Chapter 13: Trial and Error Part 1
Draco woke up the next morning not looking forward to what had to happen. Today was going to be a hard day for all of them. Sooner than he would like to think, he and Blaise were going to assist the Auror's in arresting Harry Potter. After talking with his sister and finally listening to reason, Ron Weasley was going to be the one to lead the Auror's against his best friend and former partner.
The whole Weasley family had finally come around; they all figured that after the loss of one child, no Boy Who Lived was worth losing another and a grandchild as well. The family watched the Pensieve defense and was totally lost for words, after that they couldn't apologize to Ginny enough. Draco could tell that she was just happy to have her family back in edition to the one that she had gained.
True to his word Blaise showed up for breakfast, right as everyone was sitting down, he kissed Uri on the forehead and took his seat at the Draco's right.
"So the Auror's will be in position around six this evening and I will get a report when Potter gets to the bar."
"I don't know if it is wise to go after him in public," Narcissa said tightly taking a sip of her tea. "What if one of his adoring public spots you?"
"The bar he is going to is in Muggle London," Blaise told her. "We have plain clothed Auror's who have orders not to take out their wands until in the bar. The owner has been paid off and he won't be in tonight. The workers in the bar, at least for tonight, are our workers and spies. This plan will work Narcissa I promise you."
The room was silent again. Andromeda excused herself and took Emily and Teddy to go play on the grounds. Ginny asked Blaise to come with her for a moment or two because she had a few questions to ask him. Really she and Blaise were just giving the Malfoy's some space, Draco had told Ginny that he would not let his mother run away this time, no one was leaving the room until Narcissa had made peace with her daughter.
"Mother?" Draco spoke calmly and gently not letting his anger get the better of him. "I'm sure by now you have something to say to Uriel."
"I have something to say first," Uri spoke. "Mother I'm sorry."
Both Draco and Narcissa looked at her in surprise.
"Uri, you are not the one who should be apologizing," Draco told her.
"Well maybe I should Draco. My parents were amazing, and they loved me more then words, but you two are my real family. Me, jetting off to Marseilles every week to see them wasn't helping. I could have kept in touch my owl, or post, and only seen them maybe once a month, but I-"
"Uriel, stop," Narcissa commanded. "Now I may have been a little resentful that I had to share you with Claude and Anette but you don't have to apologize to me. I should be apologizing to you for acting so cold after your parents were murdered. I've dreamed of being able to comfort you when you cried but when the time came I just couldn't have the realization that something…someone had hurt you this badly. You are my daughter and I love you, and what happened to you makes me angry enough to kill Harry Potter myself, but I have been wrong for the past few days. When you came back into my life I kept you so close, afraid that if I let you out of my sight for just a second I would lose you again, even after Lucius died I was afraid somehow you would get taken away from me. You had lived only in my heart and my mind for so long that when I had you back I felt like I shouldn't need to give you up again. I was wrong, and I owe Claude and Anette an apology that I can't give to them now but I can give it to you. I am so sorry that I've kept you locked up in this house, that I haven't told the world about you, because I wanted to have you all to myself. I've even kept you from having extended amounts of time with Draco when he left. I was just so scared that I would lose my little angel, or that you would leave me."
Uriel got up hugged her mother.
"Mother, I wouldn't have come back if I didn't want to be a Malfoy again. You are my mother and I love you so much. I promise that no matter what you could never lose me. I am a Van Alan but I was born a Malfoy and that is who I will always be. You and Draco are the most important people in my life, and you always have been. Even when I was in Marseilles with Mama and Papa, I only wanted to be with all of my family. This is my home, wherever my family is."
Draco got up and hugged both his mother and his sister to him, happy that things could finally move forward.
After their little family chat Uri and Narcissa went outside to join Andromeda, Teddy and Emily while Draco went to find Blaise and Ginny. They were in the library going over their defense and anything that Potter's lawyers could and would ask her.
"We only have a few more hours until we need to be in place Blaise," Draco reminded him as he walked in.
"Is everything okay?" Blaise asked.
"Yes," Draco smiled. " I'm sure that things are going to be so much better than before. Now we can all be a family."
"I'm glad," Ginny kissed him on the cheek. "I think we're finally ready for this trial. I think I am finally ready to face him."
"Just remember that you don't have to face him alone," Draco took her hand. "Now why don't we go outside and enjoy some family time before Blaise and I have to go."
Ginny nodded and they both got up.
"I'll just meet you there," Blaise said getting up as well.
"Blaise," Draco stopped him. "I said family time and as far as I'm concerned you are a part of this family."
Blaise smiled, feeling full at long last. Having lost his father before he could even remember and his mother right after the war, to be part of a family again made him happier than he would ever admit to Draco or Ginny.
