1 : IMPERIO

CHAPTER 1: THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

Note: Hello people who have waited so patiently for this, here comes the first chapter of 'Goblet of Fire'. The chapter will not be as frequent as they used to be, but I'll try to get things done faster. I love you all very much. So, here it comes. :)

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Word Count: 8092

If Charlotte wasn't already in deep water before, she surely was now. With Sirius' trial in two days, she sure had a lot of things on mind, and didn't know who to tell.

"You think I should buy new robes Cassy?" asked Sirius as he lounged on the living room couch eating an apple. Charlotte sat across him, reading through some papers, with a cup of undrunk tea on her left, and a plate of uneaten omelette on her right. A pocket diary beside the cup, as she read her messy handwriting with a frown.

"Merlin, it's already 7th!" she exclaimed. Looking up at the calendar behind Sirius, she let out a groan and slumped on the table. "I have so many things to get done. Rowena, Salazar!" she said looking at the ceiling in a dramatic way which made her cousin snicker and his best friend smile. "Give me strength."

"You're being overly dramatic" said Andromeda, as she smiled. It's called being a Black darling, thought Charlotte, but bit back the remark and rolled her eyes instead. "And yes Sirius, I think you should get new robes."

"Let's go then!" said Sirius jumping out the couch, but no one moved. Charlotte was back on looking through her diary, and the paperwork McGonagall and Tonks had provided her with. There sure was enquiry about why she needed those in the first place, but she had argued saying that we needed to be completely ready.

"Even H needs robes Siri" she said not looking up. "You can go when he's here tomorrow" Sirius whined, but sat down without another comment. "Alright, hearing means someone's going to represent you." She said now looking up at Sirius, who nodded at the statement.

"Dumbledore" said Remus.

"Yes, but it would have been better if someone in the family had presented him, considering that fact that the Lord of the family has the power to do so." She said staring at the ground. She didn't trust Dumbledore to her fullest to get Sirius out of this situation. But most probably she didn't trust him, because she knew the headmaster wanted Harry to stay at his cousin, and Sirius' freedom meant opposite of that. It always came down to Harry.

"What are you implying?" asked Ted with a frown.

"Huh?" she asked breaking away from her thoughts and looking up at the man. "Sorry?"

"I said, what are you implying?"

"Oh, nothing" she replied shaking her head no. She still had to make them believe that she trusted Dumbledore, or at least his side. "Just that the head of the family has more power than anyone else. Or we might just get a presenter"

"But that won't solve the problem. He won't be able to guarantee your freedom." said Remus

"Neither can Dumbledore" said Charlotte thoughtfully.

"But does it really matter?" asked Ted. "It all comes down to the vote of DMLE, doesn't it?" A very Draco-like smirk with the air of superiority took over her face.

"That's why, at some point it wouldn't matter who's representing us" she said, as she dug out a few pieces of parchment from her bag, and pushed it on the table for the four in the room to see. "We don't have many allies in these, but there is hierarchy when it comes to influence and following. After all good grace is everything."

"What about remaining 21? We can't just hope all of the remaining will vote in our favour." Said Remus thoughtfully, as the four waited for her answer.

"One of them is for Dumbledore. And if he doesn't vote with us," her eyes darkened significantly at that, as she stared a hole at the parchment. "Well then he's chosen his side"