Harry poked his head round the door, and slipped in quietly, Ron and Hermione following. Ron looked cautious, not knowing what to expect, while Hermione looked uncomfortable. Harry had said she could stay upstairs, but she insisted that she'd come, just to see they weren't hurting the Death Eaters in anyway.
The room had been magically darkened, so you were barely able to see anything. There were four other figures in there: Mr. Weasley, who was checking a small vile of potion, Lupin, who was looking at a checklist solemnly, that Leopold person, and, of course, Mr. Malfoy.
He was in a hard backed wooden chair, cuffed in by his wrists. His long hair fell down over his tensed up shoulders, and his eyes were staring and glassy again. His hands kept curling and uncurling into fists. He looked like he was about to throw up.
"Right then…" Mr. Weasley turned back to Mr. Malfoy.
"Hold it, Arthur, we're waiting for one more," said Remus solemnly. "We need someone to record the information, don't we?"
At that moment, the door burst open, and Snape walked in smoothly.
"I beg your pardon for my lateness," he drawled. "No questions asked, no lies told."
"Weren't you on a mission with Rebecca Black?" said Mr. Weasley. For some odd reason, Snape flushed.
"What did I just say? Now, who exactly are we-" he caught sight of Mr. Malfoy pinned to his chair. He paled. "Ah. Hello Lucius."
Mr. Malfoy was looking at Snape as though he were back from the dead, but quickly regained himself. "Severus. Glad you could grace us with your presence," Lucius drawled quietly.
"So, what'll it be first, Lucius?" said Mr. Weasley grimly, inspecting the vial of potion closer. Mr. Malfoy was still looking on the verge of throwing up. "Veritaserum or Occlumency?
"How about," Mr. Malfoy swallowed and his ill look vanished, to be replaced with a more dignified one, "free will?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"How about I tell you what you want, of my own free will? And you save yourself some potion. I heard veritaserum is very hard to come by these days."
There was a stunned silence, where everyone's mouth had flung open. The small vial of veritaserum slipped out of Mr. Weasley's fingers and shattered on the floor.
Mr. Malfoy rolled his eyes. "You see Arthur, that could have been put to good use."
"Wait a moment," Mr. Weasley looked dazed "are you telling me you're going to tell us information without us having to do anything?!"
Malfoy's smile broadened. "Not quite. There is a little- favour- I want doing."
Sensing this would be nothing good Harry shared a wary look with Mr. Weasley and Remus. "What would that be?"
"When this war's over, if you win, I want to walk free," said Malfoy, surveying their reactions coolly. "What I am about to tell you is vitally important: it is the key to overpowering u- the Death Eaters. All you have to do is ensure myself and my family are not forced to Azkaban." He raised his eyebrows. "Bit of a bargain, really."
"Lucius," said Snape quietly, "It is not up to us whether you are imprisoned or not. You know it is the Ministry's choice."
"Yes, but you could vouch for me." He smiled pleasantly.
"WHAT?!" several people yelled.
"No way," growled Leopold.
"Malfoy," Lupin's face was plastered with a smirk that said he didn't think Malfoy was being serious. "Do you really think we'd be that stupid? Do you really think we'd let you just skip off home when the war's over?"
Malfoy sniffed. "For your information, Lupin, I do not skip, (Harry had to roll his eyes at this) but yes, that is exactly what I expect."
"You?!" said Mr. Weasley angrily. "You, one of the most dedicated Death Eaters there are? One of You-Know-Who's inner circle?"
"Yes, well, some things have changed," said Mr. Malfoy darkly, hands becoming fists again, but then he forced his mouth into a smile. "I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. I give you information in return for my freedom."
"We're not bargaining with you!" Remus spat. "Would that be justice, to free a murderer?"
Malfoy's eyes glittered maliciously, and he leaned forward as far as his restraints would allow. "How do you know I'm a murderer?" he whispered. "Have you ever seen me kill someone? Are there any witnesses to that? No. You can't prove that I've murdered anybody."
