Disclaimer: All HP references belong to J.K. Rowling.
The Daily Prophet had again turned an unworthy story into gossip gold. And Alice McNally's strident commentary had prompted a hailstorm of respondents from the wizarding world, most condemning her right to make such remarks against their society. It had brought attention back to the divergent viewpoints on muggles, with muggle-borns, half-bloods and pure-bloods squarely at odds of their worth. Barnabus Cuffe, The Daily Prophet's editor, had received so many owled remarks from his readers that he had to be rather selective when filling up the comment's section for the evening edition. The public interest had made this into a story worth following and his two top journalists, Barkley and Eisenhorn, were busy digging for information at the Ministry of Magic's headquarters.
Meanwhile Blaise Zabini had prepared a short public statement regarding the case, which he gave on a podium in front of several reporters and flashing photographers that afternoon.
"The case concerning the muggle, Alice McNally, is now being handled exclusively by the Special Cases Unit in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. All possible breaches of information into the muggle world stemming from her book have been cleared by the Obliviator's office. Alice McNally has been taken into custody and will be charged for violating the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. Other comments will be given at a later date."
Immediately after finishing his statement, reporters began shouting questions, but Blaise did not stop to respond and promptly returned to his headquarters on Level 2.
This statement, although short and precise, actually led to more accusations and speculations in the press. Why would the Department of Magical Law Enforcement be exclusively handling this case when problems concerning muggles were handled by the Muggle Liaison Office in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes? Why was she being charged instead of simply having her memory obliviated? Did this suggest she was a witch and presumably working against secrecy laws? Would she be put on trial at Wizengamot?
Meanwhile, the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes was clearing its offices of the boxes of Alice McNally's recently printed book. Put to this menial task was Billy Beezlebub, a lowly office assistant who only begun working for the department two weeks prior. That afternoon he would be levitating boxes down to the Ministry's storage room. Along the way, in the department's open quarters, he was approached by Eisenhorn, the older and sneakier of the two journalists from The Daily Prophet. Eisenhorn used his tricky ways to confuse Billy into giving him the boxes of the muggle's book, offering scant payment in return for discretion. Being susceptible to bribery and with the aid of a confundus charm, Billy assisted Eisenhorn in stealing a majority of the boxes.
Before any official announcements were made, Alice's book had started selling at various places in the British wizarding world. Eisenhorn had sent boxes to some of the newspaper's affiliated magical book retailers. It was part of the Barnabus Cuffe's scheme to breathe life into their story, while also making a percentage of profit from the sales.
Barkley, along with other journalists and photographers, had stationed themselves in front of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement's holding block. They rightly assumed that the muggle, if being charged with a crime as Blaise Zabini had said, would spend the following days and nights there. Since the holding block was a no apparition zone with one entrance, the unit would be unable to keep Alice McNally from the reporter's bombardment.
Blaise was aware of this hindrance and he discussed alternatives with his fellow team members. He wanted to carry this case out discretely, keeping quiet any knowledge of the search for Alice's wizard grandfather. While some team members offered their own home as temporary residence for the muggle, Blaise felt it would only be a matter of time before her location would be found by reporters, who undoubtedly had access to the names of people who worked there. Draco, realizing he was not on the official registry of the department, offered to take Alice to Malfoy Manor. It was an odd gesture coming from him, considering his family's open contempt for muggles, but something compelled him to suggest it.
Blaise agreed although he was suspicious of his friend's interest in the girl. He didn't allow his thoughts to linger though, believing this case would most likely be completed by the end of the week and Alice McNally would either be pardoned or her memory obliviated. Either way, she would no longer be their concern.
Alice had spent the day reading her own book, seeing how there was nothing else to do in the interrogation room. She made mental notes of parts that she thought she could elaborate on after having witnessed magic. Of course, she also thought this was a futile exercise, that it was only a matter of time before her memory of it would be erased. And while this thought crept fear into her mind, she meditated on and off to maintain a calm composure.
Blaise and Draco entered the interrogation room to find Alice sitting on the floor, her back against the wall, her legs outstretch, leisurely reading her book. She had taken off her flats and the pair sat neatly next to her. She looked up at the two men with a coolness that made them feel out of place. Blaise had brought in Alice's bag and he swung it over to the ground next to her. Her face grimaced at the clunking noise it made. She scooped it up and inspected it. Her netbook and mobile phone were missing. She then pulled out a plastic baggie with a crushed lemon scone in it. "That's a pity," she said, inspecting the flattened contents.
"Get up," Blaise said, not amused by her carefree attitude. "You'll be leaving shortly."
"Leaving?" Alice quickly got up, placed her feet in her shoes and grabbed her bag. "You're letting me go?"
"Not exactly. You're being charged with violating the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy." He said, stopping Alice's optimism.
"Charged?" Alice asked astonished. "With a law I didn't know about?"
"You'll be kept under surveillance for the next several days until the trial." Blaise was not about to share any more information on the case with Alice.
"Under surveillance?" Alice felt the demeaning sting of their authority over her, as she crossed her arms in defiance. "Well, I hope I can at least return to my apartment and get some of my belongings."
Blaise looked at Draco and nodded in a gesture of approval, and then added, "You will accompany Mr. Malfoy to Malfoy Manor and stay there for the next few days."
Alice's eyes moved over to Draco's, who was avoiding direct eye contact with her. Her mind remembered the article in the old Daily Prophet entitled "Fallen from Grace." The Malfoys, Lucius, Nacissa and their son, Draco, her mind recalled. All pure-bloods. It also mentioned something about the father's "Death Eater" ties, but the words had no meaning to her as an outsider. That had always troubled her about the paper. Since there was no dictionary available to look things up she could only deduce some possible meanings of words through their context in the article.
Draco had walked over to Alice, placing his hand around her arm. He didn't grasp it too tightly as Blaise had earlier that morning. Then he said, "It helps if you close your eyes."
Alice knew that she would be taking the same journey out of there as she had come and quickly did as he said. With a flash and what felt like a swirling motion, they had appeared in Alice's small flat which remained exactly as she left it the day before. It was still a mess from being ransacked and admittedly, she felt embarrassed by Draco's presence in her not too well kept home.
But Draco didn't seem fazed by the mess and instead noticed the bookshelf that was lining the one wall. As he went over to survey her impressive library collection, Alice pulled out her suitcase from under the bed and began filling it with clothes from her closet and other necessities from her drawers. She considered running or beating the man with a random item, but she knew the act would only make things worse.
Draco had pulled out a book of interest from the top shelf and began reading the back cover. Alice had noticed his selection: The Story of Alchemy and the Beginnings of Chemistry.
Alice, still shuffling through her things, spoke, "I deduced that alchemy was originally a wizard's activity that non-magical people attempted to adopt, but failed. Only once we let go of trying to obtain the supernatural, did modern chemistry advance."
"Yes," Draco said still looking at the back cover, "You briefly mentioned that in your book."
"You've read my book?" Alice's said surprised.
Draco merely nodded and to avoid singularity added, "Most of the department has."
"Oh," Alice replied. "Well, please feel free to borrow that book, if you like." She had finished packing everything she could possible fit in her small suitcase, including a few books and the notebook that was sitting on her desk. She had no idea how long she would be staying at Malfoy Manor but at least she had a few comforts from home.
"Ready?" Draco asked. He had placed the chemistry book in his robe, thinking it might be an interesting read.
He offered his hand to Alice, who for some reason didn't hesitate to take it. She felt oddly safe around this man; he was definitely gentler than the other she encountered that day. Alice again shut her eyes and with another twist and turn of her insides she was standing in the giant foyer of Malfoy Manor.