Spiral of Trust by Henna Hypsch
Summary: The summer Harry turns eighteen he sleeps alone in a shed at the Burrow. Will he be fit to return to Hogwarts for a seventh year of education? What does a last year at Hogwarts have to offer in the aftermaths of Voldemort’s demise? And how will Harry cope with the Headmaster in office?
Categories: Healer Snape, Teacher Snape > Professor Snape Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Ginny, Hermione
Snape Flavour: None
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, General
Media Type: None
Tags: None
Takes Place: 7th Year
Warnings: Romance/Het, Romance/Slash, Self-harm, Suicide Themes
Challenges: None
Series: Spiral
Chapters: 47 Completed: Yes Word count: 259426 Read: 180130 Published: 11 Nov 2014 Updated: 24 Nov 2015
Chapter 37 The Veritaserum of Exceptions by Henna Hypsch

Harry and Ginny were fit to Apparate back to Hogsmeade on Whit Monday evening with Ron and Hermione. Simmings met them in the wizard village and walked them to the castle where they sneaked up to the Gryffindor Tower to avoid attention. They had deliberately chosen to arrive late and not join dinner in the Great Hall. So it was not until Tuesday morning that Harry met his fellow students. As he breakfasted early, he did not see many of them until it was time for the final trimester’s first lesson.

He attracted slightly more curious gazes than usual, and people whispered when they spotted him, but that was something he was used to. Some younger pupils seemed afraid of him and kept a distance. More intimate friends, Gryffindor students like Neville, Dean and Seamus for example, exchanged a few words with him and patted his back appreciatively in a rather undramatic way. At lunch, Harry noticed that Snape gazed intently at him and seemed to interrogate some of the teachers he had met during the morning. He saw them shake their heads at Snape and cast quick glances back at him.

After lunch, it was time for DADA class and Harry knew he was going to be scrutinised more closely by Snape, but yet he seemed calm and composed. There was no trace of fever or apparent weakness about him as he stood waiting in the corridor outside the DADA classroom. Draco Malfoy had shot him several resentful glances in the Great Hall and at last the Slytherin could not resist stepping up to Harry and hiss at him:

“Did it feel good, Potter, to kill a wizard? I thought it might be against your high principles to do so. You didn’t even use the killing curse against Voldemort.”

“I’m allowed to defend myself like everybody else, Malfoy,” Harry answered noncommittally.

“And the moment the green light sorted your wand, what did you feel?” Malfoy asked silkily, “...and when it hit him and when he fell, what...”

“That’s enough from you, Mr Malfoy!” Snape’s face was impassive, but his voice vibrated menacingly. He passed between the two young men and scrutinised Harry with his back to Malfoy.

“I’m fine,” said Harry in such a low voice that Snape could barely perceive it. But he bore Snape’s gaze steadily and showed no signs of nausea or of being unwell in any other way. As Snape proceeded into the classroom with a slightly puzzled expression on his face, Harry exchanged a few words with Ron who laughed and Harry grinned back, which caused Malfoy to glare at him with even stronger ill will.

Snape was continually intrigued by Harry’s seemingly remarkable recovery from the Magic-versus-self-reaction. But as he kept his reserve toward Harry and did not approach him to talk, he was not able to provide an explanation when Mrs Steadfast asked about Harry’s health when she came to Hogwarts on Tuesday evening. She joined the teachers for dinner in the Great Hall and noticed for herself that Harry seemed to be back to his usual stable self. She was surprised, but contented herself with stating that: ’Our young hero seems to have landed in magical balance after all’, to what Snape grunted something inaudible.

A couple of days later, however, Snape got an explanation in the form of a letter and a scroll that Harry gave him after DADA class and that he accepted without comment. It read:

Dear Professor,

When I heard about the Magic-versus-self-reaction, and you told me it had to do with your inner magical balance, it reminded me of something I had read in a book about Ancient Magic. As usual in Ancient Magic, it is all about preventing evil actions, enforcing already existing powers or relations, and promoting the good things of Magic.

The passage I found described how to achieve magical balance between different wizards and witches who wanted to perform particularly difficult and delicate magic together. The incantation holds the qualities of conciliation, consolidation and enforcement.

Departing from this original piece of Ancient Magic, I had a go at creating a healing incantation. Hermione helped me out and performed the new incantation on me with a positive effect from the start. We repeated the Incantation in total three times with twelve hours apart and now I feel completely in balance and recovered.

Hermione and I have written an article - a case report similar to those I have read in the Journal of Magical Medicine. I have used my own example to illustrate the use of the healing incantation. I kept it as anonymous as possible, but maybe people will guess it’s about me, anyhow, because of the news-papers’ accounts, but it does not matter so much anymore, as long as it serves to help others. You probably should test it on some other individuals suffering from the Magic-versus-self reaction to be sure that it works in other contexts, too. Maybe you could suggest the idea to some of your contacts at St Mungo’s?

