Draco
Ministry of Magic
September 2nd 1997
"Merlin" Theo exclaimed from behind Draco.
Looking back, Draco could see Theo's mouth ajar while taking in the surroundings of the newly refurbished Ministry of Magic, namely at the recently debuted statue.
Before Draco could say anything, Pansy elbowed Theo to get a grip. Draco sighed, feeling slightly relieved that one of his two friends that had recently taken the mark had their wits about them.
A small group of Death Eaters stood just beyond the floo network that led into the ministry. Draco was waiting on a few additional members of his team.
It wasn't the first mission he led, but it was the most important one to date. Potter had just broken into the Ministry with Weasley and Granger, and Draco was in charge of leading the investigation.
"Dorbin, get a load of the new statue," grunted a grimy, middle aged Death Eater that made up part of Draco's team that day.
All eyes moved to the grotesque statue that stood tall in the center of the open atrium they currently stood in. A witch and a wizard sat atop thrones, but on further inspection, the thrones were made up of naked, mangled human bodies, and other 'lesser than creatures'.
Draco did not look. He had already seen it once. It wasn't worth a second glance.
"Magic is Might indeed," another Death Eater chortled back, reading off the inscription etched largely onto the statue's plaque.
"I'm sorry, do you think this is a field trip?" Draco directed his mirth towards the Death Eater that last spoke. "Let us not forget that Undesirable Number 1 was here hours ago. I wouldn't want to inform the Dark Lord we did not effectively do our jobs because some of us were too giddy about a statue."
His team, who had now all arrived, looked on with apprehension, if not with a bit of confusion. Draco steadied his look.
A manic looking wizard with dark scraggly hair and a messy swath of pock marks across their face scurried over to meet Draco, switching between a slight jog, then back to a hurried walk.
"Malfoy," called the wizard, his voice echoing softly throughout the abandoned atrium.
"Yaxley," Malfoy nodded, taking a look around the grand room that was in utter shambles. "You properly screwed this one up."
Yaxley's eyes bulged as he rubbed his neck. "I'm telling you, there was no way to know that it was them!"
Pansy scoffed causing a few looks to be cast her way. "What? Everyone already knows that you extensively spoke with Weasley. Didn't you let him into your office?" Pansy asked dripping with condescension.
"Parkinson," Draco warned, albeit lazily, then turned back to Yaxley. "But yes, we all know."
Sweat began to bead at Yaxley's already greasy unkempt forehead. An unasked question bounced around the paranoid wizard's mind of what would the Dark Lord do to punish him for his failures.
Draco was feeling generous, and put the sorry excuse for a Death Eater out of his misery.
"The Dark Lord is upset, but you will be spared," Yaxley's body deflated by 10% in relief with the news. Draco went on. "But, if this investigation does not go smoothly, who's to say"
Yaxley nodded eagerly, giving Draco assurance that he would assist in making this process efficient and fruitful.
Draco split his team up to do reconnaissance in each area that they were reported to be in.
Yaxley led a group to his office where Ron had been, in hopes of discovering anything they may have left behind that could lead them to where they were going next.
Another group went to the Muggle Registry Office and Umbridge's office, both locations having had disturbances reported.
Draco, Theo, Pansy, and one other member of his team went to the courtroom where the muggle trials were taking place, and one of the many skirmish broke out.
"You," Draco pointed to the Death Eater who he didn't know the name of. "Go speak with the guards who oversaw the Dementors. Confirm what patronuses were cast"
The Death Eater nodded, but waited, knowing it was protocol to go in pairs.
"Parkinson go with him," Draco added.
She looked as if she wanted to protest, but knew it was out of bounds to bicker when he was her superior.
Now, it was only him and Theo.
"What do you need me to do boss?" Theo asked casually. Draco grimaced.
"Don't call me that"
"Whatever you say..." Theo began, clearly wanting to say it again.
"Umbridge is in the courtroom. I'll interview her. You check the corridor for anything that may have been left behind as they escaped."
Theo glanced at the hallway that was in shambles. Chunks of the wall had been blasted away, crumbling to the ground and onto benches that lined the corridor. Muggle Registry flyers were scattered about the floor, mixed with the belongings of wizards and witches who prepared for the worst and brought their personal things, not realizing that if they were convicted of being a muggle they would not be removed from England, rather they'd be imprisoned, or receive the dementors kiss.
"Wait, Draco aren't we suppose to stick in pairs…" Theo called out, but Draco had already entered the courtroom, sealing the doors tightly behind him.
