Harry went back to work the next Monday. I was glad that he was returning to normalcy, but at the same time I missed him. The last few weeks had seen us grow a lot closer. We spent nearly every day together, and while we would still see each other, it would be reduced to evenings and weekends.
But he was happy, so I couldn't really complain too much. My apartment was between his and the Ministry, so we usually got a visit for dinner.
The Standard of Living Check was everything Hermione said it would be. It was easy and gave me a lot of confidence in the case. The woman who observed us, a kind, older woman names Ella, seemed really pleased, though she couldn't really comment.
I knew the presentation in court would be the worst part. I would have to face Christopher for the first time in nearly a month. The emotions of more than three years would come out in court and I knew it wouldn't be pretty. It was going to be one of the hardest days of my life. But hopefully, I would be leaving with full custody of Sophia.
Harry would not be attending the court that day and would be watching Sophia. I didn't really have any one else I could trust with her. He said he didn't need to be at court, but he would be supporting me anyways. He thought that if Christopher saw him in court, he would be more volatile. He would be at the courthouse when it was all over, and hopefully I would not be handing Sophia over to Christopher.
I spent the weekend before the trial freaking out. I had confidence, but it was so easy to succumb to worry. Harry and Dad were trying to distract me. Harry took me out to dinner and shopping for a dress to wear to court, and Dad came over to show me what he was planning to say at the hearing.
His speech was good and brilliant and made me cry. It reminded me how very lucky I was to behere. I had come so far from a month ago and it did really feel great.
And then the trial was Monday morning. I'd been restless all night, even though Harry had stayed over. He woke me up around six, two hours before I would normally get up with Sophia, with breakfast in bed.
"I knew I kept you around for a reason," I said, jokingly, before biting into the toast.
"Not my dashing good looks?" he asked.
I grinned. "Unfortunately not," I said, pretending to be solemn.
"Well, you'll be disappointed. Toast and eggs is about the extent of my cooking skills," he said. "I am, however, skilled with dialing for takeout."
"Thank you," I said, leaning my head against him. I needed to be showered and dressed and Dad would be here at half past eight. We had to be at court at nine.
"You'll need all the support you can get today," he told me. "I just want you to know you have mine."
I just nodded. I felt as ready as possible to fight this battle, but I was still nervous. I showered and put on my new dress, blue because that was supposedly the best color to wear to court. I didn't really believe that, but it couldn't hurt.
"You will be fine," Harry said. "I know it. Marni got what she deserved last week and you will get what you deserve, custody."
Marni's trial had not gone well for her at all. She would be sitting in prison for a very long time, and it did tug at me. She had been my best friend before, and I was struggling with the guilt it was my fault her life would be spent locked up. The more rational part of me argued that she kidnapped and could have harmed my child, she deserved worse. Harry told me not to worry about it and not to think it was my fault either, but it wasn't as easy as he thought.
I knew today would go fine. I had an amazing lawyer who had put a lot of research into the case and was passionate about it. My father was giving a powerful speech that would probably make me cry again. And I truly did have the best in mind for Sophia.
I fidgeted for awhile before Dad got there. It was hard to sit still. I folded her laundry, but once I got bored of that, I held her while she slept. Harry left me alone, but I could hear him in the kitchen humming. Even after Sophia woke up, I still held her. I knew she was safe here, and if Christopher got her, I wouldn't. That would kill me.
Just before nine thirty, Harry came in. "Your father will be here in a few minutes," he said.
I nodded and put Sophia back in her crib for a moment so I could hug Harry. I wouldn't cry, I promised myself, but I was close to tears.
"Enough worrying," he told me, squeezing me tightly. Suddenly I wished he was going to court with me. He leaned in to kiss me. "You're going to be fine, I know it. I'll see you when everything's over."
There was a knock on the door that I knew was Dad, and Harry picked up Sophia before going to answer. I put on my coat and scarf. Inside my pockets, my hands were shaking from the nerves, but I needed to keep strong.
