Title: Turnabout Prince Author: Rosy Rating: PG13 Pairing(s)/character(s): Snupin, with a hint of Phoenix/Miles if you squint a little Summary: It's been years since they've moved to Los Angeles, and now Severus has been accused of murder. Remus goes to the only man he thinks has a chance in hell of proving his lover innocent. But even Phoenix Wright himself may have a hard time with this turnabout. Disclaimer: *ahem* Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, and any mentions of Potterdom canonical characters are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. Phoenix Wright and the cast of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney are property of Capcom and Nintendo. I make no claims of ownership and am not making any profit by their use. Warnings: AU, crossover with Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney aka Big Gay Lawyers. Notes: As with Cowboy!Snupin this is entirely Dizilla's fault. She always gives me the best crack. Set Post War (obviously AU, since they are both alive and well in the City of Angels), and after "Turnabout Goodbyes", the technical last chapter of the first game. I am fiddling with PW canon a smidge... but you'll only notice it if you've played both Ace Attorney and Justice for All. This is a WIP.
Day Two: Trial January 15, District Court, Courtroom Number 2
This wasn't how Severus invisioned his trial. Of course, the scenario he had always considered was the British Wizengamot pinning him for war crimes and treason against his native homeland. Although murder wasn't a far stretch. Still, he was rather surprised by what he was seeing in this muggle court. Very surprised, in fact. "Wright?"
"Hm?" The young attorney was making a list of questions. He obviously believed he knew who the first witness would be, and these were the questions he wanted to ask. It made Severus feel slightly better, this show of confidence.
"The prosecutor is wearing a magenta suit and a ruffled jabbot," Severus drawled, eyeing the other young man sitting across the room from them. The prosecutor in question was one Miles Edgeworth, also called the Demon Prosecutor. He had become famous as the youngest prosecutor ever in Los Angeles, passing the bar at the age of twenty. His win record had been as perfect as it was ruthless... until Phoenix Wright appeared on the scene. Edgeworth's perfect record was smashed every time he went up against the rookie defense attorney. Severus watched as the young man reviewed the file in front of him. He was rather surprised that the prosecutor's table wasn't littered with boxes of evidence or stacks of files. It was devoid of anything except the one file and a legal pad with pen. He wondered if that was the way Edgeworth ran all his cases, of if this were an exception to the rule.
Wright just snorted. "Prosecutor Edgeworth got his fashion sense from Mr. von Karma. Thankfully, he doesn't have the demon God Prosecutor's taste in accessories."
Maya giggled. "Mr. von Karma carried a tazer." She looked over at Edgeworth, her head tipped to one side thoughtfully. "I always thought it was more a maroon color."
Severus let the color argument go for the moment. He was more concerned with the actual prosecutor than what he was wearing. Edgeworth had been given the title the Demon Prosecutor for his airtight cases and somewhat vicious tactics. Back alley deals and questionable evidence were the order of the day. At least, they used to be. According to rumor, things had changed since Edgeworth had gone through his own murder trial. And had been freed thanks to the same defense attorney sitting beside Severus at that moment. It had been quite a twisty, interesting case. And Severus worried that Wright might be uncertain of what to expect now. No doubt the young man still believed he was lying about something... which was correct. Severus just hoped that the secret he was hiding didn't come out in trial.
The murmuring of the courtroom subsided when the Judge entered and called court to order. "We are here for the trial of Ethan Prince, accused of Murder. Mr. Wright, how does your client plead?"
"Not guilty, your Honor," Wright said. Severus frowned. Should they be using his pseudonym in an official trial? "This is going to be special," Wright murmured as he settled in his chair.
"Should I ask?"
"And spoil the entertainment?" Wright asked, grinning. "I wouldn't."
"Your opening statement, Mr. Edgeworth." The Judge nodded to to the prosocutor, his bushy beard rustling with the movement.
Edgeworth was quiet for a moment, before he nodded and stood up. "The prosecution will endeavor... to prove the guilt of Mr Hywell's murderer and... to that end, see justice done."
