Chapter 8 : The Will and the Magic

"Do we understand correctly that this will be the first time the will is read in its entirety?"

"That is correct."

The elderly witch who had posed the question lowered her spectacles and peered over them. Those who were able to follow her gaze would have noticed that she was looking up at Albus Dumbledore, who sat in the stands.

Severus kept his eyes firmly on the proceedings. He was keenly aware that the gallery was full, and that Albus sat off to his right, only twelve or so seats away, and that Lupin and Black were in the row directly in front of him. The seats were elevated, and the action was taking place in the round arena below. The whole thing reminded him of his trial, though this courtroom was very unlike the other.

The will was a roll of parchment tied up with a red ribbon. The wax seal was already broken. The will had been read once before, after the deaths of Lily and James Potter.

"Let the record show that this is the last will and testament of James and Lily Potter, father and mother of Harry James Potter, who is the minor in question."

A spell was cast. The parchment floated upward, surrounded by a pale glow, and unrolled itself.

James Potter's voice filled the cavernous courtroom.

Severus tuned it out. He had not heard it read the last time, but he had read the transcription. He didn't need to hear it in Potter's hated voice. He only cared about one section.

We grant Albus Dumbledore the power to determine what is best for our child, Harry James Potter, should our choice of guardians be unavailable to assume the responsibility of raising him.

Down in the third row, Remus glanced at Sirius's pale, tight-lipped expression, and covered his white-knuckled hand with his own. It had been torture listening to the will being read by their long-dead best friend, even though Remus had heard it once before. This was Sirius's first time; it was worse for him.

We grant Sirius Black guardianship of our child.

Severus looked sideways at Albus, but the old man's expression did not reveal anything. He tried to pay attention to the legalese. It was important. There might be something there that the old man could use to keep Black from getting guardianship, and that would be rather unfortunate given how hard it had been for Severus to convince himself that the whole thing was for the best.

Should Sirius Black be unable to assume the responsibility of raising our child, under no circumstances is any member of his family to be considered eligible to receive guardianship. Likewise, no relation of Lily Potter, ne Evans, is to be granted such consideration.

An excited murmur broke out through the crowd, and many eyes riveted onto Albus Dumbledore. The old man seemed oblivious to the scrutiny.

Frank and Alice Longbottom are our second choice, and we grant them guardianship of our child should our first choice be unavailable.

Remus gripped Sirius's hand, as much to comfort himself as to comfort Sirius, who had winced at the mention of the Longbottoms. Frank, older by ten years, had been Sirius's mentor.

It was over. The next section concerned the child's rights to the Potter fortune. Severus sighed and prepared to tune it out.

I, Lily Evans Potter, wish to make an addendum to our joint statement.

Severus felt all color draining from his face. He had not been prepared to hear her voice.

Should both Sirius Black and the Longbottoms be unable to care for my child, Harry James Potter, I ask the courts to consider Severus Snape.

Severus's blood froze in his veins. He was only vaguely aware of Lupin and Black twisting in their seats to look up at him with shock and, in Black's case, utter outrage, and that what had been a low murmur through the gallery a short while ago was now more like an excited roar.

My one stipulation is that he be considered only if his allegiance to Voldemort --"

There was a collective gasp, as expected.

-- has been severed. Severus Snape was my closest childhood friend, and has pledged to protect my child regardless of his own allegiances. If he has turned away from the Dark, I ask that he be considered suitable for the purposes of guardianship.

"Order! ORDER!"

There was such an uproar that it was a miracle anyone heard. It took a full ten minutes for the courtroom to return to some semblance of normalcy, and during this time Severus sat stiffly, staring straight ahead, trying to pretend he could not hear.

The rest of the will was not read, and instead a short recess was called. Slowly, the courtroom emptied as judges and gawkers alike filed out to resume their gossiping elsewhere, over food and drink.

"What the bloody hell? What the bloody hell, Snape?"

Severus shrugged half-heartedly. He felt drained and exhausted. Hearing Lily's voice, not to mention her words, had been both terrible and wonderful.

