Our Little One

.~*~.Our little one. ~*~.

Chapter Nineteen

Sirius's Trick

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This part of the chapter is not from any particular first-person POV.

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"Do you have a swimming suit, Olivia?"

The girl looked up from her book -- not about potions for a chance, instead it was on magical creatures -- and looked confusedly at her Dad. "A swimming suit?" she echoed. "No, I don't think I have one at the moment. Haven't had much use for those recently. Why do you ask?"

"I just thought that swimming might take your thoughts off the things for a while," Remus replied. "There's a rather good pool in one of the rooms of the Manor. Neither I nor Lucius have been there fore quite a while, but you might find it pleasant."

"I think I would," Olivia said, smiling. "Shall I get a swimming suit now, then?"

"That's a good idea," Remus replied. "Go get your things and some Calming Potion while I call for Draco. He'll gladly accompany you."

*

Later that day, Olivia was led to the pool room by Remus. The werewolf soon left after showing her the places. Spotting a door with her name carved on it, Olivia went to the room and changed to her swimming suit. It was blue -- like Draco had said, it was all good and well to use the Malfoy colours, but enough is enough.

The water was cool as she dived into it. Enjoying the feeling of floating through the clear water, Olivia then swam back to the broad marble stairway on one side of the pool -- this was the Malfoy Manor, after all. Climbing up from the pool, she went to dive again into the water

It was during her fourth dive that she was taken by surprise. Somebody was swimming in front of her. She blinked in confusion, but the sight didn't disappear.

Olivia swam nearer, and noticed that the other person was Remus. He was in full robes, however, and seemingly trying to swim to the bottom of the pool. This was confusing her, but even more she was disturbed by the fact that the robes he was wearing weren't the ones he'd been wearing only some time before.

As she watched, the body of her Dad fell down towards the bottom of the pool, now unmoving.

*

The Blacks were yet again visiting them. Remus explained that Olivia had gone to swim, an excuse they all approved. It would only be good for her to relax some.

Inwardly, Remus couldn't help but be a bit worried. The pool was rarely used nowadays because of all kind of dark memories attached to it. Lucius used to swim every time after he'd been tortured by the Dark Lord -- not a memory you wanted to have while a lazy swimming trip for fun. And Remus himself, well, he had some... unpleasant... memories, too.

'But Olivia can swim,' he thought determinedly. 'It'll do only good to her to relax.' Then, glancing towards their guests, he added sadly, 'It would do a lot of good to us all.' Severus wasn't wearing robes, instead, he had black trousers and a dark blue shirt. Sirius was wearing similar clothes, as if to lessen the attention directed on his husband's clothes, and kept giving the darkhaired Slytherin concerned glances. Remus and Lucius kept glancing at him, too -- it was almost frightening how calmly Severus was dealing with this. Frightening, and definitely worrying.

Suddenly, Severus froze. For a moment he looked concentrated on something, then he turned towards the Malfoys. "Say it again... Where is Olivia right now?"

"She said she was going to swim in the pool," Remus replied, surprised. "Why?"

Surprising them all, Severus bounced up from his chair, almost knocking it over. "Then we'd better get there and fast," he said hastily. "Somebody's Seeing in the building, and it damn well is not me. And if she's in water at the moment..."

Remus paled instantly, also standing. He rushed towards the nearest mirror, the other three men right on his heels.

Soon they'd went through the mirror to the corridor nearest to the pool room. Everone was hurrying towards the actual room where Olivia was as suddenly, Severus froze on his current footsteps, closing his eyes. The others glanced at him concernedly.

"What's wrong, love?" Sirius asked warily. "Is the Seeing disturbing you? You don't usually go like this if there isn't a strong channel around."

Severus nodded slowly. "It's a strong memory," he muttered, grinding his teeth. "And she's Seeing it the first time... The first time is always stronger..." At these words, his eyes snapped open. His gaze, however, was blank, locked at something nobody else could see. He was shaking slightly, however, and the others knew that whatever it was that he saw, it wasn't pleasant.

