Snape ushered Draco to his home while explaining intricate lies that he was to feed to everyone.
"But people will see through it, won't they?" Draco expressed his doubts. "I mean there are witnesses to what I did."
"Thus the reason you must hand someone in," Snape tiredly explained.
Draco walked in silence toward the front door of his now very empty mansion. Hand someone in? Like who? Walking into the darkened entrance, Draco felt uneasy. Someone will know I'm here. They'll surely find me.
Snape handed Draco his wand, tip first. "I think your best bet is to hand me over to the Ministry."
"What?"
"I'm the one who truly killed Albus Dumbledore," he informed. "I'm the one that everyone will want to see either behind bars or dead. If you turn me in, it will look as if you're avenging your old Headmaster."
"So I say I never wanted to harm him?" Draco questioned. "I say…?"
"You say you weren't going to go through with it. You were going to take the offer Dumbledore gave you, and then I killed him."
Draco sat on a couch in the front room, obviously uncomfortable. If he were to turn in Professor Snape, then he'll be letting Snape take the fall for him. It shouldn't matter, really. He's offering and I didn't kill Professor Dumbledore. He didn't have to go through with the Unbreakable Vow.
"I will be hiding near the Wesley twin's store. Act as if my assignment is to kill the Weasley twins between noon and 4 o' clock."
Snape disappirated out, and left Draco to himself.
The next morning, Draco used Floo Powder to get to the Ministry of Magic. His cloak hid who he was for he didn't want to be arrested before he did as he was told. Doing this one task would not only make it look as if he were trying to turn in Snape, but save the Weasley's. It's not the best image, but it will get me on the good graces of many.
At the desk, Draco kept his face hidden and talked, "I know where Severus Snape will be."
The woman looked up with a look of pure astonishment, "What did you say?"
"I know where Severus Snape will be."
"Wait here for just a moment," the lady said as she rushed out.
Draco looked around the Ministry entrances. The fountain looked complete, even though Draco knew what had happened to it over a year ago. Magic is a wonderful thing.
The woman reappeared with a scruffy, tired looking older woman, "Please tell Katarina what you just said."
"Sure," Draco faced them with the hood still covering him. "I know where Severus Snape will be."
Katarina gave Draco a skeptical once over, "And what makes you think I will believe you?"
"Because I'm putting myself in great danger by telling you. The Dark Lord will see my head on a silver platter once he finds out how I'm betraying him."
Katarina raised an eyebrow and asked the desk clerk to give Draco a badge.
"Name and business?" the woman asked with confusion.
Katarina spoke, "Put Anonymous and speaking with an Auror."
The woman just nodded and placed it in to have a visitor's pass poke out towards Draco.
"Follow me to my office, please," Katarina waved Draco along.
Draco followed the Auror to one of the elevators and stepped inside. He never thought twice about all the activity the lifts see each day, but he now found it wonderful. Having been locked in a dungeon, Draco began to appreciate a few of the smaller things.
When they reached the right level, Katarina and Draco walked through the hustle and bustle of dozens of Aurors and others.
Katarina stopped in front of a door with the names Katarina Johnson and Alastor Moody in big black letters on it. The door was obviously a door, but it had no knob.
Katarina gave an exasperated sigh, knocked three times and said, "Pumpernickel."
"Alastor's out again. I'm glad I forced that password out of him, he changes it every ten minutes," she informed as the door formed a knob and she opened it.
Katarina walked to her desk that was full of maps and names and other miscellaneous papers that could possibly lead to catching a Death Eater. She sat down and motioned for Draco to come in, close the door, and sit down. Draco tentively followed her orders.
After he was seated, Katarina talked, "I assume the cloak is to hide who you are, but it's no longer necessary if you truly know where Snape is."
"I don't want to be imprisoned, it will allow the Dark Lord to find me and kill me."
"I understand. However, I cannot trust those that have no identity," Katarina reasoned.
Draco hesitated, then spoke, "I'm Draco Malfoy."
Katarina laid her arms down on the desk and leaned. She looked at Draco intensely, "You're wanted for a very serious crime."
"I know, but I want to make amends," Draco removed the hood so Katarina could look into his eyes. "Professor Snape killed Professor Dumbledore when I couldn't go through with it. He's now supposed to kill the Weasley family and will start with Fred and George today."
"Why would you want to make amends?" Katarina questioned. "I've heard your reputation. You don't like the Weasley's, you don't like Mr. Potter, and you could possibly get killed for coming to me."
"Like I said, it is dangerous for me to come here. The Dark Lord will want me dead, you guys will probably send me to Azkaban, but he killed my father!"
Katarina gave a stunned response, "Luscious Malfoy is dead?"
"Yes. The Dark Lord murdered him in front of me," Draco had a tin line of tears in his eyes that he refused to let loose.
"That will make you want to get revenge, but not make amends," Katarina shook her head.
"I didn't want to kill Professor Dumbledore. He told me he could protect me from You-Know-Who, and I almost believed him," Draco tried to frantically inform Katarina.
"Then Snape killed him," Katarina finished with a sigh that showed she knew the story.
"Yes," Draco whispered just audibly. He began to realize that he really did want to fight against Lord Voldemort. If not for the reasons that everyone else did, then to avenge his parents' death.
"I will have to place you into custody until what you say can be proven. Do you understand?" Katarina asked in a voice that sounded like she was talking to a child.
"I understand," Draco nodded and looked up. "Professor Snape should be there between noon and four o' clock."
"He is no longer a professor. He never will be again," Katarina stated angrily.
Katarina led Draco out of her office and yelled to nearby Aurors, "Get ready for a battle! I have information that Severus Snape will be at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. I want at least three people there to make sure he does not slip away. And stay incognito!"
She kicked the door closed right as Alastor Moody came out of the elevator.
"Wasn't he retired?" Draco questioned quietly.
"He was, but when we couldn't turn away from the You-Know-Who predicament, he came back. We let him because he is good at catching the bad guys, no matter how senile he is," Katarina gave a weak smile that disappeared instantly.
"What is this traitor doing here!" Moody pushed at Draco's shoulder.
"I am putting him in custody, Moody, so don't worry so much."
Moody just growled and asked, "What's the incognito thing about?"
"I have reason to believe that Severus Snape will be at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. I want to catch him in the act of trying to murder them."
"Did he give you the information?" Moody asked as and pushed Draco again.
"Yes, actually. It is why he's going into custody. We have to be sure he is telling the truth."
Moody just grabbed Draco and began to do a search. He ended when he was able to pull out a wand. "Always make sure they are unarmed."
"Sorry sir," Katarina sighed.
"You should be. Where are you putting him?" Moody growled.
"Not in Azkaban. If he's telling the truth, then You-Know-Who will find him and kill him instantly," Katarina almost pleaded.
Moody grunted and nodded. He moved towards a group of three Aurors that were discussing how to catch Snape.
"Don't go without me," Katarina said.
Moody just nodded and talked with the group. Katarina led Draco towards the lift again and went to the courtrooms. When she entered one she told Draco to not try to get out, that there was an alarm set to let people know if he even tries.
"I won't try to get out, but will there be restroom breaks?" Draco asked.
"I'll try," Katarina said as she walked out and shut the door behind her.
Draco was left in another room that looked a lot like a dungeon with a chair in the middle of the room and high benches. Great, a courtroom, he thought sarcastically.
A/N: Yes, Draco is having doubts about being a Death Eater. I am trying to make it so conversational, but it's what I find easiest. I think I did better than the last chapter. :)
