A/N: So this one is just a bit longer... Enjoy! :)
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"I was just leaving when the incident occurred." Williamson said. "I had just finished an interrogation session with Muldoon, and they were taking him to dinner around six. I stayed until nine doing case work, figuring if I had any other questions, he was right there. Well, when I was leaving they found him."
"How did this happen?" Hermione asked, looking at Williamson from behind her desk. Her office was lit, but with minimal light. "No wands are allowed in Azkaban, I created that law."
"A metal filing." Williamson said. "Looks to be form a broken spoon."
Hermione nodded. "See that the prison does a proper inventory after all meals, and random searches of all cells. Increase the number of on duty guards." She looked at Seamus who nodded and made a note on in his journal, then once more to those seated before her. "Now, do we tell Scorpius Malfoy?"
Albus glanced from his aunt to his father, who was seated next to him. Harry remained tight-lipped as he also listened.
"I don't think we need to worry him" Urquhart said sitting just to the right and in front of Albus. "It's not like he escaped."
"He killed two guards." Seamus Finnegan said, almost indignantly. "Malfoy has a right to-"
"But he never escaped Azkaban." Urquhart interjected, looking at Finnegan who was just to his left. "In fact Muldoon didn't even attempt to escape. I've prosecuted people for fifteen years, I've seen this before, Muldoon stayed put for a reason. He wants press attention, which he has been denied. His trial was to begin today, but obviously under the circumstances it will not and I'm sure it would make a nice little story in the Prophet or the Post. We've been keeping a tight lid on him for a long time, I think we can manage a bit longer or perhaps indefinitely."
Hermione leaned forward. "Are you saying that we conduct the trial secretly? Capital crimes must be heard in front of a full panel, and I doubt they would keep this quite. Padma?"
Albus looked to at Padma Thomas, Leo's mother and the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. "I am skeptical that a randomly drawn panel of members would remain silent, but I agree with Christopher. We have kept this silent for over a year. Shacklebolt did a good job by only informing the right people. If we select members of the court who can be trusted to keep their silence on the matter, I see no reason why a that panel of judges would be an issue."
"That's fine, but make sure to keep them ill-informed until the case is given to them, I want a fair trial, not some stunt Fudge would pull." Hermione said looking from Urquhart to Padma.
"Again." Urquhart interjected. "I see no reason to inform Malfoy. It would only cause him fear and anxiety, which does no one any good."
"He's an Auror. I know he's faced far more deadly situation than being informed of a murder. Its not like were just letting children starve and people roam aimlessly in the streets. I guess two of my men being murdered means just slightly more than that, then again we aren't even allowed to tell the families who did it, are we?" Seamus cut across, giving Albus the distinct impression that Urquhart and Finnegan held some strong disagreements.
"Now see here, Finnegan! This is my department. There is no need to bring up economic forces out of the control of the law enforcement-"
Seamus cut Urquhart off. "Those men worked in my office, and instead of shoving your hands in your pockets and saying "gee... someone ought to do something about all the people left in the street, going hungry", you might actually get off of your ass and work with the Minister on the problem instead of stone-walling her like a blasted-"
"That is quite enough!" Hermione looking between the men angrily, before looking at Harry with a softening expression "Harry?" Albus looked at his father as well.
Harry took a deep breath. "I've been in such a situation where those above me knew things that, while they don't directly affect me, do have an affect on my view of a situation. I can tell you that keeping things form someone, especially as bright as Malfoy, is probably not a good strategy. Muldoon's threat isn't a bluff. He killed two guards in one of the most secure prisons of our world. If we keep this form Scorpius, and he finds out about it later, he may feel betrayed. However, this decision really isn't up to me, is it Minister?"
The look his father gave his aunt was one Albus had seen many times. It was his father's way of saying something without having to actually speak of it, and when Hermione gave him a nod, Albus knew what ever it was had gotten across to her.
"Alright, thank you." Hermione said to the room. "Harry, would you mind staying a moment?"
With that everyone stood, making their way through the door into the outer office. Seamus, walked off with Padma, his sister-in-law, red faced and angry. Williamson gave Albus a pat on the shoulder, "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Albus, walk with me?" Urquhart asked coming up next to him.
They entered the lift in silence, Urquhart pressed the Atrium button. "Sorry about the tempers in there."
"What was that all about?" Albus asked as the lift began to move. "I know there's a growing problem with homelessness, but are you stalling Aunt-, the Minister, on a solution?"
Urquhart pursed his lips and tilted his head slightly, before looking back at Albus. "No, not stalling, but delaying, yes." Albus' confusion must have been evident on his face when Urquhart continued. "You see, there are economic forces at play. We've been on an upturn for the previous decades since the last war, but things took a turn last year. People realized that Shacklebolt wasn't able to quite handle it, so he announced he would resign and called for an election. Your aunt ran on ending the poverty that's spread, but governing that way is rather complex."
Albus nodded. "How so?" He'd known Seamus since he was born, in fact he had been 'Uncle Seamus' until he started working as an Auror, and Seamus was Head of the Law Enforcement Patrol Office. Albus had never known Seamus to be angry with someone for the wrong reasons.
