Disclaimer: I do not own any of the intellectual property rights to the group of works known collectively as Harry Potter.
Dumbledore sat brooding behind his desk. His eyes saw none of the fantastic features of his office, nor his companion of decades, Fawkes.
He had only, just weeks before, been restored to this office with the conclusion of the threat of Slytherin's beast. He spent most of those weeks getting his school back in order. Certain paperwork needed to be done, the board of governors to mollified. It helped that the very day he was reinstated the crisis ended. He also had certain plans for the future that he needed to reconcile with the new details.
He was not looking forward to this meeting in the slightest, but consoled himself that it was a sad necessity.
"Come in Alastor, William" he stated loudly to carry through his office door.
The door opened showing a horrifically scarred man of advancing years and a young man with a long red ponytail and an easy smile. They entered the office and sat in the chairs that faced the headmaster's desk.
"Thank you for coming. I must say that this is a matter of some delicacy, so please give me a moment." at this Dumbledore drew his wand and cast some charms upon the portraits that lined the walls to make this meeting private. As he finished he set his wand down and gave a searching look to the two men in front of him. Moody scowled and Bill seemed curious.
"I am afraid that I have called you two gentlemen into my office in order to enter into a criminal conspiracy" Dumbledore stated with an amused twinkle in his eye.
At the headmaster's words Moody's scowl deepened and Bill seemed alarmed.
"At this time I ask the two of you to consider a pledge of silence, if you do not agree with the task I am convinced that you will at least consider it a matter worthy of consideration" Dumbledore said with conviction.
"Get on with it. We all know that you considered all the angles before talking to the two of us and know we won't be telling tales" Moody said grumpily. He considered Albus a friend but at the same time thought that the man's habit of circling a subject was trying.
"I agree. If you think this is serious enough, I will almost certainly agree" stated Bill.
After some assessing looks and a short sigh Dumbledore spoke again "I would like the two of you to kill Lucius Malfoy"
Moody merely grunted in surprise, Bill had a considering look on his face.
"I shall explain. At some time last summer Lucius started making plans to engineer the events of Slytherin's beast and the Chamber of Secrets of this school year past. We know this because the Malfoy house elf Dobby took it upon himself to warn and protect Harry Potter in several well meant but poorly executed plans. I believe that Lucius placed a dark artifact among young Ginevra's school things during a confrontation with the Weasley family in Diagon Ally. This artifact was a sentient diary that pretended to be Ginevra's confidant and friend. As she entrusted more of her feelings and secrets to the diary its personality, which was an imprint of Voldemort, started to possess her periodically over the year. During her blackouts the diary used Ginevra's body to open the chamber and set Slytherin's beast, a millennium old basilisk, upon several students and other castle inhabitants. I can only thank fate that none were killed. Only through courage and luck was young Harry able to end the threat of the beast and rescue Ginevra from the diary and destroy it.
"The fact remains that I have sufficient evidence to be certain of Malfoy's guilt and we all know that he was not bewitched in this. He attempted to murder children, he attempted to frame Ginevra for it and destroy the Weasley family, he showed a cavalier attitude towards the safety of his own son. This is intolerable" thundered Dumbledore as his fist struck his desk. He paused for a moment closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to regain his composure.
"The evidence I have is inadmissible or insufficient to convince the Minister to try Malfoy for these crimes, but the fact remains that Malfoy attempted to murder school children including Ginevra. This is unforgivable.
"I know the two of you have sufficient expertise to penetrate Lucius' home between William's training as a curse breaker and Alastor's as an auror and I know that Alastor at the least is capable of killing. I have the aforementioned house elf Dobby available to describe the interior of the home and what he knows of its defenses and I have a time turner that you might use it to create an alibi. There are alternatives but I have numerous resources to aid this task. If you decide, I could even memory charm you of the deed and run interference in the Ministry of any investigation" finished Dumbledore as he looked at the two men in front of him.
He knew in his heart that the war had never truly ended and here he was starting his first counterattack since the temporary cease-fire that happened shortly after that fateful Halloween night. Once more he found himself sending wizards into battle. He prayed that he was doing the right thing.