Absit Omen RPG

The Wizengamot lingered above them. Enid barely paid any mind to the group of wixes in plum robes who appeared to be having a decidedly heated conversation. The words were silenced by a glowing veil of privacy hanging between the elders and anyone else in the courtroom. The shimmering silvery veil had been erected at least an hour ago and Enid could tell that her client was slowly starting to give in to his nerves. Above them to the side was the overcrowded public gallery. One could see quite clearly at the front of this was her client’s wife, pale as a sheet and sat stone still and staring at the empty space in the centre of the courtroom. Everyone in the public gallery was eagerly chatting away, a few reporters click click clicking at the shutters of their cameras. For these onlookers, it was a show. For her client? Surely time had to be standing still.

A hush, and then excited whispers started to fill the room, and Enid knew this meant that the time they’d been waiting for was upon them. She turned to Leo and offered a reassuring smile.

“If this goes our way, you smile and thank them profusely for hearing your case. But you make it clear that you expect compensation for the…” she paused, considering her words, “heartache and torture. The loss of a life. They did to you what they accused you of, didn’t they? If it doesn’t go our way today? Doubtful, but we try again. New tack. Ready?” She gave him arm a quick squeeze. Either way, Enid was going home to a nice bottle or two of red wine and a nice big paycheck. Winner.

Leo had been sitting stiffly in the enormous wooden chair for all of the hearing, his wrists shackled to the armrests.  For most of the hearing, he’d stayed silent, following her instructions not to play into the part of an angry former Death Eater.  But over the past hour, he’d noticeably become more jittery, shifting uncomfortably against the hard wood.

He glanced at her as she touched his arm.  For a moment, his expression was unreadable, and then he gave her a small, nervous smile.

“No,” he replied, looking back up at the dais.  “But I don’t think that’s ever mattered, has it?”

Enid gave him a small smile. “Apparently not, my dear.”

Around them, the courtroom fell silent and above them, the veil started to dissipate. The chief warlock stood, peering down at them ready.

”Leo Ophiuchus Gamp,” she intoned.  In her magnificent plum robes, Elder Kulkarni looked stern as she stared down at them. ”Thirteen years ago, you were sentenced for horrific crimes against wixes and Muggles in this very court, but you have requested a second hearing.  After deliberating on the case that your lawyer has presented, we have reached our decision.”

Beside Enid, Leo was still.  His green eyes were locked on the Elder on the dais.

”During your first trial, the preponderance of testimony and evidence overwhelmingly swayed this body against you.  It left no doubt to your culpability and guilt.”

Behind them, a low murmuring had started again in the gallery.  Whatever ruling the Wizengamot made here today, Theodora Kingstreet had left the institution riddled with tiny hairline fissures.

”However…”

The room instantly went silent again, as if every wix’s breath had suddenly caught in their throats.  Next to Enid, the former Auror swallowed, his fingers clenching against the hard wooden arm rests of the chair.

Elder Kulkarni’s gaze shifted to Enid for a moment, and then returned to Leo’s face.  ”Based on the testimonies presented today, the Wizengamot is forced to conclude that some of that prior evidence may have been…unreliable.”

The Elder continued to speak, but such a sudden upswell of noise and emotion overtook the courtroom that there was no way to make out her words.  ”Order!  Order!” came the magically amplified command from the dais, but the crowd was beyond listening.

Enid cast a quick glance to her client, a reassuring one. This was hopeful. This was exactly what they’d wanted.

Kulkarni proceeded once the court had hushed once more.

“As such, it is the belief of our representatives here today that there is now no longer adequate proof to hold these charges against you.” If Enid didn’t know any better, she’d say the elder had a mouth full of glass from her expression and the way she was speaking. “On behalf of the Wizengamot, Mr Gamp, I would like to offer our sincerest of apologies. You are cleared of charges and are free to go.”

The chains holding Gamp in his chair suddenly evaporated just as the entire room burst into shouts and cries. Enid grinned, turning to her client. Another win to add to the record.

---

Niobe Thursby was on her feet but not as fast as Genevieve Garcia-Gamp. The Daily Prophet reporter hesitated only a moment before rushing down from the gallery to the floor. “Daily Prophet!” she shouted, throwing an elbow into the ribs of someone with credentials from Obscurus Books.

