"I apologise for the interruption. I would have avoided it, if I could have. As I said, I have proof that Hermione Granger is innocent of the charge against her."
"What kind of proof?" Griselda Marchbanks interjected.
"I was there, when Severus Snape 'escaped from justice.' It was I who arranged for his escape; and it was I who allowed him to avoid capture. Hermione Granger had no knowledge of what was to happen."
"How is this possible -"
The Minister cut across Griselda Marchbanks, "You dare to lie to the Wizengamot! We have several witnesses. No one saw you at the scene. We have heard testimony that Hermione Granger activated a portkey enabling Severus Snape's escape. I don't know what you are -"
"Please," the young man entreated, "I can explain, and prove my claims."
"Perhaps," Dumbledore interjected softly, "you should begin with your reasons for being there."
"I, but -"
"I know," Dumbledore began in a quiet solicitous tone, "however, you chose to help now. If you wish to uphold that choice, you must be forthcoming."
The young man faced the Wizengamot and the audience. "I shall tell how I came to be present, and why no one saw me. I will tell you under Veritaserum if you require it."
"No, no," Madam Marchbanks exclaimed looking shocked, "we have no reason to question your honesty. Veritaserum is used in only the most extreme circumstances."
"As you wish, however, I would be glad to take it, to insure that there can be no question of my truthfulness," he responded smoothly.
"As he is willing to submit," Dumbledore said, "I think that we should allow him to take the potion." He looked pointedly at the Minister and continued, "Then, no one can question the validity of his assertions." The young man inclined his head and Dumbledore gestured for him to take a seat in the chair. "I will conduct the questioning myself," Dumbledore added.
A pretty young witch entered from the Wizengamot's door. She carried a bottle of clear potion. She approached the young man and administered the three drops of Veritaserum with a practiced professionalism.
Remus Lupin, who was now seated beside Harry Potter, shifted nervously as he looked into the face of the young man seated in the chair he had recently occupied. His mind was working furiously as he tried to make sense of what, of who, he saw. He took in the young man's stature, face, hair and mannerisms; noting that he must indeed be closely related to Severus Snape. However, it was the young man's eyes and caring smile that made him uncomfortable. As well as he knew Severus Snape's attributes, he also knew Lily Evans's. He thought back. He wondered if there were some unknown cousins or distant relatives, in the Snape and Evans families. His musings were interrupted when Albus announced that it was time to begin.
Albus addressed the young man and said, "Please, tell us your name."
The young man responded, his words were clear despite the truth potion, "Severus Evans."
Remus Lupin was hit by the sudden realisation that there didn't need to be obscure relatives in the Snape and Evans families. He recalled clearly how no one heard very much from Lily during the summer following their fifth year. Everyone assumed she had met 'someone special'. He also remembered, how very often Lily was missing in their sixth year. There had been much speculation, and it had revolved around Lily having a secret love. She certainly acted like she was in love. He remembered that no one saw her or heard from her at all during the summer after sixth year. He thought back to how she suddenly accepted James's attentions in their seventh year. She seemed to want to flaunt her relationship with James; disturbingly he recalled that it was in front of Severus that she did all the flaunting. He was floored as he recalled Sirius's description of James after his wedding to Lily. Sirius had said how devastated James had been because Lily wasn't a virgin. At the time he had scoffed at the ridiculousness of James's reaction in that day and age; now he wondered if there was more to it. He wondered if the sum of all those things equaled the young man before them. It would have been easy for Lily to conceal a pregnancy in sixth year; one that had a summer due date. He wondered if this could be Severus and Lily's son? He wondered if he was, how Harry would deal with the discovery that he had a half-brother who was Severus Snape's son.
"Mr Evans," Dumbledore continued, "were you present when Severus Snape was transported from our society."
"Yes."
"Please tell us in detail how you came to be there?"
