Free

Chapter 32

"Is everyone required to be in attendance here in the courtroom? Fine. Let's begin then," said the minister for magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, upon entering the big room and taking a seat in the middle of the front row in front of the other members of the wizengamot.

"I think we should start with listening to the plaintiff and the defendant, in our case two defendants. Miss Skeeter, would you be so kind to tell us what you have to say?" asked the minister, politely gesturing towards the big empty chair in the middle of the room.

The reporter tentatively stood and walked over to the chair taking a seat, looking to be quite uncomfortable once properly seated.

"Miss Skeeter, please tell us about your accusations and give evidence if you can," asked the minister slightly leaning back in his chair.

"Well, I am convinced that there is an illegal relationship going on at Hogwarts School between potions master Severus Snape and his student Hermione Granger. My evidence is the behaviour of said two at the Hallowe'en ball held at the school a few days ago. They were pretty close that evening, closer than teachers and students normally are and after some time, long before the ball was over, the two of them left the ball together." She looked up at the minister with a winning smile on her lips, thinking herself to have already won this.

"Alright, Miss Skeeter. If that is all you can tell us you can take your seat again. Next is Miss Hermione Jean Granger. Please come here, Miss Granger." 

Hermione had hoped that Severus would be the first to answer the wizengamot's questions as it would have made herself feel worlds better, but there was no way to change this now.

"It is true that we are closer than just student and teacher, but that is because I haven't been his student since day three of this school year. I am his apprentice and due to some other circumstances that led us to spend quite some time together, we came to a sort of understanding. My evidence for this is the contract Professor Snape, headmistress Professor McGonagall and me signed," answered Hermione truthfully.

The members of the wizengamot took notes on everything she said. Kingsley nodded at her before answering: "That changes this story indeed. What circumstances are you talking about?"

Hermione thought about how to tell them this without it seeming made up. 

"There was a potions accident on our first day of actual school. We were asked to brew a simple ageing potion, but someone misread the instructions and caused their cauldron to blow up. As a consequence some of us eighth years were turned into small children. The added ingredient caused the effect of the potion to backfire. While two students were sent home to their families, three had to stay at Hogwarts and were given to our care. Neville Longbottom and Astoria Greengrass are currently watching Blaise Zabini and Professor Snape and I were tasked with watching over Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy."

"Why was Mister Snape tasked with watching a student together with another student, Miss Granger?"

"He was assigned to function as our head of house. Furthermore, I became his apprentice, and we talked all of this through with the headmistress who approved of this. She did not want us eighth years to be burdened more than need be."

A murmur went through the rows of onlookers and members of the wizengamot. Kingsley had to silence them all, which was not a hard task for him and his booming deep voice.

"Thank you very much, Miss Granger. You may take your seat again. Mister Snape, if you please?" 

Hermione stood, still feeling a bit shaky passing by Severus on her way back to her table. Once she sat there, Lucius smiled at her and mouthed: 'Trust me.'

"Mister Snape, is everything Miss Granger correct in your opinion or do you want to add anything?"

"No, Minister. She said nothing that is not true. I don't see the need to add anything that isn't there." Severus seemed to be the coldness in person just as his former self used to be. His head was held high, and he showed not one sign of being unsure about any of this.

"Please tell us more about the evening of the Hallowe'en ball. What exactly happened?"

"Miss Granger and I attended the ball together just as the etiquette demanded, and we danced one dance while talking about an issue we both were searching a solution for. In the middle of the said dance, she had an idea and without telling me what was going, on she wanted to prove whether her theory could be correct. I followed closely and we indeed found a solution. She returned to the ball an hour later to come and get Harry and Draco as it was time for them to go to bed."

"Thank you very much. That would be all for now. Is there someone else who thinks to have some interesting insight on this matter or can we go on to the next point of this hearing?" Kingsley looked around himself as he saw someone stand up from his seat. "Yes, Mister Malfoy?"

The blonde wizard many would call handsome stepped forward with a piece of parchment in his hand Hermione knew all too well. "I just wanted to contribute the evidence for the innocence of Miss Granger and Mister Snape. This is the contract of Miss Granger's apprenticeship under potions master Professor Snape signed on the third of September by Miss Granger, Mister Snape and the headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Minerva McGonagall." He handed the minister the parchment before returning to his seat.

"Very well, Mister Malfoy. On to the next point. Miss Granger, you filed a complaint about Miss Skeeter. Please return here and elaborate said complaint."

This time, Hermione felt way better and was not as nervous when she walked up to the chair a second time that day.

"I filed a complaint about Miss Skeeter because there were quite some information she used in her articles the last few years she could have never known if it wasn't for one major secret she has been keeping for many years. 

Miss Skeeter is an unregistered animagus. I found that out in the middle of my fourth year at Hogwarts when she published stories about Harry, which sometimes not even Harry himself knew about. I caught her in a jar back then and only set her free under the condition that she was to never use her animagus form, which is a beetle, to get a good story again. I repeatedly found her to use it despite her promise but always stayed silent, not wanting to cause any conflict. The articles she published the last few months however had me change my mind. I won't stay silent any longer, not to put off some conflict."

Hermione looked at the members of the wizengamot in their purple robes as they just continued taking notes.

"Thank you. You are free to return to your seat. The wizengamot will discuss this now. The next part of this public hearing will be at 4 o'clock sharp."