Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations all characters find themselves in. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.
Answer Me
Albus woke up with a pounding headache that had him keeping his eyes shut as he winced and groaned his pain. The feel of his mother's hands stroking his head distracted him a little, as did her voice as she assured him that he was going to be just fine. "Man but do I have a massive headache." Albus informed his mother, his words slightly slurred as he struggled to orient himself. "And I had the weirdest dream ever. Scorpius and I were poisoned and we were rescued by Lucius Malfoy. The old bastard decided that since he'd saved my life it was his to do with for the rest of his and I had to be his servant and break up with Scorpius and it was just awful."
"Hmmm…interesting thought, that."
Recognizing that voice Albus's eyes popped open automatically, turning his head to face the other way. And there was Lucius Malfoy, sitting on a chair between his hospital bed and his neighbor's. But as cold as his blood went at the idea that maybe it hadn't been a dream, it was nothing compared to his reaction when he saw who was lying motionless in the next bed. "Scorpius."
Pushing her son back down when he tried to get up Ginny's voice was firm. "You're to stay right where you are, young man. Scorpius is fine, he'll wake up soon enough. The potions they gave you just hit you faster, just like the toxic air did. Your metabolism." She added with a rueful shake of her head.
Trusting that his mother wouldn't lie to him about something that important, and wouldn't there be healers around if it were otherwise, Albus allowed himself to be tucked back into his bed with the minimum of fussing. But he could still talk so he demanded to know what was going on and how much he did remember was a dream or based in reality.
And most important, Scorpius really was going to be all right, right?
Happy to have her son awake, conscious, and being as bratty as he always was when he was confined to a bed when he didn't want to be, Ginny quickly and concisely answered each of his questions in turn. Yes, most importantly, Scorpius was fine and would be awake within the hour, and two the both of them had been exposed to a toxin that been released into the storage area they'd been in. There's been enough of it still floating the air that a sample had been taken, so the attempt on their life was absolutely provable. The Spanish Auror, who they'd all believed was the one killing off politicians, was currently in custody having been discovered in St. Mungos. While they hadn't yet been able to prove that he was the one who'd tried to kill them the man had taken a shot at Louis and it went without saying that the face obsessed blonde was pressing every charge Harry had been able to come up with while they looked for more proof of the Spaniard's culpability.
"THAT FUCKER TRIED TO HURT LOUIS?" Albus demanded to know, paling right after as he realized what he'd just said in front of his mother. Hunching his shoulders the Gryffindor gave his mother the puppy eyes as he apologized for his language.
Since she'd thought something very similar when she'd been informed that the man who'd tried to kill her son had also nearly maimed her nephew Ginny was willing to let it go. "He didn't succeed and Louis got his revenge, believe me."
"Well of course he did. The guy went for his face." To Albus's way of thinking Santana should be hugely thankful he was still alive after committing such a massive transgression in Louis's books.
"The dumb blonde caught Santana?"
"Scorpius! You're awake!" Attention immediately going to the other bed Albus's face lit up with a huge grin as he stared into his lover's face.
"Yeah, but I wish I wasn't." As it was the humiliation of Louis Weasley doing what they couldn't was almost enough to send him into an early grave. "Louis took the guy out, seriously?"
With some amusement showing in his eyes Lucius summed up what his grandson's would be murderer currently looked like. Since the boy was a Weasley he was obligated to find him both irritating and annoying, but Lucius had to admit that Louis Weasley knew how to make one interesting little curse. One he wouldn't mind learning should the opportunity ever present itself.
It was unnerving to be so close to Lucius Malfoy when he was in such a weak state, but Albus figured that at present it was probably for the best that the man was close by, just in case. He didn't doubt that the old man had only saved him because of Scorpius, but if something did go wrong like Santana somehow escaped custody, it was good to know the eldest Malfoy would be on hand to protect Scorpius while his own mother protected him.
They were well covered. Sorta. "Where is everyone, anyway, Mum?" Now that he thought about it he couldn't help but be a bit annoyed that he wasn't surrounded by worried love ones. He showed up every time Uncle George, Roxy or Fred tested something dangerous and ended up here, now didn't he?
"Due to the fact that you're both here due to an assassination attempt your father has guards at the door and only one person for each of you is allowed inside at any given time." It went without saying that it had been an interesting two hours before Albus had woken up, stuck in a room with the man who'd tried to frame her for multiple attempted murders during her first year at Hogwarts.
