AN: I swore I wouldn't let it go this long ever again, but things have been really busy for both my betas. Instead of waiting for them to get back to me I'm going to post this, self-edited (lord help us) and repost it when I get the edited version back from them. On the plus side I've got several chapters finished. So if it looks like I'm going to continue to not hear from my betas I'll self-edit those chapters and post them - hopefully I won't have to do that `cause time editing is time I'm not writing the few chapters that are left, but I'm not going to keep them from you since they are finished. Anyway - on with the chapter at hand. Oh and for some reason the chapter goes bold halfway through, I don't know why but I've tried everything I can think of to fix it and nothing's working so all I can say is sorry.
Innocence and Guilt
"Harry," Hermione said softly, waking him with a gentle shake and a kiss on the cheek. He stirred reluctantly, brushing his hand across his cheek, chasing away the echo of her lips. She laughed and shook him again, "I know you're tired," she said with a heavy understanding in her voice, "But Malfoy's been asking for you."
"What does he want?" Harry grumbled, turning away from her. He'd spent six hours talking to Malfoy the night before and nothing had changed. The obstinate blonde still refused to see the logic in turning himself in. Nothing Harry said to Malfoy had any affect, and Harry was ready to give up.
Hermione sighed, "I don't know what he wants," she confessed, a bit bitterly, "he refused, point-blank, to tell me anything."
Harry groaned, "If he's getting me up four hours after I went to bed to tell me he's out of socks or something, I will kill him," he muttered, pulling himself out of bed.
She smiled despite his snarling demeanor, "I seriously doubt he's out of socks, he's only been here three days." He glared at her, shoving his glasses on his face and she laughed, "You're cute when you pout," she informed him, cupping his face in her hands and kissing him tenderly.
"Just what I want to be, bloody cute," he mumbled wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her body into his.
She kissed him gently again and smiled, running her hands down his bare chest, "It's a sexy kind of cute," she clarified, moving a hand up to the tousle of hair that was forever hanging down over his forehead, " If that makes it any better."
"Much," he admitted, sliding his hands down so they cupped her ass.
"I don't believe you, half asleep and you've only got one thing on your mind."
He smiled, "I can't help it, and this is the level my brain functions at when I'm this tired, especially when I have someone so beautiful wake me up."
"As flattering as you are, Malfoy has been asking for you, and Lily and James are waiting for me. I promised I'd show them some transfiguration. I thought it would be a good way of keeping them occupied, and they might learn something," she explained with a proud smile, kissing him quickly on the cheek and pulling out of his embrace.
"Explain again why you want them to learn so much before they start school," Harry requested, scratching his head lazily as he walked over to the wardrobe.
"I just don't want them in the dark when they get there," Hermione explained, "I remember what that was like."
He couldn't help but laugh, "You knew more then most of the teachers."
"Only because I read every book. I was so afraid I was going to forget something - I was sure that I would fail everything and they'd make me leave."
"How long did that last, five minutes?" He asked, hardly believing what he was hearing. With little to no exception Hermione knew everything when it came to school, she always had.
She gave an embarrassed smile, "I was nervous the entire first lesson, but then it became obvious -"
"That you knew more then the rest of us," Harry cut in.
"That I had nothing to worry about," she corrected him.
"`Mione, they are your kids they'll be miles ahead of everyone else. They already know more then I did when I started and they've got nearly two whole years before they get to Hogwarts."
"You're right, maybe I should stop, but -"
"But nothing, they love learning from you. Go and show them all those things about transfiguration that I've already forgotten. I'll get dressed and see what Malfoy wants." Hermione nodded, half-smiling, and turned to leave the room. Harry smiled after her, she was in much better spirits then she'd been in when Malfoy first came. He wasn't sure what had happened to make her so cheerful again, but whatever it was he was glad of it.
Twenty minutes later Harry was dressed and on his way to Malfoy's room. He was sure this was pointless, that Malfoy wouldn't have changed his mind, and was bitter about being awoken after so little sleep only to be told what he already knew. So when he reached Malfoy's door he didn't waste time knocking, he just pushed it open and stepped in.
He knew things were different when he saw the blonde sitting on the end of the bed, fully dressed, in clothes that Harry himself had retrieved for the blonde from Malfoy Manor, "I know this is your house, but isn't knocking still considered polite?"
"Sorry, I'm not very polite on four hours of sleep," Harry said, giving the words a bitter emphasis.
"Not very friendly either," Malfoy said with a hollow sort of laugh. Harry glared at him and his laughter quickly died. "You know me, always trying to make things light."
Harry shook his head, "Always trying as I recall."
"I have to do it," Malfoy said, his tone changing sharply as he looked down into his hands, which were folded in his lap.
"No you don't," Harry disagreed, missing Malfoy's change in tone, "if you're that bad at something you don't have to do it at all."
Malfoy shook his head, "No Potter, I have to turn myself in."
"Oh," Harry said in recognition.
"I dreamt of her last night," Malfoy said with a sigh, "of Pauline, it was a memory really, something she said to me on our wedding night. I didn't want to be with her, I was still holding on to my old life. She told me to let go of what I had lost, that life had to go on."
Harry nodded, "very wise."
"Yes, and very true," Malfoy continued, "this is what I have to do to let my life go on. I have to or it will hang over me for the rest of my life."
Harry smiled in spite of himself, "In that case I'll forgive you for waking me up so early," he joked and Malfoy gave another of his hollow laughs.
