Hermione felt herself waking up. She moved a hand and felt soft and cool
sheets underneath her. Her head was sunken into a cushy pillow. Her eyes
fluttered open and she looked up into the face of Professor Snape.
"Hermione." he said softly.
"Professor - I thought --- you were ---." She mumbled.
"Hermione.." He said again.
The room began to spin and she heard his voice fade away.
"Hermione Granger!" a rough voice barked.
She opened her eyes and realized she wasn't laying on cool sheets, but on a hard cement floor. Her head was throbbing in pain and she felt no soft pillow beneath her. The voice that was calling didn't belong to Snape, either. It was a harsh voice.
"Granger get up, you're trial is starting in a few minutes." The voice said.
She sat up and looked around. She was in a tiny cell, with heavy steel bars on one side. Hermione got up off the floor and saw the man who was talking to her. He was a rough looking man, who stood nearly a foot and a half taller then her.
"Where am I?" she asked, rubbing her head.
"Ministry of Magic." He said, opening her door. "Lets go, and don't try anything funny."
Hermione walked out from her cell, following the man down the hall. To her right, she saw Draco sitting on his bed in the cell. He didn't say anything as she passed.
They reached a door, and he pushed her into the courtroom. It was large and circular with a chair in the center, just as Harry had described to her. She looked around and saw many people she recognized. Cornelius Fudge was flanked by Dolores Umbridge and Amelia Bones, high up looking down on her. Sitting around the Court Room, were the entire Weasley family, except Ginny of course, all looking rather solemn. Harry sat between Ron and Lupin, who was next to Professor McGonagall. She saw Snape sitting in the back row in the shadows.
The guard lead her to the chair in the center and it instantly clamped its icy metal chains down on her arms and around her ankles.
Dumbledore walked out from a doorway opposite her, and he began pacing about.
"We are here today, for the trial of Hermione L. Granger." Cornelius Fudge said loudly. She has been charged with serving You-Know-Who, captured by the Aurors last night. It is my recommendation that she drinks a Veritaserum and is questioned."
"I must say, Cornelius, while that may be more efficient, Hermione Granger is a top student at Hogwarts. She is a Gryffindor and I believe after the services she has provided to the school over the past few years, she is entitled to explain herself with out the use of a Potion." Dumbledore said, walking around with his hands behind his back.
"Very well, lets get this over with." He said.
"Hermione, dear, tell us, why were you at a Death Eater's meeting last night?" Dumbledore asked, kindly.
Hermione now had two options, she could either tell the truth, or lie and try to get out of whatever sentence they had in store.
"I was spying on them." She said flatly.
The courtroom erupted into low murmuring.
"I'm sorry dear?" Dumbledore smiled.
"I was spying on the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. I knew they would accept me because of my intellect, and I didn't tell anyone because I was afraid they wouldn't allow me to do such a dangerous task."
Snape sighed from his place in the back of the room.
"You see, Cornelius. I had told you I had complete faith in Miss Granger."
'Stupid old fool.' She thought harshly.
"This is ridiculous!" Dolores Umbridge spoke up. "We can't believe her, bring in the Veritaserum and lets stop this foolishness."
Before Dumbledore could protest any further, the guard who had brought Hermione in came back, with a locked wooden box. He opened it up and took out a vial of completely clear liquid. Hermione watched nervously as he walked over to her and roughly held her head back, pouring the potion down her throat. She choked on it a bit and gave him a dirty look.
"Now, then, Miss Granger, why were you with You-Know-Who and his followers last night?" Fudge asked, folding his hands in front of him.
"Because I am a Death Eater." "How long have you been a Death Eater?" Fudge looked nervous.
"I joined the Dark Lord two weeks ago. If you want proof, have a look at my left arm." She said, fighting every word that escaped from her lips. Dumbledore slowly walked over to her, with a frown on his face, and pulled up the sleeve of her black Death Eater robe.
The courtroom gasped in horror, seeing the Dark Mark imprinted in crimson on her arm. She looked up at Ron and Harry, not allowing any emotion to show. Ron looked pale and Harry simply stared in awe.
