Library
The trip from Azkaban to Cornwall was just as bad as the trip before. The rough, treacherous sea threatened to send me tumbling over the dingy boat. It was with great relief that I finally reached the port of Cornwall.
The aftermath of Azkaban left me with very depressed, naturally. The feeling was like as if a Dementor had come within inches from me. But in spite of that, I felt a fresh wave of resolution mounting in my heart. All the hatred I had for Draco Malfoy over the years had melted in that moment in Azkaban when I saw his wretched state. It gave me sense of determination I never experienced before. Malfoy's terrified state had connected with my instincts, my sharp as razor womanly instincts, and it tells me he is no murderer.
Even though I do not like Draco Malfoy, my conscious would not permit me to stand by and watch an innocent wizard, boy, die in Azkaban. But how could I rescue him? I am only a Hogwarts teacher, a nobody, with no Ministry connections. What could I do?
As I stood there pondering, from the deep recesses of my mind, a story which I heard a long time ago floated back to me. Before Hogwarts time, my muggle teacher once told me that a butterfly, light and fragile, could cause a tornado by the flap of its wings. Be that butterfly, she said.
Yes, I would be that butterfly. It is time. Even if I am light and fragile, even if the situation seemed hopeless.
My first stop is to the Public Library at Hogsmeade. Typical Hermione, I thought wryly, the library is always the first place you would go when you have a problem. But that is the first place I have to start with.
At the Library, I poured over newspaper clippings and Ministry findings on Malfoy's trial. Unlike Muggles, the Ministry of Magical Law Enforcement published the findings of every trial and kept them archived in the library for public viewing once the trial is over.
After three hours, I put down the last archive and sighed. Dumbledore was right. The evidence was overwhelmingly against him. The most critical factor was that Draco Malfoy had failed the Veritaserum, or Truth Potion test. In his trance state, when the Veritaserum was in effect, he had admitted to the jury that he had indeed raised his wand against Arthur Weasley.
I raised this point of contention to Dumbledore that night. "Yes, that is the fact that finally incriminated him" Dumbledore sighed. "But how then……" my voice trailed off. "Sometimes it is so easy to believe facts, Hermione, what you see and what you hear. But facts are misleading, especially in the wizarding world. Draco Malfoy might indeed be the hand that killed Arthur Weasley, but, I believe it was not out of his own free will."
I drew a sharp breath, as it dawned on me. "The Imperious Curse? But if he was under the Imperious Curse, why did he admit to it when they down the Veritaserum on him?" "Because Hermione, when someone is under the Imperious Curse, his subconscious might be aware of his actions at that point, even if his conscious might not know what he was doing. And very unfortunate for him, although the Veritaserum had the power to draw out facts or events from a person's subconscious, it did not have the power to differentiate if that action was carried out of the person's own free will or not. That, is for the jury to judge."
"Hence, if the Aurors were to ask him if he killed Arthur Weasley out of his own free will, it will draw a blank answer……" I continued on. Of course, what kind of an Assistant Potions Professor am I? Suddenly, I felt very stupid in front of Dumbledore and angry with myself. Hermione Granger, supposedly the cleverest witch in her year, I thought.
"Don't be too hard on yourself, Hermione" said Dumbledore, as if reading my mind. "The Veritaserum is not an infallible potion. It is, after all, a potion invented by us mere mortals. It does not speak the Universal truth." Dumbledore added.
"Is that why you fell out with Cornelius Fudge?" I said slowly.
"Yes, unfortunately so. I tried to reason with Fudge that Draco might be under the Imperious curse, but he dismissed the fact. Even accused me of trying to protect an ex-Hogwarts student because it would tarnish the school name and that sort of stuff. I could understand why. Trying to prove that Draco was under the Imperious Curse is like searching for a needle in a haystack, and Fudge was under a lot of public pressure to resolve the case quickly at that time. Arthur Weasley is a very popular, well-loved Ministry Official, as you know, and many people sympathize with Molly Weasley".
"And Lucius Malfoy did not even tried to rescue his only son!"
"Lucius" Dumbledore sighed again, "did try to use his Ministry connections in the beginning. However, when Draco succumbed to the Veritaserum test and it became clear that the jury would convict him, no matter what, Lucius Malfoy publicly denounced his own son. It was extremely cruel of him. Lucius, in many ways, is like Ol' Barty Crouch, only many times worse. But Draco is not like young Barty, who hated his father. On the contrary, Draco loved and worshipped Lucius. And that, makes it worse. I can only imagine how broken he was when he heard that Lucius had disowned him. I feel very sad for Draco when I think of this."
"But then, I have known generations of Malfoys in my time, and they were never very compassionate, not even to their own descendants. Especially when Draco's conviction will drag the prestige of the Malfoy name down with him." Dumbledore said in a faraway voice, as if reminiscing.
"What's the use of prestige if you cannot even protect your own son?" I said vehemently. "Well, to someone like Lucius Malfoy, who valued wealth & power above all else, what is a sacrifice? He could always have another child." Dumbledore finished sadly.
There was a silence between us. "What can I do, Headmaster?" Before Dumbledore could reply, a torrent of indignation came over me. "I saw him, Headmaster, in Azkaban. He is dying. He has stopped eating. He is sick, and he is coughing up blood. There's no way he would last two months in there……" my voice had risen an octave by now.
"We are in a race against time, Hermione. We can only do our best for him."
I looked at Dumbledore. I did not know what to say. I was at a loss for words.
Silence fell on us.
Author's Note: How do you feel? Let me know how I did for this chapter. Okay?
And, just a sneak preview to the next chapter, I haven't thought much about it, but it probably will be a combination of Hermione's AND Draco's point of view. I can't do Hermione all the time, and I was thinking it would be interesting to interleave the two points of view, like how they do it in the movies. Anyway, just an idea for now.