The Amulet

Severus sat on a simple wooden chair in the centre of the courtroom, a few feet away, benches surrounded him like a rising wave. There were piles of paperwork stacked haphazardly in front of the benches charmed to pass itself around to all the Wizengamot members. As one passed his head, Severus glimpsed himself frowning on the cover of the first sheet, the dead look on his face, combined with the dark purple uniform revealed to him the nature of the document. It was his certification of completion of the Potion Apprenticeship he received a year ago, and he could only assume more of his history was exposed for the courtroom to see.

He let out a stressed sigh, his heart hammering away as he anxiously looked for familiar faces, but the ones he saw were only recognizable because he saw them past the end of his wand while in service to Voldemort, and if they knew what he knew he didn’t think they would hesitate to condemn him. Through his actions and lack thereof, he was responsible for the death of their relatives and friends. The same could be said of anyone present. His heart sunk at the thought. No, he would not find fairness in this courtroom.

No one really paid him any mind while they conversed with each other in hushed voices. Few actually looked his way but it was more out of boredom like they were seeing through him. Severus got the impression that he wasn’t the first trial of the day even considering the early hour. He heard a metal hinges of a door creak open, and everyone quieted down as an elderly man with a silvery white beard and dark black robes walked with purpose to the highest bench to sit himself down, his scribe trailing after him with a quill and parchment at the ready took the seat to his right. Severus was not altogether unfamiliar with the man. Edgar Bones Sr. His re-appointment was published in the Daily Prophet as a new, re-instated judge requested by the Wizengamot who was forced out of retirement due to the sheer numbers of Voldemort Supporters required to attend trial, and that wasn’t including the batch of Death Eaters Severus somehow summoned into the interrogation room an hour ago. Under Barty Crouch Sr’ new legislation, marked Death Eaters would automatically be sent to Azkaban, their tattoos proving their guilt of their crimes. Not all Ministry Officials who held the position of judge followed the rules adamantly but rather treated each case uniquely. It would be interesting to see what his trial would look like with a seasoned judge than a substituted diplomat like Crouch stepping on heads to reach the top of the political ladder.

Mr. Bones busily stacked a pile of papers and tapped them on the desk in front of him, aligning them before setting them down. The man then pulled out golden half-moon spectacles from his robes, and put them on, pressing them up the bridge of his nose scanning the documents. Severus nervously gulped as he watched, the chatter surrounding him adding to his anxiousness.

The door swung open again and in filed Dumbledore and Auror Thicknesse behind him with a tray and a rectangular vial standing on it. The Headmaster took the seat to Mr. Bones left, who was required to sit there even though his title as Supreme Mugwump would remain inactive during the hearing. Severus felt some of the tension he felt leave his body at his presence but he tightened up again when Auror Thicknesse presented him with the vial from the tray.

Severus hesitantly grabbed it. The angular glass held a clear liquid inside. He tipped it and quickly reverted it back into position to see if the colour would change from ingredients being activated but it remained the same water-like colour. When he unstoppered it, he discreetly took a whiff before placing the glass on his lips. 

He knew exactly what this was. Veritaserum. Truth serum.

He tilted the vial back and downed the few drops that were inside. It immediately began to take effect, blurring the edges of his mind making it difficult to concentrate. His natural Occlumency barriers shrunk to protect what was left of his mind that remained unaffected but Severus knew that it would not be able to prevent him from saying anything based on the warm tingling sensation on his tongue.

Thicknesse’s low voice interrupted his observation. “I’ll be asking you a series of questions and you must answer with a truth.” The Auror plucked the vial from his loose grip and deposited upright on the tray. “What is your name?”

Severus temporarily lost control of his mouth as it opened slightly of his own accord. He internally struggled to focus as he willed himself to say his name under his own power.

“Severus Snape.” He finally breathed out, a bit disappointed in himself. His resistance must have been more noticeable than he thought because Thicknesse raised a brow at him.

“What is your date of birth?” The Auror continued as he released the tray and it floated up into the air, Severus lost track where as he struggled to once more fight the movement of his tongue.

“Ninth of January 1960.” He said through clenched teeth.

“Have you listened at all to what I just said?” Thicknesse asked with a hint of annoyance.

The sudden change in tone surprised Severus causing his mouth to blurt out, “Yes” embarrassingly loud. He could feel the heat building in his cheeks but he refused to further show how effected he was.

