Summary: Draco Malfoy stands trial before the Ministry for his crimes as a
Death Eater. His only vote of confidence is a letter from Albus Dumbledore,
who died during the Final Battle. The current headmistress, Ginny Weasley
mistrusts her new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, but Dumbledore
must have known something.
Disclaimer: My name is not J.K. Rowling, I do not own Harry Potter, and am not either Warner Brother.
Crimes Against The Heart
Chapter 1
"He that knows no guilt can know no fear." -Phillip Massinger
For as long as anyone could remember the Malfoys had lorded over the lesser clans and ruled the pureblood social strata. And for many years people had sought to exact their revenge against the Malfoys, the hatred and jealousy. Many people felt their chance was now sitting on the chair at the front of the room.
Draco Titian Cassius Malfoy was sitting in that chair.
The Death Eater trials had begun almost immediately after the Dark Lord had been killed. Lucius Malfoy had been killed in the Final Battle by an unknown wizard, who either did not know or would not tell he had killed him. This made many turn their accusing fingers at his son and heir Draco. Draco, himself, had not been seen at any point during the war, but many had felt their accusations were fair and just. He was an exact replica of his father, that meant his arm must also bear the tattoo of the Death Eaters. Certainly, anyone who had known him at school would agree he was a likely candidate.
What most people refused to realize was that he was not the same person he had been ten years ago. He had wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, until he saw what the Dark Lord was prepared to do to gain power. Draco thought the price had been too high. He already had what he wanted in life and the Dark Lord could not offer him any greater reward than the love of his true love. She had been a secret, a French pureblood witch who he had met by accident. Her name was Elsie Blaine. Draco could not tell anyone about her, his father had arranged for him to marry Pansy. Elsie had eventually got tired of waiting for Draco to marry her and left him. He had been protecting her by hiding her, but he could not blame her for wanting more than his empty promises.
Although Draco had been heartbroken, he recovered, after all that was eight years ago, and now was hardly time to brood about the mistakes he had made so long ago. There were far too many to keep track of. Right now, he had to be strong to face the Ministry's questioning and prove he was innocent. Or at least not a Death Eater, he amended silently.
"Draco Titian Cassius Malfoy, is that your name?" asked a red headed man seated in the center of the judges. Draco remembered the Weasleys had become a major political family since the fall of Voldemort, and that Arthur Weasley had become the Minister of Magic just after Draco had committed the only crime that he felt guilty for. Perhaps that was the heaviness at the edge of his subconscious. He had done something terrible, something irreparable, but he was not a Death Eater.
"Yes, it is," Draco replied in an emotionless voice. His face showed neither sorrow, guilt, or fear. There had been so many trials that Arthur Weasley had begun to develop a sixth sense about guilt, however, this was a Malfoy. The Malfoys were slippery and evasive, he did not doubt their ability to deceive others. Yet, Draco did look like he was hiding something and the Minister could not allow for any mistakes.
"Have you ever been in the service of the Dark Lord?" the man sitting on the left of Lucius asked. Arthur watched Draco intently.
"Yes, when I was sixteen, I was ordered to spy on Severus Snape by Voldemort," Draco stated calmly. The court burst into an uproar. "This was my initiation test."
"And what did you do?" asked the man again obviously already sentencing him to a lifetime in Azkaban.
"I told the Headmaster, and he gave me a report to give the Dark Lord. What it contained I never knew," Draco said as though he cared very little about the court's opinion.
"Do you have any proof of this exchange?" demanded a woman seated a little further down the table, as though doubting Dumbledore would trust him. She looked familiar as well, it was that know-it-all from school, Hermione Granger. Little did he know it, but her name was Hermione Weasley.
"Yes, I have a letter," Draco replied smoothly reaching into his pocket. Someone took the letter from him and handed it to the Minister and other judges. Arthur opened it and was surprised to find it had not ever been opened. He read it intently, trying to watch Malfoy's expression.
"This letter says you did indeed come to him and that you wanted to become a teacher at Hogwarts," Arthur Weasley stated. "Why did you want to teach at Hogwarts?"
"The Headmaster knew I would need a sanctuary against the World, I guess I agreed," Draco answered feeling as though Hogwarts might prove an interesting change of life.
"How do we know Dumbledore wrote that?" asked a young man sitting in a group of aurors. Draco recognized him immediately as Harry Potter and the boy next to him must be Ronald Weasley.
"12 Grimmauld Place, Potter," Draco said staring at his school rival, just wishing he could punch that stupid scarred face. Harry's mouth dropped open and was silent. "Dunbledore recruited me to help him, hell if there was hope for me there was hope for anyone." A few titters of laughter could be heard amongst the audience.
"He's lying," Ron Weasley accused pointing his finger at him. Aurors were only allowed at trials to testify, Draco found it corrupt for the Ministry to allow them to question witnesses. So many of the Arthur Weasley supporters disliked the policies used by Fudge, but here they were making the same mistakes. "Make him prove he intends to do as he says, send him to Hogwarts to teach."
