Disclaimer: Though I would love to lay claim to these characters, I cannot. They are the property of JK Rowling and the Harry Potter Series. I make no money off of this story.
YOU-KNOW-WHO'S DAUGHTER RELEASED
There was a large moving picture of Ariadne walking between George and Draco as she left the Ministry, three days after being brought in, posted in the Evening Prophet. Since the day the first article came out several had followed after it, the sensationalism of them all escalating to the highest rafters. Some articles were saying that it was a hoax, others offered 'evidence' of Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley standing over a locked door as proof of the girl's existence. But other news outlets remained quiet, waiting for real proof, and the picture in the prophet was provided just that. Of course the resemblance could still be considered circumstantial but most were now flying with it. Several reporters, including Romilda Vane, were shouting questions to the ginger and blonde sentries, and the photograph they managed to get only showed her face for a moment before she burrowed her face into George's arms and he lifted her up to carry her like a child.
The Malfoys had been more than irate at Ariadne being kept for three days, Lucius had tried bribing every person he could for her release but no one wanted 'Malfoy' money anymore, despite Draco having made headway in the business area of their company, the once upstanding family were still pariahs in most social circles. So the two men had taken to waiting at the Ministry every day, Draco extending his sabbatical at work and Lucius getting permission from his probation Aurors to wait for her. But the one-day he couldn't get an answer from anyone in the department had been the day they released her, also the day his wife had made her way home.
George and Draco walked into the manor, Draco carrying Ariadne on his back and all three froze as the imposing form of Narcissa Malfoy approached them in the foyer. She held her head high as she observed the odd trio, but her eyes lingered even longer on the girl who slid off of her son's back. The boys formed a barrier between the matriarch and the child-like girl, but Ariadne moved around them, she ignored George's harsh whisper of "Vivi!" and moved toward Lady Malfoy.
Narcissa looked down her nose at her as if unsure how to approach it, she allowed for her hands to be taken by her and even accepted the feeling over two thin arms being placed around her. Finally the cold exterior broke as her arms wrapped around her and her head bent, pressing her mouth against the crown of dark hair that met just under her chin, "Ariadne," she spoke quietly, her voice met with a bright smile from the younger. Of course the moment was ruined a moment later as George made a rather vocal sigh of relief, "That was more tense than the day Percy came home to tell us he was getting married. I had ten galleons that he was gay, and I was just waiting for Mum's reaction." The ginger's arm went around the younger Malfoy's neck who turned and gave him a rather exasperated look, "Well don't look like that Malfoy, I lost obviously, though I'm still of the belief that he's got a loverboy in Cambridge somewhere. I won't say different until it's proven."
The Malfoy matriarch pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand while keeping the girl near with the other, "Mister Weasley, if you wouldn't mind, can we please not discuss sexuality next to the front door? There are easily fifty more private rooms in which you can continue this discussion." Draco couldn't wipe the surprise off his face if he wanted to, his mother hadn't spit venom at a Weasley? Narcissa looked at the boys and nodded, "Well come on this, Miss Granger has been here since six in the morning, a most ungodly hour if you ask me, and I'm sure she's been waiting for the two of you rather than enjoy mine and Lucius's company." Her arm was securely wrapped around the young woman still clinging to her as she turned and walked with her towards the west wing, "Draco, she's in the East Library, be sure she doesn't open any of your grandfather's books, I want those handled by Unspeakables."
George watched her walk away with a smile as he looked at the blond next to him, "You're mum's a real class act," he nodded and bowed deeply, "Well Master Malfoy, would you dine to show me the way?" When he stood up his grin lit up his face, "As if you don't know the way Weasley, you've been here since Saturday night."
It was true, both Weasley and Malfoy had been together since Saturday morning, Weasley taking residence in one of the guest rooms while the two Malfoy men had discussed plans of breaking Ariadne out, George only chimed in to tell them where the plan would go wrong—sometimes the pair listened to him even. But no one had kicked him out, no one had said a cross word about him, but he hadn't exactly defended his brother when Ron came into play, but neither blond thought to question the man's motives.
As the pair entered the East Library Draco was trying to come up with a plan for buying off the papers, but of course George was shooting down each one, as they walked through the door Hermione could hear her dear friend saying plainly, "Unless you want to shell out the galleons to buy each and every paper—which I still think is illegal—you'll never be able to stop the stories from getting out. You've just got to let them go, Draco, let them be." "But George," countered the shorter man, "do you realize who could be out there reading these papers?" "Hopefully her brother if I'm honest, I'd like to know what happened to him…he was mine and Fred's age when he came to live with us, Vivi was only a year older than Ron, I just want to make sure he's alright."
