Chapter 235

"Keep in mind that since yesterday we had to disperse pre-emptively, today's proceedings will be short and decisive. Both sides have prepared their arguments and will only get one chance to present their cases, after which we will disperse and re-gather tomorrow for the final verdict. With that understood, let today's proceedings begin," the Judge said, slamming his gavel down.

Dumbledore swept over to the center of the courtroom, his half-moon glasses glinting in the firelight. "The Defense would like to present first your Honor," he said, and Harry leaned forward, eagerly listening for how he was about to present their argument.

The last day had been difficult, and it had been hours of serious, occasionally tense, discussions between Dumbledore and Nicholas before they had finally reached a conclusion that they would use the idea.

It took Harry some time to convince himself that he wouldn't be condemning the man. No one knew where Filch had gone, and if he was found, then they could easily hide him until such a time that Lisa's mind and magic had fully healed, and the truth could be known. They didn't have to condemn Filch. They just had to cast enough doubt in the minds of the voters.

Nicholas had called it, 'stalling for time'.

Harry wasn't quite sure he agreed with the assessment, but he was the one who had come up with the idea after all and even if didn't sit well with him, it was the best they had for now.

With a deep sigh, he turned to look at the company he had today.

Since today, he hadn't been required to stand witness, he had been told to sit up here in the visitor's gallery with Nicholas and Lisa's mum, Margaret Turpin, who were the only people allowed in due to the trial's restricted nature. The nature of Lisa's arrest had been mostly kept out of the public eye, and little had actually made it to the newspapers, which was quite surprising.

"I would like to ask for Auror Dawlish to take the stand once again."

Dumbledore's voice drew Harry's attention back to the center of the room, which looked much smaller from this bird's eye view he had from the Visitor's Gallery. But still, Dawlish's form was easily identifiable to his eyes as he made his way to the witness stand.

"Throughout the last weeks, the Auror force has been screening every inch of the Hogwarts castle, checking security enchantments, interviewing the staff, looking into records and reporting the findings to the DMLE. Am I correct?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly.

"You are," Dawlish replied tersely.

"And at what point did the DMLE realize that Argus Filch, the in-residence caretaker, was missing from the campus?"

The almost tangible blanket of curiosity solidified over the Wizengamot as members old and young watched keenly, wondering where this was going. Dawlish looked a bit taken aback at that question too, and took a moment before he replied, "We realized that he was missing about four days ago, and we confirmed it yesterday evening after our search finished."

The statement showed weakness, and Dumbledore wasted no time in moving in on that, "Have you not been in Hogwarts for weeks now? Why, in your opinion, did it take so long for the Auror force to realize that one of the staff was missing?"

"Well…you know," Dawlish squirmed uncomfortably, "He…he's one of them lot, isn't he? A squib. He can't do magic. We didn't really think to look for him until we stumbled across his office during one of our rounds."

"A squib?" he heard Lisa's mum mutter, almost as if she had never even imagined that Filch could have been born without magic. Mutterings and murmurings of a similar tone spread through the courtroom crowd. Apparently, the old caretaker had managed to keep that particular secret closer to his chest than Harry had thought.

"I would like the Court to note that squibs, while unable to cast spells, remain perfectly able to use magical objects. The reason they cannot brew is that all potions require wand spellcasting at some step or the other. There is no such issue with magical artifacts. Mr. Filch has used Dark Arts Detectors many times, same as our Ministry security wizard does even today," Dumbledore's said, his voice cold, before turning back to Dawlish, "And do tell us what you found in the said office?"

"Bunch of detention records, loads of bits and bobs that he confiscated from students over the years, and loads of cat food," Dawlish answered warily.

"In those bits and bobs, would you say there were any…questionable artifacts?" Dumbledore pushed on.

Dawlish's eyes shifted to the shadows where Mulciber was standing, before he hesitantly replied, "Yes."

"Would you care to list them for us?"

"We…found two Hands of Glory, thirteen different cursed books, eight items of jewelry enchanted with dark curses of all kinds, and a Black Quill; also called Blood Quill."

A moment of silence followed, and Dumbledore let it hang, letting the statement sink into the minds of those listening.

"Thank you, Auror Dawlish," he finally said, and Dawlish promptly left the stand and went back to his seat.

"We have found the final piece of the puzzle," Dumbledore said gravely, "Argus Filch. Someone who has been resentful towards Hogwarts and its students for not having been born with the gift of magic. Someone who could move through the school with complete anonymity, free to use any of the dark artefacts he had confiscated from students throughout the decades. Someone with both the intent and the means to do harm."

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