85 Path

When Chris saw the Malfoy family, he thought that they would panic and ask for forgiveness. He was ready to hear Lucius Malfoy beg for his and his family's life. However, there was not a trace of panic in Lucius Malfoy's eyes. Contrary to his expectations, all Chris saw a calm look on his face as if nothing would happen.

"I expected us to meet again later but not like this," Lucius said. "Wizengamot is giving you quite the privilege here. Even I never got to do this,"

"Well it helps that your family was a Death Eater from the very first war while my family has been fighting against the Dark Lord for both wars," Chris said. "More importantly, I'm surprised that you are able to keep your calm. Usually dogs like you that betray their master would panic and ask for mercy but it seems that you are a bit better than when the late Headmaster Karkaroff was put on trial,"

"Karkaroff had the chance to get off by giving the Ministry as much information as he could. I, on the other hand, have nothing to offer. All I have to offer is to satisfy your revenge by having my entire family sent to Azkaban. Isn't that right Evergreen?" Lucius asked with a smug grin ignoring the fact that Chris had just called him a dog.

"Lucius, can you not think about your child?!" Narcissa asked angrily. "What about Draco? Do you want him to spend his life at Azkaban?"

"Do you think I can do anything about it?!" Lucius shouted. "Do you think that Evergreen would forgive me and my family for torturing his parents?!"

"Ask him for forgiveness. Bow down to him. Even if we cannot get out, we have to get our child out! He did not want this life. Your screw-up has made the Dark Lord-"

"Quiet! What's done is done. There is nothing we can do," Lucius said unable to look at his wife. Even if Lucius tried to be calm, Chris saw that his hands were shaking indicating that he was unable to accept that his only son who hasn't even reached his 20's would spend his life at Azkaban never to see daylight again.

"Chris Evergreen, I beg of you. You may send me to life imprisonment, I don't care but please spare my son. He is the same age as you. He has a life that he hasn't even started living yet. Please-"

Chris quickly interrupted her.

"You can say the same to all the students from various schools that the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters killed. Cedric Diggory, George Weasley, Colin Creevey, and so much more were killed. You all killed students the same age and some even younger than your son. Did you think about that before getting blinded by your obsessive want with blood purity?" Chris asked.

Narcissa stayed silent.

"Was Muggle blood so dirty to you that you had to kill others for something they could not control? Did you want to have power over the Muggles that much? Why was it necessary to kill, raze, and destroy for an ideal that should have been extinguished a long time ago?" Chris asked.

"It was for the Malfoy Family," Lucius said. "Do you think that I wanted our family to constantly be worse than the Evergreen family? I saw the Dark Lord as the golden ticket to rise up to the most powerful family. Unfortunately, the golden ticket was just a poison that destroyed our family,"

...

The room was silent and seeing that there was nothing more to be said, the messenger clapped his hands.

"Now that the Malfoy family has had a chance to speak with Mr. Evergreen, would you like to make your judgement, Mr. Evergreen?"

"Yes I will," Chris said confidently. "For all the crimes that Lucius Malfoy has done in both the First War and the Second War, he shall be punished with lifetime imprisonment. While everyone certainly has greed in their soul, it is up to the person to try to figure out how to satisfy that greed. Lucius Malfoy, you have chosen the wrong way and the path you were going was wrong for a long time. Your riches came from Muggles yet you despise them and want to end the lives of their children. Every action has its consequences and you have been dodging your punishment for a long time. Now it is time to serve your sentence,"

"The decision is final. What is your decision for the wife and the child?" The messenger asked.

"Narcissa Malfoy, you were not a Death Eater but you actively supported your husband and housed Death Eaters. As for Draco Malfoy, you were a Death Eater that has participated in activities that caused the deaths of many innocent people. While I can technically send both of you to lifetime at Azkaban, I will not do so. If I do, I will be doing the exact same thing you Death Eaters have been doing to so many others. I refuse to act out in hatred," Chris said. "Narcissa Malfoy, I shall sentence you to 5 years in prison. Draco Malfoy, I can see why you did what you did. I am your age and the education of your parents have influenced you to be like this. Furthermore, I noticed something that day. Your eyes were not happy that your father was able to defeat and torture my parents. You were disturbed and seemed like you wanted no part in this. However, you will still have to atone for your crimes. I will sentence you to 2 years in Azkaban. I hope that when you get out, you can different from your father,"

...