"I was fostered as a child, to a wonderful wizarding family in the States. They loved me, and raised me as their own. When I came of age I was still curious. I decided to try and discover the identities of my birth parents. I followed the trail here and found you. I discovered that my father is Severus Snape. I learnt all that I could about him. Then I began watching him. I didn't make myself known to him, because you told me the dangerous position he was in; spying on Voldemort to bring about his downfall. When things escalated and Harry Potter accused my father of your murder, I knew enough about him to know that it would have been impossible for him to murder you in cold blood. I didn't think Harry Potter would lie, even about a teacher he hated. I knew Harry had to be honestly mistaken. Then I met with you again. After that, I kept watching my father, hoping I could help if he needed it."
"Did you approach Severus Snape?" the Minister interrupted.
"No."
"I am questioning this man," Dumbledore said dangerously. He turned back to the young man in the chair. "Please explain why you didn't approach your father, and make yourself known to him at that point."
"I didn't want to complicate his life. At that time, I didn't tell him because I didn't want to distract him from the dangerous work he was doing to defeat Voldemort. He never stopped that work, even after your supposed death. And after he left, 'your society,' as you put it; I didn't approach him for the same reason. I didn't want to complicate his life. I still don't. He has finally found happiness. After all he sacrificed in the fight against Voldemort, he deserves it. I do not wish to be a complication that threatens his peace."
The Minster couldn't contain himself. He gripped the back of the seat below him as he spoke, "But, you are here now." The Minister's tone was one of agitated impatience, "Severus Snape will know of your existence. Why would you come forward now, if you still don't want him to know -"
"Minister, I am asking the questions here," Albus spoke with cold finality.
The young man was compelled by the Veritaserum to answer, "If you convict Hermione Granger, my father's life will become even more complicated. My existence being revealed to my father will be a lesser complication than the conviction of Hermione Granger would be."
Albus turned to look at the Minister, his blue eyes were piercing. He spoke before the Minister could pursue this line of questioning, "Minister, I will ask the questions."
The Minister looked away from Albus's intense gaze. "Yes, of course." The Minister subsided.
"How do you know Hermione Granger is innocent of this accusation?" Dumbledore asked turning back to the young man.
"I approached her. I told her that I would see to it that Severus Snape was actually given justice. I led her to believe that I could ensure that he would be found innocent of your murder. I gave the portkey to her. I told her that if he was in danger this portkey would take him to a safe place; and there he would have justice. After a time, she believed me. When she handed my father the portkey and activated it, she did not know that she was helping him escape. She thought he was going to be shown fairness, and his innocence would be proven legally."
Harry Potter stood and shouted at the young man, "If you approached Hermione she would have turned you and Snape in! She thought he was guilty too. She would never have believed that he would be found innocent."
Remus put his hand on Harry's shoulder and gently pushed him back into his seat as he whispered, "You aren't helping Hermione's case."
The young man understood Harry's outburst to be a question. The influence of the potion caused him to automatically respond, "No. Hermione Granger knew Severus Snape was innocent, because he told her everything."
"Why would he tell her? She would never have listened to him!" Harry yelled in outraged disbelief.
"She listened to him because she trusts him. She believes in him."
"Why would she trust him?" Harry spat.
"Probably because she had been meeting my father every day since I began following him. I don't know how long they had been meeting before then."
"What was the nature of these meetings?" the Minister asked with a hopeful glint in his eye. It was obvious he hoped these meetings would allow him to salvage a conviction.
"They were friendly meetings. Hermione and my father talked, mostly. They talked about: potions, defense, magic, history, the war, literature, art, personal matters; they talked about everything."
As soon as the young man finished answering the question; Albus Dumbledore's voice rang through the room, " Silence! No one else is to ask any questions. No one! If this continues, I will administer the antidote to the Veritaserum!"
Dumbledore turned back to the young man. "Are you telling us that Miss Granger had no way of knowing that the portkey she activated for Severus Snape would help him escape?" Dumbledore asked calmly.
"That's right. She did not know the portkey would help him escape. She believed that he would be sent to the Ministry. She believed that upon his arrival here he would be found innocent; and then he would be freed."
"You said you were there, how is this possible?"
"When Hermione Granger Apparated to where my father was being harmed, she was not alone. I Side-Along Apparated with her."
"We have heard that she asked Severus Snape if he agreed before she activated the portkey, do you know what she meant?"
