A/N: Many thanks to fabulous, brilliant, and kind Pattie. I wish you safe travels. Potomac would still be a few chapters hiding on my hard-drive without your encouragement.
With Pattie on extended vacation, I could really use a Beta reader. I can't offer more than an early look at the chapters, some recognition if you want it, and a bit of influence in the telling of this tale. Does anybody feel generous with their time?
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Chapter Twenty-two
Yaxley glared through the bars at Samuel before saying, "Heard you were dead." The tone was flat, matching the lifeless eyes.
"Shut up, both of you." Potter shifted his wand to cover Yaxley. "Lay on the floor, hands behind your head." When the man complied, Samuel was jostled into the cell. Potter raised his wand to release the shackles as Samuel decided a change of tactics was necessary. He shook his head quickly.
"Going to leave me in irons, Potter, like the coward that you are?" The half-wit seemed to understand because not only did he leave the bindings in place, Samuel was instantly doused in slime. Yaxley crowed at Samuel's misfortune until Potter hexed him as well. Then they were alone. How do you break a Death Eater?
Understand his motivation. Staring at the man, it was clear. Macnair's deviant appetites aside, Yaxley was not the backbone of the operation. He was a little man craving power and authority.
Play to his weakness. Unable to fight back with his hands bound, Samuel was not surprised by the kick. Ribs that were already bruised screamed in agony as he gasped again for breath. He allowed himself one glance through the bars at Ron Weasley's stark white face and trembling wand hand. The barest shake of his head kept Weasley from intervening, but it looked to cost the boy greatly. Gryffindor fools. Every advantage comes at a price.
Destroy his security. "Big man, Ruben? Remember that I know things. Things you'd rather I not share." Yaxley thought for a moment, then crashed his knuckles into Samuel's ear. The room was blindingly white for several heartbeats until the pain receded. Weasley was pointing his wand again. The stupid fool was going to foil the ruse. "Weasley. Run along and tell Potter that I think I'll take his deal. Yaxley's hardly worth life in Azkaban."
Samuel watched Yaxley's courage falter as Weasley walked away. "Think you're the big man, then? Gonna sell me down the river?"
Re-define the relationship. "I believe I'll simply sell you out, and clearly they want you badly enough that I can buy myself a few concessions." Yaxley looked confused. Not the sharpest tool in the barn. "You don't think I can cut a deal with what I know about you?"
"They want you too badly for killing their 'Guard-guy.'" Vanguard? Yaxley has been swimming in some new circles.
"True, they want me to suffer for... that, but I think grabbing Weasley's girlfriend makes them hate you even more. What did you want with the girl, anyway?" Samuel stared at Yaxley, waiting for the man to spill what he needed to know.
After a moment, Yaxley looked away, dismissing the threat. "You wouldn't turn on me. We're on the same side."
"That didn't save Clearwater."
The fool's mouth fell open. Clearly, they hadn't guessed at his deception. "That was you? What'd that bint ever do to you?"
Cultivate the subject's dependence. Now he had currency. He needed for Yaxley to believe he'd gained the upper hand. "I refuse to shelter the weak. Why should I believe that you can offer protection from anyone?"
Yaxley hinted at several former colleagues in Azkaban, holding the tacit promise of protection from harm. Samuel continued to bait him, surely that man would slip soon and tell him something that would help Amanda.
After several rounds with no success, he heard boots on the stone floor. Almost out of time, he pressed the last button. "Takes a lot of courage to grab a little girl."
"You don't get it, Snape. We were after the traitor."
"What? You aren't making any sense." The steps were louder in the corridor. Just a little more time... please. No one heard his internal plea because, only moments later, the Aurors stood outside the cell. Weasley grabbed Samuel, leaving Yaxley to Moody's tender mercies. He didn't have to feign the anger as he tried for one more glimpse of Yaxley as he was shoved down the hall.
