Chapter 2 – A Lot of Questions and Not Many Answers

Harry sat at the desk staring at a blank piece of parchment. He had already written Kingsley Shacklebolt, informing him of the capture of Lady Malfoy, but how was he going to tell Ron? He sighed and got up from the plain wooden desk. Crossing the small office, he stared out the grimy window overlooking the sea.

A knock at the door brought him out of his reverie and he turned to look at the man standing there.

"Sir, an owl for you. From Head Auror Shacklebolt."

"Thank you, Jenkins." He took the scroll from Jenkins and sat back down at the desk to read it.

Harry,

Good job on the Malfoy capture. I know this can't be easy on you, given your past history with Lady Malfoy.

I'll be at Azkaban first thing tomorrow morning to begin her interrogation.

Have you alerted her family yet?

KS

He put down the letter and put his head in his hands. No, he hadn't alerted her family yet. What was he supposed to say? 'Oh, we caught your sister, who's been on a murder and torture spree for the past ten years(putting Bellatrix Lestrange to complete and utter shame, for the record.) while living it up in Malfoy Manor, married to the Head Death Eater and by the way, she doesn't LOOK like she's been Imperioused.'? That would go over well, he was sure. About as well as the fabled lead balloon. This was a lose-lose situation if ever there was one. The only solution he could see was to keep it short. He pulled out his quill and began to write.

Ron,

We brought Her in tonight. Shacklebolt will be here tomorrow to begin her questioning. After he's done, we'll inform you on any visitation rights you may have.

It may be a while before we have a full report, but the moment we have one, I'll get a copy to you.

Harry

After he sent one of the prison owls on her way, he leaned back in the chair and chewed on his quill. "Damn, Ron, I wish you didn't have to see what I've seen tonight. I wish you could be still ignorant about what your sister has become. Hell, I wish I could still be ignorant about what Ginny Weasley has become."

He packed up his things slowly. He felt like he'd aged a decade in the space of a few hours. He left the office and walked back down the corridor. When he got to her cell, he told the guards he was leaving for the night, but he'd be back first thing in the morning and they were to owl him immediately if something happened.

Then he walked out the front gate, took the ferry to the landing, turned on the spot and Apparated back to his apartment.

When he got there, he changed into a pair of pajamas, poured a glass of Fire Whisky, and sat in an armchair before the fire. He turned the glass slowly, watching the way the fire reflected off the amber liquid. Without warning, his fire turned green and a head appeared before him.

"Hey, Harry." It was Ron, looking tense and drawn.

"Hey, Ron. I take it you got my owl. Have you said anything to your family yet?"

"Yeah, I got it. No, I haven't said anything. I wanted to check with you first, to see how bad it was."

"Ron, you know I can't give you specifics about an ongoing investigation. I wish I could, but if I bend the rules for you, I'll have family members camped out on my doorstep every time their precious Johnny gets himself arrested."

Ron looked blank for a moment. "Who's Precious Johnny? Some kind of gang member?"

Harry smiled for a minute, still amused after all these years by Ron's lack of knowledge about the Muggle world. "No, Ron. It's a Muggle expression. Never mind. Anyway, I can't give you what I don't have, even if I legally could share information with you. You know that. Shacklebolt is questioning her tomorrow and how long that takes is up to her. Once he's satisfied, then we should be able to release a preliminary report to her family. Then, if it's warranted, she goes to trial. After that, it's in the hands of Wizengemot."

"Could she get the Kiss?" Ron looked even greener than he normally did through the Floo at the thought of that.

"If she's found guilty on the charges we have, then it's not a question of 'could', it's a question of 'when'. Damnit Ron, she almost killed Charlie five years ago!" Harry nearly shouted the last sentence.

"But how do we know she was in her right mind, Harry? How do we know she wasn't under an Imperious? She must have been, that's the only excuse, Harry" His voice broke at this and tears streamed down his face. He looked seventeen again and at the same time infinitely older. Harry's heart broke at the sight and he wished like hell he could offer Ron some kind of comfort, but he couldn't.