Sirius sighed, drawing his husband into his embrace. He made a gesture to the two other men, urging them to go to get Olivia. Then he started rubbing the dark-haired Slytherin's back, murmuring soothingly to him. He couldn't wake Severus from the trance, but at least he could try to make it easier to his lover.

Remus and Lucius gave him concerned glances, but then their worry for Olivia won. Rushing towards the room that held the pool, they let Sirius to care for his husband alone.

***

Time seemed to go much slower than normal. Sirius was watching the Malfoys' doings through the open doorway while he held his husband. Then Severus's tense body relaxed suddenly, and he fell backwards, being stopped by Sirius's tight embrace. He closed his eyes, clutching on his husband's arms for support. His breathing was heavy, and he was still trembling slightly.

"It's okay, Sev," Sirius murmured, rubbing the other man's back in a soothing manner. "It's okay. They got Olivia just in time, she'll be fine. Everyone will be fine."

"She's safe?" Severus asked, still a bit confused after the vision.

"Completely," Sirius assured. "Nothing is wrong anymore." He then looked curiously at his husband. "Exactly what was the vision about?" he asked.

"It was -- it was --" Severus tried to say, failing. He took a deep breath and said, "It was the time Remus tried to drown himself. After Joyce and Philip died."

Sirius didn't say anything. Instead, he hugged Severus even tighter against his chest.

***

Olivia slowly opened her eyes. She looked straight into Remus's wide, frightened eyes. "D-Dad?" she stammered, astonished.

"Olivia," Remus sighed, sounding relieved. "Never, ever again frighten us like that."

"I -- what happened?" she asked, confused.

"You started Seeing in the water," Lucius explained. "You almost drowned, little one." He took a strict tone. "Never again go swimming without taking the blocking potion first," he commanded firmly.

"Right..." she muttered, still feeling a bit dizzy. Then she tried to force her lips onto a smile. "You know, it'd be easier if you just simply wrote a list of places where I don't have to use that potion," the girl said, attempting to sound amused but unable to hear the slight tinge of fear in her voice. She could have had died, and would have, if Severus hadn't been in the house.

Then Lucius decided to speak up again. "What was the memory about, little one?" he asked worriedly. Remus froze. Lucius thought that it was about him. And Lucius thought so because Remus didn't want him to know.

"I -- I saw Dad," Olivia said faintly, gaining an almost unaudible sigh from Remus and a sharp breath from Lucius. "He was swimming... but then he swam towards the bottom of the pool. And then he wasn't swimming at all, he just fell and fell and fell. And when he had been lying on the bottom of the pool for some time, Sirius came and levitated him from the water. Then he and Severus used magic to wake Dad up..."

At this point, Lucius fixed his eyes at Remus. "Remus?" he asked questioningly, a sharp tone in his voice.

The werewolf sighed. "It was after the children had died, and you had woken up," he said quietly. "You just cried and said that it was your fault -- what it wasn't. And you wouldn't listen to me when I tried to tell you otherwise. I just felt so useless..." His voice trailed off, and he avoided his husband's eyes.

"You never told me." Lucius's statement was calm, void of any accusations.

"No, I didn't," admitted Remus. "I told Severus and Sirius not to tell you, either, after they had saved me. They promised not to tell you, if I promised never to try to drown myself again."

"You should have told me." Lucius's voice was quiet, but he still wasn't blaming Remus for what he'd done. He sounded simply sad, and a bit tired.

"You were in a state bad enough as it was," replied Remus equally quietly. "I didn't want to worry you any more."

"Well, this is not the right place nor time to discuss this," said Lucius then, sighing and getting up, leaning heavily on his cane. "Get changed, Olivia, and come then to the master sitting room. Okay?"

"Okay," she replied quietly, and soon hurried towards her dressing room.

*

The following Monday came soon, right after the full moon. The new trial came along as well.

Remus was sitting on his seat and listening attentively to everything said around him, being the epitome of a watchful person following a trial. All his friends, however, knew that this attentiveness was only due to some potions -- or, more specifically, drugs -- he'd begged from Lucius. The potions were all very dangerous in long-term use, but now, for this day and maybe the couple of days after it, he was using them. It wouldn't do any good for him if he fell asleep during the trial, no matter if the full moon had been the night before.