“Leo, Niobe Thursby, Daily Prophet. You’ve been freed - what’s your comment? Has justice been done?”

The former prisoner was on his feet, not far from his lawyer.  An older couple had already reached his side.  The older woman was openly bawling, tears streaming down her face.  The man was patting Leo on the shoulder, again and again.

Leo had been rubbing absently at his wrists.  At the sound of his name, he looked back, green eyes finding the reporter’s face.

He managed a tired smile.

“Waste no time, do you?” he asked, glancing at Jingleberry as he turned to face Niobe.  “I am…relieved that the Wizengamot was willing to hear my case a second time, and that they showed the good judgement to reverse what was clearly an unjust verdict thirteen years ago.  But I don’t know that you can call this justice, not after so long.”

“You can’t.” Enid interrupted, “Mr Gamp has lost over a quarter of his life to an Azkaban sentencing he never deserved. Mr Gamp is a father who has cruelly never had the chance to love his son. Nothing will ever change that, but we won’t be letting the Wizengamot off with a mere brush off. This needs to be prevented from happening again.”

Niobe’s Verbatis Quill scritched away on her notepad, and the witch herself nodded with lightly furrowed brows.

“I see. What do you think convinced the Wizengamot to clear the charges this time?” Niobe pressed.

“Theodora Kingstreet.” Enid stated plainly. “The Wizengamot have clearly finally seen sense.”

There were more people coming to the floor now, swarming towards them in jubilant conviviality.  Leo flashed a tired grin to a wizard that came over to pound him enthusiastically on the shoulder.  His green eyes shifted back to Niobe, and he gave her an apologetic smile.

“I’m sorry,” he said, as he let himself be turned away back towards the celebration.  “Perhaps we can talk in more detail at a later time?”

Niobe could only agree and let the throngs have at Gamp and his lawyer. “Congratulations,” she said without enthusiasm, her mind already on Genevieve.

“Good.” Enid smiled at the clearly unimpressed wizard. He made the right decision with a little gentle coaxing. Enid was not going to all this bother only for him to stubbornly impose on his wife and end up back in Azkaban when the situation no doubt ended up blowing up. She needed to get paid first. And help him be suitably compensated. Then all the bother would have been worth it.

“Just a few notes, really.” As she spoke, Enid dipped into her bag and withdrew a sheet of parchment, a quill and inkpot. “Write your letter, dear. Then I can go and I’ll see to it that it finds your wife tonight.” She passed them over to him and stood, pacing the room as she continued. “You need to control yourself on Tuesday. Don’t react to whatever our witnesses or the Wizengamot have to say. You are there as an impassive observer. Got it?”

“The media will want comments, regardless of the outcome. If the trial goes our way, arrange some interviews. Get your story out there. I’m leaving you to that bit. In the meantime, try to relax. You might be bored now, but when you get out, it will be overwhelming.”

Enid, clearly amused, laughed. Gen scowled.

“Ok, Mrs Gamp. Did you ever become suspicious of Mr Gamp, during the war.”

“He was working a lot of hours. Aurors do, he always did. But this was more. Late nights, coming home in a mood. I put it down to the pressure at the Ministry.”

“You never thought he was up to anything else?”

“No...Well…”

“Go on.”

“I once considered an affair.” She shrugged, refusing to glance towards her husband.  Leo sat very still, attention focused on the floor in front of him.

“Why?”

“He was just so distant, and we’d been together since we were kids. Maybe he’d decided enough was enough? He had this serious job that was only getting more intense and I was...well, I was me. A Hogwarts dropout who got to report on which villager from Hogsmeade won the pumpkin growing competition.”

“So you were never suspicious that Mr Gamp was breaking the law?”

“Never.”

“Have you believed it since?”

“Never completely. There’s always been a doubt.”

“Why?”

“In the original trial, people were talking about Leo as some school courtyard bully. Even his selection in Slytherin House was dragged through the mud as if just being in Slytherin makes you bad. But the wizard I knew wasn’t a bully. He lost his temper, everyone does. But he was the funniest, most caring wizard I’d met. He would have done anything for anyone.”

“You never said that in the original trial, Mrs Gamp. Is there a reason why?”

