Loving Lily: A Snily Story

Chapter 9 - The Birth of Harriet Potter

Severus recognized Mr. Williamson, who stood next to James, but it unnerved him that the rest of the Potter legal team along with James's parents had failed to attend the remediation session that morning.

The judge was going to deliver his decision.

Severus had been looking forward to seeing the defeat on the faces of those in his enemy's entourage.

Why weren't they there?

Mr. Williamson's smirk was as arrogant as James' while the judge looked out over the four and spoke, "Mr. James Potter and Mrs. Lily Evans Potter, you two are here today to receive the court's final determination in your civil case, is that correct?"

"Yes, your honor." Lily confirmed with a respectful nod.

"That's right, your honor." James replied as his smirk remained on his lips.

Severus controlled the urge to rid James of his arrogance with a single blast from his wand.

"Mr. Potter, I see Mr. Williamson is with you again today." The judge nodded at James.

"That's correct, sir, yes." James replied as he and Mr. Williamson wore matching grins.

The judge cleared his throat before he turned to the defendant.

"Mrs. Potter, I see that your attorney has again failed to attend." The judge said to Lily as he gazed at her over his spectacles.

"That's right your honor, Mr. Peabody is not here today either." Lily replied, ".....But Severus Snape will act in his place again."

It had been a true bungling of service really, the way that Lily's lawyer had never bothered to contact her at all after he mysteriously did not attend her hearing........

While Lily claimed her new representative, Severus's chest swelled with pride while he threw James a glaring glance.

The judge nodded and glanced down at the parchments in his hand as he spoke, "Very well, Mrs. Potter. If everyone's prepared, shall we begin?"

The courtroom was mostly empty except for the four who stood in front of the judge.

In wizarding civil court cases, the decision rarely drew as many spectators as the debate.

The judge cleared his throat as he looked down and read off of the parchment lying in front of himself, "The court has examined the findings presented in the case on May twentieth, nineteen eighty. Upon interpretation of the evidence submitted that day, it is the court's decision that Mr. James Potter will be awarded sole custody of Mr. and Mrs. Potter's child as soon as he or she leaves the womb."

Severus's black eyes widened in disbelief.

He heard a dry gasp of despairing shock escape Lily's throat.

Tears welled in her eyes as the sting of the judge's decree penetrated her heart.

Across the room, James and Mr. Williamson triumphantly kept their arrogant smirks.

As Severus glanced over at them with narrowed eyes, he looked at their expressions more closely.

That wasn't only bullheaded, haughty confidence that he saw in their faces, no, that was relaxed reassurance as if they already knew what the judge was going to say before he spoke.

For some reason or another......

"Mrs. Potter, Mr. James Potter has agreed to give you limited visitation rights. You are ordered by the court to contact Mr. James Potter when the child's birth is imminent. After the birth concludes, the infant will be placed in his care." The judge explained to Lily.