A/N: Thank you to all my followers and reviewers. Thank you: - kamui5, Kigen Dawn, DarkAthene, Diddleymaz, AchillesTheGeek, CumberBabexoxo, magicanimegurl, Gryffindor Rat, iggle731, Drarry4eva, ObessiveCompulsiveReader, thegirlthathidesinhermind, Alijandra's Editor and Guest reviewer.
I feel much better, my cold/bug thing has cleared up and I am happier. Yay!
A short chapter - enjoy.
Chapter 4
Harry had a few days off from Auror training, he had decided to go to Manchester to talk to Stuart Murray's family. To see if they knew where Draco's attacker is currently residing.
He was not sure if he should pretend to be a police officer, or something else. They may lie to the police to protect their family member. If he pretended he was a lawyer, and claimed Stuart had been left some money by a distant deceased friend, then surely they would be willing to give over information. Especially if money was involved, people were greedy, and these people were worse than most. Usually profiting from other people, by stealing their hard earned money, or burgling people's houses and taking their heirlooms.
Harry had looked into Stuart's family and almost all of them had a criminal background. Harry decided he was better off with the second one, dangling money as bait should draw out Stuart, or information on his whereabouts. Harry had done his research and discovered an old friend of Stuart's died in prison. He was going to pretend that they had recently discovered he left some money in his will for Stuart.
Harry dressed in a muggle suit, picked up the fake documents he had cobbled together this morning, and his fake ID badge. He apparated to the housing estate that Stuart's sister lived on. She lived in a block of flats, in an area that most would be frightened to walk by, even in the daylight.
Harry made sure he had his wand within handy distance. It would not surprise him if the children playing outside decided to mug him. He hurried to the eighth floor and found the relevant flat number. He knocked and waited. A woman in her thirties answered, cigarette in hand, hair pulled back in a severe ponytail – hair greasier than Snape's, and yellowing teeth. She looked Harry up and down and screwed her face up.
"What you want?" She barked at him.
Harry flashed his ID badge, "Hello, are you Kirsty Murray?" he asked politely.
"What's it to you if I am?" She answered.
"I am from the local probate office. We are currently working with the executor of Liam Hampton's estate, and he has left money for someone I believe is your brother. I was wondering if I may come in to discuss the matter with you." He replied authoritatively.
She pulled away from leaning against the door frame, standing up straight. Harry could almost see the pound signs in her eyes, as they lit up with greed.
"Liam left us money?" She echoed.
"Left Stuart Murray money. Are you Kirsty Murray, sister of Stuart?" He tried to clarify again.
She nodded, threw her cigarette on the floor and stamped it out. "Yes, that shithead is my brother. Come in Mr...?"
"Mr Walden." He supplied effortlessly,
"Right come in." She led him into a small living room. Harry had to fight from gagging, the place smelt awful. Stale smoke, body odour, wet dog and many other disgusting smells.
She pointed to the sofa, "Sit." She ordered.
Harry gingerly sat on the stained sofa and opened his muggle briefcase.
"Liam passed away in prison and his estate was tied up in lots of paperwork and boring legal matters. The will was finally released to the executor and they employed me to find all persons names as beneficiaries."
"Always knew Liam would die in prison. Bastard probably started a fight and got himself killed, fucking nut case he were." She did not seem to care that she was being crude.
"Well, I cannot comment on that. I just know he died in prison, still having over half his sentence to go. I am unsure of the particulars of his death." He explained.
Harry did his research and had read that in fact, Liam had killed himself. He did not think he should mention that to this unstable woman.
"Do you have any contact with your brother Stuart? Any telephone number or address?" He asked.
"Maybe. Depends. He's always moving and the wanker forgets to give me his new contact details. How much money are we talking?" She blurted.
Harry gave her a serious look, "I cannot disclose the exact figure with you, that is for Stuart to know. However, it is a large sum, and worth him contacting me to take steps to claim it."
She eyed him, "I don't want to give out Stuart's details. He has a lot of enemies and people after him, the law and other people. But if you give me your business card, I can pass it on to him and he will call you to arrange a meeting." She compromised.
Harry smiled, "That's fine by me." He handed her a business card he had printed at home, and it had a contact number on for a muggle mobile he purchased especially.
"Right. Thanks, Mr...um...Wardon."
"Walden." He Corrected.
"Whatever. I'll pass it on." Harry sensed the dismissal.
He stood, "Thank you for your time Miss Murray." He saw himself out. Deciding he would shower as soon as he returned home, he felt dirty.
A few hours later and his muggle mobile rang, Harry answered it, "Hello, is that Mr Walden?" A gruff voice asked.
