Hello all! So this is a shorter than usual chapter, but it's just the trial so that's why. But hey, we're finally here! I'm not sure I'm completely satisfied with the way it's written so I might come back and edit it quite a bit at some point, but for now it is what it is. Also, there's not a lot in any of the books that gives me any sort of basis for how the Wizarding world handles legal matters or how their court system would look, so I've taken quite a few liberties with it. I just hope I do it some form of justice. Anyway, enjoy!
The trial took place on March 23rd, and after a rushed early breakfast in the kitchens I met up with Carmichael and Creevey outside of my father's office. They both looked sick to their stomachs, dressed in some weird muggle attire that had me wrinkling my nose and sweating their nerves out into the fabric. Thankfully, my father was making his way down the hall and, despite the sneer on his face, he obliged the begging look I gave him and gave the two muggleborns a better look for court. They certainly didn't look happy, but one look from me had them shutting up. The Wizengamot was a court made up of mostly pureblood witches and wizards, and even the half-bloods had a very poor understanding of the muggle world. Couple that with Mr. Malfoy being our escort, and it was just better to have the two blend in as well as they could. This was not the time to fight wizarding prejudice.
The fireplace was small, but I crammed us all in to go at once, dropping the floo powder and shouting our destination out. Mr. Malfoy was easy to find in the lobby, and the two followed closely behind me after brushing the dust off of their shoulders. He said nothing, but he did give an approving look to the boys before making his way to the elevator. We made it to the courtroom as the doors were closing, the sight of Dumbledore sitting in the center of the court the last thing to be blocked. A representative stood just outside the doors while another took Creevey to a small room, likely to start his screening before he was called forth. Mr. Malfoy stayed outside with us, pacing with an energy I didn't expect from him.
Admittedly, the nerves didn't really start to hit me until Carmichael was called in and my screening was done. I was about to admit in front of Dumbledore that I was the reason this trial was taking place, that I gave the goblins the authority to collect the evidence, that I made the push to get a wizard of higher status to present this to the Wizengamot. The Minister of Magic himself could be in that court room and I still wouldn't feel safe anymore. I was about to make a move that would anger the wizard that defeated Grindelwald and the Dark Lord fled from. No amount of skilled wizards could make me feel safe in that room. And yet, when my name was called, I stood up. I made my way into the room as Carmichael left to sit with Creevey again and Mr. Malfoy followed me. Nothing would ever express the gratitude I felt toward him in that moment.
My legs were shaky when I stepped onto the platform, but I forced myself to stand tall as the questions started "Ms. Vanessa Snape, you have been given the veritaserum to check for any interference in your testimony, is that correct?"
"Yes, sir."
The stern-faced witch next to the wizard asking questions seemed to be frantically writing notes "And you are the one who discovered Mr. Albus Dumbledore's use of your name for fraudulent purposes?"
"Yes, sir."
"Please, explain what happened."
I glanced over to Nadkoff, happy to see him there in case I forgot anything "During the summer before my fifth year at Hogwarts, my father gave me the key to my vault in Gringotts. When I went, the goblins informed me that my account was being used quite frequently. Apparently, the paperwork stated that Albus Dumbledore was my magical guardian, which isn't possible since my father, Severus Snape, is. The goblins at Gringotts also informed me that my account was being used to fund legislation in the Wizengamot, with my name heavily attached to all of it."
"And what kind of legislation was that?"
I frowned "Legislation against the use of archaic forms of magic, and the rights of magical creatures like werewolves, vampires, goblins, and centaurs." I paused, taking a deep breath to even my tone "For the record, I would never have approved the funding of any of that legislation. It was all Mr. Dumbledore's use of my account, without my knowledge."
"And how did you discover his use of other accounts in this manner?"
"I didn't." I looked over to Nadkoff and Gugrak "The goblins at Gringotts were given my permission to investigate further after I decided to file an official report with the Ministry. They are the ones who discovered his use of other accounts."
"Unless the Wizengamot was to hold an actual trial over this, you wouldn't have the authority to grant the goblins permission. Are you saying the evidence was gathered illegally?"
I shook my head "No, Mr. Malfoy agreed to bring the case forward for me before the goblins started a full investigation."
"Would the goblins bring forth the full file?"
I almost cringed at the fury I glimpsed on Dumbledore's face, but I chose to ignore it in favor of watching the goblins. Gugrak was all too happy to carry such a large file up, dropping it heavily on the table "These are the files of every account we could find with Albus Dumbledore's hand in it, some have been inactive for years. Thanks to Ms. Snape, however, we were able to lock him out of any account that did not belong exclusively to him this past summer."
"Mr. Lucius Malfoy, you agreed to bring Ms. Snape's case forward, why?"
