Skip to content

MuggleNet

  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • Site
    • Contact Us & FAQ
    • History
    • Meet the Team
    • MuggleNet Live!
    • Press
    • Publications
    • Special Projects
    • Volunteer with Us!
    • Year in Review
  • Podcasts
    • Alohomora!
    • Full Circle
    • LITHAPPENS
    • Potterversity
    • Promptly Potter
    • SpeakBeasty
  • Harry Potter
    • Book Quotes
    • Book Series
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Film Series
    • Hogwarts Library
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • Fantastic Beasts
    • Book
    • Coloring Books
    • Film Companions
    • Fantastic Beasts Film Quotes
    • Film Series
    • Little Things
    • Music
    • Video Games
  • The Quibbler
    • Owl Post
    • Bathilda’s Notebook
    • The Department of MYTHteries
    • The Dirigible Plum
    • Into the Floo
    • Muggle Studies
    • The Pensieve Papers
    • The Three Broomsticks
    • April Fools’
    • The Quibbler Vault
  • The Daily Prophet
    • Book Trolley
    • Editorials
    • Event Reports
    • Exclusive Interviews
    • Features
    • Giveaways
    • Listicles
    • Merchandise Reviews
    • Movie Reviews
    • Television Reviews
    • Theater Reviews
    • Wizolympics
  • Muggle World
    • Charity
    • Exhibitions
    • J.K. Rowling
    • MinaLima
    • Quadball
    • Studio Tours
    • Theatrical Play
    • Theme Parks
    • Wizarding World Digital
  • Fans & Fun
    • Crazy Caption Contest
    • Fan Focus
    • Fandom
    • Fandom Sortings
    • Fandom Timeline
    • Fun Lists
    • Games and Trivia
    • GNOMEs
    • Potter DIY
    • Potter Weddings
    • #PotterItForward
    • Rosmerta’s Recipes
    • Song Parodies
    • Wizard Rock
    • Wizarding Wordle
  • Fandom / MN Academia / News

Professor Snape found “Not Guilty” in murder of Albus Dumbledore by Owl Court jury – Chris Rankin in attendance

by Keith Hawk · July 6, 2012

Did Professor Severus Snape murder Headmaster Albus Dumbledore or was it assisted suicide? What about the torture of Hermione Granger and murder of Sirius Black by Bellatrix Lestrange? Was Lord Voldemort found guilty of the murder of Lily Potter?

These questions became the focus of a charity fundraising event held by Dereham Sixth Form College yesterday, as law students assumed the roles of defense, prosecution, judge and jury, and cross examined witnesses including Harry Potter, cited legal precedents, explained the requirements of each charge, and produced evidence culled from films and the Harry Potter book series by author J.K. Rowling.

The verdict:

  • Professor Severus Snape was found NOT GUILTY of murder.
  • Madam Lestrange was found GUILTY of the torture of Hermione Granger and murder of Sirius Black.
  • Lord Voldemort found GUILTY of the murder of Lily Potter.

The vice-chairman of the student council stated “Everyone was serious about it and it was a good way of learning how to prosecute someone.”

Chris Rankin – who portrayed Percy Weasley in the Harry Potter films – was also on hand at the event to answer questions about his experiences on set of the most successful franchise in history. And Chris’ mother Marilyn Rankin, a soon-to-be-retired teacher, stated, 

“The event sprang from the A-level law students’ need to understand court procedures and to know and to be able to reference significant legal rulings, so this was all grounded in the curriculum but was end of term levity putting the ‘Harry Potter’ villains on trial.”

Chris Rankin will be leaving the UK soon to attend Ascendio 2012 in Orlando, Florida, and this editor will be excited to chat with him regarding this fundraising event, as this particular murder/assisted-suicide event was recently discussed during the MuggleNet Academia lesson on law.

Do you agree with the verdicts from this fundraising event? Let us know in the comments below.

Social:

  • Next story Pottermore: Slytherin House to gain early access to “Chamber of Secrets”
  • Previous story Creators of “Book of Spells” reveal J.K. Rowling input and relation to Pottermore

MuggleNet Archive

Important Dates

September 2025

Thu, Sep 4

Ellie Darcey-Alden's birthday
Recurs yearly

Young Lily Evans

Hermione forms SPEW
Recurs yearly

1994

Moody's first DADA lesson
Recurs yearly

1994

Fri, Sep 5

Harry hears the Basilisk in the walls for the first time
Recurs yearly

1992

Ron's wand backfires as he tries to curse Malfoy; Eat Slugs!
Recurs yearly

1992

Sat, Sep 6

Harry's first potions class, where he loses 5 points for Gryffindor
Recurs yearly

1991

Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide, Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies, & Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (short stories; e-book) released - 2016
Recurs yearly

2016

MuggleNet receives JKR Fansite Award
Recurs yearly

2004

It’s high time I paid homage to the mighty MuggleNet. Where to start? I love the design, (I currently favour the ‘Dementor’ layout), the polls (I actually voted in the ‘Who’s the Half-Blood Prince?’ one), the pretty-much-exhaustive information on all books and films, the wonderful editorials (more insight there than in several companion volumes I shall not name), 101 Ways to Annoy Lord Voldemort (made me laugh aloud), the Wall of Shame (nearly as funny as some of the stuff I get)… pretty much everything. Webmaster Emerson, Eric, Jamie, Damon, Ben, Matthew, Rachel, Jaymz and Sharon, I salute you.

http://web.archive.org/web/20040907101729/http://www.jkrowling.com/textonly/fansite_view.cfm?id=15

Sun, Sep 7

Dumbledore shows Harry his first Tom Riddle-related memory: Bob Ogden's visit to the Gaunts
Recurs yearly

1996

Hugh Mitchell's birthday
Recurs yearly

Colin Creevey

Toby Jones's birthday
Recurs yearly

Voice of Dobby

Mon, Sep 8

Educational Decree No. 23 is passed
Recurs yearly

1995

Ginny Weasley opens the Chamber of Secrets under the influence of Tom Riddle's diary
Recurs yearly

1992

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban book (US)
Recurs yearly

1999

Tue, Sep 9

Lupin teaches boggarts in DADA
Recurs yearly

1993

Wed, Sep 10

Christopher Columbus's birthday
Recurs yearly

Director (PS/SS, CoS)

Hermione first suggests Harry teach DADA
Recurs yearly

1995

MuggleNet podcasts are sponsored in part by Secretlab.

Thanks to its research-backed ergonomic design, including a proprietary 4-way adaptive lumbar support system, the Secretlab TITAN Evo Harry Potter Edition will comfortably support you even when you’re up to no good.

Did You Know

During filming, Ollivander’s wand shop had over 17,000 individually labeled wand boxes inside.

Potter History

June 2, 1999 – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is published in the United States.

Potter Quote

“It’s S-P-E-W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare.”

MuggleNet is an unofficial Harry Potter fansite.
Please email us if you have any questions or concerns.
© 1999–2025 MuggleNet.com. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy | COPPA Policy | Terms of Use | Feedback


MuggleNet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and Bookshop.org's affiliate program, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com and bookshop.org.