Chapter 2
"Is this some kind of sick joke?" asked Ron.
"No, Ron." Harry replied, for the thousandth time. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and laid back on the couch. He'd come over to tell Hermione and Ron about the plan, but since he'd arrived all he'd managed to get across was that Malfoy had accepted before Ron interrupted.
"Are you sure about this, Harry?" asked Hermione thoughtfully. "I mean, not that I have anything against the Malfoys but knowing Draco, they don't seem to be the friendliest bunch. You're completely sure they won't double-cross you or betray you when they get what they want?"
"Yeah!" agreed Ron. "Besides, it's Malfoy. He's a slimy git, he'd probably find out the cure but keep it to himself because he's a selfish prat."
Harry ignored Ron. "I know, 'Mione, but this is the best shot we've got. I didn't even know about his mother being infected until Kingsley told me Lucius Malfoy had come to visit." Harry paused. "Besides, even if Malfoy finds the cure or not, Kingsley thinks he might find some ingredients in the potion that the victims have drank that-
"-might give you a lead!" Hermione sat up on the couch.
"What in the name of Merlin are you on about?" asked Ron, confused.
"You know how some potion ingredients can only be found in some parts of the world? That's what makes them so rare and valuable. We think that the potion probably contains a few of those, but, well, until we can know the specifics we can't use that as a lead." Harry answered.
"And Malfoy can help you find these specifics? What happened to all the potion masters and healers?"
"Honestly, Ronald, if they could have found something don't you think they'd have saved someone by now?" Hermione retorted.
"Right, and Malfoy's mum is the only living survivor of this potion?"
"We- at least, Kingsley thinks that Malfoy gave his mum a potion that's somehow postponed her death. He reckons if he could do that then he could find out at least one of these ingredients." Harry said, frowning. If he can't, then all this would have been for nothing.
"Blimey, I'm glad I wasn't assigned on this case," said Ron, glancing at Hermione, who smiled at him.
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Ron breaks the silence with a yawn. "I think I'm going to turn in, then. See you at the office, mate," he said, hugging Harry and yawning again as he leaves the room.
"I don't trust him, Hermione," said Harry, knowing Hermione was waiting for him to say something.
"I know, Harry. But I don't think you've got a choice." She sighed reproachfully. "Is Ginny okay with this? You pretending to be his 'lover'… and what-not?"
"I-wait-Hermione, that's just an act, it doesn't mean anything! She doesn't have to know. It's not like we're even going out! I mean Ginny and me. Not Malfoy and me. I mean, me and Ginny aren't going out but neither are Malfoy and me and," He paused, flustered. She stared at him. "Right, me and Malfoy are pretending to go out. Pretending, 'Mione. The most I'll have to do is hang around him for a few hours every once in a while, and I could even help him research this case, anyway, so it doesn't matter."
"Harry, are you sure you're okay about this?" she asked sceptically.
"Completely! Everything's going to go well and everything will work out fine and it'll be over before you know it. Trust me." At least, I hope so. He thought, bidding her good night and flooing home.
NEXT DAY
"This is your office?" asked Malfoy, looking around with a disgusted expression on his face.
"Yes, Malfoy, it is. Why, what's wrong with it?" Harry said defensively. He had one of the biggest offices in the Auror department and it had his desk, a private fireplace – hooked up to the Floo Network, obviously- and a couch and a table and several bookshelves. Oh, and a coffee machine. Whenever he and Ron weren't busy, they'd make coffee and sit on the couch and talk. And sometimes, Hermione would join in. He snapped back to reality when he realised Malfoy was looking at him expectantly.
"I know it's a bit messy-" he tried.
"A bit! The whole room is a mess. You know what, it's not even a room. It's just a big mess."
"-and I'll clean it up." Harry glared at him. "Shut up, Malfoy."
"Gladly." With that, Malfoy levitated all the papers and the coffee mugs to the floor, wrinkling his nose. "I don't understand why I have to work in your office. Even the dungeons of the Manor would be better than this – this arrangement, and that's saying a lot."
"Can't you just keep your mouth shut? It's exhausting to hear you complain about oh, just everything." Harry sighed as Malfoy sneered at him. He sat down on his chair. "Besides, it's not like I asked to be stuck in a room with you. Apparently all the extra offices are full right now."
With that sat in silence, Harry signing some of his paperwork and Malfoy spread his research on the coffee table.
"Can I have the case file?" Malfoy asked after a while.
"-rules and regulations apply-sorry, what?"
"Good to see you've still got your attention-span from school, Potter. Can-I-have-the-case-file? That slow enough for your mind to grasp?"
"Sure, and shut up. My mind can grasp things at the normal pace." He stood up, stretching. He walked over to the couch, studying Malfoy's tense posture as he rifled through his papers.
"Stop staring at my back, Potter."
Harry flushed, dropping the file on the table. He waited a few moments, lingering on the side of the couch until Malfoy finally looked up.