"Very generous," the blonde appraised, rising from the bed.
"I just have to tell Hermione that we are going, she'll want to know that you've changed your mind."
Malfoy scoffed, "She'll want to know she was right."
Harry laughed, "Oh, she already knows she right, she'll just be glad that you finally see it. Besides, I can't just leave without telling her." Harry added starting towards the door. Malfoy shrugged and fell instep behind Harry.
Harry and Malfoy walked in on Hermione and the twins just as she was showing them how to turn animals into water goblets. Lily made a sound of surprise and admiration while James looked on skeptically.
"I just don't see the point," James said once Hermione had turned Lily's owl Eros back into its natural form. "Who would want to change an animal into a cup? More over, when would there ever be a need? It's not as if wizards routinely get trapped on deserted islands with loads of drinking water and no cup to drink with."
Lily rolled her eyes and scoffed, "James can't you ever just appreciate anything?"
"Not when it's this stupid. I mean, it's an impressive bit of magic, Mum, but it just seems pointless."
"Not all magic serves a real need," Hermione admitted smartly, "some, such as this, are just to show off."
"Too true," Harry agreed from the doorway. "Ron once found a spell which caused nose hairs to grow into strange shapes. That one certainly has no other purpose then to show off, not sure who you'd be impressing, but there you are. But I didn't mean to interrupt -"
"You didn't," Hermione insisted, cutting across him.
"Yes I did," Harry insisted in return, "and I didn't intend to so I won't stay long. I only came to tell you that we're going out."
Hermione gave him questioning look, as if to say, "We're?" He tilted his head in Malfoy's
direction by means of an answer and mouthed the words, "Ministry of Magic."
"Oh, all right," Hermione finally said, aware that her children were watching her closely.
"Will you play Gobstones with us when you get back?" James asked hopefully. He'd just started winning against his father when they played yesterday and he was anxious for his winning streak to continue.
"Er - we'll see James," Harry answered hesitantly, "I don't know who long we'll be." James frowned disappointedly, but nodded to show that he understood. Harry smiled at his son, waved to Lily and Hermione and left the room, heading in the direction of the kitchen.
Malfoy, realizing this immediately, asked, "How exactly are we getting to the Ministry?"
"Floo," Harry answered, pulling open the door to the kitchen.
"I thought only Ministry employees could floo directly," Malfoy said skeptically.
Harry gave a sort of none committal nod and smiled, "Technically that's true, however -"
"However you're Harry Potter," Malfoy interrupted.
"Basically. One of the few offers the ministry made me that I actually accepted. I can even floo right into the Minister's office if I want to, not that I've ever felt the need."
Malfoy nodded, "Who would, he's an idiot, better then Fudge though."
"Much better then Fudge," Harry agreed, "But then, a monkey with his wand and bowler hat would be better then Fudge." Malfoy laughed, an echo of his once cheerful laugh finally making itself heard. Harry had to admit that it was rather nice to hear again. In the few years they had been friends, happy Malfoy had been fun to have around. It was oddly comforting to think that Malfoy might someday be back to his once cheerful self. Smiling to himself, Harry lit a fire in the kitchen hearth, threw a handful of sparkling powder into the flames and watched as they turned the familiar green color. He tucked his glasses into his pocket, stepped into the flames, and said clearly, "The Atrium, Ministry of Magic."
Harry came out of one of The Atrium fireplaces ten minutes later, feeling overly dizzy and covered in soot; the downside of traveling by floo. He put his glasses back on and muttered a quick cleansing spell to free himself of dirt. Malfoy came out of the fireplace a few moments later, brushing soot out of his hair and off his clothing.
"I don't think they've cleaned theses fireplaces since we were first years," Malfoy muttered brushing furiously at the grey and white flecks of ash sprinkled all over him.
Harry nodded his head in agreement, "Probably haven't, here let me do that," Harry offered and without waiting for the blonde to accept cast a cleansing spell over him, removing the soot instantly. Malfoy's own wand had been snapped in two by the Death Eaters who kidnapped him and his family. Harry and Hermione had discovered it when they went to the Manor to retrieve some clothes for the blonde. They hadn't gone to get him a new one because Malfoy hadn't yet wanted to; he said he wasn't up for the post-holiday crowds of Diagon Alley.
"Let's just get this over with," Malfoy said straightening out his shirt and heading towards the security desk.
Harry rolled his eyes, "You're welcome," he said a tad bitterly, though he assumed that if he was in Malfoy's shoes he wouldn't be all that polite either. So he followed the blonde across the floor, stepping over the spot where The Fountain of Magical Brethren once stood. Harry remembered the ridicules fountain with a pang of sadness; it had been destroyed the night his godfather died. Realizing that, he realized how long it had been since he'd though of his godfather, who had meant so much in the two short years that Harry had known him. He couldn't imagine what Sirius would say if he could see Harry now, an adult with nearly school aged children. Harry supposed that his godfather would be proud of him, just as he supposed his parents would be proud of him, were they still alive.
This witch in peacock blue robes was already talking to Malfoy when Harry caught up. In fact, she was flirting with Malfoy, and as Harry moved closer, he realized that there was something very familiar about that witch.
"So where's your wife these days, Draco? Not unhappy at home I hope?" The witch said as Harry stepped up next to Malfoy; it was something about the tone of her voice that made Harry realize who the woman was.
