"Calling it off? What for?" Draco barked at the auror.

"There's been...a sort of turn in the case," Harry stammered, wishing he would have opted for speaking over the phone instead.

"So you've already arrested him," the ex-deatheater raised an eyebrow.

"No, it's-"

"Then you don't think he killed my father?" Draco interrupted, growing steadily more angry.

"Bloody hell, Malfoy, if you'd just let the man speak!" Ron yelled back.

The aurors had met the heir to Malfoy Manor back at the estate and the three began discussing their plans for Draco and Gerald's confrontation. It was easier for Harry and Ron to go to the old home after their last visit. Both wondered if Lucius' would make another appearance or if there was anything else to be learned from him. They didn't, however, make it a prime goal to find out at first, knowing Draco wouldn't like hearing about the change they made to his part in the investigation.

"If you've decided not to do this to get a confession for an arrest, and if he's not in custody or dead," the young Malfoy spat, "then I see no proper explanation. He did kill my father."

Ron looked over to his partner who sighed, taking a moment to think and to calm before continuing, "We're not doubting he's had a hand in Lucius' murder. It's just that we need to re-evaluate some other details before we move forward with anything like this."

Draco stared back at Harry. It was obvious he was attempting not to get too upset so the auror gave his old rival props for at least starting to mature. Even so, imagining him like this with Gerald as he was at the restaurant the night prior, settled it in the investigator's mind that pitting the two against each other should not be done lightly if at all.

The redhead turned his neck about to look around the foyer of the building. His vision was resting on the staircase when he spoke again. This time in a relaxed, sympathetic manner, "Has he had anything else to say?"

Draco had been following Ron's movement and he answered the question though his attitude stayed perturbed, "No. He stopped speaking altogether and he's grown more agitated," the statement seemed to trigger a subtle change in Draco's demeanor, "He keeps disappearing randomly only to reappear screaming," his voice became noticeably softer then, "I think he's trying to leave, but can't..."

The room fell hollow.

Harry hadn't been sure he agreed with Molly Weasely when she had expressed that even a man as evil as Lucius deserved this kind of punishment, but...what if this was eternal? If he hadn't willingly chosen to remain in this world and Gerald's curse was irreversible, Harry was certain it was the son of Grindelwald who was truly the most evil here. Then again, if it somehow turned that Gerald was not to blame...

"Draco, I'm sorry for this hitch," Harry said, "But I may have a way to prove a hundred percent whether or not Gerald Davis is your father's murderer."

The junior Malfoy lifted his brow and crossed his arms, refusing to entertain the idea that Gerald might not be to blame, "If that's all you want then, Potter, you can leave."

The aurors hurried on their way out, ignoring Draco's walling and returning fury. Harry was too caught up in this new idea and Ron too curious of what it was his partner had pieced together. The door to the residence slammed shut behind them. The sound and the force startled the redhead, jarring him to talk.

"What's in your head, mate?"

"It's something Hermione said," Harry answered, never breaking from the trek, "About how phantoms can't be poisoned."

"Yeah?"

"We don't know at what point a dying person chooses to remain as a ghost," Harry kept on, "But we know they haven't an idea of what happens if they didn't choose it. So it begs to reason this choice is made while still alive...maybe just before they die."

"OK?" Ron was still confused.

"What if a vampire did kill Lucius? And they bit him to manipulate him into staying behind after he died? That would mean Gerald wasn't the one to force him." Harry asked.

"Alright, so we can see if Gerald is the killer by looking for a substance in Lucius' body that matches one of the vampire goons that broke into Durmstrang," Ron surmised.

"Right," Harry agreed. "Gerald was a dark wizard in the past, but what if we've been wrong about him being one now?"

"It was Malfoy's death that more or less made the idea concrete that he is," Ron mused, "Other than that, all that we know is he's a crazy, moody jerk. Though didn't Oliver mention that Gerald had almost killed muggles a few years ago?"

"He did, but honestly that may have been as simple as him losing his temper in a bar," Harry said.

"It still leaves how Lucius' ghost is acting...the Greek and not talking about Gerald or how he died," Ron thought, "Hermione's still right about poison not being able to bother ghosts...they're just a semblance of what they were. There's no actual body or blood."

"Yes, that part still has to be Gerald," replied the lead auror, "If this was the vampires' first attempt at getting to him and they wanted Lucius to say something to put more heat on Gerald, then it was Gerald who tampered with the spirit in order to hide himself. but then..."

Harry stopped walking. The two had already made it well away from the mansion and past every shrub adorning the walk. He turned to his friend, catching his breath.

"But then why go through the trouble of getting Grindelwald's file?" Ron finished the sentence, "Lucius left nothing that hinted to Gerald being inhuman so maybe anything he could share wasn't important to the vampires. That means there's something in those files that is important both to them and to us."

Harry shook his head, "I think messing with Brad was either stupid...or brilliant. Minister Shackelbolt is right: Gerald's eventually going to go off...just like a bomb. Whether from the stress of his inaction or from continuously giving in to those who want something from him."

"What the hell could they want?" Ron breathed.

"If Gerald can manipulate Lucius' spirit...maybe that's it," the dark haired wizard adjusted his glasses.

"Vampires don't have sp-" his partner started.

"Exactly," Harry interrupted.

"Why wouldn't he just do whatever and get them off his back?" Ron complained.

"Gerald's not human. That means, like the vampires, his magic is different from ours...maybe he's refusing for the same reason that seems to drive everything else he does? His well-being. He wants to protect himself." Harry mused. "After the time he spent working with Voldemort, he may have realized that use of his power takes a toll on him? It hurts him? That's why he stopped obeying. He rather die than be in pain."

"Hmm, that would explain why he stopped really using his magic," said the redhead. "But Oliver and Brad have fought to keep him alive...Dad, Charlie, even you said that he was fearful for Brad. So is he completely selfish or does he care enough about his friends to do what is needed to keep them safe?"

"We can't know yet which is more important to him, but I'm not going to continue leaving it to chance...playing by ear..." the lead auror picked up, "We need to confront both Gerald and Oliver with this. We don't know the consequences of him doing what the vampires wish of him."

"So...do you think if we present with this, either one or the other of them will finally be honest?" Ron inquired.

"No," Harry admitted. "I think it's time to make an arrest and end this mystery."