**Hello!  Today, most of you get your wishes, yep in comes Snape! I am sick however of fics where Snape has a good side. Snape is Snape, and will remain so. Amen. Thanks 4 your reviews. Kate, if you're reading this…. it's about time! Oh wow! I love you Marauder, thanks for dedicating chapter 13 to me! YAY! **sniffles**

Marauder – Thank you! **sniff sniff** you're great! I've never had anything dedicated to me before. Oh and yeah, it is Jarrett. Well, his first name is Remus, it had to be something yucky. Actually, come to think of it there was a horrible boy in my first school called Jarrett… oh bother. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea.

F0xyness39 – Oh no! I'm sorry! I didn't want to offend you! Can you forgive me?

Hyperwriter – yep. It sucks like hell. Kate will tell you – oh yeah, she' not here YET (hint hint Kate, hurry up…) Saturday school is the pits, and we get stuck with some of the worst lessons on earth too. AAGH.

Angie – thank you.

Evil Snapple Pie – You make me laugh every time.

BumblebeeBucy – YES! Thanks!

Selenay  - oh good!

WeasleyTwinsLover1112 – Yes doesn't it suck? You get a CHOICE? Oh you evil person. I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT! I don't even like France. Spanish is cool, mind.

Amanda – Thank you! You're the best!

Littleginblossom - No I can't, can I?

All characters are property of J.K. Rowling (except Mr. Wattling and Marcus Porter and the tall man who doesn't have a name as yet) and I'm getting really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really sick of typing this up every single ****** ***** time and next time I probably won't even bother.

The Trial of Sirius Black  - Chapter 10

Hermione was called next, as 'Miss Hermione Virginia Louisa Francesca Granger'.  She was trembling noticeably as she swore, very seriously it seemed, on the honour of her father.

(Stupid way to do things, thought Harry. Does this mean that if we're found to be fibbing, everyone will dishonour the people we name? Is someone taking a record of this?)

Dumbledore asked Hermione something different. He asked her to recount exactly how she and Harry had helped Sirius escape. Her voice was shaky, but loud and clear, so that everyone in the room heard her words.

Harry listened in silence, watching the strenuous actions of his shoes with great interest. Ron shifted uncomfortably, and Remus seemed even less relaxed.

Harry didn't really want the whole world to hear about his mistake on the edge of the forest, when he had mistaken his future self for his father. He didn't particularly want that many people to know about his Patronus.

He was glad Hagrid wasn't there, because when Hermione told everyone about Buckbeak, Harry thought the gamekeeper might have fainted.

Harry's shoes were not so interesting that they could cut out Hermione's nervous voice telling how they'd got Buckbeak away from Hagrid's house before his execution. He sighed. He knew whose turn it would be next.

He noticed dimly the sound of voices coming from behind the door Harry had come through earlier – a lot earlier it seemed – but didn't really take any notice, until the door opened. Hermione continued speaking. She, and jus about everyone else not on the defence bench could not see who came through the door. Harry, Ron and Remus Lupin looked around at him. It was Severus Snape.

Ron choked again. Harry gave him a hard thump on the back, which cut a fit of coughing short.   

Snape nodded briefly to Remus, who nodded formally back, and sat down, rather reluctantly, next to Ron.

Ron shivered and started to inch away slowly, but Harry punched him in the side, where Snape couldn't see.

When Ron looked up at him in surprise, Harry pointed with his eyes. Snape's face, although as sour and pale as usual, was haggard and the skin hung around his eyes in folds. There were lines where there had been none, and the hardness in his eyes had increased.

Snape sneered when he noticed them looking at him. Neither boy had expected anything less, but Ron couldn't resist rolling his eyes obviously in Harry's direction when Snape returned his attention to Hermione.

The audience's reaction when Hermione came to Harry's Patronus was mixed. Some looked impressed, others disbelieving, the rest downright shocked. The look on Snape's face was impassive and solemn, Harry kept checking at intervals.

The part after that, the actual escape was brief. Harry suspected Hermione was running out of voice, he certainly would have been by now.

"Thank you Hermione," said Dumbledore with a smile and a nod. It was almost as formal as Ron's dismissal had been.

"See what I mean?" hissed Ron.

