Allbright, Hermione, and Clarice made their way to Courtroom Number 7.

"Lucky number seven," Hermione said.

"We can hope," Clarice said.

He stopped in the corridor and spoke. "I'm going to impart a bit of old codger knowledge upon the two of you, to think about as the trial progresses. It has saved me much stress over the years," he said.

The two looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to gather his thoughts.

"There is no luck in the law. There is only what is, and what is not. Here is the law, here is the person, and this is what the law says must happen to the person. It's simple once you think about it like that. As for hope, you can hope for the best, but only if you do your best. Now come along, we're almost there."

In the courtroom, Hermione saw a dozen people in the gallery. A dozen more were in the witness seats to wait for their turn to testify. To her surprise, her mother was there with Harry! She glanced at the cock on the wall and saw that there was ten minutes until the start of the trial. It would give her enough time to find out what in the world her mother was doing there.

"How are you?" Harry asked, giving her a quick kiss. "And before you ask, I got special permission for her to be here. Kingsley's trying to get back in my good books, and since it's not really a dangerous situation, he agreed that your mum could be here for moral support."

"This is certainly a majestic looking sort of place, so much different from our drab courts," Grace said.

The Wizengamot started filing in.

"I'm glad you're here. Must go, time to put this jerk away," Hermione said, giving her mum a hug.

"Minister, Interrogators, and Wizengamot members, I will begin with the allegations of libel by presenting evidence and testimony to support the charge. I offer these twelve newspaper and periodical articles written by Mr. Crittendon regarding Miss Granger, for you to see the spurious nature of the work. "

A clerk took the papers from Clarice.

"I now call the first witness for testimony, Gilbert Fortney, Editor-In-Chief of Wizarding World Weekly."

Mr. Fortney stood before the witness chair, affirmed a vow to tell the truth, and took a seat.

"Master Fortney, how long have you been the Editor-In-Chief of Wizarding World Weekly?" Allbright asked.

"For 24 years, sir."

"Please, tell us a bit about Wizarding World Weekly."

"Certainly. Our newspaper is one of the oldest Wizarding publications for news on the planet. We are published in 23 countries, tailored for that country's language and culture of course. We practice serious, factual journalism; not the gossipy tripe, or tabloids, which have somehow managed to seep into the field of respectable journalism. All employees are informed of this upon their hiring."

"All employees? Mr. Crittendon included?" Allbright asked.

"Yes sir, all employees."

"How long was Mr. Crittendon employed with your paper?"

"For 2 years."

"Can you give this court an idea of his performance while at your paper?"

"Over the course of his employment, he was warned four times about submitting sensationalistic, factually questionable stories to his editor, and that two of the articles could be viewed as libelous. We take that quite seriously, and Mr. Crittendon even signed a written reprimand after the fourth warning. He was suspended from our paper upon his arrest, and ultimately terminated from employment when we received word of the libel charge."

Allbright held up three letters. "I offer the court a copy of the reprimand, and letters written by Mr. Crittendon, threatening Master Fortney and the Current Events editor at the paper. What is interesting to note is that these letters were penned whilst he was incarcerated."

A clerk took the documents from Clarice.

"That is all I have for this witness."

"Very well. The defense advocate may now question the witness."

The defense advocate asked a few perfunctory questions and took a seat once more. He knew his case was a lost one, but his client was entitled to a defense, no matter how hopeless it seemed. Milton admitted his guilt while preparing for the case, had no remorse for his actions, and was pleased to have caused as much trouble as he could for Hermione.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Fortney. There will be a ten-minute recess," Kingsley said.

Over the course of the next two hours, twelve tabloids admitted to printing the articles submitted by Crittendon. The Editor-In-Chief of The Witch's Brew was called to testify.

"Sir, I assume that you have seen the article in question that your newspaper printed?"

"No, I have not."

Allbright was incredulous. He was surprised, and that didn't happen often. "Pardon me? You haven't? As the editor in charge of a paper, you're not aware of what's being printed under your own roof? Then you're not aware of the libelous nature of the article?"

"I wouldn't exactly say libel-"

"Sir, I will have the clerk read the article word for word, then you can answer whether or not it classifies as libel."