"I don't know, Ron. We haven't had a chance to question her yet and until we can do that, we don't know what was going on with her. That's really all I can tell you right now. But to be honest, Ron, it doesn't look good. That's all I can say. Please, don't ask me more."

Ron's face crumbled further and he nodded solemnly. "I know, Harry and I understand. It's just so hard to believe that your own sister could turn against you like that."

"I understand, Ron, trust me. I wish it hadn't come to this. Anyway, I need to go to bed. Tomorrow comes early and it's going to be a busy day that I'm not looking forward to. As soon as I have a report, I'll let you know. I promise. Go get some sleep and figure out a way to tell your parents. They need to know."

"Yeah, sure thing, mate. Thanks for letting me know, Harry. I know this is as hard for you as it is for us."

With that, Ron disappeared and left Harry alone with his dark thoughts. After a time, he drained the last of his glass and trudged towards his bed. Tomorrow would come far too quickly and he wasn't looking forward to it.

Within seconds of his head hitting the pillow, he was asleep and his dreams were filled with images of Death Eaters with flowing red hair.

The Following Morning

Harry arrived at Azkaban before sunrise. He knew his eyes were bloodshot and his hair more unruly than usual. He dropped his things in the office and walked down the long corridor towards Ginny's cell. The two guards were alert and obviously expecting him.

"Good morning, sir." the one on the right said. "Rough night?"

"You could say that, Longstrider. How has Lady Malfoy fared the night? Was she quiet? Did she give you any trouble?"

"No, sir. Not a peep from her all night."

"Good. Is her breakfast on the way? She'll need some food inside her before we get down to business. Wouldn't look good if the Lady Malfoy fainted from hunger during her interrogation, now would it?" Harry tried to keep his tone, if not exactly light, more professional. He couldn't have the guards seeing how this affected him, even though all of them must surely know of his history with her.

"Breakfast is served at 6am, sir. In about 30 minutes." the one on the left replied.

"Right. I'll be in the office. Please let me know when she's finished and had a chance to refresh herself."

"Yes, sir!" Both guards responded at once.

Harry walked back to the office to get his documents in order and wait for Shacklebolt. He hoped he wouldn't be waiting long. He just wanted to get this over with. He just wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

About an hour later, a knock came at the office door. It was Thomas.

"Sir, Lady Malfoy is finished with her breakfast. And appreciative she ain't. I think the kindest word she used was 'swill'. 'Bout set poor Bert to crying, it did. Anyway, she's done with it. Just wanted to let you know, sir."

"Thank you, Thomas. Head Auror Shacklebolt isn't here yet, but when he arrives, can you move Lady Malfoy to Interrogation Room One? Make sure you use at least four guards and secure her firmly to the chair. And…leave two guards in the room until we get there, please?"

"Will do, sir. But it's hard to think of a little slip of a girl being that dangerous, sir. If you don't mind me sayin'."

"That 'little slip of a girl', Thomas, has more charges against her than the Lestranges and the Carrows combined. Don't underestimate her, please. I'd rather not have to inform your dear mother that you died of a terminal case of the underestimations, if you don't mind.", Harry said with a wry grin. He liked Thomas. He was a good guard. He cared about both security and his prisoners. Harry would hate to lose him to that angelic face covering a black heart down the corridor.

Thomas turned a little pale at Harry's words. "You don't say, sir. Well, I never… Right, sir, I'll put two of the strongest boys we have on her. "

"Very good, Thomas. And Thomas?"

"Yes sir?"

"Thank you."

"Yes, sir." With that, Thomas left the room, leaving Harry alone with more bitter thoughts.

Flashback

A little over a year after the final battle, things were starting to settle down. Shops were reopening in Diagon Alley and people were starting to feel safe on the streets again.

Harry had taken a day off from his Auror training to pick up some new robes from Madame Malkins.

As he walked down the street, he saw a familiar flash of red in front of Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. He looked closer to see that it was Ginny. But who was she sitting with? Surely that wasn't…Malfoy?