"Yeah," Harry whispered back, not really listening. He was waiting for his name. Hermione sat back down between him and Ron, her eyes widening at the sight of Snape, who didn't even look at her.

"Are you here to testify, Professor?" Hermione asked. Ron gaped at her bravery.

"Not in the least, Miss Granger," said Snape's icy voice. "I merely came to see the outcome. Let us hope the judge is sensible, I have never seen Dumbledore in a more dangerous mood…"

Harry and Ron stared, dumbstruck. What had he just said? Was that a civil answer, coming from Snape's lips? Surely not, although by the look on his face he'd be more than happy if they cursed Sirius into tomorrow on the spot. But Snape hadn't finished.

"He may well get the convict out in a more subtle way, and then Wattling will wake up with his throat cut one morning."

That was a bit more like Snape, although he hadn't yet insulted Hermione once.

Maybe he's been too tired to think up any new ones, Harry thought bitterly. He must be running out by now.

Harry had used to think that Snape spent every spare second he had rifling through the thick volumes of Igor the Insulting, making notes on his work, but he doubted it now. Hermione had found a copy in the library once, and all three of them had been in fits over it. Snape's insults were never funny.

"Harry Potter."

Harry got to his feet. Ron patted him on the back as he squeezed past Remus Lupin, who gave him a smile. Like Hermione and Ron he sat down behind the second desk, where everyone could see him properly.

They were staring. Gaping open mouthed. This proves a lot, realised Harry. Just the fact that I'm here defending him shows something must have happened.

"Harry Potter," Dumbledore began, but Sirius cut across him.

"He does have a middle name, you know."

Harry froze. A middle name he's never even thought about it. Did he really have one?

"Oh?" said Dumbledore, interestedly.

"Yes," said Sirius. He sounded as though he was merely commenting on the weather, but rockets were going off inside Harry's head. Here again, was something he had never known about himself that had been kept secret from him, until he was fifteen. And for what?

"I don't know why I mentioned it really," Sirius went on. Lucas Wattling's face was going steadily purple; evidently dangerous criminals were usually not permitted to speak out of turn.

"Only it seemed a shame, when everyone else's gets a mention. I bet he doesn't even know about it, do you Harry?"

"No," Harry managed to croak, but no one heard, so he shook his head.

"It's James," said Sirius, his eyes never leaving Harry's. "Not that much of a big deal I suppose, only I was there, I should know."

Harry's heart sang, and he didn't know why.

"Very well," said Professor Dumbledore, solemnly. Harry wasn't sure whether he had winked or not. "Harry James Potter, do you swear to tell me, this court and the whole world, as much truth as you possess?"

"Yes," said Harry, hoarsely. His voice was almost gone before he'd even started speaking.

"On what do you swear?"

Harry had been thinking about this, mostly during Hermione's Bible of a story, and he already knew.

"I swear on my honour and on the honour of my godfather, Sirius Black."

Dumbledore smiled, Sirius' face lit up with happiness, and the crowd gasped as one. Harry saw Ron's hand give him the thumbs up, though it looked blurred. He wished he could take his glasses off to clean them.

And then came the questions, one after the other, non-stop from both men, all ones he could answer but wasn't sure he could explain. It reminded him of his Transfiguration orals, only he hadn't had time to revise.

Some were easy; yes, that was true, no, he hadn't deliberately left his father's invisibility cloak at the foot of the Whomping Willow so that some one passing would pick it up and come to look for them.

Yes, he believed Voldemort had returned (he got a few screams out of that one) and no, he didn't think Sirius would ever betray him to anyone.

At the end, his jaw was aching, his head was spinning as it did whenever he walked out of an exam, and his heart felt like it was both sitting at the bottom of his stomach, and thumping away inside his sore throat as he realised there was no one left. The verdict would come any second now.

**Muwahahahaha! Muwahahahahahaha! I am the most evil person in the world! Muwahahahahah! Oh man, I have always wanted to do that!

You-ou want to know what happens ne-ext! He he he! Ha ha ha! Muawhahahahahhahahahah!

Ok, I'll make a deal. 15 reviews, and the next chapter'll be up Saturday night. Deal? Good-o! Love Laterose. **