It had been a long week since the aurors had come to their home in Godric’s Hollow[1] to ask Willy about Lawrence Musgrave. After the aurors had questioned him further, they’d shipped him temporarily off to Azkaban while he awaited trial. It had only been just after Christmas that he’d got out - and a month later he had been shipped back. Gladys-May was never going to speak to him again. The aurors had probably spoken to her too. He only hoped they hadn’t caught Mr Musgrave in the meantime. If they had, and they were both locked away together, Willy didn’t fancy his chances.

Today he was back in London, eyeballing the wizengamot. They were a proper lot, in their weird purply robes and funny hats, he thought to himself as he stroked his beard the best he could. He wasn’t unfamiliar with them, he’d been in Azkaban before more than once, after all[2] Perhaps this might be for the last time, but Willy was as ever, optimistic.

As the wizengamot settled, he was prompted to confirm his name and date of birth and cleared his throat, nodding to them all as respectfully as he could for a man in Azkaban uniform.
“William Arthur Boris Shufflebottom, your honours, twenty-third o’ November… 1962.”
“Mr Shufflebottom,” the court assistant addressed, "you are charged with perverting the course of justice in regards to the location of wanted criminal, Lawrence Musgrave. How do you plead?”

Willy swallowed and licked his lips, throat feeling dry. It was as if all the air had been sucked from the room.
“N…"
“Mr Shufflebottom, how do you plead?”
“Guilty.” He croaked, shuffling his feet. There wasn’t much point in denying when the aurors were witnesses. He could lie habitually about most things, but even he accepted there were limits.

“Mr Shufflebottom you are also charged with committing acts of terrorism aided by dementors on the following dates and at locations: December 29th 2010 near Glasgow, January 5th 2011 near Norwich, January 11th 2011 in London, and January 15th 2011 in Hogsmeade[3]. How do you plead?”
“Not guilty.”
“Argument for the prosecution.”

Willy sank down again in his seat in court and puffed out his cheeks, watching Level Two staff approach to make their argument that he was guilty. Perhaps if he hoped hard enough, Mr Musgrave would come and break him out.

1.	25 January, 2011 Suspicion Haunts the Guilty Mind
2.	Most recently released Dec 2010 from his 4th sentence, serving 2 years for trading acromantula eggs. Before this it was general law breaking and the first time, he was caught breeding restricted creatures and was sentenced to a year, around age 25 - is 48 now.
3.	Dementors Dementing

Andromeda stood up. She walked over to talk to the Wizengamot. Her auror robes were pressed and clean. She was very proud to be in court today. Not all of her arrests got this far. She glanced at Auror Xin.
"William Shufflebottom and Lawrence Musgrave both attended Hogwarts from 1974 until the summer of 1979 when Shufflebottom left. The pair are friends. Multiple eyewitnesses recall them as school friends. There are photographs." Andromeda picked up a photograph from the table nearby. It was the photo she had shown Shufflebottom. In the photo Mr Shufflebottom and Mr Musgrave were students sitting on a wall. Mr Shufflebottom fell backwards off the wall. Everyone was laughing. They were having fun. "We visited Mr Shufflebottom as part of routine enquiries. Mr Musgrave had been sighted in the village the past night. When I and Auror Xin visited Mr Shufflebottom at his home on January 25th we showed him this photograph. Mr Shufflebottom claimed he did not know which person in the photos Mr Musgrave was. He was evasive. When questioned, Mr Shufflebottom admitted he had also seen Mr Musgrave on the evening of January 24th. For this reason I charged him with perverting the course. We searched the premises." Andromeda gestured to Auror Xin. "Auror Xin discovered signs that someone has been sleeping regularly in the hay loft. Mrs Shufflebottom gave statement that it was not Mr Shufflebottom, Mrs Shufflebottom of their two children who was sleeping there. Mrs Shufflebottom has also submitted a statement which declines to give Mr Shufflebottom an alibi for the nights of December 29th, January 5th, January 11th or January 15th."

