Harry ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to get it to lay flat on his head, but the effort was wasted. Giving up on his appearance, he turned from the mirror and picked up that morning’s Daily Prophet. He read through the front-page article for the fifth time in an hour.
Severus Snape, ex-Hogwarts professor, has been standing trial over the last several days for the murder of the late Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, and for helping convicted criminals escape Azkaban. The long awaited trial has caused much controversy among the Ministry officials, after the numerous uncontrollable escapes from Azkaban prison. There has been much debate on whether to find a new prison location, or to reinstate the death penalty. This trial may be the first of many that will start using stiffer punishments for all proven Death Eaters of death by lethal potion.
The trial began on January 2nd at 9:00am, and is expected to conclude today with the witness testimonies of Minerva McGonagall, Alastor Moody, and Harry Potter, and closing arguments from the prosecution and defence.
Up unto this point the accused, Severus Snape, has been held at undisclosed location. If he is found guilty, it is expected that his sentence will be carried out immediately. If a lethal potion is used, it will be the first time in over three hundred years that this method has been rendered to convicted criminals.
Harry set the paper down and looked at the clock on his nightstand, 7:52 a.m. He had been up for hours in anticipation of what would happen today. Harry knew why he was being called to testify against Snape, but the thought of having to relive that nightmare of Dumbledore’s death was enough make him sick to his stomach. He began to pace the floor and run his hands through his hair.
“Whoa, mate. Calm down before you walk a hole through the floor,” Ron said as he came into the room, throwing a wet towel on the bed.
“I didn’t use all the hot water did I?” Harry asked, trying to change the subject as he stopped pacing and sat on his bed across from Ron’s. He was only on the mattress for a few moments before he stood up and began pacing again.
Ron shook his head at his friend while putting on his boots, “Don’t worry so much. Everything will be fine. Just tell them what you know.”
“I know… it’s just… just… I,” Harry stopped pacing and once again sat on his bed.
Ron looked up. “What?”
“I haven’t really talked about that night since it happened. I guess I keep thinking it was just a bad dream that it happened to somebody else,” Harry leaned forward and rested his head in his hands. “And what about the times Snape helped me? The Broken Vow he took at Dumbledore’s request? Do I tell them about that? I mean, Snape isn’t guilty, at least not in the way people think. He was only following orders.” He groaned. “I just don’t know what to do?”
“Have you talked to McGonagall about this?”
Harry sighed and lay back on the bed. He bounced off the mattress a little as his head hit the crumpled linen. “Yes, I told her about Snape, and why I went missing several months ago. She says I should tell the truth, but I can’t help but feel that if I do I would be condemning Snape to death at Voldemort’s hands.”
“That’s true, mate, but if you don’t tell them, he’s dead anyways.”
“I know. I just don’t know what to do,” Harry jumped up from the bed and began pacing.
There was a soft knock on the door and Ginny stuck her head in, “You guys almost ready? We need to leave pretty soon if we want to be on time.”
“Yeah, we’re ready,” Ron replied, grabbing his coat.
Harry stopped pacing and grabbed his own coat. He started walking to the bedroom door when he was distracted by a tapping noise.
He turned around to see an owl at his window. He left Ron and Ginny standing at the door and went to the glass frame, opening it. A note was tied around the owl’s leg. Harry unattached it and began to read.
Harry,
Please meet me at my office as soon as possible. I have time sensitive news about the object.
Bill
“Great,” Harry replied as he handed the letter to Ron who was closer.
“What?” Ginny asked. “Oh,” she replied, glimpsing the writing on the slip of paper.
“You can’t miss the trial. What are we going to do?” Ron inquired.
“I can’t, but you can. This is important. It’s the first news of any kind we’ve had about the Horcrux.”
“But we were going to go with you to show support,” Ginny frowned.
“Harry’s right, this is important and it may need all three of us to take care of it.”
“Take care of what?” Hermione asked, coming into the room.
“We finally got word from Bill about the suit,” Ron explained, handing her the note.
“Oh, well I guess we better check this out.” She gave a half smile to Harry, “Sorry we won’t be able to go to the trial with you.”
Harry shook his head. “No, that’s fine. I’ll be okay. You guys check this out and I’ll meet you back here after I’m done.”
“But-” Ginny began.
Harry cut her off. “Ginny, I’m fine. I don’t need you guys with me, really. Go with Ron and Hermione, they might need your help. I just wish I was going with you.”
