The Games They Play
Chapter 46
Surprisingly, there were very little excitement in the student body when it came to attending an actual court trial. Whether it was because it was Hermione Granger…or just a general disinterest. So, Severus only had a dozen students sign up to attend it. He was a man of his word, and the students WERE attending classes, for those core ones when the professors are unavailable, quizzes and the library. They'd had their days off and fun, he refused to allow them to do so more than they had. For many it was an exceptionally important year, he knew not all students were well off enough to allow their children to take exams in the Ministry. He had been one of them.
Most of those students were attending for Hermione, rather than the excitement of a trial.
Unsurprisingly, Blake had elected to attend, despite his injuries, in fact he'd been in contact with a lot of people within the Ministry. Written letters for now, informing his contacts – how he had them Severus did not know – of the Muggles' capabilities, and how they shouldn't be underestimated. That if they weren't careful, magic would be caught on the CCTV cameras and the damage would be widespread and immense enough that they wouldn't be able to control it at all. Going into great details about everything the Muggles could do, including their weaponry and how vast their CCTV is, and how they should make the general magical population aware to prevent exposure.
It was one of the decisions he'd came to when it became apparent he'd returned to the past. Oddly enough, there were dozens of legislations from people he hadn't spoken to all doing the same exact thing. Including Lucius Malfoy of all people, which was a surprise. Unless his contacts were getting others in on it…perhaps they had failed to make any impact and were set aside, it would be the wrong move to make. So, he was going to have to fully immerse himself in the political world to ensure that it was passed.
The Muggles were the next biggest threat to the Magical world now.
One that Blake was determined would not come to pass.
"Sit down before you fall down," Severus grumbled, as he eased Blake onto the benches, the other faculty members were already there. Including a very tense Minerva, who looked ready to explode any given moment. "Were Ms. Granger's parents found?" he asked his Deputy Headmistress, a decision had yet to be made, but Severus wasn't going to push for an answer until this was done.
"Yes," Minerva stated curtly, not even glancing Severus' way.
Severus frowned but let it go, for now, quite frankly though, he was not going to put up with it long term. He wasn't going to endure her attitude for the rest of her years at Hogwarts. He was quite rightfully worried that she would hold a grudge and just make life more difficult for all of the faculty.
"Huh, where exactly where they?" Blake asked, curious despite himself, he and Severus had been searching for near enough a year, on their own admittedly, without any help from the outside. Of course, the Aurors had found them very quickly and easily.
Minerva glared at Blake, "I do not know," was her curt reply.
Blake's brows rose in surprise, Merlin, if looks could kill…he'd be six foot under. Damn, whatever stick she had firmly lodged up her arse, she better get it out soon. Severus wasn't going to allow her to get away with half the shit Dumbledore did.
"What do you think will happen?" Blake pondered, as the Minister began to call out loudly, naming everyone of importance of the trial from his own name right down to the scribe.
"I honestly couldn't say," Severus admitted, the Ministry went from one extreme to the other…there was no keeping up, truly it was all a matter of what the Minister himself was deciding. Bagnold had sentenced people to Azkaban without trial…Fudge was…just as bad, having people kissed without trial, they could only hope to have truly decent Ministers now and in future. Ones with their heads on straight.
Blake just nodded, a knowing look gleaming in his eyes, and honestly it didn't surprise Severus the slightest that he might be thinking along the same wavelength as him.
"The Wizengamot don't look impressed however," Severus added, as he glanced back, observing them, they were still shaking their head as they read through everything pertaining to the case they were about to oversee.
Blake looked himself, wincing a little, it didn't bode well for Granger at all. "Well, it is a highly restricted piece of magic…" and for good reason, he just didn't get how she could be so stupid as to perform that spell. Surely, like all other times, she would have researched the hell out of it, and realized it wasn't what she wanted?
"Bring in the accused," the Minister called out, his voice quite soft and soothing, despite his looks and demeanour.
This brought Severus and Blake out of their thoughts as they situated themselves correctly. You would not think it had been such little time since she was taken from Hogwarts. Gone was the smug superior witch, gone was the desperate to be understood and applauded for her actions…in place was someone who was so utterly terrified. Her brown eyes were wide and fearful, terror written across her face, pinched as it was.
She was seated down, looking smaller than anyone had ever seen her.
"Hermione!" Ron called out, giving her a strained smile, letting her know he was there for her.