He strode over and said, "Uhm, Ginny?"

She looked up at the sound of her name and when she saw it was Harry, her features hardened momentarily before she smiled (rather coldly now that he thought about it)and greeted him.

"Hello Harry. A day off?"

"Yeah. I needed some new robes. I haven't seen you around the Burrow the past few times I've been there. New job keeping you busy?"

"Something like that. And you? Are you enjoying your hero training?" At this Draco smirked and Harry itched to curse that damned trademark smirk off Draco's noble face.

"Uhm, yeah, it's really difficult, but I'm enjoying it. Long hours, though and few days off. Hey, can I talk to you alone for a minute?"

"Sure, Harry. Draco, I won't be but a moment."

She got up and walked with him to a side alley close by. "What can I do for you, Harry?"

"Ginny, are you sure it's safe to be with…him? I mean, he was a Death Eater."

"Harry, last time I checked you weren't my father, my boyfriend, or my husband and believe it or not, I'm fully capable of a.) taking care of myself and b.) deciding with whom I will associate with. Do you honestly think he would try anything in so open a location? Stop with the paranoia, Harry, the war is OVER. We're not in school, so there goes House rivalries as well. Grow up, Harry." With that, she walked away.

He was taken aback not only by her words but by her cold tone, as well. What happened to the Ginny he had known?

End Flashback

Harry shook himself and looked at the clock. Seven am. He wondered where Shacklebolt was. He thought more about the time he had seen her in Diagon Alley with Malfoy. At the time, he had excused her behavior; put it down to the aftermath of the War. Everyone had changed in some way. Everyone had lost something or someone and everyone had dealt with those losses in their own way.

He had been a fool. He had thought she was still grieving. Hell, everyone was grieving. But looking back, he knew he had been wrong. Sure, she was grieving, but she had been…transforming. Evolving into that creature that now occupied the cell down the hall. It wasn't long after that meeting that she'd disappeared for over two years. And a year after that meeting, the Death Eater attacks had started up again.

He was anxious now to start her interrogation. He wanted some answers to these new questions. And by Merlin, he'd get them, too. Answers were the least she could give to him after what she'd done. Damnit, what was keeping Shacklebolt?

As if his thoughts were a summons, Kingsley Shacklebolt swept into the tiny office.

"Good morning, Harry. Been here long?" His deep voice boomed in the cramped space and Harry could have sworn the little window rattled.

"Not too long, sir. Just making sure our paperwork is in order."

"Good, good. How is Lady Malfoy?"

"I haven't seen her this morning, sir, but last night, she was combative. Sir, it doesn't look good. I'm not seeing any sign of Imperious or other coercion." The last words came out in a rush, something unusual for such an experienced Auror as Harry Potter.

Shacklebolt raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're ok with this, Potter? I know your history with the Weasely family and if this will be too much, I can call in Wilkins. He's got the seniority and some distance."

"No sir, I can handle it. I won't lie and say it doesn't affect me, but I need to be here, sir. I need to know why this happened."

"Very good, Potter, but if I think you're getting too involved with this, I will pull you off this case without a second thought. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. "

The Head Auror eyed him speculatively and then nodded. "Ok, Potter , let's get this show on the road. I'm sure Arthur and Molly Weasley are as anxious for answers as you are. I've already had three owls from Molly this morning. I'd rather not receive one of her infamous Howlers, if you don't mind."

Harry grinned at the memories of Mrs. Weasley's Howlers. Those were something to avoid if at all possible.

He gathered up the files, parchments and a few spare quills. Then Harry Potter and Kingsley Shacklebolt headed down the corridor to interrogate one of the most infamous Death Eaters in recent history.

A/N: I won't normally update this often, but this wouldn't leave me alone.

I'm still not sure how much of DH I will disregard, but it's a safe bet the epilogue is dead to me. ;)

Reviews would be lovely. Flames need not apply. Thanks!

I also apologize for any errors. If you see an error, please let me know and I'll fix it.