Ron slapped him on the back. “Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it. By the time you get back, we’ll be one more Horcrux down.”
“All right. Well, I’d better go, or I’ll be late,” He gave them a small smile, and planted a soft kiss on Ginny’s cheek. He then turned and walked out the room.
Harry quickly walked down the lower level of the Ministry searching for the courtroom he was supposed to testify in. The man at the front desk had given him directions, but all of the hallways looked the same. Harry passed a clock on the wall and it read two minutes after nine, he was already late. He was about to turn back around to find someone to help him when he heard someone call out his name.
“Ahh, Harry Potter, it’s good to see you, dear boy!”
Harry cringed as he recognized Rufus Scrimgeour’s drawl. He picked up his pace in an effort to appear like he hadn’t heard the Minister, but he was stopped in his tracks by a hand on his shoulder. He reluctantly turned to face the ex-Auror.
“Minister,” Harry nodded his head curtly at the man in front of him. He noticed Percy hovering close behind the Minister.
“Harry, I’ve been meaning to speak to you, but it seems you haven’t been receiving my enquiries,” he raised a bushy eyebrow.
Harry grimaced. “Sorry, but I didn’t think we had anything left to say to each other.”
Scrimgeour waved a hand. “Oh, that’s past business. I’m just concerned with your safety. Your disappearance back at the end of the summer really had us worried. I was hoping you would agree to let me give you a few Aurors for your protection. No strings attached.”
“Like I said before, Scrimgeour, I don’t need or require your assistance, and there are always strings attached.”
Scrimgeour let out a bark of laughter, “I see you are still as outspoken as ever. Really, my boy, I only have your best interests in mind.”
“Why are you wasting my time? Why don’t you tell me what really want?”
“He already told you, he wants to make sure you’re safe,” Percy spoke up.
“I am safe, besides don’t the Ministry Aurors have better things to do than watch after a seventeen year old.”
“Now, now, Harry, I think you underestimate your importance…”
Harry rolled his eyes and turned to walk away, “I’m done wasting my time, I have somewhere to be and I’m late.”
“Oh, the trial won’t start without me. I am residing over it, of course,” Scrimgeour replied as he kept in step with Harry.
“Of course,” he replied under his breath.
“If you change your mind-”
“I won’t,” Harry cut him off.
The two continued down the dark hallway, as Percy followed close behind. The Minister arrived at a large wooden door and opened it. Before stepping inside he addressed Harry once more, “Wait here until you’re called. Oh, and by the way Stan Shunpike is no longer in prison, in case you wanted to know.”
Harry watched as Scrimgeour and Percy entered the room and the door close behind them. He looked up and down the hall, but it was empty. He conjured a chair, sat down, and waited.
Harry sat in the abandoned hallway and leaned his head against the wall. He glanced at the clock on the wall, 12:25 p.m. He had been waiting for over three hours for someone to call him. He was beginning to get very impatient as his stomach growled hungrily. How much longer did he have to wait? And how were Ron, Hermione, and Ginny doing at Bill’s?
He began to nervously tap his foot on the cement floor as he watched a spider slowly climb up the white wall across from him. It had worked its way up nearly to the top of the ceiling when the door in front of him opened, squashing the poor bug.
A burly man stood in the doorway peering down at him with a sour look on his face, “Harry Potter, you are called to testify.”
Harry stood up and rubbed his sweaty palms down the sides of his jeans. He hesitated only a moment, as he waited for the man to step aside. He moved forward into the dark room beyond.
He remembered the dungeon courtroom from his fourth year adventure into Dumbledore’s Pensieve. Benches lined the walls. All raised for the perfect view to the chair in the centre of the room, which held the accused. Nothing had changed except the faces that turned to stare at him as he walked down the aisle. He looked straight ahead, trying to ignore the whispers as he passed. He finally came to the bench where Scrimgeour and the members of the Wizengamot sat.
“Mr. Potter, please take the stand,” Scrimgeour pointed to a bench nearby and Harry took a seat.
Percy stood and came to stand in front of Harry, “Please state your name for the court.”
Harry licked his lips nervously, “Harry James Potter.”
Percy nodded as if he was hearing this fact for the first time, “Mr. Potter, what is your relationship with the accused?” He pointed to the man sitting chained in the middle of the room.
Harry followed Percy’s arm and for the first time looked at his old Professor. Snape’s greasy hair was pulled back into a ponytail and his clothing was tattered and dirty. The man looked paler than usual and wore a look of indifference on his face as he stared forward, unflinching.
