Bunny: Snape threatens Harry with Veritaserum and Harry takes him up on it. Part 2
Harry looked at the group of visitors that were entering the room. He saw Cornelius Fudge coming in with some hideous-looking woman wearing – uggh – pink. He also saw Madam Bones arriving with a couple of others wearing red robes.
Rita Skeeter was looking particularly smug as she sat at the Slytherin table, quill ready to record.
The Headmaster sat at the Head table, looking somewhat unhappy – Harry didn't particularly care. Professor McGonagall also wasn't looking very happy.
Professor Snape, however, looking completely calm and even somewhat animated. Harry judged him to be particularly happy.
Hermione and Ron were both nervous. Harry tried to remain calm. He saw Madam Bones place a chair in front of the dais. She also conjured a rostrum for Snape to place the questions on. She also had the three people in red robes stand so that they could see everyone in the room.
Finally, she nodded at Harry. He stood and walked over to the chair and sat down. The room hushed.
"My name is Madam Amelia Bones. Upon the request of Mr. Harry James Potter, I am here to oversee the administration of Veritaserum to satisfy a magical contract. The law covering this is Wizengamot 346.34 which states the following:
"Wizengamot Decree 346, The Reasonable Restriction on the Use of Potions. Clause 34, The Use of Veritaserum to Resolve Private Disputes.
Whereas Veritaserum is proscribed in its use outside of the limitations enacted under this Decree; and,
Whereas the certainty of truth can resolve Private Disputes, thereby preventing Blood Feud and other violent actions within Magical Britain; and,
Whereas Veritaserum is known, as of the date of this Decree, as being one of the only methods of guaranteeing such a certainty of truth; and,
Whereas the Wizengamot, by Charter, may not prevent the use of Magic that has not otherwise been found to be harmful to Magic or to Magical Users;
Therefore, the use of Veritaserum is allowed to resolve Private Disputes under the following conditions:
1) The use of Veritaserum must be done under the supervision of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
2). Anything revealed may not be used to prosecute the wizard or witch which has been given Veritaserum, hereinafter referred to as SUBJECT, except in the case of High Treason.
3) The exact questions to be asked must be determined before the Use of Veritaserum is performed.
4) SUBJECT and the party with whom SUBJECT is in Dispute, hereinafter referred to as DISPUTEE, shall both submit a determined number of questions to the DMLE Representative. The Representative may require modification to questions so as to prevent the violation of the security of Magical Britain.
5) The list of questions to be used shall be set by Contract before the Use of Veritaserum.
6) The DISPUTEE, or his or her Proxy as set by the Contract, shall ask ALL of the predetermined questions and NO OTHERS. Violation of this may result in prosecution, the loss of DISPUTEE's magic, or other penalties as determined by the Contract.
7) The Representative may, at his or her discretion, require DISPUTEE to ask SUBJECT for clarification or further detail to ensure the predetermined question is fully answered. The Representative may also, at his or discretion, declare a predetermined question to be fully answered, whereby the DISPUTEE must move to the next question on the list.
8) A qualified Mediwizard or Mediwitch must verify that SUBJECT is not suffering from an allergy or other medical condition which may cause the Use of Veritaserum to be considered dangerous.
9) A Mediwizard or Mediwitch shall be on hand to ensure SUBJECT is not harmed. The Mediwizard or Mediwitch shall be the ONLY person able to cancel the contract without penalty but only to prevent physical or magical harm to SUBJECT.
10) Once the Use of Veritaserum is complete, the Antidote will be given. Once the Antidote is administered, the Use of Veritaserum shall be considered complete and the future Use of Veritaserum would require a new Contract as described within this Clause."
Amelia looked at the two. "Mr. Potter. Have you been diagnosed by a Mediwizard or Mediwitch to be physically and magically safe to be administered Veritaserum?"
Harry nodded. "Madam Pomfrey has checked me out. She is also here." Harry pointed to the Hogwarts Healer – who also didn't look very happy.
Amelia nodded. "Mr. Snape. Have you the list of predetermined questions as certified by the DMLE?"
Snape nodded. "I do."
Amelia looked out at the audience and then back to the two. "And both of you have agreed to allow the audience to view this procedure?"
