4. Madam Granger & Madam Chang, part I
5 years ago
"It's going to be fine, Luna. Remember what we just told you, will you?" Hermione comforted her friend as she tried to fix some details in her hair and make-up. "I won't be able to help you much after we're in, but I'll be there watching everything. They won't dare to do anything unfair with you in my presence..."
"Hermione... about that..." Luna whispered very low, getting so close to Hermione's ear that she could feel the warmth of her breath. "I'd rather you didn't come with us. I need to ask you to watch with the twins, Hermione. I know Rolf is planning something... I know..." the usually calm and peaceful woman sounded desperate in a way Hermione had never seen her, trembling from head to toe, sweating so much that the make-up she had just fixed had already started to blur. "I can't leave them alone... I can't let anything happen..."
"Nonsense, Luna. How could he pull that off? At the heart of the Ministry of Magic? Besides, the kids won't be alone, they will be in the waiting room, and isn't your father going to be there with them?"
"At some point, my dad will be called to testify, won't he?" shaking and slippery with sweat, Luna grasped her friend's hand, twitching as she squeezed it. "The boys will be alone then. That's when Rolf is going to try something, I know that..."
"Luna," Hermione shut her eyes for a second, taking a deep breath to control herself. Putting on her best soothing and patient face, she made her best effort to bring her friend back to earth. For decades she had completely given up arguing with Luna, though this time it was very important that she'd focus on what really mattered. "There's no way that could happen. The waiting room is public, he couldn't do anything under the watchful eyes of everyone... and he will be in the audience too, of course. How could he be in two places at the same time? There is simply no way that could happen. Just calm down, please. You're just imagining things..."
"I am not imagining things, Hermione!" unexpectedly, she hammered on a nearby table violently with her clenched fist, which startled everybody in the surroundings. "I am not crazy!" realizing how much attention she had attracted, she lowered her voice. "I... I know Hermione. I just know. I feel it. You know what he's done to my boys... I can't leave them alone, I just can't..."
Hermione tried to take her friend's hand to examine it, but she flinched at her touch. It was dripping blood and the ring finger was strangely twisted; Hermione realized it had broken. At this moment, her heart clenched at her friend's beyond belief state of helplessness.
"Here..." Hermione outstretched her own hand. "Give me your hand, I'll fix it." Crying in silence, Luna complied. With expertise, Hermione fixed the injury with two swings from her wand. "There, all done." She patted her friend's mended hand and shortly after pulled her in an embrace. "It's alright, Luna. I understand. I'm a mother as well. We still have time before the audience... I will call Ron with my cel... I mean, with my 'muggle communication device'. He'll watch the boys. How does it sound to you?" Luna didn't respond, she just nodded as she kept crying inside her friend's arms. "But I really need you to calm down. Recorder Fuller can't see you like that, Luna. Just relax and everything will turn out just fine."
"Luna?" approaching them, another woman called her softly. "You can't be like this in the audience. This is exactly what you shouldn't do. Be calm and trust me, I've done it hundreds of times..."
"Yes, Luna, listen to her. She is very good at it, one of the best, actually. You've had the best legal assistance anyone could have."
From the Gryffindor table, Seamus waved enthusiastically when he spotted his friend, indicating with his arm the seat he had saved, but Neville shook his head apologetically and, instead of crossing the entire Great Hall, turned right when got past the first table, searching for her on the second. He spotted her in the opposite edge of it, sitting quietly, book on her lap, wand behind her ear.
"Hey," he greeted, taking the seat opposed to her.
"You know?" she asked.
"I just got out of her office," he answered, giggling a little in disbelief. "I mean, that's crazy. How could they ever..."
Before she had the chance to respond, a guy Neville did not know neared them and said, "Pardon me, but I believe you might be at the wrong table."
"I just came to have lunch with my... girlfriend," Neville replied, hesitantly, neither looking at her nor at him, his face redder than pepper.
"Girlfriend?" the stranger tried to muffle a laugh, unsuccessfully. "Lonny's got a boyfriend?"
"Don't call her that!" Neville yelled, smacking the table, and all the eyes on the Ravenclaw table instantly turned to him.
"Easy, mate!" he retreated, intimidated. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you. That's great for you two...! I wish you the best, Loony... I mean, Luna."
"Thank you," she said, as the student returned to his own seat.