"Mind what you say Parkinson," Harry said to Malfoy's former girlfriend, Pansy Parkinson, before Malfoy himself had a chance to respond, "Don't talk about things you don't understand."
Pansy turned her cold eyes on Harry, glaring at him while adopting her professional polite tone, "Why Mr. Potter, I don't believe the Minister is expecting you."
"He isn't expecting me," Harry said simply, "which is good because I'm not going to see him. Malfoy and I have some business in a different department."
Pansy gave him an icy smile, "Well since you are a saint you don't have to surrender your wand to pass through." She then turned her attention to Malfoy and her smile changed, she was, quite obviously, still harboring a flame for the blonde, "I will need to see your wand Draco."
Malfoy gave a sort of involuntary shudder and said, "I don't have one to surrender. Mine was broken." Pansy looked at him questioningly, but motioned for them both to go through to where the golden-gated lifts stood. They stepped around her desk, glad to be away from her. Once they were out of earshot, in an uncharacteristically empty lift, and on their way up to level two, Malfoy shuddered again, "How did that woman get a job in the Ministry of Magic?"
Harry shrugged, "Slept with someone?" he offered.
Malfoy laughed, "That would be about right for her," he agreed.
"Well she certainly seems interested in your wand," Harry commented, giving the word wand the same inappropriate inflection Pansy had.
Malfoy rolled his eyes, "Don't remind me, it was bad enough living through it the first time."
The lift remained empty the entire time they were in it and, after their brief discussion of Pansy, the trip was made in silence. Malfoy seemed to be growing more nervous as the
lift continued to rise, so Harry followed his lead and stayed quiet. When the doors opened on the second floor and the cool clear female voice announced their arrival at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Malfoy took a deep breath and stepped out into the hallway.
"You're doing the right thing you know," Harry said stepping out of the lift behind him. "I know Paul Hastings, he's fair, he will listen to you."
Malfoy nodded, "Yes," he agreed, "he'll listen, and then chuck me into Azkaban."
Harry nodded, "That was the positive attitude I was looking for. Let's continue on shall we." And he started down the hall towards the office of the Head of Magical Law Enforcement.
Harry had never been to the office before, though he knew the office holder well. Paul Hastings, a muggle-born former Auror, had worked with Harry during the war, before his promotion. They weren't what you'd call friends; Hastings had always been a bit of a thorn in Harry's side, trying to get Harry to report his every movement to the Ministry before he made it, but Hastings was fair and perfect for the job he now held.
The came to a set of highly polished oak doors barring a small brass sign that read Head of Department. The doors were open slightly and, peeking in through the slightly opened door, the office looked empty, but when Harry knocked, just to be sure, a voice answered.
"Come in," it called. Harry pushed the door fully open and stepped into the office, closely followed by Malfoy.
The office was as Harry would expect it to be, clean, almost sterile. The walls were bare save for one magic window, not a single personal affect, and the desk, which stood in the middle, held only pieces of parchment, official papers organized in stacks. There were no pictures of Hastings's wife or young daughter. Hastings himself was standing off to the side, next to a filing cabinet, leaning against it and looking out the window onto a vision of a bright countryside.
Hastings was much as Harry remembered him. Not overly tall, average height really, but able to make himself seem huge when he needed to. He had dark brown hair, graying a bit at the temples, and wore square glasses that fit his sharp personality. He let them stand quietly in the doorway for a full fifteen minutes before he turned to address them.
He gave a fraction of a smile when he saw Harry, but regained his usual stern business composure when he took his seat behind his desk, motioning for the two of them to take seats opposite him. "Harry, what brings you to my office this morning?"
"I'm not here for me," Harry explained quickly, "my, er, friend, Draco Malfoy, has something he needs to report to you."
"Simple legal complaints should be filed with the department where they can be sorted to the proper sub-department." Hastings said, addressing Malfoy with trepidation, obviously well aware of the Malfoy family's reputation.
"There is nothing simple about this," Malfoy explained, ignoring the discomfort etched on Hastings's face, "and it isn't a complaint, it's an admission of guilt. I killed five known Death Eaters, using the Avada Kedavra curse."
Hastings paled, and his mouth fell slightly open, he hadn't been expecting to hear anything of the sort, "You did what?" He asked, sure that he hadn't heard correctly.
"Let me start from the beginning," Malfoy said, and he retold the whole gruesome tale. He left out the details of why they kidnapped him and his family, looking only briefly at Harry when Hastings pushed him for further details. Malfoy managed to get through the story without tears, this second time through, though he did have to pause once or twice. At the end of it Hastings sat back in his chair, stunned into silence.
"So you see why we came directly to you?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.
Hastings nodded, "Yes, good of you to do so. Draco, Mr. Malfoy, if what you say is true, given the circumstances; I think we can overlook charging you. But I'm afraid you'll have to prove it." He rose from his chair and started around the desk, "If you will follow me, Mr. Malfoy, I'd like to call on two of our top Aurors; they can escort you while you take me to this, Riddle House."
"If it's all the same to you," Malfoy said jumping out of his chair, "I'd like Potter, Harry, to come with us." Hastings turned sharply and surveyed the two of them.
"Fine, but Harry, if it turns out your friend is lying to me you are not to fight us when we arrest him. If you do we will arrest you too." Harry nodded to show he understood, and Hastings turned back towards the door. Malfoy and Harry followed after him, feeling much like pupils being led off to detention.
