Author's note: Please be aware that I own ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, everything, except my character ocs' I place here, belongs to the wonderful Lady J.K. Rowling. This is a Sirius Black/OC Fan-fiction. Eventually it will get there.
Welcome back readers! I hope you enjoy this one as much as you have the first Story that began this journey! :) Thank you all for reading and the wonderful reviews!
UPDATED:9/30/2019
Review answer- Yes, to the Guest that did make the comment about the veritaserum I agree and honestly, I never thought of that and I reeeeally wish I did XD you are a genius! But yes, I agree now that you've mentioned it. As to why they never used it on Sirius when they arrested him, I honestly have no idea. Maybe they just liked the idea of trying to torture it out of him? Or it wasn't made yet? I haven't looked it up yet honestly. I probably should though, but I have a hunch it's been around for sometimes, but the real answer is, I have no idea, I wish I knew, but I don't. But it is a very good question!
Thank you all for the reviews! I'm glad you're all enjoying how its set! Thank you all for the reads and I hope you'll still enjoy them as they go! :)
Chapter 17
July 30th, 1993
Emma smiled as Hermione rushed out the front door of her home, an excited smile on her face as she collided in Emma's arms. Emma hadn't even had the chance to knock on the door, "Did you enjoy Paris?" Emma laughed.
"Yes, most definitely! But I'm excited to see the boys though. How's Draco readjusting?"
"He's hanging in there, we haven't heard a thing from his mother yet, and no one has inquired about him being there. I did inform both his parents, but no one has responded back." Emma informed the girl, a bit worried herself regarding Sissy's safety.
Hermione sighed, shoulders slumping, that did make her feel sorry for Draco, she'd heard it all on the train home of what she had missed. He had apologized to her away from others because of how embarrassed he was. She was still a bit uncomfortable with having him around like he was with Harry and Ron. But the Weasley's had gone to Egypt this summer to see their older brother Bill and she had gone to Paris with her parents. The Weasley's wouldn't be returning until a week before school started, so it was just Emma, herself, Harry and Draco at the Manor.
To tip this, Remus had told Emma he'd give her the rest of the summer away from him since he'd clearly upset her enough that she had distanced herself, even though his opinion wouldn't change he shouldn't have said it the way he had. Emma had clarified that she was not leaving him to his transformations alone no matter how upset she was at him. She was not going to abandon him to suffer that pain.
"Hermione, don't forget your trunk, oh and your purse to get your things. Emma do let us know when you're going to Diagon Alley, Henry and I would like to get some more of those muffins we found last year."
"Of course, um, I believe we're going to be going August 23rd, but I will owl you a few weeks before just in case."
"Wonderful, take care dear... Tell Harry Happy Birthday for us." Henry said to them both, a proud smile as he helped them load Hermine's trunk into the vehicle.
Emma smiled, watching the young Witch hug her parent's goodbye for the rest of the summer and school.
"I will, love you." Hermione had given her goodbye's and helped Emma load her trunk into the car. Emma hugged the Grangers in return and wished them well and left. "Are you excited?"
"Yes, Harry's first real birthday with us, Ron hasn't been able to owl at all this summer, he's in Egypt. It's been a bit hard for him to send us Owls and to return the Owl. But I'm sure he wishes he was here for Harry's birthday." Hermione sighed.
To this, Emma grinned, this was going to be an exciting surprise indeed. "Actually, Molly is letting Ron come home for a few days. He should be arriving by floo powder about," She stopped to look at her watch, a smile spreading wider across her already grinning lips, "Well, now actually. It'll take us about two hours, maybe three, to get back. Have you eaten at all yet?"
"Yes, I ate lunch about thirty minutes ago."
"Alright, just checking. I brought some snacks in case we got hungry on the way and some water."
Potter Estate
The two boys sat in the Living room on the floor doing their summer work with a sigh. Emma had told them she had given them the first few weeks of Summer to do it themselves then set the books and papers on the Dining room table and told them that she was going to be gone for a while to get Hermione. By then they should have quite a bit of time to get a few more sheets finished to send off to Hogwarts.