"Anyone else's got a problem?" Neville shouted at the entire table, standing, fist in the air.
"Neville!" she rose up as well, pulling him back to his seat. "You can't do that! That's not polite!"
"Is calling you 'Loony' polite?"
"Neville, Luna, hi!" Padma Patil greeted them friendly, taking a seat by Luna's side. "You're dating! That's so sweet!" she had a silly look on her face as if watching a very cheesy romantic movie. "You both look so cute together!"
"Do... we?" he asked, puzzled.
"Oh, you sure do!" she said, cheerfully. "But, as a Prefect, I'm here to warn you. You can't do what you just did, Neville." her expression changed to a serious one. "If you do that again, I'll have to ask you to leave our table."
"McGonagall and Flitwick, er..." he made an effort to recall all he had heard at the meeting he just had with the head of his house, "both gave me permission to sit in here."
"No, that's not it," she chuckled casually, amused that he didn't quite understand what she meant. "You're totally welcome here, Neville. Just don't go on screaming and hammering on tables, right? I know that it's like second nature to you Gryffindors, to solve problems with brute force, but that kind of freaked out people here. Please, next time, try to be more civilized."
Neville couldn't believe his ears. Was he... uncivilized? That's what Ravenclaws thought of him?
"I was about to tell him that, Padma," Luna said. "Hopefully, it won't happen again."
Neville's jaw dropped. Luna thought he was uncivilized too? What did they expect? That he should just let people call his girlfriend names and be thrilled by it? Oh, only that, he had almost forgotten, Luna wasn't his actual girlfriend...
"So, that's why everyone thinks it's alright to call Luna names! You lot are too civilized to stand up for her!" he answered, indignant but seeking not to raise his voice too much. Thoughtlessly, he seized her hand, driving her out of the table. "I won't just watch anyone mistreat Luna."
"Oh my! You're so gallant to her!" Padma stared tenderly at their intertwined hands as Neville led Luna away from there.
Even though Luna had held Neville's hand several times over the course of years, this time, it felt completely different. When his skin first touched hers, she felt a speedy shiver down her spine. When his large hand enveloped her petite one entirely, a rowdy turmoil took place within her chest. Why was she feeling like that all of the sudden?
"Neville," Luna pulled him back, her head down to hide her blushing cheeks. "Thank you for defending me. However, you're causing a scene, which is the exact opposite of what we should be doing." She indicated Alecto Carrow coming in their direction. As Alecto neared them, she tiptoed to reach close to his ear, and her voice became a slight rustle. Since Neville was much taller than she was, she put her hands on his shoulder to gain more height. When she did so, Padma and more girls at the Ravenclaw table sighed goofily. "We should be laying low, Neville, that's the whole point of this wild scam."
Just when Alecto passed through them, Neville tug her into his arms, into an awkward hug. Both of them were clearly uncomfortable; he didn't know where or how to touch her, and she, for her part, couldn't muster enough nerve to hug him back, her hands still rested lightly on his shoulder. She could sense his quivering. Could he sense her heart pounding so hard as if determined to blow a hole in her chest?
"Is she gone?" Neville asked weakly against her ear.
"Hum? Oh... yes," she answered, being brought back to the real world.
When he released her, she almost lost her balance. Since she had been on her tiptoes all this time, her calf muscle was shaking from fatigue. He didn't let her fall, though, for he caught her by her waist.
"Thanks," she said, still fleeing his gaze.
This time, Padma and her friends squealed and clapped excitedly at the scene.
"Come sit over here! You can tell us all about how you started dating!" one of the girls invited, joyfully.
"Yes, that'd be great! Come on, Luna!"
"I wonder if Parvati knows already!" Padma said, leaping to her feet.
"No, Padma, please, don't tell her!" Neville objected, visibly worried.
"Why can't we tell her? Are you two-timing on Luna, boy!?" another of the girls asked fiercely, being backed by her friends.
"Merlin's most torn pair of pants!" a scornful voice they both knew but hated came from the Slytherin table. "Longbottom and Lovegood?" they turned around, it was Pansy Parkinson, shouting to everyone who'd hear, her 'Head Girl' badge shining brightly a bit above the Slytherin emblem. "That's is definitely a low, even for you, Loony!" all her friends rounding her burst into laughter.
Before Neville could pull out his wand, Luna snatched his left hand, which she knew was his good one, squeezing it tightly.
