The Tough Get Going
Chapter 36
The Tough Get Going
Harry strode confidently into the Ministry holding cell, as if he owned it. Draco Malfoy was sitting at the table where inmates receive visitors.
"About bloody time you got here," snarled Malfoy.
Harry gave him a cheesy grin. "I've been busy. That happens to people who aren't in jail."
"I demand that you release me immediately. I am a Malfoy and…"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" Harry said with mock casualness. "You are a Malfoy and you have been convicted, much like your father was and since you don't have his connections to arrange an escape, you want me to provide you with the means to be released. What else is new?"
Malfoy's face flushed with rage. "See here, Scarhead…"
Leaning against the wall with relaxed ease, Harry rolled his eyes to the dingy ceiling as if he was looking up into a clear sky. "Name calling is not endearing you to me," he drawled.
Malfoy's eyes bulged in outrage.
Harry continued, "I truly don't care to repeat myself, but I will just this once." Harry held up his index finger. One, the ritual is designed to kill you." He raised another finger. Two, your sentence is going to be a Kiss when it comes down." He lifted a third finger. "And three, I, alone, have the means for your survival. What I want is information and cooperation."
Malfoy lifted his haughty chin, yet held his tongue.
"This is my game," stated Harry in a cold grave voice. "I make the rules; I referee; I tally the score. You step an inch out of line and I will escort you to the dementors myself." He walked around behind Malfoy and lowered his voice to almost a whisper. "It's your choice, Malfoy. Either tell me what I want to know, right here, right now or I walk out of here and leave you to whoever cares to kill you first."
"I'll tell you NOTHING!" Malfoy exclaimed.
"Then allow me to use your own words against you. You're dead, Malfoy…" Harry turned toward the door as if to leave.
"WAIT!" Malfoy shouted. Harry allowed a brief grin before turning back toward Malfoy. He raised an eyebrow, yet left his face expressionless.
"What do you want to know?" Malfoy asked meekly. Gone was the previous arrogance. All that was left was a man who had nothing left to lose.
Harry gave him a wry smile. "Let's start at the beginning…"
A few hours later, Harry strolled casually into the office, whistling, his arms swinging by his sides.
"What's with you, Boss?" queried Tonks, then her eyes widening in surprise. "You did it? He spilled his guts?"
Harry chuckled softly. "Let's just say we know 'who', 'what', and 'where'. The only question remaining is 'when'. Is Minister Bones in her office, do you know? I need to speak with her and Junior Minister Weasley about a plea agreement for Mr. Malfoy."
Tonks smiled widely. "Let me see if I can get you in." She turned on her heel and walked to the floo.
Harry sat at his desk, lost in thought. He stared at nothing as he filtered and sorted the information he had received.
"Boss?... Harry?" Harry noticed she sounded as if she'd been trying to get his attention for ages.
"Sorry," he said. "I was just thinking about some things."
Tonks smirked at him. "I know that look. You've got a plan."
"Maybe…" he returned uncommitted.
"Minister Bones can see you in twenty minutes. The Junior Minister is with Ron and can join when they are finished."
"No, have Ron join us when he's finished with his dad. You and I can go over things until it's time to head over there."
"You want us there, Boss?"
"Well, I don't want to tell this twice." He grinned back at her.
Harry and Tonks were exchanging pleasantries with the Minister until the two Weasley's arrived. Since dancing with Minister Bones at the celebration, she always insisted on greeting him with a hug, which he accepted reluctantly.
When Ron and his father arrived, Harry launched into the story of what Malfoy told him and relayed his plan to stop the planned ritual.
"What did we offer Mr. Malfoy for his information?" Mr. Weasley asked with a lack of enthusiasm.
"His life," stated Harry evenly. "I told him I would stop the ritual as well as prevent him from receiving the Kiss."
"That's all?" cried a surprised Minister Bones. "I would have thought a Malfoy would demand a great deal more than that."
"He demanded many things. That is all I agreed to. Malfoy is arrogant and cunning, but he certainly isn't stupid. I wasn't about to offer something I can't authorize."
"Harry, if we can prevent another war, authorization mustn't be an issue," scolded the Minister.
"Thanks…" mumbled Harry. "…but I prefer that we all be on board with this. I'll take the fall if we aren't successful, but I want the Ministry involved the whole way."