"Good luck," Harry said.
"She'll do fine," Dad said. "Don't you think?"
"Definitely," Harry agreed. "But not if you two don't get there. I'll see you later."
I kissed Sophia once more and left with Dad. We had to go to the Ministry, which did take awhile, and Hermione was waiting for us. She smiled when she saw us, and I was a little jealous of the outward confidence she had. "Good morning," she said. "Ready to win the case?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," I told her. "I just want this to be over."
We walked into the court room, and a few people were there already. We were a few minutes early, but I had expected Christopher to be here already. It made me feel a little sick that there was a reporter here. This was a private matter.
The next person to come in was Matthew Shriver, but I wasn't surprised to see him there. He took a seat quietly in the back.
The next time the doors opened, the people behind them were not so harmless. Christopher had a very large support system today. He was in front, followed by a man in a very nice suit that had to be his lawyer. His mother, father, and two of his sisters were behind the lawyer. Connie was behind them, but didn't look very happy. Christopher glared at me and I couldn't take it anymore, I had to look away.
"Don't let him intimidate you," Dad said from next to me.
A few minutes later, three people strolled in. I assumed they were the Family Panel, the three people that would decide Sophia's fate.
I clasped my hands together to keep them from shaking and tried to put on a confident face.
"We're here today to decide the custody of Miss Sophia Camille Marie Bennot," the man who stood in the middle said. "The plaintiff is her father, Mr. Christopher Reid Bennot, and the defendant is her mother, Miss Anna Katherine Greenwood."
We had to do a few official things, and then the man in the middle asked me to state why I believed I should have custody of Sophia.
"I..." I began, and my mind went blank. All eyes were on me, and I clammed up. I had a paper in front of me where Hermione had all of our points written up but I couldn't even think straight. I cleared my throat and had to move on. "I believe I should have custody of my daughter for the following reasons. One, Christopher was unfaithful in our relationship. He was having an affair with Connie Aubut, our live in nanny, for an unknown amount of time. This shows that he is unreliable and disloyal. He is also a very controlling person. He had me taking a potion that suppressed my appetite because he believed I gained too much weight. This potion is a controlled substance and its use caused me to get injured while at work. I have the paperwork from St. Mungo's that shows an unusually high amount of it in my blood. That sort of controlling environment is not one that fosters a good childhood. Also, Christopher associated with Marni Warrington, the woman that kidnapped Sophia. He was at her townhouse the night Sophia was taken, and when Sophia was found she was behind a strong silencing charm. This shows neglect. Sophia needs her mother while she grows up. I promise I have her best interests in mind."
I took a deep breath and just focused on the Family Panel. I tried to pretend they were the only ones here, but it was really hard. I could feel Christopher's dark eyes bearing into the side of me, but I stayed strong.
"Mr. Bennot, would you like to state your case?" the panel asked.
"Thank you," Christopher said. I knew he would beat me in presentation, at least, because he was a much better public speaker. "I believe that Sophia should return to my custody. I am much better equipped to take care of a child. I am regularly employed, currently, with a steady income and good job security. I have a house where Sophia has plenty of room to grow up and enough money to take care of all her expenses. Anna is living in an apartment in the city while she is unemployed. Sophia's quality of life would simply be better at my residence. Secondly, I have reason to believe that Anna was also having a relationship outside our engagement with Harry Potter. Anna is unable to prove I was unfaithful to her; however I walked in on her and Mr. Potter kissing before Christmas. Also, I have a large family who is very supportive. Anna has only her father. Sophia should grow up surrounded by cousins. In my care, Sophia is attended to by a nanny at all times and will not have a need that goes unmet. Anna is too young to know what Sophia's best interests are. Anna would not be able to give Sophia the quality of life I can give her."
The Panel turned to me. "Would you like to refute anything?" the woman on the right side asked me.
