"How were your exams?" Kingsley asked her.
They were waiting for Snape in Kingsley's office.
"I've only taken two" Spencer answered. "I did well, I know I did" she shrugged.
Kingsley smiled to himself, "good. You need excellent marks if you want to become an Auror."
"Yeah... I don't know if I wanna do that anymore" she stood up from her seat and went to get a cup of water.
"Why?"
She shrugged, "I'm just- I just need time to think about what I want to do."
He nodded, albeit confused.
"I'm not exactly where I thought I was going to be six months ago" she took a deep breath, placing her back beside the door.
"You can apply anytime, I don't see myself leaving anytime soon" he gave her a smile.
"Thanks Kings" she replied.
"Anytime."
"...I know I-"
"Kingsley have you heard" Arthur opened the door quickly, walking into his office and shutting it, "I thought it was a rumor but I just saw half of the court discreetly walk into courtroom three."
"Arthur-"
"A professor Kingsley, a professor! Can you imagine the scandal when the press get a hand on it?" he shook his head. "I hid the paper trail as much as I could, but this can get in the hands of anyone, people are already talking about it. One comment to the wrong person and Rita Skeeter will be down here in a millisecond- I can't imagine what that child must be going through-"
"Arthur!" he exclaimed, looking at Spencer.
She froze the minute he stepped inside, unsure of what to do.
Arthur turned around, he wished he hadn't.
In three seconds he went through so many emotions.
Happy to see her, then confused as to why she was there. He was going to ask but her face said it all.
"Arthur," Kingsley sighed, "sit down."
Kingsley tried to touch his arm, Arthur took it back.
He shook his head, "you're- No, it can't be-"
"Arthur-"
"Enough, Kingsley! I am speaking with my daughter!" he yelled.
He never yelled.
Spencer started to cry.
"You-" he was speechless. "You're-" he shook his head.
"I'm sorry," her voice broke, "I'm sorry" she cried.
Arthur walked up to her and brought her in for a hug. He held her tightly, tearing up as his brain tried to comprehend what she just told him without saying any words.
"I'm sorry" she repeated.
He shook his head, "don't be sorry honey, there's nothing to be sorry about."
She cried into his chest, "I'm so sorry."
"Spencer" he whispered, looking at her. "I love you. I will always love you. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever change that" he nodded.
Spencer tried to control her breathing as she nodded.
Snape walked into the room, he looked at Arthur, then Spencer, then Kingsley. He rolled his eyes as he closed the door behind him.
"He knew?" Arthur asked Kingsley.
"Please don't get mad" Spencer sniffled.
"I'm-" he took a deep breath. "I'm not mad" he shook his head.
"You can't tell anyone" Spencer wiped the tears off her face. "You can't tell Molly" she shook her head.
"Spencer-"
"You can't" she shook her head.
He nodded, "I won't tell anyone."
"As sweet as this is, they're ready" Snape spoke.
She nodded, wiping her face with the cardigan she wore.
One Remus left behind.
"Arthur, you can wait for her here if you'd like" Kingsley spoke.
"I'm-"
Spencer shook her head, "I won't be able to get through it if you're there" she whispered.
"Sweetheart" he whispered.
"Come to Hogwarts after work" she smiled. "I'll show you my apartment" she nodded.
He nodded softly, "ok."
She hugged him, "I love you" she said.
"I love you" he replied.
She walked out of the room, Snape stood in front of her. Kingsley behind her.
She wrapped the cardigan around her, suddenly feeling cold.
Snape opened the door for her, Kingsley led her to an empty space for them to sit.
Spencer saw that he nodded at someone, signaling them to begin.
"The court calls one Ramona Addison, make your way to the chair" a man said.
Spencer saw as she walked to the chair from the opposite side of the room, not sparing her a glance.
"Today, June 13th 1994, the court will investigate a claim brought forth by Spencer Artemis Venus. Please state your name, date of birth, and current occupation for the record."
"My name is Ramona Addison, I was born on November 12th, 1936. I'm not currently working."
"Ms. Addison, do you understand the charges made against you?" the same man asked.
"Yes sir but I-"
"No need to explain, a yes or no will suffice" he looked back down at the pages on his table. "Do you understand the charges made against you?"
"Yes."
"And you understand that if you are found guilty you will accept the terms of punishment this court deems fair?"
"I understand, sir."
"And if we do not arrive to a solution today you agree not to leave the county, city, or state in which you reside in?"
