** Guys, I'm really sorry. I nearly scraped this, and truth be told, just Life happened. It's been busy, and I think my writing style has definitely changed. But, thank you to those who have hung in along the way, it means a lot to me. One more chapter is in the works, an epilogue, if you will. Thank you for your amazing patience with this project, and I wish you all the best!
Please note: I do not own any of these characters, and in fact, most of them belong to J.K. Rowling, so please, just enjoy. **
"What do you believe happened, Snape?" Fudge asked, still holding his wand in his hand.
"I cannot say. Although it might have been best if you had not stupefied them," Severus growled, bending on one knee to check the status of everyone unconscious.
"Well, who can be sure what they were up to? You cannot deny that they were standing over Dumbledore. Is he alright, by the way?"
Severus checked the old man's pulse. It was still beating strong.
"He will be all right… Or so I hope."
"What was young mister Malfoy doing here?"
"I'm assuming he was here with Miss Sinlar, although the reason is still questionable."
"Are you certain he was not the cause of Albus' present state?"
"I cannot be certain, but without their wands, I doubt them capable of the deed."
"Can you trust Malfoy?"
"Minister, I assure you that Draco has no inclination whatsoever to do something such as this."
"And the girl?"
"I'm still reserving judgment for her, but the thought is mutual for both."
Draco stirred. His eyes fluttered open, first resting on Snape, and then past him to harden his gaze on the Minister of Magic. With Snape's help, he sat up and managed to get to his feet. Taking a moment to adjust himself, he finally stood the tall and arrogant Malfoy that he had been brought up to be.
"Minister Fudge, I must ask you, was it necessary to render two unarmed students unconscious?" he drawled, his eyes narrowed.
Fudge glared back.
"Don't take an unkindly tone with me, boy. You do not know whom it is you address."
Draco took a step closer. Snape placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from getting too close to the minister.
"On the contrary. I know perfectly well whom I speak to. I speak to the incompetent Minister of Magic who has been foolishly and stupidly allowing Voldemort to terrorize the wizarding community."
"Why you insolent…" Fudge trailed off, his knuckles white under the grip of his wand.
A moments pause, and then it appeared as though Fudge's restraint broke. "You will be sorry! I will personally see to your death!"
"You can't kill me," Draco drawled, his upper lip curling with a sneer. "You only dream of killing me."
Fudge shuddered with outrage, his entire body quaking. "Why you spoiled little-"
"ENOUGH!" interrupted Snape's voice, as his hand tightened on Draco's shoulder. The two stopped and glared at Snape.
"The two of you must put aside your differences for the moment. There is no time for this meaningless endeavor which will most assuredly end in bloodshed." He leaned in and whispered in Draco's ear: "I'd rather not see the Minister go to the Hospital wing and you be sent to Azkaban. Is that clear?" Before Draco could answer, Snape straightened and turned to the Minister. "Minister Fudge, since you have kindly taken my wand, would you care to enervate Miss Sinlar and Albus?"
Fudge gave Draco a last narrowed look before pointing his wand at Chime and muttering the incantation.
Chime opened her eyes, trying to remember why it was that she had such an atrocious headache. It took a few moments, but hearing some scuffling behind caused the blurriness to fade and she turned to find Draco. "Draco? What happened?"
Draco's glaring look softened as he turned and focused on Chime.
"We found Dumbledore on the floor and went to see what had happened. While we were trying to see if he was all right, this pain in the arse stupefied us," he replied, jerking his thumb at Fudge.
"You could have been the culprits!" spluttered Fudge in his own defense.
Draco rolled his eyes.
"Right. I'm sure two students- one of whom is just barely grasping the concept of magic- managed to knock unconscious the great Headmaster of Hogwarts."
Fudge's glare hardened. "Watch your mouth, boy."
It was Snape's turn to roll his eyes. "Minister, I am sure it must be time to wake Dumbledore, no?"
"Oh. Right, then." Fudge turned his wand to the crumpled heap of Dumbledore and muttered 'enervate'.