By the time they reached the hallway Hastings had already gathered his Aurors, the three of them were standing towards the lifts, waiting expectantly for Malfoy and Harry. "Do you think he summoned them telepathically?" Malfoy asked in a whisper to Harry.
"Probably motioned with his hand and they came running," Harry whispered back.
"And you wanted to be one of this lot," Malfoy pointed out.
"I'm beginning to see the error of my ways."
Hastings introduced the two Aurors quickly as Michael Conner and Kyla McCourt and stepped into the lift. Michael was a tall, well built man, with bright blue eyes and blonde hair. Harry's first thought was he wouldn't want to cross this Auror in a fight. Kyla was nearly as tall as Michael, with green eyes, and long red hair that she tied back at the base of her neck. She smiled warmly at both of them before stepping into the lift after Hastings and Michael.
Malfoy looked sideways at Harry then to the lift, "So, this should be fun," he whispered and followed after the others. Harry sighed and stepped into the lift just as the doors began to close.
On the way down to level six several interoffice memos joined them, circling over head, zipping in and back out as they needed. A number of Ministry employees also came and went, but they were to busy with their own comings and goings to notice the celebrity in the lift. Harry was glad of that, he didn't feel up to admirers, not that he ever did, but he especially didn't today. Hearing Malfoy's story again had killed any shred of a good mood he'd had.
The lift doors opened on the sixth level and Hastings pushed his way through them before the woman's voice had a chance to fully announce where they were. And he marched them across the floor to the portkey office.
They retrieved a portkey, an older bowler hat with a hole through the dome, from a woman named Kendra, who spoke with a thick cockney accent. The familiar tug behind the navel of the portkey sent them flying across the country till they landed somewhat on top of each other on the sweeping lawn behind the Riddle House. Harry was the first to pull himself off the ground, offering a hand to help Malfoy up once he was on his feet.
"I hate portkeys," Michael commented, helping Kyla to her feet, leaving Hastings to fend for himself.
"No one likes them," Kyla promised him, turning to look at the large manner house that obstructed most of the skyline.
"Voldemort really grew up here?" Michael asked, his hands coming to rest on his hips as he looked on the house in wonder.
"No," Harry said quickly, "Voldemort's father grew up here, and retreated here when his marriage didn't work out."
"Is that true?" Kyla asked, turning back to look at Harry.
Malfoy spoke before Harry could, "Potter, if we could skip the Voldemort history lesson for now. I know you're an expert, but I'd rather not linger here."
"Right Malfoy," Harry said apologetically, "wasn't thinking."
"Mr. Malfoy," Hastings began, staring up to the house as the other had done, "I'll let you take the lead." Malfoy nodded and started towards the house. Harry followed after him quickly and the others fell in step behind them.
Harry had never been to the Riddle House before, though he had seen it a number of times in dreams. He quickly noticed it was in worst shape then it had been when he'd last dreamt about it. Shingles were falling from the roof now, and borders were slipping free from the siding. There was something sad about such a grand house falling into disrepair, but Harry didn't feel upset about it. All he felt was disdain for the family who had once called the manor home, and fury at the Death Eaters who had often occupied it.
They entered through the old back door, coming into the dust covered kitchen. The stench of death and decay filled the house, but there were clear signs that someone had been using the house not long ago. Chipped plates, which must have belonged to the Riddles when they were alive, stood here and there along the counter tops, most covered with molding food. There was also a track in the dust on the floor showing where the Death Eaters must have walked.
The first of the dead Death Eaters was just outside the kitchen door. He was laying face down, his legs half in the kitchen and half out, and there were two wands beside him. It was Vincent Crabbe, the one that had been in Malfoy and Harry's year at Hogwarts. Malfoy explained that he killed Crabbe last, just before he ran from the house, dropping the wand once he'd finished using it.
Michael casually kicked the discarded wand and looked to Hastings who gave a satisfied nod and instructed Malfoy to lead them on. Draco took them quickly across the floor of the hallway and into what was probably a fine sitting room in the manor's heyday. Malfoy walked to the wall closest to the door, stopping before a seemingly unremarkable bit of wall. He examined it closely before putting his palm flat against it and pushing.
Nothing appeared to be happening at first, but then a strange glow appeared. Radiating from Malfoy's hand, it spread quickly across the wall and then the wall fell away. "A Death Eater trick," Malfoy explained, "Voldemort add a dungeon under the house, next to the wine cellar. Then hid it behind the false wall, I can open it because of who my father was." While the others marveled at the magic, Malfoy and Harry moved on through the wall.
Seven shallow steps took them down into a dark corridor. There were dim lights, cast by magic, hovering close to the ceiling; small balls of eerie yellow light that flew around their heads like glowing insects. As Malfoy and Harry moved down the hall a number of the lights followed after them, while others stayed behind, hovering close to the stairs, as if they knew more people where on the way.
"This is where they kept you," Harry said, though he wasn't sure why. Of course this was where the Malfoy's had been kept. It was well hidden and there was an ominous quality that clung to the very walls; nothing good had ever happened in this place.
"Yes," Malfoy said, suddenly coming to a stop, "just in there." He pointed to a door that stood open on the left side of the hall. Harry looked back at Malfoy, but it was clear that he had no intention of ever going back into that room.
"Why have we stopped?" Michael asked nearly walking into Malfoy as he caught up.
"Because we're here," Kyla said, correctly interpreting the look on Harry's face. Michael still looked confused, but Kyla patted him lovingly on the shoulder.
Hastings came up behind them before Michael could say another word and after looking quickly into the room asked, "Was this where you were held?"
