Of Shadow, Shine, and Shades

Ch.13 Breaking the Habit

Apprehension filled Caelum as he strode through the grimy dark door into the Courtroom Ten. His mind was filled with images from his earlier visits to this place, mainly the Death Eater trials of the Second War. The few he had not killed. Severus', for example.

He was almost late with the intention of letting everyone else settle to their seats before coming in. He did not want to relocate in case some old representative of a family that had been considered powerful some two hundred years ago decided to raise a ruckus. It had happened - before the man had realized exactly who he was accusing. No fear of that happening here, especially with the dreadful plum coloured robes they were wearing. Caelum had to suppress a shudder at the sight of over a fifty witches and wizards robed in that colour.

He was given the agenda list for this day. There would be two trials and one presentation of a bill on raising the budget for protection of muggleborns' parents. Wards around their houses and possibility to contact the Ministry of Magic should need arise. Caelum had read it through last week and felt contradicted. It was good and all but he doubted it would pass. Where would the money come from? From the wizarding families, of course. Muggles did not pay taxes to the wizarding government.

There used to be wards around the homes of underage muggleborns to detect magic but they had been replaced by the Trace that was attached directly to an underage wizard or witch's magical core, and the tether on the wand itself - assuming it was from Ollivander's. Should a spell be cast in the vicinity, the nearby area would be checked for an adult wizard, and the wand would send an immediate signal if it was used outside Hogwarts' wards. That's how magical detection worked. Harry hadn't sent a signal because he was yet to enrol in Hogwarts and even if someone had cast the Trace already, he'd been inside the wards of Grimmauld Place. Even Caelum had to admit those were impressive.

So were the wards protecting the seats, separating them from the platform down on the floor. He discreetly observed them, watching the intricate play of different colours as the protecting magic swirled. They were powerful enough to stop any Light and Dark magic, except for the most powerful of course. He supposed it was necessary, especially with every wizarding politician's obsession with self-importance.

He finally took his seat on the highest row and looked around, smiling at the governors he recognized. They acknowledged him back but continued to concentrate on the case at hand. He had to stifle a yawn as the first trial dragged on. Some man was accused of cursing his neighbours, which ultimately led to the death of said neighbours one of whom had been a muggleborn. The lawyer tried his best but there was nothing to defend the man with. He had known there would be consequences and still decided to do it. That he hadn't meant to kill them per say did not mean much. In the current climate Dark Arts were not accepted and the man had resorted to them in his cursing. He was sentenced for ten years in Azkaban. Everyone knew it was as good as a life sentence for not many had survived that long in the hellish Dementor guarded prison with their sanity intact and capable of joining the society afterwards.

The man had just been escorted out of the court room by two Aurors his desperate cries still echoing in the empty air of the corridor. This was the moment that Albus Dumbledore decided to appear.

Truly, Caelum had been expecting to see him earlier. This was a full session and to have the Chief Warlock absent was unacceptable. His eyes were glued on the tall white bearded figure as the old wizard made his way to the Chief Warlock's seat, and he was not the only one. Disapproval was visible on many faces and Caelum was certain most were hiding their disdain at Dumbledore's chosen attire. He hid a smirk at the sight of mice chasing each other in the hem of the wizard's robe. But that smirk soon vanished as he felt the pulsating presence of the Elder Wand enter his range of perception. He refrained from twitching uncomfortably but his magic was beginning to get agitated.