Chapter 14

The article:

Harry was barely approachable for the rest of the day and had, right upon their return to Hogwarts, withdrew into his dormitory, where he fell onto his mattress. Laying on his back, he stared dully at the sky above his bed, feeling completely hollow inside, as if he had no more tears left which he could shed.

He noticed how the door opened and Ron came in, but he didn't look up. His friend, however, only let himself fall onto his own bed, after which he grabbed a book from his nightstand and started to read without saying a word.

A warm feeling of thankfulness engulfed Harry. His friends would not let him down, and even though Ron respected his wish for privacy, his presence was both soothing and strengthening at the same time.

When the other students arrived from Hogsmeade, getting ready to go to the Great Hall, Harry still didn't move. Ron didn't comment on it and only got up wordlessly to follow the others.

Finally alone in the dormitories, Harry slipped off his clothes and slid under the cover of his comforter until, about one hour later, the door opened again and the mattress under him shifted, as someone took a seat at it's edge.

"I brought you some food."

Harry sat up only to find himself face to face to a smiling Ron, who was holding a white textile bundle out to him. Harry returned the smile. He wasn't really hungry but he appreciated Ron's concern, and for his sake he would try to eat at least a bit.

"Thank you Ron," he said, while he took the bundle, opening it and bringing out a couple of sandwiches.

Ron waved Harry's thanks away. "It's nothing. You want to talk?"

Harry paused between two bites. If he were honest to himself, he would like to talk with someone who would not instantly try to either suspect or coddle him. Ron had known Sirius and the whole affair surrounding him and Harry knew that his friend would never betray him or take advantage of his trust, if he told him something in private. So, he began to talk. About the letters he had used to write, when something had bothered him and the dreams he had nurtured about the day when his Godfather's name would be cleared and he would be able to live with him, having a real family for once. He talked quietly and for a long time with Ron, and they only went to sleep when, close to midnight, Neville stepped timidly into the room, as if he were trying not to interrupt something of big importance.

Sunday too, Harry spend away from the crowds, only able to stand the company of Hermione and Ron, until in the evening both not so subtly told him that he could not hide forever. Harry had, even if reluctantly, agreed with them. Life would go on. Somehow, even if that prospect seemed neither appealing nor easy to handle at this moment.

As soon as he stepped into the Great Hall however, he started to regret his decision. The other students begun to whisper behind their hands, starring at him shamelessly, but only as long until he locked gazes with them. Each person he looked at directly, instantly lowered their head in embarrassment.

Of course, the information from the Gryffindor Tower had made its way through the rest of the school like a bushfire, which had to have been expected of course. Harry was not feeling comfortable in the centre of everyone's complete attention, but at least the rumours that Sirius Black had been innocent were now circulating, even if that detail would probably meet quite some sceptics along the way. People would rather like to think that Harry had joined Voldemort's side, when getting involved with his men. It would be easier to point one's finger at him, instead of believing some rumours, which were contradicting something that seemed so obvious.

"I didn't know that You-Know-Who's friend was your godfather, Potter. Who knows? Maybe the shining hero of the whole wizarding world is a compatriot of the Dark Lord himself."

Draco Malfoy, as usual flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, stood with his arms crossed over his chest at the end of the Slytherin table, regarding him with an arrogant sneer. With blazing eyes, the blond Slytherin walked over to him, tossing an exemplar of the Daily Prophet at his feet.

Instantly, Ron bowed down to retrieve the newspaper, a horrified look on his face, but Harry beat him to it, picking it up with fast movement.

The whole front page seemed to contain only one single topic and two pictures adorned it. Beside one with a scowling Snape was a picture of Sirius, which had been displayed a few years ago from the muggle news up to all magical newspapers, when the search for him had been at it's fullest.

"Harry," Ron warned, but he ignored his friend and begun to read.

Last Friday, Severus Snape, Potions Master and teacher at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry had cornered and killed the wanted murderer Sirius Black. Black appeared to have been an unregistered Animagus and it was no doubt this feature that had permitted him to escape Askaban in the first place.

Eyewitnesses at Hogwarts have testified that he had taken disguise under the form of a wild dog. Draco Malfoy, a student at Hogwarts and son of the respected and well known businessman Lucius Malfoy, has told us that the murderer had with all probability intended to sneak into the school and rip the students apart. A man who has, in cold blood, murdered over ten muggles and one of his friends, would surely not have second thoughts about killing children.

What is strange however, is the fact that Severus Snape, who, according to several rumours is said to be a former death eater, killed him. Those rumours are strengthened by the fact that Mr. Snape has used one of the Unforgivables in front of a school full of innocent children. Without any remorse, as we have been told by our sources, he threw the Death Curse at Black. As those trustworthy sources are also telling, Mr. Snape had, after the first fall of You-Know-Who been cleared of the accusation of following the latter, and this without an official trial, but only under the condition never to use one of those abdominal curses against another human being, under the threat of the immediate dementor's kiss.

Why the sentence has not been carried out immediately and Snape will be getting a trial is questionable and probably only done to show him-who-shall-not-be-named that we will not treat his men lightly. But the fact that his followers are killing off themselves shows all too clearly that the rumours of his being as strong as before are nothing more than hot air.

