A/N: Another chapter for you all. Only five more to go. I'm thinking I'll finish it up this weekend... What do you guys think? Thank you for the reviews and follows!
"What more do you have in regards to this?" she asked as she turned, but did not get up from the ground.
"Draco gave Harry the wand that Roberts used and he has a journal that belonged to his brother that Narcissa sent him," Hermione explained.
"How?" she asked.
"Draco sent it through our magical pockets right after he stunned him. As far as the journal goes, I'm unsure how Narcissa got it, but it clearly shows that what happened to his brother had nothing to do with the Malfoys," Harry replied.
She nodded. She reached for the floo powder and called out for the auror department. The auror that was handling Draco's case appeared. "Mister Potter has some more information for the case," she told him.
"Send it through," he said briskly.
Harry walked over. "I'd rather come through with it and give it to you. I would also like to speak with Evan Roberts and see Draco," he requested.
The auror looked up at him and bristled at his request. "You can't just demand these things just because you're Harry Potter," he replied heatedly.
"I'm not using my name to get something that I want. I'm simply requesting that I speak with Roberts and that I see Draco. I have just as much right as anyone else to ask the boy who injured me why he did it. Let me through, please," he requested again.
The auror sighed and looked behind him. "Very well, then. I'm sure the Minister will have my job if I don't allow this," he commented snidely. Harry growled as he stepped into the fireplace. He flooed over to the aurors office and tumbled out. He nearly lost his balance which would have been not good at all. Luckily, the auror was kind enough to steady him.
"Kingsley is not the type to take someone's job away from them just like that," Harry commented. He handed the auror Evan's wand, but he held on firmly to the journal. "I need this for when I talk to Roberts," he replied.
The auror sighed and left the office, leading the way to the holding cells in the Ministry. Several Ministry officials looked on in surprise as they watched Harry move through their department. They watched him curiously, wondering what he was doing there.
The auror arrived at Evan's holding cell. "Go into conference room one and I'll bring him to you," he said.
Harry nodded and he set off in the direction the auror had pointed. He sat down in the seat across from the seat he imagined the prisoner would sit at. There was a metal loop that looked as if it would hold shackles. Sure enough, when the auror brought Evan in, he attached him to the metal loop. He closed the door, but stayed in the room with them.
Evan looked up and met Harry's glare. His eyes widened in surprise. "Weren't expecting me to live?" Harry questioned.
Evan's eyes widened further and he shook his head fearfully. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice shaking.
"I wanted to show you something. You seem hard pressed to believe that Draco is at fault for whatever happened to your brother," Harry began.
Evan snarled at him. "You have no idea what you're talking about! My brother went unwillingly with them. He died because of them!" he cried.
Harry lifted his eyebrow. "How do you know he died?" he asked. He knew, based on Narcissa's comment about him that he probably had died.
"I was gone this week because they found him, what was left of him anyway," he seethed.
Harry frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that," he replied.
"I don't need your pity!" he yelled.
Harry sighed and stared at him for several moments. He opened the journal and turned it so that Evan could see it. He looked down and then jerked his head up in shock. He looked back down again and read the first entry. He looked up again, glaring at Harry. "How in the hell did you get this?" he demanded.
"It was left in the possession of someone who thought it might be pertinent to the case against you. It details everything that your brother did for the Death Eaters and Voldemort. Everything that he willingly did for them. He wanted to go with them and work with them. Do you want to know why your brother is dead?" Harry asked him.
Evans shook his head. Tears started sliding down his cheeks. "It was because of the Malfoys, I know it was."
Harry shook his head. He flipped through the journal and opened up to the last passage. He pushed it towards Evan who looked down and reluctantly read it. He shook his head in disbelief and he started to cry more. He hung his head.
"I screwed up. Merlin, I screwed up!" he wailed.
"You're damn right you screwed up," Harry muttered.
Evan looked up at him, looking completely shattered. "I had no idea that he went willingly or that he was going to try to pull one over on You-Know-Who. If I had just known this…." he trailed off, looking away from Harry.
"You wouldn't be facing attempted murder and know that an innocent man was sitting in Azkaban because he was defending me?" Harry replied.
Evan looked back over at him. "I thought that his father did all this. I thought he was to blame. I couldn't touch him so I went after his son. I should have just accepted that his father was in Azkaban and that he was serving time for his crimes. I just couldn't though. How was it fair that Malfoy was able to skip out on Azkaban because Harry Potter spoke for him at his trial and my brother was missing….dead…." he whispered the last part.