Everyone except Snape glanced at each other grudgingly. "You're still a Death Eater, and that's enough to put you in Azkaban for life," said Mr. Weasley.
"Fine." Malfoy looked away from them, flaring his nostrils haughtily. "Then I just won't co-opperate."
"Ok, fine. Then, as I say, what'll it be first, Veritaserum or Occlumency?"
Malfoy rolled his eyes and sighed. "Oh, come on, Arthur! Do you really think you can force it out of a person, something as top secret and highly protected as that? The word- the name of our headquarters- is jinxed! I can only tell you how to get it from my own free will."
"I don't accept this," stated Mr. Weasley simply.
"What's to accept? I can either tell you something vital, or I can't. All you have to do is this little thing for me."
"Why should we?" snarled Harry.
"Because," Malfoy's eyes glittered again, and he sat back in his chair, looking down his nose at them with a smirk. "I'm the only one who can tell you."
"I'm sure we could get it from another source, if we wait long enough."
"Possibly," Malfoy shrugged. "But are you willing to let those mudbloods die while you wait? The longer you take trying to figure it out, the more people die in captivity." All the Order members looked at each other guiltily. They knew he was right. "Your choice."
There was a long pause. Mr. Weasley was looking at each Order member expectantly.
"Group discussion!" Remus said and everyone huddled into the corner, turning their backs to Malfoy. "Should we make the deal with him?" he whispered, so Malfoy couldn't hear.
"Huh, I never thought I'd do Malfoy a favour," Ron wrinkled his nose.
"But he's right. The fastest way to get information would be to just do as he says, or those poor people that they've got captured will have to suffer longer," hissed Hermione. "I mean, one day could make the difference between life and death for someone. Who knows what they're doing to them?"
"There must be some other way!" said Mr. Weasley desperately.
"But the quickest way," drawled Snape quietly, "Is to cooperate with him. What's one person out of Azkaban compared to what could be someone's life?"
"But- NO!" Mr. Weasley looked around at them incredulously, then pointed an accusing hand at Malfoy. "This man belongs in Azkaban! I will not allow- he deserves it!"
"Tut-tut, Arthur," drawled Malfoy, looking calmly at them. "You're being quite mean, you know. What ever happened to forgive and forget?"
"It went down the plughole where you're concerned!" spat Mr. Weasley, taking a threatening step towards him.
"Clearly," Malfoy smirked at Mr. Weasley, inspecting him through his cool grey eyes. "Well? What have you decided?"
Remus cast his fellow Order members a grudging glance, before turning back to Malfoy. "We're going to agree with you," Malfoy looked delighted and Mr. Weasley looked outraged, "but there will be some …conditions."
"Conditions?" said Malfoy sharply.
Remus narrowed his eyes. "Somebody write this down." Snape stalked back to his seat and took out a quill and some parchment. "We can't have you going back to the Death Eaters as soon as our backs are turned; there has to be some restrictions. When the war's over, we can get the ministry to have you tagged, so we know what kind of magic you're using."
"Tagged?!" whispered Malfoy hoarsely, turning paler.
"There are other things we will do; we can ban you from certain shops, register every potion you make. You won't have the liberty to use the Dark Arts anymore."
Malfoy gawped at him, his pale eyes wide with devastation. "But I- you can't do that! It's not fair!"
"Fine. We'll send you to Azkaban, where you belong-"
"Ok!" Malfoy said suddenly. His eyes swivelled to each person surrounding him, lingering on Snape, who did not look up. "Ok- Very well!" he snarled, glaring dangerously. "Very well! Just- just let me free."
Remus paused. "Fine."
He took the quill from Snape, slowly drawing it nearer to the parchment. His gaze snapped back to Malfoy, and he paused, letting ink drip silently onto the paper. He seemed to be waiting for Malfoy to say something, but he just sat in his chair, watching him silently with thin lips and slightly flushed cheekbones. Remus turned back to the parchment, and slowly, almost reluctantly, signed his name.