"You'll be fine, you did the right thing!" Ginny declared, nodding encouragingly.
"Be silent!" Molly hissed at her children, watching Hermione with sad eyes, she unlike her children understood the reality of what would become of Hermione. It was a sad day really, if only the girl had come to her, she would have done something, installed them in Grimmauld Place…or asked Sirius at the very least, anything that would have stopped Hermione's crazy plans. "They will throw you out," he warned them when they opened their mouths, she was surprised nobody had said anything yet. Eyeing the twins and Harry, they were sitting a bit too closely for proper.
Severus was grateful Molly was there for once…to control her odious children.
"Your name and address," Madam Bones asked of Hermione.
"Hermione Jean Granger," Hermione informed them before she rattled off her old address, which wasn't quite right, she didn't live there anymore.
"What age were you as of July 14th?" Madam Bones continued, the entire wizengamot were silent as they watched Granger with a gimlet glare. Furious with the girl for her serious disregard of magic and the restrictions.
"I turned Sixteen on the 19th of September," Hermione explained, her birthday was during her Hogwarts months.
"You performed the Oblivation charm on your parents on July 14th is that correct?" they only knew because they'd performed the necessary spell upon her wand to find her spell usage. Which had been immense, they spent hours trolling through it to get to the needed spell.
"Yes but you don't know the circumstances be…" Hermione tried to protest.
Much like Harry, she wasn't allowed a word in edgewise.
"A yes or no answer is all that's required," Madam Bones stated firmly, underage magic wasn't to be taken lightly at that age nor was her spell usage.
"Yes," she replied, sounding disheartened.
"You performed underage magic, while at home for the summer holidays?" Madam Bones continued, but she wasn't as relentless as the others had been during Harry's trial.
"Yes," Hermione admitted.
"How did you succeed without alerting the Ministry to the underage magic restriction?" Madam Bones demanded, and that was their biggest concern.
"I did it without my parents noticing, I wasn't in the same room as them so I didn't exactly perform magic in front of Muggles," Hermione said, a small smug glimmer in her eye, that she'd succeeded where everyone had failed. "I also removed the trace from my wand while I was at Hogwarts before I returned home." Something notoriously difficult to do. She'd beaten out the restrictions that got people found out for underage magic.
Blake inhaled sharply, surprise bursting through him, that she hadn't done in his time.
Amelia stared in disbelief, she removed the trace? Merlin help her, she'd well and truly screwed herself. She'd broken so many laws that it was boarding on incredulity that she'd gotten away with it for so long. The fact that they could see despite her worry how proud she was of herself…did not bode well for her at all.
"Dear Merlin!" Molly blurted out, staring in horror at what the girl had just confessed to. She should not have done that, she'd just dug herself further into her own grave. Her words were drowned out by the loud buzz that went around the Wizengamot at the pronouncement.
Severus glanced sharply at Minerva, wondering if she was aware. He got his answer pretty damn quickly, she was gaping, frozen in shock, as she stared at her favourite student as if she hadn't seen her before. Unable to comprehend the full scope of what she'd done. This hadn't come out in the interrogations.
"You removed the trace," Amelia said slowly, watching the girl cringe at the looks she was getting from everyone.
"I had to save my parents…you don't understand! They were vulnerable! Voldemort was back and he was targeting Muggles!" Hermione once more pleaded her case. "I wasn't going to be there to take care of them."
"A yes or no answer!" Amelia Bones stated firmly, she sympathised with her, she truly did, but she had other ways to ensure their safety. What she had done was diabolical.
"Yes," Hermione cried out, "But I had to keep them safe!"
"Do you know the penalty of using the Oblivation charm without the necessary credentials?" Madam Bones continued.
"No," Hermione confessed, brushing her unusually bad bushy hair aside, a nervous tick she'd developed.
"Do you know the penalty for using underage magic wilfully without any lives being in danger?" Madam Bones then asked.
"You could be expelled from Hogwarts school of witchcraft and Wizardry without the hope of attending another school," Hermione answered, a classic textbook answer.
"You were willing to risk your magical education, your magic, in order to use that spell and wilfully perform underage magic?" Madam Bones then asked.
Hermione suddenly found the floor entirely too fascinating.
"Ms. Granger?" Madam Bones prompted.
Suddenly she straightened, "I'd do anything for my parents." She declared strongly. So sure that she was in the right and that everyone would see it her way. She was protecting her parents and everyone else would have done the exact same thing.
