Notes: Sorry for the long wait. I have a valid excuse: working two jobs and writing my thesis. But now summer is nearing, I've quit one job and finished my thesis. Hopefully I'll find some time for all my stories.

-:-

'Give me the letter.' Scorpius handed it over and Draco squinted at it. It was clear Healer Weasley's hand had been shaking when she wrote it, but the meaning was clear. Harry was being detained for questioning over the Oath.

He pushed himself up, groaning at his protesting body. It was weak from his prolonged stay in the hospital. Scorpius hovered.

'Get me a Restorative and a Nutrient potion from downstairs. I think I can manage to make a cup of tea. Is the owl still here?'

'Yes, it's sitting on the fence in the back garden.'

'Good.' Draco pushed himself up and allowed his blood to circulate properly before daring to step away from the couch. Once Scorpius saw that he could walk on his own, he hurried down to the potions cellar. Draco made it to the kitchen, put on the kettle, and sat down to write a reply. He told Healer Weasley he would give whatever testimony needed to help Harry.

He was still sitting at the kitchen table, eating a sandwich Scorpius had made him from food borrowed from Mr. Keller, when the owl returned. Healer Weasley wrote that the Ministry was stalling, not letting anyone see Harry or making any attempt to interrogate or investigate him. The only thing that could truly solve the situation was if they found a better and permanent cure, removing the reason for the Ministry's delay.

Draco rubbed at his mark as he thought about it. He was now beholden to Harry, and the fact that he wasn't horrified at the thought was of great concern to him. He hadn't explained it all to Scorpius, but if they couldn't find a permanent cure then he would have to, at least before another ten years passed.

Along with the letter, Healey Weasley had sent along the Daily Prophet.

Auror Potter detained in Death Eater Case. Minister's Office silent.

The public wouldn't stand for their hero to be locked up without reason for long, even if he had received criticism for his handling of the Dark Mark cases. Hopefully, Shacklebolt would have to cave before more people died.

After tea, food and potions, Draco felt recovered enough to force himself into action. He told Scorpius to go to Mr. Keller's, then went downstairs where he kept his most illegal books and potions. After gathering what tomes might prove most interesting, he ordered a taxi and took it all the way to London.

St. Mungo's seemed oblivious that there was an entire ward of people dying due to the Minister's prejudices. Draco made his way to Healer Weasley's office without being stopped.

She looked more haggard than Draco had seen her yet, but she actually smiled and looked grateful to see him. 'Are you feeling well enough to be out and about?' She urged him to sit down and started making tea.

'I'm well enough, thanks to Harry. I brought some books I thought you might not have, and I'm here to help.'

'That's- Thank you.' Draco ignored the way her hand shook as she set the cup of tea down in front of him. 'I'm hitting so many dead ends.' She sat down hard, pushing her hair out of her face. She started shuffling through her scrolls, muttering about all the different avenues they had researched. Draco found himself reaching forward and stilling her hand with his own. She looked up.

'Why don't you check on your patients, then floo Weasley to check for news from Harry, and I'll go through your notes and see where we might look next.' She nodded, thanked him, and did as suggested. Draco sighed and sat in her chair, starting in on the top scroll.

XXX

Harry's head snapped up when he head footsteps outside coming down the hallway. He stood, but kept against the far wall, waiting for his visitor. The door opened and to his relief Ron slipped inside. There was a muttered "ten minutes" from behind him, and then the door closed behind him.

'Hey mate,' Ron said, handing over a small packet. 'Brought a sandwich, thought it might be better than what you get in here.'

'Thanks, how's Malfoy and the others?' Harry sat down and ripped open the food.

'I haven't heard from him, but Hermione checked in asking about you. She says things are bad, but that no one is likely to die today.'

'And tomorrow?'

Ron shrugged. Harry sighed and put down the sandwich, all appetite gone.

'How long do you think Shacklebolt is going to hold me?'

'The full 48 hours probably. I haven't met with him, but word in the office is that there is no word. He hasn't been seen, not even by his secretary.'

'You have to talk to him.'

'I know, but I can't run in there and demand your release.' Ron sighed, leaning agains the wall. 'I want him to think of you down here, let him feel the hours passing a little.' Ron was always the better of them in the interrogation room, and despite Harry's anxiety he knew he had to trust Ron in this. 'He's not evil, he's just confused at the moment.'

'I know. It's all the bloody politics.'