She had believed him.

She had forgiven him.

If she hadn't died, but lived long enough to find out....

He shook his head. This was not the time or the place, with Black glaring at him and Lupin hovering like he thought he might need to break up a duel any second now. "I did not know. I don't see that it matters, regardless."

"You bet your arse it doesn't matter," Sirius said, glaring at the git. What had Lily been thinking? Bloody evil Death Eater. Always had been Dark. Always would be. "I was their first and best choice. Come on, Moony."

Remus tried to send Snape what he hoped was an apologetic glance as Sirius grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the exit. He had been trying to get the man alone for the past week, to find out what he knew about Harry's ordeal at the Dursleys. They had been forced to leave the child there until the issue of guardianship could be resolved, and he hadn't felt at ease since. He suspected that Snape had been to see Harry at least once, if he knew of the conditions in which Harry lived, and even from the short time they had been able to spend with Harry he realized that the boy was not entirely ignorant about their world. Someone had visited him, and Remus had concluded rather swiftly that it hadn't been Albus.

When they were gone, Severus sank shakily back into his seat, rubbing his forehead. His head throbbed dully.

Now that it had all started to sink in, he couldn't keep back the thought that he should have been the boy's guardian all along. Black had been in prison and the Longbottoms worse than dead, and that had left him.

But Lily's portion of the will had never been read, her voice never heard.

Damn Albus Dumbledore and his damn plans for the boy, whatever they were. The boy had suffered through four years of cold, hunger, and neglect at the Dursleys, when Severus could have... could have....

He shook his head suddenly. Why was he entertaining these thoughts, and where had they come from? Why in Merlin's name would he want the Potter brat underfoot? Black was the first choice, and good riddance, really. The only reason Severus cared at all was the double bind of his promise to Lily and his Vow to Albus.

He remained sitting there until slowly the courtroom filled again.

"Order!"

An expectant silence descended over the court room.

"Witnesses will now be called."

Severus scowled. This was what he had hoped wouldn't happen, but had suspected would. Guardianship of The-Boy-Who-Lived was not an everyday matter. The battle was about to begin, with Albus Dumbledore in one corner and Sirius Black in the other. Severus wasn't in the least happy about which side he felt compelled to support.

"We call... Albus Dumbledore..."

Albus rose smoothly from his seat and came down the steps, settling in one of the chairs that had appeared in a half-circle in front of the panel of judges.

"Sirius Black..."

Sirius exchanged a look with Remus, who nodded encouragingly and tried to smile, before making his way down. He eyed the chair suspiciously before sitting down.

"Severus Snape."

Severus sat frozen for several seconds, refusing to believe that he had heard right, but knowing with dreadful certainty that he had. Black had leaped out of his chair and was looking up at him with an expression that was equal parts outrage and disbelief. With effort, Severus forced himself to rise and walk down to the arena. He sat down as far from Black as he could, on the other end of the half-circle, with Albus between them and separated from each by four seats.

After a few moments, Black sat down again, though his expression did not change, and Severus let out a slow breath. He certainly didn't want that lunatic throwing some kind of fit in front of the panel.

"Albus Dumbledore," said a portly wizard who had been studying the Potters's will closely through a magnifying lens. "As the child's parents trusted you to know what would be best for him, we ask you now: What do you believe is best for Harry Potter?"

"I believe Harry Potter is best served by remaining with his mother's kin," Albus said smoothly.

"Against the wishes of his parents, and in direct violation of the terms of their will?"

"Given the unique circumstances, yes."

The wizard wrote something in a leather book in front of him. "So noted. Sirius Black, are you in a position to assume guardianship of the child?"

"I am." Sirius tried to wipe what he knew was still a thunderous look from his face, and to sound convinced of his own words. In truth, the house he had inherited was broken-down and filthy, and there hadn't been enough time to do much about it. He wasn't going to tell them he'd been staying with Remus in a one-room shack in the woods.