"Yes, she flatly refused to keep any secrets from my father. When I gave her the portkey, I had begged her to merely make sure that he carried it with him, but she wouldn't agree to that. She did make him carry it with him, but she told him everything. She tried to make him promise to use it if a situation arose where the need was imminent. He agreed to carry it, but, he wouldn't agree to use it until he met the person who gave it to her: me. When I talked to Hermione Granger I was always in disguise, because I never told her Severus Snape is my father. The day he escaped she was trying to convince me to meet with him. She explained to me that he had received information from Voldemort that could end the war. Information that would help the Order win right away. She told me that she insisted that she go with him when he went to the Order to give his information. She thought she could smooth the way, but she didn't want to take any chances with his life. She told me that she had begged him to use the portkey if they approached the Order and it went bad. She said that he still didn't trust the portkey, he insisted that he needed to meet the person who gave it to her. She begged me to go with her and talk to him myself, so he would use the portkey if it became necessary. She told me she wasn't sure that she could keep him safe. She said that she had to make him agree to use the portkey before they approached the Order with the information. We were discussing my meeting him when she got 'a feeling' that he was in trouble. She knew he had, as she said, 'done something foolish and heroic'. She said I had to come. I threw on my invisibility cloak and she Apparated with me."
Dumbledore faced the Wizengamot, "That is why Remus Lupin heard two concurrent sounds of Apparition, but saw only Hermione Granger. Severus Evans was with her."
"Yes," the young man agreed.
Dumbledore's eyes surveyed the Minister and the Wizengamot, "In light of this revelations..." his eyes burned into the Minister's, "...revelations given under the influence of Veritaserum; I say there is no basis for the accusation against Hermione Granger."
There was a general murmur of consent amoung the Wizengamot. The Minister looked around and realised that agreement with Albus Dumbledore would be better for his career than continuing to pursue this conviction. "Yes, yes." Those in favour of clearing Hermione Jane Granger of all charges?"
Every single member of the Wizengamot raised their hand.
Unnecessarily the Minister asked, "Those in favour of conviction?"
No hand was raised.
"Yes," the Minister cleared his throat, "Hermione Jane Granger is hereby cleared of all charges."
Suddenly there was a cacophony of celebratory sound. Dumbledore tried to usher Severus Evans out, however the Minister forestalled him. He magically magnified his voice, and it rose over the din, "Severus Evans, remain where you are."
Quiet was regained as everyone turned their attention to the Minister.
"Severus Evans, as you have proved Hermione Granger's innocence; so too, have you implicated yourself in the commission of the crime of which she was accused."
"Yes," Dumbledore agreed, "let's dispense with this immediately, irregardless of how highly irregular proceeding in this manner is. I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore do declare myself key witness for the defence of the accused."
"Yes," the Minister's voice betrayed his unease, "well, certainly." He looked at the scribe and said, "Enter that we are now opening the hearing of Severus Evans." He was obviously discomfited as he continued, "For the offense of aiding in the escape of a wanted fugitive: Severus Snape. Interrogators: Fordon Winchcombe, Minister for Magic; Kingsley Shacklebolt, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Mafalda Hopkirk, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Padma Patil. The charge against the accused -"
"You have already stated the charge, Minister," Albus Dumbledore intervened.
There was a low rumble of laughter from the assembled.
"Yes, yes," the Minister concurred. He addressed the young man who was seated in, but not chained to, the chair, "You are Severus Evans?"
"I am," he said succinctly.
"Your place of residence is?" the Minister questioned.
"Wedgeport, Nova Scotia."
"Nova Scotia? You said you were fostered in the States. Are you a Canadian?"
"I was born in a suburb of London. I currently reside in Nova Scotia."
"You were born in a suburb of London," the Minister's tone was incredulous, "to whom?"
"As I have said, my father is Severus Snape. My mother was Lily Evans."
An audible gasp, went around the stone chamber.
Harry Potter's mind refused to realise what the people around him already had. He stared into the mirror image of his own eyes in utter confusion.
"Harry," Remus said, gently clasping him around the upper arm.
Harry looked for all the world like he was under a full body bind.
