LFAM37
Disclaimer – I DON"T OWN ANY OF IT.
Chapter 37
Adrian Bonham fumed as he followed Auror Moody into the Ministry Law Enforcement offices. He felt totally humiliated by the events at Briarfrost Manor. He had hoped to impress Potions Master Snape since he was looking to apprentice with someone, and instead he was dragged into a tawdry event by that scandal-mongering reporter Rita Skeeter. He quickly borrowed a floo and firecalled his office at the Practical Potioneer – the editor was appropriately shocked and said his attorney would be visiting the Daily Prophets attorney – by Merlin! He then called his brother-in-law Marius Malfoy, who was also angry on Adrian's behalf and soon Marius arrived at the MLE with an attorney in tow, only to meet Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape with their attorney there as well.
Introductions were made, and they soon realized that they were all there to make Rita's life miserable.
Lucius decided he should also give Marius a forewarning, "More than one Auror may recognize you – or think they do. You will have heard of Regulus Black?" Marius nodded vigorously. "The hair I borrowed from you was used so he could accompany us on Severus' bachelor party, and not have the Dark Lord realize he was hobnobbing with us. He helped Auror Moody round up several Death Eaters that night – but he knew it was actually Regulus."
Marius nodded a bit more – looking a bit awe-struck that he had assisted the now-famous hero in any way – even to attend a party.
Rita had been treated, medically – by a disdainful mediwizard who had heard the story, and who treated the gouges in her scalp and told her to find someone else to fix the missing clumps of hair that had been torn out by the angry kneazle. Rita's attorney was now there and was blustering to Moody about freedom of the press, and Moody was ignoring him with a bland smile.
Lucius and Marius' attorneys conferred a bit in whispers, causing Rita and her attorney to blanche a little. Rufus appeared, looking stern and faced Rita and her lawyer.
"Are you willing to take veritaserum, willingly?" Rufus asked in a grim tone.
"Absolutely not!" her attorney snorted. "For a minor infraction like this? You are gone mad!" He sneered.
Rufus smirked, "Bring the prisoner, Moody, I've arranged for her to be next in front of the Wizengamot. This is the last day of court, before the Ministry closes for the Holidays. Unless you want to wait in a holding cell until after the New Year?"
"Wizengamot!" Rita shrieked, "Over this?"
They all trooped into the courtroom, and the dumfounded Rita soon found herself in the chair, with Moody muttering about whether to apply the chains or not, and chuckling at her horrified look.
Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore was presiding over the Wizengamot, and looked down at the reporter with absolutely no twinkle in his eyes. "Ms. Rita Skeeter, you are charged with being an illegal animagus, breaking into the Snape home of Briarfrost Manor – which happens to be the home of the Boy who Lived – Harry Snape, accessing personal papers belonging to Lily Snape, and lying to the Aurors, when caught – implicating Mr. Adrian Bonham in your activities. How do you plead?"
"Not guilty, your Honor." Rita's lawyer had recovered from the shock of his client actually being charged with something. "This is obviously a gross suppression of the press, the right of the people to know…" He trailed off at the Wizengamots collective glare.
"I was not aware that the press had a right to break the law in its pursuit of a story?" Griselda Marchbanks barked at the pair.
The Daily Prophets editor scurried in, (followed by an irate Practical Potioneer editor), looking horrified and angry – especially when he saw reporters from rival papers with happy grins, noting everything down. He sat looking miserable.
Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, sitting at Albus' right, looked over at Severus and Adrian, "I presume you are pressing charges?"
"Yes." They said in concert, and smirked at each other. Adrian looked a bit mollified, since Mr. Snape appeared to truly not blame him for anything.
"Potions Master Snape, would you describe the events leading up to you to calling for Aurors this day?" Albus said.
Severus stood and walked forward, forgetting, in his ire, to be nervous. "I had agreed to an interview from Adrian Bonham, he arrived this morning and he and I went to the lab and greenhouse so I could show him the potions and plants, Lily and the children were outside, playing, so only the house elf and kneazle were inside." Severus smiled a bit. "We all heard screaming, and ran into Lily's workroom, to find Irish – the kneazle had jumped Rita and was attacking her. I bound her and called the Aurors."
The other reporters were snickering and mutters were heard that sounded like 'any pictures of this?'