The lift stopped and the doors opened. Urquhart continued as they began to walk across the Atrium "Well, for one thing, huge welfare programs would be too much of a burden on the Ministry budget, something Finnegan knows but doesn't care all that much about. What Finnegan doesn't know is that I'm working with several wealthy witches and wizards to organize these programs so they are mostly privately funded. You're parents even."
"Wouldn't it just be easier to have them hire these people?" Albus asked.
"You would think, but take on too many people and instead of forty people out of a job its a hundred when the factory has to close. But I'm not the Minister's economic adviser, I'm just trying to get help to these people." There was some sort of a commotion just ahead and Urquhart stopped talking. "What the-"
Both Albus and Urquhart made there way toward the noise, which sounded like a person, a man, yelling incoherently.
"I'm sorry Mr. Finnegan, he doesn't seem to be listening, if you would please just stay back for your own safety, sir." A Ministry Patrol Office said to his boss, who stood and back away slowly, from what Albus could make out through the small crowd of people.
"You can't treat him like this, he's not some animal!" Finnegan demanded. "As your boss I'm ordering you to-" He stopped when Urquhart appeared.
"What's going on here?" Urquhart asked, stepping right up to the Officer, Albus right behind him.
"Like I was just trying to tell Mr. Finnegan, this man tried to enter the Ministry and when we wouldn't allow him to, he well, he started yelling and removing his clothes." The Officer said.
Before Albus was a tattered, dirty man with unkempt hair. His hands were cuffed behind him to a closed Floo grate with his pants to his ankles and his shirt unbuttoned, screaming about something, but the words made little sense. Albus turned and looked at Seamus, who had a look of complete frustration.
"May I speak to him?" Urquhart asked the Officer.
"I've taken his wand, but he's still thrashing, be careful." The Officer replied, still trying to disperse the crowd.
Urquhart placed his briefcase on the highly polished wood floor, adjusted his coat, and squatted down on one knee before the man, still screaming. "Nobody can hear you." The man stopped screaming and looked directly him. "Nobody cares about you." Urquhart spoke in a cool voice, that sent a chill running down Albus' spine. "Nothing will come of this."
The man's face fell, his eyes looking at Urquhart, but not seeing. Utter hopelessness had replaced his anger. Seamus shook his head, his face angry.
Standing, Urquhart spoke. "Give him a coat, cover him up or something. It's cold outside." with that he was gone.
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Scorpius tossed and turned on the now enlarged bed of his room, staring at the light gray walls. Rose's desk and files had been moved back into her office at Gringotts. Scorpius his parents send his dresser, full of his clothes and put it in it's place. There were now several Slytherin House and Quidditch banners hanging around the room, and a Falcons banner for good measure.
The window overlooked a small side street and the building across it. The blue colored curtains billowed in the light breeze from the cracked opened window. The room wasn't very large, still it was about the same size as the one he'd lived in for the last twenty-one years. Plus it had a small walk-in closet, so Scorpius was happy with it. Not to mention that it was his, he was paying rent for it.
Maybe she would let him stay once this was over? Since the kiss yesterday night, Scorpius had been fairly confused. That's not to say they weren't getting along much better since she had told him it was over with Jack, but rather that he didn't know what the kiss meant. "It was just a friendly thank you." He would say to himself over and over, but it didn't stop him from wishing it was more than that.
With a deep breath Scorpius closed his eyes, and in minutes he was fast asleep
Four years ago
"Wait up Rose!" Scorpius called down the deserted corridor, half yelling, half whispering.
Ahead a laughing Rose ran and suddenly made a right turn at a suit of armor.
"Rose?" Scorpius whispered, though quite loudly. He stopped running an started to walk, his wand held by his side in the dim corridor. Just to the left of the suit of armor was a classroom, the door ajar.
The room was almost pitch-black except for the low moonlight that outlined the desks. "Lumos" Scorpius said and the light of his wand shown across the room.
"Boo!" Rose said, grabbing him and causing his heart to skip like it did when ever she was around. "You should see the look on your face." She said giggling, still with her arms around him.
Scorpius was suddenly warm, his body hot from where she was touching him, hugging him. "You know, I never thought you'd be such a trouble maker. We should have started hanging out a long time ago." He quipped with a smile, growing nervous, not wanting her to see his face in case she read what he was feeling, he looked away. His arms still loose by his sides, hanging over hers slightly. His wand light went out.
"Well that's what happens when you don't have friends who aren't in Slytherin. It's one of the reasons I thought we should do patrols together, being heads and all from different houses." Rose replied, tightening the hug a bit.
Scorpius nodded and felt her rub her thumb against his back. Gathering his nerve he chanced a glance at her. In the light form the hall that was flooding into the class room he could make out her face. She had a light smile on her lips, and as she looked at him their eyes connected. Slowly he brought his arms around Rose, it wasn't something he had to think about, but rather something he did naturally as he grew more confident. He could still feel her thumb rubbing his back.
