18th June 2003


Narcissa came out of the sitting room, holding a copy of the daily prophet.

"How was work, dragon?" She smoothed non-existent creases in her dress and set the paper on a little hall table.

"I was promoted, to auror's assistant. I'm working with Potter on the case of Molly Weasley." Narcissa's eyebrows met her hairline.

"Potter as in Harry Potter?"

"How many other Potter's are there?" Draco asked sarcastically, then corrected himself, "Two more," Draco added, "That I know of."

"What?" Narcissa said, she pulled him onto the lounge.

"He has twin boys," Draco said, "They're three."

"Children!" Narcissa cried, "Merlin how'd he keep that from the press?"

"No idea," Draco shrugged, "Look mother, I'm technically here on official business-"

"Its seven o'clock-"

"Yes, yes, I know, I have some questions for you, about our case."

Narcissa gave him a funny look but nodded.

"Did you or father know what Tom Riddle's diary really was?"

"Tom Riddle's diary?" Narcissa asked, "I'm not even sure if I know what I'm supposed to think it is."

"The book the Dark Lord gave father."

"Oh," Narcissa said, "No, we didn't. Why?"

Draco shook his head, feeling no need to panic the old woman. "It's just something we think might be able to bring someone back from the dead, its what the murderer was trying to do in this case."

"Oh dear," Narcissa said, "They didn't succeed, did they?"

"No, no they haven't. Nothing to worry about," Draco said to her. But Narcissa wouldn't let it drop.

"Who are they trying to bring back, who do you think it is?" Narcissa asked. Draco shrugged.

"Maybe I can help, it's not Lucius, he didn't know what that diary was, Bellatrix was given a cup, for her vault-" Draco stared at his quiet mother. "It's Bella," she said, "isn't it?"

"She's not back," Draco said, "Don't worry, we'll stop them before she come's back."

"Them?" Narcissa snapped, "The Lestrange's" She confiremed for herself. "Those dirty, blood thirsty - Oh Draco what will we do?"

Narcissa continued her panicked babbling, and Draco, rather desperately called out Grimmauld place and stuck his head in the floo.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked, frowning at the blonde. It hurt his neck to look at Harry's face, so he settled for his knee.

"I need your help, please, my mother is panicking, it took her a whole of two seconds to figure out what was going on."

"Pull me through," Harry said, Draco grabbed his hand and pulled his head and hand out of the fireplace.

Narcissa screamed when she saw Harry and wobbled dangerously on the spot. Harry caught her and lowered her onto the couch.

"Calm down Mrs Malfoy." He said gently, "You have nothing to be frightened of."

Draco stepped back and Narcissa shut her eyes, placing a hand over her heart. All three people in the room jumped when there was a tap on the window, and Draco lifted the sill and let an owl through.

"Draco is that-"

Draco grimaced at the smoking red letter.

"It'll be from Mungo's, sorry," he said and opened the letter. It unfurled immediately and faced a bored looking Draco Malfoy.

"ONE STOCK SHIPMENT OF PAIN RELIEVER, ARE YOU BARMY MALFOY WE GET TWO EVERY FORTNIGHT, YOU KNOW THIS YOU INCOMPETENT PIECE OF-" Draco jumped as the letter was hit with a red spell, Harry smiled.

"Best spell ever," Harry said, "Sciences howlers, first thing they teach us at the Auror office."

Draco picked up the parchment and threw it in the fire.

"You're not going to read it?" Narcissa asked, Draco shook his head.

"The shipment they're talking about will be delivered in fifteen minutes, I send them separately in case of any accidents or contaminates."

"Happens a lot then?" Harry asked, Draco nodded.

"The delivery wizard always forgets to tell them the second and third shipments are on their way.


Harry walked with his back straight and tall through the foyer of the Ministry, Andy was watching the boys for him.

He got to the elevators followed by whispers, he never used the public entrance. (Mostly because there was a statue of him (and Neville) where the Magic is Might monstrosity had been, and it was embarrassing.)

He went to the floor of Magical Law Enforcement and went to see Katie.

"Miss Bell," Harry said in his best 'boss voice'.

She glared at him, "nice of you to show Auror Potter," Katie smiled and traced her fingers over the shiny plaque on her desk that read Senior Auror.

Harry whistled low, "man this place has gone to the dogs since I left."

She pretended to be offended and he congratulated her.

"You didn't leave, just Molly's case is tough to crack, Ron's Private Investigator is cutting you off at every turn. And you have the boys at home. What brings you here?" Katie asked with a smile.

"What have the Malfoy's done with themselves?" Harry asked bluntly, Katie invited him to sit and he did.

"The apartment you brought for Malfoy, he's still there, it's only accessible by floo, and I heard Narcissa went there after her stay in Azkaban. He's working here to feed them I guess. Best potions master we have, only one really, the unspeakables are so difficult to talk to, always claim they're so bloody busy." Harry nodded. "Anyway, from what I heard, he works his arse off, best in the business, he does our Polyjuice batches.