“Mrs Gamp,” Enid Jingleberry smiled warmly at her newest witness. The grin, or rather, grimace, reminded Gen of a troll who’d just spotted an enormous rotting cow carcass on the floor. Gen was clearly the carcass about to be devoured. She crossed her arms in the large wooden chair. For this witness, unlike Kingstreet, no chains appeared to hold her in place yet she still shuffled uncomfortably. Her entire body felt store and stiff, perhaps due to the anxiety. “Thank you so much for agreeing to speak to us. It must be difficult for you, what with everything that you wrote in that delightful galleon making little book of yours.”

Gen shot a glance sideways to see Leo strapped into a chair very similar to her own. He was wearing a smart suit that looked too large for him. He met her gaze for only a moment, worry lines showing in his expression.  After a beat, he glanced down, and then away from her all together, back at the purple-cloaked members of the Wizengamot who sat so high above them.

“I didn’t have much choice.” The Editor said quietly, “You made it pretty clear what would happen if I didn’t.”

“So you didn’t wish to stand in for your husband’s defense, Mrs Gamp? 13 years ago you clearly felt the same, didn’t you?”

“What?”

“Well, you’re uninterested in defending him now, just as you were uninterested the first time around.”

“The body could have belonged to anyone, then?” Jingleberry asked.

“It clearly couldn’t have. Exhibit 12. Memorandum of Disfigurement Totalus filed 7 June 1998. Confirmed as the deceased victim. Co-signed Prosecutor, staff Healer, and presiding Elder.”

“I think we’ve heard enough, Madame Kingstreet.” Enid responded calmly, her sweet smile once more on her lips. The doubt was there, it was what she’d needed. “Thank you for your time.” She turned back to face the Wizengamot. “Clearly the witch is and was mentally incapable of lawfully prosecuting my client’s case correctly.”

Her moment, already brief, was being pulled away. Just another charade to undermine her authority. It was expected, it was futile, but it was still an offense for which all present would be held accountable. But did she frown or fluster? No. The batty nutter smiled.

This was the beginning of the end for the Wizengamot. Her tainted prosecutions contaminated the courts that had done the convicting.

“See, I don’t think he is, Theodora. And I think ye did a really bad job of covering yer tracks.” Enid baited the witch, eyebrows raised.

“Madame Jingleberry!”

“I think ye messed up, Theodora.” The witch pressed on, ignoring the Elder’s interruption. “I think, and correct me if I’m wrong, that ye weren’t really all there when ye decided to destroy Mr Gamp’s life to accelerate yer career.”

This? This was what the cobwebs in Theodora’s brain were made for. The tangle and twine of legal wit.

“Gamp and this court sealed his fate. His conviction proves his guilt. The facts speak for themselves. My role was purely … facilitation,” Kingstreet explained. “Your ad hominum attacks, Jingleberry, they smell of desperation. If either of us benefits from manipulation of opinion, it’s you. Such a shame.”

“The Wizengamot benefits if I don’t do my job properly, Dora.” Enid muttered with a shrug. “Anyway, tell me, how did ye facilitate the situation? Funny word to choose, don’t ye think?”

Theodora appeared to get comfortable in her bonds and the rough chair.
“A murder needs a body. I facilitated the body. Conspiracy requires conspirators. I facilitated those, too. It’s all there in the case file,” she said, “properly documented to the absolute letter. Indisputable. It’s a shame the defense has such trouble finding those witnesses. Disorganization, probably.”

The audience began to murmur again. The Wizengamot Elder called for order.

Bingo!

Enid, thoroughly in the zone now, frowned as if this were news to her, something beyond her comprehension.

“Why would you need to facilitate a body?”

Inside, Enid was delighted. Outwardly, she was just as shocked as everyone else in the room. Her hands were thrown in the air as she looked at Kulkarni.

“How am I expected to do that, Elder?” She couldn’t. It was perfect.

“Dora, ye need to chill a little or these idiots might think ye’ve lost it.” The witch jiggled her finger next to her temple to signify insanity. “I know yer not, but these,” a hand was directed to the panel. “They never had the nightmare of losing to you in the courtroom, did they?”

Kingstreet’s chest rose and fell as her agitation grew, as much from her being silenced by the Thirteen Despicables as Jingleberry’s stupidity. She snapped her gaze to the defense and lifted her chin.