"But that's just one of the reasons." Rose spoke in a low, clear, and deliberate tone. "This is the other." She leaned up toward him, in a second her lips were on his.
Sitting straight up, Scorpius opened his eyes. His breathing was heavy, he was in a light sweat, and his boxers were uncomfortable. Catching his breath, he rubbed his face before staring at the wall in front of him. Slowly his fingers ran across his jaw, coming to his lips which he realized were in the shape of a smile.
He lay back onto the bed, his head resting on the pillow. He could see the sunlight creeping through the curtains. Scorpius looked at the clock on the night table, it was just after seven and Rose had work at Eight-thirty. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, causing Scorpius to sit bolt upright once more.
"C-come in." Scorpius said, and Rose opened the door. She was in shorts and his old olive colored hoodie, which made him smile.
"Al's here and he wants to talk to you." She was trying not to look at Scorpius, but kept glancing at him. "He's in the living room."
"Thanks Rosie." He hadn't meant to use her nickname. She looked at him with a brief smile and closed the door.
Grabbing a tank top and pulling it over his head he looked around for his sweat pants, finding them in front of his closet he pulled them on. With a quick look in the mirror hanging on the closet door he mussed his bed hair, making it stand up in the front.
Opening the bedroom door, Scorpius stepped out of the room. He could here Albus and Rose talking. "Morning Al." He said down the hall.
"Morning, mate." Albus replied then continued to his conversation.
After a quick rinse with some mouthwash in the loo, Scorpius entered the living room. "Morning." He said to both Rose and Albus. Rose was sitting in one of the arm chairs and Albus on the couch. He noticed that Al's face was a bit pale, and he had bags under his eyes. "Rough night?"
Albus shook his head. "No, just a long one. Had a man enter the Atrium who was stopped by a couple Officers. He hadn't done anything wrong, he was just dirty, homeless and he looked it. The man is just trying to tell them he wants to check the Employment Office to see if they can help him. These two Officers tell him he needs to leave, and when he tried to explain all he wanted was to talk to someone about getting some assistance, they grab him an cuff him to a closed grate."
Scorpius looked at Albus in disbelief. "You're not serious?" He then glanced at Rose, who had apparently already heard this.
"Yeah, and it gets worse. Finnegan is trying to help the man, but by this time the bloke has just lost it, tired, angry, hungry, he didn't know what to do. He was just screaming. I'm walking to the apparition point with Urquhart and when we get there Urquhart steps in. He leans down right in front of the poor bloke and tells him, and I quote, 'Nobody can hear you. Nobody cares about you. Nothing will come of this.' Then tells the Officers to cover him up or something, because it's cold out and Urquhart just leaves. He was just going to throw the man back onto the streets." Albus shook his head. "He was basically telling me that it was difficult to help the poor on the lift down too. He doesn't give a damn about it." Albus swore under his breath.
"So what happened to the bloke?" Scorpius asked.
"I told the Officers I was writing an official complaint, and Finnegan suspended them on the spot. Then I took the the poor guy to my desk upstairs and we just talked for most of the night. I had him use the gym shower and gave him some new clothes before I walked him to the Employment Office. Then I came right over here." Albus said looking from Scorpius to Rose.
"Why though?" Scorpius asked. "I mean you were up all night, I'd want to go home an sleep. Not that I'm unhappy to see you."
"Yeah, well you wont be, not after what I was told when Dad entered the office, before I walked the guy to Employment." Albus retorted angrily.
"And that would be?" Scorpius asked smiling, sitting on the arm of Rose's chair, he wanted to be next to her.
"That I'm not supposed to inform you Muldoon killed two guards on Halloween. I am also not supposed to tell you that his trial has been pushed back, nor am I supposed to have understood my father to mean that I should tell you." Albus said. "Urquhart is a problem mate, and for some reason he's got Aunt Hermione's ear and he got her to try and keep it from you."
Rose made a sound. "She never misses an opportunity."
Albus cut her off. "You're wrong. She just didn't want to worry Scor, but I think Urquhart's up to something. He and Finnegan were going at it pretty good."
Rose crossed her arms, not speaking while Scorpius just sat stunned. "He killed two guards? But wands..."
"It was with a metal filing that we think came form a prison spoon. Only, we had them do an inventory and they aren't missing any silverware and no one has brought a wand past the front desk." Albus replied.
"Huh..." Scorpius said a bit shocked. "He's- I mean he- What's his-" He was having trouble coming up with what to say.
"Look I just thought I should tell you. Williamson was there, and he personally made sure Muldoon was secured." Albus ran a hand through his hair and stretched with a yawn. "Don't worry about anything. We'll handle it."
"Not when you're that tired." Rose pointed out.
Scorpius nodded. "Mate, go home, sleep, eat."
"Yeah." Albus said standing, making his way to the door. "Anyway, after last night. I thought you deserved to know and Urquhart deserved some disappointment."
"Well thanks. I appreciate it." Scorpius gave Albus a pat on the back. "Now go get some sleep."
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A/N: Until next week! Please Review!