Chapter Seventy-Four

A Gilded Prison

Ginny found herself being led out of her cell by Amelia Bones in no-mag cuffs which stopped her from using magic. She was probably going to be interviewed for the umpteenth (fourth) time. Ginny scowled – she had told them everything that they needed to know.

'Miss Weasley, Lord Flint has requested to house you for the duration of your pregnancy,' Bones said.

Ginny blinked as she found herself looking up at a very tall man who was probably older than her father. He had long, dark hair, which was probably dyed, deep brown eyes, tanned skin and was very well-built. He would have been quite to looker when he was young and honestly didn't look bad despite his age.

'Miss Weasley, if you would,' Flint said.

Flint took her arm and steered her to the atrium where she found herself suddenly being photographed by many journalists. Questions were fired at her and Flint which Flint sound ignored pulling her roughly to a fireplace. Flint carried her through the Floo so she couldn't even slip out of the wrong grate.

Ginny found herself in a room that would be nice, if it wasn't for the blatantly Slytherin colour scheme that Flint had going on. Ginny grimaced – of course he was a Slytherin, just not the Slytherin he wanted. He was probably a Death Eater.

'Is your son around?' asked Ginny.

'He is travelling the world,' Flint said simply.

'Oh, I thought he would be interested in his baby,' Ginny said.

Flint snorted, 'wrong Marcus Flint. I am the father. I am going to have you checked out by my personal Healer, and then you will go to your quarters and stay there. You are still a prisoner no matter if you are under my care for now. You do not have full run of my manor and if I find you anywhere, I have not given you permission to be I will find a way to further punish you. Do you understand?'

'You can't hurt me!' Ginny said indignantly. 'I'm carrying your baby.'

'There's more ways to make someone suffer than physical pain,' Flint said ominously.

Still Ginny was led up four flights of stairs past rich tapestries, opulent rooms and trinkets that probably cost more than the entirety of the Burrow. Then she found herself in a small room on the fourth floor which had probably once been quarters of the Flints human servants. It was a plain white room with sturdy old wooden floorboards.

There was a simple single iron cast bed with fresh bedding. There was a bedside table with a couple of books, chest of drawers and a dark green armchair. There was a small window overlooking the grounds which probably could have contained the whole of Ottery St. Catchpole. Attached to the room was a small porcelain bathroom with a couple of toiletries. Everything that Ginny would need never to be seen in the rest of the house which was clearly Flint's plan; to lock her up and keep her out of sight until the baby came.

There was another dark-skinned man with piercing black eyes already present. He was carrying a black bag so was likely the Healer Flint had called. Because of course Ginny was no more than a baby carrier to him.

'Ah, so this must be the girl,' the Healer said. 'I am Healer Whitehead, if you would take a seat.'

Ginny scowled at the two men and sat on the bed. Despite its plainness it was comfy and obviously the mattress and bedding were brand new. Flint may think of this as a punishment, but her room was smaller at home.

'How far along are you?' asked Whitehead.

'Six weeks,' Ginny said crossing her arms defensively.

'Any morning sickness?' asked Healer Whitehead.

Ginny scowled, 'a little.'

'I can prescribe her anti-emetics,' Whitehead said.

Flint nodded, 'if you would.'

'And how are you feeling?' asked Whitehead.

'How do you think I'm feeling?' snapped Ginny.

Her family had been arrested; she had been charged with line theft. She had found out that all of their plans had been for naught. She wasn't going to be next Lady or Regent Potter. No instead she was going to be executed and until that day she would be being imprisoned by someone who was obviously a Dark wizard.

'How are you feeling physically?' asked Whitehead.

'Tired,' Ginny replied.

'That is to be expected and is a good sign,' Whitehead said. 'Your baby is rapidly developing so is needing a lot of nutrients and energy from you.'

'Are you on any potions, or have you taken any potions over the last six weeks?' asked Whitehead.

Ginny scowled, 'I'm not an addict!'

'It is a standard question,' Whitehead said placatingly.

'Have you sustained any injuries that could affect the foetus?' asked Whitehead.

Ginny shook her head, 'no.'

'In the last six weeks have you performed any high-powered magic?' asked Whitehead.

'No,' Ginny said again.

'Has your diet or sleep schedule changed in the last six weeks?' asked Whitehead.