Again Severus, Weasley, and their colleagues settled to their places. This time, however, Olivia stayed on her seat next to her adoptive parents, looking as Malfoy-esque as anybody could. After a moment, the judge -- the very same as in the first trial -- nodded to Weasley. "Let the trial begin," she said. Weasley stood, a parchment in his hand, and started to speak.

"Olivia Malfoy has been under the custody of Remus and Lucius Malfoy ever since the 12th of November last year. This was when a primary adoption was confirmed. However, the secondary adoption hasn't been confirmed. As a Ministry official, I was asked to check whether it should be confirmed, and unfortunately I've had to give a negative answer to that question. Therefore, I am here in behalf of the Ministry's Family Department, claiming that Misters Malfoy and Malfoy are not the optional choice to be Olivia's parents.

"I'm claiming that Olivia Malfoy should be taken away from her current guardians and be placed into an orphanage, or preferably into another family. Having been abused by men and especially Death Eaters, it would not do good to her to have only two fathers and no mother, especially when one of the mentioned fathers is a former Death Eater. As both elder Malfoys are working for the Ministry, and the Malfoy Manor is located rather far away from any villages or cities, Muggles and Wizarding alike, it is not likeable that Olivia is getting the attention and company she needs in her age, especially as she is a Ciddle and thus cannot attend to any magical school. Living surrounded by powerful wizards can not do any good to the self-confidence of a girl who has hardly any magical powers to herself, neither can it teach her to live without magic, which she needs to know to be able to survive later in life.

"Being in a vulnerable age, Olivia needs a healthy female figure around, one that is hardly available in the family of two homosexual men. Being surrounded solely by homosexual men might also distract her search for her own sexuality should be. Exposure to too many dark things can't be too healthy for a young girl, either."

"Also, Mr. Remus Malfoy is a registrated werewolf, which brings issues as in is he fit for a parent-"

"Your honor," Sirius cut in, addressing the judge, "may I speak in an official matter that can't wait?"

The judge gave a curt nod. "If it really can't be avoided, you may."

"Mr. Ronald Weasley," Sirius said surprisingly calmly, turning towards the redhead, "once this trial is over, you are officially fired."

"WHAT?" Weasley roared. "You don't have the right to fire me!"

"In fact, I do," the Animagus with a small, smug grin. "It is clearly stated in the Ministry law concerning werewolves that 'If a person is a registrated lycanthrope who receives and uses their doses of Wolfsbane Potion monthly, and has not received a juridical sentence due to their Lycanthropy or the direct and undirect consequences of it, the person's Lycanthropy can't be used as a reason in any juridical case including but not limited to marriage certificates, working relation issues, adoptional or guardianship matters, divorces, and fertilization permissions. If a Ministry officials breaks this law, any official under the Werewolf Department of the Ministry of Magic can fire them.' And, as the secondary superior of the Department in question, I have the right to fire you. This measure is based on your prejudical statement questioning Mr. Remus Malfoy's ability to take care of a child strictly due to his Lycanthropy, not the effects or direct consequences of it." He glanced towards the judge. "Am I right in this case, your honor?" he asked politely.

The judge nodded. "You've reasoned yourself very well, Mr. Black. After this trial, Mr. Ronald Weasley does not work for the Ministry anymore. Also, if he gives another statement breaking this law, this trial will be interrupted and another official shall take his place."

Sirius nodded and grinned again smugly, then whispered to the others, "About half of his reasonings just dropped away. Sometimes it helps to know every little law by heart."

"Congratulations, Padfoot," Remus whispered back. "That was truly a nice trick!"

"Don't thank me, thank Marius Lawrence from my department. He was the one who forced that law through."

"Very well," the judge said then, interrupting their conversation. "And you, Mister Black?" she then said, glancing at Severus.

"I'm here to defend Remus and Lucius Malfoy in this case," Severus said levelly. "After gaining the custody over Olivia Darkholm in a primary adoption on the 12th of last November, they've been taking excellent care of her. They consider Olivia their own daughter in every aspect, and want her to remain as such.