"Every one can sign this for now," he said, passing it back to Snape for him to sign. "If you betray us, Malfoy, then we can rip it up. It's better than the unbreakable vow."
The parchment was passed round until it came to Ron.
"This doesn't feel right," he muttered to Harry, but signed it anyway. He then gave it to Harry. Basically, it was explaining how the Order was agreeing to give testimony to the fact that Malfoy was going to give information against Voldemort, IF that information was satisfactory. There was also the list of conditions Lupin had laid out, and a number of signatures. Only Harry, Mr. Weasley and Malfoy hadn't signed.
Curling his lip, Harry put his signature to join the others. He then got up and placed it at Malfoy's lap. Malfoy raised an eyebrow, and, sighing, Snape hurried over to them. He took out a key and undid one of the steel cuffs binding Malfoy's wrist.
Instead of taking the quill Harry was offering, however, Malfoy snatched up a candle from the wall just behind him. Harry thought he was going to burn the parchment, but instead he tilted the candle slightly so a small amount of melted wax dribbled onto the parchment. He then stamped the wax with a ring on his middle finger, which, Harry noticed, had the same cobra-encircled family crest that was on Draco's sword. Surveying Harry through his silver eyes, Malfoy cleaned the wax off his ring, and Snape locked his wrist in the cuff again.
Snape then passed it on to Mr. Weasley, who had watched stonily as everyone else signed. As Snape tried to hand it to him, he pushed it away. "No," he said dryly. "Never."
Malfoy sighed, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. "Look, Weasley, do you want this information or not?"
"Of course I do, but not if it means YOU get to run around free!"
"Arthur, try to calm yourself-" Snape held his sands up in a pacifying gesture.
"NO! This man- this man tried to kill my daughter!" Mr. Weasley snarled. "You expect me to help him evade Azkaban?!"
Malfoy stared at him, eyes narrowed. "No, I just wanted to rid myself and my family of the diary; I didn't know it would almost kill her! Honestly, if I had known what it was, do you really think I'd have put it in the hands of a child? Besides, I figured if there was anything wrong with it, she'd tell her Father straight away." He tutted at Mr. Weasley. "Guess that one likes meddling with things more than what's good for her."
Both Mr. Weasley and Ron took a threatening step towards him, but were held back by Harry and Lupin.
"Even so," Harry managed to pull Ron back in his seat. "It's not right that you should be let free when you almost killed someone." He turned to Snape. "Don't you think there should be some more conditions, to do with Ginny Weasley, seeing as he almost killed her?" Snape sighed and put quill to parchment again.
Harry walked right up to Malfoy. Now was his chance to make sure Lucius didn't hurt her when he found out about her and Draco. "You have to promise that you won't hurt Ginny Weasley, no matter what she does."
Malfoy raised his eyebrows coolly. "Fine."
"And you can't let your wife hurt her either!"
"Erm, Ok…"
"And- and you can't try to control her children!"
"Wait- what? What would I have to do with her children?" Malfoy looked confused.
"You'll see," Harry said quietly. "Just promise."
"…Ok…" Malfoy was still looking at him strangely. Harry flushed as he realised most of the others were looking at him oddly too. But I didn't matter. He hoped that Ginny and Malfoy could realise their mistake before it was too late, but just in case they did get married and (he shuddered) have children, then at least Lucius wouldn't control them like he controlled Draco.
"Ehrm, some strange requests, Potter," Snape scanned the parchment before looking up, "But what say you, Arthur?"
"Yes, Arthur, are you happy now your little brat's safe?"
"You shut up about her!" Mr. Weasley growled, lunging forward. Remus and Leopold grabbed each of his arms just as he reached Malfoy. Malfoy shrank back in his chair a bit, glowering in disgust as Mr. Weasley struggled to get at him. "Ginny almost died because of you! My only daughter!"
