Die to Live
Chapter Thirteen
By Mell8
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Harry sighed and finished filling out the paperwork that would alert the Wizengamot that they had an important case pending. Hopefully the court could assemble today so the entire issue between Ginny, Blaise, and Draco could be resolved.
The missive flew out of the office in a paper airplane to the secretary down the hall who would copy the message and send it to the appropriate recipients.
Harry sighed and left to go to the Leaky Cauldron where he was meeting with Molly Weasley, Lady Malfoy and Lady Zabini. He needed to update them on what was going on because if he didn't, the three angry mothers would castrate him and then single-handedly destroy the ministry.
III
Harry stepped through the front door of the tiny house Ginny, Draco, and Blaise shared and slowly made his way towards the bedroom. He soundlessly pushed open the door with the tip of his wand and peaked inside. Harry sighed inwardly, shook his head, and backed out of the room. He could wait another hour or so for them to wake up.
Harry settled himself in a chair at their small kitchen table and rested his face in his hands.
The memory of what he had just seen in the bedroom made him shiver in both horror and remorse. Horror, because Ginny had only been able to force the covers over both her and Blaise's bodies and Draco Malfoy had pushed his side of the blankets down around the foot of the bed. Malfoy had been blatantly naked and had been curled around Ginny and because of the lack of covers on the blonde's side of the bed, one of Ginny's breasts was showing; which meant that Ginny was naked as well. Harry did not even want to think about whether the Zabini boy had been clothed either, but the boy had been just as wrapped around Ginny as Malfoy.
Harry wasn't going to be the one to wake them up. He was patient enough to wait until they were dressed and ready before he forced them to go back to Azkaban.
An hour later Harry heard the shower turn on. The water ran through the pipes for fifteen minutes before turning off. A minute later the water turned back on as someone else got into the shower. Harry heard the bedroom door opened and carefully composed himself and prepared for whoever entered the kitchen. It was Ginny and she was wearing pajamas (something that had been absent only an hour and a half ago). She smiled and went over to the refrigerator.
Ginny opened the door and grimaced as the smell of rotten milk and spoiled food wafted out of the muggle appliance. Ginny shut the door with a snap and ran a hand through her hair in aggravation. It had been months since anyone had come to the house and the fridge had not been cleaned out when they had been captured. Now they did not have any food. How could Ginny make a good breakfast for her boys, a last meal, before Harry carted all three of them to Azkaban if they did not have any food?
With a hopeless expression on her face, Ginny turned to Harry for help. He smiled kindly at her and lifted his wand.
Seconds later a muggle carton of eggs, milk, bread, and other necessities had been spelled onto the kitchen table.
"Thanks," Ginny whispered as she gathered the items and went over to the counter to begin making omelets.
Harry stood up and walked over to the disgusting refrigerator. He opened the door, waved his wand, and smiled when everything was banished. With another quick cleaning spell Harry cleared the house of dust and grime. When he returned to his place at the table Harry saw that Ginny was silently crying. With a sob she put down the egg she was holding and turned towards Harry.
"Thank you so much," she said with a small smile for the Auror.
He was clearly there to take all three of them to Azkaban but for some reason Harry was waiting until they were ready to leave before taking them into custody. Ginny did not understand why Harry was being so nice but she appreciated it anyway.
"Shower's free love," Draco said as he entered the kitchen. He took the pan from Ginny as she left the room.
"Listen Potter, I do not want Ginny locked up in Azkaban. I will bring down everything the Malfoy family has on the Ministry to prevent that from happening."
"And the Zabini family," Blaise growled as he pulled four plates from the cupboard.
"Look," Harry said quietly. "I can't overturn the Wizengamot's decision." He ran a hand through his unkempt hair. "What I don't understand is their sentencing. Ginny got off without any punishment while both of you received maximum sentences. If anything, I would think only Malfoy would be penalized for his role in Dumbledore's death and because he has the Dark Mark on his arm. Zabini didn't do anything wrong except disappear. And with your lawyer…" Harry sighed.
"Have you been looking into it?" Draco asked as he scooped the omelets onto the plates.
"I've searched every avenue," Harry replied. "I can't find any evidence of bribery or any other types of corruption."
"That wind!" Draco said excitedly. Blaise looked up at Draco with a lifted eyebrow. "You remember the day we were sentenced, as the Wizengamot members were leaving a strong wind blew through the underground room."
"A spell?" Harry gasped. "I didn't think of that!"