Dumbledore opened his eyes and immediately sat up.
"Well that was interesting, wasn't it?" he said, picking himself up.
"Albus, what happened?" Snape demanded, trying to aid the old man in standing but only having his hands batted away.
Dumbledore's eyes glittered. "Well, there were two of them, though who they were leaves my mind in drawing blanks. They came up behind me whole I was my pensieve and-"
"HEADMASTER!" came a particularly shrill voice. "HEADMASTER!!!"
Snape rolled his eyes as Hermione Granger ran through the open doorway, all the while continuing her call.
After the fifth yell with no sign of stopping until someone answered her, Snape hissed at the brown haired girl: "Can this not wait, Miss Granger? Can you not see that now is not the time for one of your problems?"
"Now, now, Severus. It's quite alright. Let's hear her out," countered Dumbledore, staring at Hermione as she gasped for air. Snape's jaw snapped shut.
"Harry caught Peter Pettigrew and Bellatrix Lestrange."
Dumbledore stood and followed the girl through the doorway and out, leaving everyone else with the choice of following or staying.
Snape, for his own curiosity followed suit- Chime, Draco and Fudge right behind.
Arriving down in the dungeon area, they found a shield of sorts surrounding two small figures hiding under a cloak- the biggest no more than the size of a housecat.
Off to the side of the hall, just on the outside of the contained shield, sat Harry Potter with his back against the wall and Ronald Weasley, sprawled unconscious on the floor.
Harry attempted to stand up when he saw the oncoming group but could not seem to muster the energy. A hysterical Hermione ran to him, gave him a quick hug, and fell to her knees beside the red-head.
"Harry, my boy, what happened?" asked the headmaster, surveying the scene and finally resting his eyes on the raven haired boy.
Harry coughed and leaned farther back against the wall, as though an attempt to blend in with the shadows.
"I umm… saw on the map that Bellatrix and Peter Pettigrew were in the school…" Snape harrumphed at this and muttered something intelligible but sounding a bit like: 'I knew there was a blasted map!'
Harry continued: "So I followed them. They were running down the hallway in their real forms and Bellatrix seemed to be carrying a journal of sorts… I knew that even if Sirius was gone, I could still clear his name… and Pettigrew's caused too much trouble already, so… I tried to set up a shield to catch them, but Ron had a different spell, and he cast it before I could do mine, and he missed… so they knew we were there… And then they changed into their animagus forms… and I had to do something… So I put up some kind of shield. I don't really remember what spell I used."
Fudge took a step closer to the trio on the floor.
"Peter Pettigrew? Preposterous. Isn't he the man killed by Sirius Black years ago? Peter Pettigrew is dead and has been for many years. You shouldn't lie boy! What have done? Did you attack the Headmaster? Surely you don't think accusing a dead man is going to solve your problems? Your Godfather made short work of the chap."
Hermione stood up and marched to Fudge, her chin set out defiantly as she looked him in the eye.
"You idiot. Peter Pettigrew is not dead, nor has he ever been! You found his toe, not his finger, and he cut it off himself! He ratted out Harry's parents, and no thanks to your ministry protection, you've allowed the Dark Lord to rise again!"
Fudge narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to speak just as Harry threw a comment from the wall.
"You'd best watch out, Minister. She's not the best person to get angry… she has a mean right hook."
Fudge looked past the glaring girl in front of him to look back at the boy-who-lived. His expression looked thoughtful for a second and then smiled a thin smile. To the surprise and suspicion of everyone present, he said:
"Yes of course, Harry. Miss Granger must have the information rightly so. I will look into this."
As Dumbledore canceled the shield and immobilized Peter and Bellatrix in their pet forms- Peter being in the appropriate form of a rat and Bellatrix in an ebony black cat with razor sharp claws, Severus Snape gazed down at the still form of Ronald Weasley.
"Mister Potter… perhaps you could enlighten us as to why Mister Weasley is unconscious when there is no sign of dangerous spells being cast at each other?"
