Mortem . Sirius Black

chapter eighty-five

December 24th - Potter Estate 

It was a tense breakfast for the two adults and three teenagers, for it was the day that Nephera was facing the inquiry at the ministry considering the events of October. 

Upon hearing this, they had informed the rest of the marauders, and the boys wanted to go to the ministry with her and be there during the questioning, but Fleamont had told them that even he had trouble being allowed into the room. 

The fact that she wouldn't be alone, and Fleamont would be there appeased the two boys slightly, but that didn't mean they were still not angry at the whole situation. 

"This is ridiculous!" exclaimed James, spreading jam on his toast more aggressively than needed, "I mean, they were Death Eaters, who tortured you, and who you had to- you know, to escape!" 

"I know, Prongs," sighed Nephera, "Relax, I'll be getting out of it," 

"How can you be so relaxed about the whole thing, Nephera? This is trial for murder you're facing!" 

"Because, Snuffles, it's not trial, it's an inquiry. Besides, this isn't the Ministry's doing either," 

"She's right," nodded Fleamont, "It's not Moody because he warned you, and he was the one that got you off the hook in the first place," 

The brunette continued for him, "And it's not the Minister either, not with what the papers have been saying about me. It would be a bad political move to have me questioned and put on trial. He was pressured into it," 

Euphemia walked to the table, handing Nephera a cup of coffee which the girl accepted eagerly, "But who could pressure the Minister into it? As you said, it's bad press, and I don't think the Ministry can handle any more of that," 

"Maybe it is because of bad press. Mortem's father was head of the Wizengamot, right?" explained the youngest Potter, "A Death Eater at such an important position, and the Ministry had no clue but a seventeen-year-old managed to prove it, it's not exactly a good look is it?" 

The girl did have her suspicions on who and why she had been called there that day, but she'd have to wait until she was in the room to prove those thoughts right. One thing she did now, however, was that she'd be walking out of there free, for they truly had no case. It was an example of self-defense and need to survive, she did what she had to do. 

Fleamont checked his watch, and motioned for the girl to get up, "We need to be there in two hours, you should get dressed," 

She nodded in agreement and walked upstairs, James and Sirius following close behind her. Both both were familiar with Nephera's tendency of shoving everything down and pretending that she was alright, and they wouldn't let her do that, "Nephera," said Sirius, "How are you, really?" 

"Curious," answered the girl truthfully, "I want to know who it was that pushed for this inquiry," 

"Any theories?" asked James, sitting down on her and Sirius's bed and watching her pull clothes out of the closet 

She hummed in affirmation, "Some, but I can't confirm them unless I get there. Don't worry you two, I'll be done in less than an hour, and I'll go Christmas shopping and I'll be back here before you know it," 

They had full confidence in the fact that the girl could talk herself out of it, after all, they'd seen her done multiple times before, but the anxiety still remained. If the inquiry didn't go the way they wanted, that would mean trial, and after that, Azkaban. 

Neither of them had been to the prison before, but they had heard tales. Apparently, it wasn't the bars and the cells that kept the prisoners in, but rather the dementors. Horrible creatures that sucked the happiness and soul out of everything around them, most prisoners went mad.