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Snape's thoughts

Amaya's thoughts


'Professor?' Amaya stayed behind after class, worry evident on her face, as she gnawed on her lower lip, turning it from its usual reddy pink to a bright cherry red. Seeing that she had her Head of House's attention, she spoke again.

'Where's Draco?' I haven't seen him since Saturday. I was in the library looking up that curse, and then he said he would meet me in Hogsmeade. I haven't seen him since.' With a sigh, Snape responded as he packed away his equipment. 'His father took him out of school.' It pained Snape to know, for he knew why all too well. 'Lucius said that it was urgent and Dumbledore let him go.' Amaya could sense his concern and underlying fear.
'What's wrong Sir? Is it about all of those people going missing? About Voldemort being alive.' Snape hissed at her audacity.

'Do not speak his name.' Amaya tilted her chin in defiance.

'Why not? It's just a name. What's in a name? Why should we fear saying Voldemort any more that Dumbledore. They're both equally powerful.' To that Snape had no answer. Instead he enquired as to where Amaya was up to in her bid to release Remus.

'Oh, I've found the curse she used. It's the Firma Forgiata.' Her eyes danced happily, and she clapped her hands, a sure sign of her delight. Snape raised his eyebrow.

'And why, pray tell, have you done nothing to resolve your plight then.' He spoke disdainfully, and almost wished he hadn't when the happiness drained from her face.

'I don't know what to do next.' She muttered shamefaced. Snape barely managed to contain his eye roll. Honestly. We have a headmaster who is the Head of the Wizengammot and she doesn't know what to do.

'Follow me.' He said in icy tones before sweeping out of his dungeon.

Halting in front of the twin gargoyles, Snape muttered 'Blood Lollipop.' Amaya gaped at the spiralling staircase, with the phoenix formed around it. She cocked her head at the sense of amusement seeping through the grand oak door ahead of her. Her pricked ears caught the faint sound of a conversation. Without knocking, Snape barged into the office, Amaya followed timidly, copy of the Library text clutched to her chest. Looking round, she was amazed at the surroundings, and identified the pictures that were looking at her, as the source of the voices. On a golden perch, stood a beautiful phoenix. Amaya walked, transfixed over to it and gently stroked its fire bright plumage with her long fore finger. He opened his beak, and let out a single note. The warmth of his voice was palatable, and Amaya couldn't help but smile.

'Sherbet Lemon.' Amaya's head snapped back to the man behind the desk.

'No. Thankyou. I prefer sherbet strawberries. The lemons are a bit too tart for my taste.' In surprise, Dumbledore took back the tin and gazed into it. Twinkling blue eyes found silvery blue ones. 'You think so.' The tang of amusement was there again. Amaya shook her head to clear it.

Snape, quivering with impatience, spoke up. 'Headmaster. Miss Lupin has brought to my attention a serious crime that Madame Umbridge has committed. Miss Lupin.' He handed the reins of the conversation to Amaya before excusing himself, and sweeping from the room.

Clearing her throat, Amaya spoke up. Oh my God. How hard is it to meet that gaze. Summoning her courage, Amaya squared her shoulders, met Dumbledore's unquestioning gaze with hers and spoke, her voice gaining strength as she narrated. She told him of Sirius confession that Umbridge had forged her signature, of her search of the library, and then the Restricted section, of how she found the Curse, and of how Dumbledore must help her to free her wrongly imprisoned Papa. All through Amaya's speech, Dumbledore was silent. The information swirling in his mind. Her plea tugged on his heart strings and he was forcibly reminded of her devastation when he sentenced Remus to that camp. Guilt weighed on the old shoulders. Amaya's nose twitched slightly at the heavy scent of his sadness. Rising, he took a quill and parchment. He scribbled as he spoke.

'In light of your information and what you have found, I will go to the Ministry and scan the document. If, as you say, Madame Umbridge has used the Firma Forgiata curse, then there will be a strong magical imprint on the Parchment. If that is the case, I will call for an immediate emergency session of the Wizengammot to resolve the matter.' Straightening, he smiled down upon Amaya, 'Sirius is right. You are a most interesting study.' Grabbing the tail of the phoenix that perched on its stand, Dumbledore disappeared.