Ginny shrugged, 'I don't know.'

'Are there any hereditary illnesses in your family?' asked Whitehead.

Ginny frowned and then shrugged, 'I don't think so.'

Whitehead then performed his own medical check specifically in regard to her baby/

'Both babies seem to be progressing as normal,' Whitehead said.

'Both?' Ginny squeaked.

Just to make everything worse; she was pregnant with twins! The Prewetts had always had a tendency to produce one set of twins every generation. And everyone knew that they were a curse on the family. The fact that she was carrying twins was the worst news that she could get.

Flint, however, seemed pleased, 'twins. That is a good sign.'

'Yes, two boys,' Whitehead said. 'I will see you in four weeks. I'll send you the prescriptions. Floo me if there are any worries.'

'Thank you, Healer,' Flint nodded. 'I took the liberty of placing my late wife's old maternity clothes in the wardrobe. Roopy will be here to keep an eye on your and provide anything you might need.'

Roopy was a House-Elf dressed in a silver pinafore with a green crest with a silver speer and wand crossed over. Roopy had a large round brown eyes, pale skin and large ears that flapped whenever Roopy moved. It was wearing an excitable expression on its face as she exuberantly nodded to Flint's request.

And with that Flint swept out of the room leaving Ginny and the house elf alone in the small room. Ginny picked up the books which all looked to be dry history tomes that Ginny had no interest in. Ginny looked out at the large grounds all carefully tended so not a spot was out of place. It was beautiful.

Maybe Ginny could make this work. It may not be the number of estates that Slytherin had, but Flint was obviously rich and a lord – if Ginny married him, she would still be a Lady. And he was a widower; living in this big manor, on his own, he must be lonely. Maybe Ginny could help with that and as interested as Flint was in having more children – Ginny was young and would be fertile for many years to come. And if he forgave her, then surely the Ministry would have to drop the case against her!

Amelia Bones had just handed custody of the Weasley girl to Flint when a red interdepartmental memo flew to her. Amelia opened it and recognised Scrimgeour's writing on it. Maybe Snape had spilled the beans already as it said.

Madam Bones,

Come in interview room three, urgent.

Head Auror Rufus Scrimgeour'

Amelia frowned, what had Scrimgeour found out so quickly that he needed Amelia's presence. Usually, her Head Auror was more than able to handle anything that was thrown at him. Still Amelia made it quickly up from the cells to interview room three and when she entered it was obvious why she had been called. Snape was lying face down on the table, his hands still cuffed to the table.

'What happened?' demanded Amelia.

'I had just administered the veritserum when Master Snape began to fit,' explained Healer Coote. 'I administered the antidote immediately, but he was already deceased.'

Amelia closed her eyes, 'did you ask any questions?'

'Didn't get a chance to,' Scrimgeour said darkly.

Well, that ruled out an Unbreakable Vow being activated. A full investigation had to be done into how this could have happened. She would also have to suspend Coote, Scrimgeour and Tuckett for the duration of the investigation. That meant she would be down her Head Auror and Senior Healer at a time when she needed them most. She could also not risk interviewing anyone else under veritserum until she got to bottom of it.

'Right, you are suspended – on full pay – pending investigation,' ordered Bones. 'I'll take your testimonies now.'

'Yes, ma'am,' all three men said.

Amelia sent out a bunch of departmental memos. Firstly, to Perkins to not go ahead with interviewing the Weasley couple until they knew what had happened. One to Deputy Head Auror Gawain Robards who would have to take over as temporary Head Auror until the investigation had run its course. Another to Healer Eileen Finnigan who would have to take over as Senior Healer. The latter of which she requested to come to do Snape's post-mortem exam.

Amelia returned to the main office where the Three Chasers Case team were still working. Of course, interviews had been suspended. However, they were still trying to trace the gemstones and precious metals.

'Status update,' Amelia ordered.

'We have spent the last two hours looking into pawnbrokers and jewellers in the main alleys and villages,' Perkins said. 'Shacklebolt and Proudfoot are still out.'

'Ma'am,' Tonks said. 'I was wondering if it was possible that Dumbledore could have used a Muggle jeweller or pawnbroker. I mean it would be the last place we would think to look … and there's so many of them it would be far harder to trace.'

'Perkins, I want you to look into that theory,' Amelia said.

