One Hell of a Lawyer
The dreadful sounds that Cherry Blossom made as her owner was lead away in custody were hard to forget. A deep guttural howl had emitted from the large puff as Jack had been taken away for questioning. She even tried to roll herself into Marwood's leg aggressively. Duke hadn't been much better, actually biting Hunter as he tried to cuff Jack.
Samantha managed to get them under control, but both animals cried out in confusion as she held them back.
Samantha was beyond confused herself, her brother hadn't killed anyone, ever. It was one of the few redeeming facts that kept him in modern society. It was why it had been so important to destroy the tampered memory. No one would explain anything to her, Neville or Jack as the two Aurors took her brother away. Just that he was being charged with murder and to contact his lawyer.
She was beyond numb as she sat in her office the next morning, sitting across from her Creative Director, Fritz. He was giving her the final copy of the paper for the day. It had a big uncomfortable headline.
Former Death Eater, Jack Fyre Charged With Murder
"We don't have to run it." Fritz insisted as Samantha realized there was nothing in the article she didn't know already. She'd almost hoped her investigative team could have found out more, but it just mentioned his arrest for murder and his previous charges, along with the upcoming trial.
"Of course I'm going to run it." Samantha rubbed her eyes and forehead. She had a pretty debilitating headache. "I've run worse pieces involving my personal life before. It's a fact in a well known, extremely followed case. Not to mention it's a well written article by Desmond and he wasn't personally derogatory towards anyone."
"Won't it make you look bad?"
"We don't choose our family Fritz, if anyone judges me for my brother's actions, that is their own idiocy." Samantha shook her head, "I just wish I understood what was going on."
She was heartbroken and confused, her suspicions had been right, something was bound to screw up her life.
Gerta, her assistant popped her head inside the room, "Miss Fyre, Ms. Granger is here to see you."
Samantha handed Fritz the paper back, "Run it, everything looks good, but tell Davies he needs to work on his vocabulary. Send Ms. Granger in please."
Gerta nodded and left.
"Understood." Fritz nodded before leaving as Hermione entered. Hermione had her six month old daughter, Rose strapped to her chest in a little swaddle. Little Rose already had red hair like her father and she looked adorable as she slept with chubby cheeks.
"I've just come from seeing your brother and speaking to the Auror department." Hermione said sitting down across from Samantha. "This is bad, but it isn't unsalvageable."
"Can you please explain what's even going on?" Samantha asked continuing to rub her head.
"There seems to be a memory that was anonymously turned over to the department." Hermione revealed, "I saw it, it shows," She stifled her voice a little and looked down to the little picture of the Gazette where Colin had his arm wrapped around Samantha's shoulders and a big childish smile flashed across his face.
"Does it show my brother murdering Colin?" Samantha asked, seeing as Hermione couldn't finish her words.
Hermione nodded.
"Son of a bitch." Samantha said putting her head down on her desk. Duke licked her cheek slightly making her sit back up, "It's a tampered memory."
"A convincing tampered memory." Hermione said shaking her head and taking Rose off of her chest. "Mind holding Rose? I need to move a bit."
Samantha nodded holding her arms out for little Rose who opened her eyes, but didn't cry. Samantha knew that Hermione's pacing was very much equivalent to Samantha's shaking.
Samantha bounced little Rose as Hermione stood and began pacing Samantha's office. "I thought you destroyed the tampered memory."
"Freya Jade must have had a copy." Samantha grunted, her mind flashing back to Freya Jade's threats, "I should have known that bitch was as smart as she was insane."
"Of course the tampered memory is problematic. At best we can prove it's a tampered memory. We could always just extract the proper memory of course." Hermione's shoes made little clipping sounds as she walked.
Samantha questioned. "I hate to ask what it is at worst."
"At worst, it's damning evidence." Hermione stopped pacing. "But I think it's more likely to go in our favor, it's the only real evidence they have against him. It won't match to his regular memories and it's hard to prove he tampered with his own memories."
Samantha nodded and cursed under her breath. Rose's eyes watched Duke as he flew above them. She cooed and smiled at him. Samantha nudged her nose into Rose's hair and smelled the Peony scented baby lotion she'd given Hermione as a present.
"I think we may have some bigger problems Sam." Hermione cautioned and stopped her pacing. "Freya Jade is obviously sending you a message."
Of course she was, it was Jade she'd seen in Hogsmead. She was sending a message by leaking a copy of the memory, that she wanted revenge for what had happened in Arizona. Samantha cursed aloud.
"Well, let's hope that isn't Rose's first word." Hermione joked as she sat back down. "You may not be safe Sam. Ginny mentioned that you thought you saw Freya in Hogsmead. You don't think she is casing you do you?"
The lives of everyone she knew flashed through her mind. If she had been following her, Freya would know too many people and places that she could use against Samantha. Her whole staff could be in danger. "Merlin's Pants! I need to get ahold of Kingsley."
Samantha stood and went to the door and reached her head out to Gerta who's desk sat barely one hundred feet away, "Gerta, I need you to contact the Auror department, urgently! Then I need you to evacuate the building. Tell everyone that I'm giving them a day with full pay on me for," Samantha wracked her brain, "House Elf Appreciation Day."
Gerta pulled a shocked face, pressing her face back into her neck.
"Miss Granger is threatening to shut down our whole operation permanently if we don't comply." Samantha insisted as a man rounded the corner to Gerta's desk. Samantha recognized him as the Auror Neville had introduced to her in Hogsmead, Atticus.
"Miss Fyre, might I have a word with you?" He asked looking back to her.
