It's My Life
It was anxiety for Harry to sit and wonder when the trial would be. Harry tried to just focus on his school work as it was closing in on OWL exams and he needed to pass these to move onto sixth and seventh year, which seventh held NEWT exams. Harry, as promised to his father, did not antagonize Dolores in any way; he just did his school and homework as expected. Harry ate all meals and used his free time to read or hang with friends to take his mind off the upcoming trial.
Severus had done as he said on the 22nd of May, returning to the school, Severus went to Harry's dorm and ensured his teenager he was safe and sound; that Voldemort only wanted to know of how Albus got himself arrested. Severus did take measurements for himself and Harry, then sent them off to the robes shop in Diagon Alley to get what they'd need for court soon. Harry did inform the Defense Association via the coins that they had to stop meeting because of the risk that Dolores would be running a very tight ship as Headmistress and that came to pass. The woman was downright awful, but hadn't yet slipped up into mistreating students.
Harry didn't trust her one bit and neither did anyone else. Right now, Harry just couldn't believe there was only about three weeks of his fifth year left. Term should end on June 21st, then everyone would leave for summer on the 22nd. Today was May 31st, and lunch time, which Harry decided to have with his father in the man's office to get a little extra help on Defense Against the Dark Arts for the upcoming exams.
"Yes, Harry!" Severus praised. "Excellent job." He nodded as Harry successfully performed the spells that Umbridge refused to teach. All the students were doing it, practicing on their own time.
"Thanks, Dad," Harry smiled. It had taken a few tries, but he managed it finally.
"You're more than ready for your exams in a few weeks. I look forward to your scores…" Severus informed. "I have high hopes for Potions. You have shown me that it runs in your blood as it did with your ancestors. I was truly holding you back."
"Hey, come on…We're past that," Harry reminded.
"I know, but you'd have done so well years ago if I'd stopped associating you with your father…" Severus stated.
"Live and learn, Dad. It's okay." Harry told his father.
"Now, eat your lunch." Severus remarked. "We had a deal about you always eating unless you're feeling sick."
"I know," Harry nodded.
"Perhaps you can catch me up on who has been daring to play pranks on the Headmistress?" Severus asked. "I've gotten an earful from the nightmare just before lunch."
"Aw, Dad…You know I'm not selling anyone out." Harry chuckled.
"It best not be you." Severus sighed.
"Of course not." Harry protested quickly.
After Dumbledore got arrested, the rest of May, up until today, was mostly uneventful except for the fact that Umbridge was stewing. While she had been appointed as the new Headmistress; the castle didn't seem to think so. For one, the gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office refused to move even under threat of Bombarda, all the kittens from her porcelain plates mysteriously disappeared, Moaning Myrtle was haunting her toilet now and someone pelted her with a Key lime pie just that morning.
It was quite the spectacle and for once neither the students nor the faculty were cursing Peeves out for his antics. The Bloody Baron himself might have even given the Poltergeist a pat on the back. Severus, however, was oblivious to all that as he had spent the better half of the morning brewing to restock the infirmary. That was until Dolores called an emergency staff meeting to demand the pranks came to an end.
"Out with it, Harry…I know you know something." Severus asked. "I'm not actually going to tell her anything. I just want to know."
So, Harry had relayed what had happened to the pink menace, which caused a laughing fit from the normally dour Potions Master. Harry had never seen the man lose his cool like this and it was rather enjoyable.
"I didn't think they would actually go through with that," Severus managed to say in between laughs.
"Go through with what?" Harry asked, confused.
"I overheard the Head Boy and girl plotting with the prefects on how best to bribe Peeves. It is safe to say Umbridge will have a really hard time this whole year," Severus explained. "Thankfully, it's almost over."
"Couldn't agree more." Harry nodded. Harry, who hadn't had much interaction with the head students, raised a brow while uttering "Remind me not to piss them off," Just then an elf popped in. The elf seemed to be one of the Hogwarts elves and they were holding an official looking letter.
"Missus owl told me to deliver this to Master Snape-Prince," The elf uttered as he handed Severus the letter. "Missus owl would also like to relay that she is terribly miffed at being expected to deliver letters to the dungeons where there are no windows," With that said the elf popped away.
"Elves can understand owls?" Harry asked curiously.
"Seems so," Snape muttered, not paying attention as he recognized the Ministry wax seal on the envelope. He opened it and read over. "Court date has been set."
"When?" Harry asked softly.
"Next Friday, June 7th, at 10:30 am." Severus informed lightly. "Everything will be alright, Harry."
"That's on a school day, what about classes?" Harry inquired.
"You miss it, end of story. You're required to attend, and Umbridge can't do anything to you as this is a ministry event. You have to go as the Plaintiff, myself as your father, and Lucius as your legal defender." Severus stated.
"You won't miss much work, and the trial won't last all day. With any luck, it won't even last more than an hour. You will probably miss a class and it's easy enough to get notes and practice on your own time as you've done today. I can help you with anything you miss. What class will you have at that time?"
