Harry entered the Ministry of Magic in a hurry. After the horrifying experience of an intercontinental Portkey trip, Harry had gone home long enough to shower, change clothes and then Apparate into the Ministry's Atrium.
His instructions were clear: go to Kingsley's office and talk to no one.
Of course, that was easy for Kingsley to say, he wasn't the most famous wizard in the entire bloody country.
Still, Harry was able to do it, despite the number of people that shouted his name as he almost ran through the Ministry to get to the Minister's Office. Once Harry entered the room, he was met by Kingsley and two other people that he had never met.
The first Harry knew by reputation and by the distinctive red robe he wore. Gawain Robards, the new Head Auror, was a man who lived by a code: break a law, serve your time. According to others who knew him better, Robards was even more extreme than Moody when it came to convicting those that he caught.
The difference was that Robards wasn't a paranoid man at all. He was meticulous and patient. He was famous for a series of arrests in between the two wars where he watched a Dark artifact smuggling ring for nearly six years, compiling lists upon lists of damning evidence on them. Finally, when he did bring them in, he did so without any contempt or elation. He simply arrested them for the crimes they had committed.
The three men had spent every day since then in Azkaban.
The red robe that he wore contrasted with his nearly white hair and black glasses, which he peered over like a hawk. Much like Jack Williams, Robards had a single large scar that ran down the side of his face, cutting his left cheek in half from his temple to his jawline.
That scar, Harry was certain, he received while on the job, due to the lines that crept out from it, a clear indication of dark magic.
The woman that stood next to Robards was clearly a politician. Unlike Robards, who appeared out of place in his more official red robe, this woman was obviously at home with her high heels and business-cut cloak. In fact, Harry could hardly tell that it was a cloak at all. If he hadn't been paying attention, he would have thought that it was simply a long suit jacket.
Clearly, this woman paid attention to the styles of the Muggle world.
She was also considerably younger than either Kingsley or Robards, much closer in age to Harry that the others in the room.
And if Harry was being honest, she was quite attractive. She was almost as tall as Kingsley with long, black hair that hung down just past her shoulders. She was thin but did not appear weak or fragile, like she had been an athlete in a past life. Her eyes were a calming brown color that gave her an accepting aura, someone who held a concern for others.
"Harry, this is Gawain Robards." Kingsley said as he stepped forward to introduce the pair of them. Harry shook Robards' hand as Kingsley turned to his other guest.
"This is Meredith Breckinridge. As of a few weeks ago, she is the newly appointed Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"It's a pleasure, Harry." Meredith said, shaking Harry's hand in turn. Harry had expected to hear a light, dainty voice come out of her mouth. What he was someone whose voice was bright and brash, able to be heard easily over a crowd of people. This was someone who knew who she was and was able to use it to throw people off.
Harry imagined that she was attempting to do just that to him now. She wouldn't succeed, Harry would make sure of that.
"The same." Harry responded with a smile. "I know a lot of people that work for the DMLE but I'm not familiar with you."
"That's because I didn't work in the department before now." Meredith said firmly. Harry was certain that Meredith knew exactly what he had meant. Harry trusted the people that he knew and he didn't know her. Of course, having been present for the vote on her position, Harry was aware of her history but he had found that the more people thought him stupid and uninformed, the lower their expectations for him were, a fact that Harry could readily exploit.
"Really?"
"Meredith worked for the Department of Magical Transportation, acting as their Deputy Head for the last two years." Gawain explained as everyone began to take their seats.
"Magical Transportation?" Harry said in surprise before turning back to Meredith. "That's quite the step up."
"Meredith is an organizer of people, Harry." Kingsley interjected. "During her time in Magical Transportation, accidents sank by almost half and the department became the most efficient in the entire Ministry, almost entirely due to some programs that Meredith started. She is exactly what the DMLE needs"
Kingsley was clearly stumping for his new Department Head, something that Harry had hoped he would get from the Minister. As Harry had discussed with Andromeda days earlier, Harry was finding it harder and harder to trust new people these days.
Kingsley's endorsement meant the world for Meredith and Gawain in his view.