"Is there any chance they'll get their stuff back?" Harry asked, "Its been a few years, and Narcissa and Draco both served time."

Katie nodded. "I suppose we could re-open it, Nimbus has been going down hill without active Malfoy funding - not that that's a reason to re-open a case, of course." Harry laughed at her. "What reason should we re-open it?"

"Draco was only a kid, by law, and Narcissa did help when she had the opportunity." Harry said. "In the end, neither of them were loyal and were actively trying to help the Order."

"They've been well behaved ever since." Katie added, "I'd be right in assuming you'd like Lucius to stay where he is?"

Harry was nodding frantically before she finished her question. "Yes," he said, for good measure. "He can rot."

"I'll see what I can do," Katie promised, "I used to get piano lessons from Narcissa she's such a lovely woman. Hey Potter," Harry turned before he left. "No guarantees, but I'll try, okay?"

"Thanks Katie."

"How's the Molly case going?" She asked, Harry turned again and leaned on the back of a chair.

"New lead," he said, "Draco's been fantastic, figured out what that potion was real quick."


20th June 2003


Pulling out the cheap trinket portkey to Potter's house he tapped it with his wand and muttered 'Nimbus'. Draco landed in the middle of the kitchen again, one of the boys were there.

"Hello, where's your father?"

The boy had disappeared up the stairs before Draco could finish.

Draco was then startled out of his mind by a house elf.

"Is there anything Kreacher can get for Master Draco?"

"I'll have a cup of tea, thank you." Draco said politely.

The tea tray appeared on the table a moment later, and Draco had just had a sip of tea when Potter ran into the room wand out, wearing nothing but a towel.

"Malfoy?" Potter asked as Draco spit out his tea in shock.

"Potter, you're not wearing anything!"

"Sirius told me there was a scary man in the kitchen; I didn't think I had time to get dressed, I'll just go get changed."

Draco cast a cleaning spell at himself as Potter walked back up stairs. Potter was back quickly followed by Sirius.

"Now what brings you here Malfoy?"

"I have my report for Weasley's case," Draco tried (and failed) to not smirk at the shocked look on Potter's face.

"Already?" Potter asked, Sirius had crawled into his lap, "Sirius can you go find your brothers and stay with them, I'll be in the room upstairs working with Mr. Malfoy.

"Yes Daddy," Sirius said softly and ran up the stairs.

Potter unlocked the door on the third floor and led Draco into the evidence room.

"I'll admit to not being completely honest with you," Harry said, "With anyone in fact. I've been a suspect from the start."

"What?" Draco asked, Potter shrugged. "I have a solid alibi, but apparently the motivation is too good."

"Motivation?" Draco asked, "Motivation, what on earth kind of motivation could anyone cock up to pin you for the murder of a woman who was practically your mother? I remember those hideous sweaters!"

"I still have those." Harry said with a sad smile. "Teddy wears my first year one all the time."

"What, no, explain, Right now!"

"Alright, alright. Molly was killed on the thirtieth of October, 2000," Potter began, "the twins were born that year, and Ginny died in childbirth. Its rare, having a mother die like she did, and the first thing the Weasley's did was blame me - don't interrupt Malfoy. That was in May, and things were strained to say the least. I wanted so badly for the boys to know their maternal family, and I didn't want to lose my family, not after losing Ginny, I, by July it went south. Lots of yelling, lots of screaming, I punched Ron in the face - I haven't spoken to any of them since, except George. Molly was in October, and when aurours asked Ron if she had any enemies, he said me."

"And aurours believed it?"

"They have to follow it up," Harry said. "Its procedure. No one really thinks its me, I'll admit, I'm a good lead - I had a fucking ripping row with Molly after Ginny died, she told me it was my fault, called the twins daemon sons and then blamed me for Fred's death in the war."

"You're Harry Potter," Draco said, "You wouldn't kill someone because they called you some names."

"You can't un-name a suspect based on unsupported statements." Harry said, shaking his head, "In all honestly the case would have been closed years ago, but Ron's had a private investigator trying to dig up shit on me. Its why I have the case. I get little jobs sometimes, but all I really have to do is lie low. Doesn't matter, we just have to find the Lestranges and get their confession for killing Molly and Dennis-"

"What?" Draco asked when Harry paused.

"Why the gap?"

"What?" Draco asked again.

"Why was there three years between attempts? Why aren't people going missing and turning up like this all over the country?"

"Maybe they need more potion-"

"It's not hard to make," Harry said, "Hard to get the ingredients, but they make a fifty five gallon cauldron's worth-"

"They succeed." Draco realised. "They succeeded the first time," he clarified, "the second was not to try to bring Bellatrix back."

"Who then?"

Harry shook his head, "I don't know."