Chapter 15

"We are here today to decide the fate of a man, who if guilty of the crimes he has been charged with, is a brutal and deceiving man, a man of lax morals, if, indeed, ladies and gentlemen, he has any at all!" Scrimgeour called. There was a murmur of assent throughout the crowd. Harry listened as the Minister cleverly accused Snape of the murder of Dumbledore and the use of an unforgivable on Harry himself, without ever actually pronouncing his guilt. It was pure skill, Harry had to admit that, even if he disliked the man. If it wasn't Snape on the stand, and if it wasn't that particular crime, he would almost feel sorry for the defendant-the way Scrimgeour had the court baying for Snape's blood before he was even brought up was remarkable. Still, Harry thought, the court probably would have been baying for his blood anyway, but that was besides the point…There was a loud bang as the courtroom door swung open energetically. In strode a man or medium build, a pointy nose and a thin ferret like face. His face much like Snape's was forced into a constant sneer. His thin glasses were low on his nose, so that he looked over them with permanent disdain. In his arms he carried a few scrolls, which he dropped onto a table as he walked in. Behind him, much to Harry's disgust, followed Narcissa Malfoy. Harry heard Tonks let out a hiss of disgust,

"My dear dear Aunty." She muttered, "How can she show herself here?"

"Easy…" soothed Lupin, laying a restraining hand on her knee. Harry heard Tonks let out a sigh. There were heavy mutterings as the two walked into the courtroom. They took seats on the tier closest to the door and ignored the noise around them. Scrimgeour turned away from Narcissa Malfoy and the man that had entered with her and continued,

"Bring out the defendant!" He called to no one in particular. From a door in the far side of the room emerged Moody, he was muttering under his breath at the man who emerged straight after him. The man who Harry had watched kill Dumbledore. Snape was followed out by another auror, whom Harry didn't know, both had their wands trained on him. His hands were shackled and he was lead over to the chair in the centre of the room, where he sat slowly, straight backed, as though he had no worries in the world. Suddenly the limp chains jumped into life and bound Snape tightly to the chair, with no room for manoeuvre. Harry gritted his teeth as he took in Snape's appearance. The man's cold black eyes swept the room, lingering on Narcissa Malfoy as she nodded at him slightly. His eyes moved to the centre of the room, to the tier of stony faces that belonged to ex-colleagues and ex-friends. His eyes rested on Harry's, and he sneered, almost imperceptibly, but Harry found that he could barely concentrate on the mans face for the anger that was coursing through him was making him shake. Tonks looked across at Harry though he didn't look back at her. The entire room was silent as everyone turned to look at Snape who was still staring at Harry. He could read the look in the man's eyes. He had seen it often enough, when he had goaded Harry at Hogwarts. It was a look of pure loathing, yet smugness that told of his belief that he had done something wrong and gotten away with it. Tonks was still watching the staring match intently. Suddenly she spun round to face Bill Weasley, who was sitting directly behind her. He looked quite startled to see her twist round and stare directly at him.

"What was that, Bill?" She called loudly, "I didn't hear you?" She said in a ridiculously loud voice. Everyone except Harry and Snape turned to look at her. She was making quite a scene. Harry distantly registered that he hadn't heard Bill say anything. But Tonks had twisted fully in her seat and was asking in loud carrying tones, which were disrupting the proceedings, what exactly he wanted. He stared at her blankly. Suddenly as Harry was glaring at Snape, just daring him to do or say something so that he could produce his wand, Snape's eyes flickered to Tonks, and the back of her head. Harry watched as the ex-potions master's eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Harry suddenly realised what Tonks had been doing and turned to stare at Tonks too. Slowly, a grin spread out across his face. The message 'SNAPE SUCKS' could clearly be read across the floor and Snape was obviously not happy. Harry couldn't help it, it just came bubbling up and he began to laugh. So too did a few other members of his group until almost the whole of their tier was laughing hysterically, the twins were cat-calling her name.

"That's not all!" Tonks whispered. She screwed up her face and her Snape style hair began changing colours rapidly, all the while displaying her political diatribe. Red, to blue, to green to purple to orange to her trademark bubble gum pink. Harry turned to look at Snape again. He looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him. His fists were clenched so tight that Harry could see his nails digging in from where he sat. The ex-potions master turned to look at Harry, who smiled faintly at him, knowing how much it would infuriate the man. Snape was visibly shaking and his black eyes bored into Harry but he found he really didn't mind. Finally, Scrimgeour, called out,

"Miss Tonks, do you mind? This is a court proceeding! If you cannot behave in the required manner, I shall be forced to ask you to leave!" He shouted, though he did not look too angry. Tonks screwed up her nose one more time and her hair returned to the black colour, though it still bore the same message in the back.

"Sorry minister!" she called, as she twisted back round in her seat. She glanced right towards Harry, with her thumbs up, past a chuckling Lupin, and Harry grinned right back at her. The courtroom once again fell silent, an oppressive weight settling on all of them as the trial began to get under way. Scrimgeour turned back to Snape,

"Confirm for the record please, your name and place of residence." He called in biting tones,

"Severus Snape, 56 Spinner's End." He said in his oily voice, which Harry knew was hiding all his emotions, if he had any at all.