“Some of them have.” She straightened and gripped the hand rests.

“So that you do not embarrass yourself further, listen closely. I will assist you. I call into evidence Exhibit Rho-Seven.”

There was a slow murmur in the courtroom as brows furrowed and people looked around. Shackled in his chair, Leo Gamp shifted uncomfortably, his back ramrod straight and his eyes still locked on the witness and his lawyer.  The Undersecretary leaned forward.

“Council shall advise the witness that she is not an attorney and cannot present evidence, including … non-existent exhibits. Madam Jingleberry, our patience grows thin.”

“Madame Kingstreet,” Enid Jingleberry smiled, gaze brushing up and down her star witness, all prussed up to look deceptively like a normal human being. It had been important that she show some sign of her former self, the self that had wrongly prosecuted the poor, unfortunate Auror Leo Gamp and ruined his life.

“Welcome. Please, take a seat.” A hand was waved at a foreboding looking chair placed in the centre of the floor. It was a large dark wooden monstrosity with arms rests that produced chains. Like any perfectly average courtroom chair. Leo Gamp himself was sat in one, much to his lawyers irritation. At least they’d allowed him to dress in his civilian clothing which now hung off him.

Kingstreet did as directed and moved like a queen to her throne. The additional restraints painted a different picture. She looked at that fool Jingleberry. The two witches had sparred in the courtroom many times, trading wins and losses and savagely unethical tactics.

“If it please the court,” Kingstreet said speaking out of turn, “I petition for the expedited execution of Enid Jingleberry. Post haste.”

Around the courtroom, various members of the Wizengamot stared in horror. The defence lawyer didn’t bat an eyelid. Every doubt she or her client may have had about fighting for Theodora Kingstreet to appear in court vanished, whispers of thoughts immediately forgotten. This was perfect and Enid drew on her poker faced control to not grin and clap with delight.

“Maybe later, dear.” Jingleberry did say before turning to look up at what might be quite an intimidating sight. Above them, surrounding them and staring down were the many wizengamot elders adorned in purple robes and headwear. “For the court, please state your name and profession.”

“Theodora Mabh Kingstreet. Political prisoner,” came the response.

“Thank you.” Enid turned back to her star witness, an expression of concern etched onto her features as she tilted her head. “I’ve not been informed that you’re a political prisoner, Theodora. Might you be so kind as to elucidate?”

“Idiot.”

Theodora spared a long glance the thirteen plum-robed Elders. “This body objected to my movements towards Minister for Magic. A temporary situation. Upon the dissolution of the Wizengamot there will no longer be frivolous impediments.”

“Really? Tell us more, Theodora.”

Enid Jingleberry had been a lawyer for 50 years. As can be imagined, after many cases of varying degrees of outrageousness, little succeeded in surprising her. Few things really interested her. Leo Gamp’s case, however, was interested. And the address he opted for her to give the court? Well, that was surprising.

The lawyer raised her eyebrows at her client, clearly disbelieving.
“It needs to be an address ye’ll be stayin’ at, Love.” Enid had met Leo’s ‘Genny’ and there was no way that that witch was about to let him into her home, even after a little grovelling should she choose to visit him before the trial. “The court would approve, but they will check, and if that isn’t your place of residence, you’re answering some difficult questions.”

“Good lad.” Enid smiled and nodded, picking up her quill and scribbling a quick note. “Of course, I can get it out. I’m yer lawyer. I can do whatever I bloody think will serve yer case.” Now, Enid’s attention was on her little checklist. “You’re her husband, Leo, that’s your domain,” The lawyer waved her hand, appearing somewhat disinterested as she peered down through the glasses perched on the end of her nose.

“Tell her ye love her, how ye want to move on fresh after this. Yer lookin’ fer vindication. Ye don’t have to mean it. Feckin’ hell if Patrick did that t’me I’d make him pay. But you want to see your son and you’ve said she’s grand at manipulating stories.” All this was muttered to the parchment as she ticked through a few things. “I need an address where you’ll be staying if we do win.” Green eyes flashed up, eyebrows once more raised. “Yer parents?”