"Yes," Malfoy said firmly.
"Which one is in there?" Hastings asked, looking back into the room, apparently staring at the body that was laying there.
Malfoy shook his head, "The one I didn't know; he was the one stupid enough to free my hands. The others knew me; they knew what I would do to them if I ever got free."
Hastings nodded, "And the others?" he asked.
"Upstairs," Malfoy told them and without waiting to be instructed started back down the hall. Leading them
away from the place where so many evils had been perpetrated against his family. Once they were out of the basement the
wall reappeared,
looking the same as any other panel of the wall.
Malfoy took them quickly up the stairs, turning left at the landing and walking them straight down the hall, to a door at the very end of the corridor which was open slightly. It was the room Voldemort had been in during Harry's dreams.
The last three men were dead here. The elder Crabbe and Goyle and the latter's son Gregory Goyle. The older two were on the floor; the third was sitting in a high-back chair. Malfoy explained that the two on the floor had tried to fight him, kill him before he could kill them, while Gregory, Malfoy's former friend, had stayed seated in his chair. "He didn't try to stop me, he didn't try to hide. He just sat and told me to do it. I told him I didn't need his permission."
Hastings nodded, "The events seemed to have played out much the same as you described. I think we can forgo charging you; you were acting out of self-defense. Michael, Kyla, I'll leave you two to take care of the bodies," and he disappeared with a loud crack.
Malfoy and Harry left the two Aurors to their work, slipping silently into the hallway. Harry expected Malfoy to want to leave immediately, now that their business was over, but Malfoy didn't appear ready to leave. Instead of heading towards the stairs he was looking at the other doors on the landing, looking at each of them as if searching for something.
"What are we looking for Malfoy?" Harry asked quietly, watching Malfoy's eyes shift from one door to the next. Malfoy didn't answer, his eyes fell on the door closest to them and he walked to it. He opened it and the sight that met his eyes made him shudder with sorrow.
The bodies of Malfoy's wife and daughter were lying in the corner of the room. Already decay made them physically unrecognizable, the only thing that distinguished them were the close they wore. The smaller body, Violette's, was dressed in a long purple nightgown, which was cut to ribbons, evidence of the torture she had endured. Her mother was wearing what was once a cream colored camisole, stained by her own decay.
"I couldn't stand to look for them when I escaped," Malfoy said softly, his hand gripping the doorknob tightly, as if it was the only thing enabling him to stand.
"Why would they keep them like this?" Harry asked before he could stop himself.
"Because they were monsters!" Malfoy spat out, tears falling down his cheeks, evident grief contrasting sharply with the rage filling his voice. Harry wasn't sure what to do for the distraught blonde, if indeed there was anything to do. The blonde stood motionless in the doorway, studying the forms in the corner, tears falling silently from his eyes every few moments.
Malfoy was finally able to move when he heard Kyla and Michael coming out into the hallway. He ducted quickly into the room, and motioned for Harry to follow him. Harry did and, gagging on the stench. Once Harry was inside Malfoy closed the door quietly, obviously not wanting to attract the attention of the two Aurors. "I don't want them to see," Malfoy explained, Harry wasn't sure why, but he didn't try to change the blonde's mind.
There was a silent moment or two while they listened to Kyla and Michael's footsteps out on the landing. Once they had passed, and it was clear the two Aurors had gone downstairs Harry thought it was safe to ask, "What do you want to do about…them?" he said, pointing into the corner, unable to make himself say their names.
"I don't know," Malfoy admitted, "They should be taken to the family crypt, but that would mean going to Malfoy Manor."
Harry nodded, "Would we have to go inside the Manor?"
"No, the crypt is behind the back gardens," he said thoughtfully, walking slowly towards the corner where the bodies lay, "we could manage it," he added, with a note of hopefulness in his voice.
"We will, they deserve a proper resting place," Harry said, wondering how they were going to manage to transport the two of them across the country without access to the floo network.
"Shit," Malfoy said suddenly, stepping back across the room, "the Aurors will need me to open the basement for them. I'll be right back." He pulled open the door and disappeared through it. Harry could hear his footsteps falling hastily along the length of the landing and down the stairs. Harry lingered near the door when Malfoy was gone, feeling immensely uncomfortable. He'd never been fond of Pauline, though he knew her marriage to Malfoy wasn't her fault, and he was finding it hard not to think about all the things he hadn't liked about her while she was alive. It wasn't respectful, he knew that, but he couldn't seem to stop himself.
In his attempt to look anywhere but at the bodies of Malfoy's former wife and child, Harry saw that there was a dresser against the far wall. He hadn't noticed it before, his attention had natural been drawn elsewhere, but now that it had caught his eye he noticed something on top of it; something glittering in the weak sunlight that was feebly forcing its way through the grimy window.
Curiosity getting the better of him he stepped over to the dresser to examine the glittering objects more closely. Sitting on top of the fine chest of drawers was three gold rings and a small silver bracelet with a sort of plaque hanging between two of the links. It appeared to have something written on it, but it was caked it dust so he couldn't quite make it out. Harry picked it up gently; it looked so fragile he was afraid it would brake in his hand. Rubbing his thumb gently through the dust on the surface it reviled a name. The plaque bore the name Violette, engraved in delicate script; Malfoy's daughter. If the bracelet belonged to Violette, what was the chance the rings didn't belong to her mother or even her father? Not very good, Harry thought turning his attention to the rings; two broad bands and a third ring, narrower then the others and with three large diamonds set in it. The Malfoy's wedding bands and her engagement ring.