It was noon already and their Aunt had yet to get back, they were starting to worry a bit, "She did say it would be a while," Draco said with a worried sigh.
"Yeah, but still a while in tales a few hours… Right?" Harry said with a sighing, rubbing his eyes from the irritation he was getting from the homework they'd done since waking up that morning.
"It could mean all day, in truth. But, still, now I can't stop worrying about it…"
The fireplace silently burned up, neither one of the boys taking any notice.
Ron grinned wickedly stepping out of the fireplace. 'Oh yes, this'll be fun,'
Ron had listened to their conversation for a bit as he leaned against the Fireplace, a grin full of pride, "Worry about what?" Ron questioned as he snuck up on the two boys. He laughed when they both jumped and shouted with fright. Ron swore he saw their hearts in their throats.
It was then they three of them took notice that they had gotten taller, their hair a bit longer. Draco was in regular clothes like Harry and Ron, it was a bit weird for Ron at first, he'd never truly seen the Malfoy boy in regular jeans and a tee-shirt before. Normally the Malfoy boy wore usual dress pants and button up shirt like he'd have been made to wear while at home. He looked friendlier and, dare he say, happier. And Draco would admit that he felt comfortable in his skin and clothes.
They all smiled and laughed. Harry and Draco jumped from their seated positions in the living area on the floor and rushed the Weasley boy, each taking a turn to welcome their friend.
"Ron, you made it, but I thought you were in Egypt?" Harry was excited. He had been worried he'd never see Ron, his very first friend, one of his best friends, his for his first real happy birthday.
Ron laughed at Harry's excitement, "Auntie and Mum came up with the idea to surprise you for your birthday."
"Hey, Weasley, nice to hear from ya." Draco laughed at using Ron's last name.
"Hey, Malfoy." The two boys joked with one another, leaving them all giggling at the crazy fun it gave them rather distasteful rivalry it used to be.
It had gone from humiliating the boy to now an equal ground of joking with one another. But it was also a reminder for Draco that had he not gone about his path the way he had that he would no doubt have a very painful life ahead of him.
Harry laughed at their interaction, they were still calling one another 'Weasley' and 'Malfoy', "When are you two going to just say your first names?" he questioned.
Both boys looked at one another, laughed and turned to Harry with a grin and pulled one of the twins' moves "Because," Ron started.
Draco took over with a grin, "It's weird,"
Turning it back over to Ron to finish, "Makes it more fun."
Harry laughed, shaking his head, "Well alright. Ron how much summer work did you get done?"
With that, Ron groaned and set a bag on the floor, his shoulders slumping with exhaustion, "Like half of it, how much have you two finished?"
Harry nodded with a tired shrug, "A bit more than half."
Draco rubbed the back of his neck, "Not even half. They gave me so much work it's crazy."
Ron nodded in agreement, "Yeah, same. I think I got like six to eight sheets per class from last year. Let me guess, Aunt Emma caught you two trying to not have to do it, and now you have to do it?"
At their nods, Ron nodded along with them, "First Uncle Remus then Emma calls us on it." Draco sighed tiredly.
Nodding with understanding Ron sighed with slight laughter, "Yeah, she always is that good. I think mum has been training her on some things. Hey, has Uncle Remus been around lately? Mum and Dad said he's been acting strange lately. Dad said it probably had something to do with this crazy bloke that escaped from Azkaban, Sirius something."
Draco tensed from the name. It always did make him uncomfortable as he gave Ron a look of fright, "Sirius Black?" Draco questioned.
Ron looked at Draco with worry as he nodded.
"Yeah, I think that was the guy's name. He was put in Azkaban for killing some people or handing over information to the Dark Lord some years ago." Ron went on, he'd only heard a little bit of the conversation, but he'd heard it none the less. Sirius Black was not a Wizard to mess with.