"So noted." A witch on his left learned over to whisper something, and the wizard frowned. "Is it true you co-habit with a registered werewolf?"

Sirius bit back the first words that sprang to his tongue They had known this might come up... Remus had warned him. "Remus Lupin is a lifelong friend, a trained wizard, and a valued member of the Order of the Phoenix."

"But he is a werewolf, and you do not deny the charge?"

"The charge?" Sirius repeated, unable to stop his eyes from narrowing. "What law would I be breaking by living with him?"

The wizard ignored him. "Severus Snape, as you were named in the will, we ask you: Are you in a position to assume guardianship of the child?"

Severus stared at him. His eyes darted toward Black, who had made a violent sort of movement that he caught in his peripheral vision, and then to Albus, who was sucking on one of those blasted lemon sherbets and looked completely unconcerned, as if the question just posed had been about the weather.

"Wait a minute!" Sirius glared at the panel of judges and then at Snape. "He's a... he's..." He didn't finish, but trailed off, because as he looked at Snape his eyes followed Snape's gaze and alighted onto Albus's face, where, for just one second, a curiously victorious look flashed.

Very slowly, their eyes met over Albus's head, and somehow, for the first time in their long and sordid history, they seemed to have seen a thing and managed to interpret it in exactly the same way.

"Yes?" prompted the wizard.

"Er... Well, he wasn't the first choice... is what I meant."

"We recognize that this case is unusual. We ask again: Severus Snape, are you in a position to assume guardianship of the child?"

"I am," Severus said carefully. "I believe, however, that Black is a more suitable choice. As for his choice of companions, I happen to have developed a potion that, while not a cure, renders a werewolf harmless by allowing the infected individual to retain full control of his faculties."

Over in the stands, Severus could see that Lupin had gone a nasty shade of greenish-grey. He felt rather pleased that he had brought the testing of his potion back into play.

The wizard spent a full minute writing rapidly, his quill flying. "Your opinion is noted."

Severus glanced at Albus. It was impossible to know what the old man was thinking. There was no twinkle in his eyes, now. Did that mean displeasure? Disappointment? It was impossible to tell. If the old man had hoped that by pitting them against one another he would cause neither to be deemed acceptable, that plan seemed to have been derailed by the unexpected miracle of Black thinking before speaking.

"Albus Dumbledore," spoke an ancient looking witch. "You believe it is in the child's best interests to remain with his mother's sister --" She checked her notes. "-- one Petunia Dursley?"

"I do indeed. While they are Muggles, their home is impeccable and Harry is raised alongside their own son, who is the same age."

"WHAT? THEY KEEP HIM IN A CUPBOARD! THEY DON'T FEED HIM! IT'S RIGHT THERE IN YOUR BLOODY NOTES!"

"Control yourself, Mr. Black, or you will be removed from this courtroom!"

Sirius sank back down, swallowing.

"We have a report, yes. Albus Dumbledore, can you shed any light on these allegations?"

"I believe," Albus said calmly, "that Mr. Black's upbringing may color his view of Harry's Muggle relatives."

Severus glanced at Black. Black looked outraged and furious. If this went on much longer, Severus was sure Black wouldn't be able to control himself.

The quill flew again. "So noted. Are there witnesses other than yourself, Mr. Black?"

"Remus Lupin was with me," Sirius said bitterly. He could see exactly what was coming. From the look Snape had just given him, he guessed he wasn't the only one.

"Witnesses with less bias?"

Severus breathed in. "I am a witness to the long-term neglect suffered by the Potters's child at the hands of his relatives."

He couldn't help seeing the flash of anger that passed over Albus's face. Damn. Well, it looked like it was necessary, and, anyway, he was already in too deep.

"Speak."

"I first saw the boy over the winter holidays. The boy is monitored in many ways, as you surely know. An alarm sent me to the residence one night, where I found the boy sleeping on a broken mattress in a cupboard under the stairs. He was hypothermic and suffering from malnutrition."

The witch looked at him over the top of her spectacles. "Are you willing to submit memories of this encounter?"

