Mike looked at me, confused for a few seconds
"NOW!" I yell, my point seemingly getting through to him as he frowns at me then backs out the room and quickly hurries back down the corridor.
"Don't make me look like an idiot in front of the minister. What proof did your mother come across?"
"She found all of Snape memories, all of them proving my innocence" his desperation seeping through his voice "my mother was put on house arrest for a year after her trial, thats why it took so long, but no one at the law enforcement office would give her the time of day, closed their doors in her face"
I frown as I think back. Richard Crowling was in charge of the Law Enforcement Office at that time while I was a junior officer still learning the ropes. The whole department had been a bit of a joke then, Crowling was a lazy bastard that did nothing other than sit with rich investors that wanted nothing more than to work around the law, so having him in in their back pocket kept them happy and his wallet heavily lined. Kingsley eventually caught on and fired him, getting me to step in a Head of Law Enforcement. The youngest ever in history.
With Kingsley's help I was able to turn around the whole department. For the first time in decades the Law Enforcement Office was a department that was in the top of its field in the world. Nothing happened that didn't go past me.
Or so I thought.
"Hermione" Kingsley's deep voice rang through the room before he walked through the door seconds later
He looked at the filthy Draco sitting chained to the table across from me
"Minister, you remember Draco Malfoy" Kingsley has to actually squint his eyes and lower his head a little to get a clear view.
"Mr Malfoy, I barely recognised you"
"Yeah well, five years in isolation will do that to you" Draco snarks
"What is the reason you called me here Hermione?"
"I would like to request retrial of Draco Malfoy's case. In the last few minutes he has revealed to me some facts, that only he and I would know, and stated that previous law enforcement officers would refuse to look at new evidence to prove Mr Malfoy's innocence in the war"
"Innocence? he was a proven death eater, what proof could there possibly be to prove innocence of that?"
"The fact that I was a spy for the Order of Phoenix"
"Excuse me, please repeat that"
"I was a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. I reported directly to Severus Snape who was reporting to Remus Lupin. Lupin was the only one who knew of my connection to the order. Unfortunately he died before he could let anyone else know. Then Snape died so here I am"
There was a full minute silence. Kingsley looking at Malfoy with a frown on his face, not knowing if he was telling the truth
"My mother has vials of Snape memories that prove my innocence, she tried to take them to the Law Enforcement but no one would listen to a death eaters mother"
"He saved my life Kingsley" I whisper making both heads snap in my direction.
"I could never remember what really happened that night during the battle. All I know is I bumped into someone and then woke up under rubble later. I had dreamt that someone was talking to me but I could never quite place the voice. But I remembered today. He saved me, the wall collapsed and knocked me out, Draco hid my body so no one else could find me"
Kingsley looked in between the both of us.
".. "Your case will be re-opened, we will allow the new evidence to be brought forward in front of the wizenmagot, you will be under the influence of veritaserum. Once the wizenmagot decide you will either be a free man or sentenced to the dementor kiss. Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir" Draco mumbles, looking Kingsley straight in the eye
"Perfect. Lets get you out of here and into the holding chambers at the ministry"
It takes an hour. The guards escort him with us to the wardens office, where we fill out transfer papers, hand over Malfoy's belongings and prepare him to Floo back to the ministry. He remains chained and when we get to the fireplace I finally give him the warning
"The ministry will be full of people, keep your head down, we're going to have escorts. No one will recognise you" he nods and swallows loudly before we step into the fireplace and I clearly state "London Ministry of Magic"
Its peak hour when we arrive. Nearing the end of the day, offices and departments are closing and everyone is making their way towards the fireplaces. As we prepared, there were aurors standing at the fireplace we exit from and hold back commuters as we walk past. I hold Malfoy by his shoulder and hold his head down towards the ground as we head to the elevators. Another two aurors hold the elevator open for us and we enter, where I have Malfoy face the back corner and I press the button for the ninth floor.
The department of mysteries is empty as we walk past the hearing rooms towards the holding cells. Martin, the warden for the ministry stands there waiting for us as we approach
"Miss Granger" he nods
"Clean him up, make him look presentable, and give him a decent meal" I say as I hand Malfoy over to him. He simply nods and I know that he will take care of him. Most prisoners that come through here, no matter how horrific their crime, are always looked after with Martin. He gives them their final piece of humanity before they head to Azkaban.
"I'll owl your mother tonight and we shall reconvene tomorrow to go over your case. We will set the date for your appeal as soon as possible" I tell Malfoy just before he walks off.