'Anything you want me to tell Hermione?'

'No, just that I'm fine. Will you check on Draco for me?'

'Of course.' Ron gave him an odd look, but left it at that.

XXX

Draco had gone over Healer Weasley's research and his own memory of the Vow so many times his brain hurt. He knew he wasn't going to have any epiphany in his current state. Healer Weasley had never returned to her office, not even during lunch, but Draco had heard a lot of coming and going out in the hallway, so he presumed she was busy doing actual healing work.

He left a note on her desk saying he had to go home for the day, but that he would be back early to discuss things. He slipped out of St. Mungo's without incident, but hesitated as the cab he hailed pulled up.

Instead of the train station he asked for the adress of the Ministry. He hadn't entered the horrid place in years, mostly due to the constant judgement. He had cultivated a life of "priorities" with Scorpius and his work for the Trust being at the top. Worrying about his past, or the judgement of his old peers, had been banished from his life. Entering the Atrium again brought it all back. The trial, his magic ban, and every stupid choice recited for the court transcript.

The first tier of security was still the worst: the wand check. The young secretary asked what department he wanted, not looking up from a book she was reading. Judging by her pink robes and nailpolish, Draco did not have high hopes for the book's literary value.

'Ministry Jail.'

She lifted her head at this, probably because she knew exactly who was in the jail at the moment. She frowned at him as if trying to remember if she knew him. He must look a sight, he realised, with his weight loss, frumpy button-down and slacks, and the dark circles under his eyes.
'Wand please,' she said.

'I don't have one.' Her eyebrows rose to her hairline.

'Muggles-'

'I'm not a muggle.' Draco sighed, telling himself to be patient. It had been a while since he had had to deal with the beauracracy in person. He could get through it. 'My name is Draco Malfoy.'

She recognised the name, and withdrew her hands from her book, placing them on her lap as if she were afraid Draco would curse her. He had just said he was wandless, but she still leaned slightly back in her chair, eyes wide.

'One moment,' she squeaked, then waved one of the stationed Aurors to come over. Draco took another breath. He was submitted to a search, then questions. The moment he said he was trying to visit Harry Potter, the Auror was immediately suspicious, but luckily he didn't arrest Draco outright. Eventually, he grew frustrated with Draco's vague, but technically not-vague-enough answers to give a firm pronouncement:

'I'm afraid Auror Potter is not awailable for visitation, to anyone.' Draco actually believed him, which meant they weren't just dismissing him due to his identity. Still, he could have just said without the interrogation.

'Is there any way you could tell him I was here?' Draco asked as nicely as he could. The Auror, who looked far too young to be one in Draco's mind, actually frowned in sympathy. 'He would want to know, I promise.' Draco had no idea, but for some reason it was vitally important Harry knew Draco had at least tried to see him.

'I'll tell him.'

'Thank you,' Draco said sincerely and left quickly. At home he barely got Scorpius some food before he had to go rest on the sofa. His mind swirled with all he had read on the Vow and Healer Weasley's theories.

Without removing it, the Mark would awaken every ten years, seemingly only requiring a renewing of loyalties, a simple formality, like renewing your licence. Most magical bindings were taxing on one's magical resources, so the fatigue wasn't unprecedented. Who could suspect that a little fatigue was actually the result of an almost insignificant amount of magic being taken? Once every ten years, for dozens of followers - with more joining every year - over the Dark Lord's own planned life-span of forever, amounted to unimaginable power. Draco had to be impressed. He had never considered the Dark Lord a patient creature.

He felt certain, like Healer Wealsey, that the Dark Lord had based his Vow on some older oath or binding. It seemed like his way of thinking, but none of the magical binding Weasley had researched had proved similar enough to prove interesting.

The key would be found in some ancient binding. All he had to do was find it, probably in some place too dark for Healer Weasley to even know about.

'Dad, don't you want to go upstairs to bed?' Scorpius hovered next to the sofa. He was putting on a brave face, but the ordeal had to have effected him more than he was letting on.

'I'm fine here,' Draco said, trying to smile. He reached out and Scorpius took his hand, squeezing tightly. Draco's Mark was exposed and Scorpius looked down at it pensively. Draco resisted the urge to withdraw his hand.

'How did he do it?'

'It's very complicated magic,' Draco said, far too tired to really think about how to explain, how much to explain, and if Scorpius was old enough to understand. 'I told you how Harry and the Dark Lord were connected, right?' Scorpius nodded. 'Well, it means Harry can control the Mark, and he told it to stop hurting me.'