"Um…I think it's Transfiguration." Harry said.
"Then you won't miss much and Minerva will certainly understand." Severus affirmed. "Also…Our robes came this morning," The potions master grabbed the parcel off the table behind him. "I believe Madam Malkin saw fit to give us matching sets."
"I'll look just like you, there won't be any denying I'm your son." Harry smiled. "When do we meet with Lucius to talk about things?"
"I'll reach out to him tonight and find out, but it will be before court, I promise." Severus stated. "Now, eat up, son."
Harry nodded to his father and went back to eating his lunch while studying from his Transfiguration book; he always liked to read ahead to the next segment to be prepared for it. Also, reading was his escape from thinking about trial where he somehow knew that Dumbledore was going to try and lie his way out of things, or claim it was for the greater good.
. . .
Severus did speak to Lucius and it was decided to handle the trial preparation on a Sunday where classes couldn't get in the way. Saturday wasn't chosen because Severus felt Harry would enjoy the last weekend to visit Hogsmeade with friends. A break from all the stress, it had started to show. Harry had times he didn't want to eat, or couldn't sleep. When Harry started to complain of headaches, Severus knew the pressure was getting to his son.
The trip to the little village near Hogwarts worked, and Harry admitted to feeling like he'd needed it. Severus told Harry to meet him in his quarters and they'd go over to Malfoy Manor together to sit down with Lucius, so it was 11:00 am now on June 2, 1996, as Harry was reaching his father's private room. Harry knocked and Severus, of course, allowed him in by opening the door from where he was at the desk.
"Come in, son. I'm just preparing a few things to leave with." Severus stated.
"Mr. Potter, where do you think you're going?" Umbridge strolled down the hallway.
"To see my father." Harry replied. "And it's Potter-Snape, Professor."
"Headmistress!" Dolores said haughtily.
"You are still the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, that does not make the title I called you incorrect." Harry informed.
"Students are not allowed in the teacher's rooms!" Dolores stated.
"But there is no rule about a son visiting his father," Harry countered
"Is there a problem?" Severus strolled over to the door now.
"Despite your…Relationship as Mr. Potter's father, Severus, it is not appropriate for him to be in your personal quarters." Dolores said.
"Very well then. Come along, son, we'll go to my office." Severus remarked.
"Yes, Father," Harry nodded obediently.
"And do remember, Dolores, that Harry is a Potter-Snape. I ask that you don't ignore his status as my son just because you and Dumbledore failed in your bid to get control over him." Severus said firmly as Dolores looked flabbergasted. "I know more about things than you think I do, Dolores and I warned you once. Fudge and Dumbledore won't be around much longer, and then there isn't anyone to protect you. Come after my son, and you deal with me personally. The minute you step a toe out of line against my boy, you're done. Now, stand aside. My son and I have places to be."
"School is still in session, and my student isn't permitted to leave the grounds." Dolores argued.
"The trial is next week, and as it's a ministry appointed event…My son has the right to meet with his lawyer to prepare for trial. You have no say, Harry is excused from school under ministry guidelines for all court-necessary things." Severus informed.
With nothing else to say or use, Severus led Harry down the hall and into his office and closed the door before locking it. "She's persistent, isn't she?" Harry muttered.
"Exhaustingly so," Severus sighed. "You handled that well, but still…Be careful."
"Yes, Dad." Harry replied.
"Come along then. Let's not keep Lucius waiting." Severus led Harry over to the fireplace and they both stood inside. Severus held a handful of powder, "Lucius's Office, Malfoy Manor." He called and dropped the dust as the green flames swallowed them both up.
. . .
Lucius sat at his desk going over the file for the trial coming up in five days when he looked over to his fireplace to see Severus and Harry appear inside. "Ah, welcome. Come, come…" Lucius stood to bring them over to the couch and he, of course, took a seat in the chair close by. "How are you, old friend?"
"Best as I can be, Lucius. Thank you," Severus replied.
"And Harry, how are you fairing?" Lucius inquired.
"Alright, I suppose," Harry admitted. "Anxious to see justice done. Nervous how things will go. It's Dumbledore, he's somehow wormed his way out of everything…I feel this trial is going to be a bigger battle than any I've had against the dark lord."
"It very well may be," Lucius agreed. "But all will be fine because the evidence is concrete. The true battle will be ensuring he is charged with enough to keep him locked up long enough for you to graduate and defeat the dark lord. Of this, I have no doubts it will happen."
"On things that involve you, he's facing much more regarding the safety of the school. As you laid claim to that day. The school is where you have faced danger to protect yourself, but also, every other student within its walls. I assure you that Dumbledore will not get away with what he's put you through over the years." Lucius stated.
"Puts me at ease, I think…I just don't know how things will go. I've never attended a trial before." Harry informed.
"That is the very purpose of this meeting, Harry," Severus said. "Lucius will run you through all that will take place, but as I warned you…There will be a fight, but not physical. No harm will come to you."
