Daddy Dearest - (No Update, Edit)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 78 ~ The Arraignment

The next morning, Jasmine waited for Mathias and Andreas to go work out in the ROR. It was weight training day, and she was dressed in her boxers, t-shirt, sports bra, socks and trainers as usual. She was doing a few stretches when Andreas came down the stairs alone.

"Hey Andreas. Where's Mathias?" Jasmine asked him.

Andreas looked at her.

"He's coming Jasmine. He wants to talk to you before you go to work out. I'm going to go ahead,' the wizard said rather evasively.

"Talk to me about what?" Jasmine asked as the young wizard headed for the common room exit.

"You'll see," Andreas said. Obviously, Jasmine didn't know about Hermione's arrest yet. Her father was unavailable last night when she checked in with him after supper.

Jasmine watched the wizard leave. This was strange. Andreas never left when Mathias had anything to say to her. She felt a bit apprehensive. She continued stretching and presently Mathias came down the stairs, looking very intense. Jasmine stopped stretching and looked at the wizard.

He was in black sweats and a white wife beater. Mathias was quite lean and muscular now, his hair pulled back in a ponytail. He had the most amazing eyes. He leveled them at her.

"Jasmine," he said, "My mother's been arrested."

Jasmine gasped, her hand rising to her mouth in shock.

"Arrested? Why?" Jasmine asked.

"She lost it at the Ministry and blasted her office to bits when they told her she was being replaced. They already passed her over for the position of Spells Department Head a couple of years ago, and now they were replacing her as Assistant Department Head. They put purebloods in both positions. Your father was behind it all," the wizard said evenly, shifting to aura view to see how the witch felt about this.

Jasmine's aura immediately shifted to show sympathy, guilt and anger.

"I'm so sorry, Mathias. I didn't know," she said sincerely.

The witch walked up to him and embraced him. Gods, she felt good, soft and smelled faintly of roses. But Mathias steeled himself. Now was not the time to appreciate Jasmine's feminine charms. He gently unwrapped her arms from around his neck and moved her back from him…still aware of how she felt against him. His black eyes met her blue ones.

"Jasmine, your father made it so my mother can't get bail. He's going to make her an example to prove muggle-borns can't handle being in positions of power, and he's going to try to send her to Azkaban. I need to talk to him. I need you to give me access to him," Mathias said. "You will do it, won't you?"

Jasmine looked at Mathias. Her father would probably refuse to talk to him. She knew Draco. He would tell the boy to come to court on behalf of his mother if he was so concerned.

"Mathias, I could connect you to father, but you wouldn't get anywhere with him. When he gets an idea in his head, nothing seems to be able to stop it, no matter how wrong it is," she said gently, thinking of her own situation as a soon-to-be consort to Voldemort.

Mathias frowned.

"So you won't help me, Jasmine?" he asked her.

She looked at him.

"I'll help you Mathias. I'll talk to him and try to get him to let up on your mother based on our friendship. You can be in the room and listen to what he has to say. That way at least you'll know his motivations. Maybe you can use them to help your mother. He'll be furious at me when he finds out, but…I don't care. It's your mum after all. He won't tell you what he'll tell me," she said. "You will learn more this way than if you talk to him yourself."

Jasmine looked a bit upset.

"What's wrong?" Mathias asked her softly. Jasmine drew a deep breath.

"Mathias…you might hear some things you aren't going to like hearing. My father put me on you from my first year. I was supposed to influence you over the years…get you to willingly join the DKV and the Dark Lord. Have an effect on you as we grew up…"

Mathias stared at her.

"At first, I did it but you were so strong-minded I found you didn't listen to me. Then I changed my tactics and argued with you less so we could get closer. But then I started seeing things differently and I stopped trying to manipulate you and just be your friend for real. My father still thinks I'm working on you. So he may say some very hurtful things. I just want you to be prepared," she said softly.

Mathias looked at her.

"How far were you supposed to go to convince me, Jasmine?" he asked her silkily.

The witch turned red and her eyes dropped to the floor.

"Malfoy women are bred to use sex as a weapon, Mathias, or a method of manipulation to get wizards to do what they want done. Up to a few months ago, I was supposed to go as far as necessary to turn you…" she admitted.