"Why not explain it to your parents and have them move?" Madam Bones questioned, something that had plagued her since the case landed on her desk.
"They wouldn't have moved," Hermione declared, "They aren't afraid, and they have their own business practice, and wouldn't abandon their patients."
"Why not go to an adult and find out if there were other ways to protect your parents and let them remain where they were?" Madam Bones asked.
Hermione licked her lips, "Who? Nobody cares about Muggles…" a lick of truth in her statement there.
"Your head of house, your best friends parents…your teachers…or even the Ministry to enquire on how to keep them safe?" she listed off things she could have done, that she should have done.
Hermione shook her head, "They would have just insisted that my parents would be fine, stopped me doing what I had to do to protect them. and the Ministry wasn't even acknowledging Voldemort's return when I did it. You were all burying your head in the sand when it came to the true danger." Glaring at them as if daring them to refute her statement.
Minerva slumped, as though any remaining energy had been sapped from her. Merlin help her, everything Severus and Blake had said during that staff meeting circling her mind. How could they think she wouldn't give all to protect them? She cared for them, loved them in her own way…how could they be blind to that? She was utterly horrified that Hermione did not believe she could come to her about anything. She'd certainly sought her advice about the trial.
"You were aware that such spells are known to be irreversible, correct?" Madam Bones asked, continuing to question the girl.
"Nothing's irreversible," Hermione said, "Magic is always expanding, it should have been easy to find a counter-spell."
Everyone noted the 'should have been' unsurprisingly.
"Luckily for you, the Unspeakables just happened to have a counter-spell to your foolish actions, otherwise your parents would have died," Amelia stated curtly.
Hermione blanched, "What?" shock coursing through her.
"Ms. Granger…you are in no way qualified to cast the spell, root around in someone's mind let alone two at the same time and remove all their memories and force them to go somewhere they fundamentally wouldn't wish to go!" Madam Bones shouted sharply, "Their continued need to remain away from Britain had them living in France in hotels, unable to put down roots because they still wanted to be in Australia, their funds ran out months ago! They've been living in shelters, half starved and half out of their mind missing something but unable to remember what!"
Hermione burst into tears, as the reality of what she'd done came crashing down upon her.
"They're currently in St. Mungo's recovering and aware of what their daughter has done. Electing NOT to press charges…but unfortunately for them, they don't get a say in whether you are punished or not." Madam Bones declared, staring at the girl sternly, she'd seen the girls parents, they were devasted.
"I didn't…I didn't want that to happen!" Hermione said through heaving sobs, "I just wanted to protect them." staring at them all through her messy hair, pleading with them to believe her.
Ginny glared at Fred and George, what on earth were they doing? They were practically molesting Harry right there in the Ministry! How dare they? They were making Harry deeply uncomfortable judging by the redness of his face. She made a move to stand, to protect Harry, to help him from whatever her nefarious brothers were up to. She didn't get to make a move, her mum stopped her, "But Mum…" she protested, only to have her mum shaking her head at her.
"Regardless of your intent, you were aware of the consequences before you began," the Minister put forth, "Your honest will win you some points, Ms. Granger, but the consequences will be severe. Anything you wish to say in your own defence… speak now," there was no need to be cross examined.
Hermione wiped away her tears hastily, clearing her throat, "I understand that I was underage, I understand that I was wrong. I did what I did out of the greater good. My parents were vulnerable and I didn't want to risk getting a black letter from the Ministry informing me that my parents were dead. I didn't know who to turn to, I felt as though I had nobody I could turn to. It was for the greater good." She insisted, ending her statement, looking around the wizengamot looking for a friendly face in the crowd. There wasn't one except for Ron and Ginny. Even the other students who had come to the trial were staring blank faced at her.
"Distinguished members of the wizengamot, you've heard everything you need to hear, and the evidence has been observed. A decision now needs to be made the wizengamot will now deliberate!" the Minister informed them, and immediately the wizengamot stood, leaving the room, and into a side room, nothing could be heard from within the room second the door was secured behind the last one.
"How long is this going to take, mum?" Ginny asked, looking bored now that the 'spectacle' was now over.
"It can take hours for the wizengamot to reach a decision, Ginny dear," Molly told her daughter before shushing her.
"What? So, we are supposed to just sit here? where are the others going?" Ginny demanded to know, as the room was all but cleared, even Hermione was being led out, Minerva nipping at her heels.