"Confirm please, whether you will be using a lawyer in your defence and if so the name of said person."

"I will be using a lawyer. His name is Hector Rudst." At that name, the man who had entered with Narcissa stood up. Scrimgeour turned to look at him,

"Mr Rudst, would you like to take a chair next to the defendant?" Rudst, smiled, and walked towards Snape. Scrimgeour waved his wand and a chair appeared on either side of Snape. Rudst sat down.

"The prosecution calls to the stand-" The minister glanced down at his notes quickly, "-Professor Minerva McGonagall." Harry glanced to the right at his ex-transfiguration Professor, as she let out a long breath through her nose and stood up. Slowly and confidently she walked over to the chair on Snape's left. She did not, however, sit down.

"You may be seated." Scrimgeour said pointedly,

"I know." She replied testily, as she remained standing. The minister stared at her for a while, as a few people in the room shifted uneasily. Scrimgeour obviously decided to continue without comment.

"Would you please inform the court of your relationship with Severus Snape?" asked the Minister.

"Certainly. Snape and I were work colleagues at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for over a decade. He was the Potions master and I taught Transfiguration." She answered curtly.

"Severus Snape, can you tell the wizengamot of your whereabouts on the night of Professor Dumbledore's death?"

"I was alone in the potions dungeon all evening."

"All evening?" Snape nodded,

"You did not hear the ruckus caused by the death eaters attacking Hogwarts castle?"

"The dungeons are well insulated." He said quite calmly. Harry began fidgeting. Snape knew what he was doing.

"Can anyone confirm that you were there all night?"

"Obviously not. As you'll recall I said I was there alone all night." Scrimgeour just looked at Snape, loathing etched across his face.

"I propose that you did leave your dungeon. That you knew death eaters were going to attack the castle. Perhaps you even helped them into Hogwarts. You saw Dumbledore leave the castle and alerted the death eaters to an opportunity. You then sent up the dark mark and waited until Dumbledore returned to investigate. Then you murdered him in cold blood."

"That is a lie." Snape stated. He seemed perfectly calm, but Harry could tell his calm façade was threatening to slip.

"We have an eye witness who saw you." Scrimgeour smiled. Snape's cold eyes flicked to Harry and he stiffened. He was aware of heads turning in his direction.

"Ah, of course. Potter." He spat, "Well that's hardly damning evidence, is it? The boy has as much sense as a particularly incompetent flobberworm." Bill, Fred and George all stood up and began shouting at Snape. Harry could hear muttering and many curses around him, but he was too used to Snape's jibes to care.

"Silence!" Scrimgeour shouted, and everyone returned to their seats. "Minerva McGonagall. As a character witness to Severus Snape, how would you describe him?"

"Please be more specific in your enquiry, Minister. I don't think that was a particularly well formulated question."

"Let me rephrase that, would you have thought Severus Snape capable of murdering Albus Dumbledore before that night?"

"Of course not. I trusted him implicitly."

"And now?" He asked

"Now?" she paused and looked directly across at Snape, who looked back at her unflinchingly, no emotion evident, "Now I would not trust him with my pet kneazle." She said, without taking her eyes away from the man.

"Thank you. Does the defence have any further questions for Minerva McGonagall?" asked Scrimgeour. Rudst stood up,

"Yes, we would like to ask a few questions." Scrimgeour nodded. "You say, Professor, that you trusted my client implicitly before the alleged incident," Rudst said, to McGonagall,

"The incident is not 'alleged', Dumbledore was murdered." Before Rudst could say anything more, she continued, "However, I did say that, yes," She confirmed.

"So why are you so sure of his guilt?" Rudst asked,

"Because of the eye witness account of Mr Potter." She answered.

"But is there any proof to confirm his 'account'?"

"Is there any proof to confirm Snape's account?" She snapped,

"Please answer my question, McGonagall." Her nostrils flared as they always did when she was irritated.

"No. There is no proof." Rudst opened his mouth to continue but McGonagall was not finished, "However, I believe Potter. His account is more believable. And I trust him." Harry fidgeted in his chair, Ron glanced at him.

"But you trusted Snape. Why choose one over the other?"

"Suspicion has always fallen on Snape. I was never privy to the information that Dumbledore was sure confirmed his innocence. Yet I know everything of Potter's endeavours and know him to be honest and reliable. Surely his many encounters with Voldemort (a collective shudder ran round the room) have shown that. Those accounts are not under scrutiny, surely?"

"What we know of Potter, is that he enjoys being the centre of attention-" Harry ground his teeth angrily. He could hear Remus muttering under his breath.

"Excuse me?" McGonagall interrupted, "I think the boy no more enjoys being the centre of attention, than you enjoy defending only innocent people!" Rudst's face purpled with anger,

"Do not cast aspersions on my client or myself!" He cried and McGonagall rolled her eyes.

"This is a murder trial for Severus Snape, not a character evaluation of Harry Potter!" Scrimgeour said loudly and commandingly.