"Sirius Black was put into Azkaban because he was, apparently, a supporter of you – know – who. Not only that, but he also apparently the deaths of 12 muggles before they finally caught him, and the rumor is Harry, that Sirius was the one who handed your family over to him."
Both Harry and Ron looked rather confused at the blond, curious as to how he knew any of that, but the news didn't stop Potter from being any less shocked.
"How do you know this?" Ron asked him in wonder.
Draco really didn't want to say, but he wasn't going to lie to them, "Because, he's my mum's cousin." Draco said with a bit of a grumble.
A thought snapped into Ron's mind as they spoke on the topic, and he realized he may know why Sirius Blacks' name and face looked and sounded slightly familiar. "Wait, Harry. Do you still have that photo album Remus gave you our first year?"
With the idea now in place, the three boys rushed up to Harry's room and waited for him to shuffle through the bookshelf.
Harry smiled, setting the photo album on the bed and watched Ron turn the pages until he finally stopped on a close up of the Wizard. The photo capturing none other than Sirius and Emma.
"I think I finally know why the name not only sounded familiar, but why his wanted poster looked familiar. Sirius Black knew Aunt Emma and your folks Harry." Ron spoke with utter shock.
They stood there in his room staring at the photo of a young Sirius Black spinning a younger Emma around in a circle, lifting her up in the air, both smiling and laughing, "I don't see a traitor, I see a happy man who loved our aunt. Look at all of these pictures, Emma is always happy, that man, that Sirius Black is happy. Look at everyone else, my dad is happy, Remus is happy and so is Aunt Emma. The only one that doesn't look happy is that one, uh, Peter Pettigrew. You can't fake the look Black has." Harry sighed. He didn't want to believe it. The very pictures he had of his parents and Aunt happy all had this man in it. He didn't want to believe that the very person that could have his parents and Aunt smile with such brightness could have betrayed them in such a way.
Ron and Draco looked at him saddened, they didn't want to be the ones to break his bubble, but no one else was there but them and he had a right to know whatever they knew, even if it wasn't much, "Harry, Peter Pettigrew was murdered twelve years ago by Sirius Black."
"And how do we know he wasn't framed? I knew the name sounded familiar myself. Draco, when we had dinner that one night, Aunt Emma and Uncle Remus argued in the kitchen when we came up to get ready for bed, remember?" Harry questioned the boy.
To this, Draco nodded, he did remember that. Emma had rushed outside into the woods, but she'd been covered by a large tree leaving the boys unable to really see her. But they had heard Remus shout at Emma, telling her that a certain person never loved her if he had done whatever he had to her and her family. She had slapped him after that. A slap they heard echo upstairs, "Yeah, Remus got slapped that night when they argued."
"Exactly, I heard Uncle Remus say to her, "I have tried the last nine years to get you to see that the figure in your mind was Sirius, he snuck into your hospital room and tried erasing your memory so he could frame Peter and came back looking like a hero in our eyes, in your eyes." He even told her that Sirius had played them all from the start, but Aunt Emma wasn't having any of it, which means they clearly have different views on what happened. Emma was there the night my parents were killed, Uncle Remus wasn't. If her memory was messed with, I doubt Sirius did it-"
"Harry, you don't know that for sure-"
"Ron! Look at the way he looks at her! Look at his eyes, the smile on his face… No one, and I mean no one, can fake that!" Harry shouted. He had to defend him, he knew
Seeing both boys share a saddened and skeptical expression Harry huffed with obvious irritation, "Fine!" Harry grumbled and stormed to his desk. Grabbing the picture of his parents he set the two moving photos next to one another, "Compare them." he was determined to believe Sirius couldn't have betrayed his family.
Draco and Ron sighed, they gave in and entertained him, it was his birthday tomorrow after all. But as they looked between the two photos of the spinning couples as they laughed and did their lovely couples sweet kiss, they realized that Harry was right. There was no difference between the two pictures besides the couples in them. Each one had a deep look of joy and love. The look Sirius had deeply rooted into him was something the three could see like an open book.
