Johnson Normal Johnson 1 1 2003-07-03T09:26:00Z 2003-07-03T09:27:00Z 1 1580 9009 - 75 21 10568 10.2625 Clean Clean MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
Coeur Corrompu
Chapter Four
I used to be the kind of guy
Who'd never let you look inside
I'd smile when I was crying
I had nothing but a lot to lose
Thought I had a lot to prove
In my life there's no denying
Goodbye to all my yesterdays
Goodbye, so long, I'm on my way
I had enough of crying, bleeding, sweating, dying
Hear me when I say gonna life my life everyday
I'm gonna touch the sky, spread these wings and fly
I ain't here to play
Gonna live my life everyday
Bon Jovi - Everyday
'Ah, Miss Weasley! What can I help you with on this lovely day?'
Stifling a yawn that was threatening to break her resolve, Ginny took in the room around her. The walls were plain and dingy giving a boring feel to the room. In Ginny's mind if these walls could speak they wouldn't have anything particularly interesting to tell. A weary smile played about her lips as she crossed her legs neatly and regarded the old wizard seated opposite her. His hair was combed neatly back and he had the smallest hint of a beard about his chin. Judging on how wizards aged she guessed the man was about 150 at the youngest.
'Well Mr Goggenslock, as you know my firm are working with the Ministry to try and capture someone for questioning. I have read through the file and yet there seems to be a lack of detail which we usually receive. I was just wondering if there was a reason to this.' Ginny said in her best commanding voice. It wasn't easy getting information out of the Ministry as they seemed to have a lot to hide.
'As you know, Virginia, we give you the information that you are allowed to know…'
'But surely we have to have all the information to find him!' Ginny persisted.
'Look, there is little I can do to help you in this matter. Even I, the collector of information, am unable to help you any further. The Ministry have edited this file as they have seen fit.'
'Then how do you suppose I find Mr Malfoy? Female intuition?!'
Silence settled on the room at Ginny's outburst and this relieved her. There had to be some way that she could find out all the missing gaps of Draco's life without having to ask the man himself. She was having problems enough keeping the fact that she had met him once already and done nothing to help apprehend him. Thinking claming thoughts she composed herself again. It was vital that she at least looked like she was getting somewhere with this case.
'Virginia,' Mr Goggenslock said softly, 'I know you must be getting frustrated at the lack of help we can give, but I promise you that there is nothing I can do to help.'
'At least let me ask one question… That's all I need right now.' Ginny pleaded with him. Often she found that using her feminine charms would help, but somehow they didn't feel right at this point.
'Alright. One question. And this is strictly off the record too. What is it you need to know?'
'In the file it mentions that Dra…Mr Malfoy trained at the Ministry after having left Hogwarts. What it doesn't say is what he trained for.'
Another silence stretched through the small dingy room. Letting her gaze rest on Mr Goggenslock, she tried to determine what was going on in his mind. His elbows were neatly leaning against the surface of the table and the fingers of each hand were touching tips in an elegant arc. A look of concentration was etched on his face. Ginny assumed that he was contemplating whether to give her the correct answer or not. Slowly he began to speak.
'When Draco first left Hogwarts he was determined to become his own man and grow out of his fathers shadow. Coming to the Ministry he thought at the time would be the best way to do it. Unfortunately the people in power here know a good thing when they see it. Draco had power. He had connections. He was renowned for being his fathers' son. All off this was stacked against him.' He took a breath and glanced down at the panelling on his desk. 'So the Ministry took him in and trained him in the arts of an Auror.'
'An Auror…?' Ginny said feeling her jaw drop. This couldn't possibly be true for the Malfoy she had known at Hogwarts. It seemed the farthest away from his character she had ever seen. Why would a Malfoy want to train to capture people they were allegiance with?
'Yes,' He continued gravely. 'The Ministry were clever though. They let him think he was becoming an Auror when really he was training to be a double agent. Let me explain to you what this meant. Draco would be forced to resume his everyday life and took the place of his father in the darker circles. He would then report all of this back to the Ministry and would often be ordered to search these wizards' homes. That's where his Auror skills would come in handy.'
'So in other words he would spy on the dark wizards?'
'Yes.' He stated simply.
'Then how come he…left?' Ginny's mind was racing. This was all a complete contradiction to the man she thought she knew. Somehow though it explained his actions.