Whether it was grey, lifeless concrete wallpaint and low claustrophobic space of the court she once had to stand in, or the cold, austere high-ceilinged room she was in right now, Adrianna was once again reminded why she hated courtrooms. Anything but those. But she was here because she was involved. Did she even count as a proper witness? She was an auror. The least she could be was neutral; if she were on either the defence or prosecution right now she would probably hate being here even more.

The auror stood up. "I can confirm the evidence of a persons residing in the Shuffebottoms' loft. Further investigation of any and all signs left behind by that individual appears to match Lawrence Musgrave's profile." She'd already added her findings to the set of evidence that had been presented at the pre-trial and the Improper Use of Magic Office to determine if the case needed to be sent to court. In her opinion, it really hadn't needed that extra step, but procedure was procedure. "Witnesses around the village described the individual for us, which also matches Musgrave's profile."

She sat back down. As for the dementors, she had nothing to say. Gamp seemed to have far more evidence in that regard on her side.

Having read the files Sameera had slid onto his table with a low mutter of "You should read this", Mordecai was wondering exactly how this man had gotten himself into so much trouble in the past. He wasn't going to judge - well, judging was his job - but having had an experience with a certain individual, life was a cruel mistress in its own way. He should know.

But to have been in league with Lawrence Musgrave, now. The evidence so far was stacking the stakes against Shufflebottom at the moment and the not guilty plea was, metaphorically speaking, looking weaker by the second. However, Mordecai was not letting that slide so fast, even though he was keenly suspecting that regardless of whatever argument the defence was going to make, this trial was going to head down a path he could predict right about now.

"According to the evidence," he spoke loud and clear, "we do indeed have a lack of alibi from the accused's wife on the nights specified. Do we have statements from other sources that would confirm that he was out somewhere rather than, say, in an inebriated state in a place of merriment?"

The recorded confrontation between the accused and the two aurors was very telling regarding the man's association with Musgrave...no point bringing it up.

Though Minerva normally tried her very best to stay out of Ministry matters, she was an elder on the Wizengamot. She, as a rule, chose to think of herself as ‘honorary’ and chose only to involve herself in things that directly related to something she felt was important. Dementors running amok – that was definitely something important. It was hard enough for Minerva to accept the fact that those foul creatures weren’t yet exterminated; having them attack her staff and students – well that was simply unacceptable.

The robes covering the elderly witch’s frame felt uncomfortable and awkward. Uniformity was important, Minerva knew this, but why they all had to look exactly the same was beyond the Headmistress’s understanding. The case had been frustrating in the extreme; very little headway had been made, at least in the formidable witch’s opinion. Thankfully, there was finally a solid lead.

What would be most important in the case is understanding that Shufflebottom was merely a pawn in the grand scheme. Though his rap sheet was quite long enough to show his aptitude for dark deeds, that same sheet led Minerva to believe he couldn’t have possibly been the ring leader. A brilliant mind keeps their name clean, allowing others like Shufflebottom to take the fall.

Minerva adjusted her robes and settled in comfortably to wait for the trial to take place. She rarely spoke during these trials, allowing those with more experience and expertise to question and dig at the defendant. The Headmistress was content simply voting when the time came, but because of the intimacy of the ordeal, Minerva was on high alert. She listened to the two aurors and sat forward as Mordecai started to speak.

“Mr. Shufflebottom, what say you? Have you an alibi for those evenings?” She asked when the wizard had finished speaking.

Willy’s round eyes followed the movement of different parties around the room. Auror Gamp was the first to speak, turning to address the court in front of him.

"William Shufflebottom and Lawrence Musgrave both attended Hogwarts from 1974 until the summer of 1979 when Shufflebottom left. The pair are friends. Multiple eyewitnesses recall them as school friends. There are photographs.” Willy rearranged his hands in his lap at the description. He could remember Auror Gamp showing him the photograph and him denying it all. Not exactly his best move, particularly as his wife also remembered everyone in the photograph.