Ron continued staring at the photos, flipping through the pages and glancing back over to Harry's parents' picture, "So, if he was framed, and that's a big if Harry,"
"So, the question is, who would have done it?" Draco finished. All three boys shared a look of deep curiosity.
"You're Aunt seems to believe Sirius is innocent herself Harry, but she has no proof of it, unfortunately. And I apologize to you both for that night. We, I, hadn't meant for either of you to hear us. But I suppose you couldn't help hearing the wonderful slap I had been very deserving of. Truthfully, I believe she had been holding in for some years now."
The three boys held back as much as they could, but Harry couldn't resist, his curiosity was just as bad as his Aunts and fathers. He was always getting himself into situations like Emma, the life-threatening situations.
Remus supposed Harry had both sides of the Evans and Potter curiosity, a magnet for trouble like both sides of the family, so Remus wasn't surprised one bit when Harry had finally piped up and asked, "Who is Sirius Black?"
Remus stared at the three boys with a deep sigh trying to think of what to do and say. Harry had a right to know, a right to ask, but he didn't want him to think terribly of Emma when he explained his opinion to the boy when she wasn't there to defend herself, but he chose to stick with the truth in small doses, "Sirius Black, was a friend of mine, along with Peter Pettigrew, and your fathers'. He was also engaged to your Aunt… Harry you must understand, Emma has been in love with Sirius since the moment her eyes found him, and he too fell in love with her just as swiftly. They truly did, do, love each other. But when the War began, everything changed. My last year at school, when your father and the rest of us graduated, Dumbledore asked me to look into the allied members that were fighting in the War against this dark Wizard, we had a rat in our mists. I must have overlooked something because I couldn't find him. A year after you were born things really fell for us all and your parents went into hiding. They were told they were targets, along with you, Emma and Mellena. Now, your parents had a secret keeper, that was Sirius Black. However, according to Emma, Sirius had felt the need to change Keepers at the last moment and supposedly they did. But, when you were all attacked Sirius Black was nowhere near your family's safe house, he's claimed over the years that Pettigrew was the replacement, but Pettigrew was murdered by Sirius, therefore leaving us unable to question him. That only left Sirius. He was found among the rubble of the attack he caused in order to kill Pettigrew, but in the process the blast killed twelve Muggles and knocked Sirius unconscious, which was how he was caught. However, if you'd see your Aunts memories, you'll see why we're all confused. Nothing is a lie and it makes everything more confusing. Sirius Black's case file was sealed and has been difficult to reopen. The Ministry refused Emma, and myself for years. I only want to see it because there are things that still do not make sense. However-"
"You still believe Sirius killed my parents." Harry was having enough, Remus was making some since, but then he also wasn't making any since. Constantly going back and forth between condemning Sirius then saying he wasn't involved in the deaths. At least that was how he was taking the conversation.
"No," Remus clarified a bit sharply, he didn't want to admit that at the beginning he had believed that, but as the years had moved forward Remus had come to the conclusion that Sirius wouldn't have the heart to personally harm James, not even Emma. But in handing over the locations he did just that, another thing Remus was still confused about, "But, I believe he gave Voldemort their location. He was there at the safe house, dropped them off, checked the perimeter himself with no extra eyes. Sirius did everything on his own. He's a skilled tracker, better than myself, which puts me to shame really, he's an excellent hunter, which again, puts me to shame in some ways. He could have easily gotten the enemies in through the charms and that would have given them full access to getting in and out without anyone knowing." Remus said to simply clear up his reasons, but he did make it clear that there were still many unanswered things that could have been in the Wizards file after Alastor closed it. That was another thing that bothered them all, Alastor Moody should have been able to access the file with ease, yet he too had been threatened with his job if he continued trying to gain access to said file.
Ron and the others looked confused, their brows scrunched in confusion, "So, you think something is in that file that would clear up a lot? Like what?"
