Empire and ExigencyChapter 16: A Fly on the Wall

by Annie

B Rated PG-13

JKR owns all things Hogwarts. I only wish I did.

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"Nymphadora." Albus Dumbledore reached out. taking the young Auror's hands in each of his. A gesture of welcome - or perhaps just support. She did stumble slightly on the carpet edge.

"Albus." Her look was stern - her voice resigned. She was - as usual - transformed, this time as a willowy redhead with sparkling lavender eyes and waist-length curls. Perhaps an effort to match the crowd of Weasley's in the room.

"Very well." He released her as she settled into a chair. "Tonks. Although so harsh a name ill becomes so fair a lady."

That brought a roll of eyes - from Tonks - and a shuffling of chairs from the other Order of the Phoenix members who were gathered with them in the Headmaster's office.

"What did the Ministry find on Malfoy?" Filus Flitwick asked, moving the focus back to business.

"Nothing." Tonks leaned back in her chair, legs swinging.

"Nothing?" Bill Weasley frowned.

"Nuttin'. Zero. Zip. Zap. Nada." With every word, the bouncing ankle swung higher.

"You mean?" Minerva McGonnagal leaned forward.

Tonks nodded. "Lucius Malfoy's coffin contains.. wait for it... Lucius Malfoy."

"Dead." Severus Snape spoke from the back of the room. It was... perhaps... a question.

"Not merely but even quite sincerely. And yes Snape , they checked for Vampirism."

"So..." Snape ran his fingers under his sharp chin. "Lucius's unnaturally sudden death was natural after all."

"Well, real." Tonks didn't know much about natural death - having not seen much of that.

"And thoroughly ... thorough." Filus was also squinting as he worked that fact into his plans.

"Lucius Malfoy - dead. I never thought..."

"Well." Bill Weasley smiled at the crowd. "I suppose in one light that could be seen as a good thing."

The crowd looked back.

"You-Know-Who will be looking for a new Chief Servant." Bill explained.

Everybody turned, looking at Severus Snape.

Snape frowned. "One with money and power and status."

"My dear boy." Albus Dumbledore hid his smile behind steepled hands. " When you reach my age you realize such things are... transitory. They come and go. In your case?" The hands fell to the desk. The smile was revealed. "I do believe that the Chairmanship of the Potions Approval Committee might be opening up. A part time service, of course, but..."

"Extremely prestigious." Snape tone was flat, as if discussing something which had nothing to do with him. Or as a man distrusting his voice, fearing that any expression would betray too much interest, and that that interest would result in the promise being withdrawn.

"There is a certain.... leverage... in having the last word over distribution of restricted substances." Albus's voice had the sweet edge of a parent discussing chocolate ice cream with a sniffling toddler.

"Power and status. " Snape agreed slowly. "Which leaves..."

"Money?" tisk tisk (And Albus really did tisk. Loudly.) "Perhaps some of those potion royalties that Ministry has been holding might be released."

Snape bowed. "I shall try, Headmaster."

"Well then." Albus rubbed his hands together. "That should make up for losing the secrets that died with Malfoy."

"I still wish we could have interrogated him." Tonks smiled back, but regret shadowed her emerald eyes. "Or, better yet, brought him over to our side. He was a powerful Wizard. To have a wand like that..." Her toes curled.

"Aye, but..." Minerva was too well disciplined to shrug - but you could see her shoulders wanted to. "We shant get much out of the man, but neither shall You-Know-Who."

"Plus." Filus smiled at Minerva. "The Dark Lord will no longer have the Malfoy fortune and resources."

"We hope." Snape again, from his space by the wall.

"Yes." Albus sighed. "There is still young Draco Malfoy."

"Seventeen, angry, and... vulnerable to those who might... influence him." Tonks morphed again, hair turning blonde and chest growing improbably larger.

Unfortunately, no one noticed. They were again looking at Snape.

"Which can not be me. Not if I am to move closer to the Dark Lord." He pulled his robes higher. "Occulamancy does only so much..."

"But if the Death Eaters try to contact the boy?" Tonks shifted again, this time petite and brunette. "Try to prey on his innocent emotions."

"Especially now that the lad is going back to Malfoy manner." Minerva McGonnagal's lips were pinched in a most unattractive manner. "Must we allow that?"

"Deny that boy a chance to rebury his father in the family lands?" Filus Flitwick sounded shocked. Because he was. The Charms professor had leprechaun blood, and that race was notoriously conservative when it came to family land.

"He would hate you forever." Snape warned.

"The prat is a brat." Bill Weasley did not actually know Draco, but he had heard enough from his brothers to be certain of that. "But he always seemed devoted to this father."

"Yes. Draco is a good son." Tonks was now sultry and vaguely Polynesian. "As well as young and rich and clever and charming in a snarky sort of way and .... who knows what those evil Death Eaters might do to lure him to thieir cause."

"Severus." Albus Dumbledore started to twinkle. "Young Draco is..."

"Is Remus Lupin's problem now." Snape interrupted. "That is who you named guardian of young Malfoy and his fortune."

With a swirl of robes, Snape stalked past Albus Dumbledore. "We shall have to trust that your pet wolf will develop a bark to match his bite."

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Draco Malfoy was down at the Groundkeepser's hut.

Not voluntarily. All but one of Slytherin house was there, as well as most of Gryffindor. It was a Care of Magical Creatures class, and only those few who Hagrid considered unteachable ( Crabbe) wasted on animals ( Hermione Granger - brilliant but not a country girl ) or safer elsewhere (Neville Longbottom - excused to aid Professor Sprout in the greenhouse ) had been excused.

Normally Draco would have asked to follow Crabbe. Or perhaps even Longbottom. Care of Magical Creatures was not - and never would be - one of his 'better' classes. Which had nothing to do with Draco's opinions of said creatures, less to do with the creatures opinions of Draco ( generally indifferent ), something to do with Draco's opinion of the teacher, and everything to do with the teachers opinion of Draco. Which was... to understate the case... low. Very low.

Hagrid was a half giant. Giants were slow, but they had notoriously long memories and more notoriously short tempers.

Draco had stepped in it with the Buckbeak matter - and therefore was 'stepping in it' now.

He pulled his Italian loafer out of the muck.

It squeaked.

Unfortunately, Professor Snape ( usual supplier of excuse slips ) was 'unavailable' just now. As was Flitwick, McGonnagle, and even Argus Flitch. Plus Harry had been dismissed early from a detention, told by Snape to 'run along and play'. All of which meant - to anyone who could think - that there was an Order meeting taking place.

Upstairs.

In the headmaster's office.

Right beyond the huge diamond-glass gothic windows.

Draco looked up, watching the pretty butterflies. Once in particular was exceptionally large and spectacular. Bright ruby wings, gold dots.

It flew around Draco's head twice, then fluttered off.

Draco followed.

When he turned the corner behind the Wyveryn pen, Hermione was standing there.

He kissed her.

She kissed back.

There was a long silent time.

It might have gone longer, were it not for the roar of Rubeus Hagrid. "MALFOY!"

Draco pulled back, but his eyes were still on Hermione.

"Good news", she whispered."You're going home."

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I'd like to thank all those who reviewed the last chapter except... nobody did. sigh And here I thought Narcissia was funny. Oh well.

BTW - the new upload procedure seriously S..KS. I had to retype everything. If I don't find a better way to upload, I may not do it much more.