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Chapter 1: Sirius' Trial—Is There Anyone Left in the Black Family?
In 1982, people were coming and going in foggy London, and the economic downturn caused pedestrians to rush along the roads. Walking on the street, the gentlemen in suits and ties didn't even notice the peculiar individuals around them. From time to time, several people wearing wizard robes hurried past, looking around cautiously and refusing to show a smile. Wizards were entering the phone booths on the street and never coming out again. If anyone was paying attention, no less than a hundred people had already entered one small phone booth.
London, the seat of the British Ministry of Magic, the heart of the wizarding world, was experiencing something significant today. Underground, many wizards gathered in the hall of the Ministry of Magic, where they felt free to talk.
"That man is finally dead, and we don't have to hide anymore."
"Yes, I will go to my aunt's house in Bulgaria to bring my family back."
These people suppressed their joy and looked at the location of the Ministry of Magic's Tribunal with excitement. In the courtroom, the new Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, was in high spirits. He glanced at Old Barty Crouch, not far away, and thought to himself: If this guy's son hadn't done something noteworthy, Crouch might be the one standing here today.
Fudge turned and looked at Dumbledore next to him, the only legendary white wizard in the wizarding world. At this time, Dumbledore was wearing a gray robe, and his eyes were slightly sad. Fudge was shocked; after all, Dumbledore had just smiled at the man who attacked the Ministry of Magic.
"Everyone, be quiet, be quiet," Fudge called out, holding a small hammer and hitting the table to silence the dozens of famous wizards in the magical world. He felt very proud, even though he knew that most people were only paying respect to the white wizard next to him. He relied on Dumbledore's support to be where he was today.
"Mr. Lucius Malfoy, did you say that you were under the Imperius Curse of a mysterious man and therefore served him?" The eyes of dozens of wizards focused on the platinum-blond wizard below. Most people held contempt in their eyes.
Lucius tightened his wand, knowing the Malfoy family could not perish in his hands. "Mr. Minister, yes, it was the shameless behavior of the mysterious man that controlled me to do those evil things." Lucius held his head high, maintaining the tone of a pure-blood noble even now. A lot of sneers came from the spectator stands. Lucius' expression remained unchanged as he thought to himself, these people, do they think he doesn't know what they are doing in private? If they really angered him, they'd all die.
Fudge smiled and said nothing, looking at Lucius quietly. It was obvious he had heard these remarks many times. Lucius touched the ring on his hand, knowing in his heart that without a sacrifice today, he would not pass this test. He didn't want to go to Azkaban and live a life worse than death. "My Lord Minister, gentlemen of the Inquisition, the Malfoy family is willing to donate one hundred thousand gold galleons for the reconstruction of the Ministry of Magic."
Fudge nodded with satisfaction. This was one hundred thousand gold galleons. You must know that his salary was only 400 gold galleons a month. These pure-blood nobles are truly wealthy, Fudge sighed inwardly, already planning how to use the one hundred thousand gold galleons. Lucius signaled to the wizard he had made friends with in the audience.
"Mr. Minister, everyone knows the atrocities committed by the mysterious man. Many people did obey orders because of the Imperius Curse. We cannot just confirm their crimes."
"Yes, respected Minister Fudge, there can be no more major disturbances in the magical world." These words of threat and agreement made Fudge frown. He knew that the background of this group of pure-blood nobles in the magical world was something that he, a newly appointed minister, could not shake.
Seeing that Dumbledore remained silent, Fudge said, "It is hereby pronounced that Lucius Malfoy was controlled by the Imperius Curse and is not guilty." When the hammer fell, Lucius breathed a sigh of relief. Compared with the price he paid, the Malfoy family must have handed over more than these gold galleons. But being able to escape this time is not a loss. Lucius looked at his wife holding his son in the corner, a trace of tenderness flashed in his eyes, and he turned around to leave.
Fudge shook his head indifferently, and the next item was the highlight of the day. "Everyone, everyone knows that Sirius Black betrayed the Potters and committed a heinous crime. The Ministry of Magic has decided to send Sirius to Azkaban immediately." Fudge's voice came out through the magic trumpet, and the statue-like Dumbledore reacted. Sirius, the only Gryffindor of the Black family, was now on the wrong track. Dumbledore couldn't hide his heartache for this former student.
"Bellatrix Lestrange's use of the Unforgivable Curse on the Longbottoms was a heinous crime, and she was sentenced to life in Azkaban." After this operation, everyone knew that the Black family, the oldest family in the magical world, was about to decline. The existing descendants of the Black family, Bella and Narcissa, have married off and lost their inheritance rights. Sirius entered Azkaban, Regulus Arcturus Black disappeared, and the family that had been passed down for thousands of years seemed to have no direct descendants.
But they didn't care about the life and death of the Black family; they only cared about how much benefit they could get. You must know that the Black family has a lot of assets in the UK. There are many shops in Diagon Alley and many manors in the magical world. These are all shining gold galleons. Even though the Black family had countless connections with them, who wouldn't want to bite off a piece of it now? "Since the Black family has no heirs, the Black family's shops and estates will be managed by the Ministry of Magic, and the annual income will be sent to the Black family's old residence," Fudge said grandly, feeling excited. Who knows whether he would deliver it or not?
Although the wizards from the major families below were dissatisfied and secretly thought that Fudge was greedy, they had just passed the mysterious man incident, and looked at Dumbledore next to him, but they did not dare to say anything. Seeing no one to refute, Fudge was about to knock the hammer down.
"Who said there is no one in the Black family?" A wizard with black hair and golden eyes walked in. Everyone stared at this noble-like wizard with curious faces. Even if they didn't know the name, these pure-blood wizards would think that this wizard must be pure-blood. With shoulder-length black hair, a handsome face, and a slight smile on his lips, anyone who saw him would be captivated.
Anger welled up in Fudge's heart. As a newly appointed minister, he would not allow anyone to provoke him, except of course the person next to him. "Who are you and who let you in?" "Cottrell Black, Minister Fudge, and as you can imagine, the Black family and me." Cole's slightly soft voice sounded in the trial court.