Desperate Measures

London: Ministry of Magic

"Mrs Malfoy, please have a seat, make yourself comfortable".

"What is the meaning of this?", she demanded. "Why have you brought me here, Mr. Runcorn, and on such short notice?"

"I'm hoping to clear up some loose ends, as it were. Your son, Draco, is still involved with that Mentor: Jadin Weston..."

"You know as well as I that they attend the same school. Jadin is helping him with his school work, and so far, I have no reasons to complain. He's done a wonderful job in getting Draco up to standards. As for that 'no contact' decree, I don't see how that's relevant as Draco didn't have the same involvement as Potter's friends. I can assure you: Draco wouldn't say anything that would compromise the Law of Secrecy, nor would he have any reason to do so".

"It was a bit of a shock, that Draco didn't return to Hogwarts to finish his education".

"What choice have we left? Draco will never have any standing worth considering. Certainly no position of any consequence here with the Ministry. Can you deny he would never be trusted in any position of consequence? If it's his decision to make a place for himself in a muggle career - mind you I didn't agree - how is that any concern of yours? show me where there are any rules and regulations against that".

"There are none, but given the Malfoy reputation of your family's pride in your blood status, and Lucius' pride in being on Hogwarts Board of Governors and on a first name basis with the Minister himself, you can appreciate how glaring the contradiction is".

"Time and circumstances change, and we have to adapt or die". Runcorn didn't realize this was an idea she'd gotten from Jadin.

"Maybe so, but there is also the question of multiple, sizable withdrawals from Gringott's..."

"That is none of your business!"

Narcissa wasn't worried about that as there was no love lost between wizards and goblins. Definitely not after the so-called "Goblin Revolt" of 1612 where both sides fought a bloody and self-destructive war to a stand-still. The wizards actually started the conflict when several attacked a goblin village. Rather than turn the murderers over to a Ministry they didn't trust, they tried them in their own courts. Found guilty as charged by a goblin jury, they suffered rough goblin justice to the great indignation of magi across Britain. From there, events spiraled out of control that ignited full blown war.

Neither side had any doubts but that genocide would have followed a victory. The hostilities came to an end with a peace treaty that stipulated that all financial institutions of Magical Britain would be under exclusive goblin management in perpetuity. Even today, relations between the goblin nation and the Wizarding Community were very fragile. She knew there was no way in hell the Ministry would ever see those bank records. First, the goblins prided themselves on keeping their clients' confidentialities, secondly, they had no desire to aid the hated Ministry beyond the bare minimum required by the law, and bank records were off-limits.

"You have been observed on multiple occasions going into Gringotts and not returning the way you came..."

"My family's business is none of your business!"

"Needless to say, we still have a situation on our hands where muggle children seem to be too much in the know concerning magical investigative techniques. Multiple attempts to fool them with Polyjuice have failed. They also seem to be able to detect Disillusionment Charms. Furthermore, there was an incident in a muggle office tower where magic was detected, and two of our aurors come back reporting nothing, the Imperious, I suspect. How could that happen? How is it that the Mentors and members of Dumbledore's Army were seen in the immediate vicinity?

"Then we have your withdrawals of obviously more than you care to carry through the streets. I can't help but wonder if there's a connection?"

"Why should there be?"

"Your husband's doing a well earned stretch in Azkaban".

"Are you insinuating that I have been bribing Ministry officials to get Lucius released?"

"The thought crossed my mind, and I'm satisfied you have made no such attempts. Still, I wonder how it is that you are making withdrawals..."

"I never said I was, and you know no such thing".

"Yet, you have been seen in the same vicinity as the Mentors, around the same office tower where unauthorized magic was performed by parties unknown, but highly suspected. I find that strange, don't you?"

"So what if I was, I come to London to conduct business occasionally. I don't recall ever seeing any of Potter's friends there".

"So you're claiming it was a coincidence?"

"That's what it must've been".

"I don't like coincidences".

"You can believe what you like. If you're convinced I did anything illegal, charge me. Let the Wizengammot decide. Then I can sue you for false arrest and malicious prosecution. I'm sure that settlement would help rebuild the Malfoy fortunes".

"What if I could guarantee Lucius an immediate release in exchange for a confession?"

"Not that I believe you can do that, but there's nothing to confess".

