Chapter 071

"Therefore, I think that once the trials are done with, we should ask to be allowed to go to your folks' place, then. If we anticipate Professor Sprout's trial will take about as long as Professor Flitwick's and Severus Snape's trial is going to run about half as long again, I think those two will be cleared up before lunch tomorrow.

"Then the afternoon will be Professor McGonagall and the Dursleys. Hers will be shorter than Snape's but longer than Sprout's, because they'll be including what happened on the night my parents died and me being dumped at the Dursleys. She was there when that happened.

"They'll then either start Dumbledore's immediately after that or wait until the next morning, tomorrow morning. I have no idea how long that one will take, but it should last at least the whole day. However, it might run well into the next day, too.

"I don't think there's any other trials we need to worry about. So, I think we can plan to leave in two days, or maybe three. How does that work for you?"

"Yeah," she replied. "That'll put us towards the end of the working week. Mum and Daddy will be at work, but I think we're old enough to take care of ourselves until they get home; don't you?"

"Yeah, I think we can find something to do," he replied. "Maybe we can go shopping, so I can buy some decent muggle clothes."

"Oh, if we're going to do that then we're going to have to wait until Mum gets home, possibly even the weekend" she grinned. "That's something Mum would love to do with us."

"If you want," he shrugged. "Then maybe you can show me around the neighbourhood."

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―==(oIo)==―

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Right on time the same four aurors as the previous day turned up to escort the two of them to the Wizengamot chamber.

However, this time, they were joined by Neville, who asked to tag along.

Robards just shrugged his shoulders and said, "No skin off my nose. Three is no different than escorting two." Looking at him directly he said, "But, like these two, if one of us tell you to do something, including something like diving into mud, you will do it. Am I clear?" Then stared at the boy until he responded.

"Umm... yes Auror," Neville replied with a little head bob. "Understood."

Robards simply gave a nod back before he turned away again. "Time to leave," he quietly said.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

As with the previous day the now three were sat on seats on the main floor of the chamber next to the door leading out of the room to where Harry now knew led to the Members' private area. From the door sat Harry, then Hermione, then Neville. Today, the two aurors standing guard over them were Robards and Hammer; for this session, at least.

When the Members' filed in Longbottom turned to look in Harry's direction as she sat down. And this time she saw Neville sitting there. She immediately beckoned one of the aurors over and quietly leaned over her desk to ask him something, gesturing towards Neville.

That auror then asked Robards a question and then returned to Longbottom, before saying something to her. Longbottom didn't look happy, but she didn't say anything after that.

Instead, she banged her gavel once and called, "Bring in the accused!"

Pomona Sprout was led in and, again not wearing manacles or chains, was led directly to the defendant's chair. Again the chains draped lazily over her.

Her case went in a very similar direction as Flitwick's. However, she made no comment about Veritaserum other than to give her assent to the use of such.

Her case ended up even shorter than Flitwick's as it did not also include the issue of bullying of a single student supposedly under her care.

When the vote was called she was found not guilty of all charges but, different to Flitwick's, she was not stripped of her Head of House position. Instead, she was warned that she was very lucky to have escaped punishment and further warned that, if there were any further incidences on her part in risks to the student body, she would be both summarily sacked and could expect a stay in Azkaban.

A very relieved Pomona Sprout was able to walk out of the court a free witch, okay to return to her duties at Hogwarts including as Head of House for Hufflepuff. At that moment it meant she was now the senior-most staff member of the school.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

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Next led in was Severus Snape. However, he was led in wearing full chains on both his wrists and linked to similar chains on his ankles. The ones on his ankles clearly allowed him only very short steps; so he entered with more of a shuffle than a walk. He was almost forced into the chair of the accused and this time the golden chains also tightly bound him in place.

His trial, as with the previous, immediately started with Madam Bones handing over a Dicta-quill taken statement made while Snape was under the effects of Veritaserum. However, Madam Bones also said Snape had to be forced to take it, with the use of auror grade charms to hold his mouth open and stick out his tongue.

She further claimed the interrogation was made under duress of the defendant and he fought them the entire way.

"Further, Chief Adjudicator," she went on to say, "Due to his status as a Master Occlumense and his determination not to co-operate with us in our questions and deliberations, I recommend four drops of Veritaserum if you wish to question him any further today."

Longbottom only appeared to be listening with half an ear as she scanned through the interrogation transcript. "Then, let it be four drops; so ordered. But, not yet."

After she scanned through the transcript herself, Longbottom made cause for copies of it to distribute to all Members, just as she did the previous day.

"I've got to learn that spell," muttered Hermione.

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