CHAPTER FOUR

Snape woke up to see the Ministry agent in charge of their situation watching him sleep. He shuddered as he sat up and looked over the room. Goyle was sleeping soundly nearby, but Draco had been tied to the bed to make him sleep. It hadn't worked.

"I wanted to be here when you woke up to let you know the procedure on Wood and Potter was a success," the agent whispered, gesturing for Snape to follow him outside. Once in the hallway, he continued, "The hospital is used to these sorts of procedures, and they said it was normal aside from different anatomies. But the magic of those pills did alter the equipment. Hormones do not lie, and those boys are definitely pregnant."

"Will Potter and Wood return to Hogwarts with Professor McGonagall when they're finished with the recovery process?" Snape questioned.

"Yes, yes of course," the agent nodded, "but Dumbledore is going to keep them in the Hospital Wing for a few days to make sure they're fine. He said that students are talking about the incident, but we're trying desperately to keep it from the papers. Dumbledore also decided not to call the parents of Potter, Wood, and Goyle, but Malfoy's father will be here later this morning. He seemed furious, Dumbledore said, but I imagine he would be. This is a very serious crime."

"I imagine it is. What is the possible punishment for something like this?"

"Well, Professor, this is unprecedented in a way. The laws are written to represent women who are wrongfully impregnated, and even the rhetoric in those laws is new. This particular situation is different, and the method is misunderstood. Did they just take the pills and get pregnant? Was the magic causing the entire thing? Were their own bodies involved? Did Malfoy himself have to do something to them? Everything is very much unclear, and in addition to all of these questions, we must take into account Malfoy's mental status."

"He is quite off," Snape agreed, "but should that keep him from being held responsible? His father will ask this of the Ministry, and he will do anything in his power to make sure his son does not have to do anything for this...incident. He will not see it as a crime, much like his son. Or he'll be furious all around. Either way, his son could never be responsible for such a ridiculous thing."

"I'm glad you agree," a cold voice announced. Lucius tapped his cane on the ground, "I came as soon as I heard. Where is my son and what have you done to him?" he demanded, following the agent inside.

Snape chose to stay outside. Despite his ties to the Malfoy family, he did not feel Draco was innocent this time. Four new babies, three unwilling participants, and a strange pill even the experts could not explain. This was too much for him to comprehend, and he wasn't sure what the right course of action was. He just knew this was about to become a firestorm, especially if the students were talking back at Hogwarts. Someone outside the Hogwarts circle was going to find out about this eventually. It was just a matter of time.

"I know you write to your mother every week, Ron, but you shouldn't say anything about Harry. If she tells anyone, it could be quite awful for everyone," Hermione said firmly, watching Ron's quill bob up and down.

"I will tell her whatever I want to tell her," Ron spat back, his face loosening a moment later, "You're right. I'll just say he felt sick but was feeling better now."

"Good, but never give details. I feel like Dumbledore will want this to be kept extremely quiet. We already know too much," Hermione whispered.

Ron agreed, sighing as he wrapped up his letter, "I wonder when Harry will come back and what'll happen with him. I mean, he wouldn't want anything to do with this. I still don't know how it happened anyway."

"No one does, and no one actually knows the truth, so we shouldn't really say anything," Hermione said, looking around the Gryffindor common room. She sighed, "I wonder how long they can actually keep it quiet though. If the Ministry is involved, I'm sure the whole world will know within days. They can only do so much to keep it quiet."

"We'll know soon. What do you think the reaction will be?"

"Disgust, what else?" Hermione asked, leaning forward, "I'm disgusted too. If there are things out there that can make anyone pregnant, what if they get into the wrong hands? I don't want children until I'm ready, until the proper time. I know it's difficult to plan if you're not smart. My parents already gave me The Talk a while ago, but that's what they said."

Ron looked clueless so Hermione dropped the subject. Her fear wasn't her own, and she knew that was why the story would eventually leak. If the Ministry could not come up with a valid explanation, as well as an origin story, for how all of this happened, they would have no choice but to tell everyone, just so they could be safe.

Hermione sighed as Ron began the trek to send off his letter by owl post, hoping things wouldn't get too crazy when the world found out.

Dumbledore sighed heavily as he read the letter. He decided he had to head off to the Ministry of Magic to discuss everything in person, so he made arrangements. An hour later, he joined several agents at the Ministry of Magic headquarters to discuss the issues at hand.

"We spoke with Lucius Malfoy, and he insists his son was not in his right mind and could not possibly be responsible for any of this," the director explained quickly, "but we assured him that our priority at this point was safety. Neither of them can tell us how this happened, what he used, or where we could acquire it, so the investigation must continue."

"How do you plan to do this if those in question have no answers?" Dumbledore inquired.

The director shifted, "We need to tell the world and ask about similar experiences. Then we may get the answers we need to solve this case. We have to know these things, and even if we cannot find out in this way, we need the public to know these sorts of things are out there."

"Also," the Ministry agent who had been handling the case interjected, "we are continuing to persuade Goyle into having the abortion procedure that Wood and Potter had, but he seems reluctant to do so. We've kept him away from the Malfoy boy in case he's pushing him to keep the child, but we're worried he won't agree to the procedure in time."

"He's a minor. We'll contact his parents and they'll force him to get the procedure," Dumbledore said firmly.

"Very well then," the Ministry director nodded. "I'll allow you to make the call, and as soon as that is complete, we'll send the story to the papers, leaving out all identifying factors."

"They'll assume it's Hogwarts, then Lucius will sue you for defamation," Dumbledore sighed. "You must leave out everything regarding age to ensure this can't happen."

"He's right," the agent nodded, "They will assume it's Hogwarts if we reveal their ages."

"Agreed," the director sighed, unhappy that he'd been overruled. He stood up, "Lucius is here now with his son and wants him released into his care for the time being. Your thoughts, Headmaster?"

"I see nothing wrong with this as long as you plan to watch over them. He's your suspect now, not my student," Dumbledore replied, following the director to the infirmary.

The director agreed and decided this was his decision, and he saw nothing wrong with it. Maybe being at home would help his mindset, so he decided this was best. Draco returned home with his father that afternoon, leaving Goyle the only student left in question. His parents had yet to respond to their attempts to contact them, and time was running out. Goyle was still heavily considering keeping the child, and nothing they said could change his mind. At the end of the day, Dumbledore was needed back at Hogwarts to see to Harry and Oliver's return, and Goyle was left at the Ministry of Magic for the time being.