Keeping Emma

Chapter 10: The Hearing

Emma sat in Professor Dumbledore's office, awaiting his return. She had asked Minerva to help her get in. Finally she heard the rumbling of the stone gargoyle and he entered the room.

"Emma? I did not know you were waiting. What can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to you, Professor. Severus and I have been discussing our future. I will be remaining here at Hogwarts with him this year. Madam Pomfrey will be delivering our baby in April. However, when the baby comes, we will need to have a home of our own. Severus says that his house on Spinner's End is too far away and not acceptable for me and the baby. We have discussed it. He wants to sell it and purchase a home in Mulroon after the school year ends. We'll spend the summer getting settled in, and the baby and I will remain there when school begins next year."

"That sounds like an excellent plan, Emma. A child needs to be brought up in a home."

"Exactly. But a child also needs its father there at night. Severus told me that he agreed to live here at school and be Head of Slytherin House. But that was before me and this baby. I will want Severus to be home with me at night. That includes being home for dinner. No offense, but your rule about the teachers having dinner in the Great Hall is interfering with our marriage. We would like to enjoy some private time. Alone. It's not so bad this year because I often join all of you. But next year, I will not stand for it. I will not be having dinner alone every single night, nor sleeping alone for ten months. At first he thought to get a place in Hogsmeade. But that won't do. If I'm to be alone with an infant all day, I will need a house with electric lights, and a refrigerator and stove. I want a television. I need a Muggle house, in a Muggle town. Severus will be able to apparate in every morning and disapparate every day after his last class."

Albus sighed. He had not imagined that Emma was such a bossy little thing. He had not planned on this. Well, it was silly to hold Severus to his promise now. Harry was still nine years away from attending Hogwarts. "I agree, Emma," he said. "I will permit Severus to live off site. I do ask that the two of you try to make it to the Great Hall a couple nights a week, though, especially tonight. The Halloween Feast is always spectacular. Next year, I will ask Professor Sinistra if she will step into the role as Head of House for Slytherin."

Emma smiled. Professor Dumbledore was perfectly accommodating. She couldn't wait to tell Severus. Here he'd thought that the Headmaster would freak out over their plans, that he'd never permit it. "Well, thank you for being so understanding, Professor," she said, getting up.

Emma made her way back down the stairs to the hall, planning on meeting Hagrid for their daily walk. Emma loved the crisp air and the sound of the fallen leaves under her feet. Severus had enlisted Hagrid to escort her while he taught. She was on her way down the main staircase toward the Entrance Hall when she saw the American witch coming up. Emma recalled that she had smiled at her at the start of term feast and greeted her as she approached her.

Natalie ran up to her and stood on the step beneath Emma, grasping her arms. "Emma, I need to speak with you. My father and I are here to save you. What the Ministry did to you was wrong, and against international law. They were supposed to turn you over to the American Consulate. They would have contacted my father and he would have returned you to America. We're working to free you, Emma. You don't have to be afraid anymore. We will get this marriage anulled if it's the last thing we do."

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked, pulling away from her. "I love my husband. We're having a baby. Just tell your father that his efforts are not needed."

Emma ran down the stairs to the dungeons and into Severus' arms. She was surprised to learn that he already knew about the situation.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"I didn't want you upset," he explained. "Professor Dumbledore assures me that if a hearing does take place, your wishes will be the only important thing. You will only need get on the stand and say that you wish to stay married to me of your own free will. Don't worry, little one, I'll never let anyone take you away from me."

*****

December was drawing near. Severus was in awe over Emma's changing body. At four and a half months, the pregnancy was quite visible and he often wondered how such a tiny body could be stretched beyond what seemed to be human endurance. Severus had never thought that he would actually look forward to having a child, but the first time he had felt his child move under his hand he had been hooked.

Madam Pomfrey had confirmed that the baby would be a girl just the day before Dumbledore had returned from the November session of the Wizengamot with the news that the Minister of Magic had ordered a full hearing on the matter of his and Emma's marriage. Fudge had done a turnabout as soon as the American Ambassador threatened to pull out of a lucrative trade agreement between the Ministry and the Supreme Coven. Typical of the Americans, Severus thought. Whether Magical or Muggle, they were nothing but bullies.