A key point to the success of the healing process is to formulate rational arguments to stifle the ambiguous feelings about the controversial magic you’ve done or witnessed and because of which the magical self has been knocked off balance.

In my case, to justify a homicide, I pleaded defending the life of a loved person and the right of self preservation. Secondly, to accept the doubtful Obliviating performed on Ginny, I argued the right of self-determination and the necessity of compromises for the higher goal of unity. Hermione helped me formulate those arguments and I repeated them to myself as she read the healing incantation.

Will you please read the text and tell us if you think it worth-while publishing? I think Hermione is very excited about having her name on an article.

Respectfully Yours, Harry Potter.

 PS Have you spoken to Professor Vector, Sir? I would very much like to have a try at the Arithmancy NEWT exam. I am well enough now to exert myself.

The answer was not long in coming in the form of a letter on Harry’s desk in Potions the next day.

Mr Potter and Miss Granger,

Well done! I was intrigued by your remarkable recovery, Mr Potter. The difference in your health is so pronounced that the new incantation must be effective indeed. Naturally, I have no means to try it out on my own, but the construction looks correct to me. I agree with you that it should be further tested at St Mungo’s and with your authorisation I will see to it that it will be done. It does not prevent you from publishing the case report which is well written, probably thanks to your exact and perfected quill, Miss Granger. I have only made a few short comments, and a suggestion to further increase anonymity, which is something I advice you not to compromise with, Mr Potter.

As for the Arithmancy project, I have spoken to Professor Vector and obtained her permission to let Mr Potter write the OWL and NEWT exams. She insisted on you taking both. I hope that you have taught your pupil well, Miss Granger, because as predicted Professor Vector assumed a greater involvement on my side than I can take credit for, and my doubtful reputation as an Arithmancy teacher is now at stake.

Finally, Mr Potter, just out of curiosity, has the Healing Incantation of Magical Imbalance removed your nightmares as well?

Yours sincerely, Severus Snape.

Harry had written the paper almost entirely on his own, without Herminone’s help and smiled to himself when he read Snape’s unexpected praise of her quill, but thought that there was no point in disillusioning his teacher. He felt it was practicable to write instead of risk speaking to Snape and answered shortly:

Professor,

Thank you very much for arranging things with Professor Vector.

The restoration of my magical balance has reduced the number of nightmares, but not removed them altogether. I guess it is not like an Obliviating treatment; you have to face what you have done and witnessed at any rate.

With respect, Harry Potter

***

“Explain again why you don’t speak to him,” said Ron with a puzzled expression on his face as he, Hermione and Harry were sitting in a corner of the Gryffindor common room, working on their Charms essays.

“I guess we could speak to each other, but it’s just better this way...” Harry said evasively.

”But you trust him?” asked Ron.

”Yes, I do. More so now than before Paris.”

“You know he was a Death Eater.” Ron met Harry’s reproving look and added exasperated: “At one point in his life he was, okay? Just face it, Harry.”

“He made a mistake, but should he be punished for it the rest of his life? I don’t think so. Moreover, I don’t think that real Death Eaters puke when they kill or have Magic-versus-self reactions out of qualms of consciousness,” Harry answered heatedly.

“You think that Snape...?” began Hermione, wide-eyed.

“I don’t know. He obviously knew what he was talking about. I don’t know whether it’s his own experiences or because he’s a healer,” said Harry and turned his head away. He was at a loss to explain why it upset him so much to have to defend Snape to his friends.

“But you heard him discuss not fitting in regular society and going back to the Death Eaters, with Lucius Malfoy?” insisted Ron, still sceptical.

“That was Lucius Malfoy’s suggestion. You heard Snape, he even told Mrs Steadfast about it,” retorted Harry.

”Well, Snape might have realised that you overheard him and that there was no point then in concealing what he said to Lucius. By telling Mrs Steadfast in front of you, maybe he counted on regaining your trust. I simply think that you should be more cautious around Snape, Harry,” said Ron.

”How can I be more cautious around him when I don’t even speak to him?” Harry replied, annoyed. ”I can’t imagine that Snape is really considering returning to the Death Eaters. He did imply though, when he was provoked by Lucius, that he’ll never be able to forgive James Potter. It made me realise... I’ve known it all along, of course... that he’ll never be able to... to like me or anything.” Harry looked down and frowned to himself before he continued in a matter-of-fact voice. “Most of all, he doesn’t under any circumstances want to be put under obligation to his rival’s son, so that’s another reason why he doesn’t want me to testify in his favour.”