“Obviously not.” The Auror said sternly. “A truth, Snape.”

Severus’s eyes widened in realization as the auror walked away stand by a nearby aisle.

A truth? Not necessarily the truth but a truth? His mind flashed back to Dumbledore in the interrogation room. The headmaster didn’t tell a lie when he represented him. Each of sentence was a truth on its own leaving it heavily up to the listener to interpret it as they saw fit. A lot was omitted, of course and the truth stretched but this wasn’t a close relative you didn’t want to offend. This was life or death! Anything goes. He was guilty of doing the same when he spied for Dumbledore, it should’ve been second nature, but how was he to know that Veritaserum would force him to answer. It wasn’t like they often drugged their Apprentices when pursuing a Potion Mastery. It was a highly regulated potion. Just obtaining the ingredients alone could have someone flagged and fined before they could even begin to brew it. Although those rules did nothing to prevent the Dark Lord from collecting the ingredient and having his newly appointed Potion Master brew them. It didn’t mean he had a habit of drinking them. He made it for others.

The door opening broke Severus from his thoughts and a red faced Crouch beelined it towards Dumbledore’s side. Dumbledore raised his brows as the man sat next to him and continued to stare at him even as Crouch busied himself with the copy of his documents.

“Severus Snape.”

His cold dark eyes met Mr. Bones’s grey ones, the spectacles already sliding down his sagging nose. “Are you ready for your trial?”

“Yes, sir.” He didn’t even resist the pull of the Veritaserum.

The judge straightened, strengthening his voice until it echoed throughout the courtroom. “The court is now in session.”

Severus could see Thicknesse and another person walk across the podium and ward the door. It’s real. This is happening. He gulped.

“Severus Snape.” Mr. Bones’s voice quivered as he spoke with effort to be heard. “I will give you a chance to tell me what you think I need to know and I may ask for more details to make sure I have the information I need to make a decision.”

The judged cleared his throat and motioned to his scribe who had 6 different quills hovering over the parchment on the desk and one long one he scribbled away at an angle as Mr. Bones spoke. “Everything that is said in court is written down to ensure court record is accurate. I request interruptions from the courtroom be limited to only what’s necessary.”

Upon Thicknesse’s return, the judged motioned to him and as if on command he stepped forward and clearly stated, “I, Pius Thicknesse, Senior Auror have dosed Severus Snape with one Ministry vial of Veritaserum and I have concluded its effectiveness.” He then stepped backwards to his original spot in between the aisles leading to the benches.

The formalities and judicial customs were unexpected and in all honesty were making him edgy. He felt unprepared and more prone to easily make mistakes. He didn’t expect a formal hearing but rather an informal one with barely enough tolerance from the judge. He shifted in his seat, feeling the Wizengamot’s judging eyes all on him. He tried not to wilt under the pressure by slinking further behind his Occlumency walls.

“This is a continuation trial on behalf of the accused for the war crimes done as a spy under the direction of both He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the Order of the Phoenix. Severus Snape, how do you plead.”

Severus felt a cold flash of dread at the attention. How should he answer? “Guilty, sir.”

Dumbledore immediately stood up. “Would the court charge an innocent man for another’s crime? He may have bore the mark, but should he be punished for the mass murders of the entirety of the Death Eaters as a group?”

Mr. Bones nodded. “We have heard your account as his representative-“

Crouch seemed to forget himself as he looked at the judge in bewilderment. “His representative? Why, that’s a conflict of interest!”

The judge gave Crouch an assessing look Severus found himself wanting to adopt when he saw how a grown man shrank under the gaze. It was how one would look at a peculiar, disgusting bug under a microscope.

“I don’t see how Albus Dumbledore could even have jurisdiction within the judicial system.” Mr. Bones’s voice tightened. “He’s Supreme Mugwump not the Minister of magic. Your accusation is redundant. I would trust next time someone who adopted the same position as me to be well read in such matters.”

Crouch’s face flamed in humiliation and based on the tick in his jaw, his anger contributed a fair amount to the colouring as well. Severus felt the strange overwhelming need to mock him, and he fought down the urge blaming it on the properties of the Veritaserum.

“As I was saying,” Mr. Bones continued, “this Wizengamot has received the evidence you have supplied, the first step of this case is done. If you have more evidence I would gladly add it. Though right now, Mr. Snape has the opportunity to tell his story which is why he was dosed with the Veritaserum. Stating he was guilty did not damn him but allows for further questioning.”

