CHAPTER 6: CHRISTMAS AT THE POTTERS (HARRY)

Harry Potter sat in front of his desk with his forehead in his hand. From a distance he looked like he is deep in his thoughts, contemplating the safety of the wizarding world. In reality, he is really fast asleep, even snoring slightly, with a bit dribble on his chin.

Harry jerked awake and nearly toppled over backwards when the door of the Head of Auror office opened with a small creak. He looked up to see Ron Weasley enter with a two large mugs.

"Coffee," he said with a grin. "Thought you'd need it after last night's raid. I know I do."

Harry laughed humourlessly. "Thanks, Ron," he said as Ron placed the two mugs on the table and pulled a chair and sat down across from him. He looked dreadfully tired, with shadows under his eyes and a general gray tint on his skin. Harry knew he must look just as worn-out.

This was not surprising in the least. The Auror office was more pressured into hunting down dark wizards and all other dark magic users ever since the holidays loomed in. It has always been like this. The public demands that the Auror office work double, triple time and round up all possible dangers they might encounter should they want to have a vacation in the mountains or forests, though Harry could never figure out why in the world would they want to spend their holidays there.

Also, the holidays seem to make the public more paranoid, being out of the comforts of their homes and work places. They seem to have this general idea that every other dark wizards out there were bound to attack during the holidays, when every one's guards were down. Harry did not entirely blame them. Everyone knows not everyone liable were captured during the Great Siege, and though most of those who escaped are keeping quiet, hoping the heat on them would go down with time, some were actually reckless enough to cause havoc. Sightings, threats, kidnaps, even an occasional death every other year, it would make anyone paranoid. There were even talks of werewolves living in packs in mountains overlooking small towns. Unfortunately, due to this overall threats of terror, people were more likely to make false alarms. Last night alone, there were thirty sightings and pleas of help. Harry had to dispatch almost all of the remaining Aurors in the ministry during that time. He and Ron had to do investigate ten of those thirty sightings, all of which turned out to hoaxes. One of them turned out to be nothing more than a protective charm made by some crackpot wizard who is convinced that everyone was out to get him. Then there were all these talks of werewolves settling in caves in mountain overlooking little towns.

"You look terrible," Ron told him.

"Thank you," Harry said. "I've been working on it,"

"So," Ron said, frowning slightly at his mug. "What do think of all this werewolves talk going around?"

"I dunno, really," Harry said with a sigh. "They're all sightings, sightings, sightings. There really isn't any evidence and we can't spare any more Aurors for sentinel duty,"

"What about Dean?" Ron said darkly.

Harry frowned at this. It was true that there were no evidence of werewolf attacks, that is, until Neville Longbottom, who had resigned as Auror many years ago to take over Herbology when Professor Sprout declared her retirement, called last September to report an attack on Dean Thomas. There had been talks about Werewolves probably residing in the Forbidden Forest for three years now, which is why Harry had asked two of his former classmates and fellow Aurors, Dean and Seamus to take over watch duty on Hogwarts. McGonagall arranged for them to take over the Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts positions as Professors while on Auror duty so as not to incite unnecessary panic over the school.

"I don't really know what to make of that," Harry said wearily. "Dean said he was attacked by a half-transformed person. It could have been a werewolf, it could have been something else. I mean, it's the Forbidden Forest. Who knows what else lives there,"

Ron laughed hollowly. "That's just wishful thinking, Harry. You don't really believe that,"

Harry echoed his laugh and shook his head. "No, I don't," he said finally and turned thoughtfully at Ron. "But we can't spare any more Aurors, Ron. Not at this time. Kingsley wouldn't allow it,"

"I know," Ron said with a wry smile. Harry felt kind of guilty. Ron had been asking him for months now to transfer him to Hogwarts for watch duty. He knew this was because Ron had been worried to death about his daughter just as Harry was about his two sons. But there were already two Aurors, not counting Neville, in Hogwarts. If he dispatched any more, it might start a panic and parents might start pulling out their children from Hogwarts. And the last thing Harry needed right now was another wave of paranoia.

"Do you think it's true? Greyback's back?"

Harry shook his head. "I dunno, Ron. It seems unlikely, don't you think?"

