Chapter 13

Later that evening Ron and Hermione returned. Ron slumped on the bottom of the Harry's bed and chucked him a pumpkin pasty which he had saved Harry from dinner.

"Cheers." Harry muttered as he ripped off the packaging.

"No worries. So what did McGonagall want, then?" Ron asked,

"Was it about the trial? Lupin kept us back in Defence today and told us all about it. We're going tomorrow as well." Hermione supplied. Harry nodded, ignoring the stab of jealousy that had surfaced on learning that his friends had been in Remus' defence class.

"Yeah, she told me a little about it. I'm glad you two will be there as well…and Remus is going." His two friends nodded,

"You're not nervous about being on the stand are you?" Hermione asked anxiously. Harry could see the concern in her eyes.

"Not really." He lied easily, and she seemed to relax.

"I suppose then the worst bit apart from seeing that slime ball again, will be taking questions from Scrimgeour about it." Ron said casually.

"What?" Harry asked, sitting up, and dropping his pasty on the bed spread. Hermione vanished it with her wand. Ron looked a bit surprised,

"Er…I said the worst bit will…"

"No, I heard you, I mean what about scrimgeour?"

"He's the new chief of the Wizengamot, after Dumbledore…" Ron said quietly. Harry shut his eyes and groaned.

"I guess McGonagall conveniently forgot to mention that one." He muttered dully.

"Well, Harry at least he's on your side. He's not going to be looking to catch you out, he'll be supporting you." Harry nodded, that was true, "I imagine that he'll be entirely focused on Snape. I mean he and Dumbledore didn't really get along, but they respected each other. And even if they didn't Scrimgeour knows what's right, he'd still be very intent on putting Snape behind bars. You really have nothing to worry about." Harry did feel a little more confident. Hermione was right. Scrimgeour was not out to get him, he would be focused on Snape…as would Harry. He would not let Snape get away with this.

"I guess the only thing to worry about is the Malfoy lawyer…" Harry murmured, half to himself.

"Dad told me about him." Ron said, as he pulled a pasty out of his pocket and began munching on it, "Apparently he's really tricky. I'd watch out if I were you mate."

"Thanks, Ron. That fills me with confidence." Ron grinned at his friend's sarcasm.

"Have you decided what to tell the court about where you and Dumbledore went?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded.

"I know they aren't particularly in tune with muggle's, so I'm just going to say my Aunt Marge was ill, and Dumbledore rushed me out to see her. She ate a funny whelk or something." Hermione nodded,

"That should work. It's something they can't check up on because she's a muggle - they can't talk to her with arousing suspicion and compromising any evidence. I seriously doubt whether they'll ask too much about it anyway. Just keep the story sweet and simple." She advised. Harry nodded and yawned.

"Alright mate, we'll leave you to it. You'd better get a decent night's sleep for tomorrow. We'll swing by at about twenty past three and get you." Harry nodded and watched as his friends got up and left. It wasn't long before he had drifted into a fitful sleep where Snape and Dumbledore flitted through his dreams, along with memories of his own trial in his fifth year.