sneer still on his face. "Now why would he lie? Is that your new defense for him? That he is so senile that he is making all these things up?" Vincent said with raised eyebrows. "Tsk tsk Narcissa, I expected better of you. But then again, I guess I wonder why I did. You have demonstrated your stupidity once before me already."

"Perhaps you should read his words and listen to facts, not what you puppeteer is saying." Narcissa snapped. "Focus on the trial not your petty problems. I understand you wish to go home to your mother but please spare us all."

"Majere," Khaat sighed, bored with his juvenile attempts to boost his own ego, "contrary to what you believe, this is not about you. Nobody truly is moved anymore by your tiresome insults that you throw just to glorify yourself. Can we please stay on topic? And would you do your best to try to start being a little professional at this if you're going to pretend to be Chief Warlock here? Regretfully, you are no Hermoine Weasley."

Cho scowled a bit, making her aging prosess go faster. She looked at Shacklebolt, listening what he had to say and watching his expressions. All this time she hasn't said anything about it, however, she felt sad about him. Did he want to go to the Azkaban that bad? Was it what he really wants? She knew that Majere would send him there, no doupt of that. She even wondered why had Majere made this little trial? She bit her lip as the others started talking, still silent as she was before it. She didn't know what to say, although, she was thinking of all those facts. Then she looked at Khaat, who even mentioned Hermione Weasley here. She was right, he wasn't her. She then looked back at Majere, dark brown eyes emotionless.

"No Narcissa, I triggered the duel, I did not want Hogwarts to go to the likes of Majere so therefore I attacked him," Shacklebolt said grimly. "I do not regret that, and I do not regret attacking the aurors either, they had it coming for them. As I said, I apologize for my sins, but I am brave enough to take punishment for them Majere."

"Then instead of taking such extreme actions against Aurors and Majere wouldn't it have made more sense to calmly ask for there to be a far more capable replacement? Things might not be as grim as they are now if you had just stopped and thought about what you were doing." Narcissa said with a small smile.