Harry smiled a weak smile.
"Because he ummm… ran into a wall. The moment after he cast the curse, he saw that Pettigrew and Lestrange knew we were there, and he tried to get away from one of the hexes, but when he did, he ran smack into a wall."
A small smile crept onto Snape's normally austere face. "I always thought that most of the Weasley's injuries were self-inflicted. Well, that's one world mystery solved… perhaps we ought to find out what the devil is going on around here."
Draco stepped up beside him. "Or we could attempt to figure out why Longbottom is such an idiot. That mystery has always plagued me."
Severus Snape raised an eyebrow to his student. Draco shrugged and fixed his attention to the still balls of fur on the floor. "So what are you going to do about these two?"
Snape glanced over at the headmaster, unsure which procedures the man would want to take with the two Death Eaters.
Albus Dumbledore looked down at them all and paused. "Mister Malfoy? Would you and Miss Sinlar kindly get Madame Pomfrey."
Chime's eyes widened and she looked to Harry. "Uh-oh… You're in for one scary treat… That lady's crazy!"
Harry shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time I've been in the infirmary. Somehow, I doubt it will be the last."
Snape and Draco snorted in derision. "Now that is a warranted notion."
Several minutes later, a harried looking Madame Pomfrey could be seen dragged by Chime and Draco, each other pulling on an arm. As Pomfrey arrived and looked at the scene, Dumbledore, the twinkle back in his eyes, smiled at her. "So glad you could join us so quickly, Poppy."
Pomfrey sighed and looked at Dumbledore. "Headmaster, the next time that you ask two students to come and fetch me, please make sure to remind them that I am human, and that I can walk on my own." That said, she walked over to have a look at Harry and Ron.
Dumbledore smiled. "Of course, mistress mediwitch… Now, how about we take this out of the hallway before more students happen upon us, hmm? Miss Granger, could you be so kind as to come to my office after you have seen Mister Weasley and Mister Potter settled in the Infirmary?"
Hermione nodded eagerly and began assisting Madame Pomfrey in collecting all of the wands and papers in the hall and levitating her friends down the hall.
Dumbledore waved his wand and a wisp of silvery light ejected from its tip and soared down the hallway and out of sight. Waving his wand again, he walked down the hallway, the two captives levitating behind him, followed by Draco, Chime, Snape and Fudge- who seemed to be having difficulties in choosing what to comment on.
As they arrived back at Dumbledore's office, he conjured up several more seats for everyone and gently sat in the one behind his desk, the levitating bodies of the Death Eaters settling on the floor in the corner of the room. He snapped his fingers and a tiny house elf appeared wearing a bright orange piece of cloth as a dress, and 2 baseball caps- one positioned normally, and one backwards. It's brown skin glowed in the dim lighting of the room. "Yesus, Masters Dumblydore, sir?"
"Fensom, we will all take a spot of tea, if you don't mind. And bring four more cups as I'm certain we will have more company shortly."
The houseelf nodded and popped out of sight.
Dumbledore turned to Chime and Draco. "Now, I would like to know everything that you know about tonight."
Chime and Draco exchanged looks and stepped forward, taking a seat in a large chair that easily sat both of them although they sat close anyway. Draco spoke first. "I kept a journal of all the deeds and plots that Voldemort came up with. I assumed my father didn't know about it… I guess I was wrong… I gave it to Chime for safekeeping… When I asked her to check on it tonight, we found her room ransacked. The journal was gone. We came to your office to talk to you about it, and we found you unconscious on the floor."
While Draco had been talking, Snape and Fudge had sat down in two of the other chairs, and the house-elf had arrived with a tea set, some extra cups, and two plates of biscuits. With a pop, it disappeared.
Dumbledore magically poured five cups of tea and levitated each one to a person in the room, using his wand to float the milk and sugar from person to person.
As the milk reached the last person, Hermione Granger tentatively poked her head through the doorway. Dumbledore looked at her, and everyone else turned their head.