“But you told us he made out to Lucius that he might let you testify after all. That it was only a show to manipulate you,” Ron said suspiciously.

“I haven’t heard him make the suggestion yet, have I? He only pretended before Lucius, I’m sure. He’d positively hate to owe me anything. That’s why we have to proceed very carefully when helping him with the inquiry and make it look like it’s mainly you, Hermione, who wants to repay your gratitude to him,” said Harry eagerly.

“I know,” she said. “And I do. Mother’s getting better, although not restored. It might be Alzheimer’s disease after all. She’ll be discharged soon. Dad is satisfied with the help they’ve got. I want to assist Professor Snape, but I’m starting to grow nervous. I’ll have to speak in front of an awful lot of people at the inquiry.”

“You like to talk, Hermione, you’ll do well as usual.” Ron beamed proudly at her.

“I should speak to him about those Obliviate spells he cast on the students last year. But frankly, he’s not easy to approach,” complained Hermione.

“I know who you can speak to instead, who has been told all about them,” said Harry.

Hermione looked intrigued.

“Professor McGonagall knows, I'm sure. I believe it was she who wrote to Kingsley to bring it up, because she worried about how he treated me back in February when those horrible accusations started to circulate in the papers. I think she’ll want to help,” explained Harry.

“Amazing, really, considering that she chased Snape out of Hogwarts before the battle only a year ago...” said Hermione.

“She must’ve been as dumbfounded as I was when finding out that he had stayed faithful to Dumbledore all along. He played his part too well. You really had to twist and turn your thoughts one hundred and eighty degrees to understand his motives and to accept his double spy story,” said Harry.

“Yeah, the sadness behind it too… His friendship with your mother, I mean…” Hermione added while Ron still looked sceptical.

“Snape’s a very... competent wizard...” said Harry slowly. “I respect him... I’d like to earn his respect in return... That’s why I need to do this. Plus it would be wrong to let him go to Azkaban for something he did not do.”

Hermione nodded in agreement and Ron acquiesced reluctantly.

“We need to proceed to testing the Veritaserums,” continued Harry. “They’ve matured and I’ll add the last ingredients tonight. If you could keep the others away from the dormitory for a while, Ron, I can do it in there and avoid going down to the dungeons. It gives me the creeps to be alone down there. But when and how, and on whom should we do the tests?”

Ron and Hermione both grimaced.

“Yeah, I know. But Fred and George always tested on themselves first. We should do likewise and then convince others to do it,” argued Harry.

“Where’s Ginny?” asked Hermione.

“Quidditch. She concentrates on practicing for the tournament. I think she’ll help us out with the testing though,” answered Harry.

 

***

The trials against the former Death Eaters and other collaborators of Voldemort had started little by little since March. They were coming to the more renowned persons and the newspapers covered the trials closely. Those of Mr and Mrs Malfoy took place one after another on the same day shortly after Easter. Draco Malfoy had been removed from the cause list and avoided trial as his preliminary inquiry had made out that he had stayed at Hogwarts on the day of the battle, instead of joining Voldemort, and the Wizengamot had taken this as justification for his changing sides at the last minute, in analogy with his mother. Harry, Ron and Hermione had debated whether to denounce Malfoy or not. They knew for a fact that his motive for staying inside the castle had not been to fight on their side, but to try to appropriate the horcrux - the diadem of Ravenclaw - and to give it to Voldemort. Considering that Crabbe and Goyle were dead and considering the pitiful state of Malfoy, they had finally decided to abstain from denouncing him.  

Harry had half a day off to do his part in testifying for Narcissa Malfoy. Simmings accompanied him to the Ministry. Harry’s contribution was sententious, but to the point, and he answered the court’s questions calmly. Narcissa looked relieved. She had seen Harry ill and weak at the Burrow - maybe she had been worried that he would not stand the strain.

Harry spotted a pale Draco Malfoy in the crowded audience with his assisting Auror at his side.  A huge amount of journalists were covering the event. Harry knew that he could not avoid being caught on picture this time. Guessing that he would adorn the next issue of the Daily Prophet, with an ironical touch, he wore his old glasses to make him look more like the hero Harry Potter the public already knew.

The cases of Mr and Mrs Malfoy proved to be the most spectacular trials since the first war, almost twenty years ago, and the wealthy couple covered the front page and several spreads in The Daily Prophet. Mr Malfoy made a ferocious attempt to defend himself. He called every friend of influence in the wizard society to give evidence of his implacable character and he swore that he had been forced under life threats to let Malfoy manor become Voldemort’s headquarters. He also claimed to have supported Narcissa in her daring actions during the final battle. Harry had declined to testify in Lucius Malfoy’s trial, neither in favour nor against Mr Malfoy. A cunning member of the jury on Narcissa’s trial took care, however, to question Harry closely about Narcissa’s motives.

