Author's Note: Thank you all for your kind reviews! Enter Antonin. Stay well!
August 5th, 1989
Sometime during the summer Lucius Malfoy became a bit concerned. His wife was absent frequently when he knew that her sister was occupied or on holiday, something he noticed because he was less often at the Ministry during the summer months. Severus Snape was a sometime visitor but unlike other holidays when he had taken the time to "brew" with Draco – dreadful concoctions full of mud and flowers – he left quickly whenever his talks with Narcissa were concluded. The Malfoy patriarch could pinpoint his wife's changed behaviour to the time she and her sister had mended bridges and while he knew that the women were meeting a lot there was still slots of the day missing. He thought that the mystery was laying either with Severus or Andi. Trying on his bellbottoms and being glad that they still fit he Apparated to Cokeworth.
That move very nearly might have been his last, as the outlay of the town had changed and what had been a convenient alley ten years before was now the parking lot of a Tesco's. The driver in front of whose bonnet Lucius had appeared was screaming obscenities about hippies at him. Maybe the pumpkin coloured corduroy trousers had not been the wisest choice. He crossed the parking lot and used a discreet Point me – charm to locate Spinner's End.
Meanwhile at the McGowan-Snape household panic ruled. Someone with a Dark Mark had crossed the outmost layer of wards. Val and the children went through the backdoor. The plan was to walk to Toby's flat and wait there for news. Severus' father refused to accompany them, instead sharpening the blade of his axe. The Potions master rolled his eyes and cast a shield over the man. The next ward warning of a Dark Mark went off but not the Sneakoscope. That meant someone marked was approaching, but without ill intent. Offhand Severus could only think of very few persons that fit that description. He decided not to trigger the charm that would change the house back to gloomy bachelor pad as undoing it again was a nuisance and upset Val and Harry a lot, as pictures got torn and playthings went missing.
When the knocker sounded Toby opened while Sev had his back, wand drawn.
"Oh dear! Come in, lad, lest the BNP louts from number thirteen see you!"
Mr Snape Sr was nearly dropping his axe from suppressed laughter.
"That thing went out of fashion thirty years ago, I think. – Is he dangerous, Sev, apart from for our eyes?"
"Yes, Da, but not to us. You can bring them back."
To his visitor he said, wand drawn, "Just to be on the safe side – who was your crush in your second year?"
The vertical frown line on Malfoy's forehead deepened.
"Initials M P enough for you? I have been nearly overrun by a car already, no need to humiliate me further!"
"Come to the kitchen then. I will need a vow from you as there are some aspects of my life you are unaware of."
Lucius took in the drawings tacked unto every available surface, the knitting next to the sofa and a plushie and drew his wand for the vow.
In lieu of an explanation Severus slid over the photographs taken the week before at Harry's birthday.
"Merlin, Sev, is that Harry Potter?"
"Yes, his name now is Peter Harrison Parker. Val – that's my wife – and I hid his trail in the Muggle world and so far the Hogwarts registry is following. The name Harry Potter has vanished in there. Dumbledore either hasn't noticed or hasn't said anything to me but I guess the first, otherwise he would be less relaxed. The little one is Grace. When Narcissa came for a visit to ask me for a potion she met my family. I think that triggered a resolve already forming in her."
"Congratulations, my friend, you have a lovely family. And seemingly mended your relationship with your father."
"That too. He is on the wagon, otherwise I would not let him near my family."
"I have long since thought you no longer loyal to the Dark Lord, if you ever were. – Alright, let's get rid of the sucker and preferably of Dumbledore as well."
A week later a bewildered Antonin Dolohov was brought from Azkaban to the Ministry. After perfunctorily performed cleaning spells he was sat down in a court room in front of the Wizengamot. A woman scarily looking like Bellatrix was speaking on his behalf, testimonies were read and less than an hour later he was escorted to a sparsely furnished room where he was served tea. Tea! Not the slosh he had gotten the last seven years. An Auror was standing guard but with a lot less menacing stance than the wardens of Azkaban. And then a house elf popped in with a tray of sandwiches. Antonin's voice was gravelly from disuse but he had to try.
"Sir, are they for me?"
"Yes, Mr Dolohov. Standard procedure during deliberations."
Half an hour later the prisoner rued the speed with which he had wolfed down the sandwiches, feeling vaguely sick. He had no time to dwell on this as soon after he was led back to the courtroom. A woman that looked vaguely familiar stood in the traditional robes of the Head of Wizengamot.
"Mr. Dolohov, please rise to hear our vote."
Antonin did so, with some difficulty.
