Trial of Ceallach o Raghallaigh [GUILTY]

[Krysta Hedwig]

Krys watched her former friend and she also had to stiflle a chuckle. But when the conversation turned towards Iason, her smile became cold again. Krys could never imagine killing her own brother, but then she and Simon had always had the same values and opinions. She couldn't even imagine them not being on the same side. But then that could probably have been said of Ceal and Iason once. She shivered.
As Zach was called forward she reached out and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"You'll be fine." she whispered. "Just tell the truth."

[Zach Fischer]

Zach listened to the opening statements. He couldn't buy Ceallach's claim that she'd only done what the Order had done. If it had been left up to the Order, there would never have been a battle in the first place. A lot of people would still be alive.

He shook his head slightly. He knew what the Death Eaters believed in, and even though he was a pureblood himself, their views on muggles and non-purebloods disgusted him.

And then the moment he'd been dreading. His name was called. He took a deep breath and stood up. He nodded at Krysta's words, and took his place on the stand.

Told to explain his own role in the battle, he said,
"Well, I joined the Order soon after I started at Hogwarts, in January. When the battle began, I was sent in to fight against Death Eaters who were fighting in their animagus forms. My twin and I are both wolf animagi - we're registered. We started fighting together, but got separated."

He glanced at Ceallach for the first time. They'd slept together, but now she seemed like a stranger to him.

"I ended up in a fight with a white tiger - I realized it was Ceal... Miss O Raghllaigh. I already knew she was an animagus, and what her animal form was."

[Ceallach o Raghallaigh]

Ceallach's head turned as a Mr Fischer was called to the stand. She knew which one it was. Zach. Great. She looked over to him, her chocolate eyes draining to the ice blue of the tiger. Well, he was going to testify to her animagus form, no use in hiding it.
When he actually said it, she let out a tiny hiss, recrossing her legs, shaking her head. There we go! One jail term for being an unregistered animagus. She waited for Zach to look at her. He did, she smiled at him, her lip caught between her teeth, hoping to invoke some of the reactions she knew she used to in him. Hearing him call her Miss o Raghallaigh, something snapped. The tiger reered inside her.

Azkaban was going to be HELL! Even more so than it would be for a normal person.

[Zach Fischer]

Zach saw Ceallach smile provocatively at him. It did nothing for him. Then he saw the tiger glaring at him from behind her eyes, and his wolf responded angrily. His lips drew back slightly, and a faint growl rasped in his throat. The blue of his eyes changed slightly, becoming more green.

Then he remembered where he was, and looked away, getting the wolf back under contr0l. He looked up at the judge, wondering if there would be any more questions for him.

[JadieLou]

Juliette watched with awe the exchange going on between the two teenagers. She didn't think she'd ever seen two people react like that. They looked as though their human forms weren't the only things reacting. Golly golly golly gosh. Beside her, Sara sniggered and she looked down at her, and she shrugged.
Juliette sighed and turned back to Mr Fischer as he seemed to regain himself. "And you are entirely sure it was Miss o Raghallaigh you were fighting. Could it have been another white tiger? Can you give us any distinguishing marks this tiger had to convinc eyou it was her?"

[Zach Fischer]

Distinguishing marks? Sure, he could think of several - but that would mean admitting he'd seen the corresponding marks on her human form... and at least one of them was in a very intimate place! He took a breath, and nodded.

"She has several scars in her human form that carry over to her tiger form. And a tattoo on her back. It's of a celtic knot - I saw the same design as a marking in her coat when we were fighting."

[JadieLou]

Juliette listened as Zach spoke, telling them about scars of Ceallach's and of her tattoo. She saw Miss o Raghallaigh's head move, and her eyes close for a moment. She knew she was gone. But, there was the slightest of smiles on the girl's lips, like she knew something else as well.
"Mr Fischer, could you give us more detail on these scars? The locations of them perhaps? So it can be verified."

[Zach Fischer]

Zach had been hoping that the tattoo would be enough. But no, he was going to have to describe those scars. And everyone would know he'd...

He sighed, and shrugged slightly. No help for it. He was resolutely avoiding Ceallach's gaze, but from his peripheral vision, he was pretty sure she was smiling.

"She has scratch marks on her back - just below her shoulders. And a long scar on... on her... her right breast."

[JadieLou]

To say Juliette was shocked would be agross understatement. She heard Sara laugh, and Ceallach snigger. It looked like the other two women found the poor boy's embarrassment hilarious.
"Mr Fischer," she heard Sara's silky voice from beside her. "Perhaps you would be able to elaborate on how in the worl dyou know she has a scar there. I'm sure everyone has worked it out, but maybe you should confirm it. To show everyone how hard this would be - testifying against a friend..."
Juliette just looked at the older woman in shock.

