A few days later:

We discovered something horrible today. We heard whispers of it at breakfast.

First class of the day was Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Professor Livia told us all about it. It seemed as though she was taking the fullest advantage out of the terrible situation.

There was a raid done on a meeting of pureblood-supremacists and advocates of dark magic. A fight broke out between the ministry officials, aurors and the people participating in the meeting. Antonius' parents, and Uncle Julius and Aunt Adrianna (Dominic's parents) were among the leaders. It is said they were discovered planning a coup on the Ministry. During the raid, Uncle Julius apparently attempted to kill an auror! Dominic's and Antonius' parents are on their way to Azkaban...

Next day:

In the evening, a few hours ago, a Ravenclaw 6th year approached me with what she called a 'summons'. I wasn't the only one to receive it, everyone from the 6th and 7th years in Slytherin got the same. It was a 'summons' to the Courthouse from Silas' gang. Apparently compliance was 'mandatory' and there would be 'serious consequences' for those who refused.

We met in our common room, in a very confused and somewhat disorganised group. Eight of us must have received the summons, but only seven of us were there.

"Wait, where's Antonius?"Priscilla Bulstrode said, looking around.

"Dominic?"Artemisia asked our cousin.

"I - don't know,"Dominic responded,"I haven't seen him all afternoon."

"He should be here!"Regulus Flint said, sounding impatient.

"What if he CAN'T be here?"Amelia Sanding suggested.

"You think they've taken him?"I asked.

"His parents were ringleaders in the secret meeting the Ministry raided, and I'm sure that's what started all this,"Amelia went on.

"So were mine, but I'm here,"Dominic said,"they haven't tried to take me."

"He hasn't done anything,"I said,"he's always careful to make sure he doesn't do anything that could get himself into trouble."

"People know about his views, though,"Amelia said.

"Yeah, but he hasn't said anything lately,"I said.

"What happens if we go? That's the question,"Amelia said.

"It's going to be a trap,"Artemisia said.

"Another question - what happens if we don't go?"I suggested.

"Well, I'm not going,"Regulus said, aggressively,"I'm not going along with any of this 'mandatory' nonsense. I'd rather wait to see what 'serious consequences' they have in mind! I'd like to see them try anything with me!"

The Sanding twins agreed with Regulus.

"I think we should look for Antonius,"Dominic suggested, looking concerned, then he added,"I'm certainly not going,"with a shudder.

"What do you suppose they'll do?"Priscilla asked,"if we go."

"What even is all of this about?"Henry Blaise asked, looking confused,"why haven't I been told about any of this?"

"We only found out recently,"Priscilla answered,"from Antonius. He hasn't told everyone yet."

I began explaining to Henry what had happened lately with Silas Warren's gang.

"Why don't they just report issues to the teachers? Or the Headmistress?"Henry asked.

"Because they want to do things their way,"I said,"and it's not a way any teacher here or the Headmistress would approve of!"

"Then why haven't you reported it?"Henry asked me.

"I did,"I said, looking at Dominic.

Dominic looked away.

"So it's decided then,"Regulus said,"we will not comply with their summons."

"We should look for Antonius,"Dominic persisted,"see what he has to say."

I had a feeling we weren't going to find Antonius very easily. I found Jared and asked him to summon me if he saw him.

"What do you want Antonius for?"Jared asked, completely clueless,"I thought you hated him?"

"I don't like him,"I replied,"it's not just me looking for him. He's gone missing."

"Fine, I'll let you know if I see him,"Jared said.

We decided to split up, when we were looking for Antonius. In hindsight, that wasn't a brilliant idea. Silas' gang picked us off one by one.

I was looking near the Quidditch stadium when Hilary Winter and Lauren Golding suddenly approached me.

"Lost something?"Lauren asked.

"It's not any of your business,"I responded.

"You're coming with us to the Courthouse,"Hilary said.

"I'm not,"I objected,"there's no school rule that says I have to."

"There's OUR rules that say you have to,"said Lauren,"and you will."

I wasn't strong enough, or adept enough at magic to fight off the both of them. Especially Hilary. So I found myself being forcibly escorted to the Courthouse.

When we got there, I noticed Priscilla was there too. She looked like she was glued to the ground. Amber Harris and Luke Stevenson were also there.

