Disclaimer: I do not own and recognizable characters, places, things, plots, or dialogue. All original dialogue belongs to the author.
Warnings: Drarry!Slash! Dom!Draco, Sub!Harry, Evil!Manip!Dumbledore Mentor!Snape, Hermione/Snape, Ron/Lavendar, Dumbledore/Weasley bashing, cursing throughout. Disregard epilogue.
A/N: This is my first slash, so please be nice in your reviews!
Chapter One: Five Years Later
"…and I'd like you to have those reports on my desk when your shift ends. Seven cases of Unforgivable curse usage in the last two days…" his boss droned on. He had zoned out, pulling the files on the aforementioned case to the center of his desk. He opened the top file, and read the top sheet.
Suspect Name: Nott, Theodore
Date of Birth: 20 June 1980
Address: Wiltshire, England [note: current whereabouts unknown; best assumption gathered by Aurors is Nott Manor, which was made Unplottable and protected by the Fidelus Charm on 18 April 1998, two weeks before the Battle of Hogwarts.
Affiliations: Father was a Death Eater (captured 2 May 1998, given Dementor's kiss 3 May 1998), assumed to be a Death Eater, former Slytherin, former friends include Zabini, Blaise (File No. Zab01), Goyle, Gregory (File No. Goy02), and Malfoy, Draco (former Death Eater, defected 1 May 1998. Currently an Auror under the tutelage of Junior Auror R.B. Weasley.)
Schooling: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, completed up to Year 6, did not take advantage of Ministry's offer to complete Year 7 after the war.
Previous Charges: Use of the Cruciatus Curse (received 6 months in Azkaban), Use of Fiend Fyre (received 1 year in Azkaban), Use of Avada Kedavra (has not been captured to receive his sentence)
Sentence Recommendation by Deputy Auror: As this is Mr. Nott's third offence of using an Unforgivable, Deputy Auror H.J. Potter recommends 2 years imprisonment to be immediately followed by the Dementor's Kiss.
Below this sheet lay intricate confessions of each of the charges.
Ministry of Magic
Auror's Office
Confession of: Theodore Nott
For the charge of: Use of the Cruciatus Curse
Conducting Interview: Deputy Auror H.J. Potter
Deputy Auror Potter (henceforth referred to as AP): Theodore, I don't know if you remember me from…
Nott (henceforth known as TN): How could I forget precious Potter? Dumbledore's puppet Potter? Of course I remember you. You were caught buggering…
AP: Nott, this isn't the time nor the place to lay my…indiscretions bare. Now, you were arrested today for illegally using the Cruciatus. Mind telling me why you used a curse you know good and well is illegal?
TN: That little bitch had it coming. She kept going on and on about Elfish welfare. Like I give a damn. I practice curses on the little buggers.
AP: I haven't had the time to peruse the initial report, may I ask who you cursed?
TN: That self-righteous bitch Granger…or Wood…whatever she's called now.
AP: Yes, Hermione Granger and Oliver Wood are married, and I would deeply appreciate it if you would kindly refrain from antagonizing my friends.
TN: She's a bitch though, yeah? Popping out brats every time you turn around.
AP: Nott, again I ask you to refrain from mentioning Mr and Mrs Wood and their children, as I am the children's godfather.
TN: Are you now? Never thought Wood would make a queer his brats' godfather.
AP: My sexual preference has no relevance in this interview. Regardless of whether I prefer blokes or girls, you are under arrest for using the Cruiciatus Curse on Hermione Granger Wood, and endangering her unborn child.
TN: So? That Mudblood lover Wood should thank me for keeping his woman in check.
AP: I think that's enough. Finnegan, take him to the first Portkey to Azkaban. Sentence is six months.
Interview Complete. Witnessed by Jr Auror R.B. Weasley; Head Auror G. Weasley; Minister or Magic K. Shacklebolt; victim H.J.G. Wood and family: three children (names withheld) and husband, O. Wood.
Setting that sheet down, he picked up the second one. This was for the Fiend Fyre charge.