"I am," Severus said reluctantly. If there was anything he despised, it was having his mind riffled through.

He tried to ignore the murmur of the crowd while a pensieve was brought out. The idea of having all these people see and judge his actions on that night was unnerving. He suddenly was very sure that he had not done everything the law required of someone in his position.

The memory was extracted. Black, along with every other man and woman in the courtroom, leaned forward expectantly. Severus especially hated for Black to see this memory.

It was painful to watch it. Painful to see the expression on his own face when he had thrown open the cupboard door and first laid eyes on the child. Painful to watch himself struggle to provide even the minimum amount of care. Had he really done that little, that night? No wonder his conscience had been prickling.

He couldn't help glancing at Black, when it was over, but Black was still staring at the mist above the pensieve, though there was no longer anything to see.

Slowly, his senses returned to him. He realized that the courtroom was in absolute chaos.

"ORDER! ORDER!"

At last, the crowd quieted.

The elderly wizard who had the leather book stopped writing at last, shaking out a cramp in his wrist. "Severus Snape, do you swear that this memory is accurate and unaltered?"

"I do."

"So noted. Tell us, did you report your findings?"

"I reported my findings to Albus Dumbledore," Severus said. This time, he would not have looked over at Albus for anything. "He assured me he would take appropriate action."

"So noted."

"But he did not."

The wizard's quill froze.

"I visited the boy again in February, and found his condition unchanged. I continued to provide food and other items of comfort over the next several months. In that time, I do not believe Albus Dumbledore nor anyone else checked on the boy's condition."

The panel of judges was silent for what seemed like an age.

"Are you prepared to provide evidence of these visits?"

"I am."

Severus could feel Black's stare on him, but he couldn't bring himself to look at Black anymore than he could look at Albus.

The judges were speaking, a silencing charm over the long table. There was a lot of gesturing and outraged expressions, until, at long last, one by one they nodded in ascent.

"We are prepared to make a decision on the first count. The boy shall be removed from the care of his relatives, Petunia and Vernon Dursley."

Severus allowed himself a deep breath.

But it was not over, and he sat up a little straighter, waiting for the rest.

"Albus Dumbledore," said the ancient witch. "While we dismiss your recommendation that the child be returned to his relatives, it remains true that the Potters placed great value on your opinion. We have two contenders for guardianship of the child. Have you an opinion about either of them?"

"I believe," Albus said, still calmly though his tone was not as smooth as before, "that Severus Snape would be the better choice, of the two."

Severus couldn't help swiveling around to almost face him. What was the old man up to now? Trying to keep the boy close at hand? Thinking Severus would want to wash his hands of the boy at the earliest opportunity? Some particular grudge against Black or Lupin, or both?

"You seem to have an objection, Mr. Snape."

"I merely think," Severus said, trying to force his face into a neutral expression, "that out of the two, I am not the best choice. I teach, I have my research... Sirius Black is the better choice, in my opinion."

"A difficult decision, indeed," said another one of the judges. "The Potters were quite clear that Mr. Black is their first choice. But you implied, Mr. Snape, that you visited the child often. Has the child not formed a closer bond with you than with Mr. Black, whose statement reads that he has seen the child only once?"

"I..." Severus hesitated. Why in bloody hell were they so against Black? This was entirely too difficult. "I do not believe a strong bond has formed. I never gave the boy reason to think I could, or would, take him to live with me."

"And I have," cut in Sirius, unable to stand it. "I introduced myself as his godfather and told him about my intentions. Harry was happy to know he was going to live with me!"

"You are out of order, Mr. Black," said the ancient witch, glaring at him.

Sirius slumped back in his seat. It wasn't his imagination, was it? They had already made up their minds. Damn it. And what was Snape up to, anyway? Since when were they on the same side?

The judges were speaking again, behind their silencing charm. It took them longer this time to reach a decision, and there were papers being passed and clerks running to and fro.

"We will now call additional witnesses. We call... Kingsley Shacklebolt..."

