Author's note: I'm terribly sorry I haven't updated in so long. I hope this chapter is worth the wait. I will try to update more regularly in the future.

Meanwhile...

Sandy and the others arrived back at the Ministry. Her boss and coworker were going back to their desks. Sandy could hardly believe that they were just going to let this go. She followed her boss to his desk to speak with him.

"With all due respect, sir, I can't believe what you did back there!" Sandy snapped. She was livid. She had worked in the Ministry for ten years and she had never seen such a blatant violation of every ethical rule. She couldn't believe her boss, Edric Cabot, would accept a bribe and end an investigation when a child's safety was at stake.

"It was a false alarm, Sandrine. We've had them before; we'll have them again."

"You know as well as I do Draco Malfoy is being abused."

"We don't know that, Sandrine. You're a good employee. Your passion is a great asset, but it gets in the way. You care so much about protecting children that you want to protect them from things that aren't even a threat."

"Draco told me that his father had hurt him. He told me his father had used the Cruciatus Curse on him. How do you explain that?"

"The boy is only nine. Children that age like to make things up."

"He was crying and begging me not to tell anyone about it. He begged me to help him."

"He's still a boy. He was probably having a bad day."

"What about that House Elf. I think his name is Dobby. Was he just having a bad day too? He was the one who tipped us off."

"You know how elves can be."

"Mr. Cabot, Lucius tried to bribe me. You saw that. Has anyone innocent ever tried to bribe a Ministry employee?"

Sandy was getting angrier and angrier by the second. She couldn't believe how ridiculous Mr. Cabot was being. It was obvious to her Draco was telling the truth about his abuse. This wasn't like Mr. Cabot. He wasn't as passionate as she was, but he wasn't corrupt like that.

"Sandrine, I know you're trying to do the right thing, but there are other cases for you to work. Why are you so focused on this one?"

"Do I need a reason to fight to protect a child from abuse? Since when do you need a reason?"

"Do you have any idea whose home we were just in? The Malfoy family has practically run the wizarding world for decades. If you pursue this case, Lucius will pursue you. He has the power to take you down. Do you want that?"

"What I want is Draco to be safe. I thought that's what you would want. Isn't that why you started working here: to protect innocent people from monsters like Lucius Malfoy?"

"The best way for both of us to protect children is to let this one go. We can't continue protecting children if we're out of our jobs."

"He bribed you too, didn't he, Edric? And you took it."

"You will show me some respect, Sandy."

"What did he give you?"

"I am your boss, Sandy."

"What did he give you?"

Edric smiled. He decided that, no matter what, he wasn't going to let Sandy win this one. Maybe showing her this could remind her of who they were dealing with. He reached a hand into his pocket and pulled out a gold pocket watch.

"It's very nice, Mr. Cabot. I didn't know a pocket watch was worth more to you than a boy's safety."

"Sandy, with or without the pocket watch, I would have told you not to pursue this case. You know why? Look at it. It's solid gold. And look at the back. Those are emeralds and diamonds surrounded by platinum. But it's not even the precious metals and stones that really make this watch expensive. It's the fact that those diamonds, emeralds, and platinum surround the letter M. As in Malfoy. As in Lucius' great great grandfather, Ares Malfoy, the original owner of this watch. This watch represents more than Lucius' wealth. It represents his power. The power that his family has had for generations and will continue to have for generations more."

"So we're just going to give up? We let Lucius Malfoy abuse his son and his power for the rest of his life?"

"Sandrine, it's unfortunate. I'm not saying I like this arrangement. Do I feel sorry for the boy? Of course. It's unfair. It's unfair that Draco is being abused. It's unfair that Lucius is getting away with it. It's unfair that Lucius has the power that he does. But just because something is unfair doesn't mean it's untrue. You know how you succeed here? You work within the system, unfair as it may be, and you help the people that system allows you to help. You've helped so many people so far, and you'll help so many more in the future. But you won't be able to help anyone if you lose your job."

"Don't try that. You're not helping anyone. You were swayed by an expensive watch. Don't try to pretend it was anything more noble."

"You should have accepted the necklace."

"You really think I should accept bribes from people like him?"

"Yes. For the same reason I accepted the watch: it would have kept him off your back. It wasn't about accepting a watch. It was about accepting the rules of the game we play."

"It's not a game. It's a boy's life."

"Sandrine, we're not arguing about this anymore. You have two options. You can go back to your desk and work on any case other than this one, or you can get yourself fired working this case. Believe me, no matter what you choose, Lucius still ends up abusing his son."

"We have evidence. We can bring him down."

"Evidence? You mean the word of a House Elf and a young boy against the word of Lucius Malfoy?"

"Everyone knows Lucius is a snake."

"Yes. And yet, somehow, no one has succeeded in bringing him down. That's what you'd be up against if you pursued this. Do you want to go back to your desk now?"

"Fine. But I will find a way to help that boy."

"I wouldn't expect any different from you."