It had been one of the most dangerous things a Potion Master could have done. They all knew it as they whispered and gossiped and waited for the trial to end so they could sneak a photo of the accused.
Everyone knew nothing would be done against him. As it had, supposedly, been an accident, but the repercussions of his discoveries would have to be locked forever.
"They say Harry arrested him," whispered Lavender Brown, now special envoy of the Daily Prophet, her eyes shining with excitement. "And couldn't look at him, not even once, without feeling uncomfortable."
"He will most likely have his license revoked," nodded Terry Boot, who was taking note of the case for the WFNN, the News Floo Channel of the Wizarding World.
"I think they will place protection for him," simpered Luna, editor in chief of The Quibbler. "He must be scared, after all."
Lavender and Terry turned to Luna in shock.
"Lovewood, you can't possibly think it was really an accident, right?" hissed Lavender, her eyes narrowed. "He most likely did this on purpose so the government will give him back his fortune."
"I think it was very noble," commented Luna, her eyes set on the court-room's doors. "Taking all those risks for one's mother is admirable."
Boot flushed a little, remembering his own aging mother, but Brown wasn't so easily placated.
"You actually think that the bastard successfully brewed one of the most dangerous and difficult potions of our times, tested it on himself and had enough time to alter it and administer it to his dying mother, thus creating an explosion that almost killed them both, just out of the goodness of his rotten heart?" she asked in disbelief. "No, not Malfoy. There has to be a trick, something else he wanted with the potion. Maybe a powerful witch or wizard from the continent was offering him a fortune for the potion and he tested it on his mother and himself?"
"It could be, but he saved his mother's life and many others in the process," Luna counterpointed. "And that, is important."
Lavender stared at the other woman with another argument clearly bubbling on her throat but was easily stopped by Terry Boot's hand as he pointed towards the ancient doors.
"They're done!" he gasped, running towards the group of older wizards and witches that escorted the blond family from the room.
"Mr. Malfoy!" gasped Terry, his eyes wide. "Some words for WFNN?"
Lucius Malfoy stared at the reporter with a raised eyebrow, his long blond hair pulled elegantly behind him into a ponytail. His flawless face intimidating in its cold beauty.
"All we have to say is that justice has been served once more, despite the deep rooted prejudices of the wizarding world," he said, his powerful voice booming through the ministry. "My son performed a miracle to save my wife's life, and if we have to pay the price for her health, then so be it."
Some witnesses shed tears as they stared at the beautiful family. As Lucius Malfoy offered a hand to his youthful and pale wife who took it delicately in her own and brought it to her chest tenderly.
The man's other hand landed on his son's small shoulder, his thumb caressing his heir's arm gently, reminding him they were there, by his side. The whole scene was so overcoming that most women had to wipe their eyes with their handkerchiefs.
The Malfoy family walked tall and proud. The young parents and their loving teen-aged son. Such a beautiful picture that many cameras snapped at each and every breath of them.
Luna smiled gently, snapping a holophoto of her own as Lavender took notes, her face twisting enviously as she stared at Draco Malfoy himself.
"FATHER!" a voice cried and everyone present was suddenly reminded of the reason for such trial as a thirteen year old boy in Hogwarts robes ran from the hallway towards the blond teenager, his arms wide open and his face anguised.
The younger Malfoy's face twisted in pain as he opened his own arms and embraced the teen carefully. His flawless hands caressing the boy's hair.
"It's ok, son," he whispered gently. "Everything will be alright."
The boy nodded his head and hid his face on his father's small shoulder, tightening his own arms around the other teen's slender waist, afraid to let go.
From the doorway, Head Auror Harry Potter stared sadly at the reunion of father and son. Many would think, while staring, that Draconis and Scorpius Malfoy were brothers, considering how alike they looked, and more so if the infamous Potion Master was someone less known among Wizarding Britain.
However Malfoy was well known, and so were his parents.
And now, as he stood with his parents at one side and his wife and son at the other, Harry could easily remember the issue that had brought them all to court that day.
The fact that Narcissa Malfoy had been diagnosed with a terminal disease that could only be effectively treated on patients under forty years while she was bordering her seventieth birthday. And that had forced her son into such despair that he had altered a very difficult potion, the Eternal Youth draught, just so he could reverse her age and save her life.
Draconis Malfoy, potions prodigy, had unveiled one of the most sought after secrets of the wizarding world by pure accident, and had, in fact, reversed his parents' ages by thirty years.
And had, unfortunatedly, cursed himself on the trial and error phase.
"Mrs. Malfoy!" called Lavender, her eyes eager. "What do you plan to do now?"
Narcissa inclined her head gently, his eyes alight with hope.
"My husband and I will return to our house in France where we will both rest from this ordeal, he had gained thirty more years of life and we plan to enjoy them," she said simply, her hand squeezing her husband's lovingly.
Harry sighed and turned away from the family, secretly admiring Narcissa's technique.
She was diverting the press's attention to herself and Lucius while Draco and his family left quietly.
She was making sure no one asked the obvious question.
That while Malfoy senior and his wife would start aging back soon, Malfoy junior was stuck.
In his desperation and his reluctance to give his parents a flawed potion he had used the only available subject.
Himself.
And now, while the thirty something couple aged together and enjoyed their new-found youth, Draconis Malfoy would forever remain as a seventeen year old teen.
Harry felt saddened for the blond who had sacrificed his own happiness for his family once more, especially when he appeared to be the only one to see Astoria Malfoy's lips curl in distaste as her husband offered a hand to her.
Apparently she didn't like the fact she had lost her manly husband and was given back a delicate teenager.
Something dark twisted inside Harry's gut, slipping the thought that he wouldn't have minded such a pretty little thing for himself, should he have the opportunity. Maybe he should look forward to the Malfoy's divorce.
Instantly he shook his head and hurried home.
He needed to embrace his beautiful Ginny and admire all the little laughing lines that appeared by the corners of her eyes and stand besides his sons and feel relieved that they were still smaller than himself, considering Malfoy didn't have that luxury now.