A/N I don't own HP!! Thanks for all the reviews keep 'em coming!! =)
Chapter twenty-three ~ In The Office.
Dumbledore didn't seem wholly surprised when the group appeared in his office. In fact, judging by the look on his face, it was almost as though he had been expecting them. He smiled, a secretive rather cunning smile.
"Lucius, and to what do I owe this rare honour?" He said, standing up. "Please, sit down.
Lucius sat down, as did Dumbledore leaving the rest standing, watching.
"I always knew you were hiding something, Dumbledore. but I never thought, for a second, it would be this extreme."
"I'm afraid Lucius I don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about. And can I ask what my potions master and Hermione Granger have to do with it?" he asked, speaking slowly as though he was talking to a child.
Lucius smirk broadened on his face. "Are you trying to say Dumbledore that you had no idea about what was going on? Under your very nose? Well, I must say that is a serious case of neglect. If you can't even tell when one of your own students has joined the dark side."
Dumbledore smiled. "Are you trying to suggest that Miss Granger, one of the cleverest students in the school is under the influence of Voldemort?!"
Lucius flinched slightly at the name, but hid it remarkably well with a cold laugh. "You really are a blumbering fool? Do you really think these students are going to stay true to you?"
Dumbledore smiled back. "My students are faithful and loyal, they will fight on the right side, I can assure you."
"Well, I have proof that this one has been talking."
"Really? Can I ask what proof you may have?"
"Sorry Dumbledore but it is confidential and due to my new position as Lord Judge I have the right to send any dangerous persons, threatening our community to Azkaban."
"Without trial?"
"Without trial."
"Wouldn't look good though would it? Minister Malfoy sending a young school girl to Azkaban without giving her the chance to defend herself."
Malfoy's grin subsided. "It would look even worse if I let a dangerous criminal walk."
"Dangerous criminal?!" Snape sneered.
"You're forgetting your place!" Malfoy said, angrily spinning round to speak to Snape. Hermione retreated back behind her teacher.
Snape stepped in front of her. "Why would the Dark Lord use a muggle born? He detests the impurity of their race, he would kill her, not pay her." He sneered.
"Did I say she was under His pay? Maybe she told him another way. But whatever happened I'm taking her."
"You don't want to be doing that." Dumbledore said, softly.
Lucius grinned. "Oh I think I do." Dumbledore smiled, and nodded.
"Why don't I want to be doing it?" Lucius demanded.
"Say she was proven innocent, after you have taken her. You're name would be dirt in the wizarding world."
"What are you saying? I should let her go, because you don't think she's guilty."
"Give her a fair trial. Let her side of the story be heard, give her a chance to defend herself and her actions."
Lucius thought for a moment.
"A reputation once shattered, is hard to restore." Snape said, quietly.
That seemed to clench it. "Very well, the girl shall get a fair trial, but she will be taken into custody in the meantime."
Hermione gasped as one of the officials made to grab her arm. Snape pushed her back, out of his reach.
"Innocent until proven guilty. It wouldn't do good sending her to Azkaban before the trial." Snape said, icily.
Lucius nodded and grinned. "Perhaps you are right." He turned to the headmaster. "The dates of the trial shall be owled to you."
Snape followed Lucius out of the office.
"What the hell were you playing at?" He demanded angrily.
"Send her to the Dark Lord and then put her on trail, if she goes to the Dark Lord he'll kill her, which means a disappearance, the aurors will be poking their noses in, no everything we do has to be above board in the eyes of the public." Snape replied, annoyed.
Lucius nodded. "I'll get that mudblood in the end, I will!" he sneered as he followed his officials down the staircase.
Snape smirked coldly. "Like hell you will."
Chapter twenty-three ~ In The Office.
Dumbledore didn't seem wholly surprised when the group appeared in his office. In fact, judging by the look on his face, it was almost as though he had been expecting them. He smiled, a secretive rather cunning smile.
"Lucius, and to what do I owe this rare honour?" He said, standing up. "Please, sit down.
Lucius sat down, as did Dumbledore leaving the rest standing, watching.
"I always knew you were hiding something, Dumbledore. but I never thought, for a second, it would be this extreme."
"I'm afraid Lucius I don't have the slightest idea what you are talking about. And can I ask what my potions master and Hermione Granger have to do with it?" he asked, speaking slowly as though he was talking to a child.
Lucius smirk broadened on his face. "Are you trying to say Dumbledore that you had no idea about what was going on? Under your very nose? Well, I must say that is a serious case of neglect. If you can't even tell when one of your own students has joined the dark side."
Dumbledore smiled. "Are you trying to suggest that Miss Granger, one of the cleverest students in the school is under the influence of Voldemort?!"
Lucius flinched slightly at the name, but hid it remarkably well with a cold laugh. "You really are a blumbering fool? Do you really think these students are going to stay true to you?"
Dumbledore smiled back. "My students are faithful and loyal, they will fight on the right side, I can assure you."
"Well, I have proof that this one has been talking."
"Really? Can I ask what proof you may have?"
"Sorry Dumbledore but it is confidential and due to my new position as Lord Judge I have the right to send any dangerous persons, threatening our community to Azkaban."
"Without trial?"
"Without trial."
"Wouldn't look good though would it? Minister Malfoy sending a young school girl to Azkaban without giving her the chance to defend herself."
Malfoy's grin subsided. "It would look even worse if I let a dangerous criminal walk."
"Dangerous criminal?!" Snape sneered.
"You're forgetting your place!" Malfoy said, angrily spinning round to speak to Snape. Hermione retreated back behind her teacher.
Snape stepped in front of her. "Why would the Dark Lord use a muggle born? He detests the impurity of their race, he would kill her, not pay her." He sneered.
"Did I say she was under His pay? Maybe she told him another way. But whatever happened I'm taking her."
"You don't want to be doing that." Dumbledore said, softly.
Lucius grinned. "Oh I think I do." Dumbledore smiled, and nodded.
"Why don't I want to be doing it?" Lucius demanded.
"Say she was proven innocent, after you have taken her. You're name would be dirt in the wizarding world."
"What are you saying? I should let her go, because you don't think she's guilty."
"Give her a fair trial. Let her side of the story be heard, give her a chance to defend herself and her actions."
Lucius thought for a moment.
"A reputation once shattered, is hard to restore." Snape said, quietly.
That seemed to clench it. "Very well, the girl shall get a fair trial, but she will be taken into custody in the meantime."
Hermione gasped as one of the officials made to grab her arm. Snape pushed her back, out of his reach.
"Innocent until proven guilty. It wouldn't do good sending her to Azkaban before the trial." Snape said, icily.
Lucius nodded and grinned. "Perhaps you are right." He turned to the headmaster. "The dates of the trial shall be owled to you."
Snape followed Lucius out of the office.
"What the hell were you playing at?" He demanded angrily.
"Send her to the Dark Lord and then put her on trail, if she goes to the Dark Lord he'll kill her, which means a disappearance, the aurors will be poking their noses in, no everything we do has to be above board in the eyes of the public." Snape replied, annoyed.
Lucius nodded. "I'll get that mudblood in the end, I will!" he sneered as he followed his officials down the staircase.
Snape smirked coldly. "Like hell you will."