Harry sighed. He was starting to feel bad for Evan. "Look, I spoke up for Draco because he did save me from Voldemort when snatchers brought me and my friends to his house and gave me the wand that helped defeat Voldemort. I spoke up for his mother because she told Voldemort that I was dead when I wasn't. They were both a key to us winning the war. I couldn't have defeated him without their help. My feelings may have been different in relation to Draco then, but everything that I testified to was the truth. I did not use my name to get the man that I fell for out of Azkaban. I knew that I had information that would spare him and his mother. I wasn't going to let him go to prison without all the facts out there. That's exactly what I'm going to do now. Draco will not go to prison. The facts are right here in front of us. Your motive is right here," Harry paused as he tapped the journal with his good hand. "Your wand is in auror custody and they will see that you cast that curse on me. You are not going to get away with this, Roberts. However, I get where your anger is coming from and I hope that you will get the help you need to get through this," Harry continued.
Evan's eyes widened as Harry went along. "You're hoping that I go to Azkaban?" he asked quietly.
Harry shrugged which caused him to wince from the pain. "I hope that you get the help you need and the sentence you deserve. I understand you're angry, but you went about this all in a very wrong way. Your brother did this to himself. The Malfoys had nothing to do with it. All these truths will come out and Draco will get out of Azkaban," Harry replied.
Evan shook his head rapidly, tears coming to his eyes. "I'm only fifteen years old. I made a mistake. I know I need help, but Azkaban is not the answer. Potter, please, I'm sorry for all of this," he cried.
Harry stood and frowned at him. "I can see that. Good luck to you," he said. He walked around the table and left the room. The auror who had been in the room with them looked at Harry in surprise and respect. Harry walked past the holding cells and went into the waiting area. He could hear Evan sobbing as the auror took him back to his holding cell. A few minutes later, the auror came into the waiting room.
"Charge him with assault and get him grief counseling and probation. At least recommend it anyway," Harry said quietly.
The auror looked at him in surprise. "He tried to kill you," he reminded him.
Harry nodded. "The charm was a severing charm. It wasn't the killing curse. Evan needs help and he's right, Azkaban isn't the answer. I get where he's coming from. I understand his anger. I've felt that kind of anger before. The only difference, I never acted on it like this," he gestured to his arm. "Just pass it along to the Chief Warlock. Now, can I please see Draco?" he asked.
The auror nodded. He started in the direction of the lifts. Harry followed. People who were in the department watched him pass once again. They looked after him with pity. He wanted to glare at them. He didn't want their pity.
The auror arrived at the lift and pressed the button for the atrium. They went down to the atrium and instead of going towards the floos; they went in the direction that Harry hadn't been before. They came to a door and the auror walked through it. Harry frowned as he followed him.
When they stepped into the room and the door closed behind them, the auror walked over to a smaller room. Harry stopped and stared at him. The auror turned to give him a questioning look.
"What are you waiting for?" he asked.
"Where are we?" Harry questioned.
"This is an apparition point that leads directly to Azkaban. Each of these pods are designated for one place. This one happens to be the Azkaban pod," he explained.
Harry frowned, but stepped in. The auror put his arm out and Harry gripped it with his good hand. Soon they were apparating away. For some reason, apparating this way, wasn't nearly as awful as other ways that Harry had apparated before.
They arrived in a similar pod as the one at the Ministry. The auror stepped out and Harry immediately followed. It didn't take long for him to pick up on the despair of the place. The auror handed him a candy bar. "You'll need this," he told him.
Harry nodded, knowing perfectly well why he needed it. He followed the auror through several corridors, each darker than the last it seemed. Harry could hear people moaning in the cells that he passed. He cringed and worried his lip as he thought about Draco being in this place.
Finally, they arrived at a door and Harry followed the auror through this new door. This corridor was less haunting, but still, it wasn't a place that Harry would want to be and definitely not a place he wanted Draco to be.
The auror led Harry into a conference room. This one did not have a hook. Harry hoped that was promising. "Wait here and I will go and get him," he directed.
Harry heard the door close behind him. He had his back to the door as he took several deep breaths. It had only been a couple of days, but he couldn't wait to see Draco. He had to see with his own eyes that he was alright. His stomach was in knots as he began pacing the room. It seemed like it was taking forever for Draco to come in there.
A few minutes later, the door opened and Harry turned to see Draco walking in, the auror following behind him. Harry gasped as he looked at Draco. It seemed like he had been there for much longer than a couple of days. Draco looked up and his eyes filled with joy at seeing him. The auror watched as Draco rushed to Harry, pulling him into a hug, carefully avoiding his arm. Harry closed his eyes and smiled at having him in his arms again, or in this case, arm. The auror blushed as he picked up on the privacy of this moment. He stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
Draco kissed Harry deeply, relishing in the fact that he was actually there. "I'm so glad you're here," he whispered as he stepped back.
Harry looked up at him, his heart breaking. "Draco, I… you've aged so much…." That was all Harry could say as he looked at him.
Draco frowned. "I imagine that I do look a bit older. This damn place sucks the life out of you, dementors or not. I saw my father when I first got here and it looked like he had been here for years, not months. I seriously hope it's reversible because I am far too young to look old and I wouldn't want you to trade me in for a younger model," he replied.