"We visited Mr Shufflebottom as part of routine enquiries. Mr Musgrave had been sighted in the village the past night. When I and Auror Xin visited Mr Shufflebottom at his home on January 25th we showed him this photograph. Mr Shufflebottom claimed he did not know which person in the photos Mr Musgrave was. He was evasive.” Willy’s mouth twitched and his eyes lowered.

"When questioned, Mr Shufflebottom admitted he had also seen Mr Musgrave on the evening of January 24th. For this reason I charged him with perverting the course. We searched the premises.” Willy watched the small, dark haired auror gesture to the other auror who came to him that day. This one was an animagus and had been spying on him!

"Auror Xin discovered signs that someone has been sleeping regularly in the hay loft. Mrs Shufflebottom gave statement that it was not Mr Shufflebottom, Mrs Shufflebottom or their two children who was sleeping there. Mrs Shufflebottom has also submitted a statement which declines to give Mr Shufflebottom an alibi for the nights of December 29th, January 5th, January 11th or January 15th.” At the length of the explanation, Willy’s shoulders sank, and he saw Auror Xin get up to explain further. They had searched the whole farm, found plenty to question about. Should he not be sent to Azkaban for this, they had enough or something else they’d reckoned. He was never going to see his children again, and it tore him apart.

"I can confirm the evidence of a persons residing in the Shuffebottoms' loft. Further investigation of any and all signs left behind by that individual appears to match Lawrence Musgrave's profile.” Auror Xin explained, "Witnesses around the village described the individual for us, which also matches Musgrave's profile.”

The aurors took a seat and Shufflebottom turned his gaze upwards to cautiously examine the Wizengamot sitting above him in their pews.

"According to the evidence,” one wizard spoke "we do indeed have a lack of alibi from the accused's wife on the nights specified. Do we have statements from other sources that would confirm that he was out somewhere rather than, say, in an inebriated state in a place of merriment?”

“Mr. Shufflebottom, what say you? Have you an alibi for those evenings?” He recognised Professor McGonagall. She was a wise witch indeed.

“I er,” Willy grappled with the dates, lying out of impulse habit “I were out with people in Knockturn and visiting my brother, only ee weren’t home. I weren’t out with Mr Musgrave - I ain’t seen him until recent like I told the aurors. Scared the wits out of me an’ the goats. Yer see, I only got out of Azkaban just after Christmas, and the wife weren’t so happy, like. We don’t have much money so I gotta try and find work and such. I was going to see if I could get any odd jobs down Knockturn - people down there don’t ask so many questions about yer OWLs and such, that’s all.” He shrugged uncomfortably at the wizengamot, blushing. The latter was at least true, but not the dates.

“I were scared,” he persisted, “that’s why I didn’t tell the aurors, I were scared Mr Musgrave would come back, hurt my family. He’s not well, I don’t think he means to scare people. He’s got a good heart really. Do you - do you know how hard it is to get work when you been inside? I were only inside for a few years. I still got my family. Well…. did.” He deflated a little and sat back in his chair.

"Which is it Mr. Shufflebottom,"  Ignatius asked in low voice that carried through the court room, "he was going to hurt your family...or he has a good heart."  As far as he was concerned those were not traits found in the same person.

"Perhaps you should take a moment to decide what lie you want to tell next."  While it certainly helped that the man in front of the Wizengamot had pleaded guilty to one of the charges, Ignatius was ready for everyone and anyone involved with the dementors to spend the rest of their days in Azkaban.

"If you can not provide any names to verify your whereabouts, I think you will find another extended stay in Azkaban does not improve your resume.  That is, assuming this stay is not permanent."

It was 8 days since Lawrence Musgrave had broken into the Storm’s home in Godric’s hollow. Therefore it was a week since William Shufflebottom had been arrested on Miranda’s suggestion that he was involved with the criminal.

Should have made Willy stay...
"Who is Willy, Lawrence?"