Dumbledore bowed his head as he returned to his seat. “Forgive me for intervening.”

The judge nodded in acceptance and peered at the squire’s notes to see where he left off. “Ah, yes.” He cleared his throat. “Mr. Snape, would you mind telling the court how you convinced He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that you would be faithful to the cause so much so that he disregarded your blood status. Half-blood, is that right?”

“Yes,” he responded not even resisting the push of the potion.

Dumbledore slowly stood up shooting the judge an apologetic look as said man smiled patiently back encouraging him with a nod.

“It’s not so unusual that Voldemort would recruit outside of pureblood circles considering he was a half-blood himself.”

The judge gasped, eyes widening in interest and surprise. “Was he really?”

Dumbledore rifled through the files to find the correct one before handing the page to the judge. “I felt the information pertinent so I included his file with Severus’s.”

Mr. Bones’s glasses sat at the edge of his nose as he read, mumbling out loud to himself as the magical quill dutifully noted what the Scribe could not.

“Tom Riddle Jr?,” The judge inquired.

“His true name.” Dumbledore helpfully provided.

The entire Wizengamot went into motion at once, flipping through their own papers to presumably search for the keyword ‘Tom Riddle.’ Severus knew when one discovered it because afterwards there was a steady crescendo of whispers filling the room. A few members even stood to help others in their search.

Severus never felt more grateful to be sitting, the wave of nausea he felt from his rollercoaster of emotions tittered between anxiety and relief was alarming. The potion wreaked emotional havoc within his body and he was unaccustomed to not having them controlled when he was behind his Occlumency walls.

The judge pulled out his wand and struck the butt of it on his desk several times magically emitting a loud clunk clunk clunk, it caught the attention of the Wizengamot who immediately returned to their seats in silence.

Mr. Bones pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, “The question still stands. Mr. Snape, if you please…”

Severus briefly wondered why the judge wasn’t attempting to force the questions out of him to hurry this case along. He partially wanted him to just to get it over with.

Now what to say…

“In the beginning, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named didn’t have a name he was a just an idea, a whisper of what’s taken root in the foundations of the wizarding world. Muggles are other, lesser, their existence oppressive.”

Severus met Mr. Bones’s grey eyes wondering at his reaction, but he had a neutral expression when he nodded at Severus to continue. His heart beat erratically against his ribs. It was difficult to gauge whether he was going in the right direction.

“I, too, grew up thinking the ideology and was very vocal about it in my youth. I had no idea how deeply rooted Hogwarts would be politically therefore my first exposure to You-Know-Who’s supporters was in school.”

“House?” Mr. Bones asked.

“Slytherin.”

There was a mummer within the sea of Wizengamot members but they settled down when Severus spoke.

“It wouldn’t have mattered the house,” he said defensively and he wasn’t sure if that was just him or the potion at work. “The belief existed throughout the school. There was those that were curious about them as one would ogle a zoo animal because they considered them ‘other.’ People who found them lesser because of their lack of magic and others who found their existence oppressive because of the law mandated to keep wizards and witches hidden, tucked away, caged. The extremists just adopted all three considering muggles an invasive species that have run amok in this world.”

“And you, Mr. Snape? Where did you fall in this spectrum?”

Severus saw the judge had a blank look on his face as he asked this and couldn’t help but wonder if he was using Occlumency as well. He found it unnecessary to lie to him. “I found muggles oppressive from personal experience.”

“Hmmm, is that so?” Mr. Bones said it as one would respond when commenting about the weather. “These…supporters, they recruited you through this belief.”

Severus knew the right answer. No, they didn’t need to. At the point they recruited him, he was willing to throw himself in with them anyway to get some semblance of protection. Protection from the judging eyes of the muggles back at home, the constant abuse of his father and the bullies from school and even then that wasn’t enough. He knew his goal was to be powerful so he would never be in the position of weakness again. They offered him power and Severus took it but it wasn’t like he could answer honestly, that information was damning. Instead when he was pressed by the potion, he went a different route.

“They spoke of themselves as activist. It seemed harmless enough and I assume that’s how they initially rallied the public to take such drastic measures, by manipulating, and magnifying the unfairness of remaining hidden and placing muggles on a pedestal dictating our lives so we didn’t offend or startle them into attacking the wizarding world. It was how they assembled protest after protest for the last decade using the public.”

