Chapter 18
As the Wizengamot filed into the court room on day 2 of Hermione’s trial, Ron’s palms were sweating and he tried to control his breathing. Percy had prepped him hard for days and though Ron felt ready, now that it was starting his insecurities started to poke at him. He could not screw this up because Hermione’s freedom was on the line. He knew they would ask her about those absurd pregnancy stories that were in the paper; they would try to trick him into giving away their mission during the war. They wanted to trip him up and cause an emotional outburst and he could not allow that to happen. He would not allow that to happen; he spoke the truth on Sunday night when he told her she was his world. And he wasn’t going to be the reason their world crumbled.
Harry sat next to him, “You’ll do great, mate. I know it.”
Ron just nodded with a small smile. “Ronald Bilius Weasley.” His name boomed from the platform and he walked towards the witness box. He really wanted to touch Hermione on his way up, even just a soft touch to her hand but Edith and Percy insisted he not. He sat down and glanced at her; he hoped she understood what he was trying to say with his eyes, that everything was going to be ok.
“Mr. Weasley,” called a voice from Wizengamot, “Please define your relationship with the accused.”
“Hermione Granger has been my best friend since we were 11 years old and recently, she became my girlfriend.” There were some murmurs in the court room; though their relationship had been speculated about in the gossip columns they never confirmed anything publicly until now.
“How recently, Mr. Weasley?”
“Our relationship officially started on May 2.” He looked at Hermione and she gifted him with a small smile.
“At the Battle of Hogwarts?” responded a different member.
“Yes, ma’am.” He answered with pride in his voice.
“Mr. Weasley,” the first voice returned, “You never arrived at Hogwarts for your final and 7th year in 1997. Nor did Harry Potter or the accused. Where were you?”
“We were on a secret mission from Dumbledore.”
Percy had prepped him to only answer the questions as asked, do not offer any additional information and he tried to remember that now.
“What sort of mission, Mr. Weasley?” the Wizengamot member who Ron did not know but he seemed to be asking all the questions sounded as though he was already annoyed with Ron’s simple answers.
“Our mission was to assist Harry Potter in defeating Voldemort.”
The member sighed, “In what way, Mr. Weasley?”
“It is widely known that Harry Potter was The Chosen One, that he would need to defeat Voldemort once and for all. Hermione and I were tasked with helping him defeat Voldemort and with keeping him safe.”
“And why, Mr. Weasley, would Albus Dumbledore put the protection of Harry Potter in the hands of two teenagers? He had members of the Order of the Phoenix and Aurors at his disposal?”
Percy expected all these sorts of questions so Ron was ready with answers. He would be forever in Percy’s debt for his prep.
“Unfortunately, Dumbledore is not here to ask why he trusted us. But I think he would be pleased with the outcome.”
“Watch the cheek, Mr. Weasley,” the member said with frustration, “It’s not appreciated.”
“No cheek was intended, sir,” Ron said politely, “Just answering your question honestly.”
A new member of the Wizengamot took over the questioning and her voice was calmer but no less combative.
“Mr. Weasley, can we assume you are not planning on telling us the exact details of your mission? Beyond helping and protecting Harry Potter?”
“I feel I have answered your questions, ma’am and if I’m honest, I am a bit confused as to what that has to do with the current charges against Ms. Granger.” He spoke politely but there was an undercurrent of anger.
“Well,” the member continued with a snide voice, “There is no truth to the stories that Ms. Granger was pregnant out of wedlock and this story of a mission from Dumbledore was just a rouse to hide her shame?”
Ron couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the absurdity of this story, “No, ma’am, there is no truth to that story. Or any of the other nonsense that has been written. Harry, Hermione and I were on a mission to destroy Voldemort and keep our wizarding world safe for all.”
The Wizengamot must have realized that they were not going to get any more answers from Ron regarding the mission so they changed their line of questioning.
“Mr. Weasley,” yet another member started, “Were you aware that the accused planned to alter her parent’s memory before leaving on this, so called, secret mission?”
“No, I was not aware.”
“As your best friend, she did not confide in you her plans?”
Ron stiffened, “I was aware she was going to protect her parents anyway she could but I was not aware of her plans until after it was done.”
“Why did the accused think she needed to protect her parents so seriously? Were they directly threatened?”
“To my knowledge, they were not directly threatened no.”
“Then why did she feel such drastic measures were necessary?”
Ron remembered that Percy said he shouldn’t answer questions about what Hermione was thinking, because he couldn’t read her mind.
“Well, I believe you would have to ask Ms. Granger about what she was thinking. However, it was common knowledge that Ms. Granger was Harry Potter’s best friend and a Muggle born. Given the state of our world at that time, those facts would put the Grangers in danger.”
“Why didn’t she just send them into hiding under assumed names?”
“Again, sir, I think you should ask Ms. Granger that question.”
“Mr. Weasley,” the member growing frustrated with his answers, “Why do you think she didn’t do that?”
Ron sighed, now he had to answer. “I think she felt that wouldn’t be enough. She was a target, more so than an average Muggle born. I know she loves her parents very much and wanted to keep them safe.”
“Once she finally did tell you about the altered memory, did she tell you which spells she used?”
“Well,” Ron started, “She mentioned obliviate but when she was explaining it to me, she was quite upset so I told her she didn’t have to tell me anymore. I just wanted to help her calm down.”
“So, she never mentioned Memoria Impedimentum Sempiterne?”
“No, she did not.”