"Then call Potter to the stand, and let him sell his story!" shouted Rudst. Harry's insides were squirming with nerves as he watched his fate play out. He thought Scrimgeour might cast retribution at Rudst but he merely turned to look directly at Harry and said,

"The prosecution calls Harry Potter to the stand." Shakily Harry stood up. He was only just aware of people all around him whispering 'good luck' and 'you'll be fine'. He slowly walked across the floor and stood next to McGonagall.

"You may return to your seat." The minister said to McGonagall who nodded and swept back to her space on the stone bench in the first row. Scrimgeour indicated that Harry should sit down. He didn't really want to as it would be right next to Snape, but he wasn't as brave as McGonagall so he accepted, firmly keeping his eyes away from Snape.

"As the key witness, and only eye witness, Mr Potter, we will ask you to tell the story of the evening in full account, the defence and the prosecution may ask a few questions throughout your account but the majority will be posed once your account is ended. Is that understood?" Harry nodded. He was not prepared for this. He hadn't counted on having to tell the entire story; he only wanted to answer specific questions. "You may proceed Mr Potter." Harry took a deep breath, glancing nervously at Remus, Ron and Hermione who were all smiling encouragingly. Tonks twisted in her seat to show him her hair message and Harry smiled, his confidence increasing.

"Professor Dumbledore and I left the school early in the evening. I had received word that one of my muggle relatives was ill, he took me out of school to allow me to visit her." He lied smoothly,

"Why did Dumbledore take you personally, surely that's not normal?" asked Rudst. Harry frowned, what was he supposed to say to that?

"It was urgent, and Dumbledore received word directly. He wanted to make sure I reached my Aunt before anything…happened to her. There was no time to arrange another accompaniment." He supplied. He thought that was a believable lie. Apparently Rudst couldn't find anything wrong with it either, as he allowed Harry to continue. "When we arrived back in Hogsmeade we saw the Dark Mark over the astronomy tower. We summoned brooms and flew up there. Dumbledore told me to put on my invisibility cloak-"

"Let me interrupt," Said Rudst. He wasn't asking, "Why, pray tell, did you have an invisibility cloak with you?"

"I…" Harry paused. The truth was he had been told by Dumbledore to get it in case there was trouble while they were retrieving the horcrux. Rudst was looking at him expectantly a slight smile on his face,

"Surely, Mr Potter you would remember why you had an invisibility cloak with you?"

"I was asked to carry it because Dumbledore was concerned for my safety. What with Voldemort lurking round every corner that is." He replied flippantly. Rudst's face tightened and his eyes took on a dangerous glint. It seemed the Order's suspicion about Rudst's loyalty was well founded. "Anyway," Harry continued, "Just as I was about to open the door that leads back down into the castle, under my invisibility cloak, the door opened and…" Harry paused again, glancing at Narcissa Malfoy, she stiffened as he looked at her. She knew what was coming. "And Draco Malfoy appeared holding his wand at Dumbledore. As soon as the Professor realised it was Draco he silently put me in a body lock. I was behind the door, frozen and invisible." Rudst raised an eyebrow but did not interrupt. "Dumbledore used his…his last chance at defending himself to save me." Harry was having more trouble than he thought he would, telling the story. "Draco Malfoy cast the expelliamus and caught Dumbledore's wand. He then held him at wand point, threatening to kill him, but not managing to." Harry glanced again at Narcissa Malfoy, she looked even paler than normal, and her usually haughty looks had been replaced by something else, though Harry could not place it. "Eventually other death eaters arrived but none of them would do it. They all claimed it was Draco's job alone." Harry looked again at Narcissa Malfoy and realised the look on her face was thinly veiled fear. Fear that her only son had failed to complete Voldemort's orders. He turned away from the woman and continued. "Then Snape arrived. I thought…I thought he was there to help. But instead, instead he…" Harry forced himself to look at Snape. He stared into the beetle black eyes that even now held that maddening superiority to them, "…he drew his wand and murdered Dumbledore with the killing curse." He finished, staring defiantly at Snape. The ex-potions master's lip curled in disgust as he looked Harry up and down.

"Is that it?" asked Rudst, with obvious disdain. Harry glared at him. "Well I hardly think that is much of an eyewitness."

"What?" Harry cried, "I saw the whole thing, I'd say it was a perfect eye witness account!"

"That, Mr Potter, is why I am a lawyer and you are not!" Rudst snapped, "Firstly, only the deceased knew you were there and I find it hard to believe you say that you just happened to have an invisibility cloak with you and secondly, there is no record of you leaving the school. Surely someone as careful as Dumbledore would have told at least a few people or left a record of your departure?" Harry gritted his teeth, he could see where this was going…"I propose, boy, that in fact, your unfounded grudge against your teacher, your teacher who did everything he could to help you in a subject where you abysmally failed and blamed him, was in his dungeon all evening! That you, also, were in your room during the evening, and are merely blaming Snape because you are in denial about Dumbledore's death and cannot punish the real culprit!" He shouted, "You hate Snape and made all this up, to be in the spotlight and to blame someone for the death of your beloved mentor!

"NO! Snape did it! I saw him!" Harry shouted back, "I was there!" Abruptly Rudst turned towards the court,

"The defence calls Narcissa Malfoy!"