As the clerk read the article, the man was squirming in his seat so much one would think someone had put itching powder in his shorts. Before Allbright spoke, an Interrogator spoke to the editor.

"Sir, I'm not a historian, a psychiatrist, nor am I a journalist, but I can recognize a fabricated story when I hear one. And to think, the clerk has eleven more articles such as this as evidence!"

"Madame Interrogator, if it pleases the Wizengamot, I intend for the clerk to read the rest of the articles. I believe that it more than satisfies the legal requirements for a libel charge to stand."

Crittendon merely shrugged and lounged in his chair.

Allbright spoke again. "Sir, do you realize that you can be charged as an accessory to the crime? For willingly defaming the good name of a respected, upstanding witch in our society?"

The editor spoke. "Sir, we have a right to free speech and to pursue journalistic creativity. If we have inadvertently caused Miss Granger any undue distress, we will print a correction to rectify any inaccurate information our paper has printed."

"That's very noble, I'm sure. Just one last question, a trifle really. Are the journalists," he said dryly, "salaried?"

The editor cleared his throat. "To protect the bottom line of the paper and keep costs at a minimum, we have no salaried employees. They are paid for each article submitted."

"Hm, I see. I have no more questions for this witness."

Kingsley rose from his chair and spoke. "There will be an hour recess for lunch. We will resume at ten minutes past noon."

Hermione ate her sandwich and fruit in record time and gulped down a second glass of orange juice. She looked through the glass of the cooler to see what else was available.

"I remember when my wife was pregnant. By her second trimester, she ate more than the entire family combined," Allbright said.

"I can see that it's based on common law," Grace said of the trial so far, "but the way you do it here seems simple. No frills...straight-forward, I should say."

"We're fortunate in this case, our argument is practically irrefutable. If only more cases were like that," Allbright said.

The trial resumed and Allbright addressed the Wizengamot again. "I wish to address the charge of criminal stalking, which our law defines as to persistently follow a person with threatening words and/or actions, no matter the motive. We will present witness testimony that will show that Mr. Crittendon's behavior falls under the legal definition of criminal stalking."

"Very well, Master Allbright. Present your witnesses."

Allbright called Katie, Harry, Gail (a waitress from The Leaky Cauldron,) and the manager from Flourish and Blotts. After the defense advocate question the bookstore manager, Crittendon rose and began to talk but was quieted by the defense advocate.

"Minister, interrogators, and Wizengamot members, my client apologizes to the court for the interruption, but he wishes to...discuss a crucial point of law. I humbly ask for a twenty minute recess to consult with my client."

"Granted. Twenty minutes and not one second longer, Mr. Brandt."

"What's going on?" Hermione asked quietly.

"I'm not sure, this doesn't happen often, or it could be a stalling tactic," Allbright said.

When only ten minutes of hurried discussion had passed, Mr. Brandt cleared his throat to address the court. "My client wishes to ask for a summary judgment at this time."

Allbright and Hermione looked at each other in surprise.

"Is your client certain of this? Have you made him aware that he waives the right to present evidence and witness testimony on his own behalf? If the Wizengamot agrees to render a summary judgment, the only thing the defense can present is a closing statement," Kingsley said.

"My client understands."

"Very well. I now call for a majority vote on the matter of rendering a summary judgment against Mr. Crittendon. May I have the votes in the affirmative?"

An overwhelming majority raised their hands.

"All for no summary judgment?"

The minority raised their hands.

"Mr. Weasley, note the date, time, and decision of the Wizengamot voting in the affirmative for summary judgment. Mr. Brandt, you may make your closing statement."

Mr. Brandt slowly cleared his throat again, as if he were going to present something momentous to the proceeding.

"We refute the charge of libel by stating that Mr. Crittendon simply wrote materiel that he believed to be factual-"

An incredulous snort was heard from the witness gallery.

"-and that Miss Granger's hurt feelings cannot be regarded as a criminal offense. Additionally, Mr. Crittendon's right to free speech and to earn a living cannot be included in the charge."

"Unbelievable," Hermione said under her breath.