"Watch out, Parkinson," calm but firmly, Padma stared at the other defiantly. "I don't want to tell Professor Slughorn on you."
Pansy howled into laughter, so hysterically she had to reel on a friend to keep her balance.
"Why don't you tell on us to Dumbledore's dead body, Patil!?" wryly suggested Theodore Nott, to further delight of Pansy and her gang.
"It's alright, Padma, let it go," Luna said, her eyes on Pansy's badge. "Let's go, Neville. Don't worry about it." She steered him to a far side of the table, where they sat side by side.
"This is not working at all," he whispered. "Flitwick and McGonagall thought you tagging along with me and Ginny all the time was suspicious? Well, this absurd idea of us dating is just going to draw even more attention! Everyone in Ravenclaw and Slytherin is talking about us right now! It won't take long to reach the ears of the entire school... see how Padma was itching to tell her sister?"
"No, I think it's working..." she glanced at Flitwick on the high table, who she could swear blinked at her in acknowledgement. "Being called names is the regular kind of attention I get. Maybe that's what they wanted. To make us seem more regular."
"Well, maybe a little... Alecto surely bought it, she didn't even bother to question us."
"Exactly," she lowered her voice. "At first I had my doubts but... when you think about it, it's genius. It's a wildcard alibi for every situation. We can chat and plot freely about anything and seem regular just by holding hands. From now on, we can always tell the Carrows we were dating... or studying."
"Wait," puzzled, he frowned. "Is somehow 'studying' part of what the civilized lot understand as dating?"
"Oh, she didn't tell you yet, did she?"
"Tell me? What?" he asked, but, instead of answering, Luna discreetly signalled with her head. Draco Malfoy had just passed by them while skirting the Slytherin table.
When Malfoy's keen eyes met Neville's, he tugged Luna close to him, passing an arm around her neck, whispering close to her ear. "Damn. Too close to the Slytherins for my taste..." However, she wasn't really listening. When she felt his warm breath under her neck, thoughtlessly, she closed her eyes and pulled him closer.
"Ew!" Malfoy gagged. "Now I have to watch Longbottom and Loony smooching when I come to eat! Disgusting!" he rushed away from them.
"Well..." Neville rustled to her ear, her eyes still shut. "It seems to be working. Props to Flitwick." She nestled her head onto one of his shoulders, completely unaware of her surroundings, being swept away by the inebriating feeling of physical closeness to him. "So, what were you saying?" when she didn't respond, he parted from her, staring at her quizzically. "Luna, are you alright?" he called her, waving his hand in front of her, surveying her with concern.
"Oh..." she was savagely thrown back into the real world by the rash realisation of the absence of contact with him. "I'm... nargles... infesting my head..." she shook her head brusquely, pointing her wand at one of her ears and muttering an incantation. She, then, sighed deeply, turning her gaze to him. "What d'you ask, again...?"
"You were about to tell me something McGonagall should've told me."
"Right, this. Didn't she inform you of the new plans for your career?"
"New plans? There's no such thing. Years ago Professor Sprout's invited me to stay and help her after I finished school."
"Well, not anymore," she leant close to his ear, focusing to keep her mind on the conversation. "Sprout freaked out when Snape shoved his list of suspicious students against their noses. You were the second. All the teachers agree it's better that you're out of here as soon as possible."
"No!" he shook his head in disbelief. "I don't want to..."
"Shhh!" she hissed, looking at the Slytherin table.
"Oh, sorry..." he lowered his tone. "Would it be OK if..." he blushed, avoiding eye contact with her. "You don't mind...?" he made as if passing his arm around her. "I know it must bother you, but... well... it's really working... y'know...?"
"No, it doesn't bother me at all..." she blushed as well, trying not to get too comfy leaning on him. "So, end of the story: Flitwick invented you and I are both pursuing the same career. We're both applying to Magical Natural School after we graduate. We're supposedly studying for it, you know."
Neville snorted, covering his mouth with his hand. "Is this some kind of prank or what?!"
"Lower your voice, Neville."
"Sorry, sorry!" he cleared his throat and spoke to her ear again. "This is insane, Luna. I'm not even taking Care of Magical Creatures... or Transfiguration... also, Snape knows I'm terrible at Potions..."