There was a general quiet in the courtroom. Severus blinked. That... didn't really sound like a ringing call for his guilt. In fact... it rather sounded like Edgeworth was hedging. From the expression on Wright and the Judge's faces, they were a little confused at the somewhat stilted delivery. There was a long stretch of silence after, during which Edgeworth flushed pink with discomfort at the looks he was getting. "Your Honor," he grated, "I would like to call my first witness, if you please."
"Oh!" The Judge looked a little confused, before shaking himself. "Oh, yes. Of course. Please do that."
"The prosecution calls Detective Dick Gumshoe to the stand." Wright nodded, as if this was expected. Severus watched dispassionately as the burly detective took the stand and enthusiastically provided his name and occupation after taking his oath. He reminded Severus far too much of the huge dog who just wanted to be petted. "Detective," Edgeworth began smoothly, "Please testify to the facts of this case, beginning with Mr Hywel's murder."
"Yes, sir, Mr Edgeworth!" Gumshoe smiled brightly, quite like an overenthusiastic puppy. "The victim was found in the Erinyes Gallery. According to the coroner, cause of death appears to be a massive electric shock, though tests results are inconclusive. According to the victim's agent, Mr Hywel went to the gallery late on the night of January 13 to work on his pieces. Security footage shows the victim at around eleven o'clock moving some of the larger photographs."
"At what time did the victim die?" Edgeworth prompted. Severus had to hand it to him, the young prosecutor was cool as a cucumber.
Gumshoe again smiled. "The victim died at around midnight. The time stamp on our photographic evidence proves this and is coraberated by the coroner's assessment, despite the exact cause of death being inconclusive."
The Judge nodded, satisfied with the recitation. "Your Honor," Edgeworth said, "the Prosecution wishes to present our first piece of evidence: the security photograph taken at the time of the murder." The photograph had been blown up to clearly show the man resembling Severus aiming a wand at Hywel. The courtroom burst into astonished murmurs, and the Judge had to pound his gavel to restore order.
"Mr. Wright!" the Judge said, finally pleased when the courtroom was quiet again. "You may begin your cross examination."
Wright nodded calmly. He clearly wasn't phased by the massive detective. In fact... he was positively relaxed. "Detective," he said, "could you please describe for the court what you see in the photograph?"
Gumshoe grinned. "That's easy, pal!" he declared. "Mr. Snape is shooting Mr Hywel with his Stun Stick Baton Thing."
"Wait!" The Judge declared, sitting forward on his bench. Both Wright and Edgeworth winced slightly, as if they had been expecting this. "The defendant is named Ethan Prince! If Mr Snape is the murdered, he should be here."
"He is here, your Honor," Edgeworht said with strained patience. Even from where he sat, Severus could almost see the vein pulsing at the prosecutor's temple.
"Where?" the Judge demanded. "Produce him immediately!"
"...he's sitting at the defendant's stand, your Honor." Edgeworth was gritting his teeth. That wouldn't make his dentist happy.
"No," The Judge said, frowning seriously. "You've just said the defendant was Ethan Prince."
"He is Ethan Prince," Edgeworth said, obviously straining to be polite.
"Then where is Mister Snape?"
"...the man cannot be that thick," Severus muttered, even as someone in the gallery tittered.
"Trust me," Phoenix murmured. "He's done much worse." He stood, clearing his throat. "Your Honor, my client is Severus Snape. He uses the pseudonym, Ethan Prince, for his work. In order to protect his privacy, you understand."
"...oh." The Judge blinked, then smiled and nodded. "Well that clears everything up. Continue, Mr. Wright."
Wright's lips twitched in a slightly sardonic smile. "Thank you, your Honor. Now, Detective. You've stated that the man in the photograph is Severus Snape. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Gumshoe was watching him warily now. Severus was slightly amused at the reaction. Obviously, the big detective thought Wright meant to trip him up somewhere.