Malfoy reentered the room as this realization dawned on Harry. "They were just going to come up and look for me," the blonde informed, walking across the room to Harry. "They're down their now, say they'll be done once the get the one in the dungeon. What have you got there?" Malfoy asked seeing the objects in Harry's hands. Harry quickly handed them over and watched as the blonde took in what he was seeing. He looked sad for a half second then smiled, slipping his ring onto his right ring finger, "I thought these were lost, thank you Harry."
Malfoy froze, momentarily, realizing what he's said. It was the first time he'd used Harry's first name in nearly seven years. They'd gone back to using surnames, after several years of friendship, because of what had happened between them, the nasty fight they'd had, but now it seemed so pointless. "Think nothing of it, Draco," Harry said and Draco nodded. "Do you have any idea how we're going to move them across the country?"
"Yes, lend us your wand and I'll do the spell, it's specially designed to move bodies directly to the Malfoy Crypt." Harry nodded and handed his wand to the blonde. "Thanks," Draco said, tucking his wife's rings and his daughter's bracelet into his pocket. "I'll send the bo - them, I'll send them ahead, and we can apparate after." Draco raised Harry's wand out in front of him, at about waist height, made an odd slashing movement and said, very clearly, "trasferire."
In a flash of purple light the bodies disappeared, leaving Harry and Draco alone in the room. Draco gave Harry his wand back quickly, saying, "There's an apparition point in the far garden, we added it a few years ago," and he disapparated with a loud pop. Harry followed after him, appearing into the barren garden.
"I don't know how they got through the wards," Draco said as Harry regained his sense of equilibrium. "None of them could have used the apparition points; they shouldn't have been able to get in." He wasn't really speaking to Harry; he appeared to be talking to no one. Perhaps he was just saying it so it would be said, trying to free himself of some lingering guilt. But Draco moved away before Harry could ask, and Harry decided that that was probably best.
In the back wall of the garden there was a profound stone archway, with a wrought-iron gate. The Malfoy Crypt could be seen clearly thought the gates heavy bars. A low, long running building, the crypt was at lest three times as deep as it was wide, and appeared to be made out of dark grey marble. The door seemed to be made of a different more durable stone, with thick columns flanking it, and an arch over it proudly baring the name Malfoy in bold letters. The building was immaculately kept, no signs of over growth, though there were several trees towards the far end.
Draco led Harry through the gate to the quiet crypt. Harry hadn't been around such splendor often, certainly never when dealing with death. His parents were in simple graves, lying side by side for all eternity, in a cemetery near the site of the house they'd died in. As for the rest of Harry's family he didn't know much about them, but he seriously doubted there was a Potter family crypt on the grounds of a sprawling ancestral home. His family had never seemed the type somehow.
The air inside the stone mausoleum was surprisingly fresh. Harry had thought it would be stale, heavy, but as Draco explained there were special air ducts and ventilation spells. This was meant to be a place visited often by grieving family members, there was no point in making in unbearable. Before Harry could ask where Pauline and Violette were Draco showed him into a back room.
"The bodies come here to be prepared," the blonde explained, opening the door. This room was cleaner then anything Harry had ever seen, even taking his Aunt Petunia's kitchen into consideration. There were three high marble tables taking up the floor space, two of which held Draco's former family, though now they looked nothing like the bodies they'd found in the Riddle House. Their physical forms had been renewed, presumably to the states they were before they were killed, and they were both dressed in pristine white-cotton gowns.
"They look like they're sleeping," Harry exclaimed in amazement, walking nearer to Violette. He'd never seen her before and he marveled at how much she looked like her father. She had his same white-blonde hair, and same high cheekbones; Violette was very much a Malfoy.
"It's a glamour, a Malfoy must look their best, even in death," Draco said, moving up next to Pauline. "Traditionally there would be a grand viewing, showing off the dead in all their glory, but I think we can skip over that part."
"Do you need my wand again?" Harry asked, stepping back, "to move them?"
Draco shook his head, "No," he said, his voice shaking a bit, "I want to move them by hand," he explained running his hand across Pauline's forehead. "She looks so beautiful, I'd almost forgotten," Draco said, pulling her rings out of his pocket. He slid them carefully onto her left ring finger and stroked the back of her hand softly with his thumb.
He picked her up carefully, one arm supporting her neck the other under her legs and carried her out of the room. Harry tried not to think of the way Pauline's body stayed stiff in Draco's arms, as he followed behind the blonde. It broke the illusion that she was only sleeping and brought back the images of her as she was in the Riddle House, images Harry never wanted to think of again.
As they went back into the main chamber Harry took note of the large number of tombs surrounding them. They were easy to overlook, only small bonze plaques marked the walls, identifying the Malfoy that lay behind it. On some of the more recent graves small items hung bellow the plaques, apparently incased in clear crystals. Harry guessed these were some effects of the dead that the family wished to be preserved.
Very suddenly the graves tapered off and instead of the walls being sprinkled with plaques they were full of holes; graves awaiting bodies. They looked like deep boxes in the walls, dark and foreboding. Harry watched on as Draco held his wife's body up and led it towards the tomb that would be hers. It was below the plaque that read Narcissa Malfoy, wife of Lucius mother of Draco, then her year of birth followed by her year of death, barley six years ago.
