Chapter 465: An Eye for an Eye Trial (Edited)

The group of noble wizards led by Lucius Malfoy managed to intimidate the elderly members of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures.

The average age of these individuals exceeded seventy years, and this included data from the younger members responsible for executions!

The older a person becomes, the more cautious they become in their actions. They lack the energy and impetuosity of youth and become more conservative in their interactions with others. This phenomenon is common in both the magical and non-magical worlds.

Elderly individuals tend to involuntarily become conservatives. In relation to this phenomenon, even radical entrepreneurs in the high-tech industry in the non-magical world have said things like, "Most people don't need to live so long; longevity stifles society."

According to their standards, the magical world is definitely "suffocating." And the behavior of the magical world also partially confirms what was said in the second half of the sentence.

The magical world is becoming increasingly conservative.

These elderly wizards carefully analyze issues before taking action. For them, many problems cannot be evaluated in terms of right or wrong; they must first weigh both sides on a scale.

At this moment, Lucius undoubtedly had the upper hand.

The members of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures muttered quietly and occasionally glanced at Hagrid and Lucius.

Lucius, of course, noticed the subtle movements of the committee members. A slight smile curled at the corner of his mouth; it was just as he had imagined! He knew the people on the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures very well; they were cowards and conservatives, and if he applied a little pressure and brought some friends to listen, they would submit.

It would be abnormal if they dared to resist! Those members, mostly mediocre people with no merit other than their qualifications, should have been admitted to the Wizengamot if they had any character or strength.

"Hagrid, I've decided to kill that hippogriff; not even Merlin can stop me. I'm serious!" For Lucius, his son Draco was his balance, and anything that harmed his son had to be destroyed.

He barely cared about what had actually happened. If that vile creature had hurt his son, then that creature had to die. Not sending Hagrid to Azkaban was already a favor he was doing for Dumbledore.

He recalled the Black family tradition of beheading house-elves and mounting their heads on the walls, and how Muggle nobles liked to hang the heads of animals in their castles. Should he imitate that in the Malfoy Manor and mount the head of that hippogriff on the wall?

He felt that something was not right with that; such behavior was too primitive and inelegant, not appropriate for the noble and distinguished Malfoy family.

Lucius was already thinking about how to handle Buckbeak's body.

Hagrid took a deep breath, suppressing his nervousness. He pulled out his notebook from his pocket; it was the written defense that Hermione, Tom, Harry, and Ron had helped organize the night before. It contained some cases of absolution that would be useful for the trial.

So far, Hagrid still believed that the outcome of this trial would be decided in the courtroom.

The doors of the courtroom opened again. Lucius didn't pay attention to this detail until he realized that the people around him were standing up.

The Minister of Magic, Amelia Bones, appeared at the door.

"Minister, why are you here?" the old wizard who was in the host position asked, surprised.

"Do I need to inform you where I'm going?" Amelia glanced at him, and the old wizard didn't dare say anything else. At that moment, all the members in the courtroom stood up and directed their gaze towards Amelia.

Hagrid was also surprised. He didn't expect his case to attract the Minister of Magic.

"Please, everyone, be seated. I've only come to listen, just like Mr. Malfoy." Amelia waved her hand for everyone to sit down, and she found a seat in the front row, paying no attention to Lucius and his group seated in the back.

The wizards in the courtroom were astonished. What did they mean by "just like Mr. Malfoy"? Had Minister Bones come to defend Hagrid?

Many people had other ideas simultaneously, like Torquil Travers, another heavyweight present here. He abruptly stood up, patted Lucius on the shoulder with a friendly face, and excused himself to leave through the back door.

After he left, Lucius Malfoy's face turned pale. The friends around him also looked unnatural. Lucius now regretted asking Torquil to come; he felt he had made a mistake.

This guy had a higher status than him. He came and went as he pleased, without any restraint from Lucius. Now, he had fled at the last moment, weakening the morale of his own side and creating a variable in the trial that he originally had under control.

Of course, the biggest variable was that person... Lucius looked at Amelia's back and squinted his eyes.

Why was Amelia here? Surely, she hadn't come just to listen. A person of her position had hidden motives in each of her movements. She was here to support Hagrid, that idiot. That confirmed the collaboration between her and Dumbledore. Lucius unconsciously stroked the handle of his wand. However, he didn't feel worried in the slightest. Amelia's appearance only put him and Hagrid on the same starting line.

Before, he was racing against Hagrid from the finish line, but now, he had simply returned to the starting line, without losing his direct eligibility for the competition.

Lucius was still filled with confidence, feeling that he had the upper hand. The reason was simple: he had already made significant concessions. He didn't seek to punish the stupid giant Hagrid; he only wanted to eliminate the beast that had harmed his son. That request wasn't excessive. He believed that, as wizards, the committee members would understand that.

After obtaining Amelia's consent, the old wizard began the trial.

"The trial of September 3rd... to address the case of injury caused by the hippogriff raised by Rubeus Hagrid to Draco Malfoy..." The old wizard spoke and pulled a scroll from a stack of documents in front of him. He took a deep breath and began reading aloud as loudly as he could: "So, well... now it is... the charge. The defendant is being accused of the following offenses..."

He read aloud the charges against Buckbeak.