"And whatever is going on between you and my sister," Draco began, looking at Blaise through narrowed eyes. "I give you my approval."
"But if she get's hurt Blaise you will have to answer to me," Ginny gave him a smile.
"And me," Draco assured him. "Not to mention my mother."
Blaise had to admit that the threat of Ginny, and even Draco, was nothing compared to an angry Narcissa Malfoy coming after him.
"I would never dream of hurting her," Blaise assured them both. "I'm looking forward to getting this trail over so that she and I can move forward as well."
Draco's eyes narrowed again. "Let's not move forward too fast their Mister."
The three friends laughed together as they exited the manor to go play in the sunshine as one big happy family, knowing full well that this might be in the last time in weeks that any of them would get any peace.
DGDGDGDGDGDGDGDG
In what seemed like the blink of an eye their remaining few hours passed and Draco and Blaise were heading to Muggle London in street clothes with their wands carefully hidden. Draco was trying to keep himself calm, he knew that if he got his hands on Harry Potter that The Boy Who Lived would have an untimely death and then he would be the one getting the trial of the century. Blaise, having always been the more sensible one, was going to go in first, with Ron Weasley, Draco was to follow behind them with a few of the other Auror's who were there only when back up was needed.
The friends arrived at the small bar and spotted the tell tale Weasley hair of Ron around the corner. Ron spotted them and waved them over, after shaking both of their hands he began to explain how everything was going to happen.
"Harry already thinks I'm coming to meet him for drinks," Ron explained. "He owled me earlier and asked me to met him. He said he needed to talk to me about Ginny. So Blaise, you and I will go in and we will calmly tell him he is under arrest, tell him the charges, and when he runs, and I know he will, Draco and the other Auror's will be ready at the door."
Everyone present nodded and got into position, Blaise and Ron quietly entered the bar and walked right up to Harry Potter.
Ron put a hand on his former friends shoulder. "Harry?"
Harry turned and smiled. "Ron, sit down and have a drink."
Ron stepped aside to revel Blaise standing next to him.
"Ron," Harry looked confused. "What is going on?"
"Harry James Potter, under the authority given to me by the Minister of Magic, and the Wizarding World you are under arrest for assault, battery, child endangerment, illegal use of an unforgivable curse, conspiracy to murder, and murder."
Harry just stared at Ron for a moment or two, and then in a flash was off toward the door, but before he could even reach it Draco and the two Auror's were inside.
"Hello Potter," Draco said as Harry struggled against the bonds that the Auror's had placed on him.
They had their wands trained on him and were not letting them go.
"What the fuck is going on here?" Harry demanded. "I'm Harry Potter!"
"Yea, Golden Boy," Blaise came up to stand next to Draco. "But your paint has been chipped off and now everyone is going to see who you really are."
"What the fuck are you on about Zabini?" Harry continued to try and struggle.
Draco pulled the immobile Potter close. "If you have to ask, you'll never know."
"Take him away," Ron ordered.
The two Auror's apparated away with Harry Potter in custody, and Ron eased himself into a chair at the bar.
"That was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but it had to be done,"
Blaise went behind the bar and poured the three of them a drink.
Draco clapped a hand on his former enemy's shoulder. "It had to be done Ron, eventually he may have turned on you, and you can't put Hermione in danger."
Ron nodded and took a drink. "You know I never thought I would ever hear you say something in Hermione's defense."
"For what it's worth Ron, I'm sorry," Draco told him. "I was an immature child worshipping a false god when I was a kid. I didn't know there was another way, I didn't want to let anyone down and in the end I let everyone down. If it wasn't for my sister and your sister I wouldn't be the person I am today."
"To them," Blaise raised his glass, toasting both Ginny and Uriel.
"To them," Draco and Ron echoed.
"Well I can't believe I am going to say this," Ron took another drink. "But welcome to the family Malfoy…Draco."
The two former enemies shook hands and after another drink or two the three of them apparated to the Manor in France. When they got there they found Ginny, Emily, Uriel and Narcissa finishing dinner.
"Uncle Ron!" Emily squealed running to hug him.
"My little Emily," he scooped her up in his arms. "I've missed you and so has Aunt Hermione, especially now that we're going to have our own little baby."
"Ron," Ginny got to her feet. "Why didn't you tell me when I was at the Burrow?"
"It didn't seem like the right time Gin, it was the first time we had seen you in months and you were finally telling us everything that Harry did to you. I thought it would be better to wait, so now you know."
Ginny hugged her brother to her happy that he and Hermione were finally going to have a baby.
"Ron this is Uriel Malfoy," Ginny introduced him to her best friend. "Draco's older sister."
Ron shook the elder girl's hand. "It's nice to meet you, and thank you for all you've done for my sister."