"They're probably going to the cafeteria dear," Molly said, unmoved by the lack of people in the court room.
"Then we should too," Ginny said slyly, a chance to eat out didn't come along often, her parents couldn't afford it.
Molly shook her head immediately, "No," she stated firmly, refusing to be budged on that. She budgeted heavily to ensure her children always had food on the table and clothes on their backs. She'd never bought herself anything nice in over a decade, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make for the sake of her babies. She got lovely things for Mother's day, birthdays and Christmas' from her eldest children and husband, so it wasn't as if she was without precious items.
"Come on, mum, our treat," George said, gesturing for Harry and Fred to get up, "Don't worry we can afford it." he reassured his mum, growing up they hadn't really understood the sacrifices their mum made…but as they got older…they understood all too well, the strain they were constantly under and why his dad worked so long hours. The least he could do was buy them something to eat now and again. "We'll take something up to dad too." No doubt he'd be pleased with something other than corned beef sandwiches and fruit from their larder.
"Well..." Molly murmured, caving at the sight of Ginny and Ron's pleading faces, "Okay, just this once." She added, firmly. She didn't even bother to ask them were they'd get the money, when she asked they were extremely evasive. To the point of giving her a headache, she just had to trust that while the twins were mischievous they weren't into criminal behaviour.
Unbeknown to the rest of the Weasley's the twins were celebrating the opening of their new premises and flat with their partner. In more ways than one, the twins had thought it was just a silly crush Harry had when they first began talking about it. Especially the way he just blurted it out in the come and go room. After a few harsh words, they began to actually talk things through. Fred and George admitted to Harry that they didn't know how they felt, whether it was just fondness one has for a good friend…or whether it had the potential for more. With that said, they decided to give it a go, it was what dating was for after all. To see if they had the potential for more.
So they'd agreed, once the summer started, they'd spent time getting to know each other properly.
"You coming Blake…Headmaster Snape?" Fred hollered with a grin, not at all frightened of Blake Slytherin, despite not knowing exactly who he was.
"You head on without us," Blake said dryly, sitting next to the Weasley's was the last thing they wanted to do.
"Is that what I think it was?" Severus murmured lowly, watching the twins and Harry leave ahead of everyone else. Pursing his lips in amusement as he watched Miss. Weasley try to wedge herself into the closely joined trio and failing when either Fred or George nudged her out of the way with an unrepentant look on his face.
"Yes," Blake said with an amused smirk, "Never thought about it myself…personally, but I didn't come to know them as well as Harry did especially this past summer." His comment innocent enough that anyone who overheard wouldn't think much of it at all.
"Interesting," Severus murmured, "I've only ever seen them…" dating girls.
"Oh, they've always been rather open with their sexuality, despite Molly's belief's." Blake whispered quietly, "As did all the elder generation…younger ones not so much." But the others had, had the opportunity to spread their wings, whereas the youngest two had not.
Severus rolled his eyes, "Of course," he stated in exasperation, not at all surprised to hear Molly's name come into play. "Perhaps we should go down, it might be amusing to see her reaction then…"
Blake laughed a little sardonically, "I'd rather not," he admitted, he was in too much pain to endure whatever Molly Weasley might say. His temper might get the better of him. Normally he wouldn't mind that, but his chest certainly wouldn't thank him, nor his lungs.
"Very well," Severus replied, "Do you need a another draught?" sensitive to Blake's moods, plus, rubbing at his chest was always a dead giveaway. None of it showed on his face, of course, except perhaps a grimace now and again.
"Perhaps a level four if you've got one," Blake conceded, he didn't want to take anything more potent. At least not here, he'd rather wait until he was safe within the walls of Hogwarts.
"It's like you don't know me at all," Severus teased him as he unrolled the makeshift potions lab he had brought with him. plucking out the requested potion, and uncorking it so that Blake could consume the draught. It was quickly replaced in slot he used for used vials to be washed out.
"Thanks," Blake sighed, as the tightness in his chest vanished, as the pain eased.
"Ask next time," Severus stated, "They're always available, you have nothing to prove by suffering." Not one for keeping his mouth shut, and he wasn't about to change even for Blake.
"They are, but I'm not used to having them there to negate any pain I've suffered, Severus, just remember that." Blake informed him seriously, "Compared to what I've endured in the past…this pain is manageable."
"Then I'll just have to remind you," Severus declared just as seriously.