"Yes."
"And you agree not to speak a word of the events that take place in this court to the press?"
Spencer saw her inhale, shocked by the question.
"I-" Ramona stuttered.
"Ms. Addison," the man took off his glasses, "you said you understand the charges made against you. Alleged or not, the plaintiff was a minor at the time."
"Ms. Addison," a woman cut in, "we take our jobs very seriously. We cannot have public opinion in a case like this."
"I understand" she nodded.
"You understand we cannot have public opinion in this case or you understand you cannot speak to press."
"I will not speak to press, I understand you cannot have public opinion in a case like this."
The man at the top nodded, "let's begin."
Snape reached for Spencer's hand.
"Ramona Addison," the man began, "the charges made against you come from one Spencer Artemis Venus. She claims to have been continuously raped while you were employed as her teacher, at the age of 15."
Spencer saw some of the members shake their head. Snape held her hand tighter.
"What do you plead?" he asked, his fingers intertwined.
It seemed that everyone peaked even more over their desk, as if to look at her closer.
"Not guilty" she answered.
Spencer felt Snape roll his eyes beside her. She saw Kingsley fist his hands. She placed her hand on top of his left one, signaling it was okay.
He shook his head, "I'm supposed to be the one comforting you."
She shrugged, "I've dealt with it longer than you."
He sighed before looking back up.
"The court will now allow the defendant to give a personal statement."
Spencer saw as Ramona stood, she cleared her throat and began to speak.
"First of all I would like to thank all of you for being here today, I understand there are more pressing matters the court needs to deal with," she began, "it is true that I was Ms. Venus' Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher when she was in her fifth year. She went through a traumatic event, her twin sister died. In addition to that, he parents did not want anything to do with her. I was there for her as nothing more than a teacher, an adult she could talk to-"
Spencer stood up and walked outside. Snape followed her.
"Spencer-"
"I'm fine" she shook her head. "I just-" she sighed, "I'm fine."
"Spencer I am ridiculously angry, I cannot imagine you feeling anything less than I am" he said.
"Of course I'm angry," she rolled her eyes, "but this whole this is basically "she said" and "she said." She is going to lie- she's a good liar- what if they don't believe me?"
"They will, they have to" he answered.
She nodded slightly, "yeah" she whispered.
He slowly got closer to her, raising his hand to her shoulder. She realized what he was doing.
"You don't have to" she shook her head.
"I want to" he answered.
"You're uncomfortable" she replied.
"I don't care" he said before bringing her into a hug.
She wrapped her arms around him, holding onto him tightly.
"Thanks" she whispered into his chest. "It means a lot."
He nodded.
They then heard someone clear their throat, it was Kingsley.
"They are ready for you" he looked at Spencer.
She nodded.
"You can do this" he rubbed her back.
She took a deep breath before following Kingsley into the courtroom.
"The court calls one Spencer Artemis Venus, make your way to the chair."
Spencer walked to the chair, she thought about the physiological effects this had on her.
The chair was in the middle of a room, with people sitting on elevated benches looking down on her.
She realized her hands started shaking, she decided to sit on them.
"Sorry, could you please repeat the question?" she asked as she found them all staring at her.
"Please state your name, date of birth, and current occupation for the court."
"My name is Spencer Artemis Venus, I was born on April 15, 1979. I don't have a job, I'm still in school."
"Do you know why you are here today?" the man questioned her.
"I do."
"Would you care to explain the charges you have filed?"
Spencer swallowed her own spit before speaking, "I was raped by my professor."
"At what age?"
"15"
"When did this alleged crime stop?"
She cleared her throat, "at the end of the school year, when she was fired."
"Do you know why she was fired?"
"I do" she nodded.
"Could you explain?"
She looked over to Kingsley, he nodded in response.
"Headmaster Dumbledore found out about what she had been doing to me, he fired her."
The court was shocked, they all turned to look at one another.
"And why are we just know hearing about this?"
She took a deep breath, "I threatened to kill myself."
The court gasped.
"For some reason I didn't want her to be in trouble. I didn't want her to suffer. And it took me two years to ask myself why. Why didn't I want her to suffer when I did? I was suicidal, I had an eating disorder, I didn't talk, I was depressed and I was still protecting her. I told my headmaster that if word ever got out I'd kill myself. So that's why you're just now hearing about what I went through" she answered.
The man at the top cleared his throat before speaking again, "The court will now allow the plaintiff to give a personal statement if she chooses."