"Yes."
"I did."
Amelia said, "Very well. I have both the potion and the antidote, certified as being properly brewed by my Department." She showed the two vials. "Do you both accept this?"
"I do."
"Yes."
"I shall now administer the drops and ask the test questions. At that point, Mr. Snape may begin."
Severus could barely contain his glee as he watched the Veritaserum being administered. The brat answered the test questions properly and Madam Bones backed away and nodded to him.
He looked at his list. The first question was one of his making. He suppressed his glee.
"Mr. Potter. Have you ever been within my Potions supplies without authorization?"
He felt quite smug as he asked the question.
"No."
Snape was a bit surprised but only a little. "Have you ever sabatoged another student's work for your own amusement?" He knew the little brat was just like his father.
"No."
Another surprise. Well, the next question would break it wide open. "Have you ever committed a prank against another student within Hogwarts?" He was certain he had him. He hadn't liked the fact that Madam Bones had added the last two words, but it mattered little.
"No."
He was a bit flummoxed at that. He was certain … well, he at least could get him on his bullying of his godson.
"How many verbal, physical or magical have you had with students who are or became members of the House of Slytherin?"
Harry paused at that. After a minute, Madam Bones directed him to ask a question. "Why haven't you answered the question?"
"I am counting." Snape felt his glee increase.
"Very well. I ask the question again: How many verbal, physical or magical altercations have you had with students who are or became members of the House of Slytherin?"
After another minute, Harry answered. "Eighty-seven."
With a barely concealed smirk, he asked the followup: "How many of the eighty-seven altercations with current or future members of the House of Slytherin have you instigated?"
"None."
Severus Snape was taken aback. He could not believe that in such a large sample that there were no instances where the dunderhead instigated it. He looked at the next item and suddenly was not quite so happy about asking this question.
"What was your first altercation with a current or future member of House Slytherin?"
"On the Hogwarts Express, before first year."
"With whom did you have the altercation?" His godson had described it quite well. He had to show Potter for the bully he was.
"Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle."
Severus Snape felt righteous as he came to the next item. "Describe the altercation."
"Malfoy entered the compartment I was in without knocking. He asked if I was Harry Potter. He then gave his name. Ron tried to hide his snicker because Malfoy sounded like a ponce as he gave his name. Malfoy then insulted Ron and his family. He then offered to steer me to what he claimed were the right families. I refused because he insulted my first friend. Malfoy then told me that I would end up like my parents. When Ron and I stood and told him we would fight him if he didn't leave. He refused and said that he felt like staying and taking the food we had because they had already eaten their own. Ron tried to stop him, but Goyle was bitten by Scabbers. They then ran off."
Snape had been horrified as the incident was described. It was nothing like what Draco had described. It also made his godson look very bad. He glanced out and saw that many audience members were now glaring at the Malfoys. Narcissa was not looking very happy with Draco – and Lucius was not looking very happy with Snape. He really wished he had investigated before putting that item down.
Snape sighed. He then noticed Amelia motioning to him. She gave him the parchment slip with her question.
"Who or what is 'Scabbers'?"
"Scabbers is Peter Pettigrew who was hiding as a pet rat with the Weasleys."
There was a loud hubbub from the audience. The Minister was protesting loudly. Madam Bones had to work to get the room calmed down.
Amelia had been surprised. She addressed the audience. "As this involved possible High Treason, as the DMLE Director I will be forcing clarification from Mr. Potter."
She wrote another slip and handed it to Snape.
"Did the Weasleys know that their pet rat was Peter Pettigrew in hiding?"
"Not to my knowledge."
He read the slip and asked, "How do you know it was Peter Pettigrew?"
"Because I saw him transform third year when he was forced to Sirius Black and Remus Lupin."
Snape read the next items on the slip. "Where and when did this take place?" And, after that was answered, "Describe exactly what took place within the Shrieking Shack that night."
Snape glanced out and saw that the Minister and his toady (she really did look like a toad) had been silenced by one of the Aurors to prevent him from interfering. As it was required by the contract, there was nothing Fudge or the toady could do about it.