"You know what Dean said, what that half-werewolf said to his other mates," Ron insisted. "You know, 'You can't kill anyone, not yet. Greyback's orders,'"

"I know," Harry said. "It just seems unlikely," he said again. "Did Hermione manage that deal with the Magical Creatures department?" Harry had asked Hermione to use some of her former influence over the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to put aside some sort of funds for the care and protection of Werewolves. Harry had hoped that if they do, then those werewolves who are in hiding would come out to reap its benefits. Harry had this idea from his former Professor, Remus Lupin, who once went undercover as a werewolf in Greyback's army and found out that most of them were just oppressed and discriminated to the point of joining forces with Voldemort in the hope of getting a better life.

Ron shook his head. "They wouldn't touch the case. Said Werewolves weren't really Magical Creatures. Said they were more under our Jurisdiction, not theirs. Honestly, I think it's all bull. Nobody in their right minds would take over the Werewolf cases if they can help it. It's much too risky,"

Harry had to grin, then. "We're not in our right minds, then?"

Ro grinned back. "Right you are, mate,"

Hermione was already at the small café when Harry and Ron entered. She had already ordered food for them and was reading the paper when they joined her.

"How's your day?" She asked as they sat down. She folded her copy of the Daily Prophet and placed it on the table.

"Anything new?" Ron asked, glancing at the paper. Hermione shook her head wearily.

"Just the usual," she answered. "You both look terrible," she said with a frown. "What have you been doing ? Did you sleep in the office?" this question was directed more at Ron than at Harry.

Ron gave her a sheepish grin. "We did ten raids last night, I'm sorry. I wanted to go home but I just died on my desk last night,"

"It's the werewolf business, isn't it?" Hermione said, her tone worried. "I'm really sorry, Harry. I really couldn't get them to agree,"

"That's alright," Harry said.

"Well, let's not talk about that now," Hermione said, cheerfully changing the subject. "Is little Albus coming over for Christmas? I heard James wanted to stay at Hogwarts this year,"

Harry nodded. "Ginny wasn't too happy about it, though. But she's cheered considerably since Al wrote he's bringing over a friend,"

"He is?" Ron said. "A girlfriend, perhaps? You're little boy's a man now, is he?"

Harry laughed. "He didn't say. Though, Ginny might go berserk if he did. She's still in her possessive state,"

"I hear she's pregnant again," Ron said.

"No, she's not," Hermione said.

"How do you know?" they both asked at the same time.

"You can always tell," she answered with a frown. "And she'd tell me. Remember? I knew she was pregnant with both James and Al long before you two ever did. You just thought she was growing fat," she added, looking directly at Ron.

"Well, she was!" Ron countered. "Just not from overeating. Anyway, I've always had this theory that she's trying to outdo mum,"

Harry laughed at this. He honestly doesn't mind if Ginny was going to have a couple more children. He knew the moment they got married that he wanted a big family. After all, his times with the Weasleys were some of the best times of his life.

"It's going to be a quiet Christmas this year, though," Ron said thoughtfully. "George and Angelina are going on some kind of tour, I think. And both Percy and Charlie are much too busy. He's helped breed this new type of Dragon, you know, a docile type. Think he's sending one over to Hogwarts in the next couple of years so students can actually see what a real Dragon looks like with getting their faces burned off," He said. "Bill and Fleur's off to visit her parents, too,"

"Victoire's staying with Mrs. Tonks and Teddy, though," Harry said. "I really think those two are going to get married as soon as Vicotire's graduated,"

"Shouldn't be a problem," Ron said. "Bill likes him. They both like their meat rare,"

"They're much too young!" Hermione protested. "They really should get their lives straightened out first," she turned to Harry. "I heard he applied as an Auror,"

"He did," Harry said. "He's taking his exam next year and I have no doubt he'll ace it. He's just as smart as Lupin,"

"And he's a metamorphagus," Ron added. "That's always useful,"

"Ah, well, I really hope he does make it," Hermione said.

After lunch, they paid up and walked back into the ministry of magic together.