Arthur Weasley smiled at Harry proudly. "Excellent idea, Harry. Now, what do we reward Mr. Malfoy with for his candor?"
"I was thinking that we could release him from Azkaban…" replied Harry.
"No way!" stormed Ron. "We can't let that bastard go free!"
"I never said free, Ron. I was thinking more of a 'house arrest" sort of deal. He could reside at Malfoy Manor, unable to leave. It's already been stripped of all Dark material. We'd post a guard with him at all times. I see it as a win-win proposition. He's allowed some freedoms, yet we have him locked away."
"Who do you see guarding him?" asked Minister Bones.
Harry looked at Tonks with a wide grin.
"Edgar?" Tonks sputtered in amazement. "I think I'd choose Azkaban!"
Harry laughed. "Call him in, would you?" he asked Tonks, noticing his bosses' confusion.
"You wanted to see me, Boss?" asked Edgar appearing from the fireplace. He looked around the Minister's office in wonderment.
"Yes. Thank you for coming." He introduced Edgar to the Minister and Junior Minister, and then sat down to watch Edgar work. He, Ron and Tonks exchanged smirks as Edgar scoured the room for dangerous articles.
"Boss…" Edgar stated. "There are two listening devices hidden in the draperies. I don't think we should talk here."
"Two?" cried Minister Bones. "There is only supposed to be one. That one goes to my Security Detail. Are you sure there are two?"
"Yes, Minister," Edgar replied. "There is one on the third panel, with the second on the hem of the fourth."
"The one on the third panel…" said Mr. Weasley. "Bring that one here."
Edgar retrieved the bug and gave it Mr. Weasley. "This was only a preliminary search, Mr. Junior Minister, sir. I can do a full scan within the hour, if you wish."
"Yes, please, " said Minister Bones, looking at the charmed device. "We'll be adjourning soon. Please allow my security team to assist you."
"Yes, Minister Bones, Ma'am." Edgar mumbled, clearly intimidated.
"Shall we take this to my office?" offered Harry. "That way we can finish up while Edgar gets started."
The group broke off and headed to Harry's office. Upon arriving, Harry felt a bit foolish taking his own chair, so he offered it to Minister Bones.
"That's fine, Mr. Potter, no need to stand on ceremony. Take your chair," she said with a wave of her hand.
"The other thing I wanted to go over is the leaks at the Ministry. I feel that within the hour, we'll know who the suspect is. I didn't want to mention this upstairs, but I've had a map created that has shown me who visits Mr. Malfoy. He's had three visitors, other than me. Those visitors are Ginny Weasley…" he said with a sympathetic look toward Mr. Weasley, "…Ian Stranton and Alfred Kensington. I've placed a scrambler on Mr. Malfoy's person, without his knowledge; therefore I have recorded all conversation that took place…"
"Harry!" gasped Arthur Weasley. "Do you know what you are doing?"
Ron gaped at his friend. Tonks was wide-eyed in disbelief.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley, I'm very possibly committing occupational suicide, however I feel that once the facts come to light, that you will see as I do, that we have our leak. My job is to save lives. I would be going against the contract I signed if I don't do this."
Harry waved a hand at a silver instrument on the table. The ghostly form of Ginny Weasley floated above it.
"Draco, let me talk to Harry. I think I can get him to free you. I meant something to him once, maybe he will listen."
"Save your breath, sweet, besides after the stunts you pulled, I doubt he'll listen to a word you have to say," Draco returned. "I'd rather you didn't have do all of that anyway. I only asked you to get close to him…"
"I thought I could persuade him to go easy on you, love, but he wouldn't even listen. Then, when I tried to make him a laughingstock, it backfired as well. I'm sorry, Draco. I tried."
"'Potter, the stud' is an idea that will baffle the gods forever," Malfoy scoffed. "It was all a lie. Please tell me that the whole interview was a lie."
"I wish I could, darling," she said with a heavy sigh. " He was just…"
"Next!" muttered Harry. The figure of Ginny vanished as a muscular wizard appeared.
"Malfoy, the stage is set. The ritual will commence as planned and you, my dear friend, will become the next Dark Lord, 'Lord Mayacof", if you will."
"You're sure the plan will work? My father didn't kiss the last Dark Lord's hems for nothing, you know."
"I'm well aware of your father's plans, Draco. The ritual will fulfill them, never fear."
"Where did you come up with Lord Mayacof? That sounds strange."