Hermione looked up from some of the items she had spread out on the large tarp she'd conjured onto the floor, "You two seem like old friends," she said plainly as she looked back down at a snow globe, she was just about to shake it when a pale hand snatched it from her hands, "Don't, Granger, just … just don't." She looked up at him as he carefully place the innocent looking snow globe back on the shelf where she'd originally retrieved it, he took out his wand but as he started a rather difficult incantation she felt someone playing with her hair, turning she looked at George who smiled at her, "Why were you here so early, 'Mione?"
"I … need to get some work done," she said while gesturing to the pile of books and items she thought needed investigating, but George's face twisted into one of disbelief, "Alright fine, I wanted to know if she was alright. Harry hasn't answered any of my messages and last I heard from Kingsley, Ron had been taken off the case."
"Weasel was taken off the case?" asked Draco as he pulled a chair closer to the pair of the floor, "What for?" Hermione lifted one shoulder and let it fall, "He wouldn't say why but he did tell me he'd given Ron the next week off." George gnashed his teeth on his bottom lip, "Probably has to do with her being with us, having even a remote relationship with her. And she's fine, by the way, a little shook up, and I don't think I've ever seen someone run from Harry as quickly as she did."
"Why do you think she ran from him anyway?" she asked while picking up a book but before she could open it to review the contents it too was snatched from her hands, her chocolate brown eyes narrowed at the blond who gazed at her innocently, the book placed beside him in his wing backed chair. "Don't know," he stated before standing and walking over the tarp picking up different things, she watched him place them back and weave his wand in its intricate pattern several times before a growl erupted in her throat, "Malfoy, I'll have you know that I have the Ministry authority to bring in any and all dark magic items and books." She prepared herself for an argument like the one she'd received on her first day from the Patriarch of the family, he too had been hovering over her moving things back to where she'd grabbed them. "I know Granger, and I agree, however I happen to know that some," he emphasised his speech, "are deadly for muggles. Now I know you have magic, Granger, but think of it as a precaution on my part, you can ask the Unspeakables to come in and retrieve these, but until you have purebloods in here I'm afraid I cannot allow you to leave with these things."
Hermione was ready to raise up on her hackles and argue the pompous boy down, but she felt a hand on her arm and saw George shake his head, "Listen to him Mione," he whispered, "he's only looking out for your safety." A moment passed as the two Gryffindors eyed each other, it was obvious that Hermione couldn't understand why George was trusting Malfoy as much as he was, nor did it make sense as to why the Malfoys were allowing George to stay with them. Yet neither side offered any sort of explanation, but as far as the witch could tell, neither side was complaining about the sudden arrangement. The lone twin's eyes pleaded with Hermione to just let Malfoy help, after all it wasn't as if the former Slytherin were hiding them, she could still see where each item was and he had left a good amount on the tarp for her, "Fine," she mumbled before turning back to her task.
Draco had settled back into his seat and watched as the Gryffindors flipped through the books he'd left sitting around them, and thumb the little family heirlooms that weren't as dark as the ones he'd just replaced, "So Weasley, how do you suggest we keep her face out of the papers?" George, without looking up, replied, "You can't, mate, she's been in the paper for three days. If I were you I'd just keep her under wraps for a while, not let anyone beyond our families see her." Draco lifted an eyebrow, "Our families, Weasley? How exactly does your family come into play here?" George smiled brightly as he looked up at the younger man, "Simple Malfoy, she remembers us, I'm sure if I asked she'd come with me and live at the Burrow, and something just tells me that Mum and Dad wouldn't be as kind to you as your parents have been towards me."
A grumbling sound came from the blond as he rested his ankle on the opposite knee, "You're right of course," he admitted without hesitation, rubbing his mouth with his hand before point the index finger of that hand to the two former house-mates, "None of your little goody two-shoes team is coming in here, is that understood? If she wants to see a Weasley besides this one, she'll go with you. But I warn you, Weasley," he levelled his stare on George who was simply smiling, brows lifted and his head tilted as he listened, "one hair on hear head…"
"I know I know, 'its not your family I'll have to worry about.'"
"That's the second time you've said that, Malfoy," said Hermione as she flipped through a book, her own brows were drawn together in thought as she examined the spells within it to determine just how dark the nature of it was, "What does it mean?" Placing his hands in his lap, Draco shook his head, "What does what mean, Granger?" "Not your family," she replied before looking between the two of them, "according to you two, your families are the ones who raised her. So if not your family, and not the Weasleys, then who do you keep referring to?"
George's face turned ashy as he studied the girl on the floor next to him, "Blimey 'Mione, sometimes I forget you're not a pureblood … you wouldn't know." Of course George didn't really know the whole story either, he was too young at the time to fully comprehend what his father was saying, beside he'd been too busy using Charlie's wand to turn Ron's teddy bear into a spider to really listen to what the prophet said of The Children.
