Chapter Ten
In which they all prepare for the Trial
Hermione and Severus spent their days quietly holed up in her office. She worked with a tireless fervor that both amazed and touched him while he provided her with names and details as she needed them. From time to time Ron Weasley joined them, letting them know how Harry was getting on in his quest to find Dumbledore, which was not very well, and doing a little research with Remus and Neville, who were digging through the Hogwarts library and archives during their free time in an effort to find something, anything that might aid Snape and Hermione. While their efforts as a show of solidarity were very cheering, the results were not. At Harry's behest Cho Chang-Potter was coordinating the messages being sent back and forth between London, Hogwarts, and wherever Harry happened to be. And Fleur Delacour, soon-to-be Weasley, at Beauxbatons was lending a hand as well. Again, the sentiments out-weighed the actual results.
On the evening before the trial at the place on Diagon Alley where the pair usually parted ways, they lingered. Severus looked down at Hermione with a wistful expression on his face.
"I suppose Dumbledore really isn't coming, is he?" questioned Severus.
"Harry isn't giving up. He will be out there ... somewhere ... all night, looking, searching for any sign of the headmaster."
"It would take a miracle."
"You don't believe in them?"
"It is too difficult." he replied.
"You never know. Professor Dumbledore could apparate into the middle of the courtroom and give those ... those bloody stupid people the tongue lashing of a life time, offer us all lemon drops, and have the whole thing called off."
"You aren't basing any part of my defense on that, are you?" he asked, his face brightening for a moment as he imagined the scene she described.
"No ..." she answered.
His face turned serious again as he said, "Let me ask you a question."
"I've asked you enough of them. I suppose it's only fair that you get to ask one every once in a while."
"When this is all over, for better or worse, will you ... will you feel the same way as you do now? Even if I am shut up in Azkaban or worse comes to worst." he questioned. His gaze was very piercing.
"Forever and always, Severus, and I would never stop trying to get you an appeal." she replied, realizing then just how close they had grown in the space of two weeks.
"I love you, Hermione."
"I love you too, Severus."
For an all-too-brief instant there was no trial, no Azkaban, no unhappiness in the world as he gently drew her into his arms. Hermione was warm and safe, and Severus was a different man that he had been. She wrapped her arms around him and savored those moments. But it could not last.
"Bright and early?" he questioned as the troubles of the world cascaded down upon them again and he reluctantly released her.
"Yes." she said, biting her lip to stop the tears.
"We'll give them a run for their money."
"Of course we will." she said before turning and walking away, no longer able to hold the tears back.
The night was long, but dreamless for Hermione. When morning came no one disturbed her routine, though her hands trembled as she smoothed her robes and prepared to leave her apartment. They, those who had chosen to support Severus, had planned to meet at the entrance to the great court. They were few, supporting a cause noble and worthy. She clutched her satchel to her chest as she apparated. God forbid any of them should be late!
Hermione had elected to apparate early, fearing that if Severus arrived first, he would be dragged away and chained, or perhaps worse. She smiled as she noted Remus Lupin and Cho Chang-Potter talking quietly over two mugs of coffee. It was very early in the morning and neither of the pair were morning people.
"Hermione!" Cho yelled, passing her cup off to Lupin before jogging up and giving her a hug. "Are you nervous? Oh, you shouldn't be! You are very clever and Severus so deserves a second chance and all." said Cho, speaking way to fast. The cup of coffee in Remus's hand was obviously not her first.
"I'm fine." said Hermione. "Honest."
"Harry came in about two hours ago, in desperate need of a shower and a shave. Looked gruesome. But, empty handed, I'm afraid." Cho told her.
Hermione tried not to look crestfallen, but she had so hoped ...
"I'm grateful for the effort. Severus too. He covered a lot of territory."
"All of the British Isles, Holland, France ... other places." nodded Cho, taking her cup back from Remus.
"I would never have believed it." said the professor, shaking his head sadly.
"Now we all know that Dumbledore didn't do this on purpose! The man is probably living in a cave somewhere or in a monastery, trying to get some peace. He is very old, and I know he saw much more, much worse things, than we did." said Cho.
