Chapter 4
"I'll talk to you later, Parvati. I have to go make dinner before Michael comes home."
"Oh alright. But next time, Padma, don't wait so long to floo. Honestly, just because you're married doesn't mean you can't gossip anymore," Parvati said with a smile.
Padma took her head from of the fire and laughed to herself. "It's been five years and she's still acting like she's at school. When will she grow up?"
She walked by the window next to the front door and looked out. She saw someone walking up the steps to the front door. Their face was covered by their cloak.
It's a bit early for Michael to be home. Maybe he got the rest of the day off.
She opened the door and waited for him to reach it. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you, darling, but why are you home so early?"
The hooded person looked up. Padma gasped when she saw who it was.
"You! What do you want? Why are you here?" she asked, not really sure if she wanted to answer.
He pushed her out of the way with such force that she fell to the ground just inside the door. He came in and slammed the door shut. He looked very disheveled. His nearly white hair was tussled on his head and his robes were worn and dirty.
She started to cry. "W-why are you doing this?"
"W-we must all obey our master," he said looking nervously over his shoulder as if afraid someone would come through the door at any moment.
"S-so it's t-true then isn't it? You're a death eater. Just like your father."
He drew his wand with a shaking hand and pointed it at a shaking and crying Padma. "No, please," she pleaded once more.
"We must all obey our master," he said once more. "Avada Kedavra!"
He looked down at her limp form before apparating with a loud crack.
A mere fifteen minutes later…she was found by Michael.
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What a difference a good nights sleep makes. Although, I could have done without that one dream of Malfoy getting the kiss from the dementors.
I climbed groggily out of bed and pulled on my robe. My head was still spinning with the information I had learned yesterday form Harry and Ron.
Were they so busy that they couldn't have told me sooner? Well, they were in Japan, and before that Australia, then before that the States.
It definitely was a full time job being an auror. But how they survive without a cup of coffee every morning I'll never know.
But it had finally happened…Snape had gotten caught. And it only took Voldemort about 20 years to figure it out. Snape must have been one hell of a liar.
I grabbed my cup of coffee and with a frown saw the cut on my arm from Malfoy's wretched owl. I have half a mind to go and see him just to yell at him. Although…I should see him and tell him about Snape. And maybe we can figure something out.
We? As in the two of us? Together? That would mean that we would be working as a team, and that would involve not arguing or insulting each other. I can do that.
Oh, who am I kidding. Malfoy's doomed.
I grudgingly decided that I would go see Malfoy so I was now to be found in my closet looking for something to wear.
Too small. Too big. Too flashy. Too plain. Too…ugly. What on earth was I thinking when I bought that. Oh, yes, Ron bought it for me for my last birthday. Poor thing, he wouldn't know a nice outfit if he tripped over it. Ah, here we go.
I settled on a black suit with a white long sleeved blouse underneath. It fit rather nicely. The jacket had no buttons and was open in the front and the skirt went down to my mid-thigh and had a small slit on both sides. I chose plain black shoes that were strappy and high heeled to tie up the look. Now for the most difficult part…my hair.
Up or down, up or down?
I decided to part it on the left side and pull it back into a ponytail at the bottom of my neck. Then I surveyed myself in the mirror.
"Very professional, dear. Off to work?" the mirror said.
It was one of my favorite things in the apartment, the mirror. Harry had given it to me last Christmas and I fell in love with it. He had gotten it when he and Ron went to Egypt. It always told me the truth, whether I wanted to hear it or not.
Feeling satisfied, I grabbed my suitcase full of my notes and apparated to the Ministry. It was about eleven when I got there. The hustle and bustle of the early hours never made me feel comfortable. I made my way through the sea of people and finally made it to a lift. Luckily I was the only one in it. No one came on as it hurtled to the bottom floor. Apparently not many people had business down there.
The lift came to an abrupt stop. I walked out into the familiar dark and dank looking floor that was the containment facilities. The lift began ascending the second I had stepped out. It didn't want to be there either.
I walked on an on looking for room eleven A. 18, 17, 16, 15, then the rooms just stopped. I was at the end of the corridor. It took me a second to realize the small, wooden door to my left. I opened it and it revealed stairs. I walked down the stairs wondering why the lifts didn't come down this far. When I reached the bottom, there was another, but much smaller corridor. Right in the middle of the corridor was a small desk and at it sat a rather large wizard, obviously a guard.
"Excuse me, I'm Hermione Granger and I need to speak with my client in room 11A."
The wizard didn't look up but spoke in a clear, calm and deep voice. "Good day, Miss Granger. Name's Henry. Let's see, 11A…that would be Mr. Malfoy. Yes, he's been expecting you. Seems to think you're a bit late. Almost put a silencing charm on him, he's been ranting about you all morning."
He got up when he finished talking. He was a good six feet, at least. Around his belt were many keys. He pulled one off and unlocked the door on his left. "If you need anything, just holler."
I nodded and walked into the room. I was glad to see that it wasn't sickeningly white as the other room was. However, my joy was short lived as his drawl cut through the air and reached my ears.
"Well it's about damn time, Granger. I thought I was going to half to owl you again."
I looked him over before sitting down. He was still wearing his ridiculously expensive robes and his hair was parted neatly in the middle and hung loosely over both sides. However, something about his appearance struck me…he wasn't wearing his restraints.