Severus sat and Moody stood to give his report. "We were called to Briarfrost Manor, and I was quite alarmed, since we have caught several Death Eaters lurking around their wards, trying to get in." Moody looked grimly at the Wizengamot, who all nodded gravely. "Ms. Skeeter was bound to a chair with kneazle claw marks all over her." More snickers from the audience. "I questioned how she got in, and she insisted that Mr. Bonham had brought her, he insisted he had not. Professor McGonagall came and interviewed the kneazle and found that Ms. Skeeter had entered as a beetle, and had been into Mrs. Snapes papers."
"Really, taking the word of an animal!" Rita's lawyer blustered. "I want that testimony stricken."
"Evidence from animals has been used in the past, as long as the animal is magical and sentient enough, and the interviewer is a reputable animagus." Tiberius Ogden answered slowly. "I recall several cases where their evidence was key."
"Rufus, please call for Professor McGonagall, and have Mrs. Snape bring over the kneazle." Cornelius requested of the Auror. Rufus nodded and left.
Excited mutters came from the gallery of watchers. The Daily Prophets editor shook his head, and flinched from the narrow-eyed malevolence of the Malfoys, Snape and their lawyers, he knew he would be hearing from them soon.
"While we are waiting, there is the matter of veritaserum to address. I understand that Mr. Bonham is willing to take it to clear himself of this distasteful mess." Albus smiled at the nodding man approvingly.
Adrian stepped forward and took the 3 drops of potion, and answered the questions, "No, he hadn't brought Rita with him to the Manor, and had no knowledge of how she'd got in." He took the antidote and stepped back to sit with Marius.
Minerva and Lily arrived with a disgruntled Irish padding beside them. He hadn't liked the floo – it had covered him in soot, and they had refused to carry him all this way – so he'd had to walk a horrid distance. He spotted Rita and glared at her and hissed, determining correctly that all these latest injuries were entirely her fault.
The trio stopped before the Wizengamot. Irish, unimpressed by the presence of the Wizengamot, collapsed in a heap after the horribly long walk, and started to nap. Most of the audience ooohed at the enormous kneazle and snickered at his decision to nap. Rita just glared at him, and wished she could turn him into a fur coat.
"Professor McGonagall, Auror Moody tells me you interviewed this kneazle in your animagus form regarding Rita Skeeter's presence in the Snape home." Tiberius Ogden asked her querulously, his rheumy old eyes peering at her brightly.
"Yes, I did. I am a cat animagus, and he showed me that he saw her leave Severus' study, then enter Lily's workroom as a beetle, and then following her in, and attacking her when she removed files from Lily's file cabinet." Minerva answered.
"Did the cat remember seeing Ms. Skeeter enter the home?" Cornelius asked.
"No, he only noticed her when she left the study, he saw she was magic, and sensed danger." She answered.
"Danger!" Rita's lawyer sputtered, "What danger was she? Was she going to give them papercuts? Ms. Skeeter was no danger to the Snape family!"
Minerva huffed. "Kneazles sense intent, and convey images as well as what they felt. Irish felt that her intent was malicious in nature. Since the files she accessed were personal ones of Lily's I would say Irish was correct." Minerva looked at the huge sleeping kneazle who had rolled onto his back, so he could snore better, and smiled fondly.
"Well, I would like to see her question the kneazle in front of us, and repeat her testimony under veritaserum." Rita's lawyer sniffed imperiously, "After all – it is known that you are close to Lily Snape, you may be a bit partial in your testimony." He finished with a sneer.
Minerva bristled and almost hissed in outrage, then turned to the Wizengamot. "I would be happy to do both, if the Wizengamot wishes."
"Well if you can pull the kneazle out of his coma, please proceed." Griselda Marchbanks grumbled. She would have appreciated a nap, herself, and was somewhat jealous of the kneazle. The audience leaned forward, animagi were rare enough that a demonstration of this sort was to be looked forward to. Cameras came out of everywhere, and were trained on the witch and the sleeping kneazle.
Minerva quickly took her small tabby form; most former Hogwarts students recognized it. A few cringed in remembrance. Lily crouched down and patted Irish "Wake up – you're turn is up for questions."
Irish opened one lazy eye, and then closed it. Minerva pushed past Lily and cuffed the kneazle sharply on one ear, causing him to flip to his feet and look around in alarm. Numerous camera flashes went off at this.
"She did that to me once when I fell asleep in class." Came a voice from the back, causing general laughter.