“Who is they, Mr. Snape? It seems as if you are speaking about some other group entirely.”

“The Knights of Walpurgis. You-Know-Who’s original supporters… His schoolmates.” He added.

The judge appeared to be considering the information based on his thoughtful look. “Go on.”

“Through the uprising, they were able to infiltrate their more loyal supporters into the Ministry and from there, control the Daily Prophet. The deaths that accumulated that lead up to that were to strike fear in the public and push them to voting for extremists in the end.” Severus swallowed, his throat felt dry from lack of water. He hadn’t drunk or eaten since yesterday, probably another thing contributing to the potion’s influence.

“I was passionate in being a part of that charge, to making a difference.” Severus said sombrely.

The judge studied him. “Was?”

“Lily,” Severus said simply as if that answered everything.

The judged picked up the pile of papers and flipped through them. “Ah, your wife!”

Severus heart leapt in surprise, his chest warmed at the thought. “Er-no, the mother of my child.”

The judge frowned, perplexed. “The mother of your child? Out of wedlock?”

The judge sounded incredulous. It was not socially acceptable to have children outside of wedlock. A bit taboo in the wizarding society. It made both parties involved vulnerable; the child, to a greater degree. It cast Lily and him in an unfavourable light. It either demonized him for leaving or her. Harry will always be the victim.

“Yes, sir. We are not married.”

“I don’t know how I missed this.” Mr. Bones scanned a sheet Dumbledore handed him mumbling. “She had no idea he was spy, you say? But where does it say when he discovered the boy was his?”

Dumbledore pointed to the bottom of the bottom of the sheet as Mr. Bones continued to read.

The judge suddenly smiled, eyes twinkling at Dumbledore. “Ooo, Albus, you sneaky bastard,” he said jovially. “You never could stop meddling in people’s lives.”

The judge cleared his throat to regain his bearings. “Well, I suppose we must get to the heart of the matter. Does your work as a spy to both sides outweigh the crimes committed?”

It was phrased as a question and even though Severus understood it as rhetorical, the potion annoyingly urged him to answer anyway. “I don’t know, sir.”

“I am focusing strictly on the evidence provided and not the embellishments of the press.”

What did the Daily Prophet have to say about him? Severus raised a brow in question at Dumbledore who appeared to be ignoring him. “I understand, sir.”

“It’s not unusual to have spies in the time of war,” the judge began, beckoning the scribe until he pulled a large totem from the pocket of his robe about a foot high and handed it to him. Mr. Bones gingerly picked it up and dropped it on his desk, the sound of its weight reverberated throughout the courtroom. The judge stood up to flip through its pages in a way that spoke of familiarity and stopped on a page and began scanning. “Though there are only a handful of cases in history where we had double agents, and fewer where they stayed true from a law’s moral standpoint.”

At Severus’s look he elaborated. “They were on the losing side, Mr. Snape so the winners chose what to do with them.”

It dawned on Severus then that this judge had unusual way of interpreting things.

“So far we’ve had six cases on record of double agents and one triple agent but the methods used are outdated even now that we no longer use dark magical fire for trials. I would be paving the way to establish a set of instructions for this case and possibly many future cases. Please bear with me for I must tread carefully.”

“I can’t expect you to list off your crimes and their locations, nor can I ask if the deaths you may have caused are comparable to the lives you saved. That would be a feat that would extend beyond your person. I would leave it to you to prove your innocence and your loyalty.”

Severus inhaled sharply, eyes widening in panic. What could he say? What was the right thing to say? When he tried to summon memories that could possibly assist him, he drew a blank. Even now, the potion held a powerful sway over him. Never again would he underestimate their potency when only a few drops could render him useless. Pointless, waste of a space for a brain. Work WORK!

“I don’t know if this counts since it’s not yet on record,” the voice came from Severus’s right. Thicknesse. “But he did manage to bring all the Death Eaters we’ve been searching for in for arrest.”

The Wizengamot became restless, whispering amongst each other.

A rotund man in his prime, dressed in orange and purple robes, stood up and addressed the judge. “Algernon Longbottom, sir. What he says it’s true!” He waved his hand as if presenting something at the crowd around him. “Before your arrival, there was a quick emergency trial with Barty Crouch Sr who executed an order with the Wizengamot as the witness to prematurely end the trial and have all the Death Eaters sent directly to Azkaban. We had no idea Mr. Snape played a part.”

