Complications // Severus Snape

• Ch 19 Sourest of Grapes •

"Remember, no matter what, my dad is not to hear a word about this." I said as I walked to my Hearing with Ella three days later. "If you get punished by the Ministry, that is your own doing. I will try to get you out of trouble, but the requests of the accused are not often met."

I knew I was being selfish, but I honestly felt that Ella deserved everything she had coming to her. But that also could have just been my jealously speaking.

"Here we go..." I muttered as I entered the courtroom, leaving Ella to wait by the door.

There were about fifty people in the room, all dressed in plum-colored robes embroidered with a silver W. There were two wooden chairs in the middle of the room, one of which I sat on.

"Name?" asked an old man, who sounded as though he would rather be anywhere else in the world than there.

"Amarina Kelly." I said, watching as the bored man slowly etched the quill into the parchment before him. I mentally groaned; this was going to take a long time...

I was halfway through explaining what had happened to the Wizengamot when I looked up only to see the old man who had been writing everything down and asking the majority of the question had fallen asleep. I stopped talking at once, and irritably said, "Er—it looks as though one of your members has fallen asleep."

A younger woman went over to awaken the old man, but he would not budge. After a few moments of the woman shaking the old man to no avail, a few of the others joined her attempts.

Finally, one wizard thought to check the old man's pulse. After a minute, he declared, "He's dead."

I couldn't believe it. I had actually bored someone to death.

I watched the majority of the Wizengamot began to file out.

"Wait!" I said, standing up from my seat, "Am I supposed to just sit here and wait?"

A witch who had been attempting to exit groaned, but walked over to the parchment on which the now dead man had been writing and began scribbling furiously. "You are cleared of all charges. On behalf of the Wizengamot, I apologize that you had to have such an experience. Good day."

I stepped out of the courtroom, and Ella eyed me nervously. "Are zey ready for me?" she asked.

"No—I've been cleared of all charges."

Ella's eyes widened. "Zey didn't need me to testify?"

"Nah, I got lucky and some bloke died."

Ella gasped. "Zat's 'orrible!" I just nodded, and began to lead the way out of the Ministry.

Once we arrived back at Ella's car, I checked the time on my watch. It was already 2:30 PM, so I suggested Ella and I go to lunch whilst we were out. Ella, still slightly scared of me, quickly agreed, and asked where I wanted to eat.

I directed her to the Leaky Caldron, which was not far from the Ministry. Once we arrived at the establishment, I led Ella into the inn. She appeared to be unimpressed by the rustic theme of it, and we sat down at a booth away from the rest of the customers.

After we ordered our meals, I attempted to make conversation with the Veela. "So, Ella, have you ever had Butterbeer before?"

She cocked her head slightly at the unfamiliar word. "Eez zat alcohol?" she asked.

I smiled at her ignorance and said, "Hardly. It has a butterscotch-y taste to it."

"Ve do not 'ave zat in Austria." she said. Silence fell upon us, and I was relieved when the food arrived.