Chapter 10: Ch. 10: The Courtroom
The afternoon of the second day following Jon's arrest and subsequent interrogation by the Aurors, his trial commenced as planned.
Within the confines of the Ministry of Magic, Jon was shackled at the wrists and ankles, escorted into the elevator by two wizards cloaked in black.
Shortly thereafter, the elevator doors slid open, and Jon was guided into the courtroom by his escorts.
Throughout the entire ordeal, Jon maintained an air of tranquility, showing no signs of distress or panic. It was as if he was navigating a familiar process.
The Aurors accompanying him were taken aback. They had escorted countless suspects, yet none had displayed the level of composure Jon exhibited. His fate, whether he would be sent to Azkaban, hinged on the judge's gavel.
Guided by the Aurors, Jon entered the dimly lit courtroom with an air of familiarity. He had seen this place before in films.
This was where Dumbledore had once defended Harry Potter, and where the Lestrange couple had been sentenced to life in Azkaban.
Assuming no unforeseen circumstances, Jon would also be sentenced to Azkaban. However, unlike others, Jon was willingly walking into his fate.
In Azkaban, Jon knew, awaited a dozen or so Death Eaters, along with a host of other dangerous individuals. If he could eliminate them all, their souls would certainly provide ample penalty points for his missions.
Despite the presence of the terrifying Dementors in Azkaban, Jon was confident that the power of the Ghost Rider would be sufficient to handle them.
Jon approached the defendant's seat with a steady stride. On either side of him, rows of seats ascended, culminating in figures clad in jury uniforms. From the moment Jon entered the courtroom, he noticed the murmurs of the crowd.
They were the jury, but Jon was uncertain if Dolores Umbridge, a character despised by nearly every Harry Potter movie fan, was among them.
"Order in the court!" The presiding judge rapped his gavel twice and declared, "The defendant, Jon Vinson, has arrived. Are you prepared?"
Jon surveyed the room, ensuring the judge was addressing him. He cleared his throat, mimicking the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants, and exclaimed, "I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready..."
The judge and jury were taken aback, wondering what Jon was attempting to achieve.
Seeing their puzzled expressions, Jon shrugged and quipped, "Important things must be said thrice!"
The courtroom fell silent, unsure of how to react to Jon's peculiar sense of humor.
The judge cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence, and announced, "In the trial on April 13, the unidentified wizard Jon Vinson violated the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy Law."
"Presiding Judge: Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Pius Thicknesse; Court Scribe: Percy Ignatius Weasley—"
The Ministry of Magic had spent considerable time searching for information on Jon Vinson, but to no avail. It was as if he had materialized out of thin air.
Upon hearing the names of the interrogator and the recorder, Jon raised an eyebrow. Both were characters from the movie. Pius was later controlled by the Death Eaters with the Imperius Curse, and Percy Weasley, Ron Weasley's brother, was appointed Minister of Magic.
Pius continued, "Defendant: Jon Vinson; Plaintiff: Griphook of Gringotts."
Jon glanced at Griphook, who was seated in the plaintiff's chair. Griphook returned a sharp glare. Jon sighed, remembering how he had deceived Griphook and used his body as a shield against the Full Body Bind curse.
"Does either the defendant or plaintiff have any questions?" Pius inquired.
"Me!" Jon shouted.
All eyes turned to Jon.
Under their scrutiny, Jon cleared his throat and announced, "I've forgotten my question!"
Pius's face twitched in frustration. He wished he could descend from his seat and strike Jon with his gavel.
Pius shrugged uncomfortably, momentarily forgetting his role.
"Right, the charges!" he exclaimed, hastily pulling a parchment from a stack of documents. Jon's antics had clearly thrown him off balance.
He took a deep breath and read aloud, "The defendant Jon Vinson is accused of breaking into Gringotts with a stolen vault key, injuring several wizard guards and goblins, and absconding with the dragon guarding the underground vaults. This act caused significant damage to Gringotts and led to numerous Muggles witnessing magic and fantastic beasts."
"This behavior violated the second paragraph of the Wizengamot Charter of Rights promulgated in 1875 and Article 13 of the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy Law!"
"Is this true, Mr. Vinson?" Pius asked Jon.
"Of course it's me! Who else would do that? Your father?!"
Jon's insolent response sent the courtroom into an uproar.
At this point, Griphook was elated, believing Jon's current attitude would surely lead to his sentencing to Azkaban.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Pius tapped the gavel and demanded, "Silence!"
He fixed his gaze on Jon, and sternly advised, "Mr. Vinson, you are in a courtroom. Adjust your attitude!"
Jon shrugged his shoulders, and replied nonchalantly, "Fine, my name is Jon Vinson, I'm male, I prefer women, I'm unemployed, and I reside in London. Satisfied?"
Pius's mouth twitched, and he forced himself to regain composure. "Do you have any comments regarding the charges?"
"Yes!" Jon raised his hand, then fell into deep thought.
The courtroom waited in anticipation. After a lengthy pause, Jon finally spoke.
"This is a... severe accusation!"
After uttering these words, Jon fell silent. Pius, on the verge of losing his patience, held his tongue. He and the jury waited for Jon's next words.
However, after a considerable pause, Jon remained silent.
"Well...and then?" Pius asked cautiously.
"That's all.", Jon replied nonchalantly.
"That was all?! Don't you have anything else to say?" Pius's face was a picture of suppressed frustration, 'This man pondered for so long only to utter such nonsense?!'
"Otherwise? Do you want to hear me narrate the entire process of stealing the dragon?" Jon retorted with a smirk.
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