Malfoy cleared his throat bringing their attention back to them, "There's a family," he started carefully, "my parents think that this … family, is the one who raised her. If so, if Father and Mother were correct, then this family isn't one to trifle with."
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Oh that's ridiculous, if there was a family of Voldemort supporters they would have been captured during the war, especially if 'they aren't to be trifled with' as you so put it, Malfoy."
Draco was about to retort when the three 20-somethings heard a wheezy voice, "Master Draco, sirs, there be a man in the front halls sirs, he come in the door though Luffy tells him not to." Draco frowned, "Tell Father." "Mipsy's gone to tell him, Master Draco, sir. The man has Luffy on the floor, screaming."
"Granger, stay! Weasley, watch the door," Draco was on his feet in a flash as he ran out of the library. Hermione's shoulders stiffened, she didn't enjoy being told what to do, nor did she like being kept out of the loop but as she turned to George to quip at him, she saw him stand up and withdraw his wand. "George," she whispered harshly, she wasn't about to let the lone Weasley twin put himself in danger but when he turned with his finger on his mouth she saw the determination she hadn't seen since the final battle.
His wand was poised as he stalked towards the door, and just as it opened George flicked it sending a red stream of light. There was a feminine shriek before the door slammed again, George whipped it open to see Narcissa standing, one hand on her chest as if to calm her heart, the other on the handle of the door. Hermione saw the woman's chest swell as she took in the redhead and pointed a manicured finger at him, "Point another wand in my home, Weasley, and you'll lose the other ear! Now get in side, Mipsy is going to secure the room." The older woman ushered in Ariadne who, upon seeing the book-worm, rushed to her side and sat behind her, placing her cheek on the girl's back. It was all Hermione could do to keep her heart from racing, Malfoy and George had been right the whole, Ariadne was basically a child in an adult's body.
"Mrs. Malfoy," George said in a loud whisper as the other witch carefully shut the door as to not make any noise, "who is it?" All four of the people in the room felt the air shift as the Elf's magic took charge of it, Narcissa, Hermione, and George saw the door leading out of the room disappear as did the windows, the fire went out and suddenly the fireplace was gone. Narcissa turned to the man and gave him a calm smile, "I'm not sure, dear, but sit. We're safe for now, if something happens, Merlin forbid, Mipsy will come in here and take us to one of the other estates. Somewhere safe for us."
"What do you mean, if something happens?" Hermione stood, she could almost feel the alarm in the girl behind her but her heart was in her throat now, what could possibly be happening that would require them to run? Narcissa glided forward, the portrait of a calm woman, but when her delicate hands were placed on Hermione's bare cheeks she could feel the tremor, she saw a shake in the woman's mouth, "We will hope, and Merlin forbid perhaps pray, that nothing happens. But Miss Granger, you of all people know these are still dark times we live in."
Hermione could see it in her eyes, Narcissa was terrified, though she was still poised, her hair in its meticulous twisted chignon, not the slightest bit of make up out of place, Hermione felt like she was back in time. Looking at Narcissa Malfoy from when she was 18, scared in her own home because of a madman. "What about Mal-" her brown eyes closed, "Draco … and Lucius?" With an unsteady breath, Narcissa gave her another false smile, "They're both strong, Draco can defend himself and his father; Lucius probation states that if he is in danger then he can magically defend himself. I believe, Miss Granger, that my boys will be just fine."
"Well that's all fine and dandy," said George, trying to break the tension, "but what do we do while we're stuck here waiting for an elf to release us?" In an unladylike, and quite 'un-Malfoy' fashion, Narcissa's eyes rolled upwards towards the ceiling, "Circe give me strength," she murmured before looking at Hermione with a slight tilt to her mouth, "I'm sure you know how I feel, boys can never remain still for too long." The matriarch turned from the muggleborn before addressing the man leaning against the book shelves, "Perhaps you can teach Ariadne how to play chess, Lucius was trying to teach her when Mipsy came in. I guess," she turned back to Hermione, "Miss Granger and I can continue going through these dark items. I can confirm, for you, whether or not something is actually tainted. My father taught me the history of some of these things you know."
The father and son pair met just before they reached the stairs, they could hear the sound of the high pitched screaming coming from one of their elves. The sound was making Draco's skin crawl, growling under his breath he moved faster to the landing where he could see who was behind the wand, "THAT IS ENOUGH!" his own wand spurted out a purple light towards the trespasser but was stopped short by a shield, "Good of you to join us, we were getting bored of the elf."