"The same way Voldemort did. It is the letters of your name rearranged."
"Lord Mayacof…Lord Mayacof…I think I like Lord Malfoy better."
"Figurehead Dark Lords don't get that choice, Draco. Accept it and get used to it. I'll be back in a few days to finalize the plans. Start using the name."
The figure of Ian faded as another figure arose. It was Alfred Kensington, Head of the Department of Aurors.
"Wake up, Malfoy. I need to talk to you."
"Kensington! What are you doing here? Is this safe?" answered Malfoy.
"We need to act quickly," Kensington replied. "Potter is onto us. The ritual will have to be postponed. He is stationing Aurors at the graveyard to wait. If no ritual takes place within a few months, then Potter will be ruined. He's already taking the heat because his scramblers aren't working. It was just luck he kept it on when we captured him."
"How much longer will I have to stay here?" Malfoy asked.
"I've got your sentencing put off until after the New Year. By then Potter will be out of here and we can take over the wizarding world, as your father intended. Can you hold out that long?"
"I can," answered Malfoy.
"Good, in exchange for your cooperation, Rabastan has arranged to have that pretty little redhead visit again, if you are sure…if we have your word, that she is trustworthy."
"She loves me. She has no idea what we are up to," Draco answered.
"She'd better not screw this up. Dolohov is still wanting to finish what he started before Potter stuck his nose in. The only thing protecting her is your cooperation…"
"I understand," mumbled Malfoy.
Harry waved a hand at the silver apparatus and looked out at the faces pale with disbelief. "Well, that's all I have," Harry stated evenly.
After several tense seconds, Minister Bones spoke up. "Mr. Potter, please excuse us while we discuss your findings."
"By all means," stated Harry. "I'll just trot up to your office, Madam Bones, and see if Edgar is finished there."
The Minister nodded her assent and Harry strode out, quickly followed by Ron and Tonks. Upon closing the door behind them, Harry immediately put a silencing charm around the three of them.
"Bloody hell, Harry!" Ron exclaimed. "You've kept all of this to yourself for how long?"
"Since just before Hermione and I got broke up. I couldn't say anything, mate. You understand that don't you?"
"Of course, I do, but bloody hell!"
"You said that before, Ron," teased Tonks. "Boss? Do you really think they'll sack you?"
"It's entirely possible. I've produced evidence against a high ranking Ministry Official, who obviously has connections, I've implicated the Junior Minister's only daughter in the scheme, which she was only a bit player, plus I've pissed off Minister Bones by implying that her security staff was lax. Doesn't bode too well for me, now does it?"
"They can't sack you for doing what is right, Boss," reassured Tonks.
"And Hermione calls me naïve…" Harry said. "Let's go check on Edgar."
After finding many security breaches in the Ministry Executive offices, Edgar was waiting for them to return. "Excellent work, Edgar," praised Harry upon seeing the myriad of spying devices. Let's load this stuff up and head back, shall we?"
"I labeled each piece with its name or moniker, as well as its use and lifespan," Edgar explained.
Harry slung his arm around Edgar's shoulder, giving him a quick pat on the other shoulder. "Brilliant job. You are an asset to this team."
Edgar blushed bright at the commendation and took a seat at his desk.
Soon, the Minister and Junior Minister came from his office. Harry tried to read their expressions, but found them blank. Minister Bones sent a secure memo to Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Mr. Potter, if we might have a word, if you please," she stated as she waved Harry back into his own office. Once again, he didn't immediately take his chair, however this time Minister Bones did. Harry's shoulders slumped in resignation. He wished they'd get on with it.
"Harry," Mr. Weasley began, "can you swear to me that this isn't retaliation against Ginny and the way she treated you?"
"I swear, sir," he answered. "I mean, it could possibly be construed that way in the beginning. I mean no disrespect to you or your family, sir, but she slept with Stanton in my house…in my bed. That's how I came upon this whole thing. I take my personal security very seriously. If anyone enters my bedroom without my permission, I know all about it. I wanted to know why they were there. He was obviously there to search my room and she was trying to help Malfoy using any means necessary. They had been pretending to see one another for awhile, so…"
"And none of this is an effort to cause trouble for your former girlfriend?" asked Minister Bones.
