The Trial

What was I thinking? Why did I do it? I mean, sure, my brother is a Death Eater. But I betrayed the Weasley Trust.

Which is worse, I wonder--to betray your best friend because you're angry at him, or to betray your brother because he's a murderer?

It's been three weeks, and this isn't getting any damn easier. Ron is a Death Eater. Ron betrayed Harry. Ron betrayed Fred. Fred is dead and it's Ron's fault. I had a damn good reason to turn Ron over to the aurors and I have a damn good reason to be swearing now.

Maybe if I keep telling myself that, I'll start believing it. Right now, I can't believe it.

I've never been in this chamber before. Dad says they used to do all the Death Eaters' trials in here, back in the old days. They're doing them yet. Right now, I'm starting to wish I'd just kept my fat mouth shut.

Maybe if I'd talked to Ron about the letters, he'd've stopped. Maybe he'd've seen the error of his ways and come back to us. Maybe he'd've confessed everything and apologised. Maybe everything would've been fine if I'd only waited a few more days.

Yeah. And maybe plaid pigs will fly out of my rear and dance ballet. I know better. Ron wouldn't have changed. More than likely he'd've killed me on the spot, then made up some story to explain it. Probably something parallelling what happened to Fred.

But...I don't get it. Nowhere in any of the letters I found did it explain why Ron was a Death Eater. Nowhere did it explain what he was thinking. Nowhere did it explain why he tortured that little girl...which I haven't told my family about. I'm afraid to. Mum'll go ballistic. Bill is furious--at Ron or at me--and I don't want to make him any madder.

I see George, talking to Harry and Hermione. Hermione is my best friend, was one of Ron's best friends. I know she's here for Harry, though--she isn't going to have to testify. She doesn't know anything in connection.

She's lucky.

George comes up and sits next to me. I don't say anything. I'm too busy wondering where Ron is. Why isn't he in here? Where is he?

A man--a Ministry official, I guess--stands up and booms out, "Bring him in."

And then I see him. My Ron, my brother, my protector, my companion. But he has changed. He is no longer the Ron I remember. He has changed--I see that--and it's not for the better. My chest constricts sharply and it's hard to breathe. I feel a little dizzy. George reaches out and grasps my hand--perhaps giving me strength, perhaps borrowing some of mine. But I have no strength to give.

I sit numbly as the man lists the charges against Ron. He just says "Guilty" over and over. One of the charges is of torturing that little girl.

I don't really listen as the cross-examining begins. I know about how long he'd been a Death Eater, going by the dates on the letters. I wonder if they've even read the letters.

Then they ask why Ron became a Death Eater. I listen attentively as e explains that he was jealous of Harry and Hermione's relationship. Oh, Ron, I think sadly, why didn't you tell me you were so upset? I'd have told you it was okay...we would've been fine. Everything would've been okay.

And then--then the lawyer asks Ron about Calla Spencer. I recall from one of the letters that her father is an auror, that they wanted him to be a Death Eater...but why torture a six-year-old?

There is the briefest of pauses, then Ron replies, Finally, he answers, "I knew from experience that if I threatened someone near and dear to his heart--that if I tortured that someone--he'd crack, do whatever I asked as long as I didn't hurt his daughter. I don't think he expected me to actually do what I threatened to do."

I tense suddenly. I knew from experience...he is referring to the Department of Mysteries, something neither one of us has spoken much about. It isn't that we're ashamed--it was just so traumatising that we were afraid to talk about it, even to each other.

"How did you know from experience?"

Ron looks up and meets my eyes. I am frightened--his eyes are so dark and cold, like azure--but deep inside I see my Ron, so I don't look away. "Two years ago, when the Dark Lord came out into the open, I was one of the six students in the Department of Mysteries. Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy threatened my little sister. I would have done anything they asked me to do to keep her safe. And Harry very nearly turned himself over to the Death Eaters to keep Neville Longbottom safe. He would have if the Aurors hadn't shown up."

I want to hug him, to apologise for putting him through this. I almost jump up and apologise for turning him over, right here in the middle of this courtroom, but he tears his gaze away and returns to looking at the lawyer. Instead I just murmur, "It was only last year. He's getting his dates crossed again."

George squeezes my hand. It's incredibly silly of me to say, but I think he understands that I'm trying to take my mind off what I've done. He keeps saying I didn't do anything wrong, but I don't believe him. I can't.

Then Mr. Lucci calls George up. I don't listen. George told me all of this beforehand, when he first struggled back to us, Fred's limp bleeding body in his arms. When George sits down again, I can see that he wants to cry.

Harry is called up next. He talks about how he and Ron were friends. Are friends. I notice that Harry uses the present tense when he talks.

Mr. Lucci lets him sit down. I am next. I straighten up, preparing to stand up, but to my surprise the courtroom is dismissed. What about me? I want to ask as everyone stands up, but a clerk taps me on the shoulder.

"Miss Weasley, you presence is requested in the judge's chambers...this way."

I wonder why they don't want me testifying in the courtroom, but I follow without protest. The judge looks up as I come in and invites me to take a seat. I do.

"Young lady," the judge says seriously, "I would like you to tell me exactly how you discovered your brother was a Death Eater."

I take a deep breath. "Well, I was putting away his laundry--I always do that. I usually find things they've hidden in their drawers, but I keep their secrets. I don't tell anyone, not even them, that I know. But this time, I found a bundle of letters in Ron's sock drawer. I normally would've just kept going--I figured they were from Harry--but then I noticed that they were all addressed to 'Weasley', and since I couldn't think of anyone who'd address Ron as Weasley I took a look. They left no doubt in my mind that Ron was a Death Eater."

I take a deep breath and discover, to my horror, that tears are springing to my eyes. "I r-read through them all, and I f-found out that R-Ron had helped s-set up the t-trap that k-killed Fred...then that he t-tortured Calla S-Spencer. It never s-said why. I didn't know wh-what to d-do...I c-contacted a friend of ours who's an Auror. She said she'd t-take care of it..." I break off sobbing. That's it. I can't tell them any more.

The judge seems to understand. Somehow, I know this is why they didn't want me testifying in the courtroom--to save me the embarrassment of sobbing in front of everyone. "You can go, Miss Weasley," he says kindly. "We'll be out in a minute."

I return to my seat. Not many people are in the courtroom. I am still crying; I can't help it. Ron is going to die. I just know it.

"Ginny?" someone says through their sobs. Mum.

"Mummy," I sob. I haven't called my mother Mummy in years, but right now I can't help it. We both cry for a minute together before everyone starts coming back in. George comes up and sits between Bill and me. I hear him sniffle a little.

They bring Ron in, seat him. I see this through my tears. Then the tall man stands up. "Has the jury reached its verdict?"

"We have," says one of the jurors, standing up.

"How does the jury find?"

"We find the defendant guilty on all counts."

Big surprise there. I knew Ron was guilty the minute I picked up those letters. It doesn't do a damned bit of good to have known it was coming, though.

The man continues. "All in favour of life imprisonment, please raise your hands."

All but three jurors raise their hands. I feel hopeful--there are at least three people who don't think Ron deserves life in prison. The dementors drag him out. George goes off with Harry and Hermione, for what purpose I do not know. I go with my parents, with Bill, with Charlie, to meet up with Percy. I know it is too late to help Ron, even if he has changed.

Ron's lost forever. And it's my own damn fault.