"I'm claiming that Olivia Malfoy should stay with her current guardians. They have quickly formed a true parent-child relationship, which is essential in an adoptional family. It would not be healthy to Olivia to be again taken from her home and be put into another, or even worse, into an orphanage. Especially unwise it would be as this time she wants to remain in her current home, while before she ran away. Having been abused by straight men and being aftaid of them, she would only benefit from being able to form both parent-child relationships and friendships with men she does not find threatening. Should she need the company of an adult woman, she can turn to the female members of her extended family of family friends and in-laws, and living in a mostly homosexual enviroment can hardly distract her own sexual developement any more than living in a strictly heterosexual one.

"Being a Ciddle and thus equal to a Pureblood child, Olivia could only be given into a wizarding family. No other family, however, could offer her as good possibilities to live as a Ciddle in the magical world as the Malfoy family. Once she turns sixteen, she'll gain the control of the magic of the Malfoy Manor, which she'll later inherit, as her older adoptive-brother, Draco Malfoy, has expressed his unwillingness to receive the Manor. This magic is more than anyone else could offer her, and the Malfoys are also able to provide her with a wealthy home, a respected position in the Wizarding World, as well as any training she requires to properly control her Ciddle powers."

This time neither of them had much more to say, so the judge soon announced that the trial would be ended for that day, and that they would continue on the following day with the first witness: Severus.

*

"Today, it'll only be Robert with you," Severus told his companions on the following morning. "I'll give my testimony today, and Jane Keddle from my section is helping Robert."

"Jane Keddle?" Harry echoed curiously, being able to attend to the trial this time. "Any relation to the woman who wrote down the first notes of the ancient Quidditch game?"

"I wouldn't know," the Slytherin chuckled dryly. "You'd have to ask her."

Harry didn't ask her, however. Instead, he settled down next to the Malfoys as the trial was about to continue.

The judge glanced around the courtroom and nodded slightly as she saw everyone where they should be. "This trial, the Ministry Family Department versus Malfoy and Malfoy, shall continue," she announced. "Today, we will hear Severus Black's testimony on the case." She nodded a bit, signaling to them to start.

Once Severus had given his vows to truth, magic binding him to his words, his fellow official started questioning him.

"Your full name, age, and current working position?" Miss Keddle asked at first.

"Severus Miracol Snape Black, forty-three, the superior of the Male Pregnancy Section under the Family Department and the Potions Master Department of the Ministry of Magic."

"We have been informed that you are in touch with the Malfoy family often. Is this correct?" Robert asked, very well knowing the answer.

Severus nodded. "I am a brother to Mr. Lucius Malfoy's ex-wife, who's his son's mother," he said smoothly. "I'm also a personal friend to both Lucius and Remus Malfoy, and Draco Malfoy's fiancé is my husband's godson and our adopted son."

"Have you been their friend for long?" the official asked.

" I've been Remus's friend for over ten years, ever since he taught in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the first time in 1993. I've been Lucius's friend ever since 1975, when he first taught in Hogwarts as an assistant to Magdalena McTurnip, the Potions Mistress at the time."

"So it is safe to state that you know them both very well?"

"I might say so, yes." Severus nodded again curtly.

Before Robert could go on, however, Weasley cut in. "Several witnesses have said that when Mr. Remus Malfoy, then Remus Lupin, taught at Hogwarts in 1993, you were openly hostile towards him. If he truly was your friend then, why this behaviour?"

"I had to maintain a certain facadé," Severus explained in a calm, almost cool tone. "I was working for the Light, and this required me to pose as a Death Eater. I had to keep up a mean mask towards all those who were openly on the Light side, since some of my students were children of Death Eaters, and that kind of behaviour could have raised suspicions about my loyalties."

"So outside of your supposed normal behaviour, you were still friends?" Robert asked, catching the questioning back to his own hands.

"Very much so."

Miss Keddle looked at her papers, then at Severus. "You claim to know the Malfoys. How long have you been aware that Remus Malfoy is a Lycanthrope?"

"Since we were sixteen years of age."

"You are also known to be the first one who administered Wolfsbane Potion to Mr. Malfoy. Do you know if he's taking his doses regularly?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Ever since I invented the potion, he's only spent one full moon without the aid of the potion, in 1994."

