A/N: I'm back! And I deeply apologise for the delay, but I got hit so hard by University stuff (3 x 2,500 word essays in two weeks), and just newly managed to recover. But I've learnt a huge lesson from this, and from now on will write a few chapters before I start posting so I still have something to put up even when I'm busy. To those who have sent me worried PMs; like I said in the previous chapter, I have no intentions of abandoning this story! I really appreciate your concerns though, it shows me there are people who truly care about this story and it warms my heart. Anyway, on with the story... In this chapter, Lola greets two unexpected visitors, both with completely different intentions. Stay tuned for next chapter, where Lola will have to face some serious accusations.
A stout man in pointed purple boots and bottle-green robes paced past the ugly stone gargoyle which bowed with respect. He hopped on to the moving spiral staircase which led him up to a highly polished oak door, where he paused and listened to the loud babble of voices coming from inside the room.
He knocked on the door three times.
A moment of absolute silence ensued, followed by a loud "Come in, please!" from someone behind the door.
Albus Dumbledore stood up from his high-backed chair as the man walked in, taking off his lime-green bowler hat.
"Cornelius!" he greeted the man as they shook hands. "Thank you for coming at such short notice."
"No bother." Fudge straightened his back seriously. "I understand we have a situation on our hands, Albus."
Dumbledore sighed heavily as he sat back in his chair. "That we do. I presume Minerva has told you all about it."
Cornelius Fudge nodded solemnly. "I would like to see the witness statement if that's alright."
Dumbledore swiftly walked over to the black cabinet across the room, where his Pensieve was hidden. Cornelius Fudge dipped his head in the silvery liquid to watch a deranged-looking ginger girl send the Cruciatus Curse at another girl, without batting an eyelid. A terrible scream ripped through the air, making Fudge jump back out of the Pensieve in horror.
"What do you think?" asked Dumbledore when Fudge stepped away from the stone basin, wiping the sweat off of his forehead with an emerald cloth.
"Actually, I wanted to ask you that, Albus," the man replied. "I never thought a youngling at Hogwarts would be capable of casting such a nasty curse."
"It happened under my supervision," Dumbledore said sympathetically. "I take full responsibility for this situation. You must spear her the usual sentence, Cornelius. An eleven-year-old child should not be acquainted with the Dementors."
Fudge's shoulders slumped. "I'm at a loss for words, Albus. I don't know what to do. This is a first in our history. I consulted with our newly appointed Head of Improper Use of Magic Office, Ms. Umbridge – I suspect you met her already – she too has no idea how to deal with this situation."
"And what did she advise you to do?" asked Dumbledore, already knowing the answer.
An unpleasant expression settled on Fudge's face. "A disciplinary hearing," he said without enthusiasm. "I trust her judgement fully but we can't let this get out, Albus. It would cause great public concern – and ruin both of our reputations! If the press gets a sniff of this… Oh boy…" He wiped more sweat off from his wide forehead.
Dumbledore examined Fudge with momentary disdain, before speaking with as much authority as he could muster. "Gather your most trusted people – prepare a cabinet. Give the girl a chance to defend herself, Cornelius. Imagine what people would say if they heard you've sent an eleven-year-old to Azkaban - without a trial."
The last sentence had been enough to win him over. Cornelius Fudge gulped, distress evident in his strained features, but he had made his mind up; they were going to have a secret disciplinary hearing for Lola Allen.
Lola was all alone in the cold, dark cell.
She knew she was somewhere inside the Ministry building, but had no idea exactly where. Once they had removed the black cloth around her eyes and lifted the handcuff spell from her wrists, she had been quickly pushed into the tiny room with rusty metal bars, locked in and left by herself with no food or water.
Better than Azkaban, Lola thought instantly.
From what the men had told her, she knew that she was going to be on trial tomorrow.
Surprisingly, the news of what had happened inside Hogwarts, for once, hadn't spread like wildfire. Parvati, Lavender, Hermione and Fay had been strictly instructed by McGonagall to not speak of the horrible crime that Lola had committed. Even the majority of staff members had no idea what had happened.
Lola thought of Fay, and instantly felt horrible. She tried to ration what her best friend might be feeling at that time, the pain and trauma she had suffered at the hands of someone she thought she could trust, without any explanation.
She must hate me so much right now, Lola thought.
There was no coming back from this. Quirrell had played her so well, Lola had actually begun to consider taking the easy route and just pleading guilty to the charges. Even if her innocence was proven, which she doubted, nothing would ever be the same. In one month, Lola had managed to ruin the best thing that had ever happened to her, before she could even learn a single spell.
She cried and cried, until she could no longer and she slowly drifted off into a sleep filled with soul-crushing screams and nightmares.
When Lola woke up a few hours after, she found Severus Snape staring down at her, a calculating look dominating his rigid features.