Remus nodded to the Weasley boy, "Yes, I think that. His file was closed by Mad-eye, reopened by the Ministry and then permanently sealed from view of others except from those who resealed it themselves. Unfortunately, that could be anyone in the Ministry of Magic or even the Hogwarts School and the schools Governors that had access to it, even the Auror department."
This left the three boys sighing in defeat, Harry even more so, "So it could have been anyone and Sirius was still convicted?"
"Yes, convicted without a trial unfortunately, I agree he should have had a fair trial for him to try arguing for his innocence, but he wasn't given the chance. I went to witness a confession in Azkaban but instead of using a truth serum they tortured him. I couldn't stay to watch through to the end. He screamed and screamed his innocences, even told them to ask Emma, but I only had enough heart, and not to mention little stomach, to continue watching and listening to what was happening, I had to leave, but I had told him Emma was of no use. I didn't even have the heart to tell him her memory had been tampered with. Meaning, they couldn't use anything from her to free him. And that is what unfortunately sealed him in Azkaban, because of how tampered her memory had been. The only thing it shows is a shadow and a very badly distorted voice, you can't make anything out of it. We've tried having her imagine Sirius there and she refuses. We told her to imagine Pettigrew there and she found it hard to do even that, the memory has been untouched and unaltered besides what the intruder had done and that was trying to erase them from her mind completely. Molly was actually the one that had stopped it from continuing. Molly tried to go in to see your Aunt, but the door had been locked. When she panicked, Molly began screaming, the intruder went out the window and that was pretty much what sent Emma into her three year a coma."
The boys were sickened by this.
Draco scrunched up his face in slight aggravation, then piped up, utterly horrified, "I don't blame her! She had just made it out of surgery barely alive after barely surviving the attack from Voldemort himself then her mind was messed with!" Draco was appalled.
"Remus Lupin," The woman's tone sent shivers down all four male's spines as they looked in the doorway. The person standing there had them wanting to shiver just a little.
Emma stood there, leaning against the door frame, a stern expression on her face pointed at Remus, "I think you and I need to have a talk."
"Now Emma, they asked and all I said was the truth, facts really, and my option. Nothing was wrongly spoke of about anyone." He clarified, his hands held up to her, a sign of slight submission but also defense. He was not going to let her tell him he was wrong when he had the facts straight but a few missing links that still bothered him.
The thing was, they were both right and wrong. Remus had facts that were wrongly placed on Sirius and Emma had no idea who the real keeper had been that had betrayed them, she was constantly thinking it was someone outside of their close friend group that wouldn't be suspected, but she couldn't think of who everyone had alibis and Sirius was apparently the only other choice, but she knew he wasn't the one that gave her sister and brother-in-law. However, her curiosity had yet again gotten the better of her as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Oh, really? Then why did you never tell me you visited with Sirius? Hm?" She really never knew he had gone to see Sirius when he was in Azkaban, not at all, and she as curious as to why, even though she and Hermione had heard nearly the entire conversation, Emma wanted Remus to tell her himself. Maybe then they could finally get that conversation figured out and settled.
"I didn't think you needed to know. It was right after your mind shut down. You were still in a coma. Three years later it was a bit late to tell you anything."
Okay, that she could see reason with. With a sighed shrug Emma looked to her nephews, she was pleased to find that none of their eyes held pity, nor judgment. With a sigh, she rubbed her forehead with exhaustion and worry. Emma looked to Harry and sighed once more, "Well, I don't see why we shouldn't discuss this now that you know, Harry."
They all saw her reaction, pain clear in her eyes, something that she had yet to be able to mask over the years. Emma's eyes could still betray her to easily. They knew the topic was painful for her and that was the last thing they wanted to do to her, but they knew, and they had questions. Questions she was willing to answer at the moment.
"What was he like?" They saw Harry's hope swelling up in his eyes.