"Oh, poor little you," Malfoy sneered nastily, enraging Mr. Weasley further. "You're not the only one whose family has been in danger, you know, so don't give us that rubbish."
"Oh," Mr. Weasley half laughed, "Oh, I suppose you're referring to that sob story about your wife being tortured, are you? Don't bother, you're son's already told us the whole tale. He said that you also took part in the fun." Mr. Weasley snorted and looked at Malfoy with an expression Malfoy usually used on him. "That's sickening. You'd torture your own wife just because You-Know-Who asked you to? That's a new low, Malfoy, even for you."
Malfoy looked like he had been punched in the gut. He sucked in a sharp gasp of air, his already over- pale cheeks turning paler, his eyes wide in horror. "Say that again," he said quietly, sharp teeth wedged together as he spoke. "You dare- say that again!"
"It's true isn't it?" Mr. Weasley's glasses were sliding off the bridge of his nose as he struggled against Remus and Leopold. "You hurt her just because He told you to. You're dangerous, Malfoy, even your own wife isn't safe from you."
The effect was scary: Malfoy lurched forward too, tugging fiercely against the steel cuffs around his wrists so his long hair whipped across his white face. "How DARE you!" he roared at Mr. Weasley, glaring at him with a loathing Harry had never seen in him before. Remus and Leopold were now struggling to retain Mr. Weasley. "You- Don't you dare say that! You don't know anything! He made me torture Narcissa! Do you know what it's like, seeing your own wife in agony, and knowing you're responsible for it?!"
"No, because I'm not a murderous, pain-loving maniac like you!"
Snape's hand snapped to Malfoy's shoulder as he pulled even harder against the cuffs. "You're wrong!" he spat, etching to get at Mr. Weasley. "You don't know what it's like- seeing one of the only two people you care about in the world tortured to unconsciousness- You don't understand- you don't what I've been through-" Harry thought he saw the tiniest glimmer of a tear in Lucius's eye, but it was quickly blinked away.
Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy glared at each other directly in the eye, both breathing hard.
"Gentlemen," Snape breathed. He had been watching Lucius with a weird sadness that Harry didn't think was just sympathy. "Please- control yourselves. Look, what matters now is that Lucius tells us what he's got to tell us."
"Yes," Malfoy snapped, still glaring at Mr. Weasley with a look that clearly wished he was dead. "Right. Fine. What do you want to know?"
"Firstly," Snape set down his quill to his parchment again, ready to write. "Are there any new recruits we should be weary of?"
"Ok," Malfoy sniffed. He moistened his thin lips and took a deep breath. "Well, there's Humphrey Travers, that's Travers's younger brother, very well connected. And Eustace Pince, used to be an Unspeakable, highly intelligent. Oh, and you'll have to watch out for Barabas Cleaver, killed 20 people already, and he's only been in three months." He paused to flick hair out of his face. "And there's Barbara Smith-"
"Another female?" Snape raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, I was surprised too. Lets see… oh, and there's-" He stopped, his eyes flickering back to Mr. Weasley. "Oh no, I don't think I'll tell you that."
"Malfoy, you're withholding information," Remus growled.
Malfoy's gaze lingered on Mr. Weasley. He smiled cruelly, and then looked back at Snape. "Percy Weasley is known for his cruciatus curse."
Everyone in the room gasped. Mr. Weasley stared at Mr. Malfoy, who was looking decidedly smug, through wide, horrified eyes. There was a moment of unnatural stillness, before Mr. Weasley lunged at him again and grabbed the collar of his robes.
"YOU LIAR!" he roared down Mr. Malfoy's ear. Malfoy, whose hands were chained to his chair, could do nothing to stop himself being half-throttled.
Snape and Leopold took each took each of Mr. Weasley's arms and dragged him off, and Harry and Lupin clutched Ron, as he had tried to leap on Malfoy too.
"Well," Mr. Malfoy looked shocked, "now I see where Weasley gets his vicious streak from-"
"SHUT UP ABOUT MY BROTHER!" Ron screamed.