There were three pops and Harry, Ron and Hermione appeared in the kitchen of number twelve Grimmauld place. Or what Harry assumed was the kitchen. It might as well be the top of a life volcano. The kitchen was filled with the smell of burnt cooking, and a lot of smoke.

"Ginny?" Harry called as he heard muffled coughing. He took his wand and siphoned all the smoke away to reveal a woman covered in ash and soot and the only clue that she used to be Ginny was her flaming-red hair that was sticking in all directions.

"Why were you trying to burn the house?" Harry asked with a smile as Ginny started wiping her face with her apron.

"Oh, ha ha, very funny, Harry. You really crack me up," she answered sarcastically. She sighed and pulled out her wand. In a moment, both Ginny and the kitchen were spotless once more. The she conjured a large pot of boiling soup and a large turkey inside the oven.

"I wanted to try cooking without magic," she shrugged. "It really isn't my thing,"

"Are the kids here, yet?" Hermione asked as she sat down and conjured four cups of tea out of nowhere.

"Nope," Ginny said. "I wanted to pick them up but Kreacher insisted he do it," she said as she conjured a large soup ladle.

A sudden crash and a muffled thud suddenly erupted from the Hallway. All four of them jumped slightly and turned up toward the staircase.

"What was that?" Ginny said, frowning, the soup ladle suspended in midair before her.

Then the unmistakable sound of Mrs. Black's voice followed.

"Oh, Albus! Are you alright, dear?"

Harry saw Ginny's eyes grow wide with excitement. "They're here, they're here!" she squealed almost childishly. Harry had to smile at this. He knew how much Ginny had missed Al since they let him on the train last September. Though she would not admit it, she had always had a preference for Al.

"Of course she does," Hermione had once said. "He's the sweetest of all your children,"

"No, it's because he reminds her of herself when she was younger," Ron had countered. "You remember that creepy Ginny that used to just go all shy and wide-eyed when you were around?"

Al was indeed very different from his older brother James. While the latter reminds Harry strongly of the young Fred and George Weasley, Al was thoughtful and reserved to the point of shyness. He was even different from his sister, Lily who was more like the headstrong Ginny even at such a young age. No, Al was the sort of child who would stand in a corner and watched things progress silently. Once, when Harry tried to force Al to go mingle with his cousins, Ginny scolded him and told him to let the boy be. But he did get along well with Rose, who was the only one patient enough to deal with Al's quietness, which was much to Harry's relief as he was beginning to think that his son might have anti-social tendencies.

"Al? Is that you?" Ginny called. Al answered back.

"Come on over to the kitchen, love," Ginny said. "I made hot soup," They heard three pairs of footsteps make their way across the hallway above.

"Who do you think they've brought over?" Ron asked and turned to Harry. "Reckon it's a kid of someone we know?"

"I dunno," Harry said thoughtfully. "Maybe, if it's a friend of Rose's, you know. Most of our friends' kids ended up in Griffyndor, too,"

"Hermione thinks it's Malfoy's, though" Ron said with a hint of mocking in his voice.

Both Harry and Ron laughed at the absurdity of this. Hermione ignored them. "It's possible you know," she said stiffly. "Al is in Slytherin,"

"Yeah, what's up with that, Harry?" Ron said. "I mean, how the hell does something like that happen. I bet Ginny dropped him on his head when she gave birth to him," he sniggered.

"Oh, shut up, Ron!" Ginny said, flushed. Ron and George had been tormenting her about Al's sorting results for the last three months and it's been getting on her nerves. "So what if he's in Slytherin? It doesn't matter," though Harry knew it did. Not for him, though. But Ginny's been getting a hard time, most of it, if not all from her brothers, since she was the first in many generations of Weasleys to have a child sorted into Slytherin.

They heard the footsteps on the stairway and turned to see Al step into the room. Before Harry can say anything, a blur of bright red rushed pass him to fast, he nearly got knocked off his chair. Ginny wrapped her arms around Al tightly that Harry was afraid his thin body would crack. Rose entered the kitchen after Al and Hermione ran towards her just as Ginny did. Harry and Ron simply sat on the table and waited their turn to greet their kids. They both knew that Hermione and Ginny had been suffering some sort of delayed separation anxiety over the last few months, imagining all sort of worst-case scenarios that they could possibly get into. Harry did not blame them, not after his own Hogwarts experience.