"I am innocent, pass your judgement based on the facts, not on your opinion of me," Draco stated hoping his straightforwardness would be seen as innocent. Arthur Weasley eyed him once more, before opening his mouth.
"Draco Malfoy, you are found not guilty by this court and Dumbledore's will, as presented in this letter, will be followed. Hogwarts is in need of a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Case dismissed," Arthur Weasley.
The court broke into babble and Draco was released to make preparations to go to Hogwarts. A few members of the courtroom came to talk to him, congratulating him, others hissing comments in his ears. Eventually, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger-Weasley, and Ron Weasley made their way over to him.
"Don't think you have a single person fooled, Malfoy. My father is sending you to Hogwarts so he can keep his eye on you and so Ginny can watch you," Ron Weasley spat viciously.
"Really, I am so frightened," Draco drawled lazily trying to make him cause a scene and lose his temper.
"You should be, Ginny is a strong witch, with more magical ability than you. I know you faked Dumbledore's writing, somehow you did it and I am going to find out," Harry vowed.
"Ginny who?" Draco asked not remembering anyone important by the name of Ginny.
"My sister, you idiot and if you as much as think of laying one hand on my little sister I swear, I will kill you," Ron threatened.
"I wasn't planning on it, but thank you for the idea," Draco said sarcastically. Apparently this was all Ron could take and he took a swing. Draco felt Ron's fist collide with his jaw.
Cameras started to snap photos, and a man could be heard yelling, "Minister's son brawls in the courtroom of the Ministry, oh what a headline that will make."
Arthur pulled Ron off Draco, but Draco's badly cut lip was all Arthur needed to realize what had happened.
"Ronald Charles Weasley, what would your mother say if she was still alive?" Arthur yelled at his son. Arthur hardly ever mentioned his dead wife, it was sign of his utter anger.
"Sorry, Dad," Ron said hollowly.
"You need to learn this is not appropriate. You have a horrible temper, and frankly I am sure Malfoy was trying to get a rise out of you, right Malfoy?" Arthur questioned glancing at Draco.
"Brings me back to the good old Hogwarts days," Draco said mockingly. He had no idea he was so transparent to the Minister.
"You mean to say you only said all those mean things to get us to lose our cool?" Ron asked.
"What have I been telling you for years," Hermione said triumphantly.
"Something like that," he answered with a smirk. "And Slytherin needed to win the House Cup."
A/N: So this is the first chapter, next chapter Draco and Ginny will meet. Draco is not so much changed, but his surrounding have. Do you want this to be a happy ending or sad ending? I have 2 possible plotlines, but one has a sad ending. And should Draco know Brangaine is his daughter right away or should he have to wait a bit to find out? Is this worth continuing? Love, KTBallerina.
Disclaimer: My name is not J.K. Rowling, I do not own Harry Potter, and am not either Warner Brother.
Crimes Against The Heart
Chapter 1
"He that knows no guilt can know no fear." -Phillip Massinger
For as long as anyone could remember the Malfoys had lorded over the lesser clans and ruled the pureblood social strata. And for many years people had sought to exact their revenge against the Malfoys, the hatred and jealousy. Many people felt their chance was now sitting on the chair at the front of the room.
Draco Titian Cassius Malfoy was sitting in that chair.
The Death Eater trials had begun almost immediately after the Dark Lord had been killed. Lucius Malfoy had been killed in the Final Battle by an unknown wizard, who either did not know or would not tell he had killed him. This made many turn their accusing fingers at his son and heir Draco. Draco, himself, had not been seen at any point during the war, but many had felt their accusations were fair and just. He was an exact replica of his father, that meant his arm must also bear the tattoo of the Death Eaters. Certainly, anyone who had known him at school would agree he was a likely candidate.
What most people refused to realize was that he was not the same person he had been ten years ago. He had wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, until he saw what the Dark Lord was prepared to do to gain power. Draco thought the price had been too high. He already had what he wanted in life and the Dark Lord could not offer him any greater reward than the love of his true love. She had been a secret, a French pureblood witch who he had met by accident. Her name was Elsie Blaine. Draco could not tell anyone about her, his father had arranged for him to marry Pansy. Elsie had eventually got tired of waiting for Draco to marry her and left him. He had been protecting her by hiding her, but he could not blame her for wanting more than his empty promises.
Although Draco had been heartbroken, he recovered, after all that was eight years ago, and now was hardly time to brood about the mistakes he had made so long ago. There were far too many to keep track of. Right now, he had to be strong to face the Ministry's questioning and prove he was innocent. Or at least not a Death Eater, he amended silently.
"Draco Titian Cassius Malfoy, is that your name?" asked a red headed man seated in the center of the judges. Draco remembered the Weasleys had become a major political family since the fall of Voldemort, and that Arthur Weasley had become the Minister of Magic just after Draco had committed the only crime that he felt guilty for. Perhaps that was the heaviness at the edge of his subconscious. He had done something terrible, something irreparable, but he was not a Death Eater.