"No one is accusing anyone of anything." shrugged Remus, sipping his own 'coffee', which looked suspiciously like hot cocoa.
A smile spread over Cho's face as two people apparated nearby. Hermione turned to Neville and Ginny Longbottom, two of Hogwarts' youngest professors. Neville still looked less intelligent than he really was, and his red-headed wife still reminded her of a little girl, even though she was expecting one herself. They had joined the fight only days before, but even Neville looked ready to do battle, for what that was worth.
"You all right there, Gin?" her adoring husband questioned. Ginny had always been a nervous apparater.
"I'm fine." she said.
"I can't believe you two didn't bring a mug of something warm!" Cho chided. "I can't live without it."
"Oh, we're used to getting up early." said Ginny.
"Tell me about it!" groaned Neville in testament to his bride's morning sickness.
"Any luck?" Ginny asked, her eyes darting from Hermione to Cho.
The latter simply shook her head. There was no need to come out and say it again.
"I hear it's going to snow soon." commented Remus as silence washed over them.
"You don't say?" remarked Neville, shuffling his feet.
Ron and Fleur apparated across the street a few minutes later and dashed across to greet their friends. Hermione managed a smile when she saw them, hand in hand, wizard and part veela. They were a handsome couple. No one would even have suspected that she was older than him.
"Why ze long faces? Zis will be a vic-tor-y!" said Fleur, who had retained much of her accent, despite her long courtship with Ron.
Hermione was grateful for her enthusiasm, but she could not reciprocate.
"Where's Harry? Don't tell me he's still out there." Ron said, looking at Cho.
"He will be here any minute." she said.
Almost in answer to his wife's statement, Harry appeared a few yards away. His hair was still wet and messy from the shower he had taken.
"About time!" laughed Ron.
"Oh, dear!" said Cho, pulling out her wand and casting a spell on his hair before he could even say a word.
"Better?" Harry chuckled. There were dark circles under his eyes.
"Lots!" laughed Ginny.
"That just leaves the star of the show." said Remus.
"He'll be along." said Hermione.
Harry stepped over and put a hand on her shoulder as he said, "Sorry I failed you, Hermione."
"Oh, Harry, you didn't fail anyone! Least of all me. We knew it was a long shot." she said.
Hermione looked up from the pavement just in time to see Severus round the corner. He was wearing formal black robes without any insignia, just plain robes, closed against the chill. She wished that he had worn something more colorful, something that wouldn't remind the judge and jury of the Death Eaters, but then, he looked so dashing in them that she couldn't say a thing.
"What? Am I late?" Severus asked crossly, noticing all of them staring at him as he joined the group.
"Not at all. We're just early." said Hermione.
"It's going to start soon." said Remus, looking at his former students and Ron's fiancée. "Perhaps we had better find our places while Hermione and Severus have a chat, hmmm?" he suggested.
"Quite right." agreed Harry.
As they shuffled inside, Ginny Longbottom paused and asked Severus a quiet question that only Hermione overheard: "What was your mother's name, sir?"
Severus's eyes drifted to her slightly protruding stomach and replied, "Donatella."
Ginny nodded quietly and walked inside to join her husband.
"You don't honestly think she would do it, do you?" Severus asked Hermione when the woman was out of earshot.
Hermione shrugged and said, "It's Ginny, Severus. Who can say? But it was a sweet gesture."
"Not necessarily one that inspires confidence though, is it?"
"The three of them canceled classes to be here." she reminded him.
"Their students must be ecstatic."
"Severus, we should go in now." she told him.
"No last minute advice?"
"Not unless you have a counter agent to the Veritaserum."
"No such substance. Let's go."
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A/N: Question of the day: (And I'm hoping I'm right about this) Snape's parents' names are never mentioned in the books, are they?
I want to thank all the people who reviewed the previous chapter, Dinky, Michelle, fizzysoda, cloudshape, ress, and Jenni.
I am always pleased to see that there are Remus Lupin fans out there, being one myself.