Mathias' dark eyes swept over her. He swallowed.

"You mean you would have…" he began, a bit hoarsely.

"If I had to…yes," the witch said. "But it's not like that now, Mathias. You're my friend. I wouldn't try to manipulate you that way. It's so different now. I'm different. I don't want to be used that way…to advance my father's aims."

Mathias considered her.

"So what changed a few months ago?" he asked her.

"I can't bring myself to tell you Mathias. You wouldn't like it. And there's nothing I can do about it…and…and I don't want you to think any less of me because I have to do it. I'm not a bad witch, Mathias…I'm really not," Jasmine said, her voice starting to crack and her eyes filling with tears. "It's just that there's a price for living as we Malfoys do. And everybody has to do their share of paying for the sake of the family."

Mathias was a lot like his father in that he hated to see witches he had some modicum of care about cry. It made him feel helpless.

"Don't cry, Jasmine," he said softly, walking up to her, his black eyes resting on her sympathetically. "Tell me what it is."

Jasmine shook her head.

"It's too terrible, Mathias…but considered an honor. My father wants that honor given our family. It's why he sent me to the island to teach me to be more obedient. It's like I have to take one for the team. Maybe more than one," she said, meeting his eyes.

Gods, they were so dark and deep. Now they looked a bit angry.

"We are friends, Jasmine. You can tell friends anything," Mathias said rather coldly. "It's as if you don't trust me. I won't tell anyone."

"It's not that you'll tell anyone, Mathias. I'm afraid the way you look at me will change," she said, a slight quiver in her voice. "I'm afraid you will think…gods, I don't know what you'll think of me…and I don't want to know. I want things to stay the same. If I tell you, Mathias, no matter what you say, I know it won't be the same. Please don't ask me to tell you."

Jasmine burst into tears now and Mathias stared at her helplessly. All he knew was he wanted her to stop crying. If not pressing her to tell him her secret would stop her, then that's what he'd do.

"Jasmine…Jasmine, it's all right. I don't have to know. Not now. I don't know what you're hiding that you think will make me change toward you…but I don't think anything would make me change. I will always be your friend, witch. I will be here when you need me, just like you and Andreas are here for me. So stop crying, please Jasmine. I can't take witches crying."

Jasmine sniffed, her blue eyes now rimmed with red. She used the hem of her t-shirt to wipe at her eyes, showing her muscular belly. Mathias' eyes flicked down at it for a moment, and felt another uncomfortable pulse similar to the one he felt when she was swimming with him at the lake weeks ago. Quickly he gathered himself. He looked at her.

"Plus, your face is getting all red and blubbery…and it really is quite unattractive. I haven't had breakfast yet and it's not the kind of thing I really want to see on an empty stomach," he said evenly, scowling at her.

Jasmine let out a gasp and took a swing at him. He slipped it easily.

"That's better," Mathias smirked at her. "I much prefer a violent Jasmine than a sappy one."

Redirection was always a good way to handle emotional situations. He'd learned that from his father.

"Come on, Sniffles. Let's go work out."

He strode toward the common room corridor and stopped, looking at Jasmine imperiously. The witch couldn't help but see the resemblance between Mathias and his father. He had such an aura of command and dominance as he stood there, waiting for her to obey him, his dark eyes watching her expectantly. She dabbed at her eyes again, then strode past him, heading for the exit.

Mathias followed her, catching up quickly with his longer stride.

"Whatever is going on with you, Jasmine…it's going to be all right," he said. "You'll work it out."

Jasmine didn't reply. Together they exited Slytherin house and headed for the ROR.

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When the owl post arrived at breakfast, that's when the dung hit the fan. Many of the students received the Daily Prophet, and Hermione's arrest was front-page news. A wild-haired picture of the witch taken when she was a student at Hogwarts was on the first page and the headline read:

MUGGLE-BORN EMPLOYEE GOES BERSERK AT MINISTRY OF MAGIC.

A short blurb followed.