He’d not told her who Willy was, he’d threatened to slice her throat instead. Too scared for her own safety, Miranda hadn’t pushed the point; but she had shared her own idea of who Willy might be with the aurors. Now, prussed up in the robes of the wizengamot, Healer Storm stared down at William Shufflebottom. She remembered him from school, the daft Hufflepuff that had happily followed Musgrave around. He’d married Miranda’s equally dopey cousin.

Finally deciding to stand up, Miranda’s dark eyes stared down at the accused.
“You knew what Musgrave was doing, didn’t you? That is why you encouraged him to come to me. Why would you try to help someone who might hurt your family?”

"Which is it Mr. Shufflebottom, he was going to hurt your family...or he has a good heart?” Willy looked up and found old Mr Prewett in the sea of faces. "Perhaps you should take a moment to decide what lie you want to tell next.”

“I… he… I…"

"If you can not provide any names to verify your whereabouts, I think you will find another extended stay in Azkaban does not improve your resume.  That is, assuming this stay is not permanent.”

“I - he - he used to be good, Mr Prewett, sir - he used to be an auror. He tried to be good, it’s hard - it’s when you got nowhere ter live, nobody wan’ ta give yer a job. The people who do wan’ ter give you are job are the wrong people, like.” Shufflebottom protested. He was speaking from his own experience as well as what he knew of Lawrence since he had left Azkaban a year ago. “You don’t know what i’ like with all your money Mr Prewett! You’ve never had it so bad you ain’t got two knuts to rub together and yer kids are hungry…” Willy wanted to bury his face into his hands but could only lower it and shake his head at the thought of his children.

“You knew what Musgrave was doing, didn’t you? That is why you encouraged him to come to me. Why would you try to help someone who might hurt your family?”

“Ter get them to go away!” Shufflebottom exclaimed, blue eyes watery, regretting any mention of Andy to Lawrence. “Ter get help! Mrs Carter yer know how ter fix him! I didn’t know he werd hurt yer - I did ner know you lived in our village!” He shook his head. “He’s not right.”

His fellow Wizengamot members slowly picking apart the pieces already. Mordecai felt almost sorry for the man. Almost.

"Musgrave knew what he was doing when he landed himself in Azkaban and had his wand snapped, Mr Shufflebottom," he said, watching the nervous wizard sweating in the chair. "While we have yet to reach the verdict of wand snapping, you perhaps would know better than to go that far. Or would we be assuming wrong?" It sounded slightly like a threat, perhaps to the defendant, but as the person who had the authority to make such a decision[1] he had every right to bring it up. "Being penniless or lacking in job employment does not give reason or excuse to cause harm to others, as Musgrave has done. I have confidence in assuming that you are aware of that."

He let that hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "You have not answered the question regarding eyewitnesses to account for your locations on the nights stated. Mr Shufflebottom, lying will not help you in any shape or form at this stage. Let me remind you that you are in charge of your fate here."

1.	Improper Use of Magic Office holds the authority to send legal representatives to destroy the accused's wand.

"Being penniless or lacking in job employment does not give reason or excuse to cause harm to others, as Musgrave has done. I have confidence in assuming that you are aware of that.” Willy swallowed visibly at the statement, under the beady eye of the assembled wizengamot. No, it did’t give an excuse, Mr Hollingbury was right, but often people did get hurt along the way, given the line of work they were in.

"You have not answered the question regarding eyewitnesses to account for your locations on the nights stated. Mr Shufflebottom, lying will not help you in any shape or form at this stage. Let me remind you that you are in charge of your fate here.”
“I… I…” Willy stammered, “The people I saw wouldna talk to you. You hate them all.” He shook his head, “Look I know I’ve been a fool in the past and I know Mister Musgrave ain’t the straightest arrow either but we didn’t mean no harm.”

The smallest of words slipping from Willy’s mouth was enough given the expressions of the aurors in the room.

Sat to the right of the Head Elder, Edwin watched Shufflebottom smugly. He knew exactly what Willy and Lawrence had been up to - they had partly been completing tasks he had set, and had also gone off script. He'd put the wind up Shufflebottom in January on discovering Lawrence was more interested in experimenting with dementors than actually helping them out at the same time by moving them along. He had expected as much, if he was honest, but Shufflebottom despite being easily led and a chronic liar did have a bit of a heart.

