Questioning
Severus was sitting at the head table eating breakfast a few days later, with Avyaan by his side. It was the first time in almost a week that he had been able to eat in the Great Hall. What with his stay in the hospital wing and Avyaan being bedridden the last two days, he hadn’t had the chance to see much of the outside world. Now that Avi was cleared from bedrest, and Severus was sipping on his favorite dark Earl Grey tea that was blended with orange zest and lavender when the morning post arrived. Hermes, one of Hogwart's elderly great horned owls, landed with the paper, and Severus passed him a teat from the pouch hidden in his robes. When he saw the headline, though, he aspirated the scalding liquid and began coughing uncontrollably.
The Boy Who Lives No More!
It is with a broken heart, dear readers, that I must report on these horrendous events. As many of you know, Harry Potter, AKA The-Boy-Who-Lived, was reported missing on August 29th earlier this year. For those few who have not been following the story, our Boy-Who-Lived was placed with his mother’s muggle relatives after the heroic deaths of his parents. Something that was recently revealed to be specifically stated in the Potter’s wills should not have been allowed!
Recent sources at Gringotts have revealed that the Potters had gone out of their way to make a long list of caretakers for their son and specifically stated that Harry Potter never be left in the care of Mrs. Potter’s sister. This will was then later sealed away and ignored by none other than Albus Dumbledore, who was unavailable for questions at this time. (For a copy of this section of the Potter’s will, see pg. 17)
As we all know now, The-Boy-Who-Lived was later revealed to have been placed with these relatives who have now been convicted of multiple counts of child neglect, child endangerment, and severe child abuse! (For more information on the Dursley’s Trial, see pg. 24) This led to the events on July 15th, when our savior was reportedly lured from his home by a strange man who claimed to be a family friend. His ‘family’ was in Paris at the time enjoying tickets that they had won from a radio sweepstakes, leaving poor Harry home alone for two weeks that would have included his 7th birthday. The muggles not only left him with no supervision but went so far as to lock away any food left in the house!
It’s no wonder Harry was so willing to trust a complete stranger, claiming to be a friend of his late parents. A local teen was the first to report the incident as he was close to Harry and was alarmed to see him enter his store with an unknown man. The Store Clerk valiantly attempted to rescue Harry but was knocked unconscious by the assailant. Further investigations looked into the dark reality that is muggle human trafficking. (For more horrific details on what human trafficking is see pg. 32) Aurors worked with muggle authorities to try and locate The-Boy-Who-Lived, saving several children from this horrible fate in the process, but were never able to find a solid lead.
However, the search for the missing Boy-Who-Lived was drastically cut short earlier today when new information was released from Gringotts. It is with a heavy heart that I, Ritta Skeeter, must tell you all that the Potter Valts have been permanently closed. This means that any living heirs to the vaults have officially been confirmed deceased by magic herself. We can only hope now that the ones responsible for this much-loved child’s death will be found soon and held accountable for their unforgivable actions.
Severus watched as more and more people read the article and chaos unfolded. Minerva burst into tears on the spot as she read about the demise of the child of two of her most beloved lions. Sabil began shrieking in panic at how the unforeseen, would bring an end to the wizarding world as they knew it. Around the hall, students were having similar reactions all ranging from grief at a tragic death, to panic at the thought of their protector vanishing. All the while, Albus watched on with a calculating eye as if assessing the flow of public opinion from a small test sample and developing a plan to turn the tides in his favor.
Unfortunately for him, his planning was interrupted by the big oak doors opening to reveal a platoon of Aurors entering, wands drawn at their sides. A tall dark man stepped forward, “Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, you are wanted for questioning about your lack of action as Harry Potter’s Magical Guardian. Please come with me.”
The large room filled with students was completely silent as the Headmaster lifted his hands in a gesture of peace. “There must be some sort of misunderstanding-”
“You can dispute the claims back at headquarters,” Kingsley Shacklebolt said as he and another Auror came to stand at either side of the older man. They allowed him the courtesy of walking out unhindered down the long aisle and out the doors.
Before the hall could burst into raucous rumors and gossip, another Auror stepped forward and approached the head table. “All staff will be required to come in for questioning about their possible involvement in the placement of Harry Potter illegally with his muggle relatives and any other interactions they may have had in this matter.”
As Minerva stood up to address the school and inform the students that classes would be canceled for the day, Severus felt a tug at his sleeve. “Dad?”
The Potions Master looked down into his son’s worried green eyes. “It’s nothing to worry about. They are just going to ask me a few questions, nothing more. Go stay with the terror twins in the library until I’m finished.” Avi nodded and left with the others as the students all filed out of the Great Hall.
Severus stood with the rest of the staff and walked through a side door next to the head table that led to an anti-chamber with a lit fire and a cluster of eclectic chairs arranged in a sitting area. There was a large oak desk facing the chairs that the Headmaster liked to sit at when he had staff meetings before dinner. Severus sat in his customary seat, a black leather wingback chair between Minerva and Aurora. The same Auror as before sat at the desk facing the group of teachers. “Welcome. I am Auror Esmond Blair and I will be leading this investigation alongside Kingsly Shacolbolt. This may take a few hours, so make yourselves comfortable.”
While McGonagal had the house elves bring the staff and Aurors refreshments (Their breakfast being rudely interrupted), Severus eyed the man in front of them. Auror Blair couldn’t be much older than Snape himself, approximately in his late 20s, but his hair had already gone prematurely grey giving him a severe countenance. He had laugh lines around his eyes, denoting a life of joy. There was a colorful hand-woven bracelet on his left wrist alluding to a possible child at home. However, he had a deep scar on his face that pulled on the corner of his lip and traveled down his chin to his throat and his eyes were keen and wary. He seemed very experienced and intelligent for an Auror who at maximum could only have a decade of experience. No wonder he had moved so far up the ranks in such a short period of time. He might actually be able to get something to stick to the old man, despite the obvious interference Shacklebolt was running as a former member of the Order of the Phoenix.