To Longbottom’s right stood up a male ginger with a receding hairline. “We shouldn’t be trying him. He should be awarded the Order of Merlin not treated as a criminal. He’s no more criminal than I am.”

Crouch stood up red in the face, “He was still a Death Eater!”

“Awww, come off it, Crouch,” said Longbottom as he waved him off dismissively and sat himself down. “You’re just sour to see your own son was guilty of being a death eater too.”

Crouch fumed, “I have no son!”

Longbottom elbowed his peer as he sat down pointing a thumb in Crouch’s direction and speaking conspiratorially, “Should have paid attention to things at home than trying to work his way up the political ladder.”

Crouch growled.

The judge banged the butt of his wand on the table and it effectively worked to lessen the noise of the crowd. The scribe seemed to be panting at his side in the effort it took to control so many quills simultaneously, several parchments hovered mid-air as the amount of quills suddenly doubled while they finished writing their words.

Mr. Bones gave a sigh. “I see we have reached a verdict.” He closed his book, tracing the binding lovingly before passing it to the scribe. “Those in favour of conviction.”

Several paddles rose, one in particular more hesitantly under the glare of Barty Crouch.

He counted and announced the number to his scribe. “All in favour of clearing Mr. Snape of charges made as a spy.”

More than half the room had their paddles up.

Crouch stood and angrily rounded on the judge who gave him a side glance. “Now wait just a minute, you can’t undermine decrees that I made. He is still a death eater.”

Severus could tell that Crouch was digging a bigger hole for himself. At this rate he would no longer have legal authority to mandate anything. Severus wondered if the man knew that his rivalry was a losing battle.

“I agree, Mr. Crouch, I never challenged any decrees made except outdated illegal ones. If you would please sit down.”

Crouch let himself drop back into the bench in a huff like a spoiled child.

Mr. Bones blank grey eyes settled on Severus. “In the case of Severus Snape, by the order of the Wizengamot you are cleared of the charges you may have made as a spy and by the power vested in me you are found guilty of being a Death Eater.”

Severus heart sank in dread as members hopped from their seat to argue their point. Crouch couldn’t hid how chuffed he seemed.

The judged continued to talk over all of them unphased and Severus could barely hear what he said but whatever it was had Crouch shooting Mr. Bones an irritated look as the crowd roared in approval. Severus cluelessly looked around trying to interpret what was happening and stood in place as members of the Wizengamot made a point to tease Crouch as they passed to file out of the courtroom.

Longbottom greeted him shaking his hand, “Good on you, Mr. Snape. One hour is not bad.”

Severus blinked as the man clapped him on the shoulder and left. Thicknesse took his place his shorter led a ginger haired man wave at Severus over the Auror’s head. “I’ll make sure you’ll get that Order of Merlin!”

Dumbledore bounded over all smiles and grasped Severus’s shoulder, shaking him from side to side in his excitement. “Congratulations!”

“What happened?” Severus asked, disoriented.

Dumbledore shot Thicknesse a knowing look. “Must be the Veritaserum.”

Thicknesse shrugged. “Six drops, right?”

Severus choked out a breath. “Six drops?! Are you mad? Standard is three drops. You could have killed me!”

Dumbledore chuckled good naturedly, “You’re an Occlumens, you had to look like you were effected.”

Severus was still unsettled. Six drops? He was surprised he wasn’t singing like a canary.

“By the way,” said Dumbledore in an affable manner, his blue eyes twinkling madly, “I’ve been meaning to ask your favourite colour.”

It wasn’t phrased as a question so he didn’t feel coerced to answer and he wasn’t feeling particularly trusting at the moment given that they just overdosed him with Veritaserum. Severus shot him a grumpy look.

Thicknesse chose that time to intervene handing Severus what could easily identify to be the antidote to Veritaserum based on its colouring. “It’s a hour in Azkaban, Snape.”

An hour? That was…short. He would prefer not to go at all. Azkaban was a place of nightmares. Severus downed the vial and the Auror swiftly vanished it wordlessly.

“You could either choose to go now or later.” Thicknesse said indifferently swiping at non-existent lint on his trousers.

He could tell the man was not a fan of escorting him but if Thicknesse was part of the Order like he suspected, he wouldn’t trust another by his side. “Let’s get this over with.”