"About that... Professor Slughorn vouched for you in front of Snape, Flitwick told me. He's going to give you extra classes." She struggled not to get caught up by his proximity, her eyes quickly scanning their surroundings for someone that could be overhearing. "I don't know much more, besides that I should help you study. You should ask Professor Sprout for more instructions. McGonagall's probably asked her to update you on your new schedule."
He rolled his eyes and gasped. While worrying about his brand new academic problems, he unconsciously dragged her closer to him. A strong shiver travelled through her body when he squeezed her gently.
"Luna, I will never pass all these tests... this is... it's just..." he stammered. "A scholar? Me? I bet Snape's still laughing about it in his office!"
"I believe in you, Neville," her heart shrunk in her chest as she watched him so downcast and discouraged. "You're a genius with plants, I know you can do well if you try hard."
"This is a terrible story..." he accidentally bruised his nose on his ear when he leant to speak to her, causing her to shiver again. "Nobody's going to believe it. Nobody."
"You've always wanted to be a herbologist, right? The only difference's that now you're going to be one with a degree, that's all."
"Not even my grandmother would buy it..."
"It's a good story, Neville," she reassured. "Let's just get along with it."
"If I fail..."
"It's alright. It's just our cover-up story. It just needs to seem real, not to be real."
"Whatever..." he let go of her and, resigned, took a bite of a toast.
"Ginny's probably got a story as well. You should ask her tonight."
"Since you brought it up, what about her?" he asked, eager to change the subject, peeking towards the Gryffindor table. "Couldn't we pretend to be dating sitting there with her?"
"It's probably better if we are split. Ginny is the centre of Snape's attention. You can talk to her at night and tell me everything the next day."
"Excuse me," another unknown Ravenclaw student politely approached Neville. "Someone seems to be calling you." He pointed in the direction of the Gryffindor table.
"Oh, thanks," Neville lifted himself from his seat and peered at it.
It was Ginny, gesticulating agitated to him. He could lip-read her silent scream, her arms crossed, an expression of shock on her face, "Dating!?"
"She's found out," he told Luna, getting back to his seat.
"March 21, nine o'clock, contested divorce, level 2 of the Ministry of Magic, room number 4, Wizengamot Administrative Services, presided by Recorder Lewis Fuller," read a young witch sitting at a table next to a middle-aged wizard, whose eyes were rapidly scanning through a very long parchment. "Plaintiff: Luna Scamander, maiden name, Lovegood; Legal assistant: Madam Chang. Defendant: Rolf Scamander; Legal assistant: Hart, Austin & Bentham Legal Firm. Please, come in and take your seats."
"Oh, Henry, it is you! Nice to see you!" the middle-aged wizard finally took his eyes off the parchment and lively greeted Rolf's legal assistant.
"Nice to see you too, Lewis. Jeremy was about to come, but he's not feeling alright today. It's nothing serious, don't worry..."
"Good, good. I hope he's back on his feet by next week. I'm looking forward to his daughter's wedding!"
As Hart and Fuller cheerfully chatted, Luna and Cho walked in, silently. Cho showed Luna where she should sit and they waited for Rolf and his assistant to occupy the seats opposed to theirs.
"Your Honour," Cho solely greeted Recorder Fuller, who nodded at her in acknowledgement.
"Shall we begin?"
"Oh, good morning, Recorder Fuller, may I come in?" a knock and a voice came from outside. "It's me, Granger." Hermione walked in before he could actually reply. "Would it be any trouble if I watched the audience?"
"Madam Granger!" he uttered, in shock. "You, here? No, not at all. But I have to admit this is very unexpected..."
"Oh, don't bother, Recorder Fuller. Luna is my best friend and she is nervous, that's all. My presence here is not work-related. I just came for moral support."
"Alright, Madam Granger. How could I say no? Please, suit yourself," Recorder Fuller smiled broadly at her. Nobody noticed, though, for half a second, Rolf glanced daggers at Hermione with passionate anger. "From what I've been reading here, Mr and Mrs Scamander are parents to two underaged children, is that correct? Therefore, I have to start this audience with this question: is there no way to convince you two to make amends? Particularly you, Mrs Scamander. Are you really determined to go through with this divorce?"
"Yes, Your Honour," shy and weak, almost whispering, vaguely resembling her usual dreamy voice, Luna answered, not daring to face anyone.