"Why was that? Was it out of pure carelessness, or because of a lack of the potion?" Miss Keddle continued, obviously forming her questiongs very carefully.

"He was on his way to save three students from Sirius Black, who in his, and the Wizarding World's as whole, knowledge was the bertrayer of James and Lily Potter and a murdered of thirteen Muggles and Peter Pettigrew." At this, he glanced at Sirius, a bit of amusement in his beetle-black eyes.

"Was there any danger caused to the students?" Weasley asked sharply, his eyes glinting with malice. He obviously hadn't forgotten the unfortunate night.

Severus pondered the question for a moment. Then he said, obviously choosing his words carefully, "Unfortunately, yes, a possibility of danger did exist. My husband, or my fiancé at the time, however, transformed quickly into his Animagus form and kept Remus away from the children even before the transformation was complete."

"And after that, he's never transformed to his wolf form without the potion, correct?" Robert took his turn to ask.

"Very true. He has not missed a single dose."

"Is he receiving his doses of the potion every month for sure?" Weasley's fellow official asked, opening his mouth for the first time.

"Well, seeing that I, Lucius, and nowadays even Olivia are all well capable of brewing the potion for him, there's no way he could be without it."

Robert grinned before asking, "So Mr. Malfoy's Lycanthropy is not an issue and doesn't prevent him taking care of children?"

"Definitely not."

The other official of their opponent's side, Mr. Lyncay, scribbled something to his parchment. Then he looked at Severus over his glasses. "So that's clear. Lucius Malfoy has spent half a year in Azkaban, accused of being a Death Eater. What do you have to say about that?"

"He was freed because it turned out that he was innocent," Severus said coolly. "Lucius was a Death Eater, true, but he had switched sides years before. He was, like I, posing as a Death Eater in order to collect information for the purpose of the Light."

"So his true loyalties lie in the Light now?"

"That's absolutely correct."

"So are Olivia Malfoy's needs, in your opinion, fulfilled in the Malfoy family?" the official asked.

"Could you please specify what needs you are refering to?" Severus asked in a silky voice.

"Of course. Do you think she's receiving all the financial, physical, and emotional treatment from the Malfoys that a child might require from their parents?"

"Absolutely. Olivia gets practically anything she might ask for. She's the most healthy child I've seen in ages, and anyone can see that she loves and is loved by Remus and Lucius. There's no question about it."

Weasley again cut in. "Olivia Malfoy doesn't attend to any wizarding school. Why so?"

"She is a Ciddle," Severus replied calmly, "a case which has been tested and verified. Therefore, no magical education is an option for her."

Robert looked at his own parchment, looking thoughtful. He was obviously pondering how to turn the topic so that it would make the Malfoys look good. "However, it's also known that Olivia does possess talents for both Divination and Potions. Is her education in these things taken care of, or does she lack the proper instructioning?"

"At first, although I have no doubts that Olivia would do very well in the school subject of Divination," the Potions Master started, "Olivia possesses the talent of Seeing. Therefore, she needs no instructions for using her Divinating talent. However, should she have any questions, she knows she can always come to me and ask whatever she might want to know about the topic."

"You?" Weasley asked sharply. "And how are you capable of answering her questions?"

Everyone in the courtroom watched him intently. It was a well-known "fact" that Severus Black despised everything about Divination and especially those who were involved with it. All his friends also were strained to hear his answer, since they had no idea of how much Severus would be ready to reveal of his secrets.

"I'm a first-class member of the Seer's Guild," Severus answered smoothly. "I possess the natural talent of Seeing, and tests of the Guild have classified me as one of the strongest kind of Seers."

Surprised gasps filled the room. Severus's fellow officials, however, merely nodded without showing any surprise. Then Miss Keddle continued, "For those of us who don't know, could you tell us how strong is the strongest kind?"

"Well, normally I use a potion to keep my talent under control, if there's any chance to get in touch with anything that might cause Seeing. Without it, however, if there's an artefact capable of channeling visions, or a person is Seeing in a room, I can't enter or even go near the room without falling into trance as well."

