Trial of Ceallach o Raghallaigh [GUILTY]

[JadieLou]

Juliette watched as Miss Desjardins walked up to the stand. She gave the girl an encouraging smile. She looked petrified. The poor girl. It had been a hassle to get her to testify.
"Miss Dejardins, if possible, I would like you to relay the events you saw during the Battle, in relation to Miss o Raghallaigh," she said soothingly. She really felt sorry for her.

[Nathalie Desjardins]

The judge's tone was soothing, and Nathalie took a deep breath.

"During the battle, I was set to guard a doorway. I was using stunning spells. I could see two people duelling, and they moved close enough to me that I could see it was Megan O'Reilly and Ceallach O Raghallaigh. I thought I should help Megan but she was between me and Ceallach, so I couldn't get a clear shot."

Nathalie swallowed. This was the part that had been replaying in her dreams ever since the battle. "Megan tripped over something, and fell. And while she was down, Ceallach - she laughed, and then she used Avada Kadavra on Megan."

She paused, trying to hold onto her self control, remembering how terrified she'd been at that moment. "She looked up at me and I thought she was going to - to do the same thing to me. But after a minute, she just turned around and walked away."

[JadieLou]

Juliette listened as Nathalie relayed what she had seen. Well, now they knew who had killed Megan O'Reilly. She glanced at Ceallach, who just shrugged, as if anyone else would have done that too.
"She just - walked away?" Juliette probed. She turned to face Ceallach. "Why did you turn away and not continue the job, especially when you saw she was actually guarding something?"
"How was I supposed to know she was guarding something? She was standing in a doorway. Do you KNOW how many doorways there is in Hogwarts?" Ceallach retorted. "And, I didn't personally have anything against Miss Dejardins. There was no point to doing the same to her."

Juliette sighed. She hated to admit it, but Ceallach did have a point with that one. Oh well. Didn't help her case. "Thank you Miss Desjardins, if you don't have anything else to add, you may sit," she said, giving the girl a smile for her courage.

[Nathalie Desjardins]

Nathalie nodded, and walked towards the bench where she'd been sitting before. She was trying not to look over at her father, but she couldn't help it, it felt like her gaze was being dragged in his direction. His eyes, the same crystal blue of her own, were blazing with fury and disgust. Nathalie faltered, stumbling slightly, and reaching for something to steady herself.

A hand took her arm gently, and she managed to tear her gaze away from her father. It was Zach, guiding her back to her seat. He asked her if she was okay, and she nodded. "Yeah, just a bit... stressed."

[JadieLou]

They heard from a few more witnesses that had seen Ceallach in the battle and there was absolutely no doubt of her guilt. There was an electric silence that had swept over the courtroom. Everyone was waiting for the verdict. Juliette looked to the Wizengamot.
"Everyone in favour of conviction?" she requested. There was not a hand that didn't raise. Ceallach didn't look phased, to be honest. She just shrugged.
Miss o Raghallaigh, you will be fined a sum of 300 galleons, and serve a 1 year prison term for not registering your animagus form. For your other crimes, you will serve a life sentence in Azkaban prison. With no chance of parole."

[Zach Fischer]

Zach sighed. It had been pretty obvious what the outcome would be. And he had no doubt that she deserved to be punished for killing that girl. But still, the idea of someone his own age being sentenced to Azkaban for the rest of her life. He looked over at Nathalie, wondering how she was feeling. After all, it had been her testimony that had resulted in Ceallach's conviction for an unforgivable curse.

Nathalie seemed curiously calm, looking at Ceallach directly for the first time. Well, after all, she was the one who'd watched Megan O'Reilly die. She'd be able to see the Thestrals now, he thought suddenly.

[Ceallach o Raghallaigh]

Ceallach just shrugged as she watched all the hands go up. She knew it was bound to happen. But, the actual sentence was what hit her. She nodded to the fine and term for the Animagus stuff. Hearing the life sentence handed down, she gasped, taking heavy breaths. She'd got the worst sentence of all of the remaining Death Eaters of this Battle. She'd heard the uards talking about the others. Max and Danika had only got 15 years. And here Ceallach was, hearing that her life was completely over.
No chance of parole She'd rot in that cell. And no one would care. Would they?
She glanced to the crowds and saw Zach's eyes on her. She didn't know what to make of the look he was giving her. She sighed, then mouthed a sort of mocking 'I'll miss you' as the chains around her arms loosened and the guards carted her off to begin the end of her life.

[Zach Fischer]

Zach looked back at Ceallach, as she was being taken away. When she mouthed the words at him, he shrugged. He wouldn't miss her! Not the way he'd missed Belle when they broke up. He sighed. He still felt that had been for the best, but it didn't stop him feeling like crap about it. But it was getting easier. The trial had taken his mind off it, and now going back to school, with his NEWTs ahead of him this year, he'd have plenty to keep him busy.

He stood up, wanting to get out of the courtroom as quickly as possible.