"Rubeus Hagrid, due to the endorsement of Albus Dumbledore... we believe you are not guilty in this unfortunate incident... but do you admit that your hippogriff caused harm to Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes," Hagrid replied.

"Very well..."

"But..."

"But?" The old wizard paused and looked at Hagrid.

"Buck... that hippogriff hurt Draco because Draco didn't follow my instructions..." Hagrid seized the opportunity and began explaining the details of the matter to the jury. He not only narrated the sequence of events but also presented some examples. However, due to nervousness, his notes constantly slipped out of his hands, making him even more anxious. In the end, he couldn't even remember the dates of those cases.

But the old wizard listened patiently the whole time without interrupting, which made Hagrid suspect that he had fallen asleep.

"I see..." he nodded. At that moment, Lucius Malfoy coughed lightly, and the old wizard closed his mouth and looked at Lucius.

"Mr. Malfoy, do you have something to say?"

"Of course!" Lucius Malfoy stood up determinedly. "What Hagrid has said can only prove his innocence in this case, not absolve the hippogriff of its crimes! My son was injured by that beast, and his arm was immobilized for three months. Shouldn't we immediately get rid of this dangerous creature?"

"Um..." the people present thought. After all, they were all wizards and naturally had the perspective of wizards. It seemed there was no need to keep that hippogriff if it had harmed someone.

"Buckbeak won't harm anyone..."

"Really?" The middle-aged wizard who had received him earlier snorted coldly. "When we met you, you didn't say that."

"That's because..." Hagrid's head was sweating with anxiety.

"It's because it's a cruel and heartless beast!" Lucius pounded his fist. "If we don't get rid of this dangerous creature soon, it will hurt someone again. Then, everyone here will bear responsibility."

"No... It won't..." Hagrid shouted desperately, but Lucius's words convinced most of the members. Buckbeak shook his head uneasily, not understanding what was happening, frightened by the unfamiliar surroundings. If it weren't for Hagrid, he would have flown away already.

"Everyone here will bear responsibility?" Bones suddenly spoke with a smile.

Lucius closed his mouth for a moment before saying cautiously, "I was just making an analogy..."

"I see," Amelia smiled. "Then I can rest easy. And Mr. Malfoy, this is the tribunal of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Only the individuals in charge of the trial can question the defendant."

Her implication was that she was accusing Lucius Malfoy of interfering in the courtroom trial.

"I am the plaintiff, my son was injured by that hippogriff," Lucius quickly found an excuse for his intervention, but at that moment, the elderly wizard in charge spoke.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Malfoy, you are not the plaintiff in this case. The plaintiff in this case is the Executive Committee. The purpose of this trial is to determine whether Buckbeak, the hippogriff, should be stripped of its dangerous status... As for the disputes between you and Hagrid, I consider them already resolved. If you have any objections, I suggest you file an appeal..."

The elderly wizard spoke gently.

Lucius Malfoy snorted. "Absurd, my son was injured, how can a father have no connection to the case?"

"Unfortunately, your son can attend as a witness, but he is not here today." The elderly wizard shook his head. "I can understand your concern as a parent, but I ask that you return to your seat."

A flash of anger crossed Lucius's face; how dare that old man speak to him like that!

But considering Minister Bones was present, it wouldn't be appropriate for him to get angry, so he had to sit in his seat with a furrowed brow. The anger inside him was almost tangible. He glared fiercely at Hagrid and Buckbeak. If there was a magical spell that could kill with just a look, Lucius would have learned it.

"Very well... the trial continues..." The elderly wizard discreetly wiped his sweat; he knew very well that he had earned the enmity of Lucius Malfoy, but what was lost in one part was gained in another. Surely, he had left a good impression on Minister Bones.

Between Malfoy and Minister Bones, the elderly wizard had made his choice. Mainly because Lucius had no grounds and Bones was more "important" than him.

"Hagrid, according to your testimony, this hippogriff is not a cruel and heartless beast," the elderly wizard said slowly.

"Yes." Hagrid nodded and, at the same time, stroked Buckbeak's back. As if to reciprocate, Buckbeak bent his knees slightly so that Hagrid had a more comfortable angle to pet him.

"It doesn't seem to be a soulless beast by the way it behaves, but Hagrid, you are its caretaker, and its attitude towards you is not universal..." the elderly wizard said slowly.

Hagrid lifted his head, recalling a conversation from the previous night.

"Hagrid, the key is to prove that Buckbeak is not a cruel beast by nature, so in case the jury asks you to demonstrate its character, you should do so..."

Tom had told Hagrid this before leaving Hagrid's cabin.

Fortunately, Hagrid hadn't forgotten this conversation.

"I can prove it!" Hagrid raised his head. "I can show that Buckbeak is harmless! As long as he doesn't harm anyone, right?".

"Of course." The elderly wizard nodded. "Our department...".

"No, no, no, sir," Hagrid interrupted him. "This is an unfamiliar environment, and you know it. For animals, being in an unfamiliar environment makes them nervous, even if it's a harmless kitten. It's an animal instinct. So, I request that the committee accompany me to Hogwarts to verify this!"

After saying those words, Hagrid involuntarily swallowed. He realized that the most difficult part of the case had already passed.

Lucius, who was sitting at the end, suddenly looked up, with a bad feeling.