"Where's Potter? Couldn't you wait one more minute? I needed to know what he meant about 'the traitor'." Samuel scowled through his bruises.
Weasley stepped back and pointed his wand at Samuel's face. He ignored the question about Potter. The brat likely needs help pinning medals on his robes. "Wasn't going to let him hit you any more. Let's heal those up." Samuel fought against his own irrational fear. Weasley's wand work was clearly improved from his school years. His ribs set nicely and the pain and swelling left his face. He found he could easily keep pace with Weasley down the long hall to Potter's office.
He was pleasantly surprised to find his own shoes and his robes folded neatly on a chair. Samuel snatched a framed photo off Potter's desk in a bid to level the playing field. Ginny Weas--Potter, blew kisses toward her husband, before dragging him out of the frame. Samuel grimmaced. While he was distracted, Potter stepped closer to look at Samuel's face. "Good job, Ron, but you missed the ear." Potter incanted his own healing charm before handing eleven inches of willow to a very irate Samuel.
"Give me that. I'm not a baby, and I can decide what needs healing. Merlin!" Fortunately they left him to his own grooming, and soon he was slipping into Courtroom One right behind Potter. The hearing itself was the expected quibbling over facts, Yaxley trying to argue that he was not a Death Eater, Potter dredging up every random reference he could find tying Yaxley to other convicted Death Eaters. The problem was, there simply wasn't any proof.
Last step: leave the subject adrift. With a quick glance around Weasley's body, Samuel snarled at the relaxed smirk on Yaxley's face. His hand twitched against his will. Was this how Potter felt when he glimpsed the golden snitch through hazy light across the pitch? He cleared his throat, and scraped his chair as he stood, interrupting Potter mid-sentence. "That's fine Mr. Potter. You had very little to work with." Samuel paused to savor Yaxley's condescending smirk, and an ancient wizard in the front row filled the vacuum.
"If that's all you have to offer, drop the charges, my boy. You haven't proven a thing."
"Forgive me, but I said that was all that Mr. Potter had to work with. I, however, have much more evidence to offer."
"Convenient that you show up now, Snape," Moody barked angrily.
"Mr. Potter and Remus Lupin asked for my help. Was I to turn them away, Alastor? But let's turn back to the matter at hand. Ruben Yaxley, what was the occasion of our first acquaintance?" Samuel paused again, but held a hand up, keeping the entire Wizengamot silent, waiting for Yaxley's answer. The man's eyes flashed pure hatred, but Yaxley said nothing. "That's fine, Ruben, because I am also capable of telling these people that we met at a gathering of Death Eaters, in the presence of Voldemort," he paused again, this time to allow the frantic whispers to die down, "yes, Voldemort, we can all say his name. And that very night, Ruben, you showed your Mark to me, right before I received my own."
The little wizard was speaking again, "And are you here to answer to the matter of your own Mark , Severus Snape?"
"That matter has already been addressed and closed by this body, twenty-two years ago. My acquittal remains a binding decision. It cannot be reversed."
"And the murder of Albus Dumbledore?" Moody couldn't keep his eye on the snitch, apparently.
"The particulars of that matter may be discussed with Headmaster Dumbledore's portrait at your leisure, Alastor, but the terms of my appearance here today include amnesty on all charges relating to his death, and all actions taken at his direction. Again, the agreement is binding. For the matter of Ruben Yaxley's crimes, shall I begin by listing the Ministry officials that he was blackmailing in the summer of nineteen-ninety-four?" The room was in an uproar, but Samuel barely heard. His eyes were locked with Yaxley's as their fire dimmed and the Death Eater slumped until only the shackles on the chair held him up. Checkmate.
The decision took only minutes, and then Samuel stared at the bastard's bent head as Yaxley was sentenced to Azkaban. There was a moment of relieved silence in Courtroom One before Moody's voice carried throughout the chamber. "Severus Snape, you are charged with the murder of Penelope Clearwater."