"And this is Narcissa Malfoy," Draco indicated his mother.
"It's nice to officially meet you Ron," Narcissa shook his hand as well.
"It is nice to meet you too Mrs. Malfoy, my mother told me to tell you that she is sorry she killed your sister."
Narcissa waved her hand. "If she hadn't done it, I would have."
"Shall we go Ron?" Draco asked.
"Yes," Ron agreed. "We don't have much time and we need to be in and out as soon as possible."
"I'll stay here, if that's okay," Blaise told them. "Uri and I will put Emily to bed."
Ginny, Ron and Draco all kissed the little girl goodnight and watched her skip off to bed holding Uriel's hand.
"Where are you three going?" Narcissa asked when Emily had finally left.
"I need to see him," Ginny told her. "I need him to see that I'm alive, I need to tell him that it's over, that I'm stronger without him, and that I am going to be free and happy when he is out of my life."
Narcissa hugged Ginny. "Good luck my dear."
With a few last goodbyes the three of them apparated out of the Manor and outside the Ministry. Harry's papers were still being processed so he had not been taken directly to Azkaban, he was being held in his and Ron's old office in the Ministry. He had guards with him and spells on him to prevent him from fighting. Ron entered the room with Ginny right behind him.
"Harry, there is someone who wants to talk to you," Ron said stepping aside.
"Ginny?" Harry was in disbelief. "What happened to you? Where did you go? Where have you been?"
"Do you really care Harry? You have been with other women for months; you haven't wasted much time worrying about what happened to me or where I was. What about your daughter, have you thought about her for a single second?"
Harry didn't answer her, and Ginny knew what he would have said, she had heard it all from Draco, and Uri and Blaise, not to mention the Pensive defense.
"Well I will tell you where I have been," Ginny spat at him. "I have been with Draco Malfoy since the night you nearly beat me to death."
"Malfoy…but he said he had no idea where you were when I came to St. Mongo's," Harry looked up at her.
"He lied to protect me," Ginny told him. "I have been in love with him since my fourth year at Hogwarts and he loves me and Emily. He has promised to wait until all of this is over, and the dust clears, and I'm ready but he wants to marry me, and I said yes."
"Fucking Malfoy always stealing from me!" Harry fought against his bonds; with the same look he had in his eyes all the times he had hit Ginny in the past.
Ron kept his wand on his former friend not wanting to take the risk that his sister could get hurt again.
"He didn't steal a thing from you, he was the one who told me to go back to you, and give you another chance even though he was in love with me. He and I ran into each other a few years ago in Diagon Alley and we kept in touch. Emily and I would visit him and my feelings for him never changed, but I stayed faithful. Then the night I left you I went to Draco and he took us in, me and Emily. I've been there ever since then, with him and his family, who I now consider my family. You are going to be charged and go to trial in one day Harry Potter, and I will testify against you without feeling any guilt, or remorse or pity for you. I am not Ginny Potter and I haven't been for a very long time, it was a mistake to marry you and now I am going to be free and happy and I pray that you find help Harry, you were a good man once, and maybe you could be again, but never for me again."
Ginny took one last look at him and then left the room. She had nothing left to say to Harry Potter, the man she really loved was waiting for her.
"Gin?" Draco asked as she came out of the room. "Are you okay?"
"Do you still love me?" she asked trying to hold back tears.
Draco pulled her into his arms, kissing her forehead. "Of course I love you, I have always loved you, and I will always love you no matter who or where or when. Now why don't you go home and I'll be right there, I have to talk to Ron about something."
Ginny kissed Draco on the lips and walked away to the Floo floor so she could get back to the manor without apparating.
Draco walked into the room, Harry was still fight, Ron was still holding him back with his wand.
"Malfoy," Harry Potter sneered. "So you've taken Ginny."
"And everything else," Draco sneered back, feeling more like his old self then he had ever wanted to again. "Except your life."
"Why are you doing this?" Harry finally looked scared for himself.
"It's complicated, let's just say it's vengeance for the life you stole from me, from Ginny, even from your own daughter."
"Take your vengeance, but know that the blood you spill is the blood of the man who had her first, she will no more belong to you than you belong to me!" Harry yelled spitting into Draco's face.
"Draco, don't." Ron warned.
"He isn't worth it," Draco declared waving his wand and cleaning his face off. "I'll see you in court Potter, and I will be front and center for your downfall."
And with a slam of the door Draco was gone too.
DGDGDGDGDGDGDGDG
The next day the papers were a buzz with the news. Somehow the press found out, and they found out almost everything. The papers were talking, some mildly true, some so far out in left field it wasn't even funny. For the main part the Malfoy residence ignored the papers, and stayed away from Malfoy Manor. There were reporters camped outside of it according to Blaise and Draco who went to London every day for work. It made Ginny so glad that the Black Manor in France was a secret.