Of course Gamp was worried about Kingstreet appearing at the trial. Any sane wix would be. The former lawyer turned maniac was now, as Leo had informed her, being looked at for the murder of an Azkaban guard linked to Genevieve Gamp. They had a son together who was, up until yesterday, safely kept behind the gates of Hogwarts Castle. Now, at his mother’s apartment in Diagon Alley, he was vulnerable and Leo Gamp knew it.

There was, however, no choice. Kingstreet needed to be at court on Tuesday and Enid had fought tooth and nail to make it happen.

Fortunately, Gamp didn't fight the change in topic to his wife, and admitted having never been able to predict the witch. On brief meeting, she'd seemed the sort, but not who Enid would have matched up with Leo. He'd been grounded and hardworking individual while his wife? She seemed like quite the opposite.

“Well you need to convince her that you're winning this one, dear.”  Enid leaned forward and rested her elbows on the table between them. Merlin, seeing someone else eat was quite revolting; especially when their manners seemed to have been left on the boat on the trip to Azkaban. “Even if she doesn't help with the case, her being on side will help when you get out. What your wife writes, people read and they believe.” Grey eyebrows rose. “What do you want her writing, Leo?”

Something changed in her client at the mention of Kingstreet. That was normal. Few people coped well with her being brought into any sort of conversation. Theodora Kingstreet was a name that Enid had witnessed inspiring fear in anyone from aurors to the general public. A wonder really, for such a maniac. She’d been told about the visit Gamp’s wife had made to the former lawyer, and she’d heard of the suspicions regarding the death of an Azkaban guard being related. It was all delightfully intriguing.

“Not ideal.” The lawyer muttered, shaking her head. “The wizengamot need to see how she’s turned out. Let’s leave them in no doubt. It’s a question of how much ye want out, Leo. I’m good but I doubt even I can do as good a job as the lady herself in proving her madness.”

Another sip of tea and she sat back.
“So, a few former colleagues first. Set the groundwork on the type of auror ye were. Diligent, hardworking, caring. Then Kingstreet. We’ll keep that one super short. Don’t need to give her a forum, a couple of minutes before she gets dragged off, I reckon. Then yer wife.” Now, Enid did frown. She paused, placed her teacup down and folded her arms. “She’s the only one I can’t predict. May be better off cutting her out and relying on t’others.”

“Well, I didn't think you were asking about my husband’s gout, lad.” Enid chuckled and sat down opposite her client once she'd pulled a second cup out for herself and placed it beside the pile of parchment. “He’ll be fine when he stays off the spicy foods.” The Irish woman gave a grin and took a sip of her own hot drink, strong tea, no sugar, tiny tipple of milk.

“We’re all set, I reckon. Blazing ahead ready for Tuesday.” This was probably one of Enid's more interesting cases. Auror accused to turning but claiming innocence throughout his life sentence. She was coming to the rescue to set the record straight and free him. It didn't actually matter to Enid if her client was innocent; it was great publicity and his family were paying her handsomely. If she could get this guy out, everyone would want her on their side.

“I've liaised with our witnesses. A couple o’family members, yer old partner. Kingstreet is never going to be ready but that helps our case. She hates you, kid, and your Genny seems to have really driven her wild. But don't ye ferget, Leo, yer fergivin, ye just want justice finally done so he can move on wit’yer life. Don't go giving her that death glare ye’ve clearly been workin’ on.”

“Why is it always so feckin’ cold here?” Enid Jingleberry, overpaid but (in her opinion) highly underappreciated defence lawyer was following a skinny male guard with a brown mop of scraggly hair atop his head down a long and breezy corridor. He didn’t look much like he could guard a ceramic garden gnome, let alone a prison full of the most dangerous criminals in Europe. Perhaps there might be another prison break on the cards. That would be delightfully fun. And great for business. “Ye torture them enough, don’t ye? Ye need to have them freezing their knackers off too, love?”

The guard, quite rightly, chose not to comment and came to an abrupt halt at a black metal door. He turned and nodded to the lawyer who gave him a perfectly pleasant smile. “Much obliged.”

The door was slammed shut behind Enid when she stepped in, and she fixed her gaze on her new favourite client. Not favourite because of his personality. They all had those. The kookier, the better. But how exciting it was to overturn a lifetime conviction. It had been too much of an opportunity to pass up, of course. Who wouldn’t enjoy messing with Level 2? Enid had made an extremely lucrative career out of it.