Former Assistant Spells Department Head Hermione Granger recklessly destroyed Ministry property and endangered fellow employees in a fit of rage yesterday. Details are still sketchy, but it is believed the witch committed this act purposely and with malice due to the fact she is being replaced by a more suitable Assistant Department Head based on a Ministry Council recommendation after eight undistinguished years of service. Miss Granger is currently being held without bond at the Ministry. She will be arraigned this morning and charges levied against her. If Miss Granger is found guilty, she will most likely be remanded to Azkaban Prison for an undetermined amount of time.


Jasmine was sitting with the DKV, and read the article, then looked over at Mathias, who was eating his breakfast. Andreas sat next to him. The whole of Slytherin house was looking at him, as well as students from the other houses as word got around.

James Potter was looking at him too…but sympathetically. He had stopped harassing Mathias, but still thought he was a git. He was a Slytherin after all…and all Slytherins were gits. Still, his mum was nice, and James was truly sorry she was under arrest. When his fellow Gryffindors started to gloat, the wizard turned on them.

"Shut up! How would you feel if your mum got arrested?" he yelled at them, scowling blackly. "It's not something to make fun of."

Mathias heard him, but said nothing.

James' housemates lowered their voices, but still talked about Mathias' mum being a jailbird among themselves, as did the rest of the school.

Severus, seated at the staff table, looked at his son, his dark eyes somber. He was being focused on again, and students were cruel. Hopefully he would be able to keep his temper. Mathias could do some real damage if he lost it. Thank the gods he had Andreas, who was a calming influence on him…though Severus had no doubt the black wizard would kick ass right alongside his son if the situation arose.

The Potions Master looked over at the Young DKV, who were openly smiling and gloating at the fact that Mathias' mudblood mother was being taken to task. It was just the thing they believed in. Well, all but one was smiling. Jasmine Malfoy. She looked quite angry as she sat there silently as her fellow club members chattered around her. Finally the witch pushed back from the table and stormed out of the Great Hall, her hands clenched into tight fists. The Potions Master was sure that Jasmine Malfoy would also crack some heads for his son if the situation arose. He was aware she was also training with his son and Andreas. Personally, he thought Jasmine might play a bigger role when things came to a head. All he could do now was wait.

Severus was given a leave for the day to attend Hermione's arraignment. Of course, he would be seated with the public, Justice Forall promising to save him a seat. No doubt, there would be standing room only in the Council Chamber. Hermione's case would be heard within the Ministry rather than an open court of law, since she was a Ministry employee. This stacked the odds greatly on the Ministry's side. The Potions Master was worried. He hadn't heard from Simon yet.

Suddenly an owl dropped on the table before him, hooting apologetically at its lateness and sticking out its leg. Severus recognized it immediately. It was Simon's owl. Quickly he removed the parchment and fed the owl a bit of ham. It swallowed the meat down gratefully and flew off. Severus opened the parchment, his eyes scanning the message. He smiled broadly, shocking a few students who happened to be looking up at the high table. Dumbledore was watching him too, and noticing the smile, got up and walked over to him as the Potions Master folded the parchment and stuck it in his pocket.

"A smile, Severus? A rarity indeed. I take it you've received good news?" the Headmaster inquired, taking the seat next to him.

Severus nodded.

"Yes. I've secured counsel for Hermione," he replied, his black eyes actually twinkling.

"Really? And whom did you secure? Draco himself will most likely be prosecuting her for the Ministry."

Severus told him. Dumbledore's eyes went wide with shock.

"I thought he was retired," the wizard said with amazement, "However did you manage it, Severus?"

The Potions Master looked at him.

"He never could resist a truly controversial case or an opportunity to "sock it to the establishment. It's what the wizard lives for."

"This will come as quite a surprise to the Ministry," Albus chuckled.

"And to Hermione. She doesn't know yet," the Potions Master replied. "If anyone can get her off, he will."

"Not only will he get her off, Severus, he may inadvertently start the ball rolling that will put a crack in the iron hold the DKV has on the wizarding world. If that happens, we will have a chance…" Albus said, "A chance to shake its foundations with doubt and maybe reveal Voldemort for the despot he is."

"We also have Rita Skeeter on board," Severus told the wizard.

"Great Merlin! Between her and the lawyer, they will turn Hermione's arrest into a media circus! Everyone will be on pins and needles," Albus breathed.