Scorpius frowned and Draco eventually had to let go, letting his arm flop down. He was fighting to keep his eyes open. He felt Scorpius cover him with a blanket.

'Can't he tell it to go away then?' Scorpius asked softly.

XXX

Hermione was worried. Draco's letter said he would come in early, but it was almost lunch and he was nowhere to be seen. She really wanted his help with the research, but leaving now to go look for him might put someone's life in jeopardy. In the end, she knew that making sure Draco was all right was important enough for their work to apparate to Cantebury.

She knocked on his front door, but no one answered. Mr. Keller was home, however. He gave her robes an odd look, but seemed happy enough to answer her question about where Draco was.

'I think he and Scorpius went to the heritage site. They left in an awful hurry about a few hours ago.'

'The heritage site? The one Draco is trying to save?'

'That's the one. I think the powers that be are making it difficult for him, poor lad.'

'Could you tell me exactly where the site is?'

Mr. Keller showed her on the map on his phone, and she thanked him before hurrying off to apparate. Why had Draco decided the heritage site was more important than saving lives? There must be some reason - or perhaps he had gotten confused or forgetful due to his illness. But then surely Scorpius would set him right?

She arrived at the edge of a grassy hill. Along the bottom ran a row of semi-attached brick houses. Up along the western flank was a row of trees, but otherwise the place seemed unremarkable. She couldn't see either Malfoy, so she followed a small desire-path up towards the top. Soon a figure's head came into view, unmistakably blond, followed by a shorter person. At the top of the hill was a wide flat area that had been excavated in three long trenches. The other side of the hill was much the same as the one she had walked up, with the row of houses going halfway round before running off in a northernly direction, leaving a wide empty area ripe for houses with a view.

Scorpius was sitting on a egg-shaped rock half buried in the earth, while Malfoy was staring at the trenches.

'Healer Weasley,' Scorpius greeted when he spotted her, hopping off the rock and hurrying over. 'Dad's got an idea.'

'I see. An idea about what?' she asked as they approached Draco, who hadn't moved.

'About the Vow, and I helped!' Hermione smiled at him, glad he seemed fine despite the trauma the family had gone through. She came to stand beside Draco, staring into the trenches, trying to see what he saw. It was then she felt the magic in the air. Had she been standing in the middle of Diagon Alley she wouldn't have given it a second thought - everything was magical there, it was impossible to get away from it. Here, in the middle of nowhere, it felt out of place. Unexpected.

'Could you do a revealing charm for active enchantments?'

Hermione jumped slightly at Draco's voice, but quickly got out her wand. Her charm produced no effects, which made her realise the magic had to be in the earth, not some spell a witch or wizard had performed on the area.

'Are you familiar with using the Aparecium charm to reveal destroyed structures?' Hermione had read of such uses, but had never had the need to do it. She did so now.

Purple smoke shot out of her wand, shooting in a circle round the edge of the hilltop. Every ten steps or so smoke rose up from the ground into the shape of stones very similar to the one Scorpius was back to sitting on. Some were higher, a couple were barely knee-high. Only Scorpius' rock was inside the circle, slightly off-centre. The smoke lingered for a few more seconds before dissipating.

'Incredible,' Hermione said.

'Yes, unfortunately the muggles have found nothing of interest. They dug what they could, ran out of time and funding, and declared the area free to develop. The only way to stop it is if they find something while building to warrant attention. But that is unlikely as magical rituals don't leave much evidence that muggle archaeologists are likely to recognise.' The stones had all once stood outside of the trenches, so the muggles had not even found their physical imprints.

'Draco, this is all very fascinating, and I wish I could help, but what does any of this have to do with the Vow?'

He turned to face her, and lifted his arm. She glanced down, surprised to find his Mark exposed. 'It tingles here,' he said. 'I thought it was because it had awoken, but it's not. I still feel it now. It's sensitve to this kind of magic. Ancient, ritualistic.'

Hermione looked out over the trenches again, trying to see the place as it once might have been. A circle of magical stones, encasing and enhancing the natural magicks of the earth. Wizards and witches gathering to make spells through not only words but action, writing and chanting, using the most basic magical ingredients, including blood.

'People came here to make vows,' Draco said. 'We picture things like marriages, oaths of loyalty to chiefs, blessing the newly born or honouring the dead.'