Severus frowned. An Auror. He didn't know him, but knew he was an Order member. What did Shacklebolt know about him?

"Arthur Weasley... and Poppy Pomfrey."

Severus's eyes darted from one to the next of the three people now making their way down to the arena. Pomfrey he thought he could understand. Weasley? For Black, he supposed.

"Auror Shacklebolt, we understand until recently you worked in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures?"

"I did."

"Do you have reason to believe the minor in question, Harry James Potter, would be endangered by close proximity to Remus Lupin, a registered werewolf?"

"No."

"No?" asked the witch, looking rather shocked. She actually removed her spectacles and stared at Shacklebolt. "No?"

"No," repeated Shacklebolt, raising one eyebrow. "Remus Lupin is cautious and conscientious about taking the proper precautions. The boy would be in no danger."

The witch turned to Pomfrey with a rather sour expression. "You are prepared to speak on behalf of Sirius Black?"

Severus blanched before he realized that this was, in fact, a pleasing turn of events. Let them all speak on Black's behalf, rather than his.

"I am. He has been under my care since his release from prison. In that time, I have heard him speak of Harry many times. He always intended to raise the boy. He has been unwavering in his intent to give the child a proper, loving home."

"You believe he would make a suitable guardian?"

"I certainly do," Pomfrey said pleasantly.

"So noted. Arthur Weasley, you are prepared to speak on behalf of Severus Snape?"

Severus stared, dumbfounded, at Weasley, who was looking slightly uncomfortable.

"That is correct. Snape, he... er... he teaches two of my children, who attend Hogwarts, and he saved the life of my nine-year-old son, Percy. I am prepared to state that Severus Snape would... er... be a good guardian."

The silencing charm went up again. Severus sat uncomfortably, refusing to look at any of the people sitting in the chairs next to him.

"Does anyone have any other relevant information to present before we make our final decision?" The witch looked at each witness in turn, stopping on Albus.

"I believe," said Albus, "that the child's own wishes should be taken into consideration."

"Outrageous," muttered one of the judges.

The ancient witch, however, nodded. "It is highly unusual, but hearing what the child has to say may be helpful in this case." She waved her hand and a clerk appeared at her side, looking anxious. "Bring the boy in."

Only a few minutes passed before the doors opened. The clerk who had gone to fetch the boy led the way, with a small, pathetic figure trailing behind, dressed in white, as was typical of children under Ministry care. The starkness of the clothing brought out the color of his eyes, but highlighted his thinness and pale face.

Instead of the witness stand, a tall chair was brought out and placed at the side of the judges table, and the boy was lifted onto it.

Harry, who had been awoken early that morning by a ruckus at the Dursleys, then taken to a strange and frightening place by strangers who poked and prodded him and whispered about him in odd voices, kept his head down. He wished he were back in the cupboard. He could hear many people talking all around him. Maybe millions of people. He could feel them watching him. There were so many of them, but he felt so alone.

"Harry Potter. We are here to decide your future. Two men wish to become your guardian. One of them is Severus Snape. The other is Sirius Black. Have you a preference?"

Harry looked up at the woman who had spoken. She was old. Older than anyone he had ever seen.

He hadn't understood any of what she had said to him, but as he looked up, he saw for the first time who was sitting right across from him, almost close enough to reach out and touch.

But they did not speak to him, just looked at him with odd, worried expressions on their faces. He didn't understand.

It was a stranger who spoke to him, a man who looked just as ancient as the woman did, and who had a very long beard. "Which one would you like to live with, Harry, my boy? It's all right to point. You don't need to speak."

Harry's arm twitched. He had the most funny urge to point at one of the men... the one who had been his Mum's best friend.

He frowned a little. No, that wasn't right. He had told the other man, the one who had come with his friend who had the kind brown eyes, the one who had been his dad's best friend, that he would live with him.

Oh, but why did his arm twitch like that? He stared at the old man with the long beard. He had such bright blue eyes, but it hurt to look into them -- it hurt! He tried to look away, but found he couldn't.