"That's exactly what we're hoping for sir," Severus replied, his eyes somber. "That every person in the wizarding world will be hanging on to this story. The DKV will not be able to curtail the press with its threats since this is a legal battle already."

"Well my boy, I have every possible part of my body crossed that this will all work out in our favor," Albus said, rising, "And most of all I hope Hermione comes out of this all right."

"Yes sir," Severus said. Albus departed.

Severus quickly finished his meal and also left the Great Hall.

He had to get to the Ministry.

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The Ministry was surrounded by the curious, all clamoring to get in to see Hermione Granger's arraignment. Some people held up signs.

"Send Hermione Granger to Azkaban"

"Muggle-borns Unfit to Serve"

"Voldemort for Minister of Magic!"

Severus passed through the crowd of clamoring witches and wizards. Justice was on the door and let him in. Harry and Ron had conveniently been reassigned to recon duty in an unspecified area located far from the Ministry almost the moment Hermione was arrested, courtesy of Draco. He didn't want them about helping the witch in any manner. Justice looked around the crowd.

"Hermione's attracted a lot of attention," he said to the Potions Master.

"Not as much as she will," Severus replied confidently, heading for the Council chambers. He gave his name to the Aurors guarding the doors and they let him pass. There was one seat left in the packed hearing room located on the back wall. He took it and waited expectantly.

Hermione was led in. She was in an orange jumpsuit that read: "Property of MOM." Her hands and feet were shackled with chains and rattled as she shuffled between the Aurors that accompanied her. Severus scowled blackly. They didn't have to do that to the witch. He had seen plenty of accused enter these chambers in their street clothes. The Council was doing their best to make her look like a criminal.

The Aurors led Hermione to a long table situated in front of the Council seats and to the left. There was an aisle and another similar table on the other side. Draco Malfoy stood there, shuffling papers. He gave Hermione a rather ugly smirk and sat down.

An Auror walked through a door behind the Council seats and to the front of the room.

"All rise!" he announced.

Everyone stood as the Council members filed in and took their seats. Minister Figglesworth shuffled a few papers as the attending wizards and witches took their seats again. Rita Skeeter was there, Quick-quotes quill in hand, ready to take notes. She looked at Hermione's dress and the quill raced across the parchment page.

Minister Figglesworth looked at Hermione with his eyes narrowed, then at Draco with a rather pleased look. Severus snorted. There should be tracks running through this room, the railroading was so evident.

Figglesworth cleared his throat.

"We are here to arraign Miss Hermione Granger, a former employee of the Ministry of Magic, concerning her willful destruction of Ministry Property and intentional Endangerment of her fellow employees and employees of the Ministry at Large. Lord Malfoy?"

Draco stood up.

"Gentlemen of the Council…it is my recommendation that Miss Hermione Granger be remanded to Azkaban for her actions. After being informed of changes in the Spells Department recommended and put in force by this esteemed Council, Miss Granger, in a fit of rage destroyed her office, Ministry property, and valuable files as well as put the lives of her fellow employees at risk. Miss Granger has shown by her actions she is prone to violence and is a danger to the public at large. The fact that she was a Ministry employee adds even more insult to this grave injury. No leniency is recommended for her actions.

"It is also evident that Miss Granger is and always has been unsuitable to hold the position of Assistant Spells Director by her reaction to being replaced. She was offered another position and declined, preferring to wreak havoc instead of accepting another perfectly acceptable employee post. She had other options and it is my opinion that her background as a muggle-born who is not naturally acclimated to the wizarding world played a large part in her total disregard to our decision, rules and regulations. Muggles are inherently violent and unreasonable as their history shows and they should not be given any authority in our world. We can do our best to teach them our ways, but let's face it. You can't take the 'muggle' out of muggle-born. Miss Granger must be made to pay for her actions as an example to others."

Small shouts of agreement arose from the audience as Draco sat down. The Auror standing next to the Council seat frowned and everyone went silent.

"Well said, Lord Malfoy," Figglesworth said, nodding at the blonde-haired wizard, who sat smugly looking over at Hermione. She didn't look back at him. The Minister now looked at Hermione. The Aurors helped her to stand. Her shackles rattled loudly as she did so.