The Minister looked at Harry and then at the young Severus. He shifted uncomfortably in place. "Yes, well, in light of the circumstances..." he trailed off in confusion. Looking to Albus he asked, "What are the circumstances?"
"Young Severus Evans approached me; looking for information that would lead him to his birth parents. I got to know him. I had known him for quite some time when I decided that it was necessary to make it look as though Severus Snape had murdered me; in order to end Tom Riddle's reign of terror. By the time that plan was carried out, I knew young Severus Evans very well. I thought it best to tell him what had actually transpired, so that he would not think ill of the birth father he had so recently discovered. Therefore, when he arranged for Severus Snape to leave the country, he did so at my behest; and with full knowledge of Severus Snape's innocence. It was I who sent him to Hermione Granger, the witch who could convince Severus Snape to accept the portkey. It was I who taught young Severus Evans to disguise himself, so that his identity could be kept secret. In essence, it was I who allowed Severus Snape to escape from the accusations of my murder. If anyone is to be charged with aiding the fugitive Severus Snape's escape from justice, it is I: his murder victim."
Dumbledore looked thoughtfully over his spectacles at the members of the Wizengamot, "However, I would not have used those terms. I knew that I had not been murdered; therefore, the charges were null and void. It is beyond me, how any law was broken by allowing Severus Snape to leave, when no crime had been committed..." Dumbledore allowed his words to hang in the air.
"Whether or not a law was broken -" the Minister began. The rest of what he was trying to say was drowned out by the vocal deliberations of the Wizengamot. The Minister could barely be heard trying to speak to the other members of the Wizengamot, "First Evans takes the blame for Granger, then Dumbledore takes the blame for Evans; how long will we allow this to go on? Until no one is blamed?"
Griselda Marchbanks voice could be heard clearly answering the Minister, "If no one is at fault, then blame can not be assigned by your wishes. Snape was innocent; and his supposed victim is the one who sent him from our society. We would have to word a new law to cover that."
The Minister got an excited look but Kingsley Shacklebolt dashed his hopes, "Even if we create a new law, past events would not be bound by it." Kingsley Shacklebolt then stood and spoke in his regal tones, "Those in favour of clearing Severus Evans of the charge against him?"
A clear majority raised their hands.
"Those in favour of conviction?" Kingsley continued.
A few scattered hands were raised. The Minister, to the amusement of Albus Dumbledore, abstained from voting.
As the Minister looked around, it was obvious that the he didn't realise that he had neglected to raise his hand. "Fine. Severus Evans," the Minister said resentfully, "you are cleared of the charge against you." The Minister looked at Albus, "I see no point in charging you Dumbledore," he muttered.
"Indeed, I understand, Minister," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling.
It was as if a 'Finite Incantatem' had been cast to undo a 'Petrificus Totalus' as Harry Potter shot to his feet. "No! No, it isn't true! It isn't, my mother would never have..."
Remus discretely reached into Harry's back pocket and removed his wand. He tucked it up his own sleeve.
"Young Severus can not lie Harry, he is under the influence of Veritaserum," Dumbledore spoke gently into the silence. "I was there Harry. I knew of your mother's pregnancy. Severus Evans is your older brother. Your older half-brother; Severus Snape is his father."
"Where is he? Where is Snape?" Harry was shaking with rage.
There had not been enough time for the Veritaserum to wear off, so Severus Evans answered, "My father lives in a small secluded cottage in a rural part of Nova Scotia."
As soon as he had finished answering Dumbledore gave him the antidote to the Veritaserum.
"Take me to him! Now!" Harry shouted furiously.
The Minister chimed in, "Splendid, we'll take a small delegation, and a photographer or two. So that I can bestow upon him his Order of Merlin."
The stone room echoed with excited conversations.
Under his breath the Minister mumbled, "I may not have gotten my final conviction, but this might just turn out to be better for my career in the end."
"Do you want that in the records, Minister?" Padma Patil asked, as she suppressed a smile.
AN
I realise that J.K. Rowling will most probably write Dumbledore as actually being dead; therefore, I'm taking liberties before those circumstances become canon.