"Ah! Please do come in Miss Granger. We have been waiting for you." Hermione slowly entered the room, unsure of herself under the gaze of so many wizards.
An extra chair appeared and as Hermione slowly sat on it, a cup of tea floated to her, milk and sugar not far behind.
"Now, Miss Granger, we are aware of what happened tonight, but I think that in order for the Minister and others present", at this Dumbledore inclined his head at Chime and Draco, "to understand, we need to start at the beginning. Could you explain the events that occurred during your third year?"
Hermione sat ramrod straight and stared at Dumbledore, her brown eyes wide. "Sir?"
Dumbledore settled a calm look on her. "We had a guest on the premises, did we not?"
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"That year there was a prisoner escape from Azkaban- the first of its kind- a feat performed by none other than Sirius Black. Can you confirm this?"
Hermione visibly gulped and her eyes flitted from Dumbledore to Minister Fudge and back again. "Well, yes sir, but-"
"Good. And did you not encounter him along with mister Potter and Weasley in the Shrieking shack?"
"Dumbledore! What kind of school have you been running here?!" cried Fudge. "Letting students be attacked by escaped villains and that Werewolf! I should have you removed!"
Dumbledore turned his old wizened face to the Minister and raised a white eyebrow. "Minister, if I may, there is a reason I bringing this up. I would like to clear the name of Sirius Black and need you to witness this testimony."
Fudge began to turn a shade of purple as he considered how he wanted to respond. "Very well, carry on. Let's hear it," he said at last, his voice a dull murmur to the obnoxious regular tone.
Hermione leaned back slightly and breathed out as though in relief. "Well, yes sir. At the Shrieking shack, Sirius Black was there. At first," and at this she stared hard at Fudge and then back at Dumbledore, "we thought he was there to kill Harry, but then, he stole a wand and made Ron's rat abandon its animal form and turn into Peter Pettigrew. You see, Pettigrew had been hiding out as a Weasley family pet until he could return to his real master, Voldemort." At the Dark Lord's name, the Minister Flinched. "We were going to turn him into the authorities, but then he got away, and so we couldn't clear Sirius's name. But now that Harry's caught him again, Sirius Black can be freed of all it all!"
Minister Fudge's hand was visibly beginning to shake as he listened to the story, and as Hermione ended her story, he put down his tea cup to stop the rattling of his cup on the Saucer.
"That is quite a lively story that you have woven, Miss Granger, but I fail to see how such a thing is possible when Sirius Black clearly killed Mister Pettigrew and all the authorities were able to find was his finger."
"It was his toe, Minister! Make Peter regain his human form! You'll see!" Hermione was off her chair, tea cup slamming onto the Headmaster's desk.
Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "Yes of course. Let us de-animagi our guests, shall we?" With that, he flicked his wand at the two petrified animagus in the corner and as the group watched, the two animals slowly stood on hind legs and began to grow, shedding fur and animal characteristics until both were fully human. Not a second passed when Bellatrix charged at Chime, where she could see a wand poking from the girl's pocket. However, before she could grab it, Snape and Dumbledore stupefied her until she flew off her feet and back to the corner where Peter Pettigrew remained, rat-like teeth and hands in a rat paw position in front of him. Dumbledore quickly cast a shield charm that looked as though it might emit an electric shock to those who touched it.
"There now, Minister. If I'm not mistaken, that looks very much like Peter Pettigrew."
A layer of sweat appeared on the Minister's brow, reaching all the way up to his hairline. No words came from his mouth but his eyes swiveled from Dumbledore to everyone in the room, growing wider until finally, he squeaked: "Why yes, I do believe you're right. Certainly, certainly, I will have my men come in and they will perform the proper tests and we will get to the bottom of this."
Dumbledore nodded slowly, a cup of tea still in his one hand. "Yes, of course, I'm sure we will. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of asking Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alistaire Moodie to assist you in transporting these two to Azkaban. I'm sure you remember all of the charges that Bellatrix has been charged with. I'm sure you'll agree that its best if we have extra protection for you. We can't have her escaping and harming the children."