"Gawain is our Head Auror and one of the longest tenured Aurors in the Department's history. We don't need an investigator to run the Department, Harry. What I needed was someone that could bring all of these people together and get them to run efficiently."
"That's where I come in." Meredith added. "And in a way, that's why you are here."
"Pardon me?"
"When Narcissa Malfoy and Draco Malfoy both claimed that they had saved your life, we thought that it was some sort of ploy between the two of them. But, when they each independently pressured us into bringing you into the fold, we thought that there might be some truth to that matter." Meredith explained.
"Both Minister Shacklebolt and Gawain were against the idea of bringing you in to speak to them. You have quite a friend in the Minister, Harry. He told the two of us that you had rejected his request for you to join the Aurors and that he didn't want to bring you into this. But as the hours passed, and it became clear that we were getting nothing out of any of them without you, he agreed to bring you in to assist."
"What is your goal?" Harry asked Meredith. "What do you get out of me talking to the Malfoys?"
"A quicker trial for the Death Eaters that we've already arrested." Gawain answered. "The Malfoys can certainly provide valuable intelligence on the actions of the Death Eaters during the war that will condemn all of them."
"It's a win that the Ministry desperately needs." Kingsley explained. "Things are good now but we have to keep the momentum going. If it seems like it's taking too long for us to put them away, faith in the Ministry will begin to plummet again."
"What about the Malfoys?" Harry asked, this time directing his attention to Kingsley.
"What about them?" Kingsley asked.
"What will happen to them?"
"That will depend on how much they are willing to give us." Kingsley said. Harry was well aware that it wasn't a real answer. However, he hadn't been expecting one anyway.
Harry thought on everything for a moment. He could still say no to the whole thing and let the Malfoys rot. But the thought of getting Dolohov and Rookwood and the others and ensuring that they spent the rest of their lives in a cell, that was too good to pass up.
"I want to speak to Lucius Malfoy first."
"He didn't ask to speak to you." Kingsley replied, clearly confused. "Narcissa and Draco did."
"I'm aware." Harry countered. "But as much information as Narcissa and Draco can give us, Lucius is the best source of information that's still living on the Death Eaters. He likely knew where they were all hiding in between wars. He knew where the money was hidden and where the bodies are buried."
"Harry, I don't think-" Meredith started to stay before Harry interrupted her.
"I am going to guess that this isn't going to be an official Ministry interview, am I correct?"
All three of them looked at each other and then Kingsley nodded his confirmation to Harry.
"So, we're doing this my way. No one knows any of the Malfoys better than I know Draco."
"Yes, Harry, but we all know Lucius better than you." Gawain fired back. "I don't think you understand how dangerous he can be. His tongue is as vile a weapon as his wand."
"I'm well versed in the ways that a Malfoy can talk his way out of things, Gawain." Harry replied dismissively. "After all, he somehow managed to work his way out of an Azkaban trip after the first war despite having been one of Voldemort's biggest supporters and a general supporter of the Dark Arts since his birth."
"Harry, he claimed-"
"I know what he claimed, Kingsley." Harry snapped. "And if the Ministry then was stupid enough to believe it, that's not my fault. I know exactly what Lucius Malfoy is. He is a self-serving coward who will do anything to protect himself and then his family in that order. Don't you dare think to lecture me on what I do and do not know about the Malfoys, Auror Robards."
Harry could tell that Gawain had not expected to be talked down to by a seventeen year old that day. But before Gawain could reply, Kingsley cut him off.
"Fine, Harry. We do this your way. Use this office to talk to them."
"Your office?" Harry asked.
"There's a secret entrance through the shelves over there." Kingsley said, indicating a set of bookshelves on the back wall. "We can lead the Malfoys in here one at a time without anyone seeing them."
"I assume that you have ways to watch this room while you are not present."
"I do." Kingsley responded coyly. "By giving you this room, it allows me to watch what you are doing while also letting you wield the power that this room exudes. Being left alone in the Minister's office is not something most people get to do, Harry, use it but do not abuse it."