Severus Snape was suddenly feeling quite regretful about agreeing to this. It did not show him in a very good light – at all. In fact, NOTHING about this had shown him in a good light. He suddenly couldn't wait until it was over.
Once Potter had given his oh so very revealing description, Madam Bones directed him to continue on with the list. He noted the time. The dose would last another 42 minutes. He was almost hoping that it would run out before this was done.
Verituserum contained a wheat-germ extract as a source of thiamine. Its reaction time within the human body was 56 minutes, after which the thiamine no longer reacted. As it was a necessary element to access the portion of the brain necessary, Veritserum was no longer effective after 56 minutes. Veritaserum could only be administered once every 24 hours or it would cause brain damage. The opium extract which rendered the subject malleable had a very distinctive reaction if given more often than that.
The Contract prevented him from deliberately forcing the questioning to be slower so as to activate the medical necessity clause. There were several more questions he wrote – and the ones that Potter provided.
He looked at the next question. At least he could prove that Potter was spoiled – he knew that woebegone look was a farce.
"Describe the best birthday party you have ever had?" There. The sheep would see how much he was pampered.
"I've never had a birthday party."
The audience was suddenly very quiet. Severus Snape really started to hate this.
"What was the most expensive birthday gift your guardians have ever given you?"
"I haven't received a birthday gift from my guardians."
Severus saw Albus' face. He was looking quite upset – and Severus got the distinct impression that he was more upset about this being known than the fact that it happened.
He was almost terrified to ask the next question.
"What was the most expensive Christmas gift that your guardians ever gave you?"
Harry paused. "A pair of worn socks that Uncle Vernon gave me when I was eight."
At this point, he was dreading the next question. "Describe the bedroom you grew up in."
There were cries of protest as Potter described the cupboard under the stairs. A number of female students were crying. Amelia Bones looked apoplectic.
She handed him another slip for clarification. "Is that your current bedroom?"
"No."
He looked at the slip. "Describe your current bedroom."
Although it was better than a cupboard, Potter's description of the lock and the cat flap did not make his home life look much improved.
Snape looked at the next question. There must be something that would show Potter for what he really was. The next questions looked to be the best bet.
"What was your first instance of accidental magic that you remember?"
"My hair regrew overnight after my Aunt Petunia shaved my hair off for being too messy."
Snape considered the boy. "And how did your family celebrate this occurrence?"
"I was locked in my cupboard for a week without food."
"How old were you?"
"Six."
Albus had his face in his hands. Minerva was looking at the Headmaster with loathing.
Severus really didn't want to ask those last few questions after getting the first answered. But the contract was magically binding. He had five more of his original questions.
"When did you first find out you were a wizard?"
"On my eleventh birthday."
"Who taught you Wizarding etiquette?" He had put this one in to get whoever tutored the brat in trouble. Potter's refusal to shake Draco's hand was egregious. That it was already explained didn't matter to the contract.
"No one."
Amelia motioned him and handed him another slip. "Who is your magical guardian?"
"I don't know."
"Who introduced you to the Wizarding World?"
"Hagrid." The two questions from Madam Bones produced another outcry. McGonagall looked like she wanted to kill Albus.
"Did you enter or ask someone else to enter you into the Triwizard tournament?"
"No."
Two more questions. They were his only hope for showing Potter as the attention seeking brat he was.
"Why did you fly a car to school at the beginning of you second year?"
"Because the portal locked me and Ron out from the platform."
One more question. THIS was his only hope. THIS would prove that the apple didn't fall far from the tree. Potter was an attention-seeking prat. Potter's spawn was certain to be one as well.
"Why did you instigate this spectacle of being questioned in front of all of these witnesses?"
"Because I am tired of the lies that are told about me. Also, because I consider this torture and I wanted everyone to see how much you enjoy torturing me."
The entirety of the Great Hall was now looking at him. And very few of those faces looked particularly friendly to him. He really was regretting allowing himself to be sucked into this.
And he still had the questions that Potter had provided to ask. He hoped these questions would distract the masses. Otherwise, he didn't give himself much of a chance to survive this.
Okay. I haven't decided whether to finish this. The Bunny was entirely about Harry's last answer. However, Harry's questions might be enlightening. I'm still thinking about it.