"When you arrested my client," Wright asked levelly, "did you find the murder weapon in his possession?"
"Well.. no." Gumshoe looked a little sheepish. "See, we're not even sure what it is exactly. So... we couldn't really find it..."
"I see." Wright leaned against the defendant's table, apparently very relaxed. "Well, we'll leave that for now. Did Mr Snape have an alibi for the night of the murder?"
"...um... well..." Gumshoe was practically squirming on the witness' stand. He glanced at Edgeworth, whom Severus noticed looked rather relaxed during this line of questioning. That was at odds with what Severus knew about the young prosecutor. Usually, he would be objecting about now, trying to squealch whatever information the witness was about to divulge. "...not exactly."
"Can you be more specific?" Wright's lips were twitching, as he was apparantly smothing an amused smile.
"...er... well, Mr Snape's... um... roommate," he blushed. "He was sick, and said that Mr Snape took care of him. All night."
"You're referring to Mr. Lupin," Wright prompted. "Who suffers from a chronic illness."
"Yeah," Gumshoe said, flushed. "The night of the murder, Mr Lupin had an episode of his illness. And he said that Mr Snape never leaves him during that time."
"So Mr Snape does, in fact, have an alibi for the night of the murder?" ...this was almost too easy. Wright wasn't even trying and the detective was practically rolling over to give him the ammunition he needed.
"...he said no," Gumshoe answered. "Mr Snape said that Mr Lupin couldn't rightly say Mr Snape hadn't left that night."
"Odd," Wright said, tapping his chin as if in thought. "You would think a murderer would cling to so strong an alibi."
"Yeah, I thought it was weird, too," Gumshoe said, frowning. Edgeworth sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, which caused Gumshoe to look like a kicked puppy. He was bungling his testimony badly and it was blatantly obvious.
"No," Wright said, frowning a little. "No murder weapon in his possession, a viable alibi... why, exactly, did you arrest Mr. Snape?"
"Well, the Security Photo int he Court Record clearly shows him killing Mr Hywel!" Gumshoe said hotly. "And we had a witness, pal!"
"Whom I will cross examine in due time," Wright said smoothly. "This photograph, however... Detective, can you tell me what is on the murderer's left wrist?"
Gumshoe frowned and looked at the photograph on its easel. "He's got some sort of tattoo there. Looks like... a snake and a skull."
"When you arrested Mr Snape, did you confirm that he has this tattoo?" Severus smiled when Gumshoe mumbled and fumbled for a moment. This kid wasn't half bad at what he was doing. "I see," Wright said. "Well, why don't we take care of that now? Mr. Snape? Please display your left wrist for the court."
Severus couldn't squealch the smug grin that curled around his lips. He rolled up us sleeve and held up his arm for the court to see. The spectators gasped and broke into astonished murmurs at the sight of the unblemished skin. The Judge banged his gavel, demanding order. Edgeworth, however, calmly scrutinized Severus' wrist from his place at the Prosecutor's table. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully... but he said nothing. "Well," the Judge huffed, finally reclaiming order. "Prosecutor Edgeworth? Are you satisfied that the man in the security photograph is not Mr Snape?"
Severus watched the prosecutor while Edgeworth continued to regard him thoughtfully. Wright was holding his breath, obviously hoping this would be the end of it. "...No." Wright winced, then scowled, his fists curling and uncurling slowly in frustration. "The prosecution is not satisfied at this juncture. It is obvious Mr Wright intends to build his case on the foundation that someone framed Mr Snape. He has not provided any evidence to that effect, nor has he provided a possible motive for such an action. In the interest of discovering the trust of this case, the Prosecution wishes to proceed with the trial."
Severus glanced at Wright, raising one eyebrow. The defense attorney was flushed and his eyes were flashing as he stared at prosecutor Edgeworth. Edgeworth returned the look with a slightly raised eyebrow and a slightly smug grin. It was almost as if... Severus shut down that train of thought before it could pull out of the station. He did not need to think about his defense attorney and the prosecutor having thinly veiled courtroom sex. The Judge nodded, oblivious to the tension running between the two attorneys. "Very well. Please call your next witness to the stand, Mr Edgeworth."
