"I don't like my suit," Draco muttered softly as Narcissa ran her hands over his tiny shoulders, "it's too tight."

"No, it's not, Draco..." she insisted, now attempting to flatten his hair without having to gel it with any sort of product. "You're slouching... that's why it feels too tight. Stand up straight."

It was a little tedious to ask a three year old to stand straight, but it was the date of Lucius' trial, and she wanted Draco to seem more than presentable to the wizarding courts. He was being so fussy this morning, and she couldn't wait for Severus to arrive and simply put him in his place, which he could somehow pull off with a certain look she had yet to master.

"Is father going to come home today?" he asked slowly, playing with his fingers while trying to step out of her grasp, "He's been gone a long time."

"Yes, yes he has," she grumbled, irritated that he wouldn't sit still. "Draco, stop moving."

"But-"

"Draco."

"Sorry, mother."

She took pride in the fact Draco spoke so well, for a three year old, and she was sure Lucius could add it to the list of things he would love about his son. From the very beginning of Draco's talking, she wanted him to use full sentences, and get into reading as quickly as possible. There were so many brats out there who couldn't string together coherent sentences in the presence of an adult, and Narcissa found it completely disgusting that their parents hadn't taught them better.

"Mistress?"

Narcissa looked up from her son, her attention switching to Dobby, and she raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Master Snape is here... Should Dobby bring him up?"

"Yes," she snapped, noting Draco had already taken her distraction as an opportunity to run off and find some of his dragons. She glared at him as he untucked his white shirt from his small black trousers, and sat down on the floor to play.

"Good morning, Narcissa," Severus greeted when he finally made his entrance, robed in clearly his most expensive black garments for the trial, "I got here as early as I could... Last minute grading got in the way."

Narcissa smiled up at her friend, and then placed a chaste kiss on his cheek once he was close enough, "You're on time, Severus, not to worry... The trial doesn't start for another two hours anyway."

"Ah," he chuckled, fixing his cuffs absentmindedly. "So why am I here so early?"

"Well, I thought you could give me a hand with Draco," she admitted, running a hand through her hair, "I still need to fix myself up a little bit... and he refuses to sit still."

"Does he now?" Severus mused, shooting her son an amused glance, "Well, go get ready, Narcissa... I'll deal with him."

"Thank you, but don't do anything harsh."

"I never do."

She shot him a look; Severus would never admit to frightening Draco into doing something, but she was sure he had done it on more than one occasion.

After he assured her once again, she headed for the door, catching the start of his conversation with her little boy.

"Get up, Draco."

"Hello, Uncle-"

"Up... We need to fix your clothes."

"But they look fine-"

"Up, Draco!"

"Okay..." the boy grumbled softly, and when Narcissa peeked back into the room, she noticed Severus was kneeling down to tuck back in Draco's shirt, and her son had a rather annoyed scowl on his face. Smirking, she hurried off down the hall and up another short flight of stairs to her room. She had changed places with Draco several months ago, giving him the larger room on the second floor, while she traded for the small one on the third. Draco had more toys and such that cluttered up the floor, and she found herself feeling a little lonely in such a massive room, so the switch made sense. He didn't care about the reasons; Draco was thrilled to have the larger room.

She wasn't completely sure what to wear to the trial. In the end, she decided to go with something a smart, and chose a deep violet skirt, and dawned the matching jacket. It made her hair stand out tremendously, and she enjoyed the way it made her body look. Besides, Lucius needed something attractive to look at in the stands, because from what she had heard and seen, the Wizengamot weren't the most attractive looking folks in the wizarding world. Albus Dumbledore was the chief warlock, but according to Severus he usually didn't have time to make the trials anymore, considering he was Headmaster.

After pulling her blonde locks into a ponytail, she added some hasty make-up, and realized she wanted to get to the Ministry early in order to show her determination and loyalty for Lucius and his freedom. After slipping into a black pair of heels, she grabbed a cloak and made her way back down to Draco's room, grinning when she found him in tip-top order.

"You look so handsome, Draco," she praised, sending Severus a thankful look. "Wouldn't you like to dress like that all the time?"

"No."

"No, what?"

"No, mother," he muttered, his hands in his pockets.

Severus cocked an eyebrow, "Look a little happier, Draco... We are getting your father out of prison today... He'll want to see that you're in a good mood."

Draco forced a weak, somewhat sarcastic smile up at him, and Narcissa held in a snort that threatened to escape, "On that note, let's get going."

She picked up Draco for the apparation, which he had a brief cry over when they arrived at the Ministry. He generally found the process of vanishing and traveling quite disturbing, but Narcissa thought it was easier and cleaner than using the fireplace to get around. She comforted him softly, but quickly, hoping the people moving around her wouldn't notice he was crying. Severus handed her a tissue once he arrived seconds later, and she cleaned up Draco's face, smiling lovingly at him, "There we go... All better, right?"