It was an experience she hoped never to repeat.
Since he knew his parents were away on a trip and that his grandmother was currently under the weather Scorpius wasn't surprised that his grandfather was the one watching him, though he'd bet the contents of his vault that the old man had liked being trapped in the room with Ginny Potter about as much as he'd liked to be trapped in one with his partner's best friend. But his grandfather had done that for him, and he was as touched as a Slytherin allowed himself to be by the show of family love. It had taken a really long time, but the eldest Malfoy was getting the hang of at least showing he cared with his physical actions.
He hadn't hesitated to get Albus out of the room too.
And remembering that Scorpius reached out and patted his grandfather's hand, that being the closest thing to a public display of affection that his grandfather would allow. "Thanks for getting us both out of there, Grandfather."
"You wouldn't have left without him."
"In the state I was in I couldn't have stopped you."
Lucius gave his grandson a look that made it clear that he didn't want to be reminded now, or ever again, that he had willingly saved the life of a Potter.
And picking up on that fact Ginny and Albus didn't offer their thanks either, both very glad that they no longer felt obligated to say it.
They'd send him a fruit basket or something instead.
)
Louis hummed happily under his breath as he scribbled away, copying down every charge his uncle had come up with to lay on Santana while they tried to figure out how to nail the bastard on the other, bigger charges. He'd already read over the written statement he'd been given and signed off on it, he just wanted to make sure he didn't forget all these charges so that he'd know what he could have the next potential face damager prosecuted for. It never hurt to be prepared after all, especially for such a heinous offense.
Once that was done and the ink had dried Louis folded up the piece of parchment and stowed it in his pocket before picking up the official statement report and heading out the door to hand it over to his uncle.
Giving the Head Auror the pages as soon as he was through the door Louis instantly knew something was up from the gleam in his uncle's eyes. "You guys found something."
"We did. We found the containers the toxins were stored in before the timer went off to open them to release the crap that almost poisoned Al and Malfoy. In this case he couldn't get to them in time to remove them and wouldn't you know, they were all engraved on the bottom with their manufacturing information. All 'Made in Spain'."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously."
"Wow. And here you guys thought you were dealing with this assassin mastermind. Even I would think of something like that if I was going to a foreign country."
Harry didn't even want to think about this particular nephew's potential in the assassin business. He was going to have nightmares about his son almost dying as it was. "Santana's arrogant and assumed he would never be looked at for any of this. We're proving him wrong. With what we've got Shacklebolt was able to make it clear to the Spanish government that the son of a bitch is staying where he is and apparently they're willing to cooperate fully given the potential for backlash if it becomes known they tried to protect the would be killer of MY son."
"Yeah, that's never a good idea."
Nodding his head in agreement Harry wisely changed the subject since talking about the attempt on his son's life made him really want to head down to the jail cells and personally beat a confession out of the bastard. So instead he informed his nephew that he was free to go and that a certain dark haired Slytherin was in the main waiting room for him.
A little surprised at how pleased that news made the younger man Harry exchanged good byes with his nephew and then watched as the blonde glided off in the direction of the waiting room. It took him back to his youth, Harry thought with a grin, recalling another distinctive blonde gliding towards the front of the Great Hall as the students of Beauxbatons showed off their considerable charm.
That Louis was so like Fleur sometimes was both strange and oddly amusing, and the Slytherin wouldn't stand a chance, Harry mused as he headed out to take his first crack at the man who currently topped the list of people he'd like to see behind bars for the rest of his life.
)
Quite pleased when he found Rorake right where his uncle had said the other man would be Louis would have worried about just how pleased he was if not for the fact that he was in just too good a mood to worry about that. His cousin was going to be all right, the bad guy was behind bars, and so far no one had been able to undo his curse which meant Santana's face might be wrecked for life which suited him just fine. He himself had no idea how to fix the damage he'd done, why would he? The whole point was for his victim to stay ugly for as long as possible after all.
"You look pleased with yourself." Rorake drawled out as he got to his feet, not really all that surprised. The man had definitely taken some serious glee in the damage he'd done to the Spaniard's face earlier.
"I'm pleased with the world in general actually." Louis informed him with a grin, deliberately giving the taller man a flirtatious look from under his lashes. "So you waited for me, huh? I didn't scare you off?"
The Slytherin smirked. "If it had been me I wouldn't have missed, so why would I be scared?"