"Why is that? What is so grave that justifies breaking up an entire family?"
After a couple of silent seconds, weaker than before, almost inaudible, she stated, "He knows."
"But... what? This is no answer, Mrs Scamander!"
"I would rather not talk about it if not actually necessary, Your Honour. My last request to Rolf is that we can friendly settle our divorce. As you have read, Your Honour, I've agreed to leave all our assets to him, including our extremely valuable patent..."
"She can keep all of it, Your Honour," interrupted Rolf. "All I want is for our family to be united and happy like it used to be. Luna, I don't want our marriage to end this way, you're the only woman on earth to me. If that's what you really wish, though, don't go on assuming you will separate me from my kids. I couldn't live without them..."
Outraged at how cynical he could act, Luna finally mustered enough nerve to face him, defiantly but emotionless. "Very well, Your Honour, I reckon it's really necessary then. I can no longer live with Rolf because he is violent to me and my children."
"This is a very serious charge, Mrs Scamander."
"Your Honour, Sir Hart," Cho politely requested the word. "It's not my client's wish that this ends up in a criminal investigation. She doesn't intend to press any charges on Mr Scamander, but solely to put an end to their relationship and to be granted full custody of her children."
"Does she have any proof of her allegations, though, Madam Chang?" asked Hart. "May I inquire the plaintiff, Your Honour?"
"Granted, Henry."
"You are the person previously known as Luna Lovegood. Is that correct, Mrs Scamander?"
"Yes, it is."
"Daughter of known pressman Xenophilius Lovegood?"
"Correct."
"The same Luna Lovegood we've read about in nothing less than... Madam Granger's memories?" he politely indicated Hermione with his hand. "A must-read, no doubt." The man took a copy of the book from his briefcase. "Like everything else you've ever written, ma'am, must I add. My partner Bentham's wife, on the other hand, might be a little upset with you, since he spends more time with your Treatise on the Magical Criminal Law of Great Britain than with her!" laid-back, Recorder Fuller laughed out loud, while an embarrassed Hermione forced a smile.
"Yes, it's me," Luna replied seriously, ignoring the man's lame attempt at being funny.
"Can you please detail how has my client abused you and your children? Does he use magical or non-magical violence? Does he have a preference?"
"Both kinds, sir. Since before we were married, Rolf tended to get very vicious when something didn't work out how he'd expected. When we were researching ancient alchemy, at the end of every failed attempt he'd cause havoc and wreck everything around him. His violence was not directed at me, though whenever I tried to stop him, he'd turn against me. I hadn't acknowledged at that time that as violence, I thought it was just a minor flaw. It didn't bother me, since most of the time I'd manage to stop him," she paused and sighed. "He only's started to use non-magical violence when I was pregnant... after a while, he really began to abuse me with magic, having cursed me multiple times. The last straw was about a month ago when he cursed our son, Lorcan."
"Thank you, Mrs Scamander. Maybe Madam Granger could help us here as well. Is it about you she was writing about on page 465 of her book, when she mentions two of her friends, one of them going by the same maiden name as yours, have duelled against no other than... Bellatrix Lestrange? The most powerful British dark witch of all time?"
"How could you forget about me, Sir Hart? My friends were duelling against Bellatrix Lestrange along with me, no less than the most powerful non-dark British witch of our time, that's what I've actually written." Hermione knew she sounded heavily arrogant and that she was overestimating her own skills highly, but she also realized where Hart was trying to get and didn't like it even a bit. "Well, I don't like to brag, but I am, am I not, Recorder Fuller?" she giggled, trying to play along with Hart's attempt at being casual.
"Well, no one could deny that, Madam Granger! You surely are!" Fuller agreed, once more genuinely amused, as Hart and Cho giggled politely at the joke.
"It might also be good to note we were losing. None of us managed to defeat her. Please, write that down." Hermione asked the scribe witch. "I apologize for interrupting, Recorder Fuller."
"Thank you very much, Madam Granger," Hart said. "I remember much clearly now. Do you stand by this answer, Mrs Scamander?"
"Yes, I do."
"Last question, finally. How could a witch capable of facing Bellatrix Lestrange be cursed or jinxed by a mere scholar like Mr Scamander, who's never had combat experience or involvement with dark arts whatsoever?"
