Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author.

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Chapter 3 - Family Trials

The clock in the hall chimed loudly at half nine that morning, signaling that it was time for the twins' bath. Following her tight schedule, Hermione filled the baby bath in the bathroom, and took both children in, leaving Luciana in a basinet while she tended to Sebastian first. As she bathed and cleaned him thoroughly, it gave her time to muse back on the events of that week so far.

On Tuesday morning she had received a letter from the Wizengamot informing her of her requested presence at the trials of Ronald Weasley, for his use of an Unforgiveable curse on his brother. Just a couple of months earlier, Hermione had been feeling certain the trials would not even be going ahead, but she was relieved that they were. Ron had once been a very great friend of hers, and she wanted to believe that he had only been having a delayed psychological breakdown from after the war. But after his examinations turned up nothing, she knew it was pointless to cling to hope when there was none.

The trials were set for that afternoon, and she had planned to leave the twins for a while with Megan in charge of their care. Severus had suggested giving their adoptive daughter the responsibility to show her that they trusted her. For him to suggest such a thing was a very big deal as far as Hermione was concerned, which out her wary mind at ease. In the past three weeks, she had been fully in mother mode, and had barely been able to go without seeing them for half an hour before she would check-up on them.

'Hermione?' called Severus' voice from somewhere in their chambers.

'I'm in the bathroom!' she replied, finishing Sebastian's bath off, and toweling him dry lightly.

Severus rounded the corner and stood in the doorway to the bathroom, just as Hermione put on his nappy, and started dressing him in his little bodysuit. Chuckling at the sight of his son putting little hands all over Hermione's face as she tried to dress him, Severus entered the bathroom and dropped down to floor, carefully plucking his son from his wife's grip and completing the task of dressing him, while Hermione began the undressed and bathing of Luciana.

'You are adorable, wife,' he told her as he cuddled with his boy on the bathroom floor, while watching as Hermione bathed his daughter.

She laughed softly, splashing a little water in his general direction. 'You are a shameless flirt, husband,' she told him matter-of-factly.

He chuckled and helped Hermione with the bathing process by toweling off his daughter and dressing her, and then followed his wife through to the sitting room where the twins' day cot had been set up. They were both tucked into their bed with their gifts from Bill and Julia, and soft blankets, ready to await the arrival of Megan.

'Why don't you go and get ready to leave for the Ministry?' Severus prompted softly, giving his wife a nudge.

'Okay,' she agreed, leaving the room.

Severus sat in the armchair closest to the cot and opened the book he always read from to his family at the page he was last, and began to read. He got through a whole two chapters before Hermione reemerged clean and dressed in her best black robes, with her hair all pulled back in a silky knot save for a few small stray ringlets around her face. She was an unassuming beauty if he had even seen one. He stood and walked to meet her, pulling her slim form into his and capturing her lips in a meaningful kiss. He smoothed his hands over her hips and around to her belly. Despite having just given birth a few short weeks ago, her body had returned to its former slenderness.

'You look as though you had never been pregnant at all,' he told her seriously, spinning her in his arms and kissing her neck.

Hermione laughed softly. 'It was lucky that you made me that cream to prevent stretch marks, or there would be more evidence to the contrary,' she said with a grin. 'Now you go and get ready, and I will call for Megan, and let Filius know we are leaving.'

He nodded and complied immediately. Hermione smiled and shook her head. She had never imagined Severus to be the complaint type, but he constantly proved her misconceived theories wrong. She quickly Flooed Filius and also sent a missive to Megan, requesting her presence there, and not five minutes later, was opening the door to their chambers to let her inside.

'So, are they asleep?' Megan asked as she walked in and hung up her coat.

'They are sleeping at the moment, but you will have to feed them at noon, and mind you burp them properly or they'll feel ill later,' Hermione answered, leading Megan over to the cot. 'Do you have any study to do while you're here?'

Megan shook her head. 'I do all of my work on Friday nights so I can have a weekend free of school,' she answered with a proud grin. 'Can I read some of the books from your study instead?'

'Feel free to read anything that isn't in the locked cupboard,' the older witch answered with a proud smile of her own. 'And call Dobby if you get hungry at any point.'

'The milk for the twins is in the refrigerator, yes?' the young witch inquired.

'Yes, there are two bottles there for each of them, and you will just need to cast a mild warming charm on them before you feed them. Just be careful not to overheat them,' Hermione answered, patting her lightly on the shoulder.

'I'll be careful, Mum,' Megan said seriously, before going off to the study to find some suitable reading material for the afternoon.

As soon as she was out of the room, Severus emerged from the shadows and wrapped his arms around Hermione snuggly. 'Everything is going to be fine, my love,' he reassured gently. 'Sebastian and Luciana could not be in better hands for the afternoon. You mustn't stress my pet.'

Hermione nodded and turned in his arms. 'I've just never left them for more than half an hour before in the last few weeks, and it's going to drive me barmy not being able to know exactly where they are and what they will be doing,' she answered with a slight sob into his chest. 'I know Megan will be fine though – it's just hard.'