Harry nodded. "Okay, Mr. Malfoy…I'm prepared to learn how this works. Guide away."
Lucius smiled. "First, as we don't need the defense having any reason to give us trouble…We'll cover our bases. Severus, my dear friend, can you step outside? Perhaps tea with Narcissa?"
"Of course." Severus stood up. "I'll be right downstairs. This is just because no one, not even me as your father, is entitled to attorney/client meetings. I'll see you soon." He put a hand on Harry's shoulder and exited the room.
"Now, as you know, you are the accuser of the crimes, Harry. You will not be sitting in the seats with guests coming to watch. You will be down on the main level with me as your lawyer. I will tell you now that in the courtroom, you are not permitted to speak unless asked a direct question. Let me do all the talking, you'll have your chance to speak when called on to give testimony, which is your statement of why you had Albus arrested."
"Alright, following so far. But whoever represents Dumbledore will…Get to question me too, right?" Harry questioned.
"Yes and whoever it is, Harry, is going to try and make you look incompetent and that your decisions were just delusions painted up from hating that you were punished by your muggle relatives. Albus is going to try to swing this that he did nothing wrong, make you look like a bad person. So Harry, it is absolutely vital that you do not lose your temper." Lucius told him sternly.
"That is what Albus wants, what his defense will want. To see you get angry and upset about what is said, make you look like you acted out of anger to get back at Albus. Make you look desperate. So that thing you do with your magic responding as a weapon? Don't. Under any circumstances, I need you to be like your father in court. Not James, obviously, but Severus. Use his mannerisms of staying calm and showing very little emotion." Lucius said.
"I can do that." Harry replied lightly. "How much will I have to say about…My past with the Dursley's?"
"I don't presume to think that you'll need to go over every little detail, but the basics of how you were forced to clean their home, that you'd been beaten and starved. There may need to be mentions of the type of abuse." Lucius remarked.
"Type of abuse?" Harry wondered.
"Physical, mental, and sexual. This is a question the defense will likely ask you, the type of abuse you claimed to have suffered." Lucius must remain calm and remember it is Albus's lawyer's job to discredit anything you say so it can't be used against Albus. The jury, the people who will be judging the statements, is a non-biased party of wizards and witches."
"Those chosen are neutral parties, so no one that is influenced by you as the boy who lived, and none influenced by Albus. No one will take a side, so it is your job when you tell of what you've been through to put them on your side, make them believe you. That is how the jury works, you want them to rule in favor of your claims. And yes, I know it is not just claims." Lucius reminded.
"B-But we have evidence against him…The memories I gave!" Harry said.
"Yes, Harry. Yes, but those were for the investigation into Dumbledore's decisions, enough grounds to make a case for arrest. They will be in the trial, but the other person is going to try and get them thrown out." Lucius stated. "But in trial, Harry, Albus has the right to defend himself with a lawyer to prove his innocence. You must keep in mind that being arrested on charges just means that he's been accused, it does not make him guilty…Even if we all know the truth."
"The investigation, if you remember, was started to remove Albus as your magical guardian. And what is in that investigation is enough to arrest Albus on charges of child endangerment, neglect, manipulation…Whatever else. I have not yet seen the full charge list, but it will be noted when the trial begins." He explained.
"Harry, I need you to be prepared that those memories may get tossed out. The defense will make any motion to get them thrown out, such as…Saying Severus is a death eater, that he wasn't a certified healer to remove them. It's the defense's job to say and do whatever to protect his client, which is Albus. As it is my job to protect mine, and that is you." Lucius informed. "This is why I wanted to speak to you before trial, prepare you for how cut-throat and ruthless this…Battle will be. It's not so simple to get on the stand and say what happened because the defense is going to swing it that Albus didn't know of the abuse you suffered."
"I told him the end of every year since first…" Harry remarked.
"Yes, and that will have merit. But the purpose of this meeting between us is that I prepare you for trial and we go over everything that he's done. Perhaps there is something not mentioned yet by you that I can use as an edge to take them by surprise. Now," Lucius paused. "Others going on the stand to testify on your behalf will be Narcissa, Minerva, and Severus too."
"They are there to also help paint the picture of Albus being not so innocent. I will even be up there to give a statement though I cannot ask myself questions. I am the one who overheard Albus talking to Fudge that day, so I count as a witness. I've said all I can about how the trial will go, and warned you that it's imperative you mind your temper. We don't need to give them reason to dismiss on account of you just being emotional." Harry nodded.
"I understand." Harry responded.
"Now, we're going to go over what Albus has done against you. I basically need your life's story, Harry. Everything from the earliest you can remember with your relatives, to when Albus was arrested." Lucius told him. "Do not hold anything back."
"Yes, sir," Harry replied.
Lucius got out a self-writing quill and parchment that stayed on the table in front of them. In Lucius's lap was the folder of already given information, to match up to what Harry said. "Whenever you're ready, Harry," Lucius invited.
Harry took a breath and began to tell Lucius his life's story, beginning when he was just four or five years old.