"Of course, I was meaning to speak with the Auror department, come on back." Samantha stepped fully out into the hallway.
Atticus' laughed heartily when he saw little Rose in her arms. "Oh and who is this?" He tickled the baby's belly and she cried.
"Rose of course," Samantha laughed bouncing the little girl. She heard Duke hissing on her shoulder at Atticus. She had an idea it was because of his involvement in arresting Jack.
"Is she yours?" Atticus asked taking his hand away and walking into her office, he stopped in his tracks as he saw Hermione.
"Oh Merlin's pants no. She's Ms. Granger's daughter." Samantha admitted as she sat back behind the desk. Hermione and Atticus were staring each other down and Samantha suspected there was tension between them.
"Marwood." Hermione's eyes darted across Atticus' face as he sat in the chair beside her's.
"Granger." He sneered slightly at her, before looking to Samantha. "Why were you summoning the Auror department."
Hermione shook her head at Samantha, as if to keep her from saying her motives.
"I would like to speak directly to Kingsley about that if you don't mind." Samantha nodded realizing Hermione really didn't trust Atticus.
"If I could have a word alone, please? I just have a few questions for Miss Fyre regarding her brother's case." Atticus requested.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to have Hermione present." Samantha insisted, noticing Hermione wasn't relaxing into her chair. Instead, she stood and walked behind the desk with Samantha.
Hermione loudly proclaimed, "I am Miss Fyre and Mr. Fyre's representation. If anything is pertinent to the case, I believe I should be present."
"Fine," Atticus intertwined his fingers, "I'm sure you are aware a memory was turned over to our department regarding the death of a Mr. Colin Creevey at the Battle of Hogwarts."
Samantha nodded and made sure her hands weren't shaking as she held Rose. Colin's face flashed through her mind, his cold body staring up at her. "I am aware."
"Are you also aware that a note was attached, saying that you and your brother were both involved in the death of Kai Jones last year?" Atticus asked and Samantha's throat tightened and she began bouncing Rose to keep the shakes from starting. Now it was Kai's chest as it ceased breathing, that flooded her memories.
"We were present at his death of course. He helped to save myself and several other's lives." Samantha admitted. "My brother would still be missing if it weren't for Kai Jones' bravery."
"The note implies that you both killed him." Atticus said and Hermione shook her head.
"My clients were not responsible." Hermione insisted before standing up, "Especially not Miss Fyre. They weren't even in the same room when Kai Jones died, this is corroborated by several witnesses."
"I'm sorry, we must follow up on any leads. Besides, Miss Fyre does have a history." Atticus sat up a little.
"A history?" Samantha asked, wracking her brain. There was only one person Samantha had ever publicly admitted to being responsible for the death of, "Do you mean Hilda Burke?"
"I do."
"So are we going to start discrediting anyone who defended themselves against a Death Eater?" Hermione asked with a small laugh leaning on her hands, "Because you may as well discredit half of the Wizarding population. While we're at it, let's just arrest them."
"Ms. Granger." Atticus tried to quiet her.
"You'd be arresting half the Auror department." Hermione observed, leaning back now, "I'd like to see you arrest Potter for killing Voldemort." She chuckled, "Even better, go arrest my bloody mother in law. She'd probably be happy to give you a good talking to."
"Your client publicly admitted to the death of someone who has no recordings of wrongdoings." Atticus argued.
"Hilda Burke killed Colin Creevey." Samantha argued her heart aching.
"According to your brother, who could be blaming her to cover his own crime." Atticus insisted leaning closer to the desk.
Duke was now growling loudly and flashing his teeth at Atticus.
Hermione continued her argument. "She was a known Death Eater. My client has always maintained Miss Burke's death was not intentional, she intended to stun her. Not to mention there are two well respected witnesses who saw Miss Burke attack my client."
"There are?" Atticus looked shocked.
Hermione's face was turning red and her lips were pursed. "Seamus Finnegan and Ernie Macmillan were both present when Miss Burke attacked Miss Fyre. They both witnessed her using the killing curse towards Miss Fyre and verbally threatening her."
"There is still the matter of the note we received. It insists that she was involved with the death of Kai Jones in America last year."
"Something two members of your department witnessed." Hermione argued leaning closer to Atticus. "My husband saw it all happen, and if you don't believe him, I will find Freya Jade, Kai Jones' true murderer and extract the memory from her mind myself."
Atticus' eyes widened at her admittance that Ron had been there.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she is the one behind all of this supposed evidence. She has a personal vendetta against both of my clients and if you don't see this as a threat to their lives you should start to." Hermione stared into Atticus' eyes and Samantha was almost scared by the deadlock.
Samantha noticed Atticus' hand go to his wand.
Hermione shoved Samantha's rolling chair away from her desk before shouting, "Samantha guard Rose! He's under the Imperius curse!"
Hermione's hand went to her wand. Samantha covered Rose, her wand in her hand and she made a shield charm over them both. Duke was growling and looked ready to blow fire.
Before Atticus could fire a curse, Hermione had stunned him.
"Hermione!" Samantha called as Hermione waved her wand chaining him to the chair.
Hermione insisted looking him over. "Glazed over pupils and he didn't realize Ron was my husband. He also didn't know who Rose was, he's met her at several picnics and company get togethers. Atticus is normally very nice."
Hermione turned to look at Samantha and reached her arms out for Rose."Get ahold of Kingsley immediately, he was here to kill you."
"You are one hell of a lawyer Hermione." Samantha insisted, handing Rose back to Hermione.