"No, I swear it. I don't dislike Ginny. She may have infuriated me on occasion, yet it is my opinion that she is a pawn in a greater scheme. Malfoy apparently has feelings for her due to the lengths he will go in order to protect her. She hasn't made the best choices, but I truly don't think she had any evil intent."
"You realize we'll have to arrest her…" said Mr. Weasley sadly.
"Why?" asked Harry. "I don't see any prosecutable offense."
"She has been consorting with known Death Eaters, Harry," he explained. The Minister remained silent.
"She fell in love with Malfoy and used me to save him, that's all we have evidence of. Any charges will be dropped. There won't stick. There are no other witnesses to any of this. From where I sit, a stern lecture from her parents about love and ethics is all that is needed."
"Are you saying you won't press charges against her, Harry? You have every right to…" added Minister Bones.
"I'd rather not dredge all of that up again. I'd rather concentrate on my upcoming wedding than harbor any ill will toward a girl I had no business pursuing in the first place."
"Are you sure, son?" asked Mr. Weasley. "Molly and I wouldn't hold it against you if you did. Who knows, maybe being arrested could teach her more than Molly and I were able to."
"We've all made bad choices in our youth. If that were a crime, then we'd all be guilty. I'm sure if you explained how her actions nearly cost lives, including Malfoy's, then I'm sure she'll pay attention. She needs to understand that the ends don't always justify the means. My life with Hermione is worth more to me than that does. I, for one, would like to put that part of the past behind me."
"How did you connect Stanton to Malfoy?" asked Minister Bones.
"I was curious why he wanted to search my flat. After that, I had him followed. He led me right to Malfoy."
"What is the plan regarding the ritual?" questioned Mr. Weasley.
"My suggestion is to keep as we have been. They know we are onto them. They are planning to wait us out. In the meantime, we continue to try to break the ring, take out Dolohov and Rabastan, then watch it collapse. If the ritual becomes apparent, then we stop it from happening."
"In summary," began Minister Bones, "no charges will be filed against Ginny Weasley, Alfred Kensington and Ian Stanton have been arrested, and that leaves us to you, Mr. Potter."
"You have broken a fair amount of departmental rules with this investigation of yours and proper protocol was disregarded," began Mr. Weasley. "Your rule-breaking tendencies were taken into account when this post was offered to you. However since you were only acting out of concern for other people and the good of our world, you won't be dismissed."
Minister Bones continued, "That being said, we can't let you off without a reprimand of some sort. We have a chain of command in place for our own protection. It is not without its flaws. Our former Minister was evidence of that." Harry resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "While we can't find fault with your instincts, your research or your conclusions, we cannot allow you to disregard proper protocol." Harry wished they'd save the lecture and get on telling him his punishment.
"Harry," Mr. Weasley took over, "we need you to come to us with your hunches, not your conclusions. We need to be a part of the decision process."
"If I had come to you with this when I first started putting it together," Harry stated evenly, "would you have believed me? You've already thought that I was doing this just to get back at Ginny."
"I won't say that we would have, Mr. Potter, but at least then we would know what was happening. It is our necks on the line if something happened," argued Minister Bones.
Harry sat forward in the chair across from his desk and looked the Minister in the eye. "I hear what you are saying, truly I do. I'd like to point out in my defense that Article 6 of the Decree for the Ministry of Magic Outlining the Duties and Responsibilities Therein states that any Ministry Official that is privy to information…"
"We are aware of the statute, Mr. Potter; it was perfectly legal to withhold this information. We aren't questioning that. We are questioning your disregard for protocol. Proper procedure is to inform your superiors before taking action."
"What 'action' have I taken? I visited Malfoy, with your approval. I gathered evidence and relayed my evidence with conclusions, exactly how my contract states that I should. What's going on here, really? I mean, I know I have a 'saving-people-thing', or as Ron puts it a need to play the hero. Isn't that very trait the reason you hired me in the first place? To be able to show the world that the Boy-who-lived is on the job?" Harry froze in place, his mouth open. Then he smiled, his eyes cold and deadly. "Oh…I get it now. That's it isn't it? This position was for visibility only. I have no real authority, regardless of what was put in writing."
"Harry, please, listen to me…" pleaded Mr. Weasley.
"I think I've heard enough, thanks, " Harry stated coldly and swept from the room, slamming the door behind him. Ron and Tonks rushed over to him to find out what had happened. Harry brushed by them, ignoring them completely and apparated away.