Chapter 2 - Trial and Tribulation

Much gratitude to Dreamy_Dragon for her beta help!

~~SSHG~~

Wizarding Britain’s reaction to the Wizengamot pardoning Snape for his war crimes was disappointing. Naturally. Only a handful of witnesses had been made privy to the testimony given to the court by Harry Potter and Dumbledore’s portrait. Those few who were also present became subject to the Secretum Charm. Severus Snape’s desire had been to wallow away in the pits of Azkaban, but the Wizengamot was determined to project an image of impartiality in this new regime, guilty pleas notwithstanding. Snape only agreed to the trial if testimony was guaranteed to be confidential within the court’s walls. If a ticket to Azkaban wasn’t written in his tea leaves, then penance could be paid through the court of common opinion. Any facts that would portray him in a positive light would not be made public.

With a lack of evidence to report, the Daily Prophet assigned trial coverage to its most imaginative reporter, Rita Skeeter. Since Skeeter was more interested in paper sales figures than fact, she was left to mold a story from the only factual evidence she had – a list of witnesses going into and out of the courtroom each day. On day two of the hearings, Rita had tried to surreptitiously breach the courtroom by assuming her Animagus form of a beetle. She gently settled on the shoulder of a Wizengamot member, but the closer that member approached the chamber, the stronger the zapping feel of the wards echoed on her delicate wings. She was forced to fly away, waiting and watching.

Hermione Granger was summoned on day three to provide testimony in regards to the Patronus that led Harry Potter to the Sword of Gryffindor while in the Forest of Dean. Testimony that day also progressed to a review of the Pensieve memories Snape shared with Harry Potter. As courtroom doors were shut once proceedings began and not reopened until completion, Hermione had been present as the memories were projected for the Wizengamot’s benefit. It was not unsurprising that, as she exited the courtroom, her misty eyes and sad expression could be interpreted in a dozen different ways.

The next day’s Prophet was full of unforgiving scandal fueled by the resentment Skeeter had long held towards Hermione Granger.

THE MURDERER & HIS MISTRESS

Teacher & Student’s Forbidden Love Exposed!

Rita Skeeter

It is day three of the trial of Death Eater and murderer Severus Snape. The courtroom continues to bring forth facts that would strike fear into the hearts of the most hardened witches and wizards. As this reporter stood guard, a stoic Hermione Granger, the Muggle-born witch who climbed to fame on the coattails of our world’s savior, Harry Potter, entered the chambers, followed by Aurors toting a heavy Pensieve. Not allowed entrance to the proceedings, this intrepid reporter noted the frequent moments of silence behind closed doors followed by the shallow sobs of a witch not quite eloquent enough to convey the demanded testimony.

Dear reader, as this trial continues to unfold its filthy layers, please look forward to my continued in-depth coverage of the proceedings in your source of all news, the DAILY PROPHET.

Two days later, headlines screamed EVIL EXONERATED! SNAPE SLITHERS TO FREEDOM!. Skeeter’s reporting, whether factual or not, reflected in an almost 47 percent increase in subscriptions. The Prophet wasn’t about to change its ways unless forced to per suit or government restriction. Unfortunately for the paper, the decision had been made, and coverage of the proceedings came to an end. The damage was done, and the court of common opinion was happy to extol its penance upon the should-have-been war hero. Severus Snape quickly became a pariah to wizarding England.

A/N – Yes, I know how to correctly spell Hermione’s name. However, I envision Rita Skeeter as being someone so vindictive and petty that if she was forced to give our dear Miss Granger any press at all, she would do so by insult. My beta suggested that the Prophet would not want to ruin credibility due to blatant misspellings, and that is a good point. I still think the influence of the increase in sales when her slanderous stories go to print would justify their editor overlooking those errors.

*Secretum – Latin, hidden, secret.