Once everyone was settled, Blair laced his fingers beneath his chin, his elbows resting on the big oak desk, and met the eye of every teacher in the room. “I know this will be a difficult topic for many of you. The death of a child so loved by the magical community is somber in and of itself, but for many of you, you were closely affiliated with the Potter family. Even teaching Harry’s parents over all seven years of their school career, or being a student yourself during that time.”
Auror Blair shuffled some papers around on the desk as if organizing his thoughts. “However, it is because of these connections that I have asked you to come in for questioning. Because of your close proximity to the Potters and the Headmaster, you are likely to be unknowing witnesses to information we need for this investigation. You may even have unwittingly had a hand in the events leading up to this tragedy through no fault of your own, because you did not have the full story when you acted.” At the last statement, Severus noticed Minerva fidget slightly which immediately piqued his interest. Why would she have been involved?
Esmond Blair also noticed the response and watched her closely as he continued. “So I shall start with what we do know and see what information we can gather along the way…” Somberly, Auror Blair laid out the details of how the Potters went into hiding during the war after Trelany’s prophecy was revealed in the Hogshead and were eventually betrayed by their close friend and murdered. After an appropriate pause in the wake of a solemn topic, Blair turned to the Divination Teacher in question. “Now Professor, I understand you unexpectedly fell into your oracle stade during your hiring interview with the headmaster?”
Her frizzy hair bounced along as she nodded vigorously. “Yes. Yes. I had never felt anything like it in my life before! I finally saw into the beyond as my mother did before me. Such sudden tragedy was flung before my eyes, that I was overcome!”
“And this was your first and only prophetic vision to date, am I correct?”
“Yes, yes. One can never control the Fates. I feel them brush my dreams now and again, but the call is always just out of my reach.”
“Interesting. Were you drinking with the Headmaster that night? Did your beverage taste off in any way, perhaps?” Severus froze at the implications.
“Why yes. That was the first time I drank Sherry Wine and I admit that I have gotten quite the taste for it since. It can be quite relaxing.” Blair nodded as he wrote down multiple notes on the subject and scrawled a quick note to one of his colleagues who left the room quickly.
“Unfortunately, I am unable to test the contents of your original drink, but we will take a small sample from your current stock for testing. There are some potions that can cause the victims to spout false prophecies as well as one that can forcefully induce visions from latent oracles. However, the consequences of the latter are that all forced prophecies are self-fulfilling and only come to pass if they are taken seriously.”
Auror Blair then resumed the story, “After the Potters were murdered, the story gets murky. Some witnesses report that Sirius Black was on screen, others say they just saw a tall man with long black hair and a long cloak, but all agree that they saw a giant leave with young Harry that night.” He turned his steel grey eyes to the large man taking up the entire loveseat to the right of the room.
Hagrid squirmed guiltily in his seat as all eyes turned to him. “Tha’ be correct sir. I twas the one t’ bring the tike ou’ o’ tha’ house.” He glanced at Severus who had been there with the boy until someone suitable came for the child. Black showing up ranting and raving about betrayal, had definitely not been an option. Hagrid began to tear up as he continued with their usual cover story, “He was such a wee li’le thing. All along in ‘is crib. I gently bundled ‘im up in the little bassinet and took ‘im to Dumbledore as I was asked.”
“And Dumbledore was never at the house that night?” Hagrid shook his head. “Then how was he to know that anyone survived the attack? I understand that he was the one to perform the Fidelius Charm for the Potters, so he would have known when the wards fell, but nothing more.”
That was another thing. Severus had sent a patronus to the Headmaster that night, but Hagrid had shown up only 20 minutes after his report with a bassinet for Harry in hand. With only a flying motorbike it should have taken well over an hour for him to arrive. So he must have been sent as soon as the wards fell. How did Dumbledore know that Harry would live?
Auror Blair wrote down several notes before continuing on. “And did the Headmaster have you take the child to Wixen Family Services? Or to the school to keep him safe until the family’s wills could be read?”
At this, Hagrid looked very uncomfortable. “No, sir. He had me meet him at Privet Drive, Little Whinging, where his relatives lived. I was told they were his only living relatives, so it made sense that they would be taking their nephew in.”
“And did you know that Lily Potter had specifically denied any rights to her sister in her child’s care? That she repeatedly mentioned that they should never under any circumstances be allowed to take custody of Harry?”
Hagrid burst into tears, “No! I ne-never would have taken ‘im there if I’d of known!”
McGonagal stood and pulled her former student into her arms. A sight which under other circumstances would have been comical as the man towered over her even while sitting. “Neither of us would have ever allowed him to be placed there if we thought it was against his parent’s wills. I even told Albus that I didn’t think they would be a good home for Harry, but he said that the boy needed to grow up with family.”
The Auror’s eyes locked on to the older woman like a hawk spotting a hare. “And why were you involved at all?”
“Albus asked me to scout out the area in my animagus form and keep an eye on the Potter’s relatives that week. He knew that an attack was coming and thought it might be directed at the Potter’s family members. Lily’s parents had been murdered by Death Eaters not long before the family was forced into hiding.”
Blair nodded, “In light of this information, I would like to ask you both to come in for further questioning and request your memories of that night for viewing. These details could be essential to our investigation.”
Severus sighed as he watched the two teachers follow the Aurors out. He hoped Hagrid was smart enough to start his submitted memories after he had removed Harry from that house. He really didn’t want to bring up his involvement as a spy again. Albus had barely been able to convince the Wizengamot that he had been on the side of the light the last time the argument was made…