Hermione's fist was now clenched inside her robes, her grave face hiding absolute outrage and disbelief. How come she and Cho hadn't foreseen that? That was such a low blow that she wouldn't mind breaking the protocol again, but she feared she could make things even worse. She couldn't bear to look at Luna, who, for her time, was caught completely by surprise. She just stood still, incapable of developing a reasonable answer to this question.
"No more questions, Recorder Fuller."
"Recorder Fuller, may I?", Cho raised her hand, and he nodded. "Thank you. From what I recall, my client has just testified she's managed to stop her husband many times, didn't you?" Luna agreed. "Also, to clarify, you stated you were pregnant when he actually began to abuse you, no?"
"I did."
"Well, Sir Hart, I presume you've never been pregnant... if you had, you'd know that the person tends to get a little vulnerable, particularly if one's bearing a magical child. In my client's case, two." After Cho said that Hermione almost couldn't hold back her enthusiasm. They were back in the game. "Also, Your Honour, documents 4 to 9 are copies of several St Mungo's admissions my client has had over the course of the last 12 years. All to Spell Damage ward. May you take a look, Your Honour?"
"Objection!" Hart lifted himself from his chair in a rush to speak before anybody else could. "Your Honour, Mrs Scamander having been at St Mungo's doesn't imply my client's caused whatever injuries she might have had! There is no causal link whatsoever! These claims are weak, the burden of proof is on the plaintiff, for the principle in dubio pro reo is thereby applicable..."
"Objection, Your Honor," Cho, unlike her colleague, raised her hand politely. "In dubio pro reo is not applicable. I shall remember we're not in a criminal trial. As the present audience could not grievously sentence the defendant, in dubio pro reo loses its reason. This is a mere contested divorce and my client requests solely the guardianship of her children. What is truly at stake, therefore, is children's best interest."
"Your objections are noted," informed Recorder Fuller, as Hart glanced grudgingly at Cho. Hermione, for her part, glowed with joy.
"Furthermore, Your Honour, could take a look at documents 10 and 11? They are detailed reports about my client and her son's health condition, focusing on their permanent dark magical wounds..."
"Permanent dark magical wounds? Galloping gargoyles!" exclaimed him. "Sorry, but this is out of my hands. I am not trained to evaluate magical wounds. Madam Chang, I fear I can't keep from informing Auror Office any further..."
"We really do not intend to press any charges, Recorder Fuller," said Cho. "But if Mr Scamander is so unwilling to agree with my client's conditions, I'm afraid we won't have any other option. Sir Hart, are you and your client set to make a deal?"
"No, Madam Chang. I am innocent. I fear nothing," a confident Rolf answered. "Recorder Fuller, you may inform Auror Office. I am sure truth will come out."
"You are innocent? Really?" Recorder Fuller questioned, intrigued. "Then speak away, Mr Scamander. What is your version of the facts?"
"I was going to ask the same thing, Recorder Fuller." Cho went along with it. "How does the defendant explain my client's injuries?"
"I am not an expert in dark arts, Madam Chang. I can't really explain my wife's wounds. But that she's been at St Mungo's says nothing. I go there as much as she does. Few people in Great Britain breed as many beasts as we do and some of them are quite dangerous, Your Honour..."
"Then please explain why we've presented only admissions to Fourth Floor and none to First Floor, Mr Scamander. Furthermore, Your Honour, may I suggest information be requested from St Mungo's directly? They might have more files concerning Mr and Mrs Scamander, we can compare their admission history..."
"Although..." Rolf cut her off. "My son Lorcan's had a dark magical wound since he was born. He hasn't been attacked at all. He's always had it. We've been trying to figure it out for years now. I can only presume he's inherited it from his mother. That's the only thing that comes to my mind."
"What!?" Luna croaked in dismay, getting up. Cho forced her back on her chair.
"It's plausible that she's been wounded when she was kidnapped and kept prisoner by no other than You-Know-Who, Recorder Fuller. She's been cursed and tortured by countless dark wizards, let alone Bellatrix Lestrange. She's never fully recovered from these wounds, but they were minor and didn't bother her when she was young. I figure it's gotten worse with time. I don't know what triggered the deterioration of her condition... maybe it was childbirth, maybe it was isolation... y'know, she quit her career and just stays home all the time since the boys were born... I told her that could not do her any good..."