“Ye look like crap, Leo. Ye need t’sort yourself out before the trial.” Enid reprimanded with a shake of her head. “We’re presenting an innocent man ready to let loose once more on the outside world, not a criminal who can’t keep himself kempt. I’d cross the street to avoid ye and that’s sayin’ summit.”

From her bag, she produced a bacon and egg bap wrapped in greaseproof paper which she tossed over to Gamp. Next, she also pulled out a cup of coffee in a ceramic mug that said ‘My Quill is Mightier than Yours’. A wave of her hand and the enchantment keeping the liquid inside vanished. She placed the mug in front of her client with a smile. “A little kick of summit extra.” After a wink, Enid once more went digging in the enchanted bag for her paperwork, a quill and an inkpot.

Your Nickname: Mel
Have you read and do you agree to the Code of Conduct?: Yes
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Is this a Primary or Secondary Character?: Secondary

Full Character Name: Enid Gloria Jingleberry
Character Birthday & Age: 70 – 6th august 1941
City & Country of Birth: Dublin, Ireland
Blood Purity: Pureblood
Alma Mater: Hogwarts, Slytherin
Job/Position: Defence Lawyer

Wand: Hornbeam with a core of hair from the mane of a kelpie. The wand was purchased when Enid was 11 from a small wand makers in Dublin.

Physical Description:
An Irish witch with a deceptively softly spoken Irish accent. Enid has embraced her grey hair and wrinkles. She had bright green eyes always framed by a set of black rimmed glasses. She reaches about 5 foot 6 and has become a little rounder and plumper in her older age.

A traditional pureblood witch, Enid is always seen in witch’s robes, long skirts and boots. She likes to wears lots of layers and is often times sporting a good old traditional pointy hat. A little known fact about Enid is that she often makes her own clothes.

Personality Description:
Manipulative, intelligent and expensive. Enid Jingleberry is probably the most highly prized criminal lawyer in wizarding Britain and her fees are extortionate. She is bright, efficient, and incredibly good at reading people. It is a surprise to most that she isn’t actually a legilimens, as most people presume she is.

Enid is a workaholic, and at the age of 70, shows no signs in slowing down. She has built up an impressive client base and an outstanding reputation for winning even the most daunting of cases. If there is a loophope or a tiny flaw in a case, Enid will be the one to find it.

Outside of the courtroom, Enid appears on the surface to be a lovely friendly witch who wants to befriend people. She tends to make witnesses and her opponents feel comfortable around her before she stabs them in the back in front of the Wizengamot.

Enid has been happily married to Patrick Jingleberry for 45 years. She is mother to 3 children and grandmother to 7. At home, she is decidedly different to the persona she puts out in public.

History:
Enid Pendragon was born in 1941 to Siobhan and Declan Pendragon in a small village called Dalkey in Dublin county. She was the older sister to Agatha Pendragon who later married Barnabas Cuffe.  The two hated each other since Enid can remember. The times, Enid barely remembered, were tough on the country, even wizarding kind suffered the effects of the World War. Enid and Agatha’s parents, however, shielded them from most of it.

Sorted into Slytherin immediately as the sorting hat touched her head, Enid knew she was destined for greatness.

In 1959, Enid graduated from Hogwarts with an exceptional set of NEWTs and headed straight to the Ministry to follow in her father’s footsteps and train as a lawyer. Primarily, Enid worked in prosecution to put the bad boys away. Quickly, however, she came to the realisation that there could be so much more money in defending the bad guys and charging huge amounts of galleons for it. What’s more, Enid was bloody good at it.

From that point, her career started to really develop and, in time, flourish. She spent 30 years based at the Ministry of Magic before finally starting up by herself. Now, Enid is the co-owner of Jingleberry Law Ltd with her husband Patrick.


Describe your job duties and how you go about them:
Enid is a defence lawyer who is excellent at getting bad people off with minimal or zero time. She overcharges and tends to be well worth it.


Elaborate on your expertise in your field:
Having been in the legal game for 50 years, Enid’s experience is practically unrivalled. She has built a reputation for being unscrupulous and untouchable.


Writing Sample:


Sum up your character in one paragraph:
Enid is an unscrupulous defence lawyer who will take on anybody’s case for the right price. She has little morals and a very good knowledge of old wizarding law and its loopholes.