"Do you know what happened to Virginia M. Weasley?"
"Yes." Hermione was still fighting it, cursing the inventor of the truth potion.
"Tell us."
"Two Fridays ago, I lured her out of Hogwarts and brought her to the Dark Lord. I was still under a trial basis with him, he wanted me to prove myself to him, so he asked for Ginny Weasley."
"And Voldemort killed Ginny?" Dumbledore asked.
"No. I killed her." Hermione said, looking Dumbledore straight in the eye. Molly Weasley shrieked and started sobbing into Arthur's robe.
"How did you manage this?" Umbridge asked, completely unaware, or not caring, that Mrs. Weasley was crying.
Hermione bit her tongue. She didn't want to tell the Weasleys this. "I was trained to use the Unforgivable Curses on her. I killed her with Adava Kedavra."
"And you used the other two curses as well?" Fudge asked.
"Yes."
"Hermione, did you break into the backroom on Saturday?" Dumbledore asked, aware that most everyone in the courtroom didn't know what room he was speaking of.
"Yes. I stole files."
"I think we have all the information we need." Fudge mumbled and stood up. "Hermione Granger, the Ministry of Magic finds you guilty of the following acts; The use of the Imperius Curse, The use of the Cruciatus Curse, The use of the Adava Kedavra Curse, The Murder of Virginia M. Weasley, Serving V-v-Voldemort, Breaking and Entering into a restricted area, the use of the Cruciatus Curse on three Ministry Aurors, the Murder of Nymphadora Tonks and lying to the Court under Oath. Is that clear?"
"Crystal." She smirked. Fudge knew she was a Death Eater, he had given her that contribution a few weeks ago, and now he was going to sentence her to Azkaban to save face. Typical politician.
"Your sentence, immediate expulsion from Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, two consecutive life sentences to Azkaban Prison, Maximum Security Sector." He finished and pulled a wand from beneath his table. Hermione realized it was her own wand and opened her mouth to speak just as Fudge snapped it in half.
"Guards." he motioned towards her. The chair released her and she got one last look at Harry and Ron, who appeared to have tears streaming down their cheeks. The guards dragged her out of the courtroom and back down to her cell. She passed by Draco, who this time was near the bars of the cell, waiting for her.
"What happened?" he called. "I'm next."
"Good luck." She said miserably as the guards threw her on the floor to her cell. She got up and brushed herself off, sitting on the bed. 'I should have apparated out when I could last night.' She thought to herself, leaning against the wall.
"Visitor, Granger." A guard said sharply. She looked up and saw Lupin outside her cell.
"What do you want?" she walked over to him.
"Why did you join Voldemort?" he asked.
"Where are Harry and Ron? Didn't they want to see me too?" she asked, avoiding the subject.
"No. They did not want to see you. Why did you do it?"
"Because you're on the wrong side, Professor Lupin. Voldemort is rising and no one is going to be able to stop him. Harry is no state to fight the most powerful wizard that has ever lived. You should think about switching your loyalties too."
Lupin looked thoughtfully at her for a moment. "Perhaps you're right, but Id rather die fighting for what's right then to save my own skin and live for what is wrong."
Hermione let out a sharp laugh. "So very Gryffindor of you, Professor. I wanted to ask, how did you know the Aurors were coming last night?"
"The parchment you took from the back office, I planted it there. I had a strong suspicion about you, I smelled you with the Malfoys that night in Diagon Alley. I knew if my assumptions were right, you would go snooping around Grimmauld Place for something like that. So I put a tracking charm on the parchment, and sure enough it found its way to Malfoy Manor. I allowed myself to be captured by Lucius so I would be there when everything happened, as a diversion to the Warding Spells that were all over the Malfoy's property."
Hermione sighed. She should have never brought anything back to Voldemort from Grimmauld Place, it would have been just as easy to charm the information to a new piece of paper.
"Times up." The guard barked.
Lupin turned to walk away. "I'm sorry Hermione." He said gently before disappearing out of view.