"So it is safe to assume that you can answer all her possible questions?" Miss Keddle asked.

"I can't imagine any questions I couldn't answer."

The witch nodded. Then she asked, "And what about her skills in Potions? Have the Malfoys done anything to ensure her proper education in this matter?"

"Olivia is currently studying for her first Potions Mistress tests, which she'll be taking this summer," Severus told only the tiniest bit smugly. " Lucius Malfoy and I are sharing the duty of tutoring her in the art of brewery."

"And what makes you capable of doing that?" Robert asked, grinning again slightly.

"We're both not only members of the Alchemist's Guild but also members of the Potions Master's Guild and members of the Potions Master Council," the Slytherin replied. "I, myself, am the Lead Potions Master."

"What does that mean?" Keddle asked in a fake-curious tone - she of course knew this already. "How good you need to be in order to get to the Council?"

"Well, I'm commonly classified as the best Potions Master in Britain. In the world as whole, I'm considered at least one of the ten best ones, if not the best. Lucius is about the fourth or third best in the country as well."

"Does she have any place to research and study potions?" Mr. Lyncay asked.

"She has her own laboratory, which has all required equipments and ingredients as well as literature on the topic. She's also allowed to work in Lucius's and my laboratories, which are well known to be very well equipped. My own laboratory, where she works often, is the largest and best supplied laboratory outside the Alchemist's Guild's Headquarters."

"Ciddles are known to be able to use their own kind of wands. Does Olivia have a wand?" Robert questioned his colleague.

"Yes. She received her own within a week after the Ciddle test was performed. It was purchased in Paris."

"So at least Olivia's education is well taken care of?" Miss Keddle smiled.

"I don't think any other family could offer her any better means of education."

"Very well." Miss Keddle scribbled something to her papers, then again adressed him. "Mr. Black, you claim to be tutoring Olivia. How does she behave around you?"

"I take it you mean in the whole time I've known her?" After receiving a nod, he said, "Well, when I first met her, she was very cautious and easily frightened. Almost as soon as she found out who I was, however, she eased into a free conversation about potions. After that, I've never noticed any caution, nervousness, or fear in her behaviour in general. Only a couple of times, when she's realized she's done something wrong, I've seen her show signs of being frightened. Those have, however, vanished almost immediately."

"So she has no problems whatsoever with interacting with you?"

"Absolutely not."

Miss Keddle exchanged glances with Robert. Then the wizard asked, "What about other men? How have you seen her behaving around your friends?"

"I've only seen her with a few people," Severus explained smoothly. "Around her adoptive fathers, for what I've seen, she's always been happy and at ease. She has never in my sight had problems showing her affection to them, even though I've heard that she used to be very shy even towards them in the beginning. Towards her adoptive brother Draco Malfoy, his fiancé and my husband's adoptive son Harry Potter, or my husband Sirius Black, she also shows only positive feelings and never seems to have any trouble with normal everyday interacting."

"Have you ever seen Olivia interacting with straight men?"

Severus nodded. "I took her with me to the Potions Master Headquarters, since Lucius was being busy elsewhere and we had to fill the forms for her to enter the test line required for becoming a Potions Master or, in her case, a Potions Mistress. The official who we talked with was a straight, married man."

"Was Olivia's behaviour towards him any different than towards her family members and friends?" Miss Keddle asked.

Severus nodded again briefly. "It was the exact opposite," he said quietly. "She was cautious and kept glancing at him like she'd been afraid he might attack her. Whenever he said something with a louder voice than normal, Olivia took a step backwards, flinching as though she'd been hit." His voice was quiet, but everybody heard it, since the whole courtroom was quiet.

"Have you ever seen this kind of behaviour from her when she's with you or your husband?" Mr. Lyncay asked, obviously trying to catch him in his words.

"No, never." Severus shook his head.

"So we can safely assume that Miss Malfoy has no problems when interacting with homosexual men, but is indeed afraid of heterosexual men?" Robert continued before their opponents had the change to ask anything.

"From what I've seen, yes." Severus nodded.

"You seem to know Olivia rather well despite the short time you've known her. Do you think it would be wise to place her in a so-called 'normal' family, with a man and a woman, maybe a couple of children?"

