Chapter 9
"Although we are very curious about the secret of your resurrection, this cannot absolve you of the nature of your identity. All Death Eaters have already been judged, so you should not harbor any delusions."
After another lengthy discussion, the chief judge still said such words.
Regulus felt like he was talking to a group of old fogies, even though many of the judges didn't look old at all!
"Does the defendant have anything to explain?"
Regulus was pondering why the current situation had arisen. Clearly, there were things that could be clarified, yet they stubbornly insisted on judging him. Looking around, there were quite a few young judges, but there were also many older ones.
Comparing it to the politics of the Muggle world, it seemed that the young people didn't want to take the blame, which might be the truth. Therefore, judging oneself was not wrong in any case, while believing one's own words and letting oneself off the hook could lead to taking the blame.
Thinking this way, he realized he needed a respected figure to stand up and speak for him.
"I still cannot agree with your judgment. Physically, I am now a corpse; I have already died once. I want to reiterate this point. As for my soul, I do not consider myself the pure Regulus . I was another person before; during this time of being a corpse, perhaps I was Regulus Black before, but the current me can be considered a third incarnation. Should I still be held responsible for things I did not do?"
After another long discussion, the chief judge seemed not very convinced by the outcome of the debate, but he still announced it.
"If you can prove your claims, this court can declare you not guilty."
"I hope that Professor Dumbledore can use Legilimency on me. Everything will be judged by you, and I will accept whatever the result is."
Regulus directly handed the question over to Dumbledore, who was watching from the side.
The judges present all turned their gazes to the old man, which left Dumbledore somewhat speechless; it seemed he had to take the blame.
Since Regulus could make such a suggestion, he must have a lot of confidence that Dumbledore would ultimately speak for him. He just hoped that this disaster-prone little guy wouldn't make mistakes that dragged him down in the future.
"This is your own choice. I'm sorry, but I have to peek into your secrets. Legilimency!"
The location was in the Black family's old house, where Voldemort asked Regulus Black for a house-elf, thinking the Dark Lord wanted to conduct some kind of experiment. Regulus, filled with admiration, assigned the task to Kreacher and instructed him to remember to come back home.
That night, Kreacher returned to the Black family home in agony and recounted his experiences to Regulus Black.
After learning that the Dark Lord had collected an extremely important dark magical item, Regulus Black looked at the suffering Kreacher and decided to get to the bottom of the matter. He took Kreacher back to the cave, drank a potion that caused immense pain, swapped the decorative box, and ordered Kreacher to take it away and find a way to destroy it. In the end, he was dragged into the water by the Yin corpse and died.
The scene shifted to a newborn child appearing, with ordinary parents, an ordinary life, and ordinary experiences. Although it was in a different country, it didn't hinder Dumbledore's understanding until this ordinary person's life ended, dying inexplicably in front of a computer.
Hmm! It should be from exhaustion, Dumbledore concluded.
Then, the soul of this ordinary person suddenly appeared in the cave where the dark magical items were stored. In a spiritual form, he drank the potion, and then the soul merged with the body, successfully leaving the cave, which subsequently disappeared.
The final content showed Inferi Regulus Black standing outside the cave wall, summoning Kreacher, and then they returned to the old house.
Next, after grooming, the following day they went out to Diagon Alley for shopping and were captured by an Auror in front of Ollivander's wand shop.
In the memories Dumbledore obtained, he found no illogical elements, meaning everything was real and credible.
However, for Regulus, living as an ordinary person named Regulus in the information-rich internet age, what stories had he not seen, heard, or thought about? What wasn't there in movies: Blu-ray, HD, 3D, digital films?
Moreover, nine truths and one lie is the standard for lying.
So Dumbledore believed he saw through everything, yet he did not discover any other content, especially the part about the self-contained system.
The necromancer system and equipment are not suitable for exposure, so Regulus felt no guilt.
"Headmaster Dumbledore! You are willing to believe me, right?"
At that moment, Regulus was like a student who had made a mistake, stubbornly believing he was not wrong, although he indeed was not wrong.
Dumbledore thought for a while and decided to take another look at this student of his. Although he was somewhat puzzled by the memory content he had seen, at least it was true that Regulus had stood by the Death Eaters throughout.
Moreover, his testimony also involved Sirius Black. Although there should be familial ties involved, he wouldn't stoop to lying for his brother! He had only mocked him for betraying the family.
"I acknowledge Regulus Black's statement; what he said is true," Mr. Dumbledore stated openly and fairly, "However! I still respect the judgment of the Wizengamot and will not interfere with the verdict."
Regulus truly did not expect that after Dumbledore checked his memories, he would do nothing at all.
Just a light remark about respecting the judgment sent him back.
However, Dumbledore also stated that he acknowledged Regulus Black's statement and believed what he said was true.
This point gave the judges of the Wizengamot a way out, and the attitude of those present immediately changed.
"In light of your special circumstances and the fact that you did not commit any wrongdoing during your time as a Death Eater ten years ago, we hereby declare!"
After a discussion, the leading young female judge prepared to announce the verdict.
"The judges of the Wizengamot have deliberated and found you not guilty!"
This was a happy ending; many judges present began to applaud, as this was a rare major case in the wizarding world, and both the process and the outcome were so pleasing that it warranted celebration.
"Hey! How can you... do this!"
The Minister of Magic, Fudge, was astonished, not expecting that in the blink of an eye, this group of judges, mostly from Ravenclaw, would let this Death Eater go without even consulting him, the Minister of Magic—simply disrespectful.
"Headmaster Dumbledore! Would you be willing to help me one more time?"
Having left the defendant's seat, Regulus stopped Dumbledore, and his request for help made several judges pause.
"You know, I was a Death Eater before, and then I died for over ten years. Now my physical condition is very special. If possible, I hope to find a job at the school and resolve my physical issues."
"If it's just your physical issues, I think St. Mungo's would be more capable," Dumbledore said, adjusting his glasses, a look of understanding what Regulus wanted evident in his eyes.
"Headmaster Dumbledore! My situation is unlikely to be... safe anywhere else."
Regulus Black needed to clarify things further with the old bee in front of him; otherwise, he didn't know how it would be misunderstood. "Because I am resurrected, in the true sense of the word, and among those former Death Eaters, who would be moved? No one can guarantee."