"My name is Amelia Bones, I act as Head as Albus Dumbledore is away due to an International Wizengamot Federation meeting. Firstly I want to offer our apologies that you have never received a proper trial. You have been charged with membership in a terrorist organisation and with two counts of accessory to the murder of Fabian and Gideon Prewett. As to the last offence you have been acquitted due to reliable new witness statements. The first, membership of the group called Death Eaters, is considered proven as you bear the Dark Mark. There is no evidence however that you have participated in any combat during your time with Voldemort's followers but that you had order from him to work on new Anti-Muggle wards. Someone from the Department of Mysteries has come forward to testify that the wards in themselves are non-offensive but rather constructed to better hide our world from the advancing technology of the Muggles around us. This court therefore sentences you to ten years of Azkaban for the first offence, the sentence however will be considered served if you agree to help the Unspeakables to develop your own wards further for the next two years. Do you understand these terms?"
He lost his fight with his stomach and was violently sick on the dock. Madam Bones looked sympathetic rather than disgusted while an orderly cast a cleaning and refreshing charm on the wizard and another offered a glass of water.
"Mr Dolohov, your assets, among them a cottage in Devon and your Gringotts account, will be returned to you, as well as your wand. You have two weeks to discuss everything with you lawyer if you want to appeal the decision."
The acting Head stamped the scroll she had been reading from and Antonin's shackles opened. He would have fallen if not a young man the nondescript robes of legal aides holding him upright.
"Sir, will you be alright with me Apparating you to our offices?"
The Russian could only nod and try not to be sick again. After letting him draw some calming breaths he was led into a cosy office with a settee. The aide made him sit down on it, offered chamomile tea and apologised for his boss still being held up at the Wizengamot. Antonin did as told, stirred his tea slowly and tried to regain his bearings. The young wizard left him alone in what he could only presume to be his lawyer's office.
While he had worked hard the first months and years in Azkaban to stay sane – by doing mental exercises daily, by learning to change into his Animagus form, a fox, without a wand, by even trying to work out in the small cell – time, the constant cold, no human contact safe irregular beatings by the wardens and worst of all the Dementors had taken a toll. A toll whose extent became more and more obvious. Even this small office seemed too open a space, even though it wasn't cluttered it overwhelmed his senses. Antonin felt his breath coming in shorter and shorter intervals while at the same time he thought to suffocate. A bag of paper was thrust in front of his face and a female voice commanded "In and out, nice and slowly, in and out, you're doing fine, Mr Dolohov, in and out".
When the worst had passed he dropped the bag and looked at the woman.
"My name is Andromeda Tonks, I am the sister of Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. I am your lawyer. Would you like a calming draught?"
He nodded and downed the concoction.
"Mr Dolohov, I am sorry to have sprung this on you so suddenly. The proper way to go about this would have been to talk to you beforehand, to have you transferred to Ministry holding cells et cetera. For reasons I will explain a bit later we had to keep everything quiet if we wanted to succeed. May I offer you a stay at my brother in law's estate to recuperate for a while? Lucius assured me that you will have all the peace and quiet you want, or his ear if you don't. Filius Flitwick offered to house you as well but this could tip our hand too early. Everything will be explained as soon as you feel better."
Antonin cleared his throat, dreading how his voice might sound.
"Madam, I am grateful to be out of Azkaban. Did I understand correctly that I am free as long as I agree to help the Unspeakables?"
"Yes, you are. I am in the progress to negotiate clearer terms on what form this corroboration will take, how many hours per week, towards what aim and so on. They cannot expect you to do something they have been tinkering on for years on the drop of a hat. What I already know is that even if you won't or can't be helpful in the Department of Mysteries your remaining sentence will be changed to something like house arrest. Your case is only one of a lot that haven't been handled properly eight years ago. This is of a scale to be very embarrassing to the whole legal system and it can't be blamed on Crouch or Dumbledore solely."
A dreadful suspicion edged into Antonin's consciousness.
"Mrs Tonks, do know that I won't do anything to bring the Dark Lord back. Preserving the old ways is fine, but not the way he went about it."
"Do not worry, Mr Dolohov, bringing back Voldemort is the last thing I wish for."
"And Lucius?"
"Neither. On the other hand we also disagree with the way Dumbledore is handling things. This verdict today has been possible because he is away in New Zealand."
"What happens when he comes back?"
"The Order of the Phoenix is a vigilante group, basically. From a legal standpoint the same anti-terrorist laws apply as to the Death Eaters. Dumbledore well knows that he and his merry band of marauders got scot free only because they were hailed as victors. He can't cause much trouble, especially as Sirius Black's trial will raise even more questions about his actions as Head of the Wizengamot than yours."
"I think I will take up your offer of Lucius guest room."
"You will get a whole wing if I know my ponce of a brother-in-law well."