"What?"
"Do you want any help?"
"No, Potter. If I did, I would have asked you. Besides, I don't need any Gryffindor dim-wittedness right now. I'm trying to concentrate."
"Why do you insult me every other minute?" Malfoy shrugged and Harry shook his head, starting to go back to his desk.
"Hey, Potter? I think I found something." Malfoy called, looking as startled as Harry.
Harry walked around to the other side of the table, sitting down on the floor. "What?"
"Look at this. There's been 6 known victims, correct?"
"Yeah, but what's that got to do with anything?"
"Patience is a virtue, Potter. Shut up and listen." Malfoy paused. "All 4 of the cases happened in Southern England. Two near Godric's Hollow, two near Ottery St. Catchpole. One in Hogsmeade. One in various parts of London. What's the pattern?"
Harry shrugged, then paused. "Wait, your mom was poisoned in Hogsmeade?"
"Yes, that's all I've found out so far. She drank this Firewhiskey that was mailed in, thinking the house-elves had already tested because it was open. That's all I know."
"Hold on, why didn't you tell me about this earlier!? We could've gone to investigate the mail order and – "Harry started eagerly.
"The bottle was removed, Potter. My mother told me that she found this bottle sitting on her dresser and drank it. She's too weak to remember anything more. I found her on the floor of her bedroom, pale and…I thought she'd died." Malfoy took a deep breath.
"Oh. I'm-sorry, Malfoy," Malfoy had closed his eyes, and Harry reached out to touch his arm impulsively. Malfoy jerked back, looking at him like he was mad. Harry flushed, mentally slapping himself. What was he thinking? This was Malfoy, for Merlin's sake. What had gotten into him? They were enemies. And now they were on a case together. That was all.
"Anyway. I've had the entire Manor searched, and I've searched myself, but I couldn't find any mysterious bottle."
"Oh."
"Yes, oh. Back to my original point. There's no specific target, even. 2 Pure-bloods, 2 Mudblo- I mean, muggleborns, and 1 Half-blood. Each of the case is relevant to a widely-known Wizarding settlement. Whoever did this wanted the victims to be found."
"What, like a warning?" Harry asked.
"A warning for what? Or some kind of message?" Malfoy frowned, flipping through the information papers in the file. For a moment, Harry was reminded of Hermione. He smiled wistfully. She would be looking through a page, trying to pick up on some little detail to help her case. He and Ron would look at each other and try not to snicker too loudly.
"I know you're laughing at me, but one word can change everything, Ronald! That's all it takes. One word!"
"What, like Voldemort?" Hermione would throw her quill at him and they'd all start laughing-
"Potter? Hello? Anyone home?" Malfoy was waving his quill at him.
"Er, sorry, what?"
"Ah, the oblivious idiot is back," Malfoy said. "Anyway. Look! Look at this." He turned a piece of paper to Harry's side so he could read it.
Malfoy had written down all the last names of the victims: Malfoy, Ulysses, Lumineer, Crowley, Ingall, Barry. He had underlined the first-letters of the names and wrote them below so they spelled " B"
"Er." Harry said, trying to understand. Malfoy rolled his eyes.
"Potter, there was a death eater named Mulciber! I remember him because Father said he was one of the ones who escaped. All the imprisoned ones were writing down a list to see if any of them could break them out. He mentioned his name to me several times."
"So you think this 'Mulciber' guy is behind this?"
Malfoy was about to reply when the room burst open. Kingsley strode in with Ron following him.
"Hello, Minister," greeted Malfoy, holding out his hand.
"I'm not the Minister, Draco." Kingsley looked hurried.
"Not yet, you mean," Harry grinned, standing up as well.
"Mate, not right now. We've got…news." Ron said, glancing at Malfoy.
"Narcissa is in St. Mungo's. They think she has a few more hours." Kingsley answered the unspoken question, and the room fell into silence.
"Until what?" Malfoy asked, his voice small.
"Until they-she-you know, um, dies," responded Ron.
This is so damn long, omg! I'm gonna go write Chapter 3 now because I'll be very busy tomorrow. Free cookies for anyone who reviews. Oooh, cliffhanger. Kinda. And yes, everyone's who's supposed to be dead is dead ie canon compliant ooh and Ginny and Harry haven't got back together since well HBP, when they broke up.
Also, I've looked it up and all the wiki says is that the only death eater we know for sure who's dead is Bellatrix. Everyone else is assumed to be dead or imprisoned, and in this Narcissa asks Harry to let them release Lucius after 2 years of serving prison time. At Azkaban, obviously. I can't remember if Godric's Hollow or Ottery St. Catchpole are in Southern London and I know Hogsmeade is in Scotland - with Hogwarts but just for the story.. go along with it. I might go back and fix it, lol, because I'm a Geography nerd.
Thank you so much for reading!
Song for the chapter:
Taylor Swift - Bad Blood