'And when they broke vows?'

'I don't recall reading anything about it, but Harry is strong. Stronger than the Dark Lord ever was, I believe. If the Dark Lord could make a new binding, then Harry can break it.'

'Here, you mean?'

'It's the best place to try.' Hermione had to agree. It seemed fitting, poetic. Voldemort always liked old magic, but old like Slytherin, not the nameless druids that came before. If he had invoked old magic, maybe even older magic could undo it. They had no other leads, so it was certainly worth a try, but there was still a problem.

'We need to get Harry out of jail,' Hermione said.

'You need to ask Weasley to take care of that. We need to test this now before we waste more time.'

'I'll go now. Do you want me to apparate you home?'

'No, we'll take the bus,' Draco said. 'Mr. Keller doesn't need us coming and going without him seeing it. But do come pick us up when you have Harry.'

'Of course.' Hermione said goodbye to Scorpius and apparated to the Ministry.

XXX

The door to his cell opened. It was past visiting hours, not that he got any. Ron appeared, simply nodding his head to get Harry to come out. Harry followed Ron out and down the hallway towards the lifts. The Auror who usually sat at the desk by the end of the row of cells was abscent.

Once in the lifts Ron handed Harry his wand and his Auror robes. Harry put them on before asking questions.

'Shacklebolt?'

'Called in a few favours, leaned on a few loyalties. Shacklebolt shouldn't be the wiser until he goes home for the night.'

'Good. Did you find Goyle?'

'He's waiting outside.' Ron was frowning, but he was trying not to object to Harry's plan. He succeeded for about half a minute before turning to Harry. 'Why the hell are you doing this? You'll go to Azkaban.'

'A lot more people will go to their grave if I don't, Ron. We have to try.'

'I had Shacklebolt this close!' Ron indicated by pinching his fingers. 'If you'd just give me a little more time.'

'Not one more day, Ron. Not one more needless death. I'm sorry.' The doors opened and they marched out across the Atrium together, pretending nothing was out of the ordinary.

They found Goyle outside, looking out of place next to the London traffic. He was shuffling his feet, looking pale and agitated. 'Does it hurt?' was Harry's first question. Goyle nodded tightly, unusually stoic.

They apparated to the location Hermione had provided. Harry started jogging up the hill the moment he spotted Hermione and the Malfoys. Scorpius waved hello and Draco actually smiled slightly.

'Potter,' he greeted. Harry wanted to reach out and steady him. He was far too pale to be out of bed already. Draco's eyes flickered over Harry's shoulder, widening in surprise. 'Greg?'

'Hullo Draco,' Goyle greeted. 'Sorry for not keeping touch.' Draco merely nodded to that, looking him over for signs of discomfort.

'Your Mark, is it?'

'Started itching just this morning.' Goyle rubbed at the spot. He looked a bit green. He caught sight of Scorpius and stared at the boy. Scorpius stared right back.

'This is my son, Scorpius,' Draco introduced.

'Hullo,' Goyle repeated.

Harry had turned away from the little group to survey the trenches. He felt the magic in the earth acutely. It vibrated through is feet up into his body, straight to his fingertips. For a moment he felt like he could do anything.

He didn't hear Hermione's voice until she touched his shoulder. She received a static shock, jumping slightly.

'Harry?'

'I'm fine. Do you have the words?'

'I do, but remember, the wording is only to focus your intent.'

'I know, it's my spell. Don't worry, Hermione. If anyone can make it by the seat of their pants...' She wasn't comforted, but she tried to smile. Harry read the little bit of parchment with the words. Hermione and Draco had chosen it together to be a reversal of the Vow, based on known unbinding spells. But it was really up to Harry to embrace the place, the ritual of it all, and trust in his willpower to release the marked.

'Me first,' Draco said.

'But you're sick,' Goyle protested.

'My Mark isn't active. If the spell goes wrong yours might… react.' This was enough to get Goyle to take a step back. Everyone except Harry and Draco moved outside of where the ring of stones had once been.

Harry and Draco stood on the small bit of grass between two of the trenches. This meant they were quite close, and Harry could see exactly how pale and thin Draco was, with bags under his eyes. He still looked up at Harry with more confidence than Harry felt. 'Ready?' he asked.

He presented his arm. Harry stared for a long time at the Mark. He touched it gently. It was warm. It looked different to him now for some reason. Before the thing had always been disgusting to him, but now he felt like it belonged there.