"Oh Draco!" called a syrupy yet disheveled voice. Up ahead, a pink squat blob stood to attention as he entered.
He had to suppress the memories of having aligned with this infuriating women during his fifth year.
"Delores," Draco nodded.
Her face scrunched briefly at being referred to so informally by a former student, but quickly smoothed out the offense in her features, knowing full well that Draco was a senior member of the Death Eaters, and could call her whatever he wanted.
"What an absolute mess this all is," she said giggling girlishly, casting a look at the upended tables and chairs that remained in the room.
"Please, step down here so we can speak," Draco motioned with his hand, pointing to the seat that the defendant would traditionally sit in. Her face betrayed her once again before she corrected her expression into compliance.
"I received the message that you had wished to speak to me in the courtroom," Umbridge rambled, tripping over her self as she made her way down the steps and into the circular landing. "I would have been happy to speak with you up in my office."
"Well, we are here now," Draco responded flatly.
With Umbridge standing in front of him, the disparity of their heights became significant. He pointed again to the seat. "Sit"
A few uncomfortable giggles slipped through as she sat. She placed her hands primly in her lap, angled her knees and crossed her ankles, then looked up to Draco dutifully.
"Tell me what happened"
"Well, I was conducting my muggle investigations as I have been doing for a few weeks now. I do hope the Dark Lord is pleased with…" Umbridge began to seek some form of approval, but a stormy look from Draco encouraged her to reconsider. "..It was myself and Mafalda up there. She was assisting me."
"Was Mafalda who you normally worked with?" Draco asked.
"No, she was filling in," Delores answered, with a sudden look of anger. "I should have known something was off, It seems so obvious now that Mafalda was one of those nasty little monsters"
Draco's brow rose in interest. "Why is that?"
"Well," she huffed haughtily, "Before I was stunned, and mind you, I hit my head in the process, it hurts dreadfully," when Draco didn't seem to care, she continued on, "...Mafalda made some comment about my locket. Underlings like her should never make small talk with someone of my stature."
His eyes scanned down to large locket hanging by a thick chain resting on her chest. There was a large S engraved on the front of the well polished intricate piece.
"A simple compliment would have sufficed, but no, she prodded me with questions about it," Umbridge added, placing a hand tenderly over the locket. "Any decent wizard would have never. I bet it was that filthy mudblood who polyjuiced herself to be Mafalda."
Draco's eyes flipped to Umbridge, then back down to the locket.
"Let me see the locket," he ordered.
"Of course," Umbridge pulled the chain over her head and extended her stubby, toad like hand out to him. "It's an heirloom, from the Slewyn family" She added braggadociously. "Much like the Malfoys, I come from a very distinguished line of pure bloods. This belonged to Slewyn himself"
Draco held the locket in his hand, considering it. Anything as old and magical as she claims it to be would carry some lingering effects of magic, but the locket had nothing he could register. It also looked rather cheap if he was being honest.
So either Umbridge was lying about the history of the locket, which was certainly on the table, or they had switched hers with a duplicate seeing as how they showed interest in the piece.
Draco extended his hand with the locket back to Umbridge. "Does anything seem different about your locket now?"
Tentatively, Umbridge took hold of her the piece. She turned it over in her hand, her bug eyes looking at the details carefully. Then something seemed to dawn over her.
"Something is missing…" she mumbled, in an uncharacteristically vulnerable tone. Her nubby fingers went to the clasp, and with some effort, she opened it and gasped.
"It's not my locket!" she nearly shrieked, standing. "Those filthy little animals took my heirloom"
Given her reaction Draco could deduce that the locket could not previously be opened, and that was the dead give away.
"Sit down," Draco commanded, but Umbridge was incensed.
"I should have done something about those three when I was at Hogwarts. If I see that filthy little mudblood abomination…"
Umbridge's legs suddenly buckled, and she was sitting once more. Eyes wide, she turned her attention to Draco who had his wand in hand.
"What are you doing?" She sputtered, not able to move her legs.
"Give me your wand"
"No!" she objected, clutching it in her hand like a child not wanting to share a toy.
Draco sighed, realizing his approach was getting him nowhere. "I apologize Professor," he said demurely, intentionally appealing to her ego. "You seemed to be having a fit, and I thought sitting would have helped. I did not mean to startle you with the abrupt nature of it all"
Umbridge seemed to cool with Draco's explanation, and in him referring to her once again as 'Professor'.
"I need to perform Prior Incantato on your wand to see what spells were used during the incident," Draco explained. "The Dark Lord requires it of us during investigations."