Ministry of Magic
Auror's Office
Confession of: Theodore Nott
For the charge of: Use of Fiend Fyre
Conducting Interview: Deputy Auror H.J. Potter
Auror Potter (AP): Nott, you were just released three days ago from Azkaban—what could possibly be your reason to be back here?
Theodore Nott (TN): Doesn't that little parchment tell you? Can't you read Potter? I used Fiend Fyre.
AP: I can read, Mr Nott. I meant what could possibly be your reasoning to use such an uncontrollable curse directly in front of the Ministry?
TN: I saw her. I couldn't control myself. I wanted to kill her. She…she did something—unforgivable to me whilst in school.
AP: Hermione? What could she have done to you more than five years ago that still affects you so greatly to this day?
TN: [mumbles incoherently]
AP: Mind repeating that clearer?
TN: [screaming] SHE WOULDN'T GO TO THE YULE BALL WITH ME IN THIRD YEAR! SHE DOESN'T KNOW I EXIST! SHE…SHE…SHE MARRIED FUCKIN' OLIVER WOOD FOR MERLIN'S SAKE! THAT SHOULD BE ME!
AP: Nott, are you telling me that these dangerous and life-threatening curses you've been throwing at Mrs Wood are derived from jealousy…jealousy because you couldn't have Hermione Granger? The same person you, along with your friends, ridiculed throughout school? The same one you yourself Crucio'ed not seven months ago?
TN: Yes.
AP: Nott, do you have anything else to say?
TN: Yeah, I do. Why're you making such a big deal out of my wanting Hermione when you buggered the person who tormented her the most!
AP: Mrs Wood was aware of my relationship with my partner, and the two made amends long before the war. Fourth year, actually.
TN: You're lying!
AP: Auror Finnegan, please take Mr Nott to Azkaban via Portkey. Sentence is one year. One more indiscretion, Nott, and you'll receive two years imprisonment and the Kiss.
TN: Fuck off, Potter.
Interview Complete. Witnessed by Jr Auror R.B. Weasley; Head Auror G. Weasley; Minister of Magic K. Shacklebolt; victim H.J.G. Wood and family: four children (names withheld) and husband, O. Wood.
Harry dreaded reading the last report in Nott's file. That particular piece of parchment held the initial report, of Nott's use of Avada Kedavra. He had to read it; as the Auror in charge of former Death Eater's cases, he had to re-read the gruesome report—the report that detailed the murder of his youngest goddaughter, the crime scene, Hermione's and Oliver's statements. He slowly picked up the piece of parchment, still stiff under his fingers—this particular piece of parchment was only two days old. Taking a deep breath, the began to read the words of anguished parents, two of the five witnesses to Emily Ann Wood's death—the other three being her four-year-old brother, Michael John Wood, her two-and-a-half-year-old sister, Elizabeth Minerva Wood, and her one-year-old brother, Harry Thomas Wood. Emily was only two-months-old.
"We were walking out of Eeylop's, getting food for Crookshanks. We heard a maniacal laugh—then, a bright green light, the same light I watched careen to you five years ago. Harry, then…then I looked down. My little girl, was hit. She looked so peaceful—as if she was sleeping in her carrier…but I just knew…she had…she had been hit." Hermione's words still rang in his mind. He needn't read the words. He knew them verbatim. Oliver's words stuck out more, however. "Harry, he Avada'ed my daughter. My little Emily is dead because of him. Harry, I swear on all that is good and holy, I will hunt him down and kill him if he isn't found by the time my Emily would have turned one. Ten months, Harry. Then I'm taking it into my hands."
Harry had promised himself he wouldn't let it escalate to letting Oliver risk his life, and living out his life with Hermione and their three children.
Sighing, he picked the folder up, cast a quick duplicating spell, and sent the copy to his supervisor's desk. With the original file tucked closely in his robes, he stepped to the Floo and went home.
"I'm home, luv," Harry called after he stepped out of the Floo.
"I'm in the kitchen. I gave Lissie the day off," his partner called. Lissie was their kitchen-elf.