Harry retracted his hand as if burnt, taking a step back, almost into the trench. He slipped backwards, but was stopped by Draco yanking his robes.

'Are you all right?' Draco asked when they were steady again. Harry felt his cheeks heat up at his silly reaction.

'Yeah, fine.'

'What happened?'

'Nothing- just-' Harry swallowed and stared at the Mark, analysing his feelings. It was his Mark now, he realised. The thought made him want to vomit, but he had to make sense of it. If he was the owner, for lack of a better word, then he could renounce his ownership just as easily as Voldemort had taken it.

'I'm ready,' he said, lifting Draco's arm with one hand and placing the tip of his wand on the Mark. Either Draco was too nervous or too surprised by Harry's sudden confidence to say anything. In either case, his arm was limp in Harry's grip.

Harry closed his eyes and focused on the magic in the earth, letting it flow up and through him. When he said the spell, his mind was completely focused. He knew exactly what he wanted. Beneath his conscious desire, his felt hundreds of years worth of oaths and rituals performed through generations.

'Libera servus.'

Draco took in a sharp breath, but it didn't sound like he was in pain.

'I release you from your Vow.' The snake started curling, twitching as if it was in pain. It bared its fangs.

'Ruptura votum.' Harry took a deep breath and looked up to catch Draco's eyes. 'I set you free.'

The snake stilled as though dead. Slowly, the Mark's ink seemed to be sucked up into Harry's wand. In less than ten seconds, Draco's arm was as blemish free as when he was born.

Harry let go and Draco smoothed his hand over the spot. He looked wide-eyed at Harry.

'You did it. Bloody hell, you actually did it.' Harry felt a grin spreading. In a fit of relief he embraced Draco. It was only for a few seconds, but it sent his heartrate soaring. Then Scorpius was there and it became a group hug.

Hermione came over to check on Draco. She couldn't find any trace of the binding. Before Harry knew it he was standing in the same spot with Goyle. It was different this time. The Mark was just starting its agitation. It wasn't like Draco's, but Harry knew he could command this one as well, and he did. Goyle thanked him so much Hermione had to insist they leave.

'We have to get to St. Mungo's and get to work. I have your invisibility cloak here.'

'Invisibility cloak?' Draco asked. 'Why do you need that?' Harry exchanged a guilty look with Hermione. 'Harry?'

'Look, I'll explain later. We really need to go.'

Goyle promised to apparate Draco home and make sure he got some rest. Harry put on his old cloak and went to St. Mungo's. He wondered if he should have started with Azkaban once he saw Shacklebolt hurrying down the corridor, looking thunderous. The Minister kept checking rooms, but once he spotted Hermione and Ron, he headed straight for them.

'Weasley and Weasley,' he greeted. 'Where the hell is Potter?'

'I thought he was in jail, Minister?' Hermione asked innocently.

'Don't pretend you weren't involved. I thought he would be here of all places when I didn't find him in Azakaban. Why isn't he here helping these people?'

Hermione blinked. 'Helping?'

'That's why he broke out of jail, isn't it? Yet there are plenty here still in pain.'

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other.

'Sir,' Ron said. 'Harry wants to help. In fact, he has a way now of removing the Mark completely.'

'How?' Shacklebolt demanded.

'An unbinding spell,' Hermione said.

'Well, get him here and get him to work.'

'But-'

'Look, I'll sign his release papers and fiddle with the time-stamp a bit, make it look like I signed him out,' Shacklebolt said. 'We can put the nasty business behind us as long as he empties this ward today, understood?'

'Yes, Sir. Consider it done.'

As Shacklebolt hurried past, they saw how disturbed he looked. Ron had been right. All Shacklebolt had needed was to see the actual patients instead of lists of Death Eater names. He turned before entering the lift.

'And Weasley,' Shacklebolt sighed. 'Tell Potter I would appreciate it if he came by my office after everything's done. I'd like to apologise.'

'Will do, Sir. I'm sure Harry will be relieved to put this all behind us.' Shacklebolt said goodbye and when the lift door closed Harry took off his cloak.

'Thank Merlin for that,' he said.

'We should start with those most in need. It'll be difficult to move some of them-'

'We don't need to move them,' Harry said. 'I can remove the Mark without the circle.' He wasn't sure why he knew that, but when he left Cantebury he had taken the confidence and magic of the place with him. He could command all the Marks away.