But Dumbledore had assured him that the Wizengamut would listen to Emma's testimony and give her full freedom over her own future.

"Wonderful," said Severus, visibly relieved. "Emma will be thrilled. Did I mention that I am positive that the baby did a complete flip last night? I bet I have a future Seeker on my hands. Madam Pomfrey says that the heartbeat is strong and clear and that we are having a daughter. Emma is so happy that Hagrid taught her how to knit. She taught me, so I'm making a pink blanket while she works on booties and caps. The booties are so unbelievably small. What do you think of the name Octavia? Emma doesn't much care for it, but it seems like a good sensible name. Emma wants to name her Allison...uh, Professor? Are you awake?"

Professor Dumbledore started, mid-snore. "Oh, so sorry Severus, what were you saying?"

"Oh, it's not important. It is getting late. I'd better get back down there in case Emma needs anything."

"Yes, I quite agree. Good night, Severus. Oh, by the way, have the two of you considered Albussa or Dumblette for names?"

A look of combined horror and disbelief came over Severus' face. "Um...no, Professor, I can't say we have. I'll um...mention them to Emma. But she's the boss, you know. Good night."

As Severus made his way down the stairs, Albus chuckled. "Oh, I know, Severus, I know." As he made his way to his bed, he stopped short. "Did he...did he say he was...knitting? Severus? Nah, he couldn't have."

*****

The weeks sped by. Finally, it was time to leave for London for the hearing, which was scheduled for the Monday before Christmas, the twentieth. The Hogwarts Express would be taking the students back to London for their Christmas break on Saturday the eighteenth. Severus bundled Emma and their bag into a carriage and got her on the Hogwarts Express early. The Headmaster's car was off limits to students. Emma sat on Severus' lap on a nice, upholstered chair in front of the fireplace, waiting and listening to the students as they boarded the train. Finally, Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey boarded, and the train set off for London and Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

Emma spent much of the trip at the table, playing solitaire with her Muggle playing cards. The headmaster seemed most fascinated by the cards and kept asking so many questions about the game she had to give up and show him how to play it. Then she decided to get them all involved in a game of five card stud poker. By the time the train had pulled into Station Nine and Three Quarters, she had won twelve galleons from the Headmaster by making sure that she imagined she was holding a pair of twos while she really held three queens, so the Headmaster had bet everything on his three nines. The look on his face when he realized that she was onto his use of Legilimency to know what she held was comical. Even Severus was amazed that she had managed to effectively block him.

Upon arrival, they waited until all the students had disembarked and had left the platform before leaving. Severus found an unused trolley and loaded it with the bags the four of them had packed. Soon, he returned, pushing the cart, with Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey following behind. The Headmaster had explained that the train would stay at Platform Nine and Three Quarters and they would return to Hogwarts on Monday evening, after the hearing. Then, he and Madam Pomfrey stepped into bathrooms to apparate to the Leaky Cauldron while Severus and Emma went outside to catch a taxi to a Muggle hotel just two blocks up from the Ministry of Magic.

Severus had to laugh as Emma headed to the television the second they got to the room and switched it on, looking for American news. She sighed in frustration and complained that they could only talk about the situation in Poland with Lech Walesa. When Severus pointed out that not everything of importance happened in the United States, she got a little snippy with him, so he decided to shut up. But then she became enthralled by an American doctor who was being interviewed about a mysterious new disease that seemed to be killing homosexual men.

Severus sat on the bed with her and watched the television for a few moments. "Emma," he said, "would you like to go downstairs to the restaurant for lunch or would you prefer to order up? After we eat, I want to go find you a Christmas gift, so you'll have to stay here in the room."

Emma looked at him in disbelief. "Severus, you still don't trust me around Muggles? This is unbelieveable." She got up and went into the bathroom, slamming the door. As she became more uncomfortable, she was certainly becoming crankier. Severus walked over to the door and stood outside it.

"I didn't say that, Emma. I need to be alone to buy your present and I don't want you wandering around alone in London. It isn't safe."