"No, sir." Harry responded earnestly. It was clear from the looks on Meredith and Gawain's faces that they did not necessarily agree with Kingsley's idea to trust Harry to do things his way. But Kingsley knew Harry. He knew that Harry would never become some sort of Ministry puppet and he knew that Harry wouldn't agree to do things their way if Harry thought he had a better one.
And he did.
"Good. We'll clear out of the room. Lucius should be here in a few minutes." Kingsley said as he stood from his desk. "You'll only get today to do this, Harry. After that, we'll have to report their capture and process them through regular channels. Make it count."
"I understand and I will. Thank you, Kingsley." Harry replied.
Kingsley led Meredith and Gawain out of the room. It took Harry a few moments to truly soak up the fact that he had been left alone in what was likely the most powerful room in the country. In the past, it may have been Dumbledore's office but with his death and McGonagall's placement at the head of the school, she was less likely to wield her position for political gains.
Less than a minute after the front door had opened, the book shelf on the far side of the room cracked open and Lucius Malfoy was led into the room, an Auror on either side.
He looked terrible. Much like he had looked at the Battle of Hogwarts, his hair was wild and thick with knots. It looked as if he hadn't bathed in a week and he smelled as if it had been longer. Dirt covered his fingernails and his teeth, once pearly white, were now already starting to yellow.
Harry had to admit that somewhere, not that deep down, he enjoyed seeing Lucius like this. It was the punishment he deserved. But then Harry realized that the punishment he deserved was actually a cell in Azkaban.
It was a punishment that Harry would see come to pass, come hell or high water.
"Remove his shackles and leave us." Harry ordered the Aurors. Lucius had been brought in with heavy metal chains around his wrists and ankles, which the Aurors quickly removed. Each of them glanced at the other, not certain if they should listen to Harry's request. However, they each came to the same realization: Harry Potter was likely not a person to ignore when he was the one standing alone in the Minister's office.
Once the Aurors were gone, Harry invited Lucius to sit on the couch against the wall while Harry sat in a plush armchair just across from him. Only a few feet and small table separated the two of them.
"You've seen better days, Lucius." Harry commented.
"Come to gloat, have you?" Lucius snapped, his eyes wild and furious. "You get to stand on your hill and look down on me now. Is that what you are here to do?"
"No, I'm here to get you to beg for the lives of your family."
Clearly, Lucius had not expected that.
"Sometime within the last few hours, both your wife and your son made separate claims that they saved my life. Obviously, they did this to curry favor with the Ministry. It's a good look, having saved The Man Who Killed Voldemort."
Harry was pleased to see Lucius shutter at the mention of Riddle's moniker.
"But they both stood firmly in their belief that they had saved my life. So, they said that the only person they would talk to was me. Here I am."
"Yet you are talking to me."
"Yes, I am." Harry said evenly, his voice not rising despite the clear disrespect in the tone of Lucius' voice. "I'm here because we both know that they are telling the truth. But it won't matter. It won't matter because they are still going to end up in Azkaban for helping you."
"Malfoys don't go to prison."
"Except when they're caught in the Ministry of Magic, helping a Dark Lord, right?"
"You got lucky, Potter." Lucius scoffed. "Every single time you faced the Dark Lord, it was luck."
"No, it was pride." Harry countered. "It was pride and arrogance that got Voldemort killed and it's the same thing that's going to doom your family."
"And you know nothing of arrogance?" Lucius growled. "You sit in the Minister's office and think it gives you power and yet think to lecture me on arrogance?"
"I'm not lecturing you. I am explaining your situation. As we speak, The DMLE is prepping the three of you to be processed for trial. You will all be tried as Death Eaters and you will sentenced to the harshest extent of the law: a lifetime of solitude in Azkaban."
"And you are here to offer me some kind of deal? Why?"
"I'm not offering you a deal, Lucius." Harry laughed. "There's no way that you are getting out of this without spending the rest of your life in jail. But you could save your family."
Harry knew that he was walking a tightrope. If Lucius caved, then he would have to convince Kingsley to honor their arrangement. To be honest, it wasn't even the arrangement that Harry wanted. If Lucius folded, he would get to go to jail but he would be treated as a hero, the man who sacrificed himself to save his family.