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"Ah, you've got another one,"Luke said,"didn't come willingly, I imagine?"

"No,"Lauren said,"I don't think any of them will."

"Let's go,"Amber said,"leave Lauren with these two."

I was stuck to the ground, like I was glued there, I couldn't get up. They must have used some spells to keep us stuck there...

Luke, Amber and Hilary were all just leaving through the narrow doorway, when they met Georgina Farthing (the Ravenclaw who'd delivered my summons) and Isaac Perry (a Gryffindor 5th year) with Henry Blaise.

"He came willingly - in the end,"Georgina said.

"What is this?"Henry protested, as they glued him to the ground,"you do realise I'm a Prefect?"

"A Prefect from Slytherin House doesn't count,"Lauren Golding said, with a mocking laugh.

"We've got four of them, that leaves four,"Amber said,"we'll need a fair number of us to round up those Sanding twins, they're always together, and they can be fierce!"

(Amber Harris is Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team)

"Four of them?"I was wondering.

There were only three of us in the Courthouse. I wondered if the 4th was Antonius. Maybe that was why we couldn't find him? But if that was the case, why wasn't he here with us?

A few minutes later, Regulus was dragged into the Courthouse by Hufflepuff 6th year Jeremy Jackson and a Ravenclaw 5th year whose name I do not know. Then the Sanding twins were brought in, and Dominic directly after.

We were all stuck to the ground.

Then Silas entered, and behind him followed Max and Kenneth with Antonius.

"So you all chickened out, and we had to fetch you here by force, I see,"Silas said, looking at us,"typical coward Slytherin behaviour of course!"

Dominic clenched his fists.

Now the rest of Silas' gang flocked in. Julia Brown wasn't among them this time, but the gang had accumulated more members since Dominic's trial.

Silas summoned the stake.

"You may be wondering why you've all been called here,"he said,"the answer is - to witness a trial. No doubt you've all heard about what happened recently - a vicious and despicable plot discovered. A grave threat and a dire warning! A reminder that WE need to take action, and YOU need to take warning!"

"WE weren't involved! How is this supposed to be about us?"Henry demanded.

"No, but THEIR,"here Silas pointed to me and Dominic,"and HIS,"he motioned to Antonius,"families were at the epicentre!"

Silas turned back to Antonius,"your family were caught organising a full-scale coup!"he said to him,"do you, Antonius Parkinson, denounce your family?"

"No,"Antonius answered.

My heart sank. I looked over at Dominic, he was looking incredibly pale, like he was going to be sick or pass out. The others, who have never witnessed a trial before, just sat there looking mutinous.

At a motion from Silas, Kenneth and Max took Antonius to the stake and shackled him. As much as I dislike Antonius, I did not want to see him go through this.

Silas turned to Antonius again,"I believe you know what will happen to you?"

Antonius said nothing.

"I'm giving you one more chance,"Silas said,"do you denounce your family?"

"No,"Antonius responded.

He didn't look frightened or concerned and he stared Silas directly in the eye. Silas backed away, and nodded to Max, who stepped forward.

"Do it,"Silas ordered.

Max looked nervous and hesitant,"Silas,"he began.

"Do it!"Silas demanded.

Max faltered.

"Do it!"Silas snapped.

"I - I can't,"Max said, lowering his wand and backing away.

Silas motioned to Kenneth, who took his place without hesitation and went straight for it.

Antonius, even with his exceptional capacity for self-control, was unable to endure the agony without screaming.

Silas had to nudge Kenneth, before he lowered his wand. Antonius gasped for breath, but quickly removed any indication of pain or stress from his expression, and held his head up.

"Do you denounce your family?"Silas asked him again.

"No,"Antonius answered, in a quiet voice.

Dominic passed out on the ground. He alone out of us knows how it actually feels.

Five more times Silas asked Antonius to denounce his family, and five times Antonius defied him. Though by the fifth time, tears were pouring down his face and he no longer looked so brave.

Kenneth was about to torture him again. By now Antonius was crying and looked terrified. He was close to breaking point.

"Stop,"Silas motioned to Kenneth, then he said to Antonius once more,"do you denounce your family?"

"No,"Antonius sobbed,"never!"

Silas nodded to Kenneth.

Antonius screamed again.

"We need to stop!"Max Castellanos suddenly said, taking us by surprise,"he's not going to give in, that's clear!"