Did Mr Potter have the impression that Narcissa Malfoy had premeditated to help him?

No, because first of all the Death Eaters had not been convinced that he would show up at all and surrender himself to Voldemort. Secondly, after Voldemort had cast his Avada Kedavra on Harry, Narcissa did not know that she would be singled out to check on whether he was still alive or dead. She had had to decide on the spur of the moment when she had felt his pounding heart whether to denounce him or not.

Why had she protected him?

Harry had shaken his head and answered that he could only guess, but that he thought it had to do with saving her son who she knew was still inside the castle. Maybe her instincts told her that he, Harry, would win over Voldemort in the end. At any rate she took a great risk.

Lucius’ trial took place directly after Narcissa’s and the jury used the evidence from the first trial to tear Mr Malfoy’s assertions that he had encouraged Narcissa to help Harry, to pieces.

The evening edition of the Daily Prophet wallowed in Lucius Malfoy’s shortcomings. Why did he even try, they argued, to represent himself as a reformed Death Eater and a repentant ally of the Ministry’s? He did not have Harry Potter’s evidence. Why, he did not even have his wife’s support in his favour!

At Hogwarts, it was Draco Malfoy’s turn to become the object of staring, of whispers and of taunts. He swung from being drowsy and listless - which made Harry wonder if he had been given some calming draught or other by Miss Cork, who watched over him closely - to having furious outbreaks where he suddenly launched after fellow pupils and had to be restrained by his Auror, Mr Sachs. Mr Burgess kept nearby and was often seen talking to Draco in a low, persuading voice.

The verdicts were pronounced, stating that Narcissa was acquitted, whereas Lucius Malfoy was sentenced to imprisonment in Azkaban. It was the first life time sentence hitherto in the series of trials against Voldemort’s followers.

A few days later, the Daily Prophet and its readers got their answer as to why Lucius Malfoy had acted the way he did during the trial: When he was removed from the Ministry to Azkaban, the convoy was attacked and Lucius escaped together with what was assumed to be outlawed Death Eaters and their associates.

Members of the jury came forward in the press and testified of Lucius’ attempts to bribe and threaten his way out of conviction. He had offered great sums of money to those who would vote for his release. To remain a respected part of society had clearly been his priority. He had put his whole fortune at stake. But secretly, he had a back-up in his criminal allies.

When the Ministry entered the convicted wizard’s estate, it became apparent that Malfoy Manor had been sold, without the wife’s knowledge, and the profit, together with all Lucius’ savings, had been removed from the Gringott’s bank of Wizardry. His immense fortune had first been offered to the administration of justice and when denied by them - it was only one or two persons who had let themselves be bribed, according to the paper, which was a high mark of the Ministry’s trustworthiness under Kingsley Shacklebolt’s leadership, the Daily Prophet concluded - it was lifted over to the criminal side and offered as an award for the rescue operation. Lucius Malfoy was from now on a lawless, hunted man. There were articles about his destitute wife who had not even been able to carry through the divorce before her husband vanished.

Mrs Steadfast made many visits to Hogwarts to have long interrogations with Draco Malfoy who grew increasingly desperate. Ginny told Harry, Ron and Hermione that she had come across Narcissa Malfoy fleeing through the Entrance Hall, her face wet with tears. Her son stood on top of the stairs leading down to the dungeons, beyond himself with fury, and restrained only by Mr Burgess. He shouted at his mother and called her a traitor. He said he never wanted to see her again and why did she not head for the Gryffindor Tower and say hello to her dear Harry Potter instead?

“Ow... If he didn’t hate me enough to want to kill me before, he definitely does now,” grimaced Harry.

“The splitting up of their family is tragic,” concluded Hermione.

The Malfoy trials made them realise that the Wizengamot meant to be thorough and just in the condemning of Voldemort’s allies. It meant that it would not be an easy task to get Snape cleared of charges. The date for his inquiry was fixed for the first Saturday in May. Snape made no attempts to speak to Hermione who worked frantically at his defence on the side of revising for her NEWT exams.

***

The new Veritaserum was nearly finished. The problem was to find the right balance between the compelling truth-telling effect of the liana extract and the evasive power of the centaur’s hair.

Ron tested a potion that made him speak completely incomprehensibly for hours - it was too strong on the centaur side.

Harry tested a variant that made it possible for him when interrogated by Hermione to tell lies without stumbling over his words. It was obviously too weak.

Hermione received a potion that was too strong on both sides. It made her feel compelled to tell the truth constantly and uncalled for, at the same time as she expressed herself in the curious and evasive manner that centaurs do. It made her friends double up with laughter because it was so unlike Hermione. They did the testing in the evenings so that most of the effect would have time to wear off until morning, but Hermione’s draught was so strong it lasted over night.

