Cassie Potter - Lady Gryffindor

Chapter three

They'd spent the better part of the evening explaining to Harry all that they could about where his aunt had been and why she hadn't raised him. They'd just finished up explaining that Cassie had went to Amelia Bones for her help. Cassie and Amelia had been friends in school, they grew apart when James had died. Cassie had reached out to her friend in a desperate attempt to finally prove to the ministry that Dumbledore had endangered her nephew.

Once she'd explained everything that had happened in Harry's first 3 years at school and about him running away last summer, Amelia was on board to help.
They'd approached Cornelius Fudge for his help, once Cassie explained that she was his only living magical relative left and that Harry had been left with his abusive muggle relatives, the minister had agreed.
They couldn't possibly leave the Boy Who Lived in an abusive muggle home, that wouldn't do for his term as minister. It had taken a while to arrange all the necessary paperwork and avoid the headmaster finding out. They had hoped it would have been completed before Harry had returned to school but due to all the planning going into the Triwizard Tournament, delays had occurred in processing the paperwork.

Before they could move onto actually getting to know one another, an owl had arrived containing a Ministry summons for Cassie to attend the Wizengamot in her capacity as Lady Gryffindor that evening. It seemed they'd called an emergency meeting.
Within minutes Harry watched as his aunt had transfigured her clothes into in the Ministry red robes and was gone.

Cassie arrived via the fireplaces in the Ministry atrium. She spelled the soot of her robes and briskly walked towards the lifts to take her down to level 10. She knew this meant they must be holding a trial for whoever had been impersonating uncle Al. She stopped outside the main court room door, allowed the clerk to check her wand before entering into the room. She looked up into the stands, she made eye contact with Amelia who nodded her head in acknowledgement of her friend. Cassie rushed up the steps and took her seat.

The doors opened again just as she sat down, the minister entered with Dumbledore not far behind. She was definitely correct about this being a trial, if the Chief Warlock and the Minister were in attendance.

Dumbledore stood at the podium as the Minister took a seat behind him. Once all was in place, Dumbledore waved his wand, sealing the doors.

"Ladies and Gentleman, we have been called to an emergency Wizengamot meeting by the Head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones. Madam Bones please state the reasoning for this." Dumbledore finished before sitting down.

Amelia stood, cleared her throat and then addressed the court.

"Earlier this evening I was called to Hogwarts school due to the suspicion that Auror Alastor Moody who had taken up the defence professor earlier this year was not in fact the real Alastor Moody. Lady Gryffindor if you would oblige in explaining?" Amelia addressed Cassie.

Cassie stood up looked around the room before speaking.

"Certainly Madam Bones, I had recently obtained guardianship over my nephew and had arrived to take him home when I was taken into the trophy room at Hogwarts. Upon my arrival, I noted that along with headmasters of each school in participating in the Tournament, was Alastor Moody, Ludo Bagman and Barty Crouch Snr. Something felt off when speaking with Alastor Moody, something in my magic was calling on me to check. Using the family magics of House Gryffindor, I noted that Alastor Moody's magical aura was tainted in a sickly green. This is indicative of polyjuice.  I reacted immediately given the potential danger of someone impersonating an auror. The imposter was stunned and bound by me. I then noted the other aura's in the room, it became apparent that Barty Crouch's aura was also affected, his appeared red. I believed him to be under the affects of the imperious curse, I cast Finite Incantatum and immediately his eyes became brighter. I then called the DMLE and asked for assistance, once Auror's were in attendance I took my nephew home." She finished before sitting down.

Madam Bones stood again.
"Shortly after Lady Gryffindor had left, the imposter began to change. The polyjuice had began to wear off. Ladies and Gentleman, you have been called here today, to preside over the trial of a prisoner long believed dead. Auror Shaklebolt please bring in the prisoner."

Kingsley moved quickly and a male was brought in to the court room, he was within the prisoner cage. Cassie leaned closer to the edge to get a better look.

"As you can see before you, the male is Bartemius Crouch Junior, who was sentenced to Azkaban after the fall of Voldemort. He was believed to have died in the prison a year after being placed there. Given the circumstances and my belief that Barty Crouch Senior has been placed under the imperious by his son, I move to allow Veritaserum to be administered for this trial." Amelia finished and murmurs broke out around the room.

Dumbledore stood then and asked for a vote. In the end it was a vote of 51 to 49 in favour of Veritaserum.

Kingsley administered the dose and they waited a moment for the affects to take place. Amelia then stood again to begin her questioning.

"What is your name?"
Bartemius Crouch
"How did you escape Azkaban?"
My mother was dying, she convinced my father to arrange for her to visit me. When they arrived she used polyjuice to become me and I left with my father.
"Did you use the Imperious on your father?"
Yes, he had been using it on me as soon as we left Azkaban. My lord helped me.
"When you say your lord, who do you mean?"
Lord Voldemort. He will return.
"How will he return?"
My lord has many anchors to this world, he had me placed at Hogwarts, in order to have Harry Potter placed in the tournament. I was to lure him to the graveyard in Little Hangleton where Peter Pettigrew will take Potter's blood and resurrect the Dark Lord."
"Did you say Peter Pettigrew? Is he not dead?"
Pettigrew framed Black. He was the one who betrayed the Potter's. He helped the Dark Lord find me.
"Sirius Black is not in league with Lord Voldemort?"
No. Black is a blood traitor the dark lord would never allow him to serve.

Gasps were heard around the chamber. Cassie finally felt that they were a step closer to getting Sirius a trial.