But Lucius Malfoy had never sacrificed anything for anyone.
"How?" Lucius asked.
"Give up every single person who worked for the Death Eaters. Give up every person who took money from or gave money to the Death Eaters. You were the heart of Voldemort's operation, Lucius. You know it and I know it. To be honest, the whole country knows it but you were too good at your job for us to discover just how you did it. You left no evidence for us to follow. Your name appears on almost no documents and it seems as if your very presence at the Ministry was almost non-existent. Yet, according to everyone I know, you were almost always here."
Harry leaned forward, his face now only inches from Lucius'
"This offer will last for the next thirty seconds: give up everything and I will do my best to see your wife and child go free. Deny me and they take the fall with you."
In that moment, Lucius Malfoy became everything that Harry always thought him to be. Harry had expected him to at least consider the offer.
"No."
"What?" Harry responded in shock.
"You don't have anything on me, Potter. You have no evidence of me committing a crime other than associating with The Dark Lord. We both know that they can't throw me in a cell forever just for that. So, no, Potter, I will not take you up on your incredibly pathetic offer. I have the resources to defend myself and without a doubt, I will be out of prison within a year, if I go at all."
Harry allowed Lucius to have his moment. Then, patiently, Harry leaned back in his chair and laughed.
"Your resources were seized by the Ministry." Harry said through his final chuckles. "Until you are declared innocent, the Ministry, with the help of the goblins of Gringotts who you apparently pissed off royally, is holding onto them. If you spend even one day in Azkaban, the Ministry will take possession of all of them."
"What's your point?" Lucius drawled.
"Does that change your mind?"
"No." Lucius snapped. "You'll never be able to prove any of it."
"And if you're wrong?"
"I'm not."
He could see there was no getting through to him. Harry stood, buttoned the jacket of his suit and knocked on the shelf so that the Aurors would know he was finished with Lucius.
"I've already started thinking about what I'll do with Malfoy Manor once I buy it. With the combined assets of the Potter and Black estates, I'm one of the wealthiest people in the country. Hell, I may be the wealthiest. I'm not really sure because wizards don't really keep track of that sort of thing, which is strange for as austentatious we can be sometimes. Who knows? Maybe I'll turn it into a Muggle orphanage to honor your dearly deceased Dark Lord."
Just as the door opened and the Aurors entered the room, Lucius launched himself in Harry's direction. He got about halfway there before one of the Aurors Stunned the eldest Malfoy. The Aurors each grabbed Lucius under the arm, dragging him towards the door.
"I would like to speak to Narcissa Malfoy next." Harry said, speaking to no one but knowing that someone was listening.
Again, only seconds later, the requested party entered the room. Like her husband, Narcissa had seen better days. But unlike Lucius, who had entered the room with the same smug attitude that he always wore, Narcissa showed something rarely seen on the face of a Malfoy: fear
"Have a seat, Narcissa." Harry said calmly, pointing at the same seat that her husband had just vacated.
"Thank you." Narcissa whispered as she sat. Almost immediately, her eyes dropped to the floor, avoiding looking at Harry altogether. This was clearly a woman who had been beaten down over the last few years. Gone was the confident woman that Harry had first met at Madam Malkin's. That day, she had mercilessly taunted Harry about the recent death of his godfather.
Today, she avoided eye contact with him and didn't dare say a word to him. While Harry was pleased with the fact that they had beaten Voldemort at the Battle of Hogwarts, he felt a tinge of pity for Narcissa Malfoy.
"I only have one question for you, Narcissa: what do you want?"
"I beg your pardon?" Narcissa said, her eyes flashing up to him.
"You say you saved my life." Harry answered. "What do you think that gets you?"
"It gets me whatever I want." Narcissa replied and for a moment, Harry saw the old Narcissa Malfoy flash to life.
Until Harry laughed at her, that is. Then, Harry saw a moment of confusion and then a sudden realization.
"You don't get anything unless someone gives it to you now, Narcissa. No matter how things play out, your family name will be poison for the rest of your life and likely, the rest of your son's."
"You feel no gratitude for the woman who saved your life? The Dark Lord would have killed you had he known that you lived!"