When in class with Professor McGonagall the next morning, she was still under its influence and raised her hand nonstop despite Harry’s urgencies that she should not, but gave so weird answers that Professor McGonagall was quite bewildered. Harry was obliged to tell his teacher that he would explain later and would she please not let Hermione have the word? The effect wore off successively during the day, but more than one teacher raised an eyebrow at Hermione’s comments. Afterwards, she was immensely embarrassed whereas Ron, who had found it all extremely amusing, teased her relentlessly the following days.

Neville who had been involved in the research on the truth extorting properties of the Rawandian liana flower, volunteered for trying out a potion as well. He experienced so strong truth compelling effects and no attenuating ones that when Hermione asked him his name he started to account for his entire genealogical table. Hermione was so astounded that she quickly said that he did not need to go that far back, and why did he not just tell them about his immediate family? It was a mistake, as Neville’s parents had met a particularly cruel fate when they had gone insane after a torturing session by a group of fanatic young Death Eaters after Voldemort’s first fall. They had been shut up at St Mungo’s hospital ever since Neville was a small child.

Harry and Hermione looked aghast at each other as Neville started to describe each and one of his visits to the hospital with his Granny in chronological order since he was a child. He had never before wanted to talk about it. Neville had tears in his eyes and was clearly plagued.

“We’re so sorry, Neville. Please, you don’t need to go on. Can’t you stop yourself?” said Hermione.

Neville shook his head.

“Okay, one of us will stay with you until the effect wears off. No need for all of us to hear your truths. Who do you want to stay with you?” said Hermione.

“Harry,” stuttered Neville. “Because he has lost his parents, too. He knows what it’s like. But I like all of you. You’re my best friends.” Hermione smiled tenderly at him.

Harry sat by Neville’s side under a Muffliato spell until midnight when the effect finally wore off enough for the torrent of words to quiet down and allow them to go to bed. By then Harry had heard the entire story of Neville’s childhood, about his shortcomings, how he had longed for his parents, how much he dreaded the death of his grandmother, and about his relief and sense of revenge when he had helped Harry in the battle against Voldemort. Neville also told Harry about Luna, about the fumbling efforts for love, the uncertainty and then the resignation. She only wanted to be friends. He suspected she had met someone else when she visited a relative in London this Christmas. Harry felt ashamed that he had not noticed Neville’s agony. He realised he must have been both inattentive and self-absorbed to miss something like that.

“I don’t resent it, Harry. You’ve mostly moved under Muffliato spells this winter and had enough to deal with yourself,” said Neville and Harry assumed that he was truthful because he was still under the influence of the Veritaserum. Harry’s head was studded with Neville’s confession and he went to bed exhausted.

Ginny, on her side, tested a potion that they did not think had worked at all, at first, because Ginny was exactly as she used to be, answering frankly and outspokenly. When Hermione started to ask her delicate questions about her former boy-friends, however, in the presence of Harry, her tongue seemed to lock and she started to stutter on some occasions, but she managed eventually to pronounce:

“I want to pass on that question, please.” They looked at her.

“You’re unable to lie then?” asked Harry.

“Yes, I suppose I am.”

“It does not show so much. You’re an honest sort of person as you are, Ginny,” said Hermione.

“It’s the potion where I added a small amount of owl teardrops, which are used in potions to increase lucidity. It clearly counteracts the confused centaur word phrasing to a more normal one, but keeps the ability to decline to answer. Perfect!” exclaimed Harry.

They took turns to test the potion again. They had to be careful - even if the balanced draught of the Veritaserum of Exceptions allowed you to decline to answer a question, it was easy to blurt out small, but sometimes hurtful, truths about someone’s appearance or habits. Ron and Hermione got seriously cross with each other when they tried their potions and they needed all the diplomacy of Harry and the most resolute “cut it off!” from Ginny to stop them from breaking up there and then.

When Ginny tested the Veritaserum a second time after the modifications, Ron thought it fun to question her on a series of events from their childhood. But Ginny parried the questions, either by retorting truthfully and bitingly, or by declining haughtily to answer. Ron somehow wanted to nail her and his frustration grew until he blurted out the question:

”What’s the most terrible thing that ever happened to you, Ginny?” His sister looked hurt and confused for a second, then answered in a low, desolate voice.

”Why, that was when Harry killed Fred, you know.”

There was a horrified pause among the friends.

”But… what?! Harry didn’t kill Fred!” Ron stuttered with eyes round as saucers and a terrified glance at his friend who had paled considerably.

”Ginny…” Harry whispered. ”Ginny, do you honestly think that I killed your brother? If you do, how can you even speak to me? How…?”