Spencer took out a paper she folded out of her pocket. She stood up and began to read.
"Good morning, my name is Spencer and I'm 18 years old. I'm here today to tell the court what I went through three years ago" her hands started to shake. "Before I start, I want you to imagine your life at 15. What were you worried about? What were you excited for?" she asked.
"I ask this because I know for a fact our lives were not the same. My sister, Emily, tragically died in a car accident the summer before my fifth year. My relationship with my mother and father began to strain and my boyfriend at the time was abusive. She saw that" her voice started to break. "I was at a new low, I didn't know if I'd get better. I knew I needed help... when it was offered from someone I trusted, why would I think twice?"
She took a deep breath before continuing, "It started off innocently, she asked if I was okay and gave me extensions on homework. Then she invited me out for a walk that turned into lunch. She asked about my day and how I was doing. She called me pretty and made me feel good about myself. She said it was okay to call her by her first name when no one was around- and by Christmas break she broke me in" her eyes began to water.
"I didn't go home, she convinced me not to," she shook her head, "my parents were dealing with the loss of their child and she said I'd have more fun at the castle with her." She cleared her throat, "she would whisper that it was okay, what she was doing. I stared at the ceiling as she held my hips. This became a routine. She told my friends I had detention five minutes before dinner finished and she'd take me to her classroom" she sniffled.
"She-" Spencer cleaned her face as the tears fell. She cleared her throat as she looked up at the court. Leaving the paper on the seat, she spoke. "I remember when I would burst out laughing in the middle of class. I used to be loud and outgoing and happy. And somewhere along the line, I lost it.
The freedom. The innocence. All gone. My friends would as if I was ok and I'd say yes. Because that's what she told me to say.
I never grieved my sister.
I never grieved the child I could've been.
Because that's what I was, a child.
I remember- I remember thinking that I would never come to terms with what happened.
That I was raped. Because you made me think that it was okay, that it was for my best interest" she looked at her. "I was hurt and bruised and scarred all by a person I thought was good" she looked back at the court.
"Even now, I still struggle to comprehend it" she took a deep breath. "I know the world has never been right or fair. But that doesn't mean I deserved that. I didn't deserve the burden of having to walk through life feeling alone. I didn't deserve the nights I spent crying, desperately trying to understand why.
Why did it happen. Why did it happen to me?
What did I do?
Did I look at her for too long?
Did I blush?
Did I laugh at something she said?
What was it, about me, that made her do that.
But it wasn't me.
And I still have to remind myself that.
I can stand here and speak but none of you will truly understand what it is like for me. My brain is my worst enemy. I couldn't trust myself.
All because of choices she made.
Choices that ruined my life."
She continued to look at the court, after a few moments passed the man at the top spoke again.
"The court will reconvene in a week, thank you all for coming" he said before leaving.
Spencer stared at his back, not realizing Ramona walking toward her.
"Get back" she heard Snape say through his teeth.
"Come with me Spencer" Kingsley led her out.
"What just happened?" she whispered.
"You have another appointment" he answered.
"They don't believe me?" her voice broke.
"It's a difficult subject for you, I'm sure they just want you to be emotionally ready" he answered.
"But I-"
"It's ok" he nodded. "It gives us time to talk about what's next."
Kingsley took her to Hogwarts and walked her up to her apartment.
It seemed that Arthur left work when the session started, they found him sitting on the couch.
Spencer didn't say anything, she just walked into her room and shut the door.
She could her Kingsley and Arthur talking, soon enough Snape came in and asked about her.
"I'll check on her" Arthur said.
"It might be best if-"
"She'll lock the door if she doesn't want me there" he cut him off.
Spencer opened the door slightly from her bed, allowing him to come in.
She was laying on Remus' side of the bed, her back to the door.
Arthur entered and sat down on her side, "hey" he whispered.
"Hi" she said softly. "You can lay down" she sniffled.
His heart broke as he heard her voice. He laid down and stared at her ceiling.
She spoke after a few moments of silence, "I don't want to tell you what happened to me" she said.
"It's okay... maybe one day we'll have that conversation. It's up to you" he said softly, his voice scratchy from his silent tears. "If that day comes, I'm going to repeat this to you over and over again until you believe me: it wasn't your fault, honey, it wasn't your fault. You didn't deserve any of it."
Spencer turned around, placing her head on his chest and her arm around him.
"I love you" she whispered.
"I love you."