Chapter Eleven: The Trial of Severus Snape

The next few days were spent doing as little as possible. Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione were still staying out of the public eye as much as possible. Also, Potter Manor was no longer home to the Tonkses or the Lupins. Andromeda and Ted had moved back to their own home while Remus, Dora and Teddy had moved into a new home bought for them by Sirius as a wedding present. All this meant that Potter Manor was home to Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione, Sirius and Amelia – along with Susan, and Severus and Narcissa, and Dudley, though with Severus' trial in two days at least two more people would be leaving.

Ron and Hermione had also begun to make a start on their new lives together. They had gone to Gringott's in order to buy land somewhere close to where her parents lived. They had also finished the designs for the enormous house they wanted to build upon the land. They had also planned another holiday/honeymoon for themselves but they would not be leaving until after the ceremony for the Order of Merlin presentations.

Sirius and Amelia were going out more than anyone. Amelia was helping with rebuild of the Ministry, while Sirius was helping with the rebuild of Hogwarts. He had also been out and bought an engagement ring for Amelia, though he had no idea when he was going to propose.

The day before his trial, Severus Snape awoke in his bed at Potter Manor next to Narcissa. He marvelled at her beauty as she slept and he could not help but wonder after tomorrow if he would ever wake up next to her again. His apprehension had nothing to do with Sirius' ability to defend him. Snape felt that the evidence against him was too overwhelming and not even Harry's testimony was going to save him from prison. Snape then decided he had brooded enough and got out of bed to enjoy what could possibly be his last full day of freedom.

Ron and Hermione were in the bedroom of their suite. They had only gone up there to change into something in which they could sunbathe, but had ended up shagging again. Ron was now holding his naked wife in his arms as they recovered. There no words required between them as they had expressed themselves with their eyes and bodies during their impromptu shag.

'I thought we only came up here to change?' said Hermione breaking their comfortable silence.

'Me too, but you're just too damn sexy to resist and I needed to be inside you,' replied Ron.

Hermione giggled and kissed his chest as he kissed her hair.

'I love you,' she said.

'I love you more,' he replied.

Hermione rolled her eyes and said, 'Honestly, Ron, it's not a competition …'

'I suppose not,' said Ron before he pulled out of her and put on a silk robe and walked over to the balcony doors and opened them to admire the view. He then looked down to the ground where he saw something quite remarkable.

It was Snape.

He was sunbathing.

'C'mere, love, check this out …' he said.

Hermione put on her own silk robe and joined Ron on the balcony. She followed Ron's gaze and her eyes widened in surprise.

'No way … Snape … sunbathing?' she said.

'Yeah, shocking, isn't it?' asked Ron as he sat on a lounger.

Hermione giggled again and joined him on the lounger before they lay down upon it and held each other.

Snape, meanwhile, was too busy looking at his companion. He had good reason to as well.

Narcissa was wearing a very sexy bikini and was enjoying getting a tan. She looked incredible with her tanned body shining in the sun. It made him want to fuck her senseless, so he whispered something seductive in her ear and she gave him a nod and so they grabbed their things and went back to the suite they shared. It wasn't long before they were both naked and he had her screaming his name in pure ecstasy over and over again.

The next morning at ten am found Sirius, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Snape inside courtroom ten. Harry and Ron were in their family's seats while Hermione was watching from the privileged gallery. Snape was sitting in chained to a chintz chair with Sirius standing next to him.

Amelia Bones, the new Chief Witch of the Wizengamot, called for order before she began.

'Trial Hearing of Severus Tobias Snape for offences committed in the last year connected with Death Eater activity. These offences include Conspiring with the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort and the murder of Albus Dumbledore. Interrogators: Amelia Susan Bones, Arthur Septimus Weasley.'

'Counsel for the Defence, Lord Sirius Orion Black, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black,' said Sirius.

'Very well, we shall begin. Severus Snape, please tell us how old you were when you received the Dark Mark?' said Amelia.

'I was eighteen and fresh out of Hogwarts,' replied Snape.

'Who recruited you into the Death Eaters?' asked Amelia.

'Lucius Malfoy approached me during a Hogsmeade weekend during my final year at Hogwarts. I was already friends with Mulciber, who became a Death Eater, and so through various contacts my name and my skills as a Potions Master were brought to the attention of Tom Riddle,' answered Snape.

'During the trials from the last war your name was given by Igor Karkaroff in testimony for his own freedom, however, Albus Dumbledore gave evidence to the Wizengamot that you had turned for us at great personal risk. Please tell us why.'

'I had overheard a portion of a Prophecy and in my haste I reported it to Tom Riddle as it concerned him. However, his interpretation of Prophecy caused me to alert Albus Dumbledore. Tom Riddle was going to target the first and only friend I ever had at that point in my life. That friend was Lily Potter. Tom Riddle planned to kill her, her husband and her son. I did not want her to die and so I made a bargain with Albus Dumbledore to become his spy while he would do all he could to protect Lily and her family.'

'What did your bargain with Albus Dumbledore entail?'

'The protection of Harry James Potter from the moment he began his time at Hogwarts.'

'How did you do this?'