Ginny looked bewildered from her brother to her boy-friend, before she answered, a little high-pitched.

”No, no that was wrong. I know that father told me you killed Machivato in Paris, Harry. I don’t remember it, though, due to the treatment. Ignore what I said - it was only a stupid lapsus. It was nothing.”

”Yes, that was stupid indeed!” exclaimed Ron. ”How absurd! You know perfectly well that Fred was killed by an Avada Kadavra coming from Death Eater Yaxley’s wand.”

”Yes, I remember Mum telling me so,” said Ginny.

”But, do you really believe it, Ginny? You’re under Veritaserum and yet you said…” Harry’s voice was thick with emotion.

”I don’t think that you should draw any conclusions from what Ginny said, Harry,” Hermione was quick to intervene. ”Who says you can’t make innocent slips of mind under Veritaserum? Those are not deliberate lies - and not truths either. It must be the Obliviating treatment interacting weirdly with the Veritaserum and she told you that it was wrong…”

”Yeah, don’t get upset, Harry. Of course she knows that you didn’t kill Fred,” said Ron, eager to make peace between his sister and his friend.

”She’s dosed with Veritaserum! Don’t you see? You can’t just ignore it. The important thing is what she feels, what she believes to be the truth!” Harry cried.

”I’m sorry, Harry! I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Ginny cried back. ”It’s just… It’s just that I’m a bit confused. The Obliviating treatment seems not only to have taken away the memories of the attack in Paris, but some memories from the battle last year as well. There is a blank around Fred’s death and…”

”Why haven’t you said anything, Ginny? That’s disturbing, it’s not supposed to do that, or is it? Have you asked Healer Schufflert?” said Ron, worry written on his face.

”It’s not a big deal. Maybe I do have some memories… They’ve just faded a bit… It’s natural for them to do so, isn’t it? It’s not like I want to dwell on them or anything. I’ve moved on. I don’t mind. I’m fine,” said Ginny.

”You’re fine with thinking that I’m your brother’s murderer?” Harry elevated his voice.

”Harry, calm down,” said Hermione.

”I told you it was a mistake,” said Ginny.

”What was a mistake - believing it, or saying it?” Harry asked harshly.

”Don’t push her, Harry, it’s not her fault. Of course she doesn’t believe you’re Fred’s murderer,” said Ron.

”No? Tell me then, Ginny, while you’re still under the influence of Veritaserum. Tell me that you’re convinced that I did not kill Fred, that you know I didn’t. Say it.” Harry had his eyes riveted on Ginny who squirmed and fretted before lifting her chin defiantly.

”You’re so suspicious of me. I’m your girl-friend. You should trust me!” she said angrily.

”That’s not the issue. We’re speaking of some sort of weird side-effect to the Obliviating treatment that you refuse to acknowledge. You cannot keep going around believing deep down that I actually killed your brother! How can we possibly stay together? Don’t you see?” Harry pleaded.

”Merlin! You don’t have any confidence in me at all, do you? I love you - is not that enough? Or do you doubt that as well?” hissed Ginny.

”That’s not the issue!” repeated Harry.

”Well, I think it’s hideous of you to doubt me. I’m not sure you love me any longer, or you would not cross-question me like thit. Tell you what – I’ll not put up with being pushed around, just because you get paranoid about something ridiculous. You cannot dictate what I say or not. Am I supposed to watch my tongue now every time I speak to you, so that I do not accidentally let something slip that you don’t agree with? What kind of relationship is that? Tell you, I won’t speak to you until you show me some respect again!” shouted Ginny and ran off with tears in her eyes. Hermione looked reproachfully at Harry and ran after her. Harry inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly, trying to control the fury he felt rushing through his veins. His hands were shaking. Ron watched him apprehensively.

”Harry, of course Ginny doesn’t…” he said, but was interrupted by a brusque, impatient gesture from Harry who looked like he was ready to explode, but instead he turned his back on Ron and fled from the room.

Ron did not see Harry again until the next morning in the Great Hall, because Harry did not come back to the dormitory until Ron had already fallen asleep. At breakfast, Harry seemed to have calmed down, but he had dark circles around his eyes, showing that the night had not brought him much rest. Ron observed that he shot short, tentative glances in Ginny’s direction, but his sister looked coldly back at Harry and walked away to class without waiting for them. Hermione was about to rush after her, but stopped at Harry’s side and whispered to him:

”I’m trying to convince her to go and see a healer - preferably someone else than Healer Schufflert, because I’m not sure she’s a suitable alternative. But we need to be gentle with Ginny and give her time. We mustn’t push her. This is obviously another case of an Oblivate spell gone wrong. But I’ll not repeat the mistake I made with my mum and lose my head in an attempt to rectify everything at once. We need to be patient.”

