FIC: M is for Muggle-born [4/4]
M is for Muggle-born
Epilogue
In the end, it had been ridiculously easy.
Once they knew who was behind it, following the money trail told them how and when. Knowing how and when, they were able to work out where. It was learning where that gave them the back the nine missing children and finally brought down Dolores Umbridge.
It wasn't until the trial, however, that they learnt why.
"We needed to have order," Umbridge insisted. "For years - years - I had warned Cornelius. I mean, Minister Fudge as he was then, and everyone was far better for his leadership. I warned him that all the filthy half-breeds were ruining us! Those beastly Muggle-borns and Muggle-raised with their Muggle influences were even worse! I worked for years on legislation to eliminate the threat of werewolves among us. I worked even harder as Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic. Cornelius needed somebody to act-"
"I never authorized-"
"That will do, Mister Fudge. You are not on trial here," the Chief Warlock silenced him.
"Yet," someone behind Hermione mumbled to murmurs of agreement.
"Cornelius - then Minister Fudge - he never was the best at keeping order. That's why he needed me. As Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic I was uniquely positioned to help him see the light!"
"Heavens, she's demented," Hermione whispered to Severus as Umbridge paused for breath and Fudge leapt into more denials.
As Chief Warlock Ogden organized an Auror escort to remove Fudge for his continued interruptions, Severus leaned in to reply, "Merlin spare us from loyal Hufflepuffs on crusade."
"That toad was a Hufflepuff?" Hermione's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Oh, don't tell me you thought she was a Slytherin? She has all the subtlety of one of Hagrid's Blast-Ended Skrewts."
"No, I thought she was a Gryffindor gone wrong," she answered honestly. "Self-righteous indignation and a propensity for thinking one's own position is ethically and morally-" Hermione cut off as the gallery was called to order. She didn't miss Severus' deep chuckle at her words. She'd be hearing from him about her opinion later, she was certain. He did love excuses to tease.
"If I hadn't been needed to restore order at Hogwarts, Cornelius wouldn't have listened to such poor advice. He relied on my judgment, as Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic. He needed my expertise and on-the-ground feedback to deal with the threat Hogwarts had become. It was far, far worse than suspected. Unfortunately, having to concentrate on straightening out the mess and bringing order to Hogwarts in my role as High Inquisitor and Ministry appointed Headmistress, left Cornelius open to the unfortunate advice of others here at the Ministry. Cornelius was used to relying on me, you see. When the report on falling birth rates and Squib births came from St. Mungo's, I was not here to counsel him properly. I blame Albus Dumbledore and those uncooperative amongst Hogwarts' staff for that. If they would have joined with my reforms, I would have had more time for properly-"
"Miss Umbridge, the Wizengamot understands your role at Hogwarts. Return to the subject at hand," Ogden directed.
"Cornelius was never supposed to decree that pure wizards and witches mix their blood with the filth!" Umbridge's voice reached a pitch that made Hermione wince. "He was supposed to banish the Mudbloods or lock them up for everyone's good! Not attempt to control them by forcing purebloods to integrate with them!"
Veritaserum had not been required, much to Hermione's surprise. Once Umbridge knew she was good and caught, no one was able to shut her up. Hermione suspected that the evil toad believed - truly believed - that if she talked enough, everyone on the Wizengamot would see things her way, bribes or no bribes.
"It was for the good of all that I arranged to set free those who had mistakenly been shackled to those nasty Mudbloods. It was outrageous to require solid, pureblood citizens to marry that filth. I quietly arranged to fix Cornelius' mistake and have those marriages annulled before he was replaced with that unreasonable and thoroughly uncooperative Scrimgeour. That man never would listen to reason! He stopped the repeal! He demoted me. Me!"
"Too bad he didn't fire her," someone heckled and Ogden threatened to have everyone tossed out once again.
"It was a such a blessing when Pius - I mean, then Minister Thicknesse - took control. He quite agreed with me that it had been a travesty forcing purebloods to mate with those who obtained magical power by theft or force." That Umbridge insisted on sticking to the Voldemort party line that Muggle-borns did not come by their magic honestly really didn't surprise Hermione. No one in possession of their wits could actually believe that Muggle-borns stole their magic, but Hermione had long suspected Umbridge had run mad.
"Pius understood that we couldn't in good conscience force natures' nobility to raise Mudblood spawn. Nor could we let the brats of the Mudbloods we sent to Azkaban run free, terrorizing good citizens. It was my idea to lock the brats all up together and Pius agreed. He appreciated my input, unlike Scrimgeour, and saw the value of putting me back in as Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. He placed me in charge of the Muggle-born Registration Commission," she proclaimed proudly.
"If the orphanage burned down during the middle of the night, who would miss a few dozen orphans no one cared about?"
The words Yaxley once spat at a sobbing Mary Cattermole came flooding back to Hermione, causing her blood to run cold. 'The brats of Mudbloods do not stir our sympathies.' Severus must have seen the grip on her thigh tighten for he drew her hand into his, lending his quiet presence and support. Hermione missed some of what Umbridge said next as she wrestled herself back under control. It was hearing Harry's name that forced her full attention back to Umbridge.
"It had all been planned, only that wretched Harry Potter had to go and stick his miscreant nose in and ruin things. Potter and his little friends still need to be punished! I was forced to bide my time and wait until I was in a position again to do something permanent about those filthy brats. It took years, of picking those dirty creatures off one by one as they reached eleven. I made them all disappear for the good of our properly brought up children. That filth could not be allowed to contaminate Hogwarts! I was Headmistress there once, you know. Everyone remembers, I'm sure, it was all in the Prophet. That was before that dirty Mudblood tried to feed me to the Centaurs."