They watched her smile, how happy she was while remembering him, "Funny, a prankster like your dad, those two always did get into trouble. They'd take Remus and Peter along with them and the four would get into trouble. Sirius was caring to others, but he had his mean strike, he could be a bully sometimes, especially to Severus. But, after a while they left him alone. The photo's pretty much match his personality really. He loved to have fun, loved laughing and having others laughing around him, he was smart, occasionally he'd pull a dumb prank and he hated schoolwork. Honestly, Harry. If you want to know what your dad was like, look in a mirror and you'll find both him and you mum. Sirius, all you have to do is look at Draco. They had the same kind of upbringing-"
At this, Draco scuffed at the thought of being similar to Sirius Black, but if Emma was making comparisons maybe she saw the similarities where they didn't want to, "Let me guess, pure-blood family, hateful to anyone that wasn't like them, hated muggle sympathizers, hateful towards muggle borns. Very 'proper', old fashioned mannered, rich taste and very cold? Cruel to others that work for them and others and those they find below their station? Yeah, sounds familiar."
Remus grinned and nodded, "Yes, pretty much," he said looking over to Emma. Her brow rose with a side-ways grin as she looked at the blond, "Yeah, you basically hit the nail straight into the railroad perfectly as to his family's background." Emma said with a nod of her head ad a small grin.
They all giggled at Draco when he'd chuckled and rolled his eyes with a playful poke at the idea, "Fantastic, so I'm pretty much a blond Sirius Black, only I have the last name Malfoy, oh the irony. My father would probably have a heart attack and die if he ever heard me say that." Everyone, even Draco, began laughing when he had made his poke, it was hilarious, yet very true. Lucius would likely have a heart attack after disowning the poor boy.
Remus smiled and hugged Emma one armed, he knew she was still angry with him, he'd stopped by to check on the boys while she was off getting Hermione. He had no idea she'd be home that fast, otherwise he'd have gone to the house a bit earlier to avoid angering her more. Remus would always forget that no matter how angry she would get with them, The Marauder's, she would always forgive them. He knew, however, that something was bothering her deeply. He had no idea that it was the very absence of Sirius Black at the cabin she had been checking every few days since the 15th.
Sirius hadn't gone to the cabin at all, in fact he had found Peter's scent and began tracking it, unfortunately his scent was where he couldn't go… The Potter's Estate, inside with Remus and Emma. Where the children were. And Remus had no idea that they were safeguarding a cowering traitor, otherwise he was sure Remus would have had the rat screaming for mercy and Sirius would have been freed from his prison ages ago. Unless Remus knew himself, something that was highly unlikely. So, instead of going to the cabin, Sirius had hunted around the grounds to stay close, if he had too, he'd storm the Estate if he found they needed help. He wasn't going to abandon Harry and Emma like he had last time, 'I'm not leaving you alone with that rat, I'll die before you both are hurt again.'
July 31, 1993
Harry's birthday was spent with joy, laughter and fun and wonderful food. They had fun, but most of all, Harry finally knew the joys of having a Happy Birthday with his loved ones who loved him back and his friends.
During the short nights spent with the boys and Emma, Hermione had gotten used to Draco shockingly quick after she realized the boys had been right about him. He was a lot different than he'd first given off and she was glad he was being himself. He was fun and caring, he enjoyed life, the freedom he had to be himself. To smile and laugh with friends, real friends. Hermione had learned he had only been as cruel and cold as he had been because of his huge jealousy towards the three teenagers' for having such a friendship. Something he was always missing from his life and hadn't known what a real friend was until he began craving it all. But it had also been how he'd been raised the past twelve years of his life that he hadn't really understood how to handle his jealousy towards them for something he thought he had a lot of, when really all he had was a family name with centuries of power, arrogance and money behind him.
They were all laughing and enjoying their late night, Draco had snuck up behind Hermione and hoisted her up and over his shoulder and ran around the living room, "Come on Ron, if you love her so much why not take her from me." He laughed.
Harry laughed and clapped along to the up-bet music playing over the radio as Ron chased Draco and a laughing Hermione around the living room shouting at the laughing blond.
"I don't love her Malfoy! I'm just trying to get her away from you!" this only made them laugh harder, they all knew Ron had a small crush on Hermione, besides Hermione who just laughed at the idea.