He shifted awkwardly, "No."

"Oh, darling, you'll get used to it," she sighed, kissing his cheek and rising to her full height, taking his hand gently. "Now come along, and don't wander... There are a lot of people in the Ministry, and I don't want you getting lost."

"Yes, mother."

"I'll keep a close watch on him if we get separated," Severus muttered softly, touching her arm to reassure her, "but try to keep up... It's easy to get lost in here."

"I know, Severus."

Despite the fact she knew countless people who worked at the Ministry, Narcissa had never made a lengthy trip inside the building. In order to get inside, she had to go through a Muggle telephone device, in which Severus punched in the code 62442, and from that point on, everything was just a massive blur. They passed into the Visitors Directory, and had to be scanned by security. Severus had his wand checked by a rather burly looking wizard, and after some time, they were cleared to pass through. From that point on, they had to travel on another lift further underground, considering almost everything in the Ministry was beneath Earth's surface, and arrived at the Basement Level 2, the Wizengamot's headquarters. Despite the fact Draco whined about his ears popping painfully, things were going much smoother now that they were on the correct floor.

There weren't as many people in the area as Narcissa had expected, and Severus explained it was rare all fifty members would show up for the trials. Depending on who was being tried, they were lucky to even reach twenty members.

As she entered the courtroom, she hoisted Draco up and set him on her hip, not wanting him to get pulled away from her. The entire room was a large sphere, with different levels of risers going up along the wall. She saw the empty seating area Severus was marching toward, and assumed that was where the visitors sat. In the rings closer to the massive center, there were papers scattered around everywhere, and people were hastily scribbling things and copying words out of thick books. She hoped she wasn't all for Lucius' case, but she couldn't be sure yet.

There were some witches and wizards seated lazily around the hearers section of the rings, and Narcissa instantly noted the stick-up-his-arse Barty Crouch. She had only met him twice, but had never really taken a liking to the man. However, when he caught her gaze, she smiled politely and he nodded his head in acknowledgement. Hopefully Lucius had bribed him well.

"Now, this is for both of you," Severus muttered as the court started getting in order. "Do not say a word... We're not allowed to speak, and it'll only make things worse for Lucius if we do."

"Do you understand that, Draco?" she inquired softly, fixing his hair as more witches took their seats around Crouch, "We need to be silent, even when we see your father come out."

"Yes, mother."

"No talking."

"Yes, mother."

Hopefully Draco wouldn't suddenly get the urge to act rebellious once he spotted his father, since he had not seen him in almost a year. However, Narcissa was sure Severus was ready to cast a silencing charm on the boy if he needed to; his wand was loosely in his hand, for some reason.

"The Wizengamot will now hear the case of Lucius Malfoy," Crouch boomed, reading over a slip of paper. "He is charged on all accounts of being a servant to the Dark Lord, yet claims he was under the Imperius Curse."

Narcissa kept her face passive, though she wanted to smile; her husband was such a clever man. A large set of double doors were thrust open, and Narcissa's back straightened a little when she spotted two men escorting Lucius out into the center of the empty circle in the center of the room. He seemed a little cleaner, and she assumed they tried to make prisoners look a little presentable when they had a trial.

"He looks better than most do," Severus commented silently, exchanging looks with Narcissa. "I think he'll be fine."

"I hope so," she whispered, her hands folded together tightly on her lap as she watched the escorts strap Lucius into a wooden chair, "I really hope so."

"Lucius Malfoy," Crouch's voice rang, echoing over the dozens of quills scribbling by scribes to record the trial, "the Ministry of Magic charges you with affiliation to the former Dark Lord... How do you plead?"

"Not guilty," Lucius replied smoothly, not missing a beat as he spoke, "I was bewitched into doing his bidding."

Scattered voices broke out behind Crouch, some of protest, and others of sympathy. The man silenced them shortly after, and then continued, "Please explain that statement, Mr. Malfoy."

"I would go out at night, and find myself returning home delirious and unaware of what had happened," her husband explained, never faltering. "My wife can tell you I would be confused, and slightly forgetful of what I had done that night... She thought I was losing my mind."

There were a few laughs in the crowd, and Lucius nodded over to her, "You can ask her."

All eyes turned to Narcissa, and she shifted awkwardly under the pressure. Crouch cleared his throat, "Mr. Malfoy, we will not ask your wife anything... She had not been cleared as a witness, and therefore unreliable."