Louis's eyes flashed dangerously, the blonde crossing his arms in front of him as he went toe to toe with the other man. "Are you suggesting that not only would you curse me, but that you'd incapacitate me so that you wouldn't have to worry about me getting my revenge with one shot?"
Rorake shrugged. "I'm not the play with my prey type. If I'm taking someone down I'm going to do it as quickly and efficiently as possible." And he'd do a hell of a lot worse than just mess his opponent's face up, the Slytherin silently added to himself but didn't bother to vocalize. In Louis's mind the marring of one's face was equivalent to torturing someone after all. The blonde was weird that way.
"I could so totally take you, Goyle."
"You can take me as often as you want, Weasley. But you'd only keep me down as long as you made it worth my while." Rorake purred back, seeing the double meaning hit home.
"Quit trying to distract me with sex."
"From the way your eyes have darkened I think I've succeeded."
"Go to hell!"
"Oh…so we are going on a date now?"
Louis's cheeks flushed with color. "I hate you, Rorake Goyle!"
"I take that to mean I'm buying."
)
Taking a seat in front of the other man Harry wondered if Santana could speak given his present state, but even if he couldn't the man could at least listen to what he had to say and think about his situation. He doubted that he'd get far even if the Spaniard could talk, this wasn't a man who would crack easily, if at all. But he was going to give the bastard a few things to think about while the man dealt with his new surroundings and the fact that thus far no one knew how to undo the damage Louis's spell had wrought.
Or if they did they weren't volunteering the information and that was just fine with him.
Getting comfortable Harry would have been amused at the fact that he couldn't look the man in the eyes if he wanted to, but nothing about this was funny.
"After the Triwizard Tournament I tried to tell the world that Voldemort was back. Most people didn't want to believe it, especially the ministry, so they called Dumbledore and I delusional and labeled us as liars and fame seekers. Later the ministry sent one of their own to Hogwarts and she became their watchdog, cracking down on anyone who dared to question anything the ministry had to say about anything. Her name was Dolores Umbridge. Dolores, ironically enough, is Spanish for 'pains' or 'sorrows' according to my nephew Hugo, which was very appropriate in her case." Harry leaned forward and slid his hand across the table, turning it so that the words he'd been forced to carve into his own flesh were visible. "'I will not tell lies' is what she forced me to write with a blood quill when I refused to recant or play the Ministry's tune. The Ministry was supposed to protect us from the evils of the world, but instead it made it easy for Voldemort to rise back to power and in the end it became his puppet up until he was defeated." His fingers clenched into a fist. "I'll carry these words on my skin until the day I die, just as I'll never forget what it was like in those days, what it's like to live in a country where the government is the enemy and people too often looked the other way in order to save themselves. Where the good guys have to become the bad guys in order to do what's right, what's just."
Sure he had the other man's attention Harry continued speaking, forcing himself to keep his tone conversational. "I still remember those days, but they're the past and I intend to use all the power I have to keep it that way. The ministry we have now isn't perfect, but no government run organization can be from what I've seen. I run the Aurors division now and my house is as clean as I can make it; though again, not perfect either. People know I can't be bought, that I take my job seriously, and that I've dedicated my life to serving the citizens to the best of my ability. My son is the same. You tried to kill him today."
And now the conversational tone vanished, replaced by cold, chilling fury. "You tried to end the lives of two men today for reasons I don't yet know. Because they were looking at you for the politician murders they're investigating? Because one is a Malfoy and my son was just collateral damage? Maybe you did it just because you've got a taste for it now, the taking of lives. I don't know yet, but I will. I will because today you tried to end the lives of two of my boys and that means you've made an enemy of me for life, David Santana. It means that even if I can't prove that you're behind the murders of two men and the attempted murders of two others I will dedicate my life to putting you behind bars and keeping you there for the rest of your cowardly life." And reading the man's body language Harry's lips curved in a smirk laced with ridicule. "Don't like being called a coward, do you? Well get used to it, because that's what everyone is going to be calling you from now on. A cowardly, pathetic excuse for a human being who wasn't even man enough to kill his victims himself and had to resort to time released poison. Who couldn't even go toe to toe with a bunch of soft old men, much less two aurors. You can tell yourself differently all you want, but at the end of the day you're no better than the corrupt officials your little group sought to exterminate back in the day. And even if I can't make you see that…I'll damn well make the courts see it right before I lock you away and throw away the key."