Severus rubbed her back and shushed her. 'It's alright for you to be anxious,' he soothed. 'Just try not to think about it and it will all be over, and then we'll be back here again before you know it.'

Hermione nodded, and as soon as Megan was back in the sitting room, they bid her and their babies goodbye, and Flooed straight to the Ministry main entry hall. They took the lift right down to the bottom floors, where the Chambers of the Wizengamot were, and proceeded to walk towards the courtroom that was being used that day. Hermione's stomach was rioting, and her nervousness could be seen in her expression as Severus led her into the room, and to the witness box, where Harry, Ginny, the Lupin's, Julia and Bill were already seated.

'Hermione, you look a fright,' Tonks said seriously. 'Come and have a seat and take it easy for a few minutes, will you.'

Ginny hugged her in sympathy as Hermione sat down beside her. 'It's okay, you lot,' the redhead said with a small smile. 'Hermione here is just going through a little separation anxiety from the twins. The same thing happened to me when I left Lily with my Mother for a few hours for the first time.'

Severus sat down right beside her and put an arm around her, hugging her lightly, and pressing a swift kiss to her forehead. 'Everything is going to be just fine, love,' he told her, rubbing small circles on her back then.

A few minutes later, the Wizengamot Elders entered the courtroom, along with Tiberius Ogden, the recently instated Chief Warlock. The room fell into silence, and the doors to the outside were closed and warded against entry or exit of the room. From his position, Severus could see Arthur Weasley seated amongst the Elders. He knew it had to have been extremely difficult for him to be there that day, when it was his own son that was on trial for the unspeakable crimes that had been committed. There was nothing worse than having to sentence a son to prison. Severus could only think of the outcome of Barty Crouch Sr. all those years ago during the Triwizard tournament and feel nervous about the outcome for this trial.

'I would like to call attention to all of those present in the courtroom this day, Saturday October the 3rd, that the trial of one Ronald Bilius Weasley, be sanctioned to begin,' Tiberius Ogden said in a clear voice. 'I ask those Elders of the council to raise your hands if you agree that this be so.'

Every single one of the Elders raised their hands, and so Ogden banged his gavel sharply a few times to officially begin the trial. A side door opened then, and two Auror's led Ron into the room. There were no iron shackles to be seen, but Hermione knew that there had to be some sort of Magical ones in place to stop Ron from lashing out or making any sudden moves. There also would have been something on him to restrict the movement of his legs so that he could only walk.

'I now call this court to order and ask that the charges be read out,' Ogden said calmly, and soon the Kingsley Shacklebolt stood from his seat to read them out.

The first part of the trial with all of the legalities being observed was slow, and seemed as though it would never end. It was worse than a trial in a Muggle court any day. The papers were read through, and all of the charges were described in full, before any of the witnesses were called to the stand to speak. Bill, being the primary victim was called to the stand and asked to give a statement about the events of the entire evening, from when he first arrived, to the argument, and then finally, his passing out from the Cruciatus curse.

Julia, Tonks and Harry were also called upon to speak of their perspectives, before Hermione was finally named as one that would have to take the stand. She nervously got out of her seat, and made her way to the stand, receiving many sad looks from those in the general crowd. It was as though they pitied her for having to speak out against her friend and the man that everyone had assumed she would one day marry.

'Hermione Jane Snape, do you solemnly swear this day that every word from your mouth shall be a truth, with the punishment being an immediate sentence to Azkaban should you lie to the court?' asked Griselda Marchbanks from the Elder stand.

'I do so solemnly swear,' she answered with only a slight hitch.

'Thank you,' she said. 'Now the court would like to hear your description of the events.'

Hermione nodded and swallowed. 'It was just as Harry said – everyone had just arrived, and we were in the sitting room conversing, when Ronald Flooed in and seemed rather disgruntled that he had not been invited also. He made some snide comments about it being a couple's party, before Bill finally told him off for it,' she began fairly calmly. 'Ron lost it after that point, and was swearing and getting rather angry. I tried to calm him, but he wouldn't listen. Then he aimed the Unforgiveable Cruciatus curse at Julia, but Bill stepped in the way of it to save her from harm. It took both Severus and Remus to tackle Ron and stop him after that.'

Tiberius nodded then. 'Now that we have heard all of the witness accounts of the events, the Elders and myself, along with the rest of the Wizengamot will take our time to decide this man's fate,' he said seriously. 'Until then, this court is adjourned.'

Hermione let out a breath and slumped in the stand, sparing a brief glance to Ron. She almost wished she hadn't, for when she did, all that she saw was the anger in his eyes, and promise of revenge as he slid a finger over his neck to imitate the act of slitting her throat. Severus came to the front to retrieve her then, and she hastily beat a path out of the room and away from her former friend.

She could still see Ron mouth 'You're next,' in her mind.

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A/N – More is on the way, but no promises when it will be delivered. Please review!