Walking into the kitchen, Harry saw a sight he loved—his amazing partner of eight years (and crush for as long as Harry could remember) standing at the stove, cooking food the Muggle way. Walking up to his lover, he placed his arms around their waist, and buried his head in the crook of their neck.
"Have a good day, Draco?" he asked.
"It was better than it has been lately, luv."
Harry's hands ventured to Draco's swollen belly.
"Not too much longer, yeah?" he asked, caressing the swollen expanse of flesh. Draco had agreed to carry Harry's children—a feat Harry wanted to do for his lover, but was unable to because of the damage from all the Dark Spells—particularly Avada Kedavra—cast unto him.
"Six more weeks," Draco cooed. "Then James Abraxas will be here."
"Or Lily Narcissa," Harry whispered. "We never found out the sex. Therefore, you could be carrying James or Lily."
Draco smiled, and with a flourish of his wand, the table was set with spaghetti and homemade-from-scratch meat sauce, a loaf of Italian bread, sliced in half and heated with garlic butter slathered to the center, a fresh tossed salad, and a bottle of Butterbeer for Harry, and a tall glass of cool water for Draco.
"How was work?" Draco asked as he maneuvered his heavily pregnant form into a dining room chair.
"Horrid. Nott's still missing, Oliver is owling me daily with a countdown to Emily's birthday, Kingsley keeps asking me to—quote "make an honest man out of Draco" un-quote, Ernie McMillian is still acting bonkers when he sees me—he acts like I'm going to shag him in the middle of a progress meeting or something," Harry said, all in one big breath.
"McMillian…Hufflepuff? Wasn't he the bloke you pretty much saved from that snake I conjured, then turns and accuses you of being the next Dark Lord?"
Harry nodded in the affirmative.
"He's a tosser anyway, luv. Anyway, when is 'Dromeda bringing Teddy by?" Draco asked, sipping his water.
"Any minute now. They'll be just finishing dinner," Harry said around a rather large bite of spaghetti.
A flare of green flames in the fireplace signaled the arrival of Teddy and his grandmother.
"Dad! Papa! I got my Hogwarts letter!" Teddy yelled as he came out of the Floo. (Harry and Draco officially got together when Teddy was three, and they had always been Dad or Daddy and Papa.)
"That's great, son. Now, you know we don't care what House you get sorted into, right?" Draco, or Papa as Teddy called him, said.
"That's right, cub," Harry said. "Papa was in Slytherin, I was in Gryffindor, your real dad was a Gryffindor, and your mum was a Hufflepuff. We don't care what House you're in, as long as you're happy, and learning."
"Papa, Daddy, can I be a SlytherRavenHuffleDore?" Teddy asked.
"What's a SlytherRavenHuffleDore?" Draco asked.
"Papa, it's all four Houses. I think I could be in all of them. I'm sneaky like a Slytherin, smart like a Ravenclaw, friendly like a Hufflepuff, and brave like a Gryffindor."
"Cub, let me tell you a secret, not even Papa knows this," Harry said.
"Okay, dad," Teddy said, eager to hear his dad's secret.
"I was almost sorted into Slytherin. I didn't believe that I had the qualities of that House. I chose Gryffindor, and that's where the Hat put me," Harry said.
"And I was almost placed in Ravenclaw. If I didn't have the Malfoy name, I would have been placed in that House," Draco revealed.
"Wow, Papa!" Teddy said.
"I'll see you later, Teddy dear. I have a tea date with your Nana Narcissa," Andromeda said. After the war, Narcissa mended the bridge between herself and her sister.
"Ok Gram," Teddy said, hugging her. "I love you."
"And I love you, my grandson."
Teddy, Draco, and Harry settled into the living room, Draco turning on the television (a Muggle invention he soon fell in love with.) to Teddy's favorite program: SpongeBob.
Soon, Teddy was fast asleep, with his head in Harry's lap. Harry gingerly picked his godson up and took him to bed. When he returned, Draco had his hands on his belly, smiling.
"The baby kicking again, luv?"
"Yeah, come here, it's an amazing feeling," Draco said.
With his hands on his lover's belly, Harry smiled. It truly was an amazing feeling to feel your child moving beneath the skin of it's mum.