“He was my instructor in Potions from my first to fifth year at Hogwarts, and my Defence Against Darks Arts professor my sixth year.”
“And during the time that you knew him, did you ever suspect him of being a Death Eater?” Percy continued.
A man Harry didn’t recognize shot up out of his chair near the front and raised a hand, “Objection, speculation.”
Percy threw an annoyed glance at the man. “Fine, allow me to rephrase that.” He continued as he began to walk around the courtroom. “During the time that you’ve know Mr. Snape, have you noticed any suspicious behaviour?”
“Yes,” Harry replied, catching another look at Snape out of the corner of his eye. The man was motionless.
“Can you be specific?” Percy asked, holding his hands behind his back and standing tall. If the situation weren’t so serious, Harry would have burst out laughing at Percy’s attempt to be aloof.
“There we’re many occasions throughout my time at Hogwarts that I and others observed peculiar behaviour from him, but most of this was explained away later on as a simple misunderstanding.”
“You say ‘most’ times, Mr. Potter.” Percy raised a busy red eyebrow. “Would you clarify that for us please?”
“Well, there was one time in my fourth year when I witnessed him having a secret conversation with Karkaroff. At first I did not understand what they were talking about, until later I realized it had to do with Voldemort’s return.”
“And was Mr. Snape a part of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s plans to return?”
“No, he was not.”
“Were there any other incidents of suspicious behaviour?” Percy asked, knowing what the answer would be.
Harry hesitantly obliged. “In my sixth year I ran across another conversation where he and Draco Malfoy were discussing plans about how to infiltrate Hogwarts.”
Percy began to walk around the room again. “Interesting, and were you aware of these plans?”
Harry shook his head. “No, not until after the fact. I only knew that something was up.”
“Were you at the school the night it was attacked?”
Harry hesitated, unsure of what he should say. “Yes… err… no…”
Percy stopped and turned to Harry, giving him a stern look, “I’m sorry. What is it, Mr. Potter, yes or no?”
“Well, not at first. Dumbledore and I had left the school grounds earlier that night, and were only just returning when we spotted the Dark Mark over the school.”
“Really, where were you two going so late at night?” Percy inquired with a smirk.
Harry looked over to the Minister, “I really don’t see how this has any relevance to the trial?”
A person beside Scrimgeour leaned over and said something in his ear. Seconds passed as whispers began to rise among the crowd in the dungeon, until finally the Minister spoke, “Mr. Potter, does this question have anything to do with the accused and his involvement in illegal crimes?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
Scrimgeour’s face seemed to fall somewhat, but he continued. “Then strike the question from the records, Susan.” He addressed a pretty young witch who sat nearby and was writing furiously on a long scroll. He then turned to Percy and Harry. “As much as we are all curious to know what the Headmaster and his student was up to, it has no bearing on this case. Please continue and try not to stray from the facts of the case again, Mr. Weasley.”
“Yes, sir,” Percy turned back to Harry undaunted. “Mr. Potter, what happened after you and the Headmaster returned to the school grounds?”
“Professor Dumbledore was injured and we were going to Professor Snape for assistance…”
“You mean Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse?” Percy interrupted.
“No, Professor Snape,” Harry could see the confusion in Percy’s eyes, and the room began to fill with whispers again. So he continued before anyone could interrupt and question him further about this. “Anyways, we got to Hogsmeade and saw the Dark Mark. We raced to the school on Rosmerta’s brooms, but before we took off Dumbledore instructed me to put on my Invisibility Cloak.
“Once we were on the school grounds, we could see the Mark over the Astronomy Tower so that’s where we landed. Dumbledore told me to get Professor Snape. I rushed forward still wearing my cloak, but I could hear someone come up the stairs from the other side of the door. The door then flew open and I felt myself become paralysed. Dumbledore had used a binding charm on me.” Harry closed his eyes as he vividly watched the scene play in his mind. It was as fresh in his memories as if it had happened yesterday.
He could feel his throat clench and his eyes burn, but he kept his voice even and continued, “I then watched unable to do anything as Malfoy came through the door and disarmed Dumbledore. The Headmaster was already very weak and was unable to retrieve his wand. Malfoy then began to speak to Dumbledore. The conversation included how Malfoy was working for Voldemort as he searched for a way for Death Eaters to infiltrate Hogwarts, and how Malfoy had been ordered to kill Dumbledore.
