Chapter 2: A Drowsy Numbness Pains

Since the whole Stan Sturnpike debacle, the Ministry was taking pains to avoid patently wrong imprisonments; to that effect, they had employed an ambitious Muggleborn witch, Carolyn Peasegood, to reform the justice system. Mrs. Peasegood, who had taken great pains to inform her employers that she had seen a lot of law and order when she was younger (obviously, she was from a long line of Muggle judges), had mandated that there must be witnesses to a crime for charges to hold, and their accounts must be feasible. Despite this, the Wizengamot optimistically planned to try Draco Malfoy on all of his charges by the end of the day, and testimony whizzed by the ears of the incredulous audience like a colony of tiny bats – shrieking, disconcerting, but just out of tangible grasp.

Ginny, of course, knew all of the upcoming twists and turns in the unfolding tale and couldn't be bothered to use her conscious mind to follow the entire thing. Instead, she caught impressions. The soaring ceiling of the courtroom and how the sky blue and warm wood made her feel like she was outside in the autumn. The way multiple lights caught Harry's glasses as he calmly gave his statements. Percy's smirk as he unrolled a new parchment with a practiced flick of his wrist. Why was he smirking? Was he pleased with his notes, with the way the trial was going? Was he thinking right now of how he was pulling a fast one on the entire Ministry?

Ginny knew that Percy was a Death Eater. If he wasn't, he was as good as one. Malfoy had dropped sledgehammer-subtle hints to her the night he came into her bedroom as she slept, and the whole thing made sense: Percy told the Death Eaters the weaknesses in the Burrow's wards and the rest was history. Was Percy under the Imperius? Was he that angry with the family? Was his ambition overleaping decency and basic morals? Ginny didn't have anyone to discuss it with, because she hadn't bothered to tell anyone. First of all, who would believe the family miscreant, freshly scorned by the Boy Who Lived? Secondly, Percy was a poor spy for anything that mattered, considering how estranged he was from the entire Order of the Phoenix. He could spy all he wanted in the Ministry; everyone in the Order knew that the Ministry was no place to look for help. In the meantime, she'd think of a way to let people know so the whole affair could be handled unobtrusively. She thought a quiet discussion with her dad might work, but then he'd just tell her mum and another row would start over how Ginny can't be trusted.

Malfoy himself seemed to be doing his best to keep the Wizengamot on schedule. He looked as bored as one was able when one's appendages were strapped to one's chair, and for once in his life seemed uninterested in making uncalled-for snide comments and being generally disruptive. He spoke only when spoken to, and kept his answers as succinct and neutral as possible. It was a bit unnerving to see him so sanguine while admitting to things guaranteed to get him time in Azkaban.

Finally, Kingsley Shacklebolt was able to tell the court what had transpired the night Draco Malfoy was taken into custody. He explained how he had arrived at the Leaky Cauldron after a long day in the Muggle Prime Minister's office and had overheard whispered plans in the corner about an attack at Ottery St. Catchpole that night (a bold-faced lie, considering they'd had forty-eight hours to plan), notified the Aurors at his earliest possible convenience, and Apparated to the Burrow in time to see young Malfoy working his way out through the wards. He Stunned the unsuspecting boy, Aurors arrived on the scene, and Death Eaters appeared shortly after.

"I hear you received the Order of Merlin, Second Class, Auror Shacklebolt," a portly wizard on the Wizengamot remarked. "The largest capture of Death Eaters in a decade."

Kingsley inclined his head. "I am honoured to be of service," he said modestly. According to Arthur, the Order had laughed about it over Butterbeers when the news came through, insisting that he break his plaque into pieces for each of them, Tonks especially. Ginny's nervousness was increasing. Arthur had explained to her that it was imperative that the Ministry not find out that the Order knew about the attack well ahead of time, were ready for any number of Death Eaters, and had let Malfoy through because he was an acceptable risk. Ginny had only been asleep when Malfoy had shown up because pretending to be asleep had made her too tired to stay awake. Ministry involvement would slow down everything the Order was doing, if not bollocks it up completely.

"You are sure that Mr. Malfoy was leaving the Burrow, and not entering it?" a short, shrewd-looking witch with round spectacles inquired.