Harry shook his head.

”Ginny’ll never consent to seeing a healer,” he said with a streak of desperation in his voice. ”She doesn’t want anything to be wrong - and therefore she concludes that nothing is wrong.”

”Try to make up with her by lunch. I know that she wants to, even if she doesn’t let it show,” Hermione said hurriedly and ran after Ginny.

”Yeah, that’s my sister - she always lets you stew before she deigns to forgive you,” said Ron.

”What, exactly, is there to forgive?” asked Harry, anger contained in his voice.

Harry stood the pressure of Ginny’s coldness all day until the late hours of the evening when he started to feel as if he had indeed stewed in one of Snape’s thickest cauldrons for twenty-four hours since the row erupted the previous night. His brain had turned to mush and it felt as if his heart was burning and withering to ashes, simultaneously, in the most painful way. After rummaging Ginny’s words from the previous day over and over again, Harry was at his wits’ end. Maybe Ron and Hermione were right when they said that it meant nothing? Ginny claimed that she loved him, didn’t she? What else mattered, really? He missed her, for heaven’s sake! He was not sure that he could live without her. What if he gave in? Maybe he had misinterpreted the whole situation? But then - no! He had not! He knew something was wrong. The internal struggle threatened to throttle him with frustration and made him feel worse than during the Magic-versus-self reaction. He finally convinced himself that he could not live without Ginny and left the owlery where he had been hiding since classes ended and hurried towards the Gryffindor tower.

In the corridor, only a few steps away from the portrait of the fat lady, Harry stopped because coming from the other end, from the stairs, was his beautiful, sparkling Ginny. Only, she did not look happy, nor did she look cold. There was this brittle streak of surprised hurt in her face that made her appear so vulnerable all of a sudden that Harry’s heart ached for her, and for himself, and he felt tears mount in his eyes. He made a slight gesture and suddenly Ginny was in his arms. Harry held her tightly, choking on the sobs that found their way up his throat. After a long while he calmed down, but continued to hold her and breathed deeply from the scent of her hair with closed eyes. Oh, Ginny! Why did it have to be so complicated? Why did she have to…? Snape’s words from St Mungo’s came back to him - don’t let hurt pride stand in the way of your future happiness. Harry swallowed. He would be patient. He and Ginny would sort it out, eventually.

Ron and Hermione were immensely relieved that Harry appeared to have made up with Ginny at last. After making a few attempts at bringing the subject up again, Harry resigned to the fact that his friends seemed as intent as Ginny on ignoring the origin of their fight. Even Hermione did not have the courage to pursue her intreaties to take Ginny to a healer for an evaluation. Harry supposed that Ginny’s slip of the tongue was too absurd and too complicated to approach. Feeling guilty over burdening his friends with yet another dilemma, Harry finally opted for postponing the entire problem until… well, maybe until the summer, when he and Ginny would be left more on their own and things would be quieter and he could speak to her, calmly. As it were, there was now only one week left until Snape’s inquiry. They all had important things to do, and somehow they plunged into the task with all the more determination as they wanted to forget about what was left unresolved between Harry and Ginny.

Hermione and Harry sought out Professor McGonagall who already knew most of their plans and had already told Hermione all about Professor Snape’s Obliviating sessions last year. She agreed to help them recruit some of the teachers to test the Veritaserum of Exceptions. They needed to test the draught on older subjects, with different experiences and magical powers. The majority of the teachers consented to participate, Mr Burgess and Miss Cork excepted because they were busy consoling Malfoy, and Mr Sawman because he was allergic to one of the ingredients. The Professors all seemed to react to the draught in a similar way to the adolescents.

On the Wednesday prior to Snape’s inquiry, Professor McGonagall accompanied Hermione to the headmaster’s office where Hermione presented the Veritaserum of Exceptions to Snape. She handed him a scroll that Harry had made her copy in her own handwriting, of his description of the draught. He had written it as an article similar to the Accromantula paper, ready to be submitted to a journal. Snape ran it through suspiciously.

“You invented this?” he said to Hermione.

“Neville Longbottom and I mostly,” lied Hermione, as convened between Harry and her. “We have consulted with Harry Potter to some extent too.”

“Hm...” grunted Snape.

“I’ll take it in front of you, Severus, and you’ll be persuaded of how excellent it is,” said Professor McGonagall and drained the cup that Hermione handed her. Hermione started the questioning, but Snape soon overtook the work.

“What did you think of me, Minerva, that night when you chased me away from the school, before the battle started?”

Professor McGonagall blemished and let out some guttural sounds before she said: “I’d like to pass on that question.”

“And I’d like you to speak the truth, please, Minerva,” said Snape.

"I want to pass on the question, please,” Professor McGonagall insisted calmly.

