Chapter Two – Anger Management

Draco led two different lives. By day, he was a member of the Law Enforcement Department in the Ministry of Magic. By night, a ruthless Death Eater. As an important and influential judge in the department, Draco could manipulate cases brought against his fellow You-Know-Who followers so that they either got off, or got minimal punishment. His position was useful to the Dark Lord. Although Lucius Malfoy's reputation was obliterated eight years ago, Draco Malfoy was still a useful tool.

Draco always found it easy to be angered by this representation of him. But Harry Potter, the newly made Auror, always maintained that he "couldn't trust Malfoy any better than Malfoy could fly a broomstick." And he made it well known among other ministry officials. So basically, the whole of the ministry was split into people on his side, and people on Potter's. All of the wizarding community was in love with Harry Potter anyway, but Malfoy's money was able to get some people to see things his way, fortunately for Draco.

When Draco was first assigned to work at the ministry, he was shocked. Outraged even. But the Death Eaters had needed someone in the ministry. A fly on the wall watching their operations and making sure that people the Dark Lord needed didn't get too much prison time – and all without getting caught. Draco hadn't liked the idea of having to work alongside people who worshipped Potter and thought Dumbledore's word was gospel, but he did as he was told.

They had first contacted him when his father made his first escape from Azkaban in the middle of his sixth year at Hogwarts. They had Draco go to Snape to change his courses, but seeing as how this operation was extremely risky and they couldn't afford it to go wrong and they were expecting a long, drawn-out, full-scale war on their hands, the Death Eaters (the two involved, and of course Voldemort) didn't inform Snape of this plan. None of Draco's peskier peers, like Potter, the Weasleys, and the Mudblood, could really interfere because they were all too busy either becoming Aurors, professional Quidditch players, or studying to be the next great Magical Creature activist.

Draco claimed that he had disowned his father because after all, his father did land himself in prison. That didn't require much acting. He also claimed that he wanted to straighten out the misguided of the wizard community. People who thought the genocide of muggles was acceptable. Which was why he finally got into Law Enforcement. Where he successfully was able to spring his father undetectably from prison (after he had been thrown in for the second time). A legal technicality in his arrest allowed the man to walk free, and Draco had been the only one to see it. Draco had to admit that he was really good at this.

At first, it had taken Draco all of his self-control to maintain this cover. Outwardly showing disdain for his fellow Death Eaters. But then he got used to it. There were times, late at night maybe, or just moments of inattentiveness where he thought for just one moment he might have become the character he was forced to play: misguided, but bravely trying to atone for his mistakes, and the mistakes of his father.These moments of weakness were rare, and they were brief, but Draco wasn't sure that they were nothing. There were also times that he believed he could actually do this. Be a player for this side of the pitch.

So, Draco enjoyed the first few months of working for the Ministry – although he didn't let his real superiors know this, least of all his father, and especially not his mother (imagine the disappointment!).

But the Potter supporters at the ministry were beginning to be a problem. A right cheeky bunch they were proving to be. This proved to be even truer when Draco went to work that morning.

"Hey, Malfoy!" hissed a witch in her cubicle as he passed.

Draco slowed, but decided to ignore what came next. It was usually a threat about exposing him as a Death Eater.

"Hear your Daddy's in a lot of trouble," the witch said.

Draco had his back turned to her, but he stopped. He couldn't help it. He knew it wasn't loyalty to his father that did it, but something made him stop. Maybe it was shame, maybe it was even fear. He sure as hell didn't know.

He turned slowly. "What was that?"

She smiled and went back to her work. Draco shrugged and walked on.

He wondered whether there would be a random wand-check today. He hadn't had time the previous night to cover up his last Cruciatus Curse from his wand. If the Priori Incantatem was performed, he'd be incriminated. He needed an excuse to use his wand, and soon.

At lunch, Malfoy made his way to the canteen. Somebody shouldered him in the hall.

"Watch where you're going, Abercrombie!" he yelled.

"Watch where you're going, Malfoy!" the wizard yelled back, adding a few distasteful language to emphasize his point - words that would make any normal person explode with anger, but not Malfoy, who was used to being patronized and covering his emotions.

"I'd watch my mouth if I were you," Draco said coolly. "Keep in mind, you've only been working here 6 months. I'd hate to see you fired before your 7th."

Euan (A/N; yes, Euan) narrowed his eyes. "Is that a threat?"

"Well," Draco started, then paused, "Let's put it this way . . ." he whipped out his wand and pointed it at Euan.

The surrounding people stopped and were suddenly silent. Some were glaring at Malfoy, looking outraged. Others gave Euan Abercrombie exasperated looks that said, "You moron - now look what you've done."Euan looked scared.

"Accio Apple!" Draco said.

The apple in Euan's hand flew into the air and Draco caught it. "Thanks." He then walked away.

Draco was about to take a bite into the apple when he heard a voice that he would know anywhere.

"I don't think you're in the position to make threats, Malfoy, even ones you're too cowardly to carry out."

Draco turned around. "And you, Potter, should stay out of other people's business."

Harry gave Draco an odd smile. "I really should be savoring this moment, Malfoy. After all, this may be the last time I ever see you." He laughed, mockery apparent in every breath.

"And what makes you think you've seen the last of me?" Draco said.

"You don't know?" said Harry.

"Know what?"

Harry frowned at Draco, then shrugged. "You're father was apprehended today, and you of all people should know how desperately he was trying to stay out of the new prison." Harry had probably been hoping Draco would show his cards by looking as if he already knew that his father had been captured. If he was a Death Eater he would know, right? Wrong. Voldemort reveals nothing.

Draco knew what he would have liked to reply to Potter back when they were younger – that his father could probably break out (even though Draco himself doubted it) but he remembered his cover. He sighed internally before saying, "I don't associate with my father, Potter. How many times must I say this for it to penetrate your thick skull? I'm afraid I wouldn't know whether or not that poor excuse for a wizard got himself in another predicament. Why should I care?"

Harry scoffed, not answering Draco's question. "Right. Anyway, the Minister offered him a deal. Don't ask me why he did it, I was against it from the start, but I have to admit it would have its benefits."

Draco sensed something was coming. He hoped that it wasn't what he thought it would be.

"The Minister offered his freedom if he could identify the mole within the Ministry. Knowing old Lucius as I do, he'll take that deal if the proper reward were dangled in front of him without hesitation. By this time next week, that little mole, or shall I say ferret will be in prison in his place."

Draco's fists clenched and the more he fought to remain calm, the more his anger bubbled over. He knew his father wouldn't wait long to sell him out. The worst part was that Potter, as well as everyone else in the Ministry knew it as well. All they needed was one tiniest sprig of evidence and he was history. Draco knew that any moment, his father, his FATHER, could say the words that would send him to prison. Draco knew Lucius Malfoy would betray him one day, and that day, apparently was today.

The wall on Draco's right exploded propelling him, along with Potter, Abercrombie, and a few others into the cubicles on the left.

Draco had lost control.