"Quite sure, madam," Kingsley replied.

"Very well."

A moment of silence. "Auror Shackebolt, you may be seated," Scrimgeour intoned. "Mr. Malfoy? What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I went to their house. When I came out, I was Stunned."

"I'm going to have to ask you to be more specific, Mr. Malfoy," Scrimgeour growled. "Tell us what happened from the moment you stepped on the property to when you were Stunned. How did you get in?"

"I found a way through the wards."

"And then?"

"I climbed in Ginny's window. I took her wand and Silenced her room so her family wouldn't hear me and come barging in. Then I woke her up and threatened to hex her so she would listen to me. I told her to leave with her family before the Death Eaters showed up." It was the longest speech he'd made all day.

"You…threatened Miss Weasley," the portly wizard said slowly.

"Correct. Then I left and was Stunned."

"You admit you knew of a Death Eater plot," the shrewd witch declared. "How did you learn of it?"

"The same way Shacklebolt did. I heard Death Eaters discussing it."

"Where were you at the time you learned of it?" she persisted.

"I don't know," Malfoy said coldly. "I had just learned of my mother's death and my memories are less than clear."

"Surely you must-"

"I was so drunk I didn't think to act on it 'til hours later, madam. It could've been anywhere."

The witch looked exasperated, obviously feeling that it was outside the bounds of decency to continue this line of reasoning. Ginny felt exasperated on her behalf. Malfoy, playing up tragedy so he didn't have to tell the truth. It was like being back in second year when he feigned injury from Buckbeak.

"Miss Ginevra Weasley, if you would stand?"

Ginny did.

"Now, Miss Weasley," Scrimgeour began kindly, "you have identified yourself as a witness for Mr. Malfoy's defense. If you could please elaborate?"

"Well…." She darted a quick look at the Wizengamot, then decided it would be best if she tried to look at the wall. "Malfoy came to my house that night, and came in my room, but he was trying to help."

"Is it normal for Mr. Malfoy to enter your room while you are asleep?" a muscular wizard with distinguished grey streaks asked snidely, his blue eyes wide with innocence.

"Of course not," Ginny snapped, feeling her face growing red at the man's ludicrous insinuation.

"Is Mr. Malfoy considered a friend of your family?" he continued.

"No."

"Miss Weasley, trespassing occurs when someone enters a property without permission. Did Mr. Malfoy have permission to enter your household?"

"No, but-"

"Well, I've heard enough," the muscular wizard said dismissively. Panicking, Ginny looked to Malfoy. He looked back at her blankly, as if he didn't know who she was.

"I haven't," the portly wizard said conversationally. "Go on, my dear. You said Mr. Malfoy was trying to help you?"

"Yes, well," Ginny stammered, now fully aware of how stupid her testimony sounded, "he wanted – he was there to warn us of the Death Eater attack. He had to trespass because he had no other choice to warn us."

"He said himself that he threatened you," she shrewd witch stated, one brow raised.

"They were empty threats. He said he'd broken my wand, but he lied. He didn't hex me at all." She supposed the Silencing charm he'd put on her didn't count. And pulling her hair and kneeing her in the chest weren't threats, per se, he'd just done them without warning…what in Merlin's name was she doing? "Malfoy has poor social skills; threatening is just his way of having a conversation."

The examiner looked less than impressed. "What did you do after Mr. Malfoy left your room?"

"I removed the Silencing spell on my room and went to alert my family, but the attack had already started."

"Did Mr. Malfoy's intervention help your family in any way?"

"It gave us a minute or two of warning, I suppose."

"Miss Weasley, you are aware that Mr. Malfoy may have been simply trying to lure your family into the open where they would be targeted by Death Eaters?"

"The possibility did cross my mind, yes," Ginny said. She looked over at Malfoy, who wore the faintest of smirks. She was pretty sure she was, too. "But I believe he acted in good faith." Malfoy's eyebrows rose almost imperceptibly. She turned back to the shrewd witch. "As you can see, not even Auror Shacklebolt could've bought us more time."

Silence. The Wizengamot on a whole looked annoyed that she'd wasted their time.

"Thank you, Miss Weasley. You may be seated."