Irish looked at the much smaller cat in resentment, what she was asking he distinctly remembered showing her before, but she was insistent that he repeat his memories. He did so, but with ill grace, then slumped across Lily's feet and glared up at her for not guarding him well at all, while he slept.
Minerva resumed her form and repeated herself under veritaserum, to Rita and her lawyer's dismay. Then the feline duo and Lily retired to sit by Severus. Irish lay happily across Severus' lap, so he could shed gray hair on his black clothing in retaliation for him having not rescued him from the tabby lady. The dark-clad man was, after all, supposed to be an ally.
Barty Crouch Sr. leaned forward and spoke, weariness in his demeanor. "Ms. Skeeter, you are guilty of several things, but this Wizengamots greatest concern is the safety of the Snape family – and with it the safety of the 'Boy Who Lived', you have heard us say the several Death Eaters have been captured trying to gain access to Briarfrost Manor – we need to know that you are not a supporter of 'He who shall not be named'. It has been decided that you will take veritaserum – either willingly or not - it is your choice." Barty Sr. waved to Moody, who strode forward happily.
"Well, of course, I'll take it – you didn't say you were worried about little Harry's safety." Rita simpered rather desperately. Moody gave her the serum, and she was soon telling them that 'Yes, she had been a beetle animagus for 5 years, unregistered', and that 'she had snuck in the Manor on Adrian's back as a beetle' 'No, unfortunately she hadn't had a chance to actually read any of the divorce papers she had found', 'She hadn't seen the harm in saying that Adrian had brought her – it was partially true'. 'She had been looking for any information or evidence to discredit the Snapes or Malfoy's'. 'Why?' ' – well, she didn't like them, of course – they had snubbed her.'
"They snubbed you?" Cornelius thundered rather impressively, "We're having to go through all this because you felt snubbed. You broke past wards that several Aurors and Albus set up, so you could have revenge for a snubbing?! You have gone too far, Ms. Skeeter! I am the first to say that reporters need to find the truth," He went on importantly, "but it's this sort of criminal mischief that makes your fellow reporters ALL look bad."
Several "Hear, hear's" came from around the courtroom. Rita looked completely crestfallen.
"When we reconvene after the holiday's I intend to have a committee in place to completely overhaul all the laws pertaining to the press." Gasps came from the reporters and editors present. "I'll have no further speculative muckraking that reporters can't prove, and this sort of intrusive lawbreaking will not be tolerated!"
Even Albus looked impressed and joined in the applause. Then the Wizengamot turned to each other to render a verdict with hurried whispers, and then turned back.
"Ms Skeeter, you are found guilty on all charges." Albus paused and banged for order at the rather elated turmoil this caused. You will pay a fine and damages to the Snapes and Mr. Bonham, and serve 30 days in a MLE cell – and be glad we didn't decide on Azkaban."
The courtroom cleared, so reporters could go spin this story to the best effect, and the Wizengamot left to go plan Christmas. Albus wandered over to the Malfoys and Snapes. Irish had moved to Severus' shoulders, so he could shed more evenly and get gray hair on his back as well. Marius promised to come to Malfoy Manor at Christmas Eve, and he left with both lawyers and Adrian. Minerva gave a final pat to Irish, who decided to forgive her, and went back to Hogwarts.
Lucius and Severus gathered with Lily around Albus – "We need to get together with you soon at Malfoy Manor, perhaps just after Christmas, that damn house elf, Dobby will not be cornered into telling anything he might have known about his master – Abraxas." Lucius ranted angrily. "He's the only one who might know about any Horcrux there might have been, I've had an entire team of Gringotts cursebreakers go through every house I own this year – and believe me it took all year – we swept up enormous numbers of cursed or dark artifacts to be disabled or destroyed, but no Horcrux. I couldn't tell them what exactly to look for, so I don't know if they just 'missed it' or not. The elf is our best chance."
Albus nodded solemnly "Yes, now that Moody and I have destroyed one, we need to start gathering up the others. I'll be pressing Sirius to let me in Grimmauld to talk to Regulus' house elf, as well. Shall we say – the day after Christmas?" Lucius and the others nodded, satisfied.
Irish purred, also satisfied – since the dark clad man was entirely covered in gray fur.
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It was December 23rd and the Malfoys and Snapes were gathered a bit tightly at the Burrow, it was much bigger, and more organized, now that money was not so scarce, but there were a lot of people gathered. Arthur and Lucius were picking Lily and Severus' brains for ideas – Lucius and Albus had given Cornelius an idea for a new branch of muggle liaison offices – with Arthur as head. He worked in the same area as the obliviators, and those that investigated cursed muggle objects (and had an appropriately larger salary and bigger office).