In which they all prepare for the Trial
Hermione and Severus spent their days quietly holed up in her office. She worked with a tireless fervor that both amazed and touched him while he provided her with names and details as she needed them. From time to time Ron Weasley joined them, letting them know how Harry was getting on in his quest to find Dumbledore, which was not very well, and doing a little research with Remus and Neville, who were digging through the Hogwarts library and archives during their free time in an effort to find something, anything that might aid Snape and Hermione. While their efforts as a show of solidarity were very cheering, the results were not. At Harry's behest Cho Chang-Potter was coordinating the messages being sent back and forth between London, Hogwarts, and wherever Harry happened to be. And Fleur Delacour, soon-to-be Weasley, at Beauxbatons was lending a hand as well. Again, the sentiments out-weighed the actual results.
On the evening before the trial at the place on Diagon Alley where the pair usually parted ways, they lingered. Severus looked down at Hermione with a wistful expression on his face.
"I suppose Dumbledore really isn't coming, is he?" questioned Severus.
"Harry isn't giving up. He will be out there ... somewhere ... all night, looking, searching for any sign of the headmaster."
"It would take a miracle."
"You don't believe in them?"
"It is too difficult." he replied.
"You never know. Professor Dumbledore could apparate into the middle of the courtroom and give those ... those bloody stupid people the tongue lashing of a life time, offer us all lemon drops, and have the whole thing called off."
"You aren't basing any part of my defense on that, are you?" he asked, his face brightening for a moment as he imagined the scene she described.
"No ..." she answered.
His face turned serious again as he said, "Let me ask you a question."
"I've asked you enough of them. I suppose it's only fair that you get to ask one every once in a while."
"When this is all over, for better or worse, will you ... will you feel the same way as you do now? Even if I am shut up in Azkaban or worse comes to worst." he questioned. His gaze was very piercing.
"Forever and always, Severus, and I would never stop trying to get you an appeal." she replied, realizing then just how close they had grown in the space of two weeks.
"I love you, Hermione."
"I love you too, Severus."
For an all-too-brief instant there was no trial, no Azkaban, no unhappiness in the world as he gently drew her into his arms. Hermione was warm and safe, and Severus was a different man that he had been. She wrapped her arms around him and savored those moments. But it could not last.
"Bright and early?" he questioned as the troubles of the world cascaded down upon them again and he reluctantly released her.
"Yes." she said, biting her lip to stop the tears.
"We'll give them a run for their money."
"Of course we will." she said before turning and walking away, no longer able to hold the tears back.
The night was long, but dreamless for Hermione. When morning came no one disturbed her routine, though her hands trembled as she smoothed her robes and prepared to leave her apartment. They, those who had chosen to support Severus, had planned to meet at the entrance to the great court. They were few, supporting a cause noble and worthy. She clutched her satchel to her chest as she apparated. God forbid any of them should be late!
Hermione had elected to apparate early, fearing that if Severus arrived first, he would be dragged away and chained, or perhaps worse. She smiled as she noted Remus Lupin and Cho Chang-Potter talking quietly over two mugs of coffee. It was very early in the morning and neither of the pair were morning people.
"Hermione!" Cho yelled, passing her cup off to Lupin before jogging up and giving her a hug. "Are you nervous? Oh, you shouldn't be! You are very clever and Severus so deserves a second chance and all." said Cho, speaking way to fast. The cup of coffee in Remus's hand was obviously not her first.
"I'm fine." said Hermione. "Honest."
"Harry came in about two hours ago, in desperate need of a shower and a shave. Looked gruesome. But, empty handed, I'm afraid." Cho told her.
Hermione tried not to look crestfallen, but she had so hoped ...
"I'm grateful for the effort. Severus too. He covered a lot of territory."
"All of the British Isles, Holland, France ... other places." nodded Cho, taking her cup back from Remus.
"I would never have believed it." said the professor, shaking his head sadly.
"Now we all know that Dumbledore didn't do this on purpose! The man is probably living in a cave somewhere or in a monastery, trying to get some peace. He is very old, and I know he saw much more, much worse things, than we did." said Cho.