He stood next to the stand I was in, speaking clearly "I've known her father since we went to Hogwarts, and she is only two years older than my son. I am also the chairman of Hogwarts' Board of Governors, so the Headmaster's gross misuse of his status is a matter I am especially eager to address. No young witch or wizard should be taken advantage of."
I almost believed him. Really, he was quite the actor when he needed to be "Mr. Albus Dumbledore, have you anything to say in your defense?"
The glint in his eye had me on edge. The whole thing was really an open and shut case, the amount of evidence against him was damning, no matter how much he fought it. But he wasn't so feared for no reason, and the moment he spoke, I realized what I was so scared of "My apologies, for having your time wasted so. But this girl, Ms. Snape, is very troubled. She has suffered much trauma in her life, I am not surprised that she would convince herself that I've wronged her. When she was only three years old, her parents were murdered right in front of her. I was the one who found her, and placed her with Severus Snape. At such a young age, it must have been very easy to associate me with her parents' murderer."
The absolute bastard. I forced myself to express some form of confusion. If he wanted to play this game, I'd throw it right back in his face. The court all turned to look at me "Ms. Snape, is this true?"
"My mother was murdered in front of me, yes. But my father is very much alive. You could ask him yourself." Okay, so it was a semi-blatant lie, but I considered it the truth. Sort of "I used to put the utmost trust in the Headmaster, it's why the discovery of this was so horrible. I never thought he would do something like this."
"And your decision to take this to trial?"
I plastered a sorrowed look onto my face "I didn't expect it to be as extensive as it is, but I didn't think it would be right to let him get away with it. My name was being used for things I didn't agree with, I couldn't just let that go."
"I assure all of you, she is lying."
It took everything in me not to snap in anger, and Gugrak had to hold Nadkoff back "Please, Albus, present any evidence you have that she is lying."
He seemed almost smug "Have the goblins perform a blood test on her. The name her real mother and father gave her will appear, not the one she goes by now."
I don't think I'd ever seen a goblin look so ridiculously happy, but Nadkoff was practically cheering in silence "And what name, pray tell, would that be?"
"Amelia Rhoswen Potter."
The entire courtroom broke into barks of laughter, even Mr. Malfoy couldn't resist it "Albus, this is ridiculous, even for you. Please, give us a real defense, or we'll have no choice but to rule against you."
"I assure you, the goblins cannot lie performing this test. It will only take a drop of blood."
The man sighed, motioning over to Nadkoff "Go on then, it'll only take longer if we refuse."
If Nadkoff didn't look so happy to oblige, I would probably be sweating out every nerve in my body. His happy little smile, however, was reassuring as he sat a little piece of parchment and a silver knife in front of me "Three drops of your blood, please."
I took the knife in hand, pricking the end of my finger and letting the blood drip onto the parchment three times before cradling it to my chest. The blood soaked into the parchment, ink forming onto the page until it showed only one name: 'Vanessa Ivory Snape'. Nadkoff's grin only grew when he handed it to the man, who only looked disappointed "As I thought. Albus, enough games."
He flipped the parchment for Dumbledore to see, whose face went pale at the sight "That's not possible. The blood tests don't lie, she can't have pulled that off."
The man made a shooing gesture at me and Mr. Malfoy "I think you've given us enough to work with, Ms. Snape. Mr. Malfoy, please escort the students back to school. Their jobs are done."
The relief flooded my system, and when the doors were closed to the courtroom I couldn't help but laugh a little hysterically. Carmichael and Creevey followed us out to the lobby, knowing I wouldn't tell them anything about my part in the trial and none of us would know the results until it was over. Mr. Malfoy sent Carmichael and Creevey ahead of us, and with a quick check to make sure no one would see, I hugged him. Honestly, it was weird, and not the best way to end what was really just a business deal of some sort, but I was excited and relieved to be out of there. What Dumbledore pulled was clearly a desperate move, but there was almost no one in the room who knew he'd been telling the truth. I'm sure the goblins would be happy to tell me how they did it too.
Still, I was grateful to the man in front of me, and I knew no other way to show it "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy, for getting me this far."
I was surprised when one of his arms wound around my back, the other patting my head lightly "Please, it was my pleasure to help take Dumbledore down a few pegs."
I pulled away when he finished, grinning at him sheepishly "Still, I owe you for it. If there's ever a way I can repay you, please, let me know."
His smirk was unnatural, but fitting "If ever there is, I will. Now, off to school, let your father know how it went."
I nodded, smiling again and grabbing a handful of floo powder before stepping into the fireplace "Thank you again, Mr. Malfoy." He gave me a brief nod, allowing me to drop the floo powder and state "Severus Snape's Office, Hogwarts."