"He would have tried." Harry countered. "There were things about that day that you don't know, Narcissa. Things that made your valiant decision to spare me a bit useless."
Clearly, this was not how Narcissa expected things to go. But things were different now. She wasn't Narcissa Malfoy, wife of the distinguished Lucius Malfoy any longer.
Now, she was Narcissa Malfoy, wife and mother of Death Eaters and traitor in her own right. Her name meant nothing. Her desires and her wishes meant nothing. If not for Harry, it was almost a certainty that the entire Malfoy family would spent the rest of their lives in separate cells.
They all certainly deserved jail time but none more so than Lucius. Others would paint them all with the same brush in the name of vengeance.
Harry didn't believe that was how justice worked.
"So why are you here then, Mr. Potter?" Narcissa asked.
"Because I want something from you and your son."
"What is that?"
"Testimony against your husband."
"You want what?"
"I want your husband in the deepest darkest hole that we can come up with." Harry said, a menacing gravel suddenly forming in his voice. "Your husband is the reason that Voldemort was able to take control as easily as he was. Without Lucius' connections, Voldemort isn't able to take over the Ministry in a single day. That's going to be your husband's lasting legacy and I want to see him burn for that."
Narcissa clearly had not been expecting that. As Harry continued to speak, he saw that she understood just how much Harry hated Lucius.
"Why don't you just have him killed?" Narcissa asked. "Surely, with your influence, you could make that happen."
"Because that's too easy for him. I want him to live the rest of knowing that we will erase his legacy. The only thing the world will remember him for is being a criminal and a terrorist."
"Even if I wanted to help you, why would I? Lucius is the father of my son. Even if I hated what he's done to us, why would I give him up for you?"
"Because if you don't, then I will make sure that all three of you pay for his crimes." Harry countered. "I'm certain that the Ministry is already planning your trial. You and your husband and your son will go to Azkaban for a very long time. So, it's your choice, Narcissa. You can condemn you and your son for crimes that you didn't choose or you can give me your husband."
"Crimes I didn't choose?"
"I know that your marriage to Lucius was arranged." Harry explained. "I'm sure that you loved Lucius but you didn't choose to marry a Death Eater and your son didn't choose to have one for a father."
Narcissa opened her mouth to spoke before changing her mind. She sat in silence for a few moments before nodding her head slightly.
"What would I have to do?"
"You have to convince your son." Harry said as he leaned forward. "Draco was an official Death Eater, Narcissa. Without his testimony to corroborate yours, Lucius may walk free."
The implication was clear. If they didn't nail Lucius to the wall, he would eventually get out and there was no telling what he would do if given the opportunity to retaliate against anyone who condemned him.
"If I don't have both of you, then I can't go to the Minister with this." Harry added. "If Draco declines, you'll go on trial with him and Lucius. Narcissa, I don't have to explain to you what will happen then. They were both Death Eaters and one of them directly orchestrated Albus Dumbledore's death."
Narcissa nodded. "Will you be able to get us out of time in Azkaban?"
"I don't know." Harry admitted. "But I imagine if your testimony leads to a life sentence for Lucius, we may be able to work out some sort of long term house arrest sentence."
"Can you guarantee that?"
"No." Harry replied. "I can't guarantee anything. But I will try. No one else is going to give you that chance."
"OK." Narcissa breathed softly. "OK. I'll talk to him."
Harry nodded and then stood, moving to the shelf where he knocked for a third time. When the door opened, Harry told the Auror on the other side of the door that he needed to speak to the third Malfoy.
Less than a minute later, after Harry had retaken his seat across from Narcissa, Draco was escorted in by two Aurors. Harry would have liked to say that he didn't enjoy the confusion on Malfoy's face.
If he had said that, Harry would have been lying.
"Mother, what the hell is going on?"
"Have a seat, son." Narcissa said, patting the seat next to her gently.
"I will have a seat when you tell me what you're doing talking to him."
"She's saving your ass, you ungrateful little shit." Harry barked. "Sit down."
"Who is going to make me?"