"The prosecution calls Meg Erinyes to the stand." Severus watched the woman take the stand, eyes narrowing. The name bothered him, rubbing his mind the wrong way as he tried to figure out what was so familiar about it. She was short and petite, her dark hair pulled back into a severe bun and her eyes hidden behind a pair of very thick eyeglasses. She, like Alicia, was dressed in all black, but where his manager looked chic and creative, the gallery owner looked frumpy.
Wright reclaimed his seat and turned to Severus. "She's probably the one who witnessed the murder," he whispered. "She knows about your and Hywel's grudge?"
Severus nodded. "Everyone in the LA art circle knows about it. It's common knowledge."
"You'll have to listen carefully, Nick," Maya murmured urgently. "And then spot the contradictions." Severus raised an eyebrow at that rather needless interjection, but kept his peace while Ms Erinyes took the stand.
"Ms Erinyes," Edgeworth began. "You own the Erinyes Gallery, is that correct?"
"Yes," she answered, a trace of accent coloring her voice. Severus frowned. Scottish? He glanced and saw that Wright was already making a note of it.
"Around what time did you go into the gallery on the night of the murder?" Edgeworth asked calmly. Severus caught Wright glancing curiously at Edgeworth. Obviously, the prosecutor was acting strangely, and the difference was irritating.
"I was in the gallery office around ten," Ms Erinyes said, adjusting her glasses. "Mr Hywel had mentioned that he wanted to adjust some of the lighting and move a few of his pieces. I told him it was alright, so long as he didn't move any of Mr Prince's pieces. They were just where he wanted them and he'd be in such a temper if they were moved."
"You knew that the victim and the defendant were rivals?" Edgeworth asked.
"Oh yes," Ms Erinyes said. "Everyone knew. Especially after the benefit, when Mr Hywel said those awful things about Mr Prince's lover." She shook her head. "Very uncalled for. If Mr. Lupin hadn't interceded, I think it would have gone to blows!" She tipped her head to the side, as if pondering. "But their work is the perfect set of foils for each other. Mr Prince's work shows off the vitality of Mr Hywel's. and Mr Hywel's pieces highlight the depth of Mr Prince's work. I thought a show with the two of them would be extraordinary." Severus snorted. Foils? He and Hywel weren't foils. The only thing his work highlighted in Hywel's was the idiot's pretensions. Either the woman was an idiot, or she was lying. He glanced at Wright, seeing the younger man frown and finger something in his pocket. The frown line on his forehead only deepened when Edgeworth asked the woman to testify as to what she saw the night of the murder.
"I was in the gallery office at about ten o'clock that night," she said. "The show started the next day and I wanted everything to be ready. I let Mr Hywel in at about eleven, then returned to the office. A little before midnight, I heard a terrible row. Mr Prince and Mr Hywel were having a dreadful argument. I ran downstairs to make sure it didn't get physical. When I came around the corner, I saw Mr Prince draw a sort of tazer! He shocked Mr Hywel with it. I was in sch shock, I fainted and didn't come around until in the morning. That's when I called the police."
There was something Severus didn't like about that woman, namely that she was saying he killed a man. But there was something else. Something was off.. but he couldn't place his finger on what. He hoped Wright might be able to. The Judge gave Wright permission to begin his cross examination. "Ms Erinyes," he said, standing. "If you knew about Mr Snape's and Mr Hywel's dislike for each other, why did you schedule them in a joint show?"
She smiled, and Severus caught the distinct edge to it. "To showcase their individual talent. I believe I already said that."
"You said," Wright corrected, "that they acted as foils for one another. But a foil is meant to provide contrast to bring out their better characteristics. Putting Mr Hywel's and the defendant's work together only showed Mr Hywel's deficiencies." Severus gave the boy extra credit for knowing what a foil was. He watched the woman, feeling a little better about his chances.
