CH 10.
Trial and Error
Near dawn Draco woke from a fitful sleep he was spooned up to Neville but there was no sign of Harry. Slidding out of bed Draco made his way to the common room several students were sitting around in comfy chairs, Draco wasn't sure what their reaction to him would be, but he didn't get time to think about it as he saw Severus and Harry asleep on the sofa. His eye's searched the room and landed on Ron and Hermione. Hesitantly Draco walked over and dropped into Hermione's outstretched arms. She cradled him like a small child a daunted look on her face. Ron cast his eye's over Harry and Severus remembering the days he used to spend cuddled to his mum or dad, looking back down at the blond boy nestled in Hermione's arms he wondered if there was ever a time in Draco's childhood he really felt loved. Suddenly the years of taunting seemed childish.
Other occupants of the common room filtered out to begin their day with breakfast. When everyone else was gone Ron sank into the chair opposite the sofa. "Harry you should really wake up classes start today and we don't want to be late. We have potions first." Ron said.
"I don't think the Potions Master will be to upset if you're late." a half smile played on Severus' face despite his unopened eyes.
"Oh yes she will be, Kate warned us yesterday that she expected us to be on time." Draco mumbled into Hermione's shoulder. If Severus was surprised he didn't show it he knew Kate would expect nothing less from them; a sudden thought struck him Kate had no idea he was here. Perhaps he should go down and say good morning to her before she went to teach his class.
"Ok Harry, get your lazy bum up, my shoulder is asleep. It's time for all of you to get dressed. Ron please be sure everyone is out of your dorm. I'm going down to see Kate before classes." With that Severus dumped a half awake Harry onto the sofa and headed down to his own quarters.
"Hello sweetheart miss me?" Severus teased, leaning against the frame of their bedroom door.
Kate whirled around, her teaching robes flowing around her in an impressive ripple, her luminous eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "Severus? But how did you... ?" She dashed into his arms not really caring how he got there but that he was there. Severus enfolder her into a tight embrace. "I'm glad you're hear to teach my classes I'm afraid I can't stay I must speak with the Head Master this morning. Don't worry love everything will work out for the best."
"Morning mum." Julie walked out of the spare room dressed for classes and looking refreshed. Taking in the scene before her Julie jumped she hadn't expected her father to be there. In truth she never expected to see him home again. Severus looked over his daughter noting the surprised look that passed over her face he wondered briefly if she thought he deserved being put away of course she wouldn't know what really happened.
"Julie sweetie I know you don't know what's going on but I assure you it's ok." Severus hugged his daughter and noticed her stiffen in his arms. Something was wrong but he didn't have time to think about it now, he had to get to Albus.
"Kate thank you for teaching my classes but I have to go I just wanted you to know I was here. I love you and I'll come see you as soon as I can." With that he left in a whirlwind of black cloak missing the look of annoyance on his daughters face. When he reached the Gargoyle he murmured this weeks candy flavour and stepped onto the spiral stair case letting it's steady movement abate some of his minds sombre mood. Stepping into Albus' office he found Percy Weasley leaning dangerously close to Albus over the desk. Severus was sure that if had he been anyone but Molly Weasley's son, he would have found himself in a full body bind.
"Ah Severus just the one I wanted to see." Albus smiled his ever twinkling eyes landing on Severus' wand.
"You'll be coming back with me." Percy stated turning his frigid, spiritless, cold eyes towards Severus. It saddened Severus to see Molly's son so cold and distant nothing like the rest of his family, another casualty of Voldemort's wayward belief system.
"I'm afraid Mr. Weasley that I will not be going anywhere with you I have no intention of leaving this castle till my trial. So I suggests you run along and play like the good little death eater you are." Percy's wand hand rose to Severus' neck without much thought only to encounter Severus' wand and instead shooting the Cruciatus Curse at Dumbledore's door. Both men stood there daring the other to move a inch.
"Expelliarmus! Accio wand's!" With both wands tucked safely in his hand Dumbledore rose standing mincingly before them.
"Minister Weasley I believe you have just broken your own law. I'm afraid I have no choice but to hold you until someone can have you escorted you away. Severus if you would be so kind as to floo Nymphadora please." Severus wasted no time grabbing a handful of floo powered he called for Tonks.
"Severus what on earth are you doing out of your holding cell?" Tonks was stunned she had left Severus with Percy and she was sure he'd not be out until the trial was over.
"It's a long story would you please send another Auror over to take a statement and come escort our Minister to Azkaban." Severus smirked at the shocked expression Tonks gave him. She agreed to send out others and floo'ed over at once.