'If it is the case, I'll need more Aurors, and those experienced in working with Muggles,' Perkins said.

'How many will you need?' asked Amelia.

'At least twice as many as I have now,' Perkins said.

'I'll organise that,' Amelia said.

Four hours later and Healer Finnigan had called her down to the morgue. Amelia hoped that his would mean that they had answers about what had happened to Snape. Amelia knew that at this point the Weasley couple had already been arrested for about twenty-one hours. Arthur's lawyer was already complaining about the time that Arthur had been arrested without charge. They had just over a day to charge or release them, and the longer there were questions about using veritserum the more likely they were to walk.

So far there had been no luck on finding Albus Dumbledore, but if they had been using Muggle it would take a long time for Perkins' team to find them. Amelia knew that she had a far greater chance of getting Dumbledore's location out of the Weasleys. If it got close to the time of releasing or charging Amelia knew she would have to choose between using veritserum and risking their deaths or release them and risk them fleeing.

'Healer, what do you have for me?' Amelia demanded.

'Well, it was not a reaction to veritserum,' Healer Finnigan said.

'Then what was it?' demanded Amelia.

'Poison,' Finnigan said. 'I found high levels of snakeweed in his blood.'

'How the hell did he get poisoned?' demanded Amelia. 'He had been under arrest for ten hours!'

'Ah, that's what had me stumped,' Finnigan admitted. 'Until I found this-'

Finnigan opened the man's mouth but Amelia didn't know what she was looking at.

'Do you see that cracked tooth?'

'He was fitting – he could have cracked his own tooth,' Amelia said.

'Ah, I thought that as well until I tested the tooth which has the highest level of poison on it,' Finnigan said. 'It is a false tooth – made of ivory. I think he must have someone managed to hide a potion or a poison in it which was harmless as long as it wasn't in contact with him. Until he broke it.'

'So, he poisoned himself,' Amelia said.

What the hell was so important that Snape chose death over being forced to answer questions? Was it really all over loyalty to Dumbledore? And now they would never get their answers to their questions. Well, at least now Scrimgeour, Tuckett and Coote could come back without any mark on their records. And they could question the Weasley couple, although they would check that they didn't have any poison-teeth,

'Alright, finish up and release the body to the next of kin,' Amelia said.

'Yes, ma'am,' Finnigan said.

Arthur Weasley was in talks with his counsellor who was wearing a very grim look. Arthur closed his eyes, what could have happened now. Arthur hadn't been charged, yet, but he knew that it would only be a matter of time.

'Firstly, they should know that the Wizengamot have allowed the use of veritserum upon you and your wife. I have managed to request we be shown the questions beforehand,' Heap said. 'However, I will be unable to get rid of any questions, unless they are personal questions with no basis on any criminal activity.

'The second thing is that the DoMC has removed your son from your care owing to the damaging environment they believe he is placed in, and the fact that he was Obliviated when your wife was present. If you are released, I may be able to challenge that if you remove your wife from the premises as she is the major issue. But given the circumstances I cannot make any promises.'

'What about Ginny?' asked Arthur. 'You said that Ron had been taken from us. What about Ginny.'

'Your daughter has been charged with first class line-theft – I don't know what evidence they have, I am not Ginevra's legal counsel,' Heap said grimly. 'But given that she is now in the care of her victim then I would say that it is damning.'

Arthur paled at this. His daughter had committed first class line theft. He had suspected after the talk with Counsellor Heap, but to get confrontation was horrific. She was going to be Kissed, and it was all Dumbledore's fault. He must have put it into her head and enabled it. And now Ginny was living with You Know Who, and the thing was Arthur knew she would likely not be killed by the Dark Lord. For one there was no reason to – she would die soon enough, and he clearly wanted his grandchild alive.

'Do you know who her lawyer is?' asked Arthur.

'I don't,' admitted Heap. 'But I can find out for you. But let's move onto you; you worked it out yesterday and chose not to say anything. You will likely be charged with first class line-theft, after the fact. Our only stroke of good fortune is that you didn't know for sure so I might be able to get down to second class line-theft, after the fact which will carry a lifetime sentence, but you won't be subject to the Kiss.'

'What about Ginny?' asked Arthur dejectedly. 'What happens to her?'

