𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐔𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍-𝘏𝘈𝘙𝘙𝘠 𝘗𝘖𝘛𝘛𝘌𝘙

Chapter 41

Lovesbitca8 TAKES CREDIT THIS IS HER WORK - FOUND ON AO3

Blaise Zabini's trial began on 26 July, a rainy and humid Monday. Hermione spent an hour Occluding in the tub before she dressed and Apparated to Edinburgh.

A crowd of reporters stood around the entrance to Parliament Hall, pacing like starving wolves. A sharp click cut through the quiet of her mind, and then she was flooded with flashing lights and harsh sounds.

"Miss Granger!"

"Miss Granger, over here!"

"Would you like to make a statement for the—"

Hermione pushed through, ignoring the flashes and heavy press of bodies on her. Sound disappeared with a hiss as she crossed the wards cast over the building. She checked in her wand and swept through the open lobbies, heading to the library.

The old doors groaned open to reveal Alan Shrapley leaning against a table in his expensive American robes, flipping through a Muggle volume. He was a handsome man in his early fifties, with a square jaw and silver hair that curled at the tips.

Upon meeting him for the first time two weeks ago, Hermione had thought he spoke too calmly and moved too slowly, but she realized she was wrong the moment he pulled out a lengthy contract that somehow had already been signed by Blaise Zabini. He'd produced paperwork for her to initiate a sealed transfer of an exorbitant sum to Blaise's vault, requested that his two legal assistants be admitted inside the Manor immediately, and instructed her to clear the rest of her day.

He was a silver shark in shallow waters, toying with a dolphin he'd run ashore.

"No-Majs have always fascinated me, Miss Granger." Shrapley's voice echoed off the polished floors, bringing her back to the present. "I'd pick your brain if only we had the time."

Hermione was silent as he turned a page.

She'd never quite met someone whose brain worked as fast as her own, but counterintuitively. Whereas she organized facts to scrutinize them, Shrapley lined them up to batter them into submission. He liked games even more than Lucius Malfoy, she'd discovered, and his favorite was impatience. He waited until his opponent became restless, and then he'd begin the game.

But not today.

With a snap of his fingers, he closed the centuries-old Muggle volume. "The motions were denied."

The muscles in her face twitched. "Which ones?"

"All of them. The court won't allow the review of Blaise's memories apart from his time in Italy and Edinburgh, or any of your memories regarding his character. The Prosecution will be allowed to include affidavits from the witnesses who won't be available for cross-examination."

Her heart sank lower and lower.

"It's all fine, Miss Granger," he said, a glint in his eyes. "That was always the easy way. But we had to try."

"Right." Hermione swallowed. "Is there... anything you need from me?"

"Keep your cool." He checked his solid gold wristwatch, glancing at her over its face. "See you in there."

He was gone in a few long strides. Hermione breathed deep, clutching the tiny pouch around her neck. Once her waters were still, she followed the long corridor to the Muggle courtroom.

A pair of guards inspected her badge at the side entry. Once she passed their magical security charms, she was ushered into one of the seats for distinguished visitors behind the Prosecutors' tables. Hestia nodded at her from the Secretariat table, as did Fleur and Robards. The rest of the Council and Prosecution ignored her.