For years, this had been the way things had gone between Harry and Malfoy. Harry was The Boy Who Lived, untouchable within the walls of Hogwarts. Malfoy was the son of the most powerful man in the country, untouchable by anyone.
But the dynamic had changed, whether Malfoy had realized it or not.
Now, Lucius Malfoy was behind bars, his power stripped from him. Harry was not just the Boy Who Lived either. Now, he was the Man Who Won. Whether or not Harry wanted the responsibility, he was likely the most influential person in the entire country.
And Draco Malfoy was not.
Harry could have reacted to Draco's arrogance in a number of ways. He could have cursed him. He could have embarrassed him.
Instead, Harry simply made him aware of the change in status quo.
"Narcissa, tell your son to sit."
Instantly, Narcissa followed the instruction. "Draco, please have a seat. Please."
That last word was uttered with a kind of desperation that Draco recognized but not one that he ever expected to hear from his mother and especially not when at the mercy of Harry Potter.
Clearly confused about what exactly was going on, Draco relented and took his seat.
"Thank you, Draco." Narcissa said as he sat.
"Yes, thank you." Harry added. "Now, we're going to have a conversation."
"Mother, why are we listening to this idiot?"
This time, Harry did not take the high road.
"Malfoy, you really can't be this stupid, can you?" Harry roared. "You are a Death Eater. You have the mark on your arm. I've seen it. That means that if you no one goes out of their way to help you, and they won't because you've been a worthless piece of garbage your entire life, you will spent the rest of your life in Azkaban. If you stop running your mouth for only a few seconds, you'll get hear the only opportunity you may have to prevent that."
Draco opened his mouth to counter but he was stopped by a gentle hand on his arm. Instead, Draco turned to see Narcissa looking at him in resignation, shaking her head.
"Mother?" Draco said, suddenly sounding like he was back in his first year.
"Listen to what he has to say, Draco."
"Listen to your mother, Malfoy." Harry added. "If you don't, you will die in a cell."
Draco looked between Harry and Narcissa, looking for one of them to break. When they didn't and when he realized that they had, in fact, lost, he sank back into the couch, his shoulders slumping in defeat.
"You were expecting your father to save you."
"I was." Draco admitted. "He always has."
"I think you should know that he was given the opportunity to do so."
"Excuse me?" Narcissa said in shock, clearly surprised by this new information.
"Before I spoke with you, Narcissa, I spoke with your husband. I gave him the opportunity to get you out of jail entirely. With Lucius' testimony, every single Death Eater would go to jail for the rest of their lives. He was given the opportunity to sacrifice himself for the two of you. I offered him a deal: he goes to Azkaban and the two of you walk free."
"What did he say?" Narcissa asked. There was no doubt in her voice: she was terrified what the answer would be because she knew her husband.
"He declined before he even really thought about it. He said that he had the resources to defend himself and even if he went to prison, he would likely be out in a year."
The news shocked the pair of them. Neither cried, neither shouted in anger. They simply sat, stunned at their news that Lucius could have saved them and chose not to do so.
"I'll tell you the same thing I told him. Your resources, your gold, home, everything that belonged to you is being held by the Ministry until after your trial. Even after I informed him of that, he didn't back down. He would rather all three of you rot in jail than just him."
Harry turned to Draco, who looked stunned by this revelation.
"Draco, I have already offered a deal to your mother. If the two of you testify against your father, I will do everything I can to make sure that you are able to avoid Azkaban."
"Why would you do that?" Draco asked, clearly accusing Harry of something. Exactly what, Harry wasn't certain.
"There's a few reasons." Harry admitted. "As I already told your mother, your father was the reason the Ministry was so easily taken over. He spent years weakening it, giving former Death Eaters good jobs or paying off others to look the other way."
"There's also the part your father played in the death of my godfather." Harry added. "If not for your father, if not for Voldemort, Sirius might still live. Bellatrix may be dead but someone will pay for that death."
"But none of those are the most important reasons." Harry admitted. "You don't choose your parents. Now, Draco, don't get me wrong: I hate you. I want nothing more than to see you spend every day for the rest of your life in jail."
"Then why don't you just let me?"
