Disclaimer: I am poor so therefore please do not sue me for borrowing the characters for a little while. All Characters belong to JK Rowling, a brilliant and talented woman. All characters you don't recognise belong to me.
I know it's short but I've kind of hit a wall at the moment and should have something in a few days.
Chapter 5
"Well it would seem that your miraculous escape was facilitated by Voldemort since he wants you back." Sirius said summarising a story from the prophet as Lucius woke up again on the stone floor in Azkaban after a 3 month stay. "86 mornings on a cramped stone floor would destroy some people. You either cope very well or you enjoy pain. Could it be that Lucius Malfoy is a masochist as well as a sadist? Your not looking at your best Lucius, would you like some soap and water?"
"And what price will you attach to that?"
"What price do I need to attach?" Sirius smiled crookedly
"Well I don't think you could top killing my son." Lucius replied
"Are you going to cooperate?"
"Not in this lifetime." Lucius replied
"Oh well. Here, I left you the crossword." Sirius said throwing the prophet at Lucius.
The photo they had chosen to run on the front page was a picture of Lucius with Narcissa shortly after they had been married. "You might want to get used to the sight, because if you ever do get out of here, she'll be the only one waiting for you." Sirius growled beside Lucius's ears and took some twisted satisfaction in Lucius's visibly shaken reaction.
"He's not cracking?" James asked as he changed Harry's diaper
"He is, but he's holding the piece together remarkably well. I moved him up onto the top floor so the Dementor's could get to him easily. So we'll see what happens next month." Sirius shrugged. "So how's the short one?"
"Keeping me up all night." James replied
"She's still no better?"
"No, the healer seems to think its depression, which apparently all new mothers are susceptible to, but I still think it's because of Hailey."
"Of course it will be. She's seeing things she never got to see and it'll leave an empty feeling." Sirius replied.
"Remus said he'll come back and stay for a bit and look after Harry so I can get some rest. There's only so much time I can stay off work for."
"Moody said we can manage. I'm not sure at what staffing figure he's using, but he is our boss and we do as he says." Sirius replied
"Since when?" James asked
"Well I think about what he says and then I do the opposite. But at least I contemplate his wishes instead of blatantly disregarding them like I used to." Sirius replied as James put Harry back in his crib
"Do you think Malfoy will turn spy?"
"I bloody well hope so. I don't mind killing Narcissa, but killing Draco is another thing completely."
"Let me have a go."
"Not a chance. You're insane if you think I am insane enough to let you do that."
"Why not?"
"Your wife." Sirius replied
"Is slowly loosing the plot…"
"Exactly, now do you think it's a good idea that I let you into Azkaban?"
"I can walk in there myself right now if I wanted. I'm still cleared."
"You were cleared but Moody revoked your clearance for now, until Lily is feeling better."
"That's not fair."
"It might not be fair but it's safer."
"For who?" James shouted making Harry start crying
"You, your family and in case you decide to go vigilante."
"Lily's the one that's lost it not me, I'm the one who's holding it together, and I'm the sane one." James ranted seeming to ignore Harry
"James would you shut up." Sirius said harshly as he picked Harry up and tried to calm him down. "For someone who is apparently sane and holding it together you're not demonstrating it very well." Sirius replied in a softer voice as Harry stopped crying and started hiccupping.
"Well it's not easy watching your life fall apart. My wife won't and acts like she can't take care of her son, she's still grieving over Hailey who she can't bring back. Harry's barely 2 months old, Remus is acting more like mother and father to him than either of us and I feel completely useless." James rambled quietly. "None of this would have happened if they hadn't taken Hailey away."
"True it probably wouldn't have but you can't try and bring her back. It's impossible. There is nothing either of you can do to help her, but you can help Harry. You need to. He doesn't understand and won't understand for a very long time about what's going on. I'll help you as much as I can and you know Remus will, there's not much else he can do other than Order work at the moment and until we get new information there isn't much of that. So I won't be here a lot but James, for Harry's sake you have to try and pull through it. Support Lily. One of you needs to be strong and function and from the sounds of it, you're not past Hailey yet either."
"And what would you know about losing someone?" James spat back.
"I've lost 2 friends and their child. I want them back. You may think it only hurt you and Lily to lose her, but what about Remus? He was devastated that he couldn't be there for you until 4 days later. The man beat himself up over that and there was nothing he could do about it. You and Lily and Harry are our only family. So it hurts us as well when you're hurt. I know it sounds sappy but tough. Stop pitying yourself and look after your son." Sirius said handing Harry back to James. "He doesn't deserve to be ignored."
"You summoned me?" Sirius stated walking into Lucius's top floor cell
"Nothing will happen to Draco."
"Not one hair out of place."
"And I'll get to see him; I won't completely miss out on his life?"