"Yes… of course… the children…"
"Speaking of children, it is time to send these children to their rooms. The rest of the students have been restricted to their houses. Children, thank you for speaking with us." As Hermione, Chime and Draco took that as their cue to stand up and leave, Dumbledore looked to Draco and held up the journal. "Draco, my boy, would you mind if I held onto this for safekeeping?"
Draco shook his head and mumbled: "No, headmaster." And with that, the 3 students took their leave, splitting into two different directions as Hermione returned to Gryffindor Tower and Draco and Chime slowly plodded their way back to their private quarters. After entering the set of rooms, Chime went to the couch in front of the fireplace and slowly sank into its deliciously comfy cushions.
Draco went into his rooms and came out a moment later, a blue fur ball nestled in the crook of his arm. Without a word, he held out the sleeping kitten and placed Twiglefix onto Chime's lap. The cat stretched and pawed at Chime's arm, and as she reached to scratch the feline between the ears, Draco settled at the other end of the couch, sitting at an angle to watch her.
Several moments passed until Chime couldn't take the silence anymore. Throwing her head back, she avoided looking at Draco.
"Is it always like this?"
The corner of Draco's mouth twitched. "Like what?"
"Danger? Craziness?"
Draco laughed. "You've no idea what's happened in the world. If you think this is crazy and complete lunacy, then I almost wish that you've come to my house sometime during the summer months. THEN, things are rubbish. Welcome to the magical world."
Chime grimanced. "Why do you do that? I don't like to be talked down to, you know."
The smile disappeared from Draco's face. "I wasn-"
As Chime stood up, Twiglefix fell off her lap and onto the couch cushion beside her. "And why do you keep leading me on?! I'm not some floozy, you know."
"What's a Flo-"
"And another thing! Why the sudden change of heart about me? Huh? I'm still human! I'm still this... Muggle... girl that you first met and-"
Draco stood up so suddenly that Chime's mouth snapped shut and as he grabbed her shoulders, her eyes popped wide.
"I know! Alright?! I know. Blimey, you've no subtlety in you, do you? I thought you understood what I was going through. I thought..."
"You thought I understood?" Chime whispered. "Why would you think that?"
"I don't know... I just thought...you were pretty, and you listened to me when I talked, and you were nothing like what my parents always raised me to know you as. And my Father is gone, in Azkaban, out of my life for now, and my Mother is dead," he slid a hand through his hair, "and I know you wouldn't understand what it's like to be nearly orphaned, or to have my life, but you were there, and you didn't judge me despite how I-"
Chime wrapped her hands behind his neck and pressed her lips to his, which was an awkward position because his mouth had been open and mid sentence when she had decided to kiss him. After a few slips and sloppy motions, they fell into a locked position, lips over lips, until Chime finally broke away. They stared at each other breathing heavily until Chime gestured for them to sit on the couch. Draco sat down on the edge of the couch cushion, and Chime sat rigidly, angled towards him.
"I'm sorry. You weren't actually talking down to me, it just feels that way sometimes. And… what's between us is… I know your parents are- were- never like mine, but I do understand being left alone, with no one except one person… or cat… to make things feel like home. You're a great guy, though I really don't know much about you. But… I guess I'd like to try… if you're willing to go slow. I've never really had someone interested in me before, and, if I've kinda mucked things up around here so far…"
"There's been a lot of distractions…"
"Yes, thanks, that's right."
"I'd like to take it slow…"
"Good… Well, then that's one thing settled." Draco leaned back into the couch and Chime took that as her cue to do the same. They sat awkwardly for a moment or two until Draco did a fake yawn and stretched his arm over her head and settled it across the back of the couch and her shoulders. She looked at him with a smirk. "Its funny how all boys somehow know to do the same move on a girl, magic world or not."
"Move? It's not a move."
"Trust me, you're better off telling me how pretty I am."