"…kidnapping, homicide, terrorist threats and
activity, alleged association with a group known as
the 'Death Eaters', the use of all three Unforgivable
Curses on numerous occasions…"
The officer in charge of interrogation was reading Narcissa Malfoy what she was being charged with. Only two weeks after the final fall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the Ministry was still rounding up suspected Death Eaters. Narcissa had been brought in for interrogation and formal trial. I, a Ministry-employed Analyst, was there to read her reactions to each charge and advise the officers in charge of interrogation on how to proceed.
She, like all the other Blacks and Malfoys, was extremely pale. Normally this made them look regal and eloquent; now, she looked gaunt, and the bluish bruises on her neck and arms stood out. Dark half-moons lay underneath her eyes; the blue in both matched. Her department-supplied gray prison robes engulfed her frail frame. The sleeves were short enough to see her the lack of a Dark Mark on her wrist. It was replaced with angry bruises encircling her wrists. The Ministry still didn’t know what really had happened to the Malfoy family, but the Department of Magical Law Enforcement found the bodies of both Lucius and Draco in abandoned house in a Muggle neighborhood. The Dark Mark glittered in the air above the house and was visible for miles. They were killed with the Avada Kedavra curse, presumably by fellow Death Eaters.
She was proving to be a very interesting case indeed. Despite her faded appearance, she was smiling throughout the list of charges. Her smile had a bitter, ironic semblance, with no real warmth. I shuddered. What kind of person could do that and be happy about it. I mean, she was facing a lifelong stint in Azkaban at the very least. Soon she was biting her lip to keep from laughing out loud. Was she trying to get off on basis of insanity?
I pointed my wand at the one-way window. The officer noticed the red light I had ignited and left as soon as he finished the recitation. I asked him to let me speak with her. He frowned at me; generally, officers were the only people allowed near the convicts.
When I entered the room, Narcissa was no longer smiling. She was sitting with her body facing forward, but her face was turned staring at the wall. It was as if she couldn’t accept this place as reality and was trying to wake up. I sat calmly, and began to ask questions, "So, you know what you are being charged with. Do you have anything to say about these charges?"
She turned slowly to face me. Her eyes stared blankly at me. I tried again, "Do you have any questions for me?”
I sighed, “Do you deny
any of these charges? Do you plead guilty?"
She turned back to stare at the gray concrete wall to the
side of the table. I was about to try again when she answered.
"I plead guilty,"
I blinked and my eyebrows contracted. Maybe she really was insane. There was no lighter sentence if she was convicted, which she certainly would be if she pleaded guilty. She might as well try to get off the charges.
She turned back to me and leaned forward in her chair, placing her arms against the cold metal table. "I did what I could to protect my family. They were all mattered to me." She extended her hands, wrists upwards, indicating handcuffs. I frowned confusedly at her. She sighed and sat back in her chair. "You judge me. I don’t blame you; I just don’t care. I know that what I did was right.”
I sat motionless for a minute. Then, I motioned for the officer to return. He placed a pair of manacles on her wrists and led her away roughly. As she was being pulled through the door , she turned back to face me and smiled. This time, I understood why.
Emotion swelled in my chest and threatened overcome me. I dodged into a bathroom down the hall. I leaned over the sink as I felt sick to my stomach. After a few deep breaths, I looked up into my eyes reflected in the mirror. She failed to save her husband and son. They died, and she was sent to Azkaban for trying to save them. My mind churned as it tried to process this information. It couldn’t.
My breaths were short and ragged. I slid down against the wall to sit on the grimy tile floor. After a few minutes, I collected myself and splashed some water on my face. The face that I stared at in the mirror. I prepared to return to my office and continue serving justice. Bile created a bitter taste in my mouth at the thought.
Pleading Guilty by jeudi
Chapter Notes: Disclaimer: Clearly, I don't own any thing related to Harry Potter.
This is my first submission here. It was originally written for the Narcissa Drabble Challenge, but I expanded it to a more in-depth one-shot. As this is my first submission, I would really love some feedback of any variety! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!