"HE'S NOT A DEATH EATER! HE'S NOT! He's not…" Mr. Weasley's voice cracked and he slumped back in his chair, looking heartbroken. He covered his face with his hands, nails digging into his head. "Oh, god, Percy…"
Mr. Malfoy's smug look dissolved as he stared at Mr. Weasley, chewing the inside of his lip.
"My boy… no, he wouldn't…" Mr. Weasley groaned, still with his face in his hands.
"Mr. Weasley?" said Hermione tentatively, placing a hand on his back. Mr. Malfoy stared stonily at them. He opened his mouth to say something, closed it and looked away. Could he be feeling guilty? Harry wondered. The world really was going insane…
"What else do you want to know?" said Lucius hoarsely.
"Umm… Where are they keeping the muggleborn's?" said Snape. Even he looked shaken. Malfoy's thin lips curved into a smirk.
"What did I say? It has a fidelius charm upon it. I cannot tell you."
"Malfoy!" snarled Remus. "If you can't tell us, then why go to all that bother trying to make out you can?!"
"There are ways of telling other than by speaking."
"Well, who's the secret keeper?" asked Harry.
"The Dark Lord himself."
"Crap."
"However," Malfoy leaned forward. "My wife has a piece of parchment with the name of the place written upon it, written by He- Who- Must-Not- Be- Named. But that's back at the manor."
"Oh great. Well, how are we supposed to get there?"
"Ah, well I'm afraid you'll have to figure that one out. You see, I've disabled the floo system, you can't apperate there anyway, it's invisible from the sky, so broomsticks would be useless…"
"So, you've basically made it unplottable to outsiders," Harry sighed. "What are we going to do?"
"Ahem." They all looked up at the wall, to see Phenias Nigellus smirking down at them from one of the deserted portraits.
"Phenias!" Remus growled. "Go back to your own portrait!"
"I'm sorry, I couldn't help overhearing," he sneered. "But anyway, wouldn't I be correct in saying my great-great grandson has a portrait at Malfoy Manor?"
"What?" Malfoy's brow furrowed.
"You're right," said Harry quietly. "But even so, he can't bring the parchment back to show us, can he?"
"It doesn't affect portraits," muttered Remus quietly, "the fidelius charm doesn't affect portraits! Harry, Sirius could go to Malfoy Manor, read the parchment, come back and tell us!"
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Mr. Weasley, Remus and Leopold glanced at each other, and rushed out, leaving Snape and Malfoy alone.
*
Lucius watched as they all bumbled out, Phenias walking through the wall too. He turned his head to stare at the wall besides him as Snape undid his cuffs, furious with himself. He put a hand to his brow, so he wouldn't have to look Severus in the eye.
"I've never seen you lose control like that," Severus whispered, staring at Lucius through his intense black eyes. Lucius made a noncommittal sound in his throat. "I never knew you cared that much."
"Of course- of course I care," Lucius muttered, "she's my wife."
Severus turned to take a step to the door. "You've never shown that before."
Lucius's hand flopped to the arm of the chair, and he faced Snape directly. "There are a lot of things you don't know about me, ok? Don't think- just because I trust you more than a lot of people- You'd better not think-"
"Don't get angry with me," Snape glared at him coolly. "I didn't tell Weasley to say those things."
Lucius let out a low hiss. "Weasley," he spat, forcing the word from his tongue as though it were a dirty swear word. "That swine, that filthy, lower-class, flea-bitten-"
"You did offend two of his children," sighed Severus. "You don't think, Lucius… how would you feel if he insulted Draco?"
"That's different," said Lucius, a little sulkily, "Draco's worth more than all seven of his children put together." Severus had to turn away to hide his eye-roll.
"I suppose Draco paid you a visit? Is that what caused this sudden change of heart?"
Lucius gave a strained, tired smile. "He wanted me to switch sides. He wanted me to actually join the Order of the Phoenix. I wouldn't go that far."