'Some of the dark wizards were becoming suspicious. Draco, though being careful, was beginning to be cast away from the inner circles. His violent tendencies getting the better of him in some situations. The Ministry couldn't let themselves be associated with him anymore, so they dropped him. This left Draco vulnerable to the dark wizards. I think you can work the rest out for yourself…'
Ginny stood up slowly and nodded. This information was defiantly going to help her work out whatever was happening. Something about this case was intriguing her and part of her really wanted to help Draco Malfoy. This would mean going against everything she thought of as good and pure. It would have to be her secret.
Walking over to the door she paused and turned to face the older man. 'Would you say that Mr Malfoy was… trustworthy?'
'Well Virginia, you know what they say about a Malfoy.'
***
'Stop acting like a girls blouse Ron Weasley and hit me like a man!!'
'Girls blouse?! I think that's calling the kettle black! I tell you what, why don't you try hitting me like a man?'
Ginny smiled to herself from her place on the floor and glanced up to see Hermione kick boxing a very sensitive part on Ron. Him being him yelped and doubled over dropping his wand and sword to the floor. Ginny tried to suppress the giggle but it over flowed her lips and cascaded into the room. Ron turned his head and glared at her. 'I'm going to tell mum you laughed at this and when she finds out…' He began.
'She'll laugh too!' she retorted through the giggles. 'Especially when I tell her you were beaten up by a girl!'
'You wouldn't dare!'
'Watch me!'
Ron growled and sat down in the middle of the training ring. Hermione had a smug look plastered on her face and Ginny could tell she was trying really hard not to join in with the laughter.
'Are you alright?' She finally asked with over exaggerated concern. 'You did tell me to hit you like a man.'
'I'm fine,' Ron growled quietly. 'Just fine.'
Ginny smiled and looked back down at the file that lay in her lap. The picture of Draco was laid on top and she found herself almost instantly drawn to his eyes. Even in a picture there was no denying that Draco Malfoy had the greatest silvery-grey eyes known to man. Looking into them was like being lost at sea in a storm. She sighed it was a place she didn't want to be though. He might be nice on the eye but he was still a Malfoy underneath it all. This new revelation though was beginning to put a whole new spin on how she looked at him.
'How's the case coming along Gin? Me and Ron are getting nowhere with our inquiries.'
Looking up she pulled herself away from the guilt ridden thoughts. 'Well I visited Mr Goggenslock at the Ministry today and he told me that all the information that was considered to be relevant was here. I tried to get some more information but…well he seemed reticent to give any freely.'
Hermione nodded slightly and aimlessly waved her wand around and muttered some offensive spells. A large book flew across the room and began to beat up a punch bag. Ginny smiled slightly and felt a wave of envy race through her. It was one thing protecting herself, but it was a complete other to fight.
'I could always send Ron over to muscle some information out of him.'
'No!' Ginny snapped quickly, not wanting her friends to have the information she did. Ron and Hermione stared at her with surprise. 'Well… You know the Ministry wouldn't like it.'
'And you went to see Pansy?' Ron asked quietly.
'Yep. Not much help there either. She went a little hysterical at the mere mention of his name.' She chuckled softly to herself at the memory of Pansy and her wedding dress. 'I might go back later and see if there's anything else she left out.'
'Good idea,' Ron said finally standing up. 'I have a feeling she of all people probably knows where he is. I remember the way she used to fawn over that Malfoy filth back at school.'
Staring blankly at the back wall Ginny stood up and ran her hand through her hair, for what seemed the thousandth time that day. If only Ron knew what had happened, she thought. This would be a bad idea though. Ron would go ballistic and probably make Ginny go back to live at her parents. The mere thought made her scowl. 'I'm going to go meet Colin down in Hogsmede now. You want to come? I'll buy you a drink…?'
'Sorry Gin, we can't. Um…' Hermione looked down at the floor and muttered, 'Harry is taking us out for dinner.'
Ginny felt her heart drop a thousand miles before it hitting the cold floor of reality. 'Oh…'
'Sorry Gin,' Ron said embracing her in a bear like hug. 'He said he had something important to tell us.'
Gently she pushed Ron away and turned her back on them. Slowly she walked out of the training arena. Her legs felt like lead and she found herself trying not to cry. She had cried too much over the past few days and silently swore not to do so again. This time she would hold her head up high and let her so called friends do what they like. She should have expected them to put Harry over her, they always had. They probably always would.
At Hogwarts she had been publicly accepted as on of them. She had eaten with them, listened to them talk and occasionally helped them with whatever deed they had to do. Deep inside though, she would never be one of them. When they had left and she was in her final year things had seemed so much better. People had begun to talk to her as Ginny and not as Ron's little sister. It seemed all so stupid in the here and now of it all.
It still it hurt though.