The drawl made Lucius' spine freeze, "No," he whispered as he looked down, "no, you are dead. I saw you die!" Before the Malfoys, on the landing below, were five men, two standing over the house elf who cried, one looking up at them, one laughing merrily as he watched everything go down, and one sitting in the corner who looked as though he were about to be sick. "Dead," said the one looking towards them, he stood over six feet, a mop of black hair cropped close to his ears, piercing blue eyes staring up at them, "oh, no sir, Mr. Malfoy. No, you see, your father insured my mother of my safety. So you see, I. Am. Here." He swept his hands out to indicate the others, "As are my brothers," his lips twisted upward into a smile, "we're only here to retrieve something. You see, Alexandrus has been begging for it since it went missing. Quintus has grown tired of his whining and when he saw the Prophet today, well … we knew exactly where to come."
Draco turned to go down the stairs but stopped when his father gripped his arm, "Let me go." "No, stand firm, Draco. Stay here."
Of the two standing over the elf, the younger lifted his head and looked at the pair on the landing above, "Thomas, I don't believe they mean to return her." He and the man next to him measured up the same, around six foot, a mess of black hair, the younger's a bit longer yet tamer than the older, and both peered with the same blue eyes as the seemingly eldest. As Draco took them all in it seemed to be common, black hair, shockingly blue eyes void of just about anything, except the fifth, the fifth wouldn't look up he only stared at the elf who was once again writhing on the floor, his mouth opened in a scream but Draco couldn't hear anything.
"-you know what happens if you don't."
He'd missed what the older one had said, not that he minded; his eyes were locked on the one in the corner as he watched the torture of the poor creature.
"Alexandrus," spoke the eldest again, holding out his right hand towards the boy, but he didn't move, "Alex. Andrus," the man tried again but once more the boy on the floor didn't move. Thomas, the other had called him, moved swiftly, grabbing the boy on the floor by his neck thrusting him forward onto the floor, "Tell them what you want Alexandrus! Tell them and perhaps they'll bring her to you!" The blond could connect it now, Alexandrus. Weasley had spoken of a brother to Ariadne, a boy that Mrs. Weasley had named Alexander.
"What do you want?" asked Draco as he gripped his wand tighter in his hand. Thomas looked up and smirked before pushing Alexandrus, whom he'd just gotten to his feet, forward, "Go on, Brother, tell them what we're here for."
"Puh-Ple-Please, I jus-just want h-h-her back," he stammered out, not looking at the Malfoys but still looking at the elf, the extremely happy brother had joined the other two, he was clapping them on the shoulder. Draco could tell that Alexandrus was close to being sick, but instead of giving in he shook his head, "She isn't here." Thomas put his hand on his brother's shoulder and tilted his head as he narrowed his eyes at Draco, "Oh? Are you sure? Because the papers say that she's been living here for two years. We want the girl, Malfoy. We'll tear down this house to get her if we must."
Lucius sighed as he looked at them, he opened his mouth to lie but stopped when Alexandrus screamed, "STOP IT! STOP IT! POLLUX YOU'RE KILLING HIM! STOP! QUINTUS! LEONARDO! MAKE HIM STOP! STOP IT!" And suddenly it was as if their magic ceased. The elf was gone and the three brothers that stood over it stood up straight and looked at the one who'd screamed. Quintus, the younger of the three, moved forward, his face unreadable from Draco's angle, but he laid a hand on Alexandrus' face and seemed to pet him for a moment, "Alright, brother, all you had to do was ask."
"I want to go," whimpered Alexandrus, tears began to run down his face before he nearly collapsed on Quintus, the other man only wrapped his arms around him though, seeming to accept his weight. "We will. They're being unreasonable, keeping our sister from her family, we'll go, and we'll come back. Right, Thomas?"
Pollux, the master behind the torture of Luffy, spoke up, "That's right, Q, Alex. We'll be back, little Aria belongs with us where she can sing freely. A precious, pretty, little bird like her won't stay gone from the nest for long. Don't you worry your head, Alex, she'll come back. They'll have to release her soon enough." But never did he look at his brothers, instead Pollux played with his wand between his fingers, the crooked wood seemed almost liquid as he rolled it.
"Very well," said Thomas before bowing deeply to the Malfoy, Pollux and Leonardo, the silent but giggly one, bowed as well while Quintus held up Alexandrus, "we'll leave you. But please, consider my bargain, Malfoy. I would hate to hurt a hair on her head."
And then they left, without preamble, one by one they left. First Thomas, striding through the door as though he were royalty, Pollux following after, Leonardo was the loudest now as he verbally replayed what had just happened as he attempted to scream like the house elf, Quintus was next following silently; but Alexandrus turned and looked at them, "Please." Was all he said before Quintus appeared in the door again to coax him back out.