“The Headmaster then tried to convince Malfoy that he wasn’t a killer. That he didn’t have to walk in his father’s footsteps and become a Death Eater-”
Scrimgeour cleared his throat, “This is all interesting, but Draco Malfoy isn’t the one on trial today. Please skip to where Mr. Snape becomes involved.”
“I was getting to that. Anyway, Draco was soon joined by other Death Eaters who began to taunt Dumbledore and told Malfoy to kill the Headmaster. After several minutes of this Professor Snape entered. Fenrir Greyback began to tell Snape the situation, but someone else was trying to get his attention. It was Dumbledore.
“He was calling out his name. He said ‘Severus, please.’ That is when Snape raised his wand and…” Harry’s voice cracked, unable to continue.
“He what?” Percy asked. “We need to hear it, go on, Mr. Potter.”
“He shot the killing curse at Dumbledore,” Harry finished.
The eerie silence that had fallen as Harry recounted his story disappeared as the entire room broke out in loud whispers that quickly rose to ear splitting levels. Scrimgeour began to tap a gavel to regain control of the room, but it was nearly five minutes before the room was back to any semblance of order.
Percy wore a smug look on his face. “Thank you, Mr. Potter, you may step down now.”
“Wait,” Harry replied, and was immediately sorry as every eye turned back to him. He winced uncomfortable under the scrutiny as he knew each were wondering what else Harry Potter could possible add.
“Yes, Mr. Potter. Do you have something else to say?” Scrimgeour peered down at him.
“I… err…” He looked to Snape, desperately wondering if he should say anything at all.But they hadn’t heard everything. There was more, much more.
“Mr. Potter, if you have something to say let’s here it.”
Harry kept his gaze on his old professor. Sure enough, he could see the greasy head move slightly from side to side. He held his breath and slowly let it out, “I… no… no, I have nothing else to say.”
Scrimgeour sent a piercing gaze towards Harry, letting him know that that he thought otherwise, but the Minister nodded his head and replied. “Then you may step down.”
Harry stepped down and walked up the long aisle. He didn’t bother to look right or left as he passed the many benches and the occupants that fill them. A light flashed and Harry held his hand to his eyes temporarily blinded. Someone had just taken his picture. Great, just what I need, another picture in the newspapers, he thought to himself.
He finally made it to the large door and opened it. He didn’t get far when he felt someone brush past him. He looked around quickly and saw an old man limping down the hall. Harry shook his head and continued on.
Once he was back in the main entrance to the Ministry, he walked up to the fountain of unity. As was custom for him to do, he reached into his pocket for a gold coin to throw in the fountain. He was shocked to feel something else there. He grabbed the object and pulled it out of his pocket.
In his hand was a blank envelope. He could feel that there was a small hard substance near the bottom. Harry opened the envelope and saw that it held an ordinary muggle key. There was also a note, which he pulled out.
I am only giving you this key to fulfil a promise that I made to Dumbledore. After I am gone, use it. It will give you the answers that you seek.
There was no signature, but Harry recognized the writing as Snape’s. Harry calmly stuffed the key and letter in his pocket. Forgetting about the fountain, Harry walked out of the Atrium and into the streets of London.
When Harry arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place, he found Mrs. Weasley cleaning the kitchen. She looked up from her soapy pot as he came through the door.
“Harry, dear. I didn’t know when you’d be back, so I kept lunch warm for you,” she nodded to a plate near the stove.
Harry walked over to it and picked it up. The aroma of beef and chips hit his nose making his stomach growl loudly, “Hmmm… looks good.” He placed the plate on the table, sat down, and bit into his lunch. “Have you heard from Ron, Ginny, or Hermione?” he asked, around his roast beef sandwich.
“I haven’t heard anything, but maybe this is what you are looking for,” she placed a note on the table beside his plate. “This came for you about an hour ago by owl.”
Harry eagerly picked it up and opened it.
Harry,
Meet us at Bill’s office as soon as you can. We have some good and bad news.
Hermione
Harry stood up from the table, stuck a handful of chips in his mouth, and picked up the rest of his sandwich.
“Where are you going? You haven’t finished your lunch,” Mrs. Weasley scolded, her hands on her hips.
“I have to go. It’s urgent.” Harry held up his sandwich in a salute,” Thanks, Mrs. Weasley.”
“Now how many times have I told you to call me Molly, or mum?” she demanded.
Harry stuck the sandwich in his mouth and waved again as he walked out the door of the kitchen.