Harriet Potter and the Alpha in the Dungeon

Chapter 31 - Freedom

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every week!
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As soon as the Snapes stepped out of the lift, McGonagall stood ready to greet them.

"Professor!" Harriet exclaimed as her eyes widened in happy fondness at seeing her former teacher and temporary coworker.

"Minerva." Severus nodded at his old friend while Disencan blinked.

"Severus....Pot-, er, Harriet, how lovely to see you both!" McGonagall greeted her colleague before she nodded at her former student, "I'm glad that you're doing so well after such a terrible trauma."

Harriet smiled gratefully as she spoke, "Thanks Professor, but I've been through worse......Maggie and I are just fine now."

McGonagall's eyes traveled over to Severus and he lifted his chin proudly as he moved the baby carrier into her view.

McGongagall gazed inside at the tiny, sleeping girl and gasped quietly.

"Oh, Severus....." McGonagall breathed. She looked up at him and over at Harriet as she nodded at them both, "Congratulations! She's beautiful....."

"She's strong." Severus nodded with a smirk.

Harriet watched Maggie blink her eyes open and she smiled at her former teacher as she asked, "Would you like to hold her, Professor?"

The eager nod that McGongagall gave Harriet in response touched Severus.

Harriet gently lifted Maggie out of her carrier and placed the small baby into her arms.

Harriet smiled over at Severus while McGonagall cradled Maggie as closely and as tenderly as if she were her own daughter.

It amused Harriet to see her strict but kind Transfiguration teacher share such a tender moment with her infant daughter.

To Harriet and Severus's surprise, that sweet scene ended abruptly.

McGonagall frowned as she looked up at them both and explained, "You two are in grave danger, I'm afraid. Try to stall as long as you can, I've already contacted the Minister. He should be arriving shortly."

Severus narrowed his eyes at McGonagall while Harriet shook her head and asked, "Professor, I don't understand? What are you talking about? This is a Ministry trial."

"A Ministry trial, indeed." McGonagall huffed with an offended nod, "You'll see for yourself soon enough. Come on then, you two. We'll give them what they want for a moment. Kingsley will sort them out when he gets here....I expect he'll be with us as soon as we step into the room. If there's to be any justice, he must see what's going on."

McGonagall carefully placed Maggie back into her carrier before she escorted the Snapes down the corridor to their assigned courtroom.

To Harriet's dismay, as they approached the door, a plethora of reporters were lined up in the hallway to ambush the couple.

As the accused pair passed by, cameras flashed and questions rang out.

Disencan followed along while Harriet squeezed Severus's hand.

He frowned as he protectively clutched Maggie's carrier in the crook of his arm and ignored the press.

McGonagall hurriedly walked in front of the Snapes, opened up the courtroom door for them, and ushered them all inside.

Harriet and Severus were surprised to see that the room itself was largely empty with only a few Ministry officials sitting in their black uniforms on the far side of the stone seats, across from the judge's chair.