"Yes, it is. How may I help you?" Harry replied. Knowing who it was, he had only given this number to Kirsty and no one else.
"This is Stuart Murray. My sister explained to me what you said to her. I thought I should ring to arrange a meeting." He explained.
"Excellent. I am pleased your sister managed to get hold of you. Are you free later this evening?" Harry kept his voice businesslike.
"I am. Though, I want to meet at your office." He answered.
Harry anticipated as much. Stuart was not as easily sucked in as his sister, he wanted to see an office, and other proof that Harry was who he said he was. Harry had walked passed an empty shop front earlier and knew he could make it look like an office quickly. So he gave Stuart the address and arranged to meet him in a few hours.
As soon as he hung up he firecalled Pansy. Luna was still travelling. Ginny would not help as it was for Malfoy, and Hermione would lecture him for not going through the Ministry or muggle police, instead of taking it on by himself. Pansy was a friend of Draco's. He hoped she'd help.
"Potter, What an unexpected surprise." She coolly said.
"Aren't all surprises unexpected?" he said puzzled.
"Look, Parkinson, I'll cut to the chase. I need your help, trust me it is important. It's for Draco. I need you to help me set up a fake office, and be my secretary. Please. I'll explain later. Ginny would not help, and Hermione would lecture me and ask too many questions. Are you in?" He rushed. Time was of the essence.
"Sure. I'll help for Draco. But I demand an explanation." She harshly informed him.
"Yes, of course. I'll explain everything when we are setting up the office." He gave her the address and left.
She was waiting outside when he arrived.
"Thank you." Was all he said in greeting.
He discreetly unlocked the door with his wand and pulled out some pebbles. They would all be transfigured into office furniture.
"Start transfiguring these into desks, filing cabinets – office stuff." He commanded no time to be polite.
"Yes, boss." She answered, saluting him.
Harry cast a spell on the window, so letters appeared proclaiming this to be, 'Walden & Brownell's: Probate Solicitors'. He then set about turning the other room into an office to suit a solicitor. He transfigured the furniture, glamoured a few things and managed to make it look like a legitimate office.
Pansy entered and had her arms crossed over her chest, "Explain, Potter."
Harry sighed and sat on the edge of the desk, "I'm not sure how much you know. Draco was cast out of the family home and disowned. He was homeless, and during his time on the streets, he was attacked." He paused to allow Pansy time to take that in, "He was found, barely alive. He is being taken care of, don't worry." He reassured her, "I managed to trace his attacker. He is a cautious man, as he is wanted by the police for many crimes. So I lured him here on the pretence of inheriting some money. He is on his way." He condensed it down as much as possible.
She sunk in the nearest chair, "Homeless. Why didn't he come to me? I would have allowed him to stay. I would have helped him." She sounded genuinely confused.
"He almost died and I did not know." Her voice shook and for the first time ever, Harry sensed how vulnerable she could be to emotions. "I tried contacting him after the war, but he brushed me off. Then when I heard of his mother's death, I tried again and Lucius said he had moved out. He did not say where and I assumed he moved to a place of his own." She looked guilt stricken.
"Draco said Lucius took his wand, so he had no magic. He could not apparate to yours, and he had no money to get to yours by another means. He was in Devon, and you are in London, that is a long distance, he could not have got there by himself." He tried to justify why Draco had not sought her out, hoping it would make her feel better.
"The bastard. Draco had just lost his mother and that bastard threw him out." She seethed.
"Indeed, but Lucius has always been a bastard. Nothing new. Now please transfigure your clothes to resemble muggle office wear." He pointed to her elaborate robes.
She screwed up her nose at the prospect of wearing anything remotely muggle but transfigured her clothes anyway. She wore a simple knee length black pencil skirt, with a fitted white shirt tucked in. She pulled her hair back into a bun and transfigured some black framed glasses.
Harry laughed, "You've been watching too many muggle films. Stereotypical muggle secretary look." He teased.
She grinned, "I know right. The last wizard I dated had a muggle secretary fetish."
Harry shook his head at her, "That explains a lot. This guy is called Stuart Murray. He should be here shortly. Show him in and I will stun him, and bind him. We can decide what to do after. It's up to Draco whether he wants to press charges for his attack. However, Stuart will go to prison either way, as he is wanted by the muggles." Harry explained.
She nodded and walked back out to the front of the shop, sitting behind her desk and eyeing the computer.
"That's a muggle computer, all offices have them. You don't have to use it, just pretend to do some filling or something." He offered as an alternative.