"No one is accusing anyone of anything." shrugged Remus, sipping his own 'coffee', which looked suspiciously like hot cocoa.
A smile spread over Cho's face as two people apparated nearby. Hermione turned to Neville and Ginny Longbottom, two of Hogwarts' youngest professors. Neville still looked less intelligent than he really was, and his red-headed wife still reminded her of a little girl, even though she was expecting one herself. They had joined the fight only days before, but even Neville looked ready to do battle, for what that was worth.
"You all right there, Gin?" her adoring husband questioned. Ginny had always been a nervous apparater.
"I'm fine." she said.
"I can't believe you two didn't bring a mug of something warm!" Cho chided. "I can't live without it."
"Oh, we're used to getting up early." said Ginny.
"Tell me about it!" groaned Neville in testament to his bride's morning sickness.
"Any luck?" Ginny asked, her eyes darting from Hermione to Cho.
The latter simply shook her head. There was no need to come out and say it again.
"I hear it's going to snow soon." commented Remus as silence washed over them.
"You don't say?" remarked Neville, shuffling his feet.
Ron and Fleur apparated across the street a few minutes later and dashed across to greet their friends. Hermione managed a smile when she saw them, hand in hand, wizard and part veela. They were a handsome couple. No one would even have suspected that she was older than him.
"Why ze long faces? Zis will be a vic-tor-y!" said Fleur, who had retained much of her accent, despite her long courtship with Ron.
Hermione was grateful for her enthusiasm, but she could not reciprocate.
"Where's Harry? Don't tell me he's still out there." Ron said, looking at Cho.
"He will be here any minute." she said.
Almost in answer to his wife's statement, Harry appeared a few yards away. His hair was still wet and messy from the shower he had taken.
"About time!" laughed Ron.
"Oh, dear!" said Cho, pulling out her wand and casting a spell on his hair before he could even say a word.
"Better?" Harry chuckled. There were dark circles under his eyes.
"Lots!" laughed Ginny.
"That just leaves the star of the show." said Remus.
"He'll be along." said Hermione.
Harry stepped over and put a hand on her shoulder as he said, "Sorry I failed you, Hermione."
"Oh, Harry, you didn't fail anyone! Least of all me. We knew it was a long shot." she said.
Hermione looked up from the pavement just in time to see Severus round the corner. He was wearing formal black robes without any insignia, just plain robes, closed against the chill. She wished that he had worn something more colorful, something that wouldn't remind the judge and jury of the Death Eaters, but then, he looked so dashing in them that she couldn't say a thing.
"What? Am I late?" Severus asked crossly, noticing all of them staring at him as he joined the group.
"Not at all. We're just early." said Hermione.
"It's going to start soon." said Remus, looking at his former students and Ron's fiancée. "Perhaps we had better find our places while Hermione and Severus have a chat, hmmm?" he suggested.
"Quite right." agreed Harry.
As they shuffled inside, Ginny Longbottom paused and asked Severus a quiet question that only Hermione overheard: "What was your mother's name, sir?"
Severus's eyes drifted to her slightly protruding stomach and replied, "Donatella."
Ginny nodded quietly and walked inside to join her husband.
"You don't honestly think she would do it, do you?" Severus asked Hermione when the woman was out of earshot.
Hermione shrugged and said, "It's Ginny, Severus. Who can say? But it was a sweet gesture."
"Not necessarily one that inspires confidence though, is it?"
"The three of them canceled classes to be here." she reminded him.
"Their students must be ecstatic."
"Severus, we should go in now." she told him.
"No last minute advice?"
"Not unless you have a counter agent to the Veritaserum."
"No such substance. Let's go."
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A/N: Question of the day: (And I'm hoping I'm right about this) Snape's parents' names are never mentioned in the books, are they?
I want to thank all the people who reviewed the previous chapter, Dinky, Michelle, fizzysoda, cloudshape, ress, and Jenni.
I am always pleased to see that there are Remus Lupin fans out there, being one myself.