"Oh, please. I have been here before, you know."

"Right, and that worked out well, didn't it? Look what happened; you literally ran into me. You're way too trusting, Emma. You really shouldn't talk to strangers."

Emma opened the door, her hairbrush in her hand. "So, you're saying that you wish you'd never met me?"

Severus stood there, staring at her, not knowing how to answer that. If he said he was thrilled he had run into her, she could accuse him of being happy she'd lost her freedom. If he said the opposite, she'd complain that he was sorry he'd met her. He really couldn't win when she got like this, so instead of answering, he grabbed hold of her and began kissing her. It really was the best way to nip an argument in the bud, he had discovered.

As the Monday date for the hearing grew closer, both Emma and Severus grew more nervous about the entire thing. Finally, Monday morning arrived and they were walking up to the Ministry building. As they neared the Ministry, they passed a black limosene that was parked at the curb. It had an insignia with an American flag and the words, "United States Consulate" on the door. The windows were so darkly tinted that Emma could not see inside.

After entering through the call box outside and dialing 62442, they were lowered into the building. As the call box lowered, Severus held Emma from behind, keeping his hands protectively over her stomach and feeling their daughter move within her. Severus had to check his wand and they made their way down the elevator to the Department of Mysteries, then further down another corridor and stairs to yet another corridor, deeper and deeper into the earth, to Courtroom Ten.

Emma and Severus entered the immense dungeon chamber. A single chair, with chains, stood in the center of the darkened room. As Severus and Emma crossed over to the chair, their eyes became adjusted to the dim light. Around the perimeter, on benches set up in ever rising levels, sat a roomful of people. She could see, sitting near Professor Dumbledore, the members of the Wizengamut that the Headmaster had invited to their wedding in their plum colored robes with the letter W embroidered on them in silver. They smiled at her encouragingly.

A blonde-haired man wearing navy robes over a tailored black suit rose from his seat next to Fudge and stepped down onto the floor. He appeared to be around forty. In his hands he held a scroll of parchment. "Please be seated, child," he said softly. He had an American accent. As Emma approached the chair, the chains began to rattle and she jumped back into Severus' arms.

"She's not going to be chained, is she?" Severus asked.

"Of course not," he said harshly. "This is about freeing her, not chaining her. You may leave, Professor."

"Please, Sir, I want him to stay," said Emma.

"And I want you to be able to speak freely, without fear of reprisals. He goes," said the man firmly. "He will be taken to a room just up the hall to await you."

Emma clung to him, nervous. Severus gave her a kiss on the head and said, "It'll be all right, Emma. I promise." He then helped her up onto the chair, which was much too large for her, turned and left.

The hearing began as soon as the door closed behind Severus. "Miss Gianni. I am Ambassador Michael Dalton. Do you know why you are here?"

"My name is Emma Snape now," she said. "And, I've been told that you merely want to make certain that I am not being held against my will."

"Correct. May I call you Emma?" he asked with a smile. "I have a daughter near your age. I believe you have met her?" At Emma's nod, he continued, "The thought that a young girl could be taken from her mother, have it published that she was dead, abused as you were upset me greatly. I'm sure that you can understand how much it would upset a father."

"Yes, Sir, I can understand. And I am grateful for your concern."

"My concern came much too late to be of any real help though, didn't it, Emma?"

Emma knew that was a trick question. If she said yes, she would be admitting that she did not want to be where she was. If she said no, she would be admitting that she still needed his help. She just looked down and stayed silent.

"Emma, tell the court about how you came to lose your freedom."

"Where do you want me to begin?"

"Please begin at the point you met Professor Snape."

"I accidentally bumped into him on Charing Cross Road. He invited me to lunch, and then asked me to meet him at a pub later. I agreed and met him."

"And how did the date go?" he asked.

Emma flushed. This was not going to make Severus look good. "It went well at first. He ordered Coke for me because I told him that I was not used to alcohol. We have to be twenty-one to drink in our country, after all."

"You said it went well at first. What changed that?"