_______ ________ It's so sad, the story is almost over. One chapter left, and I will update as soon as possible.
"Hermione." he said softly.
"Professor - I thought --- you were ---." She mumbled.
"Hermione.." He said again.
The room began to spin and she heard his voice fade away.
"Hermione Granger!" a rough voice barked.
She opened her eyes and realized she wasn't laying on cool sheets, but on a hard cement floor. Her head was throbbing in pain and she felt no soft pillow beneath her. The voice that was calling didn't belong to Snape, either. It was a harsh voice.
"Granger get up, you're trial is starting in a few minutes." The voice said.
She sat up and looked around. She was in a tiny cell, with heavy steel bars on one side. Hermione got up off the floor and saw the man who was talking to her. He was a rough looking man, who stood nearly a foot and a half taller then her.
"Where am I?" she asked, rubbing her head.
"Ministry of Magic." He said, opening her door. "Lets go, and don't try anything funny."
Hermione walked out from her cell, following the man down the hall. To her right, she saw Draco sitting on his bed in the cell. He didn't say anything as she passed.
They reached a door, and he pushed her into the courtroom. It was large and circular with a chair in the center, just as Harry had described to her. She looked around and saw many people she recognized. Cornelius Fudge was flanked by Dolores Umbridge and Amelia Bones, high up looking down on her. Sitting around the Court Room, were the entire Weasley family, except Ginny of course, all looking rather solemn. Harry sat between Ron and Lupin, who was next to Professor McGonagall. She saw Snape sitting in the back row in the shadows.
The guard lead her to the chair in the center and it instantly clamped its icy metal chains down on her arms and around her ankles.
Dumbledore walked out from a doorway opposite her, and he began pacing about.
"We are here today, for the trial of Hermione L. Granger." Cornelius Fudge said loudly. She has been charged with serving You-Know-Who, captured by the Aurors last night. It is my recommendation that she drinks a Veritaserum and is questioned."
"I must say, Cornelius, while that may be more efficient, Hermione Granger is a top student at Hogwarts. She is a Gryffindor and I believe after the services she has provided to the school over the past few years, she is entitled to explain herself with out the use of a Potion." Dumbledore said, walking around with his hands behind his back.
"Very well, lets get this over with." He said.
"Hermione, dear, tell us, why were you at a Death Eater's meeting last night?" Dumbledore asked, kindly.
Hermione now had two options, she could either tell the truth, or lie and try to get out of whatever sentence they had in store.
"I was spying on them." She said flatly.
The courtroom erupted into low murmuring.
"I'm sorry dear?" Dumbledore smiled.
"I was spying on the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. I knew they would accept me because of my intellect, and I didn't tell anyone because I was afraid they wouldn't allow me to do such a dangerous task."
Snape sighed from his place in the back of the room.
"You see, Cornelius. I had told you I had complete faith in Miss Granger."
'Stupid old fool.' She thought harshly.
"This is ridiculous!" Dolores Umbridge spoke up. "We can't believe her, bring in the Veritaserum and lets stop this foolishness."
Before Dumbledore could protest any further, the guard who had brought Hermione in came back, with a locked wooden box. He opened it up and took out a vial of completely clear liquid. Hermione watched nervously as he walked over to her and roughly held her head back, pouring the potion down her throat. She choked on it a bit and gave him a dirty look.
"Now, then, Miss Granger, why were you with You-Know-Who and his followers last night?" Fudge asked, folding his hands in front of him.
"Because I am a Death Eater." "How long have you been a Death Eater?" Fudge looked nervous.
"I joined the Dark Lord two weeks ago. If you want proof, have a look at my left arm." She said, fighting every word that escaped from her lips. Dumbledore slowly walked over to her, with a frown on his face, and pulled up the sleeve of her black Death Eater robe.
The courtroom gasped in horror, seeing the Dark Mark imprinted in crimson on her arm. She looked up at Ron and Harry, not allowing any emotion to show. Ron looked pale and Harry simply stared in awe.
"Do you know what happened to Virginia M. Weasley?"