"Mother always loved you," Draco said quietly as his wives body moved slowly into the grave, apparently pulled in by some magical force, "she was proud to have you for a daughter-in-law. I learned to love you; I have been honored to be your husband." When her body was fully into the grave and lying peacefully, the wall formed over the hole, covering her from view. Once the wall was whole a small brass plaque appeared, identical to the ones marking every other tomb in the crypt, hers read much the same as her mother-in-law's. Pauline Malfoy, wife of Draco mother of Violette, 1983 - 2008.
Draco left before the plaque was fully formed. He went back to the preparation room to gather up the body of his daughter. Harry stayed behind, deciding he would give the blonde a moment alone. Draco returned five minutes later, Violette lying in his arms, the same stiff way her mother had. As Draco passed by Harry noticed that Violette's bracelet was back on her wrist.
"My little angel," Draco whispered to his daughter, as he had to his wife, positioning her so whatever magic force laid them to rest could move her into the grave. "You were born of duty, but I loved you every second you existed. I'll keep loving you till I'm here next to your mother." The wall closed over her as he spoke. It had taken much less time for her to be put in place since she was so much smaller then her mother. Once her plaque was in place Draco kissed the tips of his fingers and pressed them over her name, then repeated his actions, this time pressing his finger tips to his wife's name.
After a long silence Draco nodded his head, informing Harry that he was ready to leave and started down the long hallway. When they were outside again the sun was already setting, it had been a long day, though Harry wasn't entirely sure where the time had gone. Draco stopped under the Malfoy arch, stopping to stare out at the sinking sun and Harry stopped next to him.
"It wasn't self-defense," Draco said after a while, "it was revenge."
Harry nodded, "Yes, it was," he agreed.
"I'll live with this the rest of my life with this."
"Yes, you will, we all will," Harry said thoughtfully. He was haunted by what he'd done nearly everyday of his life. It had been the right thing to do, the man he'd killed was a mass murder all consumed by the quest for immortality.
Draco turned to stare at Harry, "how do you live with it?"
"Hermione," Harry answered simply, "having her in my life. She makes me feel - normal. Help me forget that I'm not. Ron's good to have around as well, tells me to sod off when I'm being overly sulky."
"Oh brilliant," Draco said darkly, "I'm sure Ron'd be willing to do that for me, any excuse to tell me to sod off."
Harry shook his head, "he doesn't know you're living with us. None of them do."
"So she doesn't…?" Draco began to ask, but he couldn't quite make himself say the name of his former girlfriend aloud.
"No," Harry answered quickly, not needing to hear her name to know what he was talking about.
Draco sighed, "Do people even know we were missing?"
Harry shrugged, "They might, I don't -"
"Get the Prophet," Draco finished, "I'd forgotten."
"I hadn't heard anything about it until you showed up on my doorstep," Harry elaborated, "but that doesn't mean no one knows."
Draco nodded, then stepping away from the crypt he said, "Come on Harry, your family is waiting for you."
"Yeah, right," Harry said quickly, following Draco back to the apparition point. Harry disapparated first, appearing in the front hall of Number Twelve, just inside the front door. Draco appeared next to him a few minutes later, brushing at his shoulders where snowflakes were quickly turning into water droplets.
"I'm surprised I can apparate in," Draco said honestly, "I would have thought, given everything, that I would have been taken off the list."
"You were," Harry promised, without a moment's hesitation, "I added you again once you'd showed up here, but you did keep me on your list."
"Yeah," Draco said with a shrug, not bothering to elaborate. Harry was about to ask why when Hermione appeared at the top of the kitchen stairs, looking a bit frantic.
She gave a sigh of relief at the sight of them standing there and rushed forward to hug Harry and kiss him quickly on the lips, "I though I'd heard someone apparate in. Where have you been? You've been gone all day," Hermione said her voice sounding overstressed.
Harry stroked a hand over her hair, pushing it back off her face, "I'm sorry it took so long, but it isn't like we popped down to the pub for a drink. We went to the Ministry and Draco told his story, then we had to go to the Riddle House to prove that his story was true, and then we had to take care of some business at Malfoy Manor."
"You went to Malfoy Manor?" Hermione asked, looking at Draco as if it was his fault for keeping Harry away so late.
"Yes," Draco answered before Harry could, and he pushed passed the two of them and started up the stairs.
"When we were at the Riddle House we found Pauline and Violette's bodies," Harry explained. "We took them to the Malfoy Crypt so they could have a proper burial."
"Oh God," Hermione said, her hands flying up to cover her mouth, it was the same look she always got when she was shocked by something. "They were still in that house?"
"Yes," Harry answered, he didn't really want to tell Hermione the details, he didn't want to have to think of them again himself. Luckily she didn't press him for more; instead she pulled away from him and started towards the stairs.
"I should go apologize -"
Harry grabbed hold of her wrist to stop her, "Don't," he said when she turned to face him; "he has some things he needs to sort out, leave him alone."
"No," she insisted, "I was rude, I didn't realize."
"If you want to apologize to him do it next time you see him, he just buried his wife and child; he needs to be alone."
Hermione relented nodding her head, "fine, I'll leave him alone. Well, do you want to come down for dinner?"
"Yes, I'd love that, I've not had anything all day," he admitted, following her down the stairs. Harry could tell by the dishes still on the table that Lily and James had just finished eating.
"I was just cleaning up when I heard you two apparate," Hermione explained as is she'd read his mind, walking around the table to the sideboard where the finished dinner still stood.