"I went to the bathroom. When I came back, one of my roommates at the hostel told me that she saw him put something into my drink. So, I got scared and left, telling him I didn't want to see him again. I returned to the youth hostel where I was staying."

"And on the way there, you were assaulted, beaten and stabbed by this Hank Lummox."

"Yes. Severus heard me scream and saved me. He took me to St. Mungos."

"Knowing full well that under Statute Forty-two of the Muggle Protection Act, you would be held by the Ministry. He had failed to drug you and saw a way to have you anyway."

"Severus didn't even know about Statute Forty-two until Preston Portage told him about it. He didn't want any part of it. But when it became clear that the Ministry was planning on sending me to Azkaban, Professor Dumbledore came up with the idea of having me come to live at Hogwarts."

"Emma, on what date were you placed in the custody of the Professor?"

"July 6^th."

"When is your baby due?"

"She's due the second week of April."

"Almost nine months to the day."

Emma felt her face turn red and she looked down at her hands. "I don't see your point," she said.

"Yes you do, Emma." He reached out and placed his hand over hers in her lap in a fatherly manner. "I'm not trying to embarrass you. You are completely innocent of any wrongdoing. How long were you under his control before Professor Snape raped you?"

Emma could hear the gasps of several of the females in the gallery.

"He didn't...he didn't do that," she said angrily.

"Really, Emma? The truth is that you did what you had to do to avoid being tortured by the Silver Circlet, isn't it? In fact, you were gravely injured by it, weren't you? And he was the one who caused the injury, wasn't he?"

"No," she said. "That's not true at all. It was an accident. I was running away from him and he called for me to stop. I didn't and the thing, well, it did what it was made to do."

Ambassadore Dalton smiled. "You were running away from him?" he asked.

"We'd had an argument. I was upset, so I ran out of his...our chambers. He never forced me to do anything I didn't want to do."

"Emma, you are supposed to tell the truth here."

"I am telling the truth."

"Really? And what would you say if I told you that I have a witness present who will testify that she knows he forced you to accept his advances just minutes after you had passed into his control?"

"I'd say it's a lie," she said. "It did not happen."

"I would like to call upon Healer Selma Wright to come forward at this time."

Emma saw the Healer from St. Mungos get up and make her way slowly down the stairs. She walked over and stood by Emma.

"Healer Selma," said the Ambassador, "Please tell this assembly what you observed happen in Emma's hospital room shortly before her release from your care."

"I saw Professor Dumbledore leave the room, so after several minutes, I came in to say goodbye. When I opened the door, I saw Emma half on the bed in front of him. He was leaning over her. I distinctly heard the Professor order her to remove her dress before the Headmaster came back. She was under his control, with the blessings of the Ministry. There was nothing I could do, so I closed the door and walked away."

"No," said Emma. "That's not what happened. He had to fix the dress because it did not fit correctly. That's all. All right, at first, Severus was cold. He looked at me purely in sexual terms. But he's changed. We've changed together. He loves me." Emma looked around at the members of the Wizengamut. She could see that they pitied her and believed the worst of Severus.

"My dear, have you ever stopped to consider the possibility that he has used his powers to befuddle your mind, or place you under a love potion?"

"No, he wouldn't do that. I know he wouldn't."

"You already admitted that he tried to drug you on your first date. You cannot possibly know, for certain, anything regarding him, Emma." Then he turned toward the Assembly. "I next call Madam Pomfrey to give testimony."

Madam Pomfrey came down and walked over to stand next to Emma as Healer Selma sat back in her seat.

"Madam Pomfrey, you are the Nurse at the Hogwarts School?" asked Ambassador Dalton.

"Yes, I am," answered Madam Pomfrey.

He questioned her more about the time she was injured by the Silver Circlet. She admitted that the incident caused Dumbledore to request that she be removed from Severus' custody and given to the two of them.

"So, Emma, even this good Nurse and the most highly esteemed wizard in the history of England came to believe that Severus was not fit to be near you, didn't they?"

Emma merely looked down at her hands again and shrugged her shoulders, angry tears running down her face. This had not gone well at all. He just didn't understand how much Severus had changed. He refused to see it. His loathing toward Severus seemed almost personal.

