Hermione sent her an owl immediately upon returning to the Manor that afternoon. She waited all weekend for a reply, only to receive letters from Ginny, Neville, and a handful of reporters with questions about the upcoming "Edinburgh Trials." It wasn't until Tuesday that Hestia's owl arrived with a one-sentence reply: Meet with you after Yaxley's trial.

They both would be there. Hestia on the Prosecution Counsel, and Hermione as a witness testifying against Corban Yaxley.

She had to Occlude for three hours after she received a letter from the Prosecution asking her to testify. They'd told her there were roughly a dozen former Lots deemed fit to testify against him, including her.

A dozen. Out of all the people who'd been bought and sold there.

She'd written Pansy afterward, asking how she was. In the post-script, she'd informed her about Yaxley's trial, and asked her if she'd like to testify against him. She'd scrambled to the window when Draco's eagle owl returned at one in the morning, tearing open the letter to read:

I'm fine. And no, I'd rather not.

-P

Later that week, she learned in a letter from Ginny that she too would testify. Angelina would travel in from France, where George was taking a long holiday. She'd miss them in court by one day.

The decision to hold the trials in Edinburgh had been one of the Council's easier votes. The evacuation of Edinburgh a year ago meant that the Parliament Hall was empty, the building untouched by the Americans' bombs. So they agreed to use the Muggle courtrooms. No wands would be permitted inside except for the guards, and only the members of the Tribunal could sit in the gallery. They were given two guest passes per day.

There was a certain poetry in it all.

Hermione took the stand on the first day of Yaxley's trial, breathing deep into her still waters as she spoke to her days in the Ministry holding cells, the quick way he'd sliced Lydia Baxter's neck, and Parvati's final choking screams. It was widely known that he had entered her into the Auction, but she was the one to present it to the judges, detailing the Palace Theatre and the specific comments he'd made as her value increased.

Yaxley was ragged and gaunt in the chair. She managed not to look at him for the most part, but her gaze was drawn to the dark circles under his eyes and the way his cheekbones protruded. Her stomach twisted, so she reached into her shelves until the memory of his leering gaze at Pansy had anger boiling like acid in her gut.

When the prosecution had finished their questions, Yaxley's barrister stood. He had a bored look on his face as he cross-examined her. He asked her half a dozen questions dutifully, and Hermione was stunned that he didn't press her when she stumbled on whether Yaxley or Dolohov had been the one to cast the Cruciatus Curse at her. He gave her a clipped nod, crossed the room, and took his seat again before she even realized it was over.