Chapter 4

Severus sighed as he walked away from the bed on which a prone Lucius lay. For three hours he worked, saving Lucius' life from something he had never had experience with before; a bullet. From a muggle weapon.

"Severus, did you find out what happened?" Draco looked worriedly at his godfather; he had never seen him so frazzled. Draco was frustrated that his godfather had thrown him out of the room when he was not able to keep his composure at seeing his father in such a state.

"There was a bullet, Draco, lodged in your father's abdomen. Someone has figured out that although we seem to be able to save ourselves from anything besides the Unforgivables, shooting guns at us will stop us just as effectively."

"Who would do such a thing?!"

"That I have yet to ascertain, Draco. Now, if you don't mind, I have had a busy night saving your father's life. Can you take care of my other" he paused, the word seeming to cause him pain whilst sitting on his tongue "guest. I am taking myself off to bed, and I wish that you, your father, and Potter be gone when I get up in the morning. Your father should wake up in a couple hours and Potter should be in the front parlor, where I sent him after he decided to be more of a nuisance that a help." With that, Severus walked away, leaving Draco staring after him.

Draco made his way to the parlor, intent on taking his frustration out on Potter. He found him seated, staring into the embers of the dying fire, obviously waiting upon word of the condition of Lucius.

"Why are you still here, Potter?" Draco questioned, causing Harry to look up at him. "Shouldn't you be sitting around your own home, waiting for your precious boyfriend to make it home from one of his late night jobs?" Draco snickered, knowing exactly what Bill was doing behind harry's back.

"I dumped him, Draco. I found him and Lockheart doing the dirty on my bed."

"I thought he was in St. Mungos with all of his memory lost forever."

"Don't I wish..." Harry mumbled. "He was healed by some sort of reversal spell that some new hot shot found. He's nowhere as pretty as he used to be; he's even missing a few teeth."

Draco snickered at the mental image. "Who would have thought that the winner of Witch Weekly's most dazzling smile would ever be missing teeth?"

"I bet he didn't. Alas, Bill still saw something in him. I am now left to work with Bill at the store we opened together. I am not sure I am up for the challenge." Harry's gaze wandered back to the fire before him.

"So don't."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't go back to work with him. Surely you two can come up with some sort of agreement that would benefit you both and keep the store open. Maybe you can use part of your profits to hire a replacement for you." Draco suggested.

"And what should I do then, Draco? Run for minister?"

"Well there's a thought," Draco smirked. "And, with you trying to date my father and all, it might be even more of a reason for him to consider it."

Harry paused, looking back up to Draco, seeing the gleam in Draco's eye, and sighed. "I have been meaning to do something about all the problems I have found in the Ministry." Harry sighed again. "I just did not think that I would be making the changes from the top of the food chain."

"The problems you have found?" Draco seated himself in another armchair close to Harry.

"Oh yes. There are many things that this Ministry has done to separate itself from all the other magical beings across Britain and the world. I have been working with someone rather close to the Minister to figure out just what needs to be done about this whole situation."

"Situation?" Draco echoed.

"Oh Draco, so naive about the world outside of Malfoy Manor. You better make yourself comfortable there, Draco, I have quite the story to tell you."

And with that, Harry started upon his story, enrapturing his audience.