"Yes," I said. I was angry after listening to Christopher talk and it gave me drive. "I think his faithfulness could be proved by bringing Connie to the stand. I am not unemployed. After my accident in December, the Ministry mandates I take at least twelve weeks off from work. It has been seven weeks. I have a letter here from Andrew Pierce that states my job will be open to me to return to when the twelve weeks are up. I also have my bank statement to show that I have enough money saved up to take care of Sophia for many more months. Also, I think the family support system should be evaluated upon the quality of the people involved, not merely on quantity. And I cannot be held responsible for any actions I may I have made concerning my faithfulness while I had amnesia. I was mentally unwell and had no memories. I was never unfaithful during our relationship."
It felt good to say all of that. It wasn't scripted but I knew it sounded better than my first speech. I handed the bailiff all of the papers I promised and I watched the Family Panel look at them. They nodded and moved on to Christopher.
"Well," he said, taking a deep breath. "I would also like to call Harry Potter to the stand to verify, then. And my family has been in Sophia's life since she was born. There is a difference between someone who has known her forever and someone she has just met."
It worried me that Harry was getting called in. I didn't know what was going to happen with Sophia because I didn't want her here.
"Is it possible to get Harry Potter here?" One of the Family Panel asked.
"It can be arranged," I told him.
He nodded. "Questioning of Connie Aubut and Harry Potter will take place after the character witnesses. The first character witness will be of Miss Greenwood's father, Mr. Rodney Greenwood."
Dad stood up and moved to the stand. My hand slipped into my pocket where I'd tucked a tissue earlier, just in case.
"It's going well," Hermione said, even if I wasn't so sure. I nodded at her; I didn't think she would lie to me. I looked up and waited for Dad to begin speaking.
Author's Note: Sorry, it's a bit of a short chapter. But it enabled me to get a chapter out for Valentine's Day! So all my readers who are single or don't celebrate get something to read tonight :) Just a reminder to PLEASE go vote in my poll on my website. It would mean a lot to me. Thanks to potter-reading-coastie for the beta. And here's the next installment of his short story. Please leave him a little feedback if you could, without him the last few chapters full of legal stuff would not be nearly as accurate or polished. Thanks everyone!
THE ADVENTURES OF EMILY AND THE COASTIE 2:
Dust fell from the rafters of the Dark Library.
Karmon sighed. "What could she have blown up now?"
"Well if I had to hazard a guess, I would say it was probably was the plastic penguin that I left in the yard. I filled it with Erumpent Fluid you know." The grin on Coastie's scarred face was ear-to-ear.
"You do realize you probably just killed half her followers don't you? Wait, of course you did, otherwise you wouldn't be grinning." The grin on the Coastie's face grew even bigger.
Walking outside, Karmon found the Dark Enchantress cackling and covered in blood. She was standing at the edge of a deep crater.
Slowly, she turned to Karmon. "Did you know?" was her only question.
"Unfortunately, no I did not. If I had, I would have come to see the show."
The answer seemed to satisfy the Dark Enchantress as she turned, once again, to survey the destruction. "Pity, the reward would have been great if you were, in fact, responsible. I was beginning to have hope for you."
Just then, the Coastie appeared with a smile upon his face. "I see you found my Plastic Penguin, my Lady."
She turned to him. "Yes, I find myself feeling much better. Of course, now I shall have to find new followers but that is of little matter."
"I shall see what I can do. Anyways, I have received the reports from your followers. Your Suggestion Collector is working splendidly."
Karmon found herself inwardly smacking her forehead. "It is called a Poll Coastie. I cannot believe we have sunk to Muggle means to gain the real opinions of the followers."
"SILENCE!" hissed the Dark Enchantress. "I will not tolerate any ideas of dissention from any of my followers including you Karmon. CRUCIO!"
Karmon screamed and fell to the ground. The Coastie shook his head, retreating back into the Dark Library. "Karmon will learn one of these days…."