"Didn't think of what?" Ginny asked. She walked into the room, fully dressed and ready to go.
"Nothing," Draco mumbled. "Don't worry about it."
III
Draco, Ginny and Blaise were ushered into the courtroom surrounded by an entire contingent of Aurors. They were holding hands, Draco and Blaise on the sides, Ginny in the middle, so they were forced to turn awkwardly to get through the small doorway. Chains were ignored as they strode forward to stand in front of the now familiar Wizengamot.
"Why has this case been re-opened Auror Potter?" The Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot stood and addressed Harry.
"Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini escaped from Azkaban and need to be re-sentenced. Ginevra Weasley was caught harboring the fugitives," Harry answered expectantly.
Ginny looked at Harry, then Draco and Blaise. All three were looking up at the Warlock as if waiting for confirmation of something. Even though Ginny did not understand what profound statement they were waiting for, she added her eyes to the group stare.
"Secretary! Bring me the file on this case!" The Warlock ran a hand through his hair and groaned. The rest of the Wizengamot looked uncomfortable.
The secretary ran over and the Warlock pulled out one slip of parchment and began to read. "Ginevra Weasley has been acquitted of the murders of both Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini due to the fact that the victims were found alive and well. The Malfoy and Zabini lawyer dropped kidnapping charges so no further trial was necessary.
"Blaise Zabini was acquitted of all Death Eater charges. It was voted that one cannot be held accountable for their birth. In fact, it was noted that Blaise Zabini should receive our gratitude for going against the pressures forced on him by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and by his family.
"Draco Malfoy was found guilty of his aid in the late Albus Dumbledore's murder. For this crime he was to be sentenced to two years community service, receive a ten thousand galleon fine which would be put towards the health of war orphans, and have to check in with the Auror office once a week to make sure no Death Eater activities were being carried out by the guilty.
"I believe there was no mention of Azkaban in that sentencing."
The court secretary stood up. He was shaking his head and was holding a piece of parchment from his personal files. "Sir, I have something completely different written on the sheet you gave me to read; a lifetime sentence in Azkaban for Draco Malfoy, a fifty-year sentence in Azkaban for Blaise Zabini, and an acquittal for Ginevra Weasley."
"That's preposterous!" the Chief Warlock hissed. "What I have in my hands is the truth. I do not know where you received that piece of filth."
Harry raised his hand to get the Wizengamot's' attention. "May I take the secretary's piece of parchment up to the Auror offices. I would like to check it for spells to see if anything will lead us to the person or persons who changed the sentence."
The Chief Warlock nodded. "I want this solved immediately. I also want the Ministry to give a public apology to Draco Malfoy, Ginevra Weasley, and Blaise Zabini. Mr. Malfoy's sentence will be reduced to twelve months and he and Mr. Zabini will receive complete reparations for their time spent in Azkaban." The other members of the Wizengamot were nodding in agreement.
With a flash of light the chains dropped from around Draco, Ginny and Blaise. Ginny screamed in happiness and wrapped her arms around her boy's shoulders. All three were crying and Blaise and Draco were plastering kisses all over Ginny and each other.
Suddenly the Weasley, Malfoy and Zabini matriarchs were there, hugging their children and crying just as much as their offspring.
All three were safe, safe and free.
"I expect children soon," Molly Weasley admonished with a meaningfull glare at her daughter.
"But first we must marry them!" Narcissa crowed happily.
Mrs. Zabini turned to look at the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot with a fierce scowl. "I expect a ceremony to be created that will bind our babies together; all three of them."
The Warlock nodded and hurriedly removed himself from the room before another angry mother could start on him.
III
Miles away Ronald Weasley looked down at the wedding invitation in his hands and knew that he had lost.
"Who's wedding is it?" Hermione asked quietly.
"Ginny's getting married to Malfoy and Zabini," Ron answered with a snarl.
"That's wonderful!" Hermione clapped her hands together excitedly. "With their soul binding already so strong, it's bound to be a beautiful service.
"Yeah, beautiful," Ron sighed.
A.N. That's it! That's the end! Of course there will be an epilogue but only if a lot of people review. I'm sure everyone wants to know what's going to happen with Ron and with the wedding.
Please tell me what you all thought of my story. This was my first big undertaking and I hope everyone loved it.
Oh, and thanks to ReignOfSlytherin for everything. Your story made me want to complete this one and motivated me to write my best. Everyone should go check out her story, Deliver Me From Evil.