Laughter wakes me from a really deep sleep, and I groggily start to open my eyelids. I blink a few times, then a few more, before I realize where I am.
I bolted off the green silk bed like lightning, grabbed my things, and then moved into the hallway, readying myself to escape from either door. I stopped to listen to the barely audible voices coming from the drawing room.
"He is going to kill you in the morning, mate! Why'd you have to bet him he couldn't drink the whole bottle?!" Blaise's voice laughed.
"Honestlyyy, I didn't think he could! Draco, you're probably not going to to to remember thisss tomorrow, but I'm bloody fucking proud you! I-I salute you, my Slytherking!" Theo yelled, slurring each word.
"Alright, that's enough; let's just make sure he's lying on his side."
"Nighty Night, sweet hippogriff!"
With a crackle of fire, their voices disappeared.
I waited a bit longer to be sure, then tiptoed into the drawing room. Malfoy was in rare form, passed out on the couch, mouth open, and shoes still on. There was no waking this sorry fellow.
With ease, I stepped into the fireplace and floo'd away without waking him.
Xxx
A few hours later, with very little sleep and a case to solve, I reviewed the notes I'd taken of the scans, or at least the ones I managed to take, before passing out on Malfoy's bed.
He really didn't have anything hiding in his room. Nothing that could help the case. Nothing alarming was found in our scans of the south landing or the master suites either.
This