As the fireplace came to live the door to the office burst open. "Percy you promised! You said you'd take care of them both I can't believe I trusted you!" Julie Snape was not someone to cross, and she was fuming.
"Avada Kedavara!" Green light flashed and Percy's prone body lay on the floor. Tears running down her cheeks Julie collapsed to the floor. In all the commotion no one noticed that the Aurors had joined them until they seized Julie snapping her wand in half and carrying her out of the office to the apparition point. Severus sat heavily into the chair nearest him head dropped into his hands, his only daughter had just killed the Minister. Albus sent Tonks and Severus to the hospital wing while he took care of the aftermath.
SEVERUS SNAPE CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES BY MINISTER WEASLEY
"Have you seen the Daily Prophet today?!?" Harry was jumping up and down standing before his Mother.
"He's coming home." Her eye filled with tears of pure joy after ten days Severus was finally coming home. They had put off the trial until getting the new Minister settled in, once Arthur Weasley took the roll the charges were dismissed and Severus was clear to come home.
"Not only clear to come home, I've been awarded and I know have a Merlin First Class tacked on the end of my signature and they've taken enough pictures to last a life time." Severus' eyes were alight with mirth as he caught his wife in a tight embrace. Harry wrapped his arms tightly around both his parents, they all held on to each other as if their very lives depended on it.
"Honestly this has been the worst life I could imagin having. I never wanted this I wish I knew then what I know now." Lucius Malfoy sat before Dumbledore recanting the last time he had free will over himself.
"So what you're saying is that after Voldemort's deafeat by Harry you tried to leave and he cast Impuris on you? But then why didn't it release you when he died?" Dumbledore was very aware of what happened to Mr. Malfoy he only hoped that Lucius would beable to put it behind him better after talking about it.
"Some how Weasley found out about it, I had only a moments clarity when the Dar.. Voldemort died before I was hit by Weasley's Impuris curse. I knew the moment he died I felt a moment of loss before the haze in my mind lifted for the first time in a very long time." Lucius had no trouble talking to the Headmaster it reminded him of better days before he decided to join an idiot and vowed to never do it again.
LUCIUS MALFOY: IMPERIUS CURSE LIFTED AT LAST
This reporter sat down and talked with Mr. Malfoy yesterday to talk about life under the Imperius curse. He described some of the things he'd done over the years and expressed great regret for his actions. The sincerity Mr. Malfoy presented tells this reporter the cold distant Malfoy of the past is gone at last. He also expressed a wish to talk with long time wife Narcissa Malfoy who in the last year could no longer tolerate who Mr. Malfoy had become. Here's hopping all goes well for them and their son Draco.
Narcissa leaned back against the wall, could it be true her Lucius the man she fell for in school was finally back? "Could it be?" she asked her cat Tinkerbell.
"MUM! MUM! We've come to visit like we said we would." Draco had never been to his mothers family home but the grandeur held no fascination for him, he longed to see his mother again. Reaching her side he wrapped his arms tightly around her holding on for dear life.
"It's amazing to see him so happy when all I've ever forced on him is hardship and pain." Lucius was standing in the door way watching his wife and son.
"Lucius? Are you really..." Narcissa couldn't go on the tears caught in her throat. With a single nod he walked to her and pulled her into a bear hug, clutching to her and Draco like a downing man. In truth he was no longer drowning but floating happily on the clouds themselves.
"Come now love we brought guest with us." Stepping into the foyer she found Albus and Minerva, Netis and Remus, Sirius and Petunia, Molly and Arthur, and an assortment of children standing before her.
Narcissa decided to celebrate life and throw a party, not the stuffy Death Eater parties her memory was full of but of dancing and party games for the children.
Netis wondered around watching the interaction around her. While things had calmed down between her and Remus she still wasn't sure of herself around him. She noticed Severus leaning against the bar watching Kate dance with Albus.
"You know I really don't understand him." Netis smiled fondly at Albus. Severus knew he shouldn't but he couldn't help himself.
"It's time you knew the truth I found out who your family is, seems you're my sister-in-law. After our last talk I began to think about stories Kate told me about her family, one thing she talked about is her sister one that went away with their father. In short that makes you her sister, my sister-in-law, Harry's aunt and, that eccentric old fools granddaughter. I can't tell you how long he's looked for you perhaps this next dance you should go introduce yourself." Severus smiled at Netis awed expression but did as he suggested and went to talk with Albus.
AN: That's it Folks hope you enjoyed it, it's been a years worth of ups and downs, I'm working on a knew idea now so I should start a new story soon.