[Zach Fischer]

Zach stared at the woman in horror. If everyone had already figured out how he knew, why did he have to spell it out for them? But this was a court, he was under oath to answer all the questions truthfully.

He raised his head, and stared at a point on the wall just behind the judge. If they wanted details, he'd give them what they wanted! Speaking clearly, he said, "I know because I slept with her. I saw the scar. It runs from the edge of her armpit to just below her nipple." He knew his face must be bright red by now.

[JadieLou]

Juliette sighed. How could Sara be so EVIL! That was mean and totally unneccessary. She nodded to the poor boy in thanks, then turned to Ceallach, nodding to the guards, who unchained her arms.
"Okay, well, this is completely different to how I thought this would go," she murmured quietly, so only Sara could hear.
"I have scars ALL over my body, your Honour. Being me - I atract a certain type of male - if you get my drift. I'm guessing you want to know if Mr Fischer is telling the truth? I'll show you - I don't care," Ceallach said as she stood up.
Juliette sighed and nodded. The guards turned Cealach around, so her back was visible to the Minister. "There's the tattoo," she began, lifting her shirt a little. She lowered her shirt and made the guards turn her around again. "The others would be a little harder to verify - out here - I don't mind showing you - but I'm sure not everyone here will want to see. Maybe these guards should take me back out back, and I can show them? Don't expect us back for a while though," she chuckled.

Juliette was so shocked she couldn't speak. She looked at Sara for support who was looking at Ceallach with one of those 'A girl after my own heart' looks. Great.

"No, Miss o Raghallaigh. Discreetly show us out here."

"Oh alright," Ceallach said, shrugging her shoulders. She managed to release her arms from the grips of the guards and turned again, pulling up her shirt as high as she could at the back. Knowing they could all see the scars that adorned her entire back, she lowered her shirt again, then turned around, a grin on her face. Hmmmm - now - how to show the other one while being discreet. She tugged on the neck of the shirt, and managed to pull it down enough that she only had to slice it a little to show the thick silver line that ran along the side of her breast.

"Happy now?" she asked. Juliette nodded, Sara laughed. What a girl! The guards sat her down again, and chained up her arms again. Her legs crossed once again, and she gave Zach a smile, then looked back up to the Minister.

"Thank you Mr Fischer. Just one more question before you sit, is there anyone that would be able to back you up with all of this?" she asked.

[Zach Fischer]

Zach tried not to watch as the judge examined Ceal for the tattoo and scars. Just so long as she didn't ask for any more details.

Finally the judge went back to her seat, and just as Zach thought he was safe, she asked a final question. Oh no! Of course, there was someone who could back up the story. And that would mean admitting the other part of the secret.

"Uh - yeah. I mean, yes, there is. My twin was there too - I mean, we both... that is - uh - he saw the scars . He could confirm she had those scars before the battle."

[JadieLou]

Juliette's eyes widened as Mr Fischer spoke. "He - he was there too?" she asked. Oh dear lord! This girl was something else! She glanced breifly towards Ceallach, who seemed to have collapsed in a bout of silent giggles. "Miss o Raghallaigh - compose yourself."
"S-sorry, your Honour," she chuckled, looking back up. The shocked silence in the room was HILARIOUS! to say the least.
"Well - well your brother will have to come and see me at some point, or write out a testimony in front of Professor Templeton," she motioned to Sara beside her. "So it can be confirmed. Thank you Mr Fischer, you may sit down now."

She took a few deep breaths. Oh my dear god! This was very different than she had expected it to be! Teenagers and their loves lives were so confusing - and wierd at times too. "Miss Desjardins, could you please step up to the stand."

[Zach Fischer]

Zach nodded, sighing with relief, as he was told to sit down.

He glanced at Nathalie, as she stood up. He managed to give her a feeble smile; he hoped that she didn't get grilled too badly.

[Nathalie Desjardins]

Nathalie listened to Zach's testimony, her eyes widening. He and Ceallach had...? She suddenly felt very sorry for him, having to admit that in front of the whole court. And then he admitted that Aidan had been there too... at the same time.

Fighting down an impulse to giggle, she met Zach's smile with one that mixed sympathy with a little touch of awe. She stood up when the judge called her, but before she could move, a soft cough caught her ear and she glanced towards the back of the courtroom. Her father was there, standing right at the back. Nathalie reeled slightly from the force of the glare he gave her.

For a moment, she was frozen. Then she thought of Zach, how much courage it must have taken for him to admit - all that! Well, if he could do that, then she could ignore her father's anger to say what she'd seen.

She walked over and sat in the witness chair, looking up at the judge, waiting for the first question.