"Because you are the product of your environment, just like my cousin. Your father was a Death Eater and your mother was too afraid of her husband to stop him from turning you into one. You also each went out of your way to save my life. I know you recognized me at your home, Draco, and you chose not to confirm it. You gave me the opportunity to get away."
"So, I'm giving you that same opportunity. I'm giving you a second chance. You'll never regain the stature that you had before. But you won't be in jail and you'll be given the opportunity to make something of yourself that has nothing to do with Dark magic."
Draco looked at his mother. It was obvious that he wanted her to tell Harry to shove it. But she didn't. All she did was nod sadly at her son. Harry felt that small amount of pity rush up again as he watched a mother tell her son to betray his father. Then, Harry remembered that this family was responsible for the death of dozens of people and that feeling disappeared entirely.
Finally, Draco gave in, his head collapsing into his hands in front of him.
"What do we do?"
"I'm going to call Gawain Robards in here. You're going to tell him every single thing that you remember Lucius doing. You are going to include every moment where you did something illegal. You will tell him everything. When that's done, you'll eventually have to testify against Lucius."
"What will happen to us until then?" Narcissa asked.
"I'm not certain. I'll talk to the Minister after I'm done talking to you." Harry said. "Now, Narcissa, you are free to go. I would like to talk to your son for a moment before he goes back to his cell."
Again, Harry brought the Aurors in and Narcissa left the room. Harry could tell that she did not want to leave her son alone with Harry. But they both knew that she was in no position to debate Harry at the moment.
Once she was gone, Harry turned back to Draco.
"I'm going to make this brief. You are responsible for the death of Albus Dumbledore. Everyone will want you to spend the rest of your life in jail for that. I'm giving you a chance. You ruin it and I will not hesitate to kill you."
Before Draco had a chance to respond, Harry knocked on the door once more and had Draco removed from the room. Once both of the Malfoys were gone, Kingsley entered the room from the normal door.
"That was interesting." Kingsley said as he took a seat behind his desk. "They weren't lying."
"They weren't." Harry admitted as he sat across from the Minister. In that moment, Harry was suddenly exhausted.
"How much of your story have you left out, Harry?" Kingsley asked.
"Most of it."
"That's a problem." Kingsley sighed. "In order for the Malfoys to testify and in order for us to come up with some kind of deal for them, you are going to have to testify as well."
"I was already called to testify."
"Yes but you'll have to testify before the Wizengamot." Kingsley replied. "They need to know your story. Now, I can arrange to have it largely redacted due to security interests but the members of the Wizengamot are going to have to know your story."
"I know."
"You are willing to do that to get Narcissa and Draco Malfoy out of jail?"
"I'm willing to do that because I know I was going to have to do that anyway. If it means keeping people from a fate that they don't deserve, so be it."
"Speaking of the Malfoys, what kind of deal were you thinking for them?"
"I didn't think I would get a say in that."
"You don't." Kingsley said with a chuckle. "But you clearly had an agenda when you came in here today. You came after Lucius Malfoy hard. So, what do they get for giving up their family?"
"House arrest, first and foremost. Also, I think an agreement that they are not able to provide money or resources to anyone working for the Ministry. You know people won't like that we're giving them a deal."
"You mean Gawain and Meredith."
"I do."
"They'll survive." Kingsley replied. "I'm fine with that deal. We'll get the Wizengamot to charge Narcissa and Draco with a couple of crimes and fine them instead of throwing them in jail. It will not be a small amount of money but they'll be fine."
Harry smirked at the thought of Draco having to deal with being slightly less wealthy.
"You promise this deal goes through?"
"It's a done deal, Harry. I'll write it up myself. Gawain and Meredith won't be happy but they want Lucius Malfoy just about as bad as you do so they'll learn to live with it."
"No one wants Lucius Malfoy as bad as I do."
"That's unfortunately true."
Harry went home that night and ignored a curious Ginny as he climbed the stairs before he collapsed on his bed. Harry never imagined that he would have been able to ensure that Lucius Malfoy would spend the rest of his life in jail. With that taken care of, Harry felt like he could finally move on from Sirius and Dumbledore's deaths.
Now, if he could only decide what he was doing with his life.