With that, she hesitantly handed over her wand. It felt noxious in his hand. He gripped it, pointed it at her, and spoke: "Obliviate"
Her eyes glassed over at once, and Draco began reconstructing her memories of the days events; specifically about the detail of her locket being switched out.
Before bringing her back, Draco performed a sticking charm on the locket so it would not open again.
Draco wordlessly ended her trance, then handed back her wand.
"Everything checks out," Draco said, his tone more friendly this time around.
For half a second she looked around in a daze, but quickly focused back on Draco and simpered.
"I am sorry you had to experience such a stressful day," Draco added kindly. Seeming satisfied that the procedure was finished, she got up.
"Thank you, I do hope you are able to find them," she said earnestly with a nod.
"I'm certain we will," Draco said finally. She walked past Draco to the exit, which he had his back to.
"Oh hello Mr. Nott, Ms. Parkinson," Umbridge called out.
Draco turned around to see that Theo and Pansy were at the doorway, with the third Death Eater positioned slightly behind them.
"It's so good to see that even the youth is taking up for the cause," Umbridge cood.
"Too true," Pansy replied with false sincerity. "Have a good rest of your day"
Umbridge straightened her tweed bubblegum pink blazer, stood tall, and walked out of the courtroom. As soon as the door was closed, Pansy stormed up to Draco.
"Sloppy," she cursed at him, her chin jutting back out to the other Death Eater. "He saw you obliviate her"
Draco tensed. He looked to the Death Eater standing next to Theo who was in a similarly dazed state as Umbridge had been.
"Luckily Theo caught him coming in, silenced him, then obliviated him," Pansy huffed, now standing in front of Draco, hands on her hips. "So what memory do we give him?"
It wasn't often that Draco was lost for words, but in this moment he was. He had been thoughtless, sloppy as Pansy had put it. How did he not check his entry points before performing any spells that could be incriminating to him The blood drained from his face.
"Hello Draco," Pansy snapped. He looked at her. "We figured you were up to something. That's why we took the mark. To help you." she explained, and then for good measure added, "You'll need to tell us what you're doing though."
His body froze at the revelation that they had known he was up to something, and that they had taken the mark for him. He shook his head tersely, banishing any warmth of friendship and finally said. "No"
"What do you mean no, we just saved your ass," Pansy responded incredulously.
Draco looked over at Theo. Theo, who had always been the carefree one of all of his friends, looked strangely serious.
"Draco," Theo spoke numbly. "We're with you. Whatever it is"
"This isn't your fight," Draco replied. It came out strangled from his chest.
Pansy rolled her eyes. "Obviously. But we're likely going to die anyway as Death Eaters, so at least lets hope your causes is a better one."
Draco's insides snapped. It had been so dark for him since leaving Hogwarts, but unlike the year prior, he had his convictions. He didn't think he'd also have allies.
"How are you both with Occlumency?" Draco asked, breaking from his emotions. Theo shrugged, but Pansy smirked.
"Good," she answered. "Daphne learned Legilimens last year to get gossip so I had to practice keeping her out."
"Well you both need to be better. The Dark Lord is brutal," Draco spoke from experience as he walked to Theo. Pansy followed.
"For now, I have to obliviate you two for your own sake in case you are interrogated," Draco was moving fast now, reaching for the other Death Eaters wand.
"Wouldn't the Dark Lord be able to tell an implanted memory if he legimmensed us?" Theo asked.
"He hasn't detected mine," Draco replied, not looking at Theo, moving seamlessly to cast an obliviate on the Death Eater who saw him wipe Umbridge's memory.
"How will we know we're on your side?" Theo asked, marveling at how quickly Draco moved.
"I'll adjust your memory to alter what you saw today, but I'll leave everything else in tact. If someone casts legilimens on you, they'll just see that you suspect me of something. That's not proof. I can handle that." Draco concentrated for a moment, finishing the memory of the spare Death Eater.
"I'll also implant the urge to learn occlumency and to have you both come to me for lessons." Draco added for good measure.
"You can do all that?" Pansy asked with reverence.
Draco gave her a brief look. "Yes"
He took a breath after finishing the Death Eater and turned to Pansy and Theo.
"Theo, your memory will be that you had to cast an obliviate on two workers that seemingly had too much information on the incident that could compromise our hunt of Potter. Pansy, I'll just go back to the moment before you found Theo and snip the rest."
Theo and Pansy gave Draco a blank look, both overwhelmed at how deft he was in his game of deception.
After they said nothing, Draco raised his wand. "Ready?"
"This feels like a disaster waiting to happen," Pansy said, but sighed. "But sure, ready."