"Depends how helpful you are. You don't get something for nothing in this world."
"You can guarantee that no one will kill me?"
"You have to live by my rules. Do that and you will stay alive until your times up."
"What about Narcissa?"
"Don't tell me you love her." Sirius laughed looking at him. "She will serve her purpose and raise your son but she doesn't get away Scot free, I know about her choice in interesting body art. Should I have any reason to remove her at any point while you are my… assistant, I will place Draco somewhere safe."
"How long have I been in here?" Lucius asked looking up at the younger wizard
"13 months. That's 10 in direct contact with the Dementors. You should be proud. Normally it only takes a week before they agree or start going mad."
"Have you contemplated her sister?"
"Are you worried about me Lucius? So many things run through my head about her, it's hard to put it into words. As long as you make sure no one suspects you at the meetings, I can take care of outside those meetings but your safety is your business inside those meetings." Sirius replied. "You want to hear some amusing news?"
"I can see your itching to tell me."
"'Snivellus is working at Hogwarts."
"Dark arts?"
"Do you think Dumbledore is stupid? Potions."
"He must be insane to let Snape back into Hogwarts. Why go after me and not him? He would be easier to turn."
"Because he isn't the right hand man of the most twisted psychopath on the planet at the moment. You are. And what would I dangle over his head? His chemistry set? Cauldron of rancid grease? Threaten to straighten his nose? Please, Lucius credit me with some brains."
"You would have done great things in Slytherin."
"I would have done great things in a cardboard box. Everybody has greatness inside them Lucius, it just depends on how you let it manifest."
"Philosopher as well." Lucius mocked. "So do I get to stay here or do you have somewhere else to keep me?"
"First things first." Sirius said flicking his wand and shrinking Lucius small enough to fit in a cloth bag and put him in a pocket inside his robes. "It's a surprise." Sirius said before leaving the cell and removing any trace that Lucius had ever been there and leaving Azkaban and apperated as soon as he could to somewhere close by Lily and James's house.
"Thank you Remus." Sirius breathed as he found the house empty and went immediately upstairs to Hailey's bedroom and passed to the next plane
"Miss me?" Sirius asked picking Hailey up from behind and swinging her around.
"I thought you would come today." Aggie said drying her hands on a towel
"I couldn't miss the little one's 3rd birthday party." Sirius replied
"You spoil her."
"She entitled to it." Sirius replied putting Hailey back on the floor amongst a pile of toys and next to a fort made from cardboard boxes.
"How did her parents cope?"
"About as well as expected." Sirius said sliding into a chair. "I've brought someone."
"Finally cracked?"
"I think I nearly tore him apart." Sirius said pulling out the white cloth bag and undoing the ties and letting Lucius Malfoy crawl out on to his outstretched hand, where he proceeded to curse at Sirius, but as he was shrunk his voice sounded like he was on helium so it made the process amusing for Aggie and Sirius until Sirius could control his wand long enough to resize Lucius
"Thank you for that." Lucius said trying to straighten his clothes
"I wouldn't bother, you look a state." Sirius replied flopping back down in his seat and offering the one across from him to Lucius. "This is where you live for the foreseeable future. You come back here via me or a means I provide you with. If you don't come back and aren't back when I tell you then you know what will happen. Everything you tell me must be the truth, because I will find out if it's not and just remember it's your son's life you're gambling with."
"You're taking pleasure from this." Lucius accused
"At threatening a baby's life? I think not." Sirius replied startled slightly as Hailey appeared next to him and stuck her head around the side of the chair and stayed still
"Why are you doing this Sirius? I understand that you and your goody goody friends don't agree with the Dark Lords thinkings, but what do you expect to get from threatening me?"
"Enough information to get rid of him."
"But why?"
"Your lucky Draco was born as what the ministry deem normal otherwise he would be dead by now, or at very least living away from you."
"So this is because freak children are being taken away from their parents at birth." Lucius replied
"Watch your tongue Mr. Malfoy." Aggie warned as Hailey threw a building block at his head and hit him on the forehead and looked on contented it had hit from the small 'ouch' Lucius uttered.
"Who threw that?" Lucius asked
"A supposed freak." Sirius said reached down beside the chair and picking a grinning Hailey up and sitting her on his leg
"You had…. No wait… it's not. She was killed." Lucius stuttered looking the child over, taking in the smile, the face shape, the shape of the eyes and the pale, almost white, blue/green eyes staring in his vague direction
"When did she open her eyes?" Sirius asked looking at Aggie
"2 weeks ago." Aggie smiled. "She still can't see anything but at least her eyes are open and her biggest imperfection is… well."
"This is Hailey Potter. Your other task involves her." Sirius said as Hailey's head turned to him
"My other task?" Lucius asked receiving Hailey's full attention