"I can see to it that this latest unfortunate embarrassment disappears from the pages of the Prophet for good. How does a full pardon and an apology from the Minister himself sound? Help me, help yourself".

"Am I being detained, or can I leave now?"

"You're excused... for now".

To say Runcorn was disappointed would be an understatement. He was sure Malfoy could be enticed to tell everything. The Malfoy reputation was well known within the halls of the Ministry. Lucius Malfoy was a glad hander, never reluctant to exchange galleons for respectability. The Malfoy wing of St Mungos was ample evidence of that. That "generous" donation was instrumental for calling off the heat after the Dark Lord's last rampage. Further sizable donations to Hogwarts and other wizarding interests had quelled speculation that Lucius had been one of Voldemort's Death Eaters.

Indeed, the Malfoys had become so respectable that the annual Yuletide Ball held every year at Malfoy Manor was a "must attend" event where anyone who was anyone, or an up and comer, came to see and be seen. What was either not known, or never mentioned even if it was, was that various shell corporations recycled most of those "generous" donations right back into the Malfoy vaults. This was done either via "switchbacks" where the consulting firm that was always suggested for managing those donations was also a Malfoy owned enterprise. Outright kick backs were also not out of the question. All of it skating on the thin edge of legality.

There had been talk of some sort of scandal that had chased the Malfoys out of France sometime in the late 18th century. That had ended starting during Prohibition in the US. starting with but one fast cigarette boat with an Unnoticeable Charm cast on it running rum from Cuba to Florida was the beginning of the Malfoy fortune after spending generations in Britain being "Weasley Poor". More boats were added to the expanding fleet as proceeds rolled in. Since then, respectability was everything to the Malfoy family, including the family's current head: Lucius Malfoy. What Runcorn didn't count on was that this assessment of the Malfoys didn't include Narcissa. He couldn't figure what had claimed her loyalty so completely.

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

Hogwarts

"What brings you to Hogwarts?", Headmaster Snape said with that characteristic drawl of his. That he spoke more slowly than usual betrayed his hidden anger. "Mr. Pot-ter is no longer with us, or didn't anyone bother to inform you?"

"I'll get straight to the point...", Runcorn began.

"I should hope so".

"I'd like to ask you some questions, if I may".

"I don't suppose I have much of a choice?"

Runcorn consulted his notes: "Several months ago, we interviewed Potter and his friends under Veritas. They denied knowing anything about these Mentors and what they were up to..."

"Then there is nothing to it. Don't you think this obsession has gone on long enough? If they said..."

"There's the question if they had the antidote".

"Aren't you reaching now? Where would they get such a rare - and might I add - illicit potion?"

"Where indeed. You are capable of brewing that particular potion, are you not?"

"Do you dare suggest..."

"Answer the question, Professor".

"Of course I have that level of expertise, and no: I have never brewed that potion. I have no reason to, as my position as Hogwarts Potions Professor and now Headmaster, pay quite well at no risk, either of the Auror Corps or the cut-throats one meets in Knockturn Alley".

"I wonder how true that is, Professor. I have been looking into your background: the trouble you had with James Potter and his Marauders, the subsequent break-up with Lily Evans..."

"How dare you..."

"I am legally empowered, that's how I dare. It seems to me that, given that failed relationship, you would be unusually sympathetic to Ms. Granger. Puts you in the same boat, so to speak".

"The Dark Lord murdered Lily. It's hardly the same".

"I think it is, unrequited love, forbidden love, I wonder..."

"Are you through throwing out baseless accusations? If you have a case, drag me off to Azkaban right now. If you do not, get out of my office and stop wasting my time. In case you hadn't noticed, I have a school to run".

Runcorn started to say something...

"Good day, Inspector Runcorn", Snape showed him the door.

London: Ministry of Magic

"I guess that's it?", Thinknesse said as he read Runcorn's latest reports. "We have nothing to take to the Minister".

"Sir, one more crack at the Malfoys..."

"I don't see what good that'll do. You came dangerously close to harassment with Snape. I expect the Wizengamot will be receiving a petition for a cease and desist order any day now. Severus would be well within his rights".

"I know there's something to this..."

"I don't doubt you, but we both heard the Minister: ten days to produce evidence, and that evidence is nowhere to be found. Face it: we lost this one".

"Let me have a talk with Draco".