Severus and Blake continued to make small talk as they waited, and it didn't seem like any time at all before the announcement came in that a verdict had been reached and that everyone was to return to the courtroom.
Blake froze when he saw Lucius Malfoy returning to the court room, he hadn't even been aware that he was there. Severus gripped him tightly, grounding him in the moment, reminding him that this Lucius wasn't the one from his past, the future. "How the hell did he manage to get out of it again?" his face a stony mask, one he hadn't used since he first appeared in this very courtroom as a matter of fact.
"He has many connections," Severus sighed, "There was never any doubt of him going free." He was too smart, too sneaky, and his family always came first. Grimacing at the tight grip Blake had taken of his hand. "Easy," he added, any more pressure and he was sure he would break a bone or two.
"Sorry," Blake murmured, relaxing his hold, while Severus gave a small sound of relief. The door at the back of the court opened and the wizengamot remerged, as the Weasley's took their seats. Then Granger was brought in at long last, and took a seat, anxious to know what was going to happen.
"Has there been a verdict reached?" the Minister demanded, staring at the chief warlock of the wizengamot.
"There has," he stated firmly. Turning to Miss Granger, he began, "Miss Granger, we have taken what you said and your age into account, and we have reached a decision, for the next two years you will be without your magic and cuffed, with a suspended sentence of three years, and if during that time you break the law…the penalty will be most severe. You will also be forced to compensate Mr. and Mrs Granger twenty-seven thousand pounds." How she got it was up to her.
"They decided against a prison sentence then," Blake stated, "I am surprised." truly he was.
"Indeed," Severus said, "At least this might give her hope for the future." Slim, but nonetheless there, much greater than if she'd received an actual sentence in Azkaban. That's if there would have been anything left of the girl, Azkaban was no cakewalk, and Granger definitely wouldn't have fared well there.
"Oh, Thank goodness!" Molly said, hand over her heart, relieved for Hermione.
"Is that it?" Harry asked, he'd been taken from the Ministry straight after by Blake so he didn't know what was to happen next.
"They're taking her away to put the cuffs on and explain them and everything now," Fred explained gesturing towards her, "She'll be free to go, but where she goes…"
"Is anyone's guess, her parents might not be happy to see her…"
"Then she comes home to the burrow!" Molly declared strongly. "She can stay with us,"
Fred, George and Harry glanced at each other, relief shining through the twins faces, at least they wouldn't need to put up with her there. Since they were officially moving into their new flat, it was small but perfect for them.
"Do you think she has no idea she won't be taking her exams and not able to take them for two years?" Blake pointed out wryly, "That girl is going to have a breakdown when she figures it out." Which was probably an accurate representation of what would occur.
"She's not even allowed to take her exams?" Harry asked in incredulity.
"No point, she can't access her magic, there's just no point to taking theory exams and leaving the practical, it would mean a fail." And that was probably worse in Hermione's mind.
"She will need to take them at the Ministry in a few years, considering what she's going to have to pay back to her parents…it's going to take at least an additional year to accumulate the funds to pay for her education…the years are not going to be kind to her at all." Severus added his own thoughts to the conversation.
"She's a smart girl, she'll think of something," Molly said, "Come, let's go before she leaves." Gesturing for her brood to go with her, she'd drop them off at Hogwarts before the end of tonight, Hermione was going to need them all.
"We're just going to head back to Hogwarts," the twins proclaimed, and Harry didn't hesitate to leave with them, giving a wave to Molly and the others as they departed.
"Students, come, it's time to return to the school," Severus stated, and as one the students stood, eager to get back to the school and gossip with their friends about the entire experience. With Severus' and Blake's long strides, it took less than three minutes to get to the Atrium and Portkey the students back to the school.
Severus and Blake were just about to leave when Lucius Malfoy spoke.
"Of all the people you could have associate with upon returning…Severus was nowhere on the list." Lucius confessed, staring shrewdly at Blake. "He's a good pick, you couldn't have chosen anyone more loyal."
Severus' eyes widened, he couldn't be implying what he thought he was? Could he?
"Congratulations on your win, Mr…Slytherin," Lucius stated, "It's been a very long time in coming."
Blake just stared.
"It was a two pronged spell, it needed more than one person," Lucius said with a smirk, "The Games we play, don't you agree?"
"The games they play," Blake muttered, completely stunned as he watched Malfoy walk away.
Little bit on the shorter side than usual but the ending was perfect! LMAOOOO :D :D R&R please