"Sir!" Lola exclaimed hastily as she scurried to get up. This took a while because though her mind was wide awake, her body was still half-asleep. "I knew you would come! You're here to help me! Thank you, sir – thank you! I'm so glad you're here."
Severus continued to stare at Lola, frozen on the spot.
The huge grin on Lola's face flickered momentarily, but she still felt overwhelmed with joy. "I'm listening, sir. What's the plan?"
A long, daunting silence ensued before Severus opened his mouth to say only two words, which echoed transiently in Lola's tiny cell.
"Idiot child."
Lola blinked, looking confused. Deep down, she felt genuinely hurt, but before she could react, Severus opened his left palm to reveal a tiny tube of liquid. Lola would have assumed it to be Veritaserum again, except the solution in the vial this time was pitch black.
Severus extended his arm through the metal bars. Lola picked up the small glass tube with trembling fingers, careful not to drop it.
"Drink," Severus commanded simply.
Lola eyed the elixir wearily. "May I ask what it is first?"
"You may not," returned Severus sternly. "Drink."
And so she did, pinching her nose tightly and taking all the liquid down in one gulp. The mixture burned her throat severely as it travelled down to her stomach, leaving a strong and bitter aftertaste.
"Ugh," Lola complained with a disgusted expression on her flushed face. "What is this?"
"An antidote," Snape replied shortly. "There is a reason why you haven't been given any food or water since you've been here. They will give you something to eat or drink moments before your trial, but they will not tell you when they mix something very special into it –"
"Veritaserum," Lola guessed quickly, feeling queasy.
Snape nodded. "Indeed. This antidote will remain in your system for about twenty-four hours. Therefore, every word which will come out of your mouth will be deemed as a fact by the cabinet." He briefly closed his eyes, drawing a deep, heavy breath into his lungs. Hesitation flickered in his pitch black eyes before he began confessing. "I risked everything by coming here tonight. What I just did earns me a one-way ticket to Azkaban. But I believe you, Allen. There is something very wrong about you, and very suspicious, but somehow I find myself believing you. I certainly trust you more than Quirrell…"
Lola struggled to find her voice. "Sir…" she whispered quietly. "I will explain everything to you in due time. For now, go with your gut feeling. I know you see reason, you will be the only person out of everything who will. That's why I had decided to contact you in the first place. I know some very dark and dangerous things about Professor Quirrell… That's why they did this to me –"
"They?" Severus asked quickly, feeling his heartbeat quicken.
Just then, the metal door to their left opened wide to reveal a tall man with pale blond hair and flashy green robes standing in the doorway. He smiled acidly as he slid through the door in an elegant fashion, making sure not to touch his filthy surroundings, holding a silver walking stick with a snake head attached at the top between his fingers.
Lola didn't recognise the man, but she had no difficulty guessing who the man was. Hence, she quickly hid the glass tube between her robes, trying to look as calm as possible.
"Severus," the man breathed, a subtle fire igniting in his cold, grey eyes. "How… interesting to see you here."
"The same goes for you, Lucius," Snape hissed softly. "May I ask what brought you here?"
Lucius forced a sweet smile. "You first, my friend."
"Dumbledore's orders," lied Severus almost instantly. "And you?"
"Curiosity," Lucius muttered as he turned his head to stare at Lola with awe. "Cornelius has told me all about the little Mudblood here, even asked me to observe the hearings tomorrow – he values my feedback, you see –"
"Nothing to do with your generous donations to the Department of Magical Games and Sports, then?" Snape said smoothly. He knew all too well that Cornelius Fudge was Lucius' personal lapdog.
"Someone has been digging," Lucius replied icily.
Snape shrugged unapologetically. "Merely digging the second page of the Daily Prophet."
"Where I choose to invest my fortunes is none of your business, Severus," Lucius said, no longer feeling the need to hide his hostility. "Nor does it have anything to do with what's going on here. Fudge simply wanted a parent's perspective on the situation. It could've been my Draco that got in the way of this Mudblood's curse, after all. Everyone knows that Hogwarts is going to the dogs, and I will be representing the noble pureblood who fell victim to this heinous crime under your mighty Dumbledore's roof."
Severus was fuming, but he forced himself to think clearly about the situation at hand. He had no idea why Lucius had strolled into Lola's cell that night, but the chances of it being for something other than good was extremely high. He had to get him out of there.
"Well, then," Severus said lightly. "Since you have seen her now, that should remedy your curiosity. I shall see you out now."
Lola watched nervously as Lucius Malfoy left, followed by an agitated looking Severus Snape. With her two unexpected visitors, she had gotten a taste of what was in store for her tomorrow, and she definitely was not looking forward to it.
A/N: I would like to once again thank you for following this story; I really appreciate it. And if you're new here, don't forget to hit favourite or follow if you like story, and do leave a review if you have time; they help me write better! See you shortly.