"Are they teaching Art in Law School now?" Ms Erinyes asked snidely. Severus blinked. That tone... his eyes narrowed as he looked at the woman on the witness stand. There was something definitely familiar about that tone... Wright glanced at him, then back to the witness, who was smirking at him. "I doubt you know much about art, Mr Wright. Besides, it's my gallery. Who I wish to put in a show is my business.
Wright's lips twitched in a definitive grimace. "You said that when you swa the murder, you were so shocked you fainted." He paused, and Severus felt his stomach clench. The boy was flying by the seat of his pants! Damnation, but he was doomed! "Were there any thoughts at all in your mind?"
Ms Erinyes paused a moment. "Yes," she said, almost sounding afraid. "Yes, there was. I thought... I realized he had done it again. And he might get away with it again, as well."
His heart stopped beating. He felt the blood in his veins freeze and churn to a grinding halt. His lungs wouldn't function. How... who was this woman?! The world came back in at a rush, the murmurs of the crowd sounding like the crashing of ocean waves. He stared at her, trying to place the face, the body. If only he could see her eyes... How could she know about him? Severus couldn't think of whom she might be... and Wright was looking a trifle pale. "Done what again?" he asked, his voice a little quavery.
Ms Erinyes looked directly at Severus, her glasses flashing in... triumph? "This is not the first time Severus Snape has taken an innocent life!" Her voice shook with emotion, though it wasn't fear or anger... it was excitement. Severus knew that tone all too well... "He has killed before!"
The courtroom exploded with angry and astonished murmurs. Wright's head flicked to the side, looking at Edgeworth. The Prosecutor seemed... puzzled. He was watching the witness, who was still staring at Severus with that veiled excitement. Like a dog who had found the bone. Maya's fist had flown to her mouth, and she was staring at him in shock. Severus closed his eyes, trying not to let his shoulders slump. This... was catastrophically bad. The Judge pounded on his gavel, demanding order. When the cacaphony in the courtroom finally subsided, the Judge gave Edgeworth a steely glare. "Prosecutor Edgeworth! Why was this information not presented sooner!?"
Edgewroth inclined his head. "I apologize, your Honor, but Mr Snape immigrated to this country from Great Britain. The prosecution, at this time, cannot confirm or deny the validity of Ms Erinyes' statement. We are waiting to hear from Scotland Yard."
"Hmph." The Judge grumbled, looking not at all pleased. "Very well... we will recess court until tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I want both the defense and the prosecution to investigate this matter further." He gave a sharp, final rap with his gavel. Severus tried not to wince, feeling it like a nail in his head. Or his coffin.
Defendant's Lobby Number 2
"You didn't think that information was pertinent?!" Phoenix exclaimed, staring at his client in disbelief.
"It's more than that, Phoenix," Remus said, looking a bit pale and unsteady after court. "There are some things we simply can't tell you."
"So... it's true?" Maya whispered. "Mr Snape really..." She stared wide eyed at Severus. Who winced, as if the memory caused him pain. He sat beside Remus, their fingers interlaced in a show of mutual support. Severus sat rigidly, his eyes not really looking at anyone in particular.
"It was a long time ago," he said quietly. His voice sounded hoarse, dry... with very little emotion in it. "In a different place. It isn't something we discuss.
"Well you're going to have to damned well talk about it, if you want to stay out of jail!" Phoenix growled. He met Severus' steely glare without flinching. "I can't do my job without the truth, Mr Snape. And if you keep lying to me, I can't help you!"
Severus opening his mouth, most likely to make some sort of caustic remark from the look on his face... but Remus squeezed his hand. Remus looked at Phoenix tiredly. "It's a complicated situation, Phoniex. We need to consider the ramifications of telling you. Why don't we meet back at the Detention Center in half an hour?"
Phoenix glared at them both, but nodded. "Alright. Half an hour. But I want the truth, or there's nothing I can do to help you."