"Fair enough," Lucius mused, raising an eyebrow at him, "I can't say there are any other witnesses besides my wife, but you should know of my credibility, and the large donations I've made to the hospital and the Ministry. Do I seem like someone who would have the slightest interest in serving the Dark Lord? I see no gain from it."

"Is that all you have to say?"

"That sounded well-rehearsed," Severus noted, nodding over to Crouch, "I think it's sold him... Although it seems a little hurried, considering they kept him in prison for almost a year."

"Yes, that's all," Lucius replied, pointedly not looking at his family for some reason, "I have nothing left to say."

Narcissa bit her lip nervously as Crouch turned back to his jury officials, the volume of the room picking up slightly. Draco tapped her arm lightly, and she smiled at his, "Yes, darling?"

"Father looks angry."

She glanced up and noticed the scowl on her husband's face, and she mentally told him to keep his cool before returning her focus on her son, "Well, I suppose he just wants to come home, and I'm sure they'll let him."

"Okay."

Severus was reclined slightly on the wooden bench, his eyes on the judges near the opposite end of the room. He was incredibly focused, and Narcissa wondered whether or not he was trying to press into their minds. The craft was difficult from so far away, and required a strong connection, but Severus was getting so good at it, from what she last heard.

After almost ten minutes of bickering from the courtroom officials, Crouch returned to the stand, appearing to be somewhat tired, "We, the members of the Wizengamot, find Lucius Malfoy free of charges. His records are to be cleansed, and title of Death Eater will be removed... You are free to leave once you collect your belongings and sign some departure forms."

Narcissa released a soft sigh of relief, and she couldn't stop the large grin that spread across her face as Crouch banged his gauntlet down and called for the next case. Severus quickly rose to his feet and helped Narcissa up, Draco between them as he directed her to a side door, apparently where she would be meeting Lucius in a few moments.

Her stomach was knotting, turning, and flopping constantly as she stood in the room, a constant smile on her face. Her Lucius was finally coming home with her! Out of pure joy, she suddenly gave Severus a hug, apparently shocking him for a moment until she felt him pat her back awkwardly.

"So father is going to come home now?"

"Yes, Draco," she giggled, ruffling up his hair, "Isn't that wonderful?"

"Yes," he grinned, suddenly sounding a little shy. "Yes, mother."

After waiting for nearly twenty minutes, the door to the small reception area opened, and Lucius sauntered out, dressed in the clothes he had been wearing the night he was arrested all those days ago. The clothes seemed somewhat large on him, but that was completely understandable.

"Lucius!" she exclaimed, hurrying forward and basically throwing herself at him, her arms wrapped around his neck and body pressed tightly into his, "I knew you'd be out... Oh, gods, you have no idea how worried I was!"

"As much as I missed you, Cissa," he coughed, rubbing her back soothingly. "You... You're cutting off my air-"

"Oh," she gasped, loosening her grip, "I'm sorry..."

Taking a step back, she leaned up to give him a quick kiss, figuring she could wait until later to be the woman he truly wanted her to be. His eyes flickered up to Severus, and he smiled heartily, "Snape... I can't thank you enough for everything-"

"Don't think anything of it," Severus remarked, grinning at him as they shook hands, then embraced for a moment. "Narcissa wasn't difficult to look after."

"Thank you, Severus," she sneered, a smile still glued to her lips as she stared at her free Lucius. "Don't give yourself too much credit."

"I try, Narcissa, I try."

Lucius' focus finally turned onto his son, and he grinned as he looked him over, "Well hello there, young man... You seem to have grown up quite a bit since the last time I saw you."

"Hello, father," he muttered, shyly looking up at Lucius before taking a few steps toward him, and then giving his father a rather sharp kick to the knee.

"Draco!" Narcissa exclaimed, her eyes widening. Severus and Lucius too seemed to be shock for what to say.

Draco suddenly shouted, "You made mother cry! She cried almost every day... You're not allowed to come home until you say you're sorry!"

"Draco Malfoy, how dare you!" Narcissa hissed, despite the fact he was sticking up for her, "Watch yourself around your father-"

"No, he made you cry-"

"He didn't make me cry," Narcissa argued, avoiding Lucius' gaze, "the fact that he was gone made me cry... Now, apologize to your father."

Reluctantly, Draco mumbled out an apology. Lucius gazed down at him for a moment, then kneeled beside him, "I wouldn't have left, Draco, if I didn't need to... You need to realize that."

Draco looked intently down at his shoes, avoiding eye contact. With a rather annoyed huff, Lucius forced his chin up, "However, I am still your father, and you will respect me as such, is that understood?"

Draco nodded, then stepped out his grasp to stand by Narcissa, holding the hem of her skirt, as though searching for security. Even though Narcissa was ecstatic for Lucius to be out of prison, apparently someone in the Malfoy family wasn't.