Finally, the two allowed Al and Rose to re-experience breathing. The two turned to him and Ron and they both smiled back and nodded.

"You okay?" Harry asked his son.

"Never better," Al answered with a grin. "Oh and we brought someone with us,"

"That's right," Hermione said, "Where is your little mystery guest?"

All six of them turned toward the stairway where a thin boy was standing, his face hidden in the shadows. Harry saw Al motion him forward and he gingerly made his way down the last steps and unto the stone floor. The glow of the kitchen slowly washed over his face to reveal a thin boy with pale, blond hair and a familiar pointed face.

Both he and Ron chocked over the tea they were drinking. Their guest was none other than Scorpius Malfoy.

An uncomfortable silence filled the kitchen. Ginny had forced all of them to sit down and served them each a bowl of hot soup that nobody dared to touch. Harry stared at Malfoy with a mixture of confusion and wonder. The boy reassembled Draco Malfoy, his father, so uncannily it was unnerving. He could feel Ron squirming uncomfortably on his seat beside him and he knew he must be thinking the same thing. Hermione, however, looked somewhat smug.

"So," Ron said in a very tight voice. "Scorpius, right?"

"Yes, sir,"

"You're father know you're here?"

"No, sir. I haven't the chance to tell him yet. He's out of town, you see,"

Harry could not help but marvel at the boy's politeness, something that never escaped Draco Malfoy's lips in the entire time they've been together in Hogwarts.

"Oh, really," Ron said with a hint of bitterness in his voice. While Harry and Ron were off chasing after false alarms and sleeping in the office, Draco Malfoy was on his vacation. After all, what's the Department of Mysteries have to do with all these talks of werewolves and dark wizards?

"Why don't you three eat?" Ginny said with a smile. "You look famished. And you two," she turned to Harry and Ron, "better follow suit. I'm not serving the turkey until you clean those bowls up,"

Harry noticed how the three children's faces brightened at the thought of Turkey, especially Scorpius, he had been eyeing his bowl of soup hungrily the entire time. They must really be starving. He watched as Al, followed by Rose and Scorpius gingerly took spoonful after spoonful. Hermione got up and helped Ginny with the turkey while Harry and Ron exchanged thoughtful looks above the three children's bowed heads. Finally, the turkey was served. Harry knew that the turkey should taste as good as it looks. After all, even though Ginny wasn't skilled at muggle cooking, she knew how to use spells to her advantage. She was just like Mrs. Weasley that way.

"We better call Kreacher," Ginny said. "He's been dying to get a piece of this all morning. Kreacher!" she called. There was a loud pop and the old house-elf appeared.

"You called, Mistress?"

"Yes, get a plate. We're starting on the turkey," She told him.

"Oh, mistress is too kind," Kreacher said and bowed. "But kreacher would rather not intrude in the family affair. Kreacher would like to keep Mistress Black company, too, if Kreacher may,"

"Oh, you are always like this," Ginny said and shook her head. "Fine, take this then," she took a plate and placed a generous serving of turkey on it and some roasted potatoes and handed it to Kreacher who accepted it gratefully and returned to the hallway.

Kreacher, like Dobby, was a free elf. Harry had freed him the moment he went back to number twelve Grimmauld place. The house elf, however, wanted to keep serving the Potter family, whom he not regarded as the rightful owners of the Black residence.

"How's school, honey?" Hermione said, smiling at her daughter.

"It's great!" Rose said. "I've learned every book by heart like you told me to and it really helped me out,"

Harry had to smile at this. Though Rose looked just like every other Weasley, with her long, flaming red hair and freckles, she acts and even speaks so much like Hermione.

"Of course it did," Al said under his breath. "What other outcomes are there?" Scorpius coughed slightly.

"Oh, good," Hermione said. "How did you find the teachers?"

"They're great," Al said.

"Bet you think so," Scorpius said with a sly grin.

"Shut it"

Harry and Ron looked at each other.

"What was that?" Ginny said with a smile. "Does my little boy have a little crush on a particular teacher?"

"He fancies the charm teacher?" Rose said simply.