"Yes." Hermione was still fighting it, cursing the inventor of the truth potion.
"Tell us."
"Two Fridays ago, I lured her out of Hogwarts and brought her to the Dark Lord. I was still under a trial basis with him, he wanted me to prove myself to him, so he asked for Ginny Weasley."
"And Voldemort killed Ginny?" Dumbledore asked.
"No. I killed her." Hermione said, looking Dumbledore straight in the eye. Molly Weasley shrieked and started sobbing into Arthur's robe.
"How did you manage this?" Umbridge asked, completely unaware, or not caring, that Mrs. Weasley was crying.
Hermione bit her tongue. She didn't want to tell the Weasleys this. "I was trained to use the Unforgivable Curses on her. I killed her with Adava Kedavra."
"And you used the other two curses as well?" Fudge asked.
"Yes."
"Hermione, did you break into the backroom on Saturday?" Dumbledore asked, aware that most everyone in the courtroom didn't know what room he was speaking of.
"Yes. I stole files."
"I think we have all the information we need." Fudge mumbled and stood up. "Hermione Granger, the Ministry of Magic finds you guilty of the following acts; The use of the Imperius Curse, The use of the Cruciatus Curse, The use of the Adava Kedavra Curse, The Murder of Virginia M. Weasley, Serving V-v-Voldemort, Breaking and Entering into a restricted area, the use of the Cruciatus Curse on three Ministry Aurors, the Murder of Nymphadora Tonks and lying to the Court under Oath. Is that clear?"
"Crystal." She smirked. Fudge knew she was a Death Eater, he had given her that contribution a few weeks ago, and now he was going to sentence her to Azkaban to save face. Typical politician.
"Your sentence, immediate expulsion from Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, two consecutive life sentences to Azkaban Prison, Maximum Security Sector." He finished and pulled a wand from beneath his table. Hermione realized it was her own wand and opened her mouth to speak just as Fudge snapped it in half.
"Guards." he motioned towards her. The chair released her and she got one last look at Harry and Ron, who appeared to have tears streaming down their cheeks. The guards dragged her out of the courtroom and back down to her cell. She passed by Draco, who this time was near the bars of the cell, waiting for her.
"What happened?" he called. "I'm next."
"Good luck." She said miserably as the guards threw her on the floor to her cell. She got up and brushed herself off, sitting on the bed. 'I should have apparated out when I could last night.' She thought to herself, leaning against the wall.
"Visitor, Granger." A guard said sharply. She looked up and saw Lupin outside her cell.
"What do you want?" she walked over to him.
"Why did you join Voldemort?" he asked.
"Where are Harry and Ron? Didn't they want to see me too?" she asked, avoiding the subject.
"No. They did not want to see you. Why did you do it?"
"Because you're on the wrong side, Professor Lupin. Voldemort is rising and no one is going to be able to stop him. Harry is no state to fight the most powerful wizard that has ever lived. You should think about switching your loyalties too."
Lupin looked thoughtfully at her for a moment. "Perhaps you're right, but Id rather die fighting for what's right then to save my own skin and live for what is wrong."
Hermione let out a sharp laugh. "So very Gryffindor of you, Professor. I wanted to ask, how did you know the Aurors were coming last night?"
"The parchment you took from the back office, I planted it there. I had a strong suspicion about you, I smelled you with the Malfoys that night in Diagon Alley. I knew if my assumptions were right, you would go snooping around Grimmauld Place for something like that. So I put a tracking charm on the parchment, and sure enough it found its way to Malfoy Manor. I allowed myself to be captured by Lucius so I would be there when everything happened, as a diversion to the Warding Spells that were all over the Malfoy's property."
Hermione sighed. She should have never brought anything back to Voldemort from Grimmauld Place, it would have been just as easy to charm the information to a new piece of paper.
"Times up." The guard barked.
Lupin turned to walk away. "I'm sorry Hermione." He said gently before disappearing out of view.
_______ ________ It's so sad, the story is almost over. One chapter left, and I will update as soon as possible.