Because of this, the trial will hardly be more than a mere formality and Severus Snape will most likely be receiving the dementor's kiss just after. Which will bring some good by getting us rid of a ruthless killer and a rumoured death eater.

The Daily Prophet will naturally keep you informed about the trial's development, which has been scheduled for next Thursday.

Rita Skeeter for the Daily Prophet.

Harry could hardly believe what he was reading there. Rita Skeeter had created a true conspiracy theory and was blowing the events out of proportions until they were a caricature of the actual happenings.

Not that he would have minded her writing about Snape in this way, but Sirius really didn't deserve all this. He had been a good man who should rather get an apology for all those years that had been stolen from him, instead of being accused even more.

"The fact that he could transform into a walking flea bag has not helped him in the end."

Harry didn't acknowledge Draco by looking up, but he could feel the anger grow in him.

"Snape should be getting a medal instead of being in prison and if those fools of the ministry sentence him to the kiss, I will personally take care that he is getting this medal too."

Briskly Draco stepped very close to Harry, whispering, so only the other boy could hear him: "You know, Potter. My father has confirmed that Black has never been in the service of the Dark Lord and that he has never killed those muggles either, just like you've been spreading around. Unfortunately, you can't prove this and I doubt that anybody will ever believe you."

That was it. Harry was not willing to take any more. Before he had even thought about it he pulled back his fist, smashing it straight into the other boy's face. Malfoy yelped in pain and staggered back a step, his hands covering his nose. Blood welled from between his fingers and dropped down his chin.

"That's enough!" McGonagall's firm voice interrupted. The Transfigurations professor had apparently left the staff table already at the beginning of the fight and stepped now from between two rows of tables. "Mr. Goyle. Please take Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing. Mr. Potter. In my office, now." She eyed Hermione and Ron sternly. "Alone."

Without paying further attention to them she turned briskly, marching out of the hall.

Submitting to his fate and under the pitying glances of Hermione and Ron, Harry followed his Head of House.

"I have been told about your close relation to Sirius Black and the fact that he had been your Godfather. Yet, even if I understand your grief, I cannot tolerate your behaviour."

Professor McGonagall had her Hands braced against her desktop; her upper body was slightly bent forwards and she was staring at him with a stern, calculating look. Harry sat nonchalantly on a chair face to her desk, answering the look of the teacher towering over him with a glare of his own.

"Malfoy started it," he said stubbornly.

The professor took a deep breath before her features softened some and she sank back into her chair as well.

"Harry," she began quietly and not unsociably. "I am well aware about your special situation, please believe me. You have seen too much death and lost too many people that anyone should in such a short life. Also am I perfectly aware that your surroundings are not always making it easy for you."

"You mean Malfoy and the Slytherins, without a doubt," Harry interrupted heatedly.

McGonagalls' face showed clearly that she would not tolerate such a tone from a student and her eyes hardened again.

"Mr. Potter. The situation is not easy for the Slytherins. No matter what they are doing, they are always suspected to be on the brink of the dark side from the moment they are sorted. Now their head of house has been arrested for the use of just such dark magic and there is a real danger for him to be sentenced to the dementor's kiss. I know that you are not fond of Professor Snape in any way, but you may be surprised that some people around him are worrying about him, even if he has committed such an abdominal crime. For us teachers and for the Slytherins it's not easy either and quite a painful experiment. Just think about the way Professor Dumbledore must feel these days."

At those words, Harry lowered his head slightly ashamed. Of course he knew that Sirius' death and Snape's arrest had affected the Headmaster terribly, and the last he wanted was to make it all harder on the man, but he also had a right for justice. He had suffered too and if Draco chose to cross him, he had to remember that he would fight back. Thinking of this, he remembered something that had bothered him as he had read the article.

"Professor," he changed the topic. "In the Daily Prophet, it was written that the trial would be on Thursday."

McGonagall's face darkened and her mouth became a thin line as she nodded brusquely. "That is correct. The trial has been scheduled for two o'clock in the afternoon. Transfiguration and Potions will be cancelled then, since the Headmaster as well as myself will be attending it. Why do you ask?"

"I want to come along."

McGonagall shook her head with vehemence. "That is out of the question. The Headmaster has especially emphasized that you will not attend to this trial."

Harry again felt anger well up in him. "It's my right to see Snape being punished!"

"No."

Harry jumped off his chair and glared challenging at the professor. "You can't keep me from attending. If you and Professor Dumbledore don't take me along, I will ask Mr. Weasley or write to the ministry, telling them that I want to testify against Snape. The experience I had with him as a teacher those last years will certainly not exonerate him. I can tell you so much. I want to see that this bastard gets his rightful punishment."

The Professor too had risen from her chair and was staring at him sternly. "Fifteen points from Gryffindor and detention with Filch for the rest of the week, Mr. Potter. I will not tolerate such a tone towards a teacher."

"I don't care if you're giving me detentions until I graduate and you can deduct as many points as you wish, I will be going to this trial," he hissed between clenched teeth, turning on his heel.

He left her office, closing the door with a bang.

T.B.C.