Hermione laughed as she playfully smacked Draco's back, "Draco, put me down will you!"
To this, Draco grinned and set her down gently and tapped the tip of her nose with a playful grin, "Okay," They all knew he was just being playful, even Hermione knew, but that didn't stop her from kissing his cheek, "Thank you," Everyone stood shocked.
Emma grinning as she leaned against the wall of the living room as she watched.
'It's almost like we're all back together again in different forms of a different generation. All we're missing is one of the five members.'
She smiled with memories as the four laughed and danced around to the songs playing on the radio. Ron and Draco taking turns dancing with Hermione then Harry pulled Emma into a playful dance.
It was late when everyone was finally getting ready for bed, about ten minutes to eleven at night a heavy and thunderous banging came from the front door, startling them all. Wands at the ready, Emma moved to the front landing after ushering the teenagers into the kitchen to have a fast escape through the garden if need be. She had her hand on the doorknob when she heard a familiar voice, one she really didn't want to deal with.
"Emma! Please, I know you are there. Open the door, I did not come to start trouble, I promise you that. I am simply here for Draco Malfoy… Upon his father's demanding request." It was Fudge, and he sounded just as irritated as she was becoming, a whole month to that very day, she had Draco under the very roof and now his father wanted his son back? She was at a loss and confused, but not as confused as Draco and the other three teenagers who had moved from the kitchen swiftly.
"What! A month I've been gone, and he wants me back now! No-" He had advanced on the still closed doors, that was separating Fudge from Draco.
Emma quickly held a hand up in front of her, a silent request for him to calm down and to stop. "Draco, please… Calm yourself." His outburst was understandable, he was not only confused by this lateness, he was hurt. His father had waited an entire month before going into action, but all he had to do was send word for him to go home. Instead, Lucius had sent Fudge to collect him, and from the power behind the vicious knock to the front doors, Draco could say Fudge had brought a few Auror's with him. Possibly 'courteous' of his father as well.
Emma sighed, she knew she had no legal right to keep Draco there, even if he wanted to stay, she had to open the door whether she liked it or not, otherwise she'd be arrested herself and the kids would be left unattended with no one to care for them, if that happened then she really wouldn't be able to help Narcissa and Draco.
Draco's heart sank to his stomach. He saw the pleading look on Emma's face and the sadness as she silently asked his forgiveness, as she opened the door slowly to see Fudge and three Auror's standing off the side of him on the steps of the manor, two of the teenagers stood either side of him, Harry stood just a bit in front of Draco.
"Emma, I see you and Harry are doing well. Ah, Draco, dear boy. Please pack your things and come along. Your father has-"
"No, I'm not going. He and my mum have had a whole month to write me for me come home, why send you? They haven't said a word to Emma or myself." Draco growled and eyed the Minister.
Fudge only sighed with understanding, "I thought as much. Unfortunately, Draco, I must take you home. Even if your mother pleaded to allow you to stay, your father made a very big uproar in the Minister about your absence at home, your cousin also seems to be causing the same, both claiming they have written you and had been rejected every time, calling them beasts and monsters. However, they didn't have the letters to prove this, both claiming they'd been so upset that they'd tossed them into the flames of the fireplace."
Harry rolled his eyes and chuckled sarcastically, "Then why make him go back?"
"Because dear boy, Lucius has made an issue of it, bringing it directly to the Minister and the Auror's department, once we take him home we shall be sending an aid to check in on them, namely Draco, to see if he is safe," Fudge explained to them, he really did want to make sure the boy was safe.
Lucius had been acting strangely, and after he was removed from the Hogwarts Governors chair at the end of the school year, he'd gotten stranger. Fudge was concerned mainly for Draco because of his cousin, Finn Malfoy. His mother, Adora Malfoy, was a psychotic Witch who just was not right. She had, in Fudge's opinion, gotten much worse after her husband had been killed in the first War. His body had been found in a pile of Death Eaters that had been killed when they attacked a small wizarding community. However, that community happened to house Alastor Moody at the time. The retired Auror had killed every last Death Eater that had attacked simply because it was difficult to bind them all to arrest. Then again, when it was just one Auror against ten what else could you really do? Mad eye had nearly been killed himself. "Something is not right about that cousin of yours my dear boy."