"He will give in,"Silas said.

"No! You can't do this, Silas, it's WRONG!"Max protested,"he hasn't even DONE anything!"

"He doesn't need to have done anything,"Silas answered him,"the fact he refuses to denounce his family after what they've done proves he is just as guilty as they are! The only difference between them and him, is they're in Azkaban, and he's free!"

"You can't keep doing this, Silas,"Max said, raising his wand,"I won't let you!"

For a moment, Silas gave his friend a look of utter disbelief, then he nodded to his gang,"take him!"

Three members stepped forward and pulled Max back, prizing his wand from his hand.

"Hold him down there on the floor with the Slytherins!"Silas ordered,"he's earned that place with them today!"

"Silas!"Max called, in a pleading voice,"surely you realise now that this is wrong!?"

"So you would stand back and watch as dark powers rise again!"said Silas,"you would let evil fester and grow, like a cancer, grow and grow until it's too late to save the innocent victims who it will inevitably claim! You would risk the lives of those people for what!? Because you don't agree with punishing those that deserve it! That need to be punished! That need to be stopped!"

"You can't keep on doing this,"Max went on.

"I will keep on doing this until he denounces his family!"Silas insisted.

"Silas - he's not going to do that,"Max went on,"what does it matter anyway? He's been punished enough already. That curse causes real pain! We've never felt it, but I've heard it's not something to be taken lightly, that's why it's banned!"

Silas ignored Max and asked Antonius to denounce his family again. Again Antonius refused, but then something happened. Max had somehow gotten himself free, and retrieved his wand.

"Expelliarmus!"Max yelled.

Kenneth's wand flew out of his hand.

"Incarcerous!"

Suddenly Silas was tied up in ropes!

Chaos ensued, several of the gang members turned around to see who was doing what, but all of us Slytherins were still on the ground. Max cast a spell at us that I didn't quite understand, and suddenly we were all unglued. He threw a wand over at us, Priscilla grabbed it. She immediately jumped up and cast stunning spells into the crowd of confused gang members.

Regulus retook his wand and got several others while he was at it. Silas was still trying to break free from the ropes, and he had dropped his wand. I noticed that Hilary was also tied up in ropes, and Lauren was sitting on the floor, looking dazed. Max and Kenneth were duelling each other viciously. Then I noticed Dominic (who had woken up during the commotion) approaching Silas, who had just broken free and was reaching for his wand.

"Crucio!"

Silas screamed, and as he did, there was a dreadful hush of everyone else. Kenneth and Max stopped fighting each other and turned around as Silas continued to scream and writhe on the ground.

"Dominic!"I shouted.

Dominic stopped,"he needs to know how it feels!"he said.

Silas, now really angry, reached for his wand and jumped to his feet,"idiot!"he said to Dominic,"don't think I'm not going to report this!"

"You did it to me! And Antonius!"Dominic objected.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have lied to the Headmistress the first time!"Silas declared, with a triumphant look on his face,"she'll never believe you! And I have witnesses!"

"Yes!"Lauren backed him,"multiple witnesses!"

"If you report him, I'll report you!"Max threatened, stepping forward.

"What are you DOING, Max!?"Lauren demanded.

Then the members of Silas' gang began chanting,"traitor!"

"I will! I mean what I say!"Max went on,"and don't think they won't believe me! You're going on about having witnesses, well, what about THEM?"

He meant us.

"I'm reporting you anyway!"Henry Blaise said.

"The word of one House against another!"Silas said.

While they were still arguing, I remembered Antonius. He was still shackled to the stake, and even though his torture was over, he still seemed to be in pain. I unshackled him and helped him down. He fell to his knees, gasping and rocking back and forth. He looked like he was going to throw up.

"Antonius,"I said, softly, reaching out to him.

I expected him to ignore me, or push me away like Dominic had done, but I wanted him to know I cared. He wrapped his arms around me, I was taken by surprise, but then I wrapped my arms around him and held him tightly. He didn't want to let go, and neither did I.

I don't know how long I was comforting Antonius, when I heard Dominic saying to me,"come on, Cathy, it's time to go. Bring him back."

Dominic and I both lifted Antonius to his feet, and I realised we were now the only people left in the Courthouse. We made our way back to the castle.