Harry McGonagall (Completed)

Chapter 12: Justice Part One

"All right. Now that we're here, I want you to take your things up to your room and stay there until dinner. You're grounded for the rest of the summer."

"What?" exclaimed Hermione Granger as she dropped the suitcase she was carrying and turned to face her mother.

"Do you really think that we'd forget to punish you for what happened at that baseball game?"

"But…"

"Honey," said Adam to his daughter, "Only an idiot would take his daughter all the way to a foreign country just to ground her before she gets to see all the sights. We wanted you to enjoy our holiday."

"Besides, we didn't know what kind of mischief you and Harry would get up to," added Marissa. "I hope he's not a bad influence on you."

"What?" Hermione looked shocked.

"Don't worry. We're not going to try to separate you two or anything," said her father, "although you won't be seeing him until that Professor's trial." He sighed. "You broke the law and we're going to have to pay that fine. You have to be punished."

"But can't you just fight it in the court?" asked Hermione. "I read the ticket he gave you. It said we'll have a trial date in the middle of August."

"If we don't pay the fine," finished Adam.

"So let's fight it!"

"Spend the money for another floo trip to America?" Marissa asked. "I know it's a lot cheaper than flying, but what would be the point?"

"The point is that I DIDN'T DO IT! Brianna did!"

"Not that again," said Adam.

"Daddy! Why won't you listen to me?" Hermione's eyes were filling with unshed tears.

"They proved it was your wand."

"She stole it!"

"Will you stop accusing that girl?" asked Marissa, looking angry.

"Why on earth would I want to influence that American game? And if I did, I would've helped Harry's team, not Brianna's! And furthermore, I would not have broken the law over a stupid game! Why won't you believe me? Have I ever done something like this before?"

"Well, no, but we did find out about that troll incident," said Marissa.

"Can I at least try to convince Brianna to confess? Maybe we can visit the McGonagalls tomorrow?"

"You know we're not going to let you do that," said Adam.

"Ppppplllllleeeeaaaasssseeee, Daddy?" she asked with her most innocent, pathetic little girl face. "At least let me try and prove my innocence."

The two adults looked at their daughter and then at themselves. They both took deep breaths and shrugged their shoulders.

"Fine. We'll let you call Harry on your mirror to ask him when we can visit and then we'll hold onto it until school starts."

"But…"

"We'll still allow you to use his owl to exchange letters. Think of it as not being able to use the phone."