"That's all right, Emma. You do not have to answer that. It was a rhetorical question."

Then he turned to the assembly. "Members of the Wizengamot, I am asking that you finally and completely set this young girl free. You have already recognized that the Ministry should have turned her over to the American Embassy immediately. Now it is time to completely free her by recognizing that this so-called marriage is an abomination of that holy estate and, in the normal course of events, would have never happened if she had not been denied her freedom. We cannot give this child her virginity back, but we can send a clear message that we know how deeply she has been wronged. Annul this unholy union and set this young woman free."

Professor Dumbledore began to speak. "I cannot find fault with a single thing you have said, Ambassador. However, Emma and Severus, as she said before, have changed, grown together. They are in love. Also, when I performed the marriage ceremony, I filled out and filed licenses in both our world and the Muggle world. So, the marriage would still be valid regardless of your vote here today."

"That is easily taken care of too. You say, Professor, the two of them are in love. Can you prove that this girl is not under the influence of some form of magic that is merely making her believe this to be true? Is it not also true that your potions professor was once a member of a group known as the Death Eaters, which was led by none other than the Dark Wizard known as Lord Voldemort?"

The mention of Voldemort's name brought more gasps from the gallery.

"Well, of course I cannot prove it, Ambassador, but I would swear that Emma speaks of her own free choice," protested the Headmaster. "And Severus Snape betrayed the Death Eaters and spied for the side of the Ministry."

"As you swore that she would come to no harm under the control of your professor, Sir? As you swore she would be safe within the walls of Hogwarts? Wasn't she injured within your castle walls?"

Dumbledore looked at Emma. "Yes, the answer to all those questions is yes. I failed her in so many ways."

"I think the entire Ministry failed her, Professor."

It was time for the discussion and the vote. Emma was helped down from the chair and escorted to a small chamber off the main one, where she waited, alone, for the verdict. Through the thick dungeon door, she heard raised voices and arguing but she couldn't make out what was being said. It seemed to go on for hours. Finally, the door opened and Professor Dumbledore entered the room with the Ambassador.

"Emma," said Professor Dumbledore, "we have reached a compromise of sorts. We have decided that you will be placed in the protective custody of the Ambassador. You will be leaving with him now. This state of affairs will last for three months. It is to make sure that you are not under the spell of some potion or charm. If you are, by the end of three months, it will surely have worn off."

"Where is Severus? Can I see him?" she asked.

"No, Emma," said the Ambassador. "He might use the opportunity to reinforce the spell. You will not be allowed to see or speak to him at all during this period."

"But I'm having a baby. I need to be with my baby's father. We're a family now." Emma began to cry.

"My dear, three months is not forever," said Professor Dumbledore. "Calm yourself. This is not good for the baby. You will be back with us and Severus by the time you give birth. This crying is only lending credence to the suspicion that you have been bewitched in some way; that you are not right in your mind. Good-bye for now, Emma. I will send your things to the Embassy."

"No," said the Ambassador. "I will see to her needs. He might infuse her clothing with some form of potion that can be absorbed through the skin. I cannot take the chance. I understand that Professor Snape was taken to a waiting room down the hall. Keep him confined there until I have left with Emma. You can tell him the results of this hearing after I have her safely away from here."

Ambassador Dalton took Emma's arm and led her out of the chamber, through the courtroom and out to the corridor she and Severus had walked down just hours ago. She passed many closed doors on her way and wondered which one was hiding Severus from her. She was in a daze. She let herself be led along by the Ambassador. Soon they were out on the street, emerging from the telephone booth.

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked deeply into her eyes. During the hearing, he had been firm with her, but kind. She could not bring herself to hate him for what he was doing because he did believe he was saving her.

"Come Emma," he said, "I promise that you will be safe and cared for. I will treat you as if you were my very own daughter. I will never allow you to be hurt again. Also, I am making arrangements for your mother to be brought here." Emma noticed that the man had tears in his eyes--his green eyes--as she was hustled into the waiting black limosine she and Severus had passed by earlier.