"So what is it, Mr Shufflebottom, you sent Mr Musgrave away to prey on Head Healer Storm in fright for your family's life, or you assisted Mr Musgrave with dementors?" He leaned forward a little, "You had already admitted to Hollingbury that you cannot provide adequate alibi for any of the nights in question. Your wife has refused you alibi and made a statement against you. There is evidence to suggest that you have sheltered Musgrave in your buildings. You were old school friends, you have a criminal record..." Edwin lifted his hands palms uppermost as if to weigh up the evidence.

"Mr Shufflebottom, are you able to cast a patronus?"

Shufflebottom was at sixes and sevens. He was not able to answer questions well. He said things that conflicted. It was not clear. The wizengamot were frustrated. Andromeda knew how they felt. She was frustrated by Mr Shufflebottom too. He could tell them a lot about Musgrave. He was not telling them anything. She wanted to give him veritaserum. It would help them catch Musgrave. That was worth it. Andromeda looked at Adrianna and shook her head. She folded her arms.

“I… I…”

"Mr Shufflebottom, are you able to cast a patronus?”

Of course Mr Glass knew he could cast a patronus!  Willy had cast it in the man’s living room[1] just after new year to prove he could.  Great beautiful dragon patronus it was, and made him very proud.  One of the few bits of clever magic he could do. One didn’t need to know how to write an essay to make a patronus, just have lots of happy thoughts and be able to picture them clearly.  Perhaps it was his slightly simpler mind that allowed him to, or maybe a dormant magical potential[2] he was entirely oblivious to, having bailed out too soon in life to discover.

Willy wasn’t so much of an idiot to know that Mr Glass wasn’t able to disclose that because their work to move on dementors hadn’t been for the Ministry.  It was an experiment for Mr Glass and Mr Gamp who wanted to control them.  The Ministry wouldn’t allow them to work with dark wizards knowingly, and especially not Mr Musgrave who was a wanted wizard now.

How stupid he had been, he should have found out what was going on before he agreed to help Lawrence.  He’d only wanted to help, to make an old friend happy again after so many years.  People had always looked down their noses at Shufflebottoms, and as happy as he was to produce a patronus, Willy wanted for once to prove to everyone he was worth something.  He had purpose and meaning and wasn’t just the bloke you went to when you needed a creature cross-bred for dodgy purposes.  Gladys-May, Jack and Susie would be better off without him, she’d said as much.  He’d miss them.

“No.” Willy replied sullenly, staring at the floor.  He shook his head and shrugged, looking directly to Edwin again. “I nev’r could.  I’m stupid like.  Besides, can’t make friends with a dementor if yer gorra patronus.  But whadda I know, I’m daft.”

Shufflebottom sighed noisily. “Yer all made yer mind up before I got here.  Just cos I went to school wiv him, cos he scared me and the goats, and cos you think someone’s living in my barn yer think I’m helping Mr Musgrave!”

1.	2nd January 2011, Through Grey Mist Creeping
2.	1966, Desperate Volunteers

Shufflebottom was leading them around bushes. He had a brief but fleeting wish to be an Occlumens just to get this over with. Just as illegal as veritaserum, just a temptation. Patience. Being on the offensive was getting them nowhere, and detouring didn't work either.

He settled for neutral, curious. "Mr Shufflebottom, you are aware that Musgrave is a wanted criminal by the Ministry? In that case, why did you choose to help him? Knowingly aiding and abetting a known criminal is in itself a criminal offence. Did he force your hand, offer a bribe - or was it out of goodwill to help a fellow man in need? Tell us what you do know and maybe you may have a case for your plea."

Mordecai sat back in his seat, shifting to make himself comfortable. If they were going to be here for long, he might as well. "You have the floor, Mr Shufflebottom," he said calmly.