"What? Professor Flitwick?" Ron said with a confused look. Harry nearly choked on his turkey.

"Who?" Rose said and gave her father an equally confused look. "No, the pretty teacher. Chang-Montgomery"

"Chang?" Ginny said with a frown. "As in Cho Chang?" she turned to Harry with her eyebrows raised all the way up her scalp. "You never told me she's working in Hogwarts now,"

Harry raised his hands defensively. "I didn't know. Professor Flitwick's been teaching charms the two years ago," he said, which was true. He visited Hogwarts two years ago to check on the Werewolf situation with Dean, Seamus and Neville.

"That was his last year," Hermione told him. "He retired afterwards. Cho must've taken his place after. She's always been good in charms, anyway,"

"So, she's Chang-Montgomery now? Didn't she use to date that guy, Michael Corner?" Al's father asked.

"That was a long time ago, I think," Hermione answered. "I heard she married a muggle"

"So little Al's got a crush on pretty Cho Chang, huh," Ron said with a huge grin. He turned to Harry. "Reminds me of someone I know,"

Harry laughed somewhat uncomfortably.

"So, how's your family, Scorpius?" Hermione said a little too sweetly. She is obviously trying to get the boy into the conversation.

"They're fine, ma'am"

"Where are they spending Christmas?"

"With my Grandparents, ma'am," He answered. "My mother said they haven't seen each other in a long time so she reckons they should go visit them this year,"

"That reminds me," Ron said suddenly, "Who is your mother? No, wait!" He interrupted before Scorpius could answer. "Wait, let me wager a couple of guesses first and you tell me if I'm getting close,"

"What?" Hermione said, her eyebrow raised. "How on earth could you possibly do that?"

"Oh, come on, Hermione, think about it," Ron said impatiently. "How many more pure-blood families could there be? It'll be an easy guess. I've always had my suspicions as to who Malfoy ended up with and I just need someone to confirm it! And behold!" he said and pointed at Scorpius with a sheepish grin.

Harry had to agree with this theory. To be honest, he never actually thought Malfoy would get married. He always assumed that he'd just spend the rest of his life locked up in an attic somewhere. For a few years, Harry thought so, too. Until he applied for a job at the Ministry of Magic around fourteen years ago.

To Harry's surprise, Scorpius gave a small laugh. "My mother's not Pure-blood," he said with a quizzical look.

Harry felt his jaw drop open. The child might as well have said that his mother was a blast-ended Skrewt.

Hermione who spoke first, her calm demeanor resettling once more. "I'm not surprised," she said with a shrug. "Malfoy could easily have turned a new leaf and settled for a nice, half-blood. I mean, some of his friends are half-bloods, right?"

"No, ma'am," Scorpius answered. "But my mother's not half-blood either. At least, as far as I know,"

Harry and Ron looked at each other and roared with laughter at this revelation. Hermione remained in a shocked state.

"He's married a muggle-born!" Ron exclaimed in between bouts of laughter. He turned to his wife. "And he gave you a hard time,"

Harry could not believe it. Malfoy had got himself in a lot of trouble calling every mugge-born he knew Mudbloods back in the day and here he was, married to one. Ron looks like it was already Christmas. He had no doubt that Ron would spend the rest of January stalking Malfoy and not letting this rest.

"Did he really?" Harry asked Scorpius. "Is your mother muggle-born?"

Scorpius smiled wryly once more. "Oh she's definitely born from muggles," he answered. "As she's a muggle herself"

Harry frowned at this. He was beginning to think that the boy might be pulling his leg.

"You're mum's a muggle?" Ron said. "What? How?"

"Well, didn't the Malfoys move to the muggle world after Lucius was pardoned?" Aunt Hermione said thoughtfully. "I mean, they did give up the Malfoy manor. I bet Malfoy moved in with them after he graduated from Hogwarts. He had been kind of distant back then, like he'd rather be anywhere else," she said with a frown. "I mean, he did not exactly have an easy time after the Great Siege, right? Even if Harry did vouch for him," she nodded at Al's father.