"Where are the twins?" Harry asked stifling a yawn as he sat down at the table.
"Up in James' room," she told him turning around with a plate pilled high with meat and roasted potatoes. "They're playing chess," she elaborated putting the plate down in front of him.
"It looks amazing `Mione, smells it too, thanks," he said, picking up his fork and tucking in. She smiled, and started to clean up the dirty dishes that were still on the table. "That can wait," Harry insisted between mouthfuls, "sit with me a minute." She dropped the plates back onto the table and sat down across from him.
"Was it horrible?" She asked, after a few moments of watching Harry eat. He swallowed the mouthful he'd been eating and put his fork down.
He shrugged, "It was and it wasn't. I think finding their bodies was the best thing that could have happened. It gave Draco chance for some kind of closure; he got to burry them, to say a proper goodbye. I know if I was ever in his place, I would want that."
"Yes, saying goodbye can be very important," she agreed, giving her parents a funeral had meant a lot; it had given her a chance to deal with a lot of the pain of loosing them.
"Hermione," Harry started, pushing his plate aside he reached across the table and took her hand. "I wan-" but Harry's next words were drowned out by the sound of a fire bursting to life in the hearth. The both turned to look down the table at the fireplace and saw Molly's head floating amongst the emerald green flames.
"Oh Harry, Hermione, I'm so glad I've caught the both of you," Molly said quickly, "it's Ginny, she's have the baby."
"What?" Hermione asked, getting up from the table and walking over to Molly.
"She's early, isn't she?" Harry asked.
"Yes, by a few weeks," Molly answered.
"Well, what can we do?" Hermione asked, "I mean is there anything we can do?"
"That's why I'm here," Molly explained, looking up so she could look Hermione in the eyes, "she's scared Hermione, she's asking for you."
Hermione looked back to Harry, "Will you be all right?"
"Of course, go be with Ginny, I'll look after the twins."
Hermione nodded, than turned back to Molly, "where is she? At her house?"
"Yes," Molly said, "I'd better go, she's calling for me. Come as quick as you can," and her head disappeared from the flames, which quickly burned out now that the floo call had ended.
"Tell the twins where I've gone?" Hermione asked, walking back over to Harry.
Harry nodded, "Of course," he promised, standing up from the table and kissing her quickly, "now go to Ginny."
"I'll come back as soon as I can," she promised and, with a soft pop, she was gone.
And Maybe when you get back, Harry mused as he turned to the table and began cleaning up, I'll get a moment alone with you. Without interruption.
AN: Wouldn't that be nice, I hope it happens.
harryhermione731 - well somewhat, there is a little conflict in the next few chapters, then it's mostly back to fluffy Lady Starlight - Malfoy's story is awful, I'm not nice to him in this story, and no it wasn't likely that Harry's plan would go off the way he wanted, but it's all right he doesn't mind too much, and it will all come out in the end Misadies1 - well yes and no, but I'll let you cross that bridge when we come to it. You know I feel very sorry for Malfoy too, I'm very mean to him in this story, sorry again about the long wait, I really am trying to fix that alayneni - nope, no crazy Malfoy here just a bit sad Harrys girl - lol, James is a bit like his dad, that is true, but he's like his mum too so he's not likely to be too wild, plus you know really, he's more curious then a trouble maker Mani12191 - he is going to be in the story till the end, though he becomes less of a main character after the next two chapters. Yep the outline is only 39 chapters, and it's going to stay 39 chapters, `cause I only got five more to write. I could probably write more, but I like the way it wraps up so I think I'll just leave it the way it is Lojo1013 - well of course he finds love with someone else, I'm mean to him but I'm not so mean that I would make him be alone for the rest of his life faithful2thecall - yeah I gave this chapter to a friend of mine who had just finished book six and she got mad at me `cause she really wanted to hate Draco, but I made her feel sorry for him StrawberryDisaster - my lord, I'm impressed, I can't even read this story in one day, sheesh, it took me three days to read this chapter all the way through, but then I had a lot of people interrupting me kandy - : ) Arkron - hello, I'm glad you're liking it so much, hopefully I'll be able to update more rapidly CrimsonTemplor - yes I do have one or two surprises up my sleeves, not that they are necessarily happy surprises for those who get them, though Harry and Hermione don't get the bad ones. Don't worry the fluff and smuff is coming Austenlover - well the potion helps and then Hermione's healing spells help too GPGA - well the outline has expanded to 39 chapters, but it won't be changing anymore then that. There isn't too much darkness left in the story, just one more think that needs to be settled then we have the happy ending redneckbabe7 - I will finish it I promise, I don't know how long it will take me but I will finish it, I am determined to do that, at the very least kristen - I'm sorry, the suspense isn't supposed to kill you, but I have to admit it is very cool that you are that interest tasha - well it wasn't quite soon, but I hope the wait wasn't too bad redblue0115 - bah - I knew I forgot something, the really sad thing is, I don't remember anymore, I wrote the Christmas chapter so long ago I don't even remember. I think they got her a phoenix feather quill and very fancy ink, it was something like that, they bought it the day they stayed with Daniel and Ginny, when Harry and Hermione were buying the twins gifts weirder - wow, I have to tell you I was very surprised when I opened my hotmail and there were twenty reviews in my inbox. I always get excited when new readers start reviewing. Anyway, yeah I feel bad for Malfoy too, but don't worry thinks turn out happy for him, in the end.
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