The ministry oafs interview Hermione in the Headmistress' office Hermione sits behind the desk next to McGonagall. She has her stone face on, quiet, composed, and unreadable. Simpering schoolgirl would probably help her more, but she can't stomach it.
"Miss Granger," the interrogator begins, "When did you first learn of the threats made against you?"
"Before Halloween. Professor Snape told me he was concerned for my safety."
"And did you believe him?"
"Yes."
"Where were you, when you had this conversation with Professor Snape?"
Hermione's nostrils flare a little bit. She can see where this is going already. She is going to have to tread very carefully.
"You don't have a conversation with Professor Snape. Professor Snape talks and you listen," she says. "We were in his office when he told me."
"And why were you in his office?"
"I was grading his papers."
"Why would you be grading Snape's papers?"
Hermione is dying to correct him, but she restrains herself. "I was grading Professor Snape's papers in return for extra instruction in potions."
"Ah, I see. Remedial instruction?"
"No."
"I'm sorry I don't understand."
"Advanced instruction. We finished covering the NEWT material and moved beyond it."
The interrogator looks at McGonagall at this proclamation. McGonagall stares back at him serenely.
"Miss Granger, do you like your potions Professor?"
What does that have to do with the price of butter? She wants to ask him, but she restrains herself. "I respect him," she says.
"That's not what I asked."
"That's the answer you'll get," she says, eyes flashing a bit. She quickly puts her stone face back on.
"Did you believe your professor when he told you your safety was being threatened?"
"Yes."
"What did you do when he told you?"
"What he told me to do. I stopped doing patrols alone and I was careful when I left Hogwarts."
"Did you tell your friends?"
"No. I don't want them to worry."
"Tell me how you knew the shrieking shack was a setup."
Hermione raises an eyebrow at the man. Is he this stupid or just pretending? "The boy was obviously under the Imperius Curse."
"Why was it obvious to you?"
"He just kept repeating himself. And it made no sense. Why me? He's in Hufflepuff, why not go to one of the Hufflepuff prefects? Or a teacher? Or Madam Rosemerta? It was the most obvious setup I've ever seen."
"So what did you do?"
"The effects of the Imperius Curse can be dangerous, so I didn't want to alarm the boy. I sent my Patronus to-"
"Really, girl-"
"You will address me as Miss Granger, or Madam," Hermione says in a steely tone. Then, to show off a little, she produces her Patronus with a nonverbal spell. The little otter bounds out of Hermione's wand. She summons it to her attention and tells it, "Find Mr. Thistlewaite and tell him his condescension and disrespect is not appreciated."
The otter turns to Mr. Thistlewaite and sits up on its haunches. It opens its mouth and Hermione's voice echoes out. "Your condescension and disrespect is not appreciated." Then the otter bounds back to Hermione, sits on the desk next to her. Hermione doesn't dismiss it. It begins to clean its whiskers.
The stupid man opens and closes his mouth a few times.
"What happened when Snape arrived?"
"Professor Snape arrived at the top of the hill outside the Shrieking Shack. I informed him the boy was under the Imperius curse when the boy pulled his wand on the professor. Professor Snape disarmed, stupefied, and petrified the boy."
Thistlewaite nods for her to continue.
"Professor Snape sent his Patronus to the Headmistress, then told me to go back to the castle. I said no. We went into the Shrieking Shack together."
"Why didn't you do as you were told?"
"The threat was made to me. I wasn't about to let Professor Snape handle it without my help. I've dueled multiple death eaters, Mr Thistlewaite, I'm not entirely useless. Unfortunately, it was a mistake. I should have listened."
"Why?"
"Professor Snape easily could have handled himself with Scabior and his goons. I was only a liability, not because I was incapable of helping, but because Professor Snape was focused on keeping me safe instead of incapacitating our attackers so they could be interrogated. I'm afraid my presence did more harm than good, sir." Hermione doesn't have to fake the regret in her voice. It is real. Her Patronus wavers a bit. She silently reinforces it.
"What happened inside the shack?"
"Professor Snape said there were four men inside. When we got into the main room three of them attacked us. When I stunned the first one, the second one tried to kill me. The professor deflected the curse and killed him. We had the third guy about to surrender I think but that's when Scabior made his entrance. He had a short conversation with us. Then he and his ugly buddy cast two spells. I thought they were both killing spells, they looked almost identical. Professor Snape deflected one and stepped in front of the other and fell to the ground. I thought he was dead. I don't remember anything after that."
"Excuse me?"
"I have no recollection of the time between Professor Snape falling and waking up in the infirmary. From what we can piece together through the evidence in the shrieking shack, and from Priori Incantatem, I then proceeded to cast over fifty Sectumsempra spells on both Scabior and his unconscious and dead companions. None of them survived."
Thistlewaite looks incredulous at the Headmistress. She nods. They all stand up.
"The Minister will be in contact with all of you. I don't need to tell you that these events are not to be discussed with anyone. Doing so could change our current inclination to not seek any charges."