It was amazing. The speed with which rumours normally passed from one end of Wizarding Britain to the other (Just how fast can an owl fly anyway?) seemed tortoise-like compared to the Biggest News of All Time. The Daily Prophet even put out a special noon edition for the occasion. 'Assassin on Trial!' exclaimed the headline, and in the small house that had once held seven children, Molly Weasley read the story with dread fascination. As soon as she had finished, she apparated away to collect what was left of her family. When the Wizengamot reassembled, there would be six redheads in the gallery, all there to support the young woman they knew for sure had to be innocent.
"The Wizengamot calls Professor Severus Snape!" The nameless, officious little man who held the position of Bailiff of the Wizengamot, stopped himself from quailing at the name echoing through the chamber. He, like many in the room, held a residual fear of this Dark Wizard, left over from their days at school. Once, the rumours of the Potions Master's aptitude had been only that, rumours. But since the very first day of these trials, they had been well confirmed. Severus Snape had once been You Know Who's right hand man. More shocking, however, was the revelation that the Dark Lord's downfall had been brought about by this most trusted servant. What had stopped him taking the Dark Lord's place? None knew, but almost every Death Eater convicted, had been so due to Severus Snape's testimony.
And now, it seemed, he would add another notch to his belt.
The great double doors that led into the chamber burst open, and the Dark Wizard Himself strode boldly into the Chamber, his black robes flowing behind him. Having folded his lanky frame into the chair in the witness stand, he glanced for the first time at the young woman standing proudly erect in the dock. With that one look, he hoped to convey everything he could not say in front of those who would condemn her.
She refused to meet his gaze.
As Severus looked away in regret, the Minister of Justice spoke. "Professor Snape. As before, I will begin with the usual question. Do you name the accused, Hermione Granger, as a Death Eater and willing follower of You Know Who?"
Sixty seven times, Severus Snape had been asked that question. Sixty seven times he had simply answered 'I do.' As those listening prepared themselves to hear those two words again, he answered without hesitation, "I do not."
They were stunned to say the least.
Percy blinked in shock. "I beg your pardon?"
Grimly, Severus enlightened them as to his reasons. "Miss Granger is muggleborn, the very thing that Voldemort's followers despised. Moreover, she is the childhood friend of Harry Potter, the Dark Lord's most hated foe, and has been fighting at his side since she was eleven years old. She was one of the first of the new generation to join the Order of the Phoenix and helped found Dumbledore's Army. Finally, the death of her fiancé at the hands of the Death Eaters removed any inclination she may have had to change sides."
Puzzled, Percy looked through his notes, "Her fiancé? And who might that have been?"
Severus smirked, "Come, now Minister. Surely you remember that awful attack on the ministry in July of the same year as Fudge's death? The one that claimed the life of your own brother and father? Surely you remember that?"
Percy had the decency to look ashamed, as his mother fought back tears in the gallery. 'Surely now,' Molly thought, 'he'll end this horrible ordeal and let our dear girl come home!'
But it was not to be. After a moment to collect his thoughts, the Minister of Justice continued his questioning. "Very well. Let the record show that Hermione Granger is not, nor has ever been, a Death Eater. But this fact does not preclude the possibility that she committed this heinous crime. Professor Snape. One the night of November 13th, you were called to St Mungo's. For what purpose?"
Once again grim and emotionless, Severus sat back to relate the events of the past. "At about 10pm, I received an owl from a Dr George Stubbs, the coroner at St Mungo's. He was undertaking the autopsy of the late Minister and in the course of his investigation, he had discovered a toxin in the body which he could not identify. As an expert in potions and poisons he wished to consult with me to determine the toxin's origins."
"And did you?"
Severus nodded, "Oh, I identified the poison alright. A rare, slow working venom from a spider only found on the east coast of Australia. It usually takes the victim of such bites days to die, an agonising slow death. Or in the single case of where the venom had been ingested, up to a week. But seeing as the Minister had been poisoned in the afternoon and was dead by sundown, the poison could not have been the cause of death, although perhaps a contributing factor. Further examination of the body revealed the presence of trace amounts of duck down in his mouth and throat. Cornelius Fudge had been smothered to death with a pillow."
"Was the poison advanced enough that the accused could have taken advantage of the Minister's weakness and killed him in such a manner?"
"Someone may have," Severus mused, "But not Miss Granger. For at the time of Fudge's death, she was nowhere near London."
"And how do you know this?"
Severus smirked, "Because she was with me."
"With you?" Percy looked sceptical, as did most everyone else.
"Yes. After she returned to our home from the Ministry, we ate dinner until about 6 o'clock after which we discussed our day and news, and then retired to our bed at about eight."
As one, the court gasped in shock at the thought, and images, this confession produced. Several of the more delicate women in the gallery slumped in their chairs in faints.
"Severus!" Hermione cried out in anger.
"I'm sorry, my dear," he replied silkily, ignoring the glare she was giving him, "But in order to save your life, the truth must be told."
Hermione opened her mouth to say more on that subject, but was interrupted by a new powerful voice from the gallery. "Enough!" A cloaked and hooded figure stepped forward and spoke again, the rich timbre of his voice echoing throughout the Chamber. "This ends now! The truth shall be known!"
The Minister of Justice shot to his feet and glared at the newcomer. A disruptive intruder in his courtroom? This would cease! "Wizard! Reveal both yourself and your purpose here!"
Hands clad in black leather rose and lowered the cowl of the dark cloak to reveal a face gaunt with fatigue. Shaggy black hair framed the pale visage and piercing green eyes gleamed behind round wire rim glasses. A hint of a once famous scar could be seen on the man's forehead.
Severus named him with a sneer, "Potter!"
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A/N Thanks once again to my reviewers! Has anyone figured it out yet?