FicWad

Chapter 14 - Inquiry at Hogwarts

Sunday afternoon

They stopped short at the large crowd in the entry hall at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Nearly all of the students and faculty where there as well as a lot of the members of the Order of the Phoenix, quite a few ministry aurors and flunkies along with the Minister of Magic (Cornelius Fudge) himself. Also present were Lucius Malfoy, the elder Crabbe and a little old man leaning on a staff, all in the hall were yelling.

The couple in the door where eventually noticed and there was a pause before total chaos erupted, there were several cries of relief, accusations and questions as to their recent whereabouts and activities. Eventually the Headmaster shot sparks from his wand and called for quiet, where upon Fudge called out, "Arrest him!" pointing at Snape.

Hermione was quick to step in front of Severus and assume a defensive posture, "Just what are you saying the Professor has done?"

"Miss Granger, get out of the way and let my people do their jobs." Fudge yelled.

"I am waiting to hear the charges." Her eyes moved from Fudge to Tonks, who rolled her eyes, and Shaklebolt, who shrugged slightly.

"Miss Granger..." Started one of the aurors, who she didn't know only to be cut off.

"Don't call me that." Everyone looked startled as she pointed her wand at Percy "Charges! Now!" she growled.

Percy stammered out "Assault on a muggle and abducting a... muggle... born... witch..." he kind of trailed off as though he just noticed the absurdity of the charges.

Hermione glanced over her shoulder and up at Severus, and sniggered, "Goodness Luv, when'd you have time for all that?"

There was a gasp from the students and an even louder one as instead of the expected reaction he chuckled, "I believe they mean you." As his arm snaked around her waist to rest his hand on her stomach, he bent his head and whispered in her ear making her laugh.

Molly Weasley screeched "Severus Snape, unhand that child at once!"

Severus speared her with a glare, "If she wished my hand removed" he practically purred "I have no doubt that she could and would remove it herself."

Hermione made a quick motion with her wand and muttered something that only Severus heard. One of the aurors who was trying to get around behind the couple stood frozen in place. "I think that if you are going to arrest Severus on charges that are not true, then you are going to need more aurors." Hermione drawled then stated firmly "The DA protects it's own."

Nearly every student in the hall went to a defensive posture either surrounding protectively the couple and several staff members including Poppy Pomfrey, Argus Filtch, and Remus Lupin, although he wasn't technically a member of the staff this year. Other students surrounded Malfoy, Crabbe, Fudge and his flunkies and the aurors.

The little old man with the staff on being threatened, cried out fearfully, "I just came to see if Miss Granger had made a decision yet but on further consideration I might like to withdraw my offer."

Hermione looked a little surprised then smiled, "Mr. Abrams?" at his nod she continued, "Yes, I have made my decision, I signed a contract Friday night."

Old man Abrams swallowed and with a somewhat frightened look around the room, "can I ask who?"

Hermione's smile grew as she looked up at Severus, who swept the room with a glare and said smugly, "Hermione and I..." He was interrupted as one of the aurors yelled out, "I don't believe this, Miss Granger, he" and the man gestured at Snape, "assaulted your father."

Hermione started shaking and in a voice that many in the room recognized as 'the I'm going to hurt some one voice' "I said do not call me that, he is not my father any more." Snape's arm tightened around her and she turned in his embrace to hide her face in his chest. He could feel her taking deep breaths in an attempt to not cry.

Mrs. Weasley said "what? I don't understand, what does she mean 'not her Father any more?"

At the same time Shacklebolt ask, "How badly was Dr. Granger injured and what proof is there that Snape had any thing to do with it?"

One of the aurors consulted a notebook and said "the man had a broken jaw and some loose teeth, but once we had it fixed he identified Snape by name and gave a good description."

Shacklebolt looked at Severus, "do you have an alibi, Snape?"

Severus smirked as Hermione choked out "he's been with me since just after noon on Friday."

"But, Hermione you didn't disappear till late Friday evening." Said McGonagall then clapped her hand over her mouth.

Hermione turned enough to look as her, "Lunch in the great hall, then double potions till 3pm, then a meeting in the Headmasters office, during which I received a letter from a prospective Father-in-Law. I ask Severus to escort me to a meeting."

Lupin broke in "but why didn't you let anyone know where you where going?"

The auror with the notebook said, "What is this mans name and have you been there all this time?"

Severus smirking said "No, we haven't and my fathers name is Lord Setian Snape."

He looked at Lucius and sneered, "you loose Lucius."

Lucius drawled, "Draco will be heartbroken."

Hermione looked around and caught Draco's eye. "Hey, Drake, did it break your poor little ferret heart to witness my petition?"

Draco looked at the shocked look on his fathers face and grinned, "Only a slight twinge there, Muddy."

Hermione smirked and Severus scowled at the alteration to the nickname he usually used.

Ron suddenly perked up "wait a minute, HE was a witness? Why didn't I get to witness? Who else knows about this?"

He and a lot of people looked around at each other. Neville stepped forward, "I knew." Ginny said, "So did I."

Harry nodded "Sorry Mate, we took an oath not to say anything till it was announced." They all nodded.

The auror with the notebook said, "So, which of you signed and what are your names?"

Harry smirked and ran his hand through his hair causing his scar to show and said, "We all did." And pointing at each in turn "Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom," the auror's eyes bugged out and Harry continued motioning to Ginny "Ginevra Weasley and" laying his hand on his own chest and leaning forward slightly "in case you hadn't figured it out I'm Harry Potter."

Many of the students around the hall sniggered at this. The mans hand shook as he wrote thinking 'this should have been a simple questioning and fine, /but no/, Fudge had to stick his nib in. Five of the most famous or powerful names in the wizarding world, no six Granger was pretty famous and powerful in her own right.'

"Alright" it came out a little squeaky, the man cleared his throat and continued in a more normal tone, "Where did you meet Lord Snape and how long where you there?"

Snape sighed and Tonks spoke up "Smith, are you really going to conduct an investigation in front of all these people?"

Smith looked at Tonks, "Yes, I'm going to get a time line and the reason Snape hit that stupid man. Then I'm going to fine them both for wasting my time.

Severus and Hermione both smirked and Severus said "Very well. We where at Snape Castle till around eight when we flooed here to my office. Hermione contacted her friends and ask them to meet us there. We were at the Granger house just before nine and left just after. The reason I hit the bastard was that he struck Hermione, called her a foul name, and disowned her."

Draco said shocked, "He disowned her?"

At the same time and in the same tone Ron said, "He hit her?"

Neville cried "And you let him live?"

Many of the students where glaring at Snape, and Harry said with a scowl, "He couldn't very well kill him right in front of Hermione. Even Snape isn't that rude or stupid."

Auror Smith coughed and said, "I believe there where some rather inventive threats as well."

Snape chuckled again "I have no intentions of carrying those out, as I have no wish to sleep on the sofa." And his eyebrow rose suggestively as he leered at his new wife, who giggled, and replied quietly "I have no intention of letting you sleep on the sofa." And standing on tiptoe she pulled him down for a kiss.

Professor McGonagall scolded "Hermione Granger!"

Releasing Severus, Hermione turned to her professor "Snape, Professor, My name is Hermione Snape!"


The End