'During his Quidditch match, Quirinus Quirrell attempted to kill Harry Potter by jinxing his broomstick. In jinxing his broomstick he trying to make it throw Harry off of it, I, meanwhile, was muttering a counter-curse until my robes caught fire, however, this was enough to break Quirrell's eye-contact and end his spell.'

'When Tom Riddle returned in nineteen ninety-five what was your role, then?'

'I was to spy upon Tom Riddle and to divulge any and all plots that may put lives in jeopardy. One such plot was Tom Riddle's plan to have Draco Malfoy murder Albus Dumbledore. However, Tom Riddle's plot was unnecessary. During the summer of nineteen ninety-six, Albus Dumbledore sustained a fatal injury. A fatal curse that I discovered upon my inspection would have killed him within a year. Albus took the news well before we discussed Tom Riddle's plan to have him murdered by Draco Malfoy. Albus asked me to kill him instead of allowing Malfoy to do it, and I agreed.'

'Why did Albus ask this of you?'

'Albus did not want Draco's soul damaged by murder and he did not want to be humiliated by the likes of Fenrir Greyback and Bellatrix Lestrange, Albus wanted a painless exit before the curse I had trapped temporarily in his right hand began to spread and kill him in a more painful manner.'

'What happened on the Astronomy Tower the night Albus Dumbledore was killed?'

'When I arrived Albus had already been Disarmed by Draco while Fenrir Greyback, Antonin Dolohov, Alecto and Amycus Carrow looked on. I pointed my wand at Dumbledore and fulfilled my obligation to him and the Unbreakable Vow I had made to Draco's mother.'

'Did you confide any of your actions before you committed them to anyone?'

'I did. I confided in Sirius Black on Christmas Day nineteen ninety-six, everything that happened and was going to happen.'

'Lord Black, can you confirm this?'

'I can, Lady Bones, I am prepared to submit my memory of the meeting between us,' said Sirius.

'That will not be necessary, Lord Black. Severus Snape, can you tell us what your primary mission was during your time as Hogwarts Headmaster?' said Amelia.

'My mission was to protect the student of Hogwarts form the Carrows as best I could without revealing myself, however, this proved difficult and I am sorry I was not able to do more to defend the more unfortunate students who suffered at the hands of the Carrows' cruelty.'

'What role did you play during the Battle of Hogwarts of this year?'

'After I had confronted Harry Potter and told him of true allegiance I was asked by Harry to fight for Hogwarts alongside the Order of the Phoenix and the rest of the Hogwarts faculty. During the battle I killed all three Lestranges and helped Harry by giving him vital information he required in order to defeat Tom Riddle, once and for all.'

'How did you manage to convince Harry Potter that you were on the side of the Light?'

'Last Christmas I used my Patronus to lead Harry Potter to the Sword of Gryffindor, an object I was told he needed in order to complete his mission, why I did not know because the portrait of Albus Dumbledore would not tell me, though I know now. Unfortunately, I cannot divulge this information as it needs to be kept classified from the public as we do not want any Tom Riddle copycats. When Harry Potter and I met in a corridor, before battle commenced, I produced my Patronus to prove to him I was, and am, on his side.'

'Lord Black, do you have any witnesses who wish to give testimony on behalf of Mr Snape?' asked Amelia.

Sirius then said that did and called Harry as a witness and Harry confirmed everything Snape had already told them. He also told the Wizengamot that he wanted his previous statement from a year ago to be stricken from the record and so it was. Once Harry's cross-examination was over, he retook his seat and was asked to abstain from the vote.

'Thank you, the Wizengamot will take one hour to deliberate, we are adjourned,' said Amelia before the members, including Ron, went to another room, as the chains binding Snape to his chair were removed and he was escorted out to the holding cells.

Sirius, Harry and Hermione waited with Snape while his future was being discussed.

An hour later they were called back into the courtroom and retook their seats before Amelia began speaking again.

'Severus Snape, the charge of conspiring with the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort has been dismissed, however; on the charge of the unlawful killing of Albus Dumbledore, the Wizengamot finds you guilty. However, with the testimony given by Lord Potter and Lord Black, as well as your performance in the Battle of Hogwarts, the Wizengamot has decided on the following sentence. You will serve one year under house arrest, your wand will be confiscated and you will be on lifetime probation. You will receive your wand back after your year of house arrest. If you break your probation you will go to Azkaban for life. You will receive neither credit nor commendation for your role as a spy for the Light. Do you have any questions?'

'No, Madam, I do not,' said Snape.

'In that case you will leave your wand and the address at which you will serve your house arrest with the Watch-wizard as you leave, case dismissed, you may go,' said Amelia.

Everyone began to shuffle out of the courtroom before Sirius escorted Snape to the Watch-wizard where Snape handed over his wand before Sirius and Snape debated where he would spend his house arrest. Eventually Snape agreed to living at number twelve, Grimmauld Place. This was so Narcissa could keep him company as she was a Black and Snape had a tracking spell placed on him before he was escorted there by members of D.M.L.E.

A couple of days after the trial, Sirius, Amelia and Susan moved back to Black Cottage leaving Potter Manor with just Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Dudley living there.