“If you answer the question, I’ll take the draught on Saturday at the inquiry, which is what you have come to ask me to do, isn’t it?” said Snape.

Professor McGonagall hesitated before she locked eyes with him and said slowly, but clearly:

“When I chased you out of the castle that night, I felt the desperation and the satisfaction of a mother who finally decides to punish her child for all the mischief and evilness he has accumulated before her eyes. Right at that moment I loathed you and I hoped you would be punished enough to regret your actions!” Her voice cracked, and a shadow of surprise and tenderness passed on Snape’s face.

“Thank you, Minerva. I wanted to hear it in your own words. You’re such a polite and stern witch on most occasions.”

“I’ve changed my mind quite drastically about you, Severus.” Professor McGonagall tried to tone down her words.

“I do my best to live up to his demands...” Snape glanced at the portrait of Dumbledore. “I have stood nearly a whole year... That’s longer than I expected... Maybe the time has come…” Snape seemed lost in thoughts.

“Hem... Professor, do you want to know more about how I’m going to defend you?” asked Hermione.

“No, you go ahead, Miss Granger.” Snape changed to a light tone. “I’ll follow you, except in the areas you know I will not... It’s an interesting draught you’ve made. Tell all your friends who contributed to make it that I’m impressed. The judges might be suspicious as it’s not published in a journal yet and not officially approved by the Ministry, though.”

Hermione sounded a bit dejected when she told her friends about Snape’s comment.

“He’s right. Our potion isn’t approved by the Ministry. Therefore, we must essentially rely on their readiness to trust its effects and let us use it on Snape anyhow. I wish we had something more. I don’t understand how Snape can take this so lightly. They have so much on him that discredits him.” She was slumped in an armchair in a corner of the Gryffindor common room.

“You do have his Patronus,” said Ginny.

“And the explanation of his Obliviating sessions with the cruciated pupils. That’s good,” said Ron.

“We need something more substantial and objective.” Hermione shook her head discontented.

“You can do what they did to Harry when they wanted to extradite him to Paris. You can let Snape’s wand testify,” proposed Ron.

”Would they not already have performed a Priori Incantati on his wand, do you think?” asked Ginny.

”Not necessarily, because he already confessed to the murder of Dumbledore, so there was no reason for them to check the evidence,” answered Harry.

Hermione stared at Ron.

“Of course!” she exclaimed. ”Why haven’t I thought about that? Great thinking, Ron! But I need to see his wand beforehand. We need to go back almost three years. That’s an awful lot of spells to sort out. You must help me, Harry.”

“It must not show that I’m involved too much. He doesn’t like that,” said Harry.

“He already suspects it. I think that as long as you don’t testify or vouch for him, it’s okay with him,” said Hermione.

“It still must be done discretely. Let’s give it a try the three of us tomorrow. Ginny needs to do Quidditch. Sunday’s the big day for her,” answered Harry.

It proved virtually impossible to get near Snape the next day. He seemed to avoid all of them, and in the evening he departed on his mysterious weakly mission and did not return until late at night. Not until Friday afternoon did they catch him when Hermione knocked at the door to the teacher’s common room. He did not let her in, but stepped outside into the corridor to speak to her. He seemed quite patient, but uninterested. When Hermione asked him to borrow his wand for a while he only raised his eyebrows in disbelief and said that he could not possibly part with it. He did not even give Hermione time to explain the reason she wanted it, before he returned to his staff. Hermione looked exasperated at Harry who popped up behind a pillar where he had been hiding during the conversation.

“I have an idea for tonight,” he said. “It’s time to call on Mrs Steady for some help.”

Harry was right in his assumption that Mrs Steadfast would join Hogwarts for supper. A lot of people from the outside would be let into the castle the next day as parents and the entire School Board were expected to attend the inquiry. Mrs Steadfast had to go through the last security measures. Harry managed to catch her attention after supper and whispered something in her ear.

“How long?” she asked.

“One hour should be enough before Professor Snape will have it back. But we’ll need to work in the hall for at least a couple of hours, three, maybe four...” answered Harry.

“I’ll put Simmings and Swan on guard outside the Great Hall so that you might work undisturbed. Wait here, I’ll be right back,” said Mrs Steadfast. Hermione looked impressed when the chief Auror came back one minute later and handed Snape’s wand over to them. “I’ll keep him busy,” she said and winked at them.

***

Harry and Hermione did not go to bed until long after midnight. First they worked in the Great Hall together with Ron for several hours before Mrs Steadfast came to tell them she had to leave the castle and they needed to return to their house. After that, Hermione and Harry rehearsed the procedure and the arguments for the morrow in front of the big fire place until the glow had died down, been revived and died down again several times.

 

The End.


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