Fudge hadn't meant to say it and he felt absolutely terrible for telling a young boy that a family member was mentally out of sorts, but his nerves had lowered when Draco nodded and replied, "No kidding, the guy's a nutter really. Met the kid several times growing up, his mother was a real piece of work, but every time I asked my parents what was wrong with them, I'd get scolded by my father saying it was cruel to say such things of family. Though, I don't see where he has much room to speak about family since he's practically locked my mother in that damned manor they call home."
"And you don't call it home any longer?" Fudge asked, he really didn't want to get involved with the Malfoy family, he also did not want to be on the wrong side of them either. He hated even having to do this since Draco was in the home and protection of Emma, a woman he was really beginning to get frustrated with but was a bit frightened of her. She had a temper. However, he understood she had every available right to be, especially with him after eight years of refusing her at every turn for Harry, and even more so when it came to Sirius. His concern was he didn't want her to attempt to help him in escaping Azkaban. Though, that seemed to have fallen through also. But, when it came to Harry, he really didn't have an excuse, nor a reason, he simply didn't feel it necessary to move the boy from one home to another and uproot his life. Yet, after having been told what the Dursley's had done, he somewhat regretted the choices of refusing Emma his custody. T had only been thanks to Maggie and Susan that Harry was with Emma.
The thought of Maggie made his heart tightened. She had been on of Adora's latest victims. Maggie, her son and muggle husband, had been one of the hundred victims Adora had poisoned a few months ago in the muggle world. It had been labeled a rare outbreak of Cholera.
"Draco, please. Pack your things, I must take you home. Come, you'll see your friends once you've returned to school." Fudge was simply trying to do his job and take the boy home, "I promise I shall send someone to check on you in a few days-time to see of your well-being."
With a defeated sigh Draco slumped his shoulders and nodded, "Give me ten minutes."
And with that, Draco was taken from the Potter Estate, and back to the Malfoy Manor. The days were annoying and mentally tiring for him. His father continued to dote on Finn, who was just as cruel as his father and as mad as Adora. Draco was ignored and stuck to his mother who continued to whisper to her son, "Stay clear of him, Draco. He's dangerous, when you can, sneak out the window of your room, there's a broom in the brush, get back to Emma."
"But they'll come right back for me, and dad will lock me up here just like he has you."
"Draco, Emma has other homes you can-"
"Narcissa, don't think I haven't figured out your little plan. Finn here has found the broom, Wife… Draco, go to your room." Lucius sneered at his wife.
Finn's wicked grin came to light, an evil glint shimmered over his grey eyes, his dark brown hair almost looked as black as night. If anyone would describe him, Finn would have been described as a charming child of the night, but he had the Malfoy charm, and the wickedness of his mother's side, a name Draco didn't know the origins of at all.
A chilled shiver slithered up Draco's spine when his cousin directed the look from his mother, to him, "Uncle Lucius, I have a better idea, why don't Draco and I go for a swim, I haven't had any time to spend with my dear cousin, I've missed spending time with him over the years."
Lucius smiled and patted Finn on the shoulder, "Ah, a wonderful idea. Draco humor your cousin will you. Good. Now you two go, I need a word with my wife."
Lucius had walked away, Narcissa close to him as they vanished behind the study doors and off where no one could hear their conversation. Leaving Draco in the shadows with a beast of a cousin, one that was devious and didn't care who was hurt in his wake, as long as he got a laugh from it, "Now, how about that swim, cousin, or how about we dual, or fight? Fighting is good for the soul. I was always told if you can fight there shouldn't be any need to run like much of the families these days seems to do. Do you know how to fight? No? Then how about I teach you."