Amelia Bones stood at the center of the Wizengamot chamber, her robes immaculate, her monocle catching the dim light filtering through the enchanted ceiling above. The sky reflected there was overcast, heavy with clouds, casting a muted silver glow across the tiers of seated witches and wizards.
She had never cared much for politics.
But justice—justice was something else entirely.
And this case had become a knot of it.
"The matter before the court," she began, her voice clear and steady, "concerns the aftermath of the Greystone House investigation. Though, like many such cases, it begins with something far smaller."
A faint shift moved through the chamber. Attention sharpened.
"One year ago, Auror Alastor Moody, accompanied by Junior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt, detected an anomaly within the perimeter wards of the Forbidden Forest. Upon investigation, they discovered a child—approximately five years old—severely injured and under active attack by a group of vampires."
A few members leaned forward.
"The child survived," Amelia continued, her tone unwavering. "Barely. But not unchanged."
She let that settle before continuing.
"He had been bitten. The transformation, however, did not complete. What we are left with is… an anomaly. A partial turning—neither fully human nor fully vampire. A rare condition with no clear precedent in modern records."
A murmur rippled across the chamber.
"Further investigation yielded no identifying information. No family. No magical lineage. No records of any kind. The child himself retained no memory of his origins."
She paused briefly, then turned a page.
"He was placed under the care of St. Mungo's while the Ministry deliberated. Given the uncertainty surrounding both his condition and his magical capacity, he was assigned a new identity—Caelum Sanguine—and transferred to Greystone House under strict monitoring and evaluation."
The murmurs grew louder at the name.
"For a time, the case appeared contained," Amelia said. "Manageable."
Her gaze hardened slightly.
"That assumption was incorrect."
She lifted the next parchment.
"It has now been confirmed that Greystone House operated as a site of unauthorized experimentation, illicit trafficking, and the illegal application of Protocol Thorne—a discontinued Ministry policy permitting the removal of individuals deemed irredeemably unstable."
The reaction this time was sharper—voices rising, some in anger, others in disbelief.
"Let me be clear," Amelia said, her voice cutting cleanly through the noise. "Protocol Thorne has long since been declared obsolete. Its use is not only unlawful—it is criminal."
Silence fell again, heavier than before.
"Adrian Rosier," she continued, each word precise, "formerly of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and acting under the title of Special Advisor on Magical Outliers, was apprehended on-site along with six identified enforcers."
There was recognition this time. Unease.
"All individuals have been remanded to Azkaban pending trial. Their assets have been seized. Their affiliations are under active investigation. This case remains open as we examine the extent of internal complicity."
She allowed that to linger.
Then, slowly, she lowered the parchment.
"But that is only the first half of this hearing."
A quieter tension settled over the chamber.
She lifted a final document.
"Caelum Sanguine."
The name carried differently this time.
"The other children formerly held within Greystone House have been relocated. The Ministry has established a task force to oversee their placement into stable environments—education, care, and reintegration."
A brief pause.
"They are no longer the immediate concern."
Her gaze swept the chamber.
"This boy is."
Amelia stepped forward slightly.
"He is, at the time of this hearing, six years old. In that time, he has demonstrated magical capabilities far exceeding expected development, including consistent wandless casting and advanced control over fire-based magic without identifiable origin or catalyst."
The room had gone very still.
"And he has killed."
The words landed cleanly.
"A total of three confirmed fatalities. Two enforcers during the Greystone incident, and one former hit wizard later confirmed to be operating under Rosier's authority. All incidents have been reviewed. Each has been ruled an act of self-defense, supported by witness testimony and magical trace analysis."
She did not soften the next part.
"Nevertheless, we are left with a child—partially vampiric, which is still classified under current law as a dark magical being—demonstrating extraordinary magical power, and possessing no known origin, lineage, or governing framework."
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Amelia let the silence deepen, let it press into the chamber until every eye was on her.
Then she turned, addressing the full assembly.
"And so, as head of this inquiry, I present the question before this court."
Her voice rang clear—calm, precise, unyielding.
"What is to be done with Caelum Sanguine?"