Harry could hardly believe what was happening. He, Ron and Hermione were sitting in the small Salem Court. Nearby Samantha Becker sat with Naima in her arms. The girl was still suffering from convulsions but Samantha had been order to bring her along.
Harry, Ron and Hermione were attending a witchcraft trial, where they were the suspects.
Samantha Becker had gone to Magistrate Hawthorn the previous day and explained Naima’s illness to him. She had no doubt that her guests had brought the devil into her house and she demanded that the authorities take some kind of action. Although there was no true evidence Samantha insisted that their sudden appearance into Salem and the amulet they had been found with suggested their participation in the occult. Moreover, Magistrate Hawthorn had not forgotten Harry’s Divination blunder the first time they had met and felt that it was suspicious that Harry seemed to know so much about it. Magistrate Hawthorn agreed to issue a warrant for their arrest.
However, while the magistrate agreed that the cause of the fits was indeed witchcraft, he didn’t believe that all three of Samantha’s guest’s were to blame, so he ordered a trial to take place. Harry, Ron and Hermione’s insistency that they had had nothing to do with the fits was completely ignored.
Harry was astonished at the change of attitude Samantha had shown towards him and his friends. She had changed from a kind, hospitable and cheerful women to a spiteful and cruel person. The day after Naima had been taken ill, the 4th of February, Samantha had banished Harry, Ron and Hermione from her home. They had been forced to take up residence in the small pub in Salem Village.
The Magistrate had given the three friends a choice: they could attend the trial peaceably or they could be sentenced to death immediately for suspected sorcery. Hermione had told the magistrate that they would readily attend the trial, to prove their innocence. Harry and Ron thoroughly agreed: they didn’t want to be condemned for a crime they had never committed.
Harry’s thoughts returned to the present as Justice Mallrow entered the courthouse and sat down at the Justice’s Table.
‘Will the accused please raise his or her hand?’ asked the Justice.
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged glances and then raised their hands together.
The Justice looked surprised and turned to Magistrate Hawthorn who was seated near by.
‘Three people have been accused, Magistrate?’ he asked incredulously.
‘No, Justice Sir. Only one of the three seated is a witch but we have no idea whom that person may be.’
‘And you plan to find out in this trial?’ asked the Justice.
‘Yes sir,’ replied the magistrate.
‘Very well,’ said the Justice nodding. ‘Who is the afflicted?’
‘Naima Becker, twelve years, daughter of Samuel and Samantha Becker, both of whom are reputable Puritan members of the Salem Village Church,’ recited the magistrate.
Justice Mallrow nodded. ‘Thank you, Magistrate. Take your position please.’
Magistrate Hawthorn stood up from his desk and walked over to the stands where Harry, Ron, Hermione, the Beckers and the spectators were sitting.
Justice Mallrow cleared his throat. ‘Today, on the day of February 5th, 1692, this court shall witness the trial of two people, both of whom have been suspected of witchcraft. One of the suspected in a mere child, one of the three guests in the pure home of Mistress Samantha Becker, a respectable Puritan indeed.
‘The other suspected person is a woman, mother of an afflicted child. Mistress Emily Warberk was the only person present in the house when her daughter, Mercy Warberk, was taken ill with fits.’
Justice Mallrow looked down at the first bench of the stands, where Harry and his friends were seated. Harry turned his head slightly and saw that a young woman was also sitting on their bench. Emily Warberk looked terrified and was constantly twisting her hands on her lap. Harry felt a twinge of pity for her. How awful to be suspected of harming your own daughter!
‘We shall begin the trial!’ said the Justice. Harry looked up at the Justice uneasily.
Justice Mallrow turned to Harry, Hermione and Ron. ‘Why have you chosen to afflict Naima Becker, when all three of you had been taken graciously into her mother’s home?’
‘We didn’t do anything to Naima,’ replied Harry boldly.
‘We have cause to believe that one of you did, young man. The evidence speaks for itself,’ said the Justice, sternly.
‘You have no true evidence,’ spoke up Hermione. ‘We haven’t done anything wrong.’
Justice Mallrow raised an eyebrow at Hermione. ‘Your sudden appearance in Salem Village and this young man’s—’ the Justice nodded towards Harry ‘—interest in witchery speak for themselves.’
‘That’s not evidence! That’s just guessing,’ retorted Ron. ‘Maybe Harry was just curious!’
‘Furthermore,’ continued the Justice, ignoring Ron, ‘The fact that you claim to have come from Old England just recently when it is common knowledge that no ships have reached our shores since October, suggests deceit.’
Harry opened his mouth to argue but the Justice just kept on talking him.
‘I am sure all those present find it quite possible, that one, if not all, of these three young people sitting before me are indeed guilty of witchcraft!’
A murmur of agreement spread through the crowd of addressees sitting behind Harry. Harry could feel himself growing hot with rage. This trial was not at all fair. They weren’t even being given the chance to defend themselves!
‘I now would like to call Mistress Becker forward for she has uncovered a piece of evidence so ghastly, that none of you seated here will have a doubt in his or her mind that witchcraft was indeed the cause of young Naima Becker’s illness,’ said Justice Mallrow.
Harry watched Samantha stand up and walk forward, wondering what kind of evidence she could have uncovered and where from.
‘I,’ began Samantha, ‘Have uncovered a piece of evidence that will not only prove the use of the occult but this thing shall also tell us which one of these adolescents performed magic on my daughter.’
Samantha pulled open her bag and extracted a small something covered in a white cloth. She handed the packet to the Magistrate, who was still standing nearby.
Harry leaned forward apprehensively as the Magistrate opened the pack. It was a small ratty-looking book. The Magistrate held the book up and Harry heard Hermione and Ron gasp next to him. Harry squinted at the book and felt a jolt of shock run through him. The book was titled: Pocket-Book of Spells and Charms.
The Justice smiled grimly. ‘As you can see such a book of spells is obviously used for witchery!’
‘You don’t know it belongs to us!’ cried Hermione.
For a moment the Justice looked as if he were about to agree with Hermione but Samantha interrupted him.
‘Oh, we do know that it belongs to one of you,’ she said. ‘Open the front flap, Magistrate, if you please!’
The Magistrate obliged willingly. He flipped the cover open and read aloud. ‘This book is the property of Hermione Jane Granger.’
Harry felt his stomach plummet and he was sickened to see that the Justice looked positively gleeful.
‘Well, Mistress Becker this is indeed a surprise!’ he said.
The crowd was muttering viciously. Harry could hear them saying ‘Witch! Kill the Witch!’
Hermione looked horrified. ‘Y-You have no proof that’s mine!’ she squeaked.
‘I think the fact that this book was found on the robes you were wearing when you first arrived at my house is enough proof,’ snapped Samantha.
‘Well, in my opinion that is sufficient proof to close this case. Do the viewers agree?’ the Justice asked, looking at the gathered crowd.
The crowd gave a roar. ‘Execute her! Kill the Witch!’
Harry suddenly felt cold all over. This was happening all too fast.
The Justice raised a mallet and brought it down on the table with a smart tap. ‘Case Closed! Sentence: Execution of the Witch Hermione Jane Granger, by hanging, on the 7th of February, 1692!’
A/N: The actual court trial probably would have been harsher and the Justice would have used less obvious evidence. Mostly the suspects would be asked to look at the afflicted child and due to the look the child would coincidentally begin to have fits. If the child did convulse the suspect was condemned to death immediately. Because the records of the trials are so few, I haven’t been able to reproduce the trial perfectly but I hope it is good enough.