"Don't let him hurt you. He already hurt you so much you should not let him win," Sirius tried to reassure Andromeda when seeing a tear.
"I can't help it. He still is my father, and he acts like I don't exist and refuses to acknowledge Nymphadora at all," Andromeda confessed, still feeling hurt over the rejection.
Even the whispers died when it was announced the trial would now begin, the silence only broken by the sobs of Mrs. Crouch.
"Bring them in," the elder Crouch called.
Everyone shuddered when the dementors escorted in the accused. These creatures were universally feared and hated due to their especially dark nature and the nasty effect they had on people - that was, even without considering their soul-eating abilities. It seemed to get colder in the room as well, but most knew this was only a mental effect. No one knew if dementors had emotions, but if they did, they seemed to enjoy their surroundings a lot, with lots of positive feelings to absorb.
Rodolphus and Rabastan looked slightly nervous at the presence of these creatures, while Bellatrix seemed not effected at all, probably testament to her personality. Crouch Jr. in turn looked highly nervous and if he could die of fright.
While the accused were chained to the chairs in the center of the big room, whispers started again. While there was no love for the Lestranges, the younger Crouch was accused on rather shaky evidence. There was not exactly much to justify a sentencing, especially compared to those that got out on an Imperius-defense. That already didn't reflect well on Crouch the elder.
Bellatrix used that moment to look up to Sirius and Andromeda, giving them an icy look. They both knew what it meant.
"I know that look. It was a promise to personally kill us, once she gets the opportunity," Andromeda whispered, feeling sad at the reminder of what kind of person her sister was.
"She is all the worst traits of the Blacks put into one person," Sirius added, playing upon the danger that Blacks could turn out to be especially violent or partially insane - most likely due to their breeding policies - a danger they thankfully managed to pass safely.
What followed next was utterly predictable to anyone with some brains.
Rodolphus and Rabastan had clearly elected Bellatrix to speak for them, and Bellatrix made a big show of her support for Voldemort and her utter conviction that the Dark Lord one day would rise again, and then everyone would pay for daring to resist him. There was no doubt in her voice, she meant every word of it. Even worse, the dementors still didn't seem to have much of an effect on her.
Even as a prisoner, surrounded by dementors, Bellatrix managed to give off an aura of danger. She wanted to leave little doubt where she was standing and most in attendance just hoped she would be gone soon enough.
"Even in chains, she remains fanatically loyal to him. Makes me wonder what he promised her," Andromeda whispered to Sirius, actually being afraid of her younger sister.
Sirius had a good idea. "Probably the simple opportunity to live out her bloodlust against all those she feels don't deserve to live. But hearing her talk of him, I don't even want to imagine what more was going on between them."
I don't exactly want to know, either, Andromeda thought, trying to hold back her imagination.
That being over, now came the more interesting part.
It actually turned out to be rather sad. Barty Jr. was a complete nervous wreck and everyone knew the evidence against him was somewhat weak, with him not even being present when the Longbottoms were tormented. However, despite his son pleading he was innocent, had been forced into the group and had just been too afraid of Bellatrix to run away, his father was coldly proceeding by the book.
"This is just sad to watch," Andromeda said, shaking her head in disbelief.
All the pleading and appeals to his father fell on deaf ears, and the elder Crouch even used the opportunity to publicly disown his own son, labeling him an utter failure. When the whole sad display was finally done, Crouch Sr. finally spoke the sentence: lifelong Azkaban to all of them, even his son despite the quite weak evidence against him. Mockingly, this caused thunderous applause from the audience.
Sirius snorted. "They applaud now. But mark my words, they'll change their minds about Crouch soon enough... Well, time to face the music. Could you stand by my side when I face these vultures?"
"Do you even have to ask?" Andromeda assured him of her support.
Thankfully, the press had been told to wait in the big atrium of the Ministry - more space and less danger of someone getting trampled. The were waiting like a pack of wolves and while the trial of course was the main story, they had all smelled blood when Sirius had told them he had an announcement to make. That was a chance none of them wanted to miss.
"Mr. Black!" "You have something to announce to the public?" "What do you think of your cousin being sentenced to Azkaban?" "Is this announcement about the House of Black?" "Is this the former Andromeda Black with you?"
He waited a few seconds, ignoring the storm of questions, before rising a hand. Even though he got disowned and couldn't care less about such things, he still had the aura of a Black if desired. And that small gesture was enough to silence them.
"Thank you, gents and ladies. First off, my cousin Andromeda is here for moral support, she is not part of what I have to announce."
He waited a few moments, then added, "You can quote me on the points I have to say." He said that when seeing a young witch with blond hair and a rather atrocious fashion sense fumble with an acid-green stenography quill.