This was probably true. Hermione was the only one of the three of them who ever finished her Hogwarts education after the Battle at Hogwarts. So did Malfoy. She had mentioned before how he was always on his own, avoiding company as much as possible. He was less of a show-off and more of a shadow by the time the year was over. Harry did not blame him. Having ex-death eaters for parents, and being one himself, he must have been shunned by most of the Hogwarts crowd. It was already surprising that he even went back to Hogwarts in the first place.

As far as Harry knew, after the Malfoys were pardoned of their previous allegiance and after spending some time in Azkaban, the Malfoys brought another manor somewhere in London where they had been living with Muggles. Harry assumed that this was due to being banned from using magic for life and being discriminated against by society. Whether their son lived with them after Hogwarts was unknown, though it was highly possible as Harry had never heard of Malfoy again for years to come after 1998.

"What's your mum's name?" Ginny asked.

"Astoria Greengrass"

"The doctor?" Hermione suddenly asked, her face filled with utter surprise.

"The what?" Ron asked but Hermione ignored him.

"You know her?" Harry asked. Hermione shook her head.

"By reputation. She's a psychiatrist, isn't she? I hear she's good but I've never actually met her,"

"A psychiatrist?" Harry said. He felt a smile creep across his face. "Oh, that's something," he said. So, Draco Malfoy was getting muggle therapy?

"A what?" Ron insisted.

"Oh, honestly, Ron!" Hermione said and shook her head. "Anyway, why didn't you spend Christmas with your family this year, dear?" she said, turning back to Scorpius. "Wouldn't they want to hear about your first year in Hogwarts?"

"I should think so," He answered. "I can always write to them, I guess"

"Well, you should tell them you're here," Ginny said. "I think your father would be interested to know that,"

"Right," Ron said. "I bet he would. I can just imagine Malfoy's face when his boy tells him he's spending Christmas with the Potters and the Weasleys,"

"I don't think he'll be too happy, either, sir," Scorpius said unexpectedly. "I know he's not in friendly terms with your family. It's not exactly a hidden fact back at home,"

"I bet it isn't," Ron said with a sneer. "Bet he talks about us all the time,"

"Ron," Hermione said warningly. Harry frowned, too, but not at Ron. Of course, Malfoy would talk about them to his boy. Malfoy, the master of all nasty lies. He wondered what sort of things he would tell his child about them. For the second time that day, he was striked by how much this boy reassembled his father, one of his least favorite people.

"What? He used to bad-mouth the three of us all the time, didn't he? I bet he does that in front of him, too, doesn't he?" he said and turned to Scorpius. He sounded almost angry. Harry turned to Scorpius who looked confused and sort of small. He was constantly starring at his knees. Al turned to Harry, frowning. This conversation was obviously getting too uncomfortable.

"Actually, he doesn't really talk about you that much," Scorpius answered quietly. "Nor Mr. Potter or Mrs. Weasley,"

"How could he not?" Ron asked with a frown. "He hates us!"

"I don't think he does. But he doesn't exactly like you either," Scorpius said quietly. "He only mentions you a couple of times when he talks about his stay at Hogwarts,"

"Is that right?"

"Ron,"

"What does he say, exactly?" Harry asked, ignoring Ginny who was eyeing him dangerously just as Hermione was doing with Ron.

"He said," Scorpius said slowly. "He said: If you ever meet a Potter, a Weasley, or a Granger, avoid them if you can," he said then added, "but trust them with your life," he turned to the four of them who were starring quite intently at him. "He thinks you're good people. I think that he's really grateful that you helped him and my Grandmother, sir," he said at Harry.

There was a moment of stunned silence followed by a sharp pain at the back of his head. Harry turned to see Ginny also hit Ron with the ladle on the back of the head.

"Idiots," she told them. Hermione was frowning at them and shaking her head. The rest of dinner was spent in a better and cheerier mood. Both Harry and Ron felt somewhat better toward Draco Malfoy. Maybe he had turned a new leaf after all.

Harry, Ron and Hermione remained in the kitchen while Ginny ushered the children into their rooms.

"You know, I like that boy," Ron said suddenly, with a grin across his face.

"No, you don't" Hermione said, frowning at him. "You butchered him," then she smiled. "Well, I still can't believe Malfoy's married a muggle. I always thought he'd end up with Pansy Parkinson,"

"Well, I still can't believe he's getting therapy," Harry said with a grin.

