36 hours in to the search Harry had finally gotten home for some sleep. He remembered to thank his patient wife for her understanding, and managed to give her a brief accounting of the situation before he fell in to an exhausted slumber.
Monday morning found them no closer to solving the riddle of where Lucius Malfoy was. Harry was sitting at his desk, re reading the reports that had been gathered over the weekend.
Suddenly the phone, which was his direct connection to his equal at MI5, rang. "Potter here. Thank you we'll be right there, try to keep the area clear."
Lucius had been found, he was about a block from his old home in a small muggle primary school. When the teachers and students had arrived that morning he had taken them captive and was now demanding that he would only trade them for his son and grandson. He had given them one hour and then he would start killing the students.
"Does anyone have any thoughts or comments?" Harry looked around at the gathering of his most trusted aurors. They were gathered just a little way from the school where Lucius Malfoy held children captive.
"He's had all weekend to establish defensive and warning spells. I'd bet my next meal that if we try to enter the school we'd set off a caterwaul spell." There were grim smiles at Ron's words. They had to admit he was right, but it was his reference to a meal that had them smiling. They all knew that Ron liked his food.
"The only way I see as safe is to get him outside. I hate say it but we need to use Draco and his son as bait." O'Reily looked grim. None of them were willing to put citizens in danger.
"What about polyjuice for Draco. I'm sure he'd give us a hair."
Harry sent Ron to explain the situation and ask for the hair. In ten minutes Ron returned with a determined looking Draco Malfoy.
"Potter! If my father is asking for me you can be assured he won't be fooled by polyjuice. He'll have some test devised to make sure it's me. I have to be the on e to draw him out."
Harry was about to object when Lucius' magnified voice echoed from inside the building. "You have a half an hour then I will start sending the little one's to you, body by body!"
Turning to Draco Harry said; "I'll only allow this if I approach the school with you." Draco made a motion to object and Harry put up his hand to still him. "Hear me out. He blames me for the down fall of Riddle what better lure than the chance to rid the world of me?"
"How noble Potter, but how will you getting yourself killed keep my family safe?"
"Ah there's the part that is on our side. Lucius will be expecting to face a boy not the 27 year old head of the auror department. I've learned a bit in the years since."
"Lucius Malfoy!" Harry's magnified voice echoed across the open playground. "Your son is here and willing to meet with you, out here in the open."
"Did he bring my grandson?"
"No he has something else to offer you. Me, unarmed. Just think Lucius you could be famous for killing the boy who killed your master!"
There was no reply from inside the building. Harry was beginning to think Malfoy would not accept the deal when: "I'll meet you!"
"Good, first let the children and teachers go! Then Draco and I will meet you at the swing sets."
Lucius appeared with a small boy in his arms, his wand pointed at his heart. The other children and the teachers ran toward the waiting aurors.
Harry had figured he would not give up every child.
"Hello Draco how is that traitorous bitch, your mother fairing?"
"Much better than when she was married to you father."
"I hate to interrupt this touching family gathering but we had a deal, you were supposed to let all the children go."
"How do I know you don't have your wand up your sleeve?"
Harry removed his auror robes to revel a short sleeved t-shirt and jeans. He turned his pockets inside out.
Lucius lowered his wand but did not let go of the boy. "But I've grown so found of the little guy I think I'll hold on to him a bit longer."
Just at that moment the child flew from Lucius's grip toward the corner of the swing set. Harry's wand appeared from and he snatched from the air. O'Reily appeared for a split second, snatching the child and disappearing with a pop. Whipple appeared and grabbed Draco and disappeared. Lucius roared and began flinging killing curses in an arc. With hard earned skill Harry rolled and dodged the curses. He began firing curses back toward Malfoy.
Malfoy disappeared with a pop, reappearing beside the school. "I'm glad I thought to have a little insurance in reserve!" With a wave of his wand two unconscious children appeared floating between Lucius and Harry.
A green light burst from Malfoy's wand toward the children. Ron appeared with a pop and cast a shield, covering the children. Two more aurors appeared, then disappeared with the children. Two green lights hit Lucius squarely on the chest and he fell to the ground.
It all happened in the space of mere seconds.
Harry was sitting in the parlor of Malfoy Manor. He had come directly here to reassure Draco as soon as it had been determined that Lucius was indeed dead and also that they had not killed an impostor.
Draco was surrounded by his wife and mother, his son on his lap.
"I'm sorry we had to kill him."
Narcissa and Draco said as one; "I'm not!"
Narcissa continued; "As long as he lived our family would have been in danger. Now we have a chance at a normal life. Scorpios can grow up with both of his parents. He will not be exposed to the poison we were as children. He is the hope to remove the stain from the Malfoy name."
"Harry looked kindly at the little family; "Scorpios may be your hope but Mrs. Malfoy you and your son are already cleaning."
Harry sat in Kingsley's office. The reports were done and he was briefing him on the operation.
Kingsley spoke; "I'm glad you and Gint insisted the department be trained in hostage situations. It sounds as if your people operated flawlessly."
Harry nodded. "The only fault was we failed to take Malfoy alive."