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

"What is the meaning of this?!", an indignant Draco insisted. "Dragging me off the street in broad daylight!"

"Young man, watch that attitude", Runcorn threatened. "You are in no position to be making demands here, understand? Good. You are in a lot more trouble than you realize. You have willfully defied this Ministry's decree against further contact with the muggles known as the Digimon Mentors..."

"We cleared this up! I go to..."

"We know about your supposed studying with Jadin Weston. It's your contact with the rest of the Mentors we're discussing here. I also can't help wondering how it is that a pure blood, such as yourself and your father, come to be consorting with inferior muggle blood. Isn't it true the Malfoys don't tolerate - and I quote - 'mudbloods'?"

"We explained that too: what future do I have here now?"

"I'm sure the Malfoys will bounce back. They always have. Back to my point: Weston and his friends have already demonstrated that they know about Polyjuice and Dissillusionment Charms. There is only two possible sources: Granger or you. Which is it?"

"You know no such thing..."

"Don't presume to know what I do and don't know. I ask you once again: was it you who told Weston about magic, or was it Granger?"

"How the hell should I know? I haven't seen any signs Jadin knows about that. I haven't heard him mention Granger, or Potter and his cronies, or anything else regarding his activities at Hogwarts. I haven't heard him mention Impmon at all. It's been almost a year now, I'm sure he's gotten over it by now".

"Then it's Granger".

"Why don't you ask her?"

"We will, but now I'm asking you. Tell us what you know of the activities of the Mentors and the former Dumbledore's Army and you can help yourself. Your father gets out of Azkaban and you get your family fortune back".

"How? The Ministry just digs deep into its treasury, and reimburses us? The taxpayers aren't going to like that, and I don't see the Minister..."

"Think Draco: it would be a reward for doing your civic duty..."

"All this over this alleged secret relationship between Weston and Granger? You take me for a fool..."

"No, Draco, at least not so far. I know they're up to something that goes far beyond Granger's defiance of a decree. I want to know how serious this is. Help me, help yourself. If you know nothing, so be it: henceforth, you are to have no further contact with Weston, and you will remove yourself from his school..."

"That's not up to me. Mother registered me, and only she can change that".

"Either way, I must insist".

"So must I. This is ridiculous. I haven't spoken to Potter or any one else from Hogwarts since I left. All of them were Griffyndor and I a Slytherin..."

"I know all about that rivalry between Houses. It's been that way since long before you ever set foot in Hogwarts. You're not using that as an excuse".

"Then why don't you ask Granger? I have nothing to do with it".

"That's your final word?"

"My final word".

Runcorn wrote a note on pink paper, folded it into an airplane, and sent it to its destination. They waited for another auror bringing a glass on a silver tray.

"You can't do that!"

"I assure you I can. Anything you tell me won't be admissible before the Wizengamot, but we are going to get to the bottom of this. Draco, if you please?"

Draco made no move to take the glass filled with Veritas.

"If you insist on force, so be it".

Draco had no choice but to take the glass and gulp down the foul-tasting potion. Runcorn waited until Draco showed definite signs of being under the influence.

"Now, Draco, tell me your name?"

"Draco Abraxas Malfoy"

"Your mother's maiden name?"

"Narcissa Black"

"Are you attending Hogwarts?"

"No".

"Do you know who Jadin Weston is?"

"Yes".

"What have you told Jadin of the magical world?"

"Nothing".

Runcorn's eyebrows shot up: "Are you... certain?"

"Yes".

"Are you lying?"

"No".

"What has Granger told him?"

"Nothing I'm aware of".

"What do you make of this?", Runcorn asked the potions master who'd brought the Veritas. "Is it the antidote?"

The potions master made a brief scan: "It's not in his system. He's definitely under the influence of Veritas, and there is no possibility he's not telling us the truth".

"Confunded then? The Imperious?"

"Neither. I don't know what you're after here?"

"How can the boy defeat Veritas?"

"If he's been Obliviated, he would have no memories of what he's asked, and can truthfully say he knows nothing".

"I see... let him sleep it off, and get Narcissa back here ASAP".

Once again, Runcorn came up with nothing. Priori Incantatum revealed no Obliviation Spell cast from Narcissa's wand. Harry's untraceable wand struck again shortly after Narcissa's last visit to the Ministry.

Once again, Runcorn had been out foxed.