"Thank you Granger" he says sincerely before the doors close.
"Don't thank me yet"
Heading back up to my office, I drop my duffle to the floor and pull out a piece of parchment
Ms Malfoy,
I am sure you are surprised as to why I am writing to you, as am I to be completely honest. But after meeting with your son today, I have been informed that there is some new evidence that proves your sons innocence in the war.
The minister and I have therefore decided to reopen Draco's case. Draco has been transferred from Azkaban to the ministry where he will be held during the appeal trial. Tomorrow I will be sitting with Draco to go over his version of the events that happened during the war, and I request your presence as well as the evidence you have regarding your sons innocence.
On behalf of the Law Enforcement Office, I would like to apologise for any of my predecessors behaviour and abrasive attitude towards helping your son. Please be at my office promptly by 9am tomorrow morning.
Regards
Hermione Granger
I walk over to my personal owl Harper, attach the letter to her foot and open the window to let her fly out and watch her fly into the distance before grabbing my bag and heading home for the night.
When I get in early the next morning I immediately start preparing all the paperwork that Malfoy has to fill out. There are sheets upon sheets of parchment that need his signature and will take up the majority of the morning going though everything in depth.
I head down to the meeting rooms connected to the holding cells and wait for the guard to bring in Malfoy.
It takes a while and I look up when the door opens a few minutes later and have to do a double take. Martin took my words seriously it seems and gave Malfoy a much needed clean up. A decent shower does wonders it seems.
Gone is the mousy brown hair and back it his trademark platinum blonde hair, cut from a long mop of a haircut to a short, somewhat stylish look. The dirt that was matted on his body and under his fingernails is gone. He looked more like the Malfoy that I remember.
"Malfoy" I greet him as Mike sits him down and chains him to the table before I nod in thanks to him and he walks out.
"Today is going to be long and boring, I've summoned your mother, with all the evidence she has gathered on your innocence. Myself and Kingsley will look at it and we will go further with that"
"Thank you Granger" the sincerity in his voice makes me pause for a second. I quickly get back to grabbing all the paper I need to open a retrial, passing Malfoy a quill and the both of us signing papers for the next hour in silence, except for the sound of rustling parchment.
What felt like hours later, but was really only thirty minutes, there was a knock on the door interrupting us from silence, and Mike popped his head in the door.
"The minister and Mrs Malfoy are here"
"Thanks Mike, let them in" I smile
He opens the door further and I see Kingsley before a blur runs through the door and straight to Malfoy. My hand twitches to my wand but I pause when I recognise Mrs Malfoy leap at her son and almost strangle him in a hug.
Smiling quietly to myself as a pang of sadness hits me, the missing feeling of a mothers love resonates throughout me at the sight
"Ms Granger" Kingsley says lowly and I move away to give the two some privacy of their reunion
"Should this new evidence be sufficient enough the wizenmagot is ready to meet for the hearing as soon we call if" Kingsley mumble to me
"So quickly?"
"Well since you run a very efficient department, we've gotten quite bored waiting for the interesting cases to come our way. And that very rarely happens now Ms Granger" he slyly smirks, and then looks toward the mother and son still embracing in a very awkward position due to the younger Malfoy still chained to the table
"We should get started" I say louder for everyone to hear. Summoning two extra chairs as I walk back to my seat. With Kingsley seated next to me and Narcissa seated directly opposite, next to her son I can properly see her face now. The last five years have not been kind to her. The once perfectly styled hair now has speckles of grey and looks like she hurried to tie it back today. The tailored and custom fit robes are now old and hang off her slender frame. She's lost weight, and not in a good way. Her cheek bones protrude out more than they once did, her face gaunt. Her posture now slumped and timid where she once stood tall and proud.
The war didn't do any good for Pure bloods. Especially ones that are now seen as traitors.
But the pure love that shines in her eyes as she looks at her son, say that she'd do it all again for him
"Ok" Kingsley starts "Tell us everything, from the beginning"
Draco starts to open his mouth but Narcissa cuts in
"My marriage wasn't one of love. It was arranged you see. My parents wanted to keep our blood line pure and who better than the Malfoy's? And I mean Lucius was always very charismatic to everyone so it was very easy for everyone to be won over by his charm. But as soon as we were married he changed. He was obsessed over blood purity and it was the start of Voldemort's rise to power. He quickly rose in ranks of the Death Eaters by doing anything that was asked of him.