Harry laughed and shook his head. He kissed Draco again, relieved that he still had his humor about him. "I wasn't really fully with it until I was released today, but I know I missed you. Are you alright?"
Draco shrugged. "I'm as well as I can be here. Clearly, this place has other things in mind for me, but I'm hoping I won't be here long enough to have any lasting effects," he replied.
Harry nodded. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the chocolate bar that the auror had given him. "It's not the best, I'm sure, but take this. Maybe it'll help you get through this ordeal easier," Harry said.
Draco smiled and took it gratefully. He patted his leg. "I have my pocket here. I managed some wandless magic when they put me into this horrid prison uniform. I've been worried about using it too much since I don't want to get in trouble. Maybe you can write me and send me more chocolate until I'm out of here," he said.
"I can do that," Harry agreed.
Draco smiled at him. It didn't quite meet his eyes which bothered Harry immensely. "Are you alright?" Draco asked after a moment, gesturing to Harry's arm.
"Not really, but it'll pass. I feel completely off balance right now, especially without you there. This is just an added bonus to our ridiculous life at this moment," Harry replied.
Draco laughed. He gestured to the chairs that were by the table. Harry sat and Draco pulled up his chair and sat as close to him as he comfortably could. "I'm so grateful that you're alive. Merlin, I was going crazy until I finally heard from Professor McGonagall that you were awake. It just made things so much worse about being here. I couldn't be there to make sure you woke up or that you were doing alright. I'm not there right now to help you with your recovery. Harry, I'm so sorry. I….." Draco trailed off, shaking his head. He closed his eyes and placed his head on Harry's shoulder. Harry wrapped his arm around him and held him as close as he could.
"It's not your fault. You did what you had to do to keep us safe. Roberts wouldn't have stopped. He would have kept going after us. We would have both died. The Wizengamot will see that. They have to. I've turned in Roberts's wand and the journal. I talked to him…." Harry trailed off, sounding sheepish at the end.
Draco lifted his head and looked at him. "You talked to him?" he said in a low voice.
Harry blushed. "I know I shouldn't have, but I had to show him that he made a big mistake. I had to make him see that he had nowhere to go and that he nearly ruined an innocent person's life. He's angry with himself and he's sorry for everything that he's done," he explained.
Draco snorted. "Yeah, well, I hope he rots in here," he seethed.
Harry shifted uncomfortably. Draco knew that tell. He narrowed his gaze at him. Harry looked away nervously. "You weren't there to hear him. I know the anger he was feeling. I felt it when Sirius died. I felt it when Dumbledore, Remus, Fred, Hedwig, and even Snape died. That anger that he's feeling of losing someone that you love and blaming someone, anyone for it because you don't recognize or even know that you didn't make them do what they did that killed them. I told the auror, the one that brought me here, that I only wanted him charged with assault and that he should get probation and receive counseling or something. He's only fifteen years old. I was that fifteen year old boy, only at fourteen when Sirius died. I understand his anger and his need for justice. I don't think I realized it until I talked to him today. I'm sure this makes you angry, but it doesn't feel right to send him to Azkaban when he was just reacting to an assumption. I'm fine and I'll live. You'll get out of Azkaban soon enough and it will be fine," he defended.
Draco stared at him in disbelief. He kept going between wanting to clock him for being too nice and wanting to snog him senseless for being so noble and understanding. He took a deep breath and chose to go with a more positive reaction. "I get where you're coming from and I understand. I just hope that he does answer in some way to his crimes because this is not okay, Harry. I don't belong here. I shouldn't be here and you shouldn't have your arm strapped to your body so it can heal. Roberts has to pay for this in some way," Draco countered.
Harry nodded. "I know and I believe he will. Just not as harshly," he replied.
The door opened and the auror stuck his head in. He looked apologetic. "I'm sorry, but your time is up for visiting," he said quietly.
Draco's face fell as did Harry's. They sighed and nodded. "Could we have just one more moment to say good-bye?" Harry asked.
The auror nodded and shut the door again. Harry turned to face Draco. The lighthearted attitude was gone and the obvious despair was settling in again. Harry brought his one hand up and cradled Draco's cheek. Draco looked up at him, eyes swimming with tears. "I'll see you sooner than you think," he whispered. He leaned forward and kissed him deeply, pouring all of his emotions into the kiss. Reminding Draco what was waiting for him once he got out.
They broke apart, forehead against forehead. "I love you, so much," Draco whispered.
"I love you, too," Harry replied. Draco kissed him once again. The door opened again. Harry and Draco stood. They hugged and then Draco walked over to the auror. He led Draco out and after a few minutes, he was back and leading Harry back the way they had come. Harry could feel the despair emanating throughout the prison. He wanted Draco out of there as soon as possible.