Someone from the far side of the courtroom made horse-clopping noises. Umbridge's head swiveled around and she frantically tried to escape her chains in a panic.
"Silence," Chief Warlock Ogden admonished once again.
It took Umbridge a moment to compose herself. "I had to resign for my health. Hogwarts never was the same after I left. So few understand the need for proper discipline. Cornelius never should have force-bred those poor purebloods with those vile Mudbloods. I had to get rid of them before they polluted our children with their filth. I had to get rid of the ones taught to steal magic by those usurpers of magical power. I did it for purebloods. I did it for Hogwarts. I did it to protect us all!"
The trial and conviction of Dolores Umbridge took up the first four pages of the Daily Prophet. The related stories rehashing the Marriage and Family Decree, the Muggle-born Registration Commission, the rescue of the nine missing children, and the orphanage took up another dozen pages. Hermione read them all.
She paid special attention to the small article on page seventeen, listing all sixty-six Muggle-born who didn't make it out of Azkaban alive, and the two orphans who had lost their lives after being practically sold into slavery at age eleven by Dolores Umbridge.
A warm hand descended onto her shoulder. "What say you to having that page framed? The walls of your flat could use a bit of decoration even if you would have to occasionally dust."
She looked up at him and nodded. Hermione preferred to keep living simple but there were some things more important to her. "I believe I could manage adding one two-second housekeeping charm to my routine for the right incentive." And it would be one more way to see that all sixty-eight would never be forgot.
"Ready?" Severus asked, holding out her jacket.
"Tell me I have not taken leave of my senses."
"That, I fear, I cannot do. We have both obviously run mad," he chuckled. "There is no other explanation for agreeing to chaperone an entire orphanage worth of children through the zoo."
"At least we're not doing it alone. The Children's Wish Foundation marshaled a bevy of volunteers. Even Harry and Ron are coming along."
"Joy. Two more children to mind," Severus drawled. "Is it too late to beg off and spend the day blissfully child-free?"
"Not a chance, Severus. Rose is determined to claim you for her group. You wouldn't want to disappoint her, now would you?"
Severus reached for Hermione and drew her into his body. "I would not wish to disappoint you, witch." He nuzzled that space under her ear that he'd learnt sent shivers down her spine before kissing his way over to the corner of her mouth.
"Tease."
"Indeed," he agreed, twitching his lips in that way that never failed to get him a bright smile from her in return.
Hermione cupped his jaw, drawing her thumb over the divot at the very edge of his neatly trimmed goatee. "I can't believe I spent the first two months of our re-acquaintance hot for this proto-dimple only to learn it's just a tiny scar."
"Ah, yes. I recall. That was the moment the bloom was off the rose," he said, raising his hand to his heart. "I cannot believe I spent three weeks thinking you were being wasted at Gringotts."
"I told you I quite fancied banking," she said with a grin. The goblins weren't the most altruistic-minded lot, but she made them money in fees and fines, and Gringotts resources made her dreams come true. Hermione Granger had the opportunity to make a difference and do some good in the world. Every single day she got to help people recover their property, find lost relatives, and reconnect with the wizarding world. She prevented people and magical beings from becoming the victims of everything from prejudice to fraud, and she even got to help the occasional house-elf.
"Quite fancy you and this cozy little house as well," she added with a saucy wink. Hermione adored the tiny terrace house, even if it did mean she'd have to cast half a dozen spells to tidy up here, rather than the four she needed for her attic flat in Knockturn Alley. Having a house full of books and a home just the right size for two, might just be worth the extra five minutes she'd have to devote to housework once a week.
"You are considering it?" Severus knew better than to raise his hopes too far. He had asked her to move to Spinner's End and she seemed pleased with the idea. It had been a long time since Severus had felt such pleasure in a witch's company and even longer since he'd been able to relax and just be himself without worrying over giving offense and mucking things up. Severus Snape was selfish enough to hold on to her and independent enough to know not to hold too tightly. They would have time together, and still have time apart during term when he resided at Hogwarts.
"I am. You're sure you don't mind? I won't be a guest if I move in here. I might cast an expansion charm on that postage stamp posing as your shower."
"Do your worst. I would be grateful for a bit of foolish wand waving if it prevents me knocking my head against the sodding shower head every time I shampoo."
"I might reupholster that ratty couch."
"Be my guest. The fabric is older than I am and far uglier. Just don't touch my chair," he warned.
"Agreed. Of course, I might rearrange your books."
"You will do no such thing. Once you have the opportunity to fully consider my categorization strategy you will no doubt accept my exceptional methodology and adapt it for your own. You are, after all, a fellow superior intellect." He snaked an arm about her waist. "We have managed to go much longer than your once prophesied three days without a single threat of poison or being cursed in one's sleep, have we not?" Severus thought that promising, so much more promising than he had any right to expect.
"Yes, we have," she agreed. "After all, you are much more mature now than you were when I was sixteen," she teased.
"Witch," Severus chuckled. "Point is that we are happy, are we not?"
"We are happy, Severus. "
"Then say yes, Hermione."
"Yes." She kissed him. "I think we'll rub along quite fabulously together, Severus."
"Indeed."