"As for the stalking charge, my client offers that he was distraught from his arrest and incarceration and was not thinking clearly as he traveled from his home to various locations in and about London. In the course of seeking employment, Mr. Crittendon cannot be blamed for the fact that Miss Granger just happened to be in the same vicinity as he. We ask the Wizengamot to dismiss all charges."

Hermione was flabbergasted. Never would she make such an asinine, nonsensical argument for a client.

"Master Allbright, you may make your closing statement."

Allbright patted Hermione's shoulder and rose. "I wish to say to this august body that in all of my years in the legal profession, I have never heard such an absurd argument as the one we've just heard. I agree that Mr. Crittendon has the right to employment and free speech; in fact, my record shows me as an emphatic defender of free speech. However, that right is not absolute, and must be tempered with common sense and responsibility, the same with any other right.

As the saying goes, one may not shout fire in a crowded theatrewhen there is no fire, and Mr. Crittendon's right to employment does not include violating the rights of another. I offer that my client too, was distraught over her arrest and incarceration, as any decent, upstanding citizen would be. However, she had no thoughts of following Milton Crittendon everywhere he went, happily subjecting him to obscene, mean-spirited, threatening language and behavior on a daily basis. We ask the Wizengamot to find Milton Crittendon guilty of the charges of libel and stalking."

Crittendon looked much less defiant while Kingsley called a judgment vote.

"All those in favor of guilt on the charge of libel?"

Forty of the fifty members raised their hands.

"All those in favor of innocence of the charge of libel?"

Two raised their hands.

"Undecided?"

The remaining members raised their hands.

"All those in favor of guilt on the charge of criminal stalking?"

All fifty members raised their hands.

"Very well. Milton Crittendon, this court has rendered a summary judgment of guilt on the charges of libel and criminal stalking. It is obvious that the previous seven days of incarceration made no impression upon you, so we can only hope that a seven month sentence, followed by a seven more months of supervised probation will help you realize the error of your ways."

Crittendon's face paled and Hermione shuddered herself. Seven months, God help him.

"The sentence is to be carried out immediately. This trial is concluded."

Hermione was startled by Allbright patting her shoulder. "Are you all right? Do you need anything?"

She shook her head and shook his hand. "Thank you for your services, sir."

"Here comes your fiancée now. Go and get a good supper, you look as if you need it. Clarice will help me wrap up the administrative odds and ends."

At their favorite steakhouse, Harry and Grace talked about decorating the nursery at Grimmauld Place while Hermione sat quietly staring at a napkin ring. She realized Harry was waving his hand in front of her face.

"Love? Did you hear me?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Do you want the strawberry chocolate cheesecake or something else?" he asked.

"The cheesecake is fine."

"Are you all right? You're awful quiet for someone who just won a court case," Grace said.

"I was just thinking about Crittendon."

Harry patted her hand. "You don't have to worry about him anymore. He's in jail now."

"For seven months. Seven months. I was only in jail for seven days, but it was the worst seven days of my life."

"Pumpkin, what else did you expect? From what I saw, the prat was defiant and unrepentant about his actions...at least until the sentence was rendered. There's a reason why we have courts and jails, to protect innocent people from criminals."

"That's what he is, a criminal," Harry said. "He knew that what he was doing was wrong, but he chose to keep doing it, even after being in jail! No one has the right to do what he did, and there's no telling what he would have done next. Kingsley was right, he has seven months to think about what he's done, and you don't have to worry about him anymore."

As an advocate, Hermione knew that Harry was right. Crittendon knew what he was doing, and he wasn't sorry for what he'd done, but for getting caught. A server setting a piece of scrumptious strawberry chocolate cheese before her, she hesitated before eating it.

"Is it another smell that turns your stomach?" Grace asked.

"No, it's just that most of my clothes are too tight as it is, and this will just make it worse. And to think, I'm only six weeks along. I'm going to be as big as an elephant come August."

"Well, you just need to go shopping for maternity clothes," Grace said matter-of-factly. "We'll make a day of it Saturday, what do you think? Maternity clothing these days is much more fashionable than it was when you were born, we'll have a smashing time."