"Yes, it is," Draco replied in an emotionless voice. His face showed neither sorrow, guilt, or fear. There had been so many trials that Arthur Weasley had begun to develop a sixth sense about guilt, however, this was a Malfoy. The Malfoys were slippery and evasive, he did not doubt their ability to deceive others. Yet, Draco did look like he was hiding something and the Minister could not allow for any mistakes.
"Have you ever been in the service of the Dark Lord?" the man sitting on the left of Lucius asked. Arthur watched Draco intently.
"Yes, when I was sixteen, I was ordered to spy on Severus Snape by Voldemort," Draco stated calmly. The court burst into an uproar. "This was my initiation test."
"And what did you do?" asked the man again obviously already sentencing him to a lifetime in Azkaban.
"I told the Headmaster, and he gave me a report to give the Dark Lord. What it contained I never knew," Draco said as though he cared very little about the court's opinion.
"Do you have any proof of this exchange?" demanded a woman seated a little further down the table, as though doubting Dumbledore would trust him. She looked familiar as well, it was that know-it-all from school, Hermione Granger. Little did he know it, but her name was Hermione Weasley.
"Yes, I have a letter," Draco replied smoothly reaching into his pocket. Someone took the letter from him and handed it to the Minister and other judges. Arthur opened it and was surprised to find it had not ever been opened. He read it intently, trying to watch Malfoy's expression.
"This letter says you did indeed come to him and that you wanted to become a teacher at Hogwarts," Arthur Weasley stated. "Why did you want to teach at Hogwarts?"
"The Headmaster knew I would need a sanctuary against the World, I guess I agreed," Draco answered feeling as though Hogwarts might prove an interesting change of life.
"How do we know Dumbledore wrote that?" asked a young man sitting in a group of aurors. Draco recognized him immediately as Harry Potter and the boy next to him must be Ronald Weasley.
"12 Grimmauld Place, Potter," Draco said staring at his school rival, just wishing he could punch that stupid scarred face. Harry's mouth dropped open and was silent. "Dunbledore recruited me to help him, hell if there was hope for me there was hope for anyone." A few titters of laughter could be heard amongst the audience.
"He's lying," Ron Weasley accused pointing his finger at him. Aurors were only allowed at trials to testify, Draco found it corrupt for the Ministry to allow them to question witnesses. So many of the Arthur Weasley supporters disliked the policies used by Fudge, but here they were making the same mistakes. "Make him prove he intends to do as he says, send him to Hogwarts to teach."
"I am innocent, pass your judgement based on the facts, not on your opinion of me," Draco stated hoping his straightforwardness would be seen as innocent. Arthur Weasley eyed him once more, before opening his mouth.
"Draco Malfoy, you are found not guilty by this court and Dumbledore's will, as presented in this letter, will be followed. Hogwarts is in need of a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Case dismissed," Arthur Weasley.
The court broke into babble and Draco was released to make preparations to go to Hogwarts. A few members of the courtroom came to talk to him, congratulating him, others hissing comments in his ears. Eventually, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger-Weasley, and Ron Weasley made their way over to him.
"Don't think you have a single person fooled, Malfoy. My father is sending you to Hogwarts so he can keep his eye on you and so Ginny can watch you," Ron Weasley spat viciously.
"Really, I am so frightened," Draco drawled lazily trying to make him cause a scene and lose his temper.
"You should be, Ginny is a strong witch, with more magical ability than you. I know you faked Dumbledore's writing, somehow you did it and I am going to find out," Harry vowed.
"Ginny who?" Draco asked not remembering anyone important by the name of Ginny.
"My sister, you idiot and if you as much as think of laying one hand on my little sister I swear, I will kill you," Ron threatened.
"I wasn't planning on it, but thank you for the idea," Draco said sarcastically. Apparently this was all Ron could take and he took a swing. Draco felt Ron's fist collide with his jaw.
Cameras started to snap photos, and a man could be heard yelling, "Minister's son brawls in the courtroom of the Ministry, oh what a headline that will make."
Arthur pulled Ron off Draco, but Draco's badly cut lip was all Arthur needed to realize what had happened.
"Ronald Charles Weasley, what would your mother say if she was still alive?" Arthur yelled at his son. Arthur hardly ever mentioned his dead wife, it was sign of his utter anger.
"Sorry, Dad," Ron said hollowly.
"You need to learn this is not appropriate. You have a horrible temper, and frankly I am sure Malfoy was trying to get a rise out of you, right Malfoy?" Arthur questioned glancing at Draco.
"Brings me back to the good old Hogwarts days," Draco said mockingly. He had no idea he was so transparent to the Minister.
"You mean to say you only said all those mean things to get us to lose our cool?" Ron asked.
"What have I been telling you for years," Hermione said triumphantly.
"Something like that," he answered with a smirk. "And Slytherin needed to win the House Cup."
A/N: So this is the first chapter, next chapter Draco and Ginny will meet. Draco is not so much changed, but his surrounding have. Do you want this to be a happy ending or sad ending? I have 2 possible plotlines, but one has a sad ending. And should Draco know Brangaine is his daughter right away or should he have to wait a bit to find out? Is this worth continuing? Love, KTBallerina.