His hands were folded on the table and he saw me eyeing them apprehensively.
He smirked. "Don't worry, Granger. There are different types of restraints in this room. There's a charm on the room, no magic can be done, wand magic or otherwise," he looked me over curiously as he spoke.
I sat down.
Yeah, well what's to stop him from strangling me? Oh, right…Henry.
"You keep that ruddy bird away from me. Nearly sliced my arm off last night," I snapped while I opened my suitcase and took out my notes. I began scribbling down some of the things Harry had said last night along with some of my theories and questions I had to ask Malfoy.
"I knew I always liked Ares," he said smirking.
I looked up from my notes. "Ares? As in the Greek god of war?"
"The one and only. So, have you found out anything useful? Although, I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't." He leaned back in his chair.
So he wanted to be an arrogant brat. I'll show him.
I put on a serious face and spoke in my best business tone. "Well, I've looked through all of my notes and I went over everything you said. Then I cross-referenced our situation with similar trials that have taken place over the passed fifty years, and I am sorry to report that in all of the similar trials the defendants all faced a life sentence in Azkaban. But on the bright side, at least they didn't get kissed." I said this all very fast and then sat back in my chair to admire the results.
His hands twitched slightly and I knew they were itching to get around my neck.
"Although, if it's any comfort…one man did get off. However, he was either insane or a very good actor, as he seemed to think he was a hippogriff named Marvin during his whole trial."
"Very funny, Granger." His tone was far from amused. "I'm glad that you find my life being on the line amusing, but forgive me for not returning the feeling. Now, if you don't mind, could we kindly get back to the matter at hand."
"You look about to kill, Malfoy. I'm afraid that doesn't help your case. You're supposed to be innocent remember, you could at least pretend to be."
Why am I pushing his buttons? He could kill me. And what if Henry decides to go on a lunch break?
"I am innocent," he managed to ground out.
I briefly wondered how he was managing to keep his temper in check and then I decided I better not test it any further. He was about to crack.
"I believe you."
"Why?"
I shrugged. Why do I believe him? "I did find out something yesterday. I talked to Harry and Ron and-
"Really? How are the Wonder Boy and the Weasel?" he said smirking. "Not dead yet, are they?"
"The Wonder Boy, I mean Harry, gave me some information that might help you, so you could try and be a little more grateful."
He looked surprised for a moment. "What would he know that could possibly help me?"
I told him what Harry had said about Snape. "So all this time Snape was a spy and not even my father knew," he sounded impressed. "But I don't see how this helps me."
"Malfoy, don't be daft. Don't you see the connection? Do try and follow along. About a month ago, Snape was found out, you lost your wand, and the murders began. I'll bet a thousand galleons Voldemort became suspicious of all his death eaters after he found out about Snape. That's why he started killing them off, including your parents. Now he's framing you because you know things, things he doesn't want getting out. He probably only kept a few death eaters that he believes are his most loyal. It's one of them that's framing you. I'm sure of it."
"Wow, Granger, you really did have a brain under that bush all along. I'm impressed. You do know what we need to do don't you?"
I chose to ignore the hair comment. "What do we have to do? Or should I say, what do I have to do, because you know as well as I do that there isn't much you can do from in here."
"You have to make a timeline. Find out exactly what happened when…where might also be helpful. That way we can see if everything fits."
I hated to admit it, but it was a good idea. "Fine. I need to ask you a few questions first."
"Shoot."
"Okay, are you sure you don't have any alibi's? Did you go to the market at all in the last month to get food, or did you go shopping for anything? Clothes? Shoes? Hair products?"
It looked like he was about to laugh because of the hair comment but he held it back. "Unlike some people you know, Granger, I have money. I do not need to go out for such trivial things like food. I have house elves to get those things. And Pansy always did the other shopping."
"So you never left the house?"
"No need to."
"No wonder you're so pale," I concluded out loud before I caught myself.
He arched an eyebrow at me.
I blushed slightly and looked away before continuing. "So you never left, not even to go out for fun?"
"Our ideas of fun differ. Pansy would always insist on throwing dinner parties. That was fun enough for me. I know what you're thinking and no we did not have any parties over the last month. She seemed to have gotten bored with them. We had about ten in August."
"Alright. Well, I guess that's enough for now." I started to pack away my things.
"Where are you going?"
"Where do you think? To start the timeline. Actually, I should probably talk to the witnesses. Get them to tell me exactly what they saw. I should also find out more about the other murders, especially the last one. I don't even know who died, do you? What am I saying, of course you don't."
"Actually I do. I heard the guard talking to someone about it. It was Lisa Turpin, a Ravenclaw I think. She was in our year," he spoke calmly.
"I think I remember her from graduation. Wasn't she the president of the wizard's chess club?" I said sadly.
"Beats me," he shrugged.
"I have a busy day ahead of me and it's barely twelve," I sighed.
"Then you should get going shouldn't you."
"Unless I find out something ground breaking, I won't be back today. If you think of anything owl me. And tell that bloody bird to keep it's claws to itself or I'll turn him into a bean bag." I picked up my suitcase and left.
First stop: Mad-Eye. I need to get the dates and places for the murders.