"Go ahead, Harry, tell us," Albus prompted.

Harry rocked backward and forward, unable to look away, but unable to do what was being asked of him. Why did the old man want him to choose? Why didn't anyone else speak? Did they want him? Did anyone want him? Why didn't they tell him?

He rocked backward. Forward. His eyes were burning, but he could not blink or close them. He had to keep staring into those terrible blue eyes that hurt him.

"Albus, what are you doing?" Severus demanded. He had thought, when Albus had first locked eyes with the boy, that some form of Legilimency was being performed, but now he was not certain of it. The boy's face was twisted in pain, and, oddly, so was Albus's, now.

"Albus Dumbledore," said one of the judges, rising from his seat, "stop at once!"

But Albus seemed not to have heard. Something was wrong, terribly wrong, and the old man and the boy seemed locked in mute combat, unblinking and unaware of anything around them.

Sirius reached for his wand, not caring what kind of transgression it was to do so inside a courtroom.

"No, Black."

"Shut up, Snape!" But Sirius did pause. He didn't know what he had been going to do. What good was a wand when you didn't know what to do with it?

"DUMBLEDORE!" thundered the ancient witch. "STOP AT ONCE!"

The boy's scar was bleeding, the blood dripping down into his eye and from there running down his cheek like tears.

Bolts of bright blue electricity rose through the floor, leaping upward into the air and exploding in all directions. The stands started to empty as panicked witches and wizards ran for the exits.

Harry, in the middle of it all, didn't know anything but the pain. He could not tear his eyes away from the old man's, but something inside him was fighting to get out. He only knew that it was pain like he had never felt.

Just moments before, when he had looked up and seen the two men, his Mum's best friend and his Dad's, and understood what was wanted from him, he'd only had a moment to think. He thought maybe that was what the pain was. It hurt to want to go with one, but also the other.

Then the pain had come. He was alone with that terrible pain.

Suddenly, something seemed the explode out of him. He saw the old man's blue eyes widen impossibly, and then the old man was thrown backwards, off his chair.

Something else was happening to him. Something odd that felt like static electricity running all across his skin. And inside him, too. It seemed to come in waves, and each wave was stronger than the previous.

He became aware of screaming all around him. Terrified, he closed his eyes.

"It's okay, Harry," he murmured to himself, just like he sometimes did in his cupboard. He thought of the man who had visited him, the magic that never let the very worst things happen, and his beautiful Mum smiling down at him from her picture. "It's okay... I'm not scared. Are you scared?"

"No," said Harry, his voice shaking. He thought of the two men who had visited him, the magic that never let the very worst things happen, and their promise to come back for him just as soon as they could. "I'm not scared."

"Oh. Good." Harry squeezed his eyes even more tightly shut. Something was still fighting to get out of him. He could feel another wave of electricity building up inside him.

Sirius Black and Severus Snape, now joined by Remus Lupin, who had scrambled over overturned chairs to join them in the arena, were knocked off their feet by a powerful wave of magic. The floor seemed to rear up, stones crumbling, sending them tumbling down the steep sides. At once, every torch lighting the courtroom went out with a hiss.

Then, all was silent.

"WHERE'S HARRY?" Sirius yelled when he had clawed his way out from under the remnants of a table. "Oh, fuck. Remus, where are you?" He took one step and stumbled, falling to his knees. His hand brushed across something small and warm. "Fuck."

"Sirius?"

A light flickered, and Sirius could see Remus trying to climb over broken stones to get to him. In the light of the wand, Sirius saw what was lying in front of him. "Harry!"

He shook the small body. Harry moaned. Alive, then. He picked him up carefully off the cold stone and hugged him to his chest.

Another light cast its glow across the mangled floor. "Black? I have the boy."

"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Snape? I have him."

"Don't be ridiculous --"

The three men finally reached each other.

Remus looked from Sirius to Snape, and back again, and then at what each had in his arms, and then he said what all of them were thinking, but the other two were too stunned to say.

"Oh, fuck."