"You did help us though." Lucius grimaced. "I suppose you grilled him about running away?"
"Oh yes." Lucius's eyes darkened, "I couldn't believe he'd do it. We've been worried sick."
"Narcissa never told you?" Snape tilted his head. "She asked me to hide him!"
"Yes, I know this now!" Lucius spat, rising up. "Now that Draco has decided to tell me. She never breathed a word to me- the Dark Lord thought you were dead!"
"The Dark Lord- did he do anything?" Severus's eyebrows furrowed. "Did he hurt her when Draco ran away?"
Lucius shot him a pained look, before turning away quickly, his fists clenched.
"Ah," whispered Snape.
"How- how could you let him run away, after the Dark Lord warned him- he warned him what would happen to Narcissa if Draco tried to do anything he didn't like."
"I told this to her, but she insisted I take him. She also asked me to brew a batch of healing potions."
"Oh, that was you, was it? I should have known."
"I assume she's still-uh- alive?" Severus asked warily, sucking in his breath.
Lucius pressed his palm to his forehead, his wrist pressing on the bridge of his nose. "Yes," he grumbled "the Dark Lord didn't actually do anything to her." Severus raised a brow, clearly confused. "I took a polyjuice potion. He tortured me, under the belief that I was Narcissa."
Snape stood in shocked silence for a moment, his mouth hanging open, before he stalked over, looking at Lucius in amazement. "You'd do that? You'd put your life on the line to help her?" Lucius made a throaty groan. "Wow, that's- I never thought you'd do something like that!"
Lucius paled furiously. "What, did you think I'd just stand by and let him hurt her again?! Curse you, Snape, you think I see her as- just as some trophy wife to be latched onto my arm when I want to show off?!"
"Well, to be entirely truthful- uh- yes." Severus cringed at his scornful look. "Lucius, why didn't you leave too? You could have escaped…"
"We're not all brave risk-takers like you, Severus," said Malfoy coolly, and Severus looked embarrassed. "So is it true? You've been in the Order of the Phoenix all this time?"
Severus froze, looking at him warily. "Who told you that?"
"Draco. So- so you've never really been on our side?" Snape made an indistinguishable sound. "Great. So I suppose you think I deserve to go to Azkaban too?"
Snape seemed to be struggling to think of something to say. "But-" he finally forced out. "But- you won't have to if you stick to these conditions." He removed the piece of paper and handed it to Lucius.
Lucius's eyes roved over the writing, his scowl deepening with every one. "Do I really have to do all of these, Severus?" he groaned. "No Dark Magic- and I have to be tagged?! Like an underage wizard?!"
"I'm afraid so, Lucius. It's better than Azkaban, isn't it?"
"You mention life in Azkaban ever again and I will gouge out your oesophagus with a sharpened spoon," Lucius muttered calmly, and Severus sighed. Threatening to rip out people's body parts usually cheered Lucius up. "But really, tagged? There must be some way around this! Severus," his eyes shot to Snape, "You must be able to do something, they like you!"
Severus sighed again. "Look, I'll see what I can do," he muttered as Lucius turned back to the parchment.
"All these requests about Ginny Weasley- strange." Lucius stared at the paper suspiciously. "And what on earth would I have to do with the silly little girl's children?" He shook his head. "Potter probably hopes they'll be his own. Draco mentioned that they were courting-"
"Please," Snape looked slightly sick "can we not talk about Potter's love life?"
Lucius smiled wryly. "Of course not. I forgot, you hate the little brat's guts, don't you?" Severus's face remained solemn as Lucius chuckled. Still smiling, he began walking towards the door, and Severus followed.
"You're being very trusting, Lucius," Severus remarked. "Aren't you going to ask them for an Unbreakable Vow?"
"I don't think that will be necessary," drawled Malfoy, "don't take this the wrong way, Severus, but you "good" people have that uncanny habit of keeping your word, even when it is to your disadvantage."
He stalked out of the room, Severus following and shaking his head in exasperation.
*
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