Chapter 17: Defense

Last Time

Hurrying down the corridors it wasn't long before she reached the side door she had used when she first came to Hogwarts to save Katherine. Looking back briefly Rose took a deep breath before opening the door and going into the darkness of the night.

For three days Rose had sat in her old home pacing mostly and summoning Daily Prophets from the castle to try find out any information but it seems the trial of Scorpius and Katherine was to go forward. There were also pleas to her in the paper from her parents asking for her to come back.

Rose knew that her testimony could help Katherine but that hard evidence of Scorpius carrying her away from Albus that night meant that no matter what she said he would still be sent to Azkaban and she didn't want to be near her father when he did that to the man she loved.

On the fourth day when the Daily Prophet came zooming into the cabin Rose snatched it up straight away and started reading frantically…

Family Defense for Malfoy

Scorpius Malfoy, who is to go on trial in a week's time alongside Katherine Flint, has today met with his father to discuss the defense strategy they will use in the trial. Scorpius Malfoy is on trial for the kidnapping and imprisonment of Rose Weasley and…

Rose stopped reading Scorpius family he had never mentioned much but he had told her that his Grandfather died many years ago and his Grandmother preferred to be disconnected from the family his mother and father though still lived in Malfoy Manor.

"Is there anything we can use then?" Astoria Malfoy asked her husband Draco. The couple was back at home after visiting Scorpius in the room he was locked away in, in Hogwarts there they had talked to him about what had happened but he only gave small details too depressed to talk much.

"No, nothing that memory is too strong as evidence" Draco said sighing in defeat he had watched after the war his father slowly die away in Azkaban and the last thing he wanted to do was watch his son go the same way but it seemed to be happening no matter what he tried to do to stop it.

"Master" a timid house elf said knocking on the study door Draco looked up just as Astoria snapped at the house elf.

"Boa leave now we are busy" the house elf seemed to twist his hand making him wince as punishment but continued.

"Master there is a girl at the door insisting to see you"

"Send her away" Draco said he didn't want to see anyone right now.

"No I don't care if he doesn't want to see me he's going to anyway" a girls voice said down the hall and standing from his desk Draco saw, if the pictures in the Daily Prophet had anything to go by, Rose Weasley stride into his office.

"What are you doing here?" he asked angrily turning so he didn't have to look at her.

"I've come about Scorpius I want to…"

"Haven't you done enough our son is to go to Azkaban because of you now get out of my house" Astoria snapped trying to forcefully remove Rose from the room.

"No please I want to help him but I need your help to do that" Draco turned and stared at her mouth agape.

"And why would you want to help him?" Astoria asked calmly but shocked as well a Weasley helping a Malfoy unheard of.

"Because I love him and I believe he loves me too he never did anything wrong he kept me secret because I asked him too when Scorpius realized who I was he wanted to take me to my family straight away not keep me hidden please I need you as his defense to help me show them Scorpius has done nothing wrong and you need me to give the hard evidence I have that Scorpius is a good loving person" Rose was confident as she talked staring right into the eyes of Scorpius' father.

"Fine" Draco said sitting back at his desk and indicating Rose to take the seat opposite.

"What Draco if they know she's here we will all be thrown in Azkaban Weasley is not seeing any sense right now and thinks all who approach his daughter wish her harm" Astoria said quickly making Draco look at her.

"Mrs. Malfoy I assure you my word of my free will of coming here will protect your family now please let me help" Rose said turning to face the older woman defiance in her face Astoria looked at the young woman for a minute seeing the same determination in her eyes that she had when many had objected to her marriage to Draco calling him a blood traitor for betraying th dark lord at the end of the war.

Astoria's nod of approval meant that Draco and Rose worked long into the night putting up a defense strategy for Scorpius hoping that Rose's new evidence would be enough.