"I didn't have anything when I met you, Rolf," Luna struggled to keep her cool. "I was perfectly fine in the aftermath of You-Know-Who's defeat. All the injuries I used to have from that time have completely disappeared. Do you still have anything, Hermione?"
"My husband and I have nothing as well, Luna. I've got a nasty scar on my right arm that should say 'Mudblood', though it's now unreadable. A treat from Bellatrix... but I've got no magical wounds, just regular scars."
"My major dark magical wound is on my back, Your Honour, and I checked into St Mungo's the very day I got it. It didn't get worse with time. Since the day I got it, I haven't been able to stand straight without being through excruciating pain. I have to wear an enchanted lumbar belt all the time to lessen it. Is all of that on the files, Cho?"
"Yes, Luna. Document 4 are hospital admission files, Your Honour, and document 10 is a full report on my client's condition..."
"Your Honour, I'm afraid that's not the only condition my wife has..." Rolf discretely raised his hand much like how Cho was doing. "Well... it's hard to explain..."
"What is hard to explain, Mr Scamander?" Recorder Fuller whipped his neck to him.
"It's hard to explain without... offending her. Your Honour, I have always loved her the way she is... it's only a minor setback, I couldn't have met a more loving and kind person..."
"Please go straight to the point, Mr Scamander."
"Recorder Fuller, please check document 2 from our files, you will understand everything," informed Hart. "It's a full report on Mrs Scamander's mental condition by a certified alienist..."
Cho took a tight grasp of Luna's hand before she had the chance to get up again. For a second, Luna meant to throw a fit as she had done outside the room. Shortly after, all the memories of when his father almost lost custody of her in the aftermath of her mother's death came back at once, brutally crashing into her like a bludger. Pure terror poisoned her entire body, causing her to lose all ability to speak.
"Miss Lovegood, 15, sociable, peaceful, kind, creative. Minor clinical mental disorder: mildly detached from reality, slightly delusional, disregard of social conventions." Recorder Fuller read. "Poses no immediate danger. Harmless."
"Objection, Your Honour," Cho had raised her hand again. "I hardly think a record of when my client was 15 could be accepted in this audience. Besides, it states she is harmless..."
"We both agree, Madam Chang," replied Hart. "My client fears his wife's mental health is significantly worse now than it was back then. That's why we request for her to be re-evaluated, Your Honour. We are afraid Mrs Scamander's dark magical wounds have greatly deteriorated her clinical disorder..."
"We happen to have a current report, Sir Hart," Cho squeezed Luna's hand lightly to reassure her. "I thought the issue of my client's sanity could be posed. We've come prepared. Document 14, please, Your Honour."
"Mrs Scamander, 36, quiet, polite, timid, recluse, loving mother. No apparent mental disease or disorder." Recorder Fuller read it out loud. "Is that it?"
Rolf giggled. "I'm sorry for being impolite, but this is garbage, Madam Chang. Do you know my wife? Please, don't be offended, love... but I have to be honest... Among scholars, she is widely known as 'Loony' Lovegood. She was heavily discredited when she was a student in Natural School... that's why I have forbidden everyone, student and staff, to use that nasty nickname there..."
"I've known her since we were kids at school, Mr Scamander," for the first time, Cho fought not to lose her temper.
"Then you know that's not her. You might have heard of her father, Xenophilius, Recorder Fuller. She was not much different from him, though now she is getting worse. I fear it's due to dark magical influence..."
Tears began falling from Luna's eyes into the table as Rolf spoke. She didn't throw a fit, she didn't say anything, she just quietly let tears run down her face as realization that she would lose her children grew into her. She could almost feel herself physically losing grasp of her boys.
"I'm sorry, love, I'm really sorry, I didn't want to insult you!" Rolf attempted to grasp her hand, though she fiercely pulled it off his reach. "Please, don't treat me like that. You know it breaks my heart." He impersonated a warmhearted husband so convincingly that only she, who knew him so well, could tell it was a filthy lie. "You're going to get treatment. I know you will get better, as good as you've ever been. I know, Recorder Fuller, she wouldn't want to split up our family if she was in her better self..."
"I'm not insane, Recorder Fuller," still tearing, she said. "I am saner than I ever was. I don't believe in non-existent creatures like I did when I attended Magical Natural School. I am down to earth now. Also, I've left my career to stay full time with my children, Your Honour, and I did this because I was fully aware not even for a second could I leave them alone with him. The twins are the only things that matter to me right now. Everything else matters little."