"Miss Granger, you have heard the Council's charges and recommendations against you. I see you are without counsel. We can give you counsel if you wish to challenge your charges. However, if you challenge the charges, any leniency the Council might have been willing to extend to you will be withdrawn and you will be treated with the harshest sentence if you are found guilty…so think on this well, Miss Granger. I will give you a minute or two to make your decision. It may well mean the difference between months or years spent in Azkaban," the wizard said.

Hermione looked at the Minister. She knew if she didn't challenge her charges, that was no guarantee that she would only receive a couple of months in Azkaban. Draco would be sure to try and get her hard time, regardless.

"I don't need time to think, Minister. I will most certainly fight these charges. I was driven to do what I did by unfair practices by the Ministry, which is secretly working the DKV line into their regulations with the intention of illegally displacing muggle-borns from all authorative positions by internal means. It is discrimination of the highest sort," Hermione replied.

The audience burst into cries of negation and the Auror was forced to step forward threateningly to quiet them.

"Good witch," Severus thought with approval. Hermione was not afraid to say what she thought.

Minister Figglesworth frowned at the witch.

"This council takes great offense at you claiming the Ministry itself is being influenced by outside organizations. We represent the will of the people fairly," he snarled at her.

Hermione snorted.

"That's why three duly elected muggle-born council members have been removed from the board in the past two years?" the witch asked.

Figglesworth blustered.

"Those removals had to do with re-districting, not discrimination," he said, frowning. "Besides, it is not you who ask the questions, Miss Granger…but this council. You are out of line. Now Miss Granger, for the last time…are you willing to accept the kindness of this council and agree to being sentenced without the messiness of a trial?"

Hermione was about to reply when suddenly the double doors of the Council chambers burst open and a gray-haired wizard with a briefcase, handlebar mustache and dressed in bright red robes strode down the center aisle as if he owned the chambers. His thick, wavy hair was parted in the middle and his sharp gray eyes flashed as he walked to Hermione's table and sidled in. He looked up at the startled council.

"My client certainly does NOT agree to such a preposterous preposition, particularly since she is not the perpetrator of a crime, but the victim!" the wizard stated, slamming his hand down on the desk to punctuate his declaration on Hermione's behalf.

There was a sudden rush as about ten reporters ran from the Council chambers with the news of Hermione's counsel appearing and who he was. This arraignment had just become HUGE news.

"This council should be ashamed of itself for trying to railroad this witch! I am here, gentlemen to pull up those tracks! Miss Hermione Granger will definitely take this to trial and be exonerated of any wrongdoing. Her trial will show the entire wizarding world who the real perpetrators are," the wizard said, staring over at Draco Malfoy, who swallowed uncomfortably.

"In addition, the witch is not a flight risk. She has a son that attends Hogwarts, an established home she has lived in for several years and she has never, ever been in any legal difficulty until this fiasco. I demand that bail be set for the witch or a reasonable reason given why she should not be allowed to leave the Ministry. And I mean a damn good reason! Charges of Destruction of Property and Reckless Endangerment are not grounds enough for no bail to be set. The witch could have murdered someone and be given bail. Now what do you say to that, gentlemen?"

The Council members talked among themselves. How had a witch like Hermione manage to get counsel of this magnitude? The Council members trembled a bit. This wizard was known to take a lot of people down when he got involved in a trial. They all looked at Draco, who shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

The wizard took this time to stick his hand out to Hermione, who grasped it…still a bit shocked at the dynamo that whirled into this proceeding and knocked everyone for a loop.

"Hello, Miss Granger. I am your council. My name is Cronnie Jockrin. At your service, my dear," he said, bowing and clicking his heels together. "You have nothing to worry about. We're going to take this council down in flames, little lady. In flames."

Hermione looked at the wizard and smiled broadly, then eyed Draco…who had a stricken look on his face as he eyed the famous trial wizard.

Shit. Things suddenly didn't look as if they were going to go his way at all.

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A/N: Wow! Lololol Cronnie Jockrin eh? I told you I was twisted. Hahahaha! Well…things are definitely looking brighter for Hermione…and it seems she might go home. I think Severus will be very happy about that. Very happy indeed. Lemons? Take a guess. . And what about Jasmine and Mathias? Her confession was something else. A bit of heat between those two. Anyway, please review.