Then he disappeared into his office, closing the door. He got his wand ready and tried to calm himself. He just wanted to harm the guy, but he would be as bad is him then. He had to restrain himself.
Pansy grabbed some paper and walked to the filing cabinet, she pulled the cabinet open and started randomly filling the paper. Moments later the shop door opened, and a large built man walked in. He had an eyebrow piercing, and he wore a short sleeved top, that showed he had one whole arm tattooed. He looked Pansy up and down, and she felt sick. He was checking her out.
"May I help?" She asked sweetly.
"Yeah. I have an appointment with a Mr Walden." He replied.
She nodded, "Yes, you must be Mr Murray. I'll let him know you have arrived, one moment." She turned and opened Harry's door slightly.
"A Mr Murray is here for you sir." She informed him.
"Thank you, send him in," Harry called, his voice carrying out through the door.
She turned to Stuart. "You may go through."
He swaggered past her and slapped her on the backside as he went by. She had to stop herself from hexing the fucker.
As soon as Stuart walked in, and Harry confirmed that it was indeed the same guy. The Stuart Murray he was looking for. Harry wasted no time he pulled out his wand, and stupefied him, and then bound him.
Pansy entered and kicked Stuart in the nuts. "That's for slapping me across the ass." She told the unconscious man.
Harry hid his smile. "Right. Will you be okay here with him? I'll go see what Draco wants me to do with him. Can you start transfiguring the stuff back, and make sure the shop door is locked."
Just before he apparated, he added, "If you feel the need to keep him in-line by kicking him a few times, I'm sure that would be okay. We can always say he put up a fight, and it was self-defence."
Harry went straight to The Burrow. Molly, Arthur and Draco were all sat at the kitchen table, drinking tea and discussing Molly's cookbook.
"Harry!" Molly called as he popped straight into the kitchen.
"Hello, everyone." He greeted.
"Tea dear?" She asked.
"No. I have news. I caught Stuart Murray and he is currently bound and stupefied. I wanted to check with you Draco, what you wanted me to do. Shall I take him to the Muggle Police? I know you were uncertain about going to the Ministry. We can just take him in for the crimes he is currently wanted for, then if you decide you want to declare your attack, then you can go to the Muggle police at a later date." Harry informed them.
Draco looked shocked, "I...I...you caught him? I cannot believe you caught him." He sounded stunned.
"Yes. Draco I need you to make a decision." Harry urged.
"Take him to the nearest Muggle Police station. I do not want The Ministry knowing about the attack. Let the police sentence him based on his current crimes, I'll think about coming forwards. But not today. Where is he? You left him alone?" Draco said detached.
"No, he's with someone. They are watching him." He vaguely answered, unsure if Draco would be angry he involved Pansy.
"Do you want to see him before I take him to the police station?" Harry thought he would ask at least.
"No. I can't. I...just can't." He sounded on the verge of a panic attack.
"Okay, I'll go. I'll be back later." Harry disapparated.
Pansy had managed to return the shop back to its previous emptiness. She handed Harry the bag of pebbles.
Harry removed the lettering on the shop window and looked down at Stuart.
"Draco doesn't want to involve the Ministry. We can take him in, and I can pretend to be a muggle policeman or PCO." Harry transfigured a pebble into handcuffs and put them on Stuart.
"You can say he tried stealing your handbag or something. I noticed, stopped him and arrested him. Then when they take his fingerprints, all his previous crimes he is wanted for will come up on their system and they will arrest him, and keep him in prison until he is sentenced." Harry continued to explain.
Pansy blinked at him, she did not understand half of what Potter was saying, but she got the idea.
"The nearest station is around the corner. I made sure one was close by. We can carry him across and then wake him up just outside the station." He bent and grabbed an arm.
Pansy grabbed the other arm, and they dragged him to a standing position. Pansy cast a spell to make him lighter, making it easier to drag his bulk along.
Harry transfigured his clothes to resemble a policeman's uniform and had his wand up his sleeve ready to confound the policemen into believing he was a real policeman.
They reached the police station, and Harry removed the magical binds from Stuart and renovated him so he woke. He looked around confused and then struggled against the handcuffs.
Harry dragged him through the police station doors, and to the front desk. Stuart started kicking off, and other policemen came to help restrain him.
Harry gave them his fake story of stopping him from mugging Pansy, and arresting him. Then they proceeded to take statements from him and Pansy. Fingerprints from Stuart, before locking him in a holding cell.
Harry finished the paperwork, using the name of a genuine policeman, just in case someone looked into it.
"Good job. He is a wanted man. We've been after him for a long time. Skipped bail, been on the run. He's committed many crimes." The policeman dealing with his case congratulated Harry.