“Maybe she was ashamed of breaking the law.” The member said snidely. Edith stood to object to such a comment but the Minister motioned her to sit.
“Ladies and Gentleman, we will keep these proceedings civil.” His voice indicated there was no room for debate. “Are there any more questions for Mr. Weasley from the Wizengamot? Otherwise, Ms. Cumberland has the floor.
“I do have a question, Minister,” it was the voice of Charles Beaumont, “Mr. Weasley, are you in love with the accused?”
Ron did not hesitate, “Yes, I am.” He dared a look at Hermione but he saw nothing but love in her eyes.
“As you are in love with her, would you not lie for her? How can we take anything you have to say seriously? You would lie for the woman you love as easily as you would take a breath.”
“Minister,” Edith is on her feet now but again Shacklebolt motioned her to sit. Before he can say anything, Ron looks to him and asks,
“Minister, can I answer the member’s question?”
Edith and Percy both look hardly at Ron, silently begging him not to answer.
“If you wish, Mr. Weasley.” Shacklebolt answered though his voice sounded weary.
“Sir,” Ron continued, “I am in love with Hermione Granger and I freely admit that proudly. However, if you knew Hermione Granger you would know she would not tolerate anyone, especially those who love her, to lie for her. If I lied for her, I can promise you, she wouldn’t be my girlfriend for long. I speak the truth, only.”
Edith didn’t even try to hide her smile at Ron’s perfect response nor was the annoyance on the face of Beaumont easily hidden. He certainly didn’t expect Ron to be so composed. Hermione smiled softly as well as locking eyes with Ron. Not only were his answers great, he kept his emotions in check and he said he loved her! She knew she loved him and she thought he might love her but they hadn’t verbalized it yet. Her freedom and future were on the line but her heart was bursting.
The Minister asked again if there were any further questions from the Wizengamot and when none were presented, he said, “Ms. Cumberland, you may question the witness now.”
Edith stood in front of the table where she and Hermione sat. “Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger came to your family home in the summer of 1997, is that correct?”
“Yes, miss.”
“When she arrived what state of mind was she in?”
“Well, when she arrived via apparition in our garden, she seemed fine. But only moments after steadying herself she started to sob. Her knees buckled and I caught her before she collapsed to the ground. I held her while she sobbed for close to 30 minutes.”
“Did you know why she was so despondent?”
“Not until she was able to calm herself enough to explain.”
“And what did Ms. Granger tell you?”
“That in order to keep her parents as safe as possible, she sent them to Australia. Then she told me she altered their memories.”
“When she told you about the altered memories, how did she respond?”
“She started to hysterically cry again. So, I held her and told her she did what she needed to do to protect them.”
“Mr. Weasley,” Edith changed her line of questioning slightly, “While you were away on your mission, did Ms. Granger ever mention her parents?”
“Often,” Ron said with a sad smile, “Memories she had of them brought on by different locations we found ourselves in. Jokes her Dad were fond of making. Missing her mother’s omelets.”
“Did she ever question her choices with you?”
“Yes, she did,” Ron answered, “She often questioned if she did the right thing. She wondered if she survived the war, would she be able to find her parents. Would they forgive her for what she did. As I said, she loves them very much.”
“Mr. Weasley, did Ms. Granger ever confide in you that she used a specific spell to remove herself from her parent’s memory?”
“Eventually, yes, months into our mission. Though I didn’t know the name of the spell.”
“Did she tell you why she did that? Why she went beyond obliviate?”
“What you all have to understand is that Hermione and I had a slightly different mission from Harry,” Harry had been listening intently to everything Ron had said but this perked his interest even more and he found himself leaning closer to listen to his best mate. “Harry needed to defeat Voldemort, we needed to make sure he survived in order to do that. She and I were willing and ready to give our lives to protect Harry’s. And we were aware that one or both of us would likely not make it to the end. Hermione didn’t remove herself from her parent’s memory only to keep them safe if they were questioned by Death Eaters but also so they wouldn’t have to mourn her if she died.” He paused at that moment and he could hear soft whimpers from the audience gallery; he recognized them as his mother’s.
“She is their only child. I have seen first-hand the pain a mother and father have to endure at the loss of a child so I can understand her desire to not subject them to that.” He glanced at his parents; his father wrapped his arms around his mother who was trying to keep her tears under control.
“Thank you, Mr. Weasley.”
Edith returned to her seat. It was quiet in the courtroom beyond the slight whimpers coming from Mrs. Weasley. Edith didn’t want to appear happy at the somber turn of the testimony but she knew it went a long way in portraying Hermione as a loving daughter desperate to protect her family and not a criminal.
The Minister asked if the Wizengamot had any further witnesses but they did not. “Ms. Cumberland, after lunch, you may call your first witness.”
“Thank you, sir.” And the Wizengamot exited their platform.
Ron rejoined his family in the gallery and immediately hugged his mother. He noticed a pained look on Harry’s face which he knew he needed to deal with but at the moment his mother needed him.
“Come on, you lot,” Mr. Weasley called, “lets retire to my office. Your mother packed lunch for all of us.”
Edith liked this idea as they could use a different exit from the courtroom to go to Mr. Weasley’s office. She didn’t want to speak to the press yet. She wanted Ron’s stellar testimony to speak for itself. When she glanced to her left, she saw Ron holding Hermione’s hand and whispering in her ear. It was sweat, of course, young love always it. But Edith felt a pang of sadness for this young couple; having to endure so much so young. Hopefully this will be the last obstacle in a long and happy life.