Arthur, and whatever team he picked would be exploring the muggle world for the Ministry – the Ministry wanted him to write articles to be sent to the wizarding newspapers – explaining aspects of muggle life that they misunderstood, and to find objects that might be of use to wizards – even if they were only adapted to be used by magic. Wizards used to do that – they had objects like refrigerators, etc. There hadn't been many new things, though, in decades – too many things used electricity, which reacted badly to magic, and wizards were reluctant to copy muggles, at times, and the wizarding world was stagnating because of it.
Lucius and Cornelius didn't want to throw wizarding culture away – but improvements could be made without losing their cultural identity. The wizarding world would have to be 'upgraded' slowly.
The ministry had been persuaded to explore the idea of introducing the wizarding world to muggleborns a little earlier – no child's name had ever gone down on Hogwarts book after 8 years of age. So they could be approached earlier – if only to get more information and books to them.
They expected Arthur to find more ways that he could be of use to the ministry as well. This, of course was exactly the job Arthur wanted, and that Lucius wanted him to be doing. Lily was a fountain of knowledge, although Severus admitted that some aspects of muggle life escaped him.
Severus' father had been abusive and controlling. He had wanted Eileen Snape at his mercy, and refused to help her learn much of the muggle world. She could barely buy food without his help, because she didn't always understand the money system, and she was too afraid to try to explore the muggle world by herself. Severus knew whatever he learned through school up to age 10, after that he had lost interest in muggle culture, except for some music and a few movies he had seen during summer, so he was lost at times, as well. Lily, of course, had kept up because her family insisted she know both worlds until she graduated.
Arthur was looking forward to his exploration. He just needed to hire the right staff.
Narcissa cooed over the babies, while Molly fussed over Shadow, she loved his happy smile and quieter ways – none of her own brood was ever this quiet. She hoped his godfather wouldn't bring home too many muggle inventions to adapt. Sirius and that charmed motorcycle of his had been a menace.
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Molly was pleased to have the Snapes and Malfoys over – the house elf had proved to be a treasure – not only being an excellent child-minder, but quite good in the kitchen as well, and they had whipped up an excellent little buffet to serve their guests.
The 3 ladies migrated to the kitchen, giggling over the headlines that had erupted yesterday morning over the wizarding world's papers – Narcissa had even sent for the Paris Commerage. "The Skeeter Scandal" had everyone all agog. Even the Daily Prophet had had to run with it, if only so they could say they in no way condoned Rita's actions, although the Prophet had endlessly explained that Rita 'had only been investigating, but she had gone about it the wrong way'.
Everyone seemed to have an opinion about the announcement by the Minister about a committee to review laws regarding the press; most seemed to want them held more accountable, and to have to stand behind their claims. The papers, of course, were alarmed and running a lot of articles about freedom of speech, and of the press, right to know, etc.
In the haste to cover butts, and to protect their rights, Rita seemed to have been thrown under the bus. Most papers had been gleeful in their articles about her downfall. Self-righteously pointing out that she could have endangered Harry Snape – failing to say exactly how she could have done that. Many had been outraged at her attempt to implicate an innocent man - Adrian. A lot of articles about the rights of private citizens privacy vs. the publics right to know were run.
Letters to the papers had varied – very few were in sympathy with Rita, and most of those had merely said that she had done what a lot of other reporters had done – and maybe they should be jailed and fined as well. Rumor had it the Rita had gotten so many howlers in jail that they were a fire hazard and set off the magical water sprinklers.
All the papers had run a picture of Irish getting swatted by Minerva. Kneazle sales were through the roof, since they were now being touted as the 'preferred pet and protection' of the 'Boy Who Lived's' family. Irish had received several gifts and letters of admiration – from people who had also suffered Rita Skeeter's unwanted attention.
The buffet went well and Severus & Lucius delivered their boxes of gifts for the Weasley children, and took charge of the boxes of gifts for their own children.
A Merry Christmas would be had by all – except for Rita, who was billeted next to Bellatrix, who was awaiting sentencing. (Bellatrix had a lovely Christmas, too, since she finally had a chance to at least verbally torture someone again)
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A/N – I couldn't resist having Irish and Rita meet again. Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!