/Passing in Time/

'Silence in the courtroom.' All bemused murmurings fell silent, as the Wizengammot filed in, led by Dumbledore. When they had sat, Cornelius Fudge stood, sweating in his purple pinstriped cloak, and twisting his lime green bowler hat in his hands in agitation. Noticing he had crumpled the velvet, he attempted to straighten it out. A soft word from Dumbledore, broke him out of his trance and he spoke in a harsh carrying voice that caught all attention, including the one of a squat woman, sat in a chair in the bowels of the room, small on her face despite the pastiness of her complexion and the nervous darting of her eyes to the door.

'Delores Jane Umbridge. You are summoned before the Wizengammot on the charge that you on the 17th June of this year, 2005, did knowingly and unlawfully forge the signature of Amaya Felicity Angelique Lupin, using the Firma Forgiata curse.' Gasps and mutters rippled along the people assembled, and Umbridges eyes darted to the door once more. 'What's more, you used this curse to fool Sirius Orion Anthony Polaris Canis Black, and the Wizengammot into believing that you had obtained the legal adoption of Amaya Lupin into the care of Mr Black, when you took her from the residence of Remus Jean Lupin, in what can now be accurately described as abduction.' The mutters were louder this time, and one person in the arena shook her fist at Umbridge, who was licking her lips in nervousness. 'In addition to this, you allowed for Remus Lupin to be sent to a concentration camp, for assaulting Auror Smith when trying to protect his daughter…' Fudge was having to shout to make himself heard over the voices now '…instead of him being fined as the law dictates. How do you plead?'

'Not guilty.' There was uproar and Fudge had to sound several loud explosions to regain order.

'Fine.' He gritted out in annoyance. 'The evidence please.' A ministry worker walked into the arena and handed Fudge to the contract. Speaking aloud, he described his actions.

'Here is the contract to the adoption of Amaya Lupin into the custody of Mr Black. If the Firma Forgiata curse has been used, the signature will glow purple. If not, then there will be no change. Revealus' Umbridge sagged into her chair as violet gleamed through the parchment. Then she surged upright. Her usually breathy girlish voice shrill and feverish.

'I must be allowed to speak. There is no proof that I forged the signature. I took the parchment to Mr Black and it came back signed. It must have been he who cast the spell.'

'Rubbish' came a bellow from a man half in shadow to Fudge's right, leaning forward, steely blue eyes stared out of Sirius' face as he fixed her with a penetrating stare. 'I knew nothing of this.' A touch on his arm from the Minister, calmed his rage.

'You have dug your grave Madame Umbridge. Do not allow it to become any deeper by lying.' Addressing the people assembled, Fudge spoke loudly again.

'My next and final piece of evidence, is Priori Incatatem. Mr Black if you please.' Sirius stood and prowled down from the stand gracefully. Facing Umbridge, He handed her wand to the pale trembling woman. Glancing round at the Aurors assembled, she licked her dry lips, fearful in the knowledge that there was no escape. Looking up, she saw grim determination lining Sirius' eyes as he barked 'Priori Incantatem.' She almost fainted with dread.

There were glows emitted from her wand, signifying various spells she had done. Curiously there were many that were borderline of legality, and numerous reds for the Stunner Jinx. Then, much to the horror of those watching came a smoky black residue that floated up to form a skull, with a snake protruding from its mouth. It was only Sirius determination that allowed him to keep his grip on his wand through the regurgitation of spells cast by Delores Umbridge, especially when that included pained screams from the Cruciatus. Finally, what they were searching for was found as violet smoke rose out of the tip of her wand to form A. Lupin, in slanted curly lettering. Breaking the connection, Sirius made no move as Umbridge slumped to the floor, chest heaving for breath. Then motion he did make was to push the left sleeve of her robes up to the shoulder, revealing a hideous tattoo. The mark of Lord Voldemort.

Turning to the quietly conversing members of the Wizengammot, a pale faced, horrified Minister for Magic asked the the judges if they had reached their verdict. Rising, commanding in his royal blue robes, eyes devoid of any twinkle, Dumbledore spoke, 'We have.'


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