"That's exactly what I'm trying to explain, Your Honour. She's ceased to have creative and ludic delusions. It gave place to what must be the worst possible nightmares... Merlin knows what she must have been through, poor thing! She's become paranoid and has constant panic attacks. She believes the boys are in danger even though they're not..."
Luna began to sob and Hermione dashed to soothe her. Recorder Fuller looked at her empathetically, as if he himself should have gotten out of his chair to try to solace her.
"I think we are done for today," he announced. "I'll have my assistant schedule us another date. Please, Madam Granger, escort Mrs Scamander to her house and comfort her, could you? You did well by coming here to support your friend, thank Merlin you are here! Please, don't cry, dear..." breaking the protocol, Fuller directed himself to Luna as if he was talking to a kid. "I promise you won't lose your children. You just have to talk to the alienist and you will get better. Everything will be fine..."
"Recorder Fuller, no. Please, I request, we need to go on. My client is not insane and we can prove it." Cho got up, resolutely. "Luna, get a hold of yourself. Recorder Fuller, please call the testimony of the kids. They will tell you she is not delusional."
"Yes, Recorder Fuller. Please call the kids!" backed Hermione. "They are witnesses, everything will come clean..."
Suddenly, before the man could reply, the door broke open very loudly and two young witches, so young they could have passed as Hogwarts students, came across it. They immediately hurried to Luna, aiming their wands at her. One of them, with a rapid swing of her wand, non-verbally conjured metallic chains that roughly tied Luna's fists together, causing her to whine in pain.
"You are under arrest, Mrs Scamander! You have the right to remain silent and to a legal assistant. Do you understand your rights?" the other witch recited as if she had memorized this word-by-word, still aiming her wand at Luna.
"Oh, she's got a legal assistant!" Cho shouted, finally going over the edge. "And she wants to know why her client is being chained if she didn't pose any resistance!"
"Yes!" Hermione whipped her neck towards the witches and yelled, supporting Cho. "And your boss wants to know the same thing!"
"Oh... Madam Granger... we... we..." the witches stuttered in awe as they saw Hermione there.
"Don't you dare to point a wand at my wife!" Rolf walked to the closest auror, rapidly snatched her wand with his right hand and rapidly used it to make the chains disappear from Luna's wrists. Afterwards, he threw the wand back in the witch's direction and embraced Luna. "It's alright now. Did they hurt you?" she didn't hug him back, but she didn't push him off, because she was still in shock with all that happened.
"How you dare to take an auror's wand! You are arrested as well!" one of them screamed, brandishing her wand at him.
"Ladies, calm down!" Recorder Fuller stepped in. "I know his reaction wasn't the best, but his wife is a mentally ill woman! Please, I urge you not to yell or threaten her any further, she is in a very fragile condition..."
"Madam Granger, the wands left for registration at the Atrium were being checked. The Reverse Spell showed this woman's wand has performed a Killing Curse. We have to take her to Azkaban..."
"I want to know who will dare to take my friend to Azkaban without a proper criminal investigation!" Hermione snarled. "She won't resist, she will come willingly, won't you, Luna?" Luna nodded, tearing. "You both are dismissed!" Hermione ordered, carelessly gesturing in the direction of the two young witches, not looking at them at all.
"Hermione, what the hell is happening?" Harry suddenly ushered into the room. "What's all this racket?"
"Good, Harry, perfect timing. I am going to have to take Luna to investigate why her wand has performed a Killing Curse. Recorder Fuller, please, postpone the present audience and submit a report to Auror Office." Harry's jaw dropped as he listened to Hermione. "Rolf's a suspect as well, so could you please arrest him, Harry? You won't resist, I assume?"
"No, I will go of goodwill, Madam Granger. Let's go, dear," Rolf responded, attempting to seize Luna's hand, who shook him off and walked towards her legal assistant. Cho took Luna's hand instead and they followed Hermione across the door.
"You may hold your assistant's hand if you'd like, Mr Scamander," Harry mocked him, grinning widely. Although he didn't understand what was happening, he had wished for years he'd be the one to arrest Rolf.
"Very funny, Harry," Rolf suppressed the anger in his voice, trying to force a giggle. "Let's get going, then?" he smiled politely at the auror, resentfully clenching his fist behind his back.