The next day passed, and before she knew it Ginny was sitting in the front row of a court room Draco by her side, Blaise in front of them at a small table. Uriel was in another room with Ron so that the game would not be given away, Andromeda was also with her niece, while Narcissa was at home with the children.
Slowly Kingsley and the rest of the Wizengamot filed in and took their seats, and then Harry was brought in by two Auror's who would be on hand in case things got bad, Harry was still bound with spells but Ginny couldn't help but get a little chill at the sight of him walking free. She gripped Draco's hand tighter, knowing that without his strength she would never get through this.
Kingsley began to speak, introducing Blaise as Ginny's lawyer, and a man called Edmond Mondo as Harry's lawyer, and reading off all of the charges. It was then that Kingsley ordered Blaise to call his first witness.
"I call Ms. Allegra Van Alan," Blaise said, his eyes fixed on the door.
Draco and Ginny watched as Uriel calmly walked into the room, everyone whispering, curious about this woman, Harry dumbstruck and looking panic stricken by the mere sight of her. Ginny stared as Uriel walked calmly past Harry and took a seat on a chair next to Kingsley.
The redhead chanced a glance at Harry, whose mouth was hanging open in shock. She looked at Draco who still had his features schooled to look relaxed and impenetrable. He gave her a small smile, and squeezed her hand. He knew exactly what was going to happen when Blaise began to question Uri, and Ginny also knew that he was as worried about his sisters well being as she was.
Kingsley called the court to order and Blaise spoke.
"Will you please state your name for the council madam?"
"Allegra Van Alan, adopted daughter of Claude and Annette Van Alan, French Muggles." Uriel responded knowing exactly the game that was being played.
"Will you please state your full name for the council?" Blaise asked, bracing himself for her next words.
The Blonde smiled.
"Uriel Allegra Van Alan…Malfoy." She stated just as calmly, smiling at Draco, hearing the sharp gasps and hushed wispers from all present. "I am the eldest daughter of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, elder sister to Draco Malfoy."
Blaise held up a file and presented it to the court. "This is a signed testimony from Narcissa Malfoy that Uriel is her eldest child. I also have her original birth certificate and the other Malfoy papers that profess her the eldest Malfoy heir."
"You lying bitch of a whore!" Harry shouted rising from his chair and rushing toward her. "I'll teach you to mess with Harry Potter you filthy little Malfoy slut!"
Draco was on his feet in a flash, and Blaise had placed himself between Potter and Uriel, but before either of them had to do a thing Kingsley raised his wand and Harry was back in his chair and restrained with the thick heavy chains used for the normal prisoners. The papers were passed around the council, and finally to Kingsley, for moments the court was silent.
"Well I'll be damned," Kingsley finally spoke. "All these years, there has been another Malfoy. Ms. Van Alan here is really the first born Malfoy child."
Blaise spoke again. "I know that this is a big deal Minister, but remember why we are here."
Kingsley closed the file. "Proceed Mr. Zabini."
"Ms. Malfoy, will you please tell us how you met and about your relationship with Ms. Ginevra Weasley-Potter?"
"I met Ginny through my brother Draco Malfoy. He had been telling me about her since he was still in school, but I did not meet her until a few months ago. I came to Malfoy Manor from France to stay with my brother. I found out that Ginny was staying there because her husband had been beating her. She and I formed a close friendship and I offered to help her in any way possible."
"You little bitch!" Harry called out fighting still, the two Auror's moving forward just in case he got out. "Did you like that little message I left for you at your parents house Allegra? God if I had known you were a Malfoy I would have-"
"Mr. Potter," Kingsley warned. "I advise you to silence yourself in my court or I will do it for you. Continue Ms. Malfoy."
"I told Draco and Ginny that I would go undercover, and trick Mr. Potter so I could slip Veritaserum into his drink and get documented proof of his abuse. I was just trying to help."
"Yea and that help included lying to me and making me think you were someone your not!" Harry yelled straining against the chains.
"You make the whole world think your someone your not!" Ginny yelled getting to her feet.
Draco pulled Ginny back down by the hand, and she avoided Harry's eyes no matter what. This was going to be a long, long day.
DGDGDGDGDGDG
This has been an exhausting chapter, and I wanted to give you all something to tie you over until my midterms are done. So for the next week I'll be writing whenever I'm not studying. Let me know what you think. I worry about this chapter and I hope I did okay. Thank you to all my readers I love you all! Also I will give a special shout out to the reader who can identify the movie that I pulled the little altercation between Harry and Draco from. I'll have Part 2 up ASAP.