Unfortunately, Draco isn't a product of love. But he was my saving grace. When Voldemort disappeared the first time, I thought we would be safe and I had somewhat a normal family for twelve short years. Until he came back. Draco was becoming closer of age and Voldemort was pressuring Lucius to initiate Draco. I tried for so long to hold it off, saying he was too young and not ready, but Lucius turned back into the vile monster that I originally married. That was when he used me against Draco. Join the Death Eaters or I would be kille-"
"I wouldn't let them hurt my mother" Draco cuts in, his eyes starting to turn red from listening to his mothers story. Not that I blamed him "Id seen the abuse she'd had my whole life and I wouldn't let her give up her life up in exchange for mine. She had never done anything wrong, other than be forced into a marriage by her parents. It seemed like an easy choice to do what they wanted. But then they started killing innocent people, taunting them for fun. When they told me to kill Dumbledore something in me changed. I said no, but again they knew that they could use my mother against me. Her own sister used the cruciatus curse against her to force my hand. I always thought Bellatrix was insane but torturing her own sister?"
He was lost in his memories, a frown marring his face
"When I got back to Hogwarts that year Snape knew something was wrong. Voldemort had told the Death Eaters he had given me a mission but not what it was. I thought he just wanted to help me to get the credit and praise of the Dark Lord. But he kept me back after class and told me that he was a spy for the Order, and that he could help me. Voldemort was using Malfoy manor as a home base, so I overheard a lot of the plans that he had. If I could give Snape the information I had, he in turn would help me. When we ran after Dumbledore died, he told me to go home, act like normal, that he would send word on what to do.
"His only contact in the order was Professor Lupin. After he killed Dumbledore, he kept his contact low so that it would seem he was 100% with the Death Eaters. He didn't want anyone knowing that his death was planned. Dumbledore was already sick long before Voldemort gave me my mission. I was at Hogwarts, and I thought at least Lupin would have sent the message that I was a spy. But Ginny Weasley actions made me sure that the news hadn't been spread. I would walk the halls of a night hidden from the Carrow's, they used to have fun with kids that were out after curfew, I would put them under the imperius charm to make them turn around or walk past people. They found the Room of Requirement that was full of the DA one night but I wiped their memories of it" He was looking at the table, his fingers tracing random patterns on the top.
"We knew that night the second the Golden Trio entered Hogsmeade" he glanced at me briefly. Snape told me to get my mask and stay hidden but Crabbe and Goyle found me. They overheard Harry and Hermione talking about some type of cup and the Room of Requirement and we followed them. Crabbe the idiot, started fiendfyre but he never knew how to control it, got himself killed because of it.
"It wasn't long after you saved my life Granger that I saved yours" he looks at me and I clench my jaw. Ron wanted to leave him in that room but Id like to think me and Harry are better people because we didn't "Granger was running, she came around the corner and knocked right into me. I had my mask on so she started to scream. That was when the wall behind us exploded and knocked her out. I hid her under bricks and went towards the great hall. Ginny Weasley tried to hex me when I took my mask off, and I knew she didn't know. Snape had been killed, so had Lupin. No one knew. There wasn't any point in running the aurors would have gotten me eventually. And they did, and here we are today"
There was a full five minutes of silence. Draco was looking at the table, his mother was sobbing into a handkerchief while Kingsley and I tried to make sense of everything
"So what evidence do you have to prove your innocence?" Kingsley finally asks
"Snape would pull his memories everyday. Voldemort was a skilled occlumens and Snape didn't want to risk anything. All the evidence was in his house in Spinners End. There was decades of evidence, he was a spy for a long time"
"He was a spy ever since Voldemort put a bounty on Lily Potter's head. He was in love with her ever since they were children" I say, surprising the hell out of both Malfoy's, that little tidbit of information wasn't public knowledge.
Kingsley stood and brought the pensive over to the table.
"Narcissa if you would?" he said, nodding towards the large silver bowl that was now centred on the table.
From the pockets she pulled a vial that was full of the silver liquid, took off the cap and poured it in. Instead of entering into it, he waved his wand and the memories became a holographic version in front of us. Playing out in full detail.
Everything that they said was here in solid proof. There was no tampering to the memories, nothing that could refute their arguments.
"Gather the Wizenmagot" I tell Kingsley which causes Mrs Malfoy to burst into tears.
"You ready to be a free man Malfoy?"
"More than you'll ever know"