"What?" Both Hermione and Ron said in surprise and confusion.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh come on! He's married a Psychiatrist? You don't think that's odd?"

"No," Hermione said. "When my Father married my mum, he didn't do it because he needed a root canal,"

"A what?" Ron asked. Hermione rolled her eyes and explained to him what was going on, including Harry theory following her explanation of what a Psychiatrist was.

"If he was mental why didn't he go to St. Mungo's then?" Ron asked frowning.

"Because he doesn't think he needed help," Harry said. "Come on, it makes sense. He's like the youngest death eater ever and he's seen more than his fair share of death. I mean, he plotted Dumbledore's death for a year. You remember what he was like then! And his family's getting threatened and everything and Voldemort's lived under his roof for who knows how long. It'll unhinge anyone,"

"You reckon he got all weird that his parents actually forced him to see a doctor?" Hermione asked thoughtfully then nodded. "It makes sense, actually. They would have taken him to St. Mungo's but with all the wizarding world still crying for their blood, they might have thought it was safer to seek Muggle help instead of leaving their son all helpless in a hospital full of people who got hurt by deatheaters,"

"And you remember how he suddenly appeared at the Ministry five years later," Harry said.

"I do. He just walked in carrying that a Daily Prophet in his hand and asking of the job opening," Ron said. "It was the strangest thing. He looked like he was sleep-walking, you know. He doesn't seem to recognize anyone,"

"No, he did seem in a daze," Hermione said, lost in thought. "Like he was doing some sort of horrible thing and would rather get it over with as soon as possible. I remember how healthy he did look back then. Better than he did back at Hogwarts,"

"You reckon he's already married, then? Maybe his wife threatened to leave him if he doesn't get a job?" Ron said with a grin. Harry grinned, too. The whole idea was so absurd, it was immensely funny.

Hermione shook her head. "No, he wasn't wearing a wedding band around his finger,"

"How'd you know that?" Ron asked in surprise.

"The job he applied for was at the Magical Creatures department. I was still working there at that time, remember. I was one of those who interviewed him. I took his fingerprints. He wasn't wearing a ring,"

"Maybe he just took it off," Harry offered.

"You ever take that off?" Hermione asked impatiently, pointing at the gold band around Harry's left ring finger. "No? I thought so. Neither do I. Anyway, it wouldn't make sense. The Malfoys are so rich, they could just stop working and enjoy retirement a hundred times over. He doesn't need a job,"

It was true. Despite giving up the Malfoy manor, the Malfoys still had enough accumulated wealth over the years to afford a luxurious life for years and years to come.

"Maybe his parents cut him off," Ron said and sniggered.

"They betrayed the Death eaters to look for their son. You really think they'll just cut him off just like that?" Hermione said, a little amused. "Anyway, he took the a job at the office of Misinformation. I thought it was really appropriate since lying was his forte. Then he got transferred to the Department of Mysteries a couple of years later,"

"Yeah, how in the world did he manage to get a job there?" Ron asked. "It's suspicious, if you ask me. You don't just get promoted to Unspeakable just like that!"

Hermione shrugged. "I was already Transferred to Magical Law Enforcement before they transferred him so I really have no inside information on that matter. But I agree, it is suspicious,"

"I wonder why he did marry a muggle, though," Harry thought.

"Maybe he just likes her," Hermione said. "I think it's romantic,"

"Listen to yourself, thinking Malfoy's romantic," Ron said in disgust. "Anyway, it's obvious, isn't it? Why he married her?"

"Why's that?" Harry and Hermione asked.

"She's pretty!" Ron said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"How'd you figure that?" Hermione said with raised eyebrows.

"Oh you've seen her at the station!" Ron said exasperatedly. "She's really pretty. Right, Harry?"

Harry nodded as he tried to remember the woman beside Malfoy at the station last September. "She is, actually," he answered and laughed. "Oh, this is rich. We're finally getting dirt on Malfoy yet we're much too old to actually torment him about it,"

"Says you," Ron said. "Just a couple of fliers in January ought to do the trick,"

The three of them laughed.