Harry made his excuses and left. Happy that Stuart was locked up, and about to be sent to prison for his many crimes.
Pansy pulled on his arm as they stepped outside, "I want to come with you to see Draco." She firmly told him.
Harry nodded, "Okay. But. I will side along us outside, you will have to wait outside so I can tell Draco you are there. I don't want to force him to see you. If he doesn't want to see you, you go." He seriously replied.
"Deal." She agreed.
"Oh and no insults about where he is staying and who he is staying with. They found him, rescued him. Saved his life, been looking after him for months, and treat him like family. He has grown to like them very much, he won't appreciate you insulting them." He accused her before she had even said anything.
"No, I wouldn't do that. Not if they have done so much for him." She defended.
"Good." Harry offered his arm and she took it. He side alonged to the garden in The Burrow.
"Wait here." He ordered.
Harry stepped in the kitchen and all three gaped at him.
"What are you wearing?" Arthur asked, excitement in his voice. He was eyeing the muggle looking walkie-talkie/radio Harry had attached to his fake police uniform.
Harry grinned, "Oh I forgot. This is a muggle police uniform." He spelled his clothes back to normal.
"The muggle police have him locked up. They have discovered his previous history, and they will keep him until he is sentenced and sent to prison." Harry informed them.
Molly hugged Harry, "Oh Harry you are so wonderful. I'll cook a special thank you dinner." She set about making herself busy behind him at the stove.
Arthur patted Harry on the back. "Good lad." Was all he said.
Draco looked like he wanted to cry, and laugh at the same time.
"Thank you, Harry. Thank you so much." Draco's voice was shaky.
Harry smiled, "No problem. Um, I have something else to say." He explained that he had sought Pansy's help, what role she played, and that she was waiting outside. She wanted permission to come see Draco.
Draco frowned, "She wants to see me?"
"Yes. She was very concerned. I think she misses you. She said she tried to contact you before, but with no such luck." Harry confirmed.
Draco looked to Mr and Mrs Weasley.
"She is welcome to join us for dinner dear. You live here too, you are entitled to invite friends over." Molly clarified.
Draco smiled, "Okay. Thank you, Molly."
He turned to Harry, "Tell her she can come in."
Harry nodded and went to fetch Pansy. She edged into the kitchen and hovered by the door.
Molly greeted her, and Harry was pleased to see she was being genuinely nice to her.
"I'm just starting dinner, you're welcome to join us. Take a seat and I'll get you a drink." Molly happily said, playing the host.
Harry sat next to Arthur, opposite Draco. Pansy took the seat next to Draco and smiled at him.
Draco appreciated the effort it must be taking Pansy to not be insulting, and to not cling to Draco.
"It's nice to see you, Pansy." He honestly said.
She started crying. Apologised for not being a better friend, for not knowing he was homeless and in trouble. Draco comforted her, told her that there was nothing she could have done and that he did not hate her. She calmed down and took the tea from Molly.
"So you're staying here?" She said curiously, with no hint of disgust.
"Yes. Molly and Arthur took me in and have been very kind to me. I'm happy here and I plan to stay here." He answered truthfully. He knew Pansy would offer to let him stay with her, he did not want that. He wanted to stay where he felt at home, as part of a family.
"I'm glad you had such kind people looking after you." She replied, and pulled him into a brief hug.
Dinner was delicious as always, and Pansy made an effort to talk with Mr and Mrs Weasley. They avoided talking about Stuart and Draco's attack. After dinner Pansy insisted that Draco and Harry stay in touch, then she bid them goodnight, floo'ing home.
Harry was full of food and needed some fresh air. He excused himself, opting to take a walk around the Weasleys back garden. Ten minutes later he was joined by Draco. They walked in silence for a short while, then Draco broke the silence.
"Harry..."
"No Draco, I didn't do this to get praised and thanked. I know you appreciate what I have done, it can be left unsaid." Harry did not think he could handle looking into Draco's eyes as he thanked him.
They came to a stop at a small pond that Arthur had put in a few years back. Harry watched as a frog jumped onto a water-lily. Harry could sense Draco watching him, but he kept his attention on the frog.
"Harry," Draco called softly.
Harry turned to face Draco, and Draco kissed him, taking Harry off guard.
Harry was unresponsive at first, not registering what was happening. It soon sunk in and he returned the kiss, slow and gentle. Harry pulled away and looked at Draco.
"Thank you, for everything." Draco turned and headed back to the house. Leaving Harry to stare at the pond, head full of that kiss.
- TBC -