Heap sighed, 'unless, she was physically or magically forced there is little chance she will escape without being kissed.'

Arthur closed his eyes not knowing whether to cry or rage.

'I should have protected her,' Arthur said.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ginny had been pacing the tiny room for the last few hours. She had tried to leave but the door didn't have a knob on this side and refused to budge when she pushed it. Besides with her wand confiscated she wouldn't be able to even undo a non-magical lock.

Lunch had been sent up with the annoying house-elf. She had requested to have lunch with Lord Flint but had been turned down. She had asked the house-elf to ask Lord Flint. Currently, it was looking like her plan would never get off the ground if Flint refused to so much as look at her.

She had just had that thought when the door opened revealing Lord Flint standing at the door. Ginny immediately stood up and smiled warm and flirtatiously at Lord Flint. She batted her eyelashes at the Flint Lord, hoping that he liked the dark red dress she had chosen. His dead wife was clearly not a fan of colours because her whole wardrobe seemed to be a mix of browns and blacks with only a few maroons and navy blues thrown in.

'Lord Flint,' Ginny fluttered her eyelashes. 'I'm so pleased to see you … I thought maybe we could-'

'I am only here to bring your legal counsel to see you, Miss Weasley,' Flint said looking at her like she was slug she had trodden on.

Ginny flushed, 'I don't have a counsellor, Lord Flint.'

'Well apparently your father has more foresight than you,' Flint said dryly.

Flint stepped aside revealing a small, thin, black man with curly dark grey hair. He was wearing clean, neat but very plain black robes that were clearly not tailored. Ginny was surprised that her father could afford even that much.

'Miss Weasley, I am Master Caesar Heap,' the old man said. 'Your father was concerned when he heard you had turned down legal counsel and requested me to see to your defence. Lord Flint, if you and your house-elf would give us some privacy.'

'Of course,' Flint said.

'Now girl your plan is not going to work!' Heap said.

'Plan, what plan?' Ginny said adopting an innocent look.

'So, you are not planning to seduce Lord Flint to get him to drop charges against you?' questioned Heap. 'It's not going to work he is a wealthy widower, and a Lord to boot. Do you really think you are the first gold digger to try and seduce his fortune out of him?'

Ginny flushed.

'Besides which, this is not a civil case – it is not Lord Flint who is building the case against you, it is the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. And even if he did manage to convince the DMLE to drop the charge of first-class line theft against yourself, you would still have attempted first class line theft against Heir Slytherin.

'Then what else am I going to do?' demanded Ginny. 'Just lay down and accept that I am going to be Kissed?'

'You dug your own grave, Miss Weasley,' snapped Heap. 'You wanted money and power so much that you were willing to do whatever it takes to do so!'

'Then why are you here?' asked Ginny.

'Because of your father,' Heap said simply. 'Your father worked it out and could have informed the Ministry of Magic, in exchange for not going down with you. But he chose you, over him, even now that he is about to be interviewed under veritserum all he worries about is you! He is a good man and best-case scenario he gets sentenced to Azkaban for the rest of his life! For his sake I will help you.'

'Then what are we going to do?' asked Ginny crossing her arms.

'Tell me everything,' Heap said.

'And you can't tell anyone, can you?' asked Ginny.

'No,' Heap said.

Ginny didn't know if it was fear or what Heap had said but she did tell the counsellor everything.

'Mmh,' Heap said finally. 'I think our only chance is to plea insanity via indoctrination. It will mean pinning the blame on your mother and Dumbledore and hope that they take mercy on you.'

'No,' Ginny said. 'I won't betray my family, or Dumbledore.'

'Then the only other way would be to confess to your crimes, apologise for your actions and pray for mercy,' Heap said.

'Would that work?' asked Ginny.

'Honestly, I doubt it,' Heap said. 'But it is your only choice.'

'Can't I explain why it was necessary to do what we did?' asked Ginny.

'That is not something I would recommend,' Heap said. 'If you try to do that – to admit everything you did and say you feel no regret for it then they will sentence you to the Kiss!'

'But you seem to think they will do so anyway,' Ginny said.

'I do,' agreed Heap.

'Then I will go out telling the truth about the threat we all face!' Ginny said.

Heap sighed, 'I don't condone in this course of action.'

Many miles away in a manor in the north of England a pair of black eyes flew open.