The Potions Master snorted. "If you want to cause her life-long traumas, then yes," he said dryly. "If you want the best for her, you'll never do anything like that."

"Is there anybody in near touch with the family who could help Olivia with the issues she has about her abuse?" Mr. Lyncay questioned sharply.

"I should think so," Severus said in a dry tone. "I, personally, endured the whole of seventeen years of physical abuse from my own father. I think I am capable of helping Olivia with whatever issues she might have about her own childhood."

The official raised his eyebrows slightly, determinedly ignoring the shocked sounds from their audience. "And what about the other possible issues? It is known that she has had bad experiences with Death Eaters. Both Lucius Malfoy and you are former members of this group. Have you spoken with her about this?"

"We have talked about it, yes," he replied almost carelessly. "I don't exactly know what Lucius has told her, but I, personally, have discussed the topic with Olivia. She knows and understands the motives behind my joining to the group, and she's aware of the crimes I've committed while posing as a Death Eater. She's also aware of the fact that I was spying for the Light and that I wasn't truly loyal to the beliefs of the Dark side."

"And does she have any problems about this?"

"Not that I'm aware of. As I said, she understands and respects my choices. She's never questioned my loyalties, nor has she ever showed feeling threatened by my Death Eater status."

"It sounds like you would be a better parent to her than the Malfoys," Weasley said then sharply. "Whatever she might need, it's you who is capable of helping her. So please, do tell us, why is she their daughter at the moment, and not yours?"

Severus met his gaze steadily. "Because while I do love her like one would love a pleasant niece, or even a goddaughter," he said smoothly, "Remus and Lucius love her like she was their own flesh and blood. I don't know about you, but I do value that pretty high."

A point to them, again.

After that, the questioning went on for still some time. However, Severus's friends from the Ministry were smart and fast enough to always turn it to their desired direction, keeping the whole thing well on the safe waters. In the end, the Malfoys, Sirius, and Harry surrounded the Lead Potions Master as soon as he stepped out of the witness's place.

"That was brilliant," Remus sighed in relief. "You were right, Weasley had truly come up with some very troublesome questions, and that Lyncay guy wasn't any easier. Fortunately, your friends were this time cleverer than our opponent." He glared momentarily at Weasley, who purposefully ignored his gaze.

"I know. I have to give a full confession to Robert and Jane about that," Severus said with a slight grin. "In the other testimonies, I'm also setting the questions. I can only hope I can do as well as they did." He gave an approving smile to the other official, who had just come to their side.

"While we are still in the topic..." Robert said, starting to glance through his parchments. "You and your husband are required in the third questioning room tonight seven o'clock. We'll work with his questioning there."

Severus nodded. "Very well." He glanced at Sirius, and smirked slightly. "What do you think? Will we make it?"

"Whatever," Sirius shrugged. "As long as Weasley doesn't ask my favourite Quidditch team."

"And what if I do that instead?" Severus asked, smirking slightly.

"Then you'd better be prepared to carry me home in very, very little pieces," Sirius replied with a shrug. "Our side are of course avid fans of the Magpies, but I heard that Weasley is nuts on the Chudley Cannons."

"Very funny, Sirius," Severus snorted, slapping his husband slightly on the neck. "Since we are taking the main witnesses first, I'm afraid that after Sirius is your turn," he said then to the Malfoys. "Lucius is the day after tomorrow and Remus is on Friday. Weasley of course tried to put you on my place, claiming that you were the most important of the participants," he added grimly, looking at Remus. "I pushed your testimony as far away from the full moon as possible, but to Friday is the best I can do."

Remus nodded wearily. "I understand, and I'm grateful," he said quietly. "I can only imagine what it'd been if I'd had to prepare for the questions the day after the full moon. The drugs made me able to maintain a calm face, but I didn't even hear half of what was spoken."

"Don't forget the public questioning that would have been today," Lucius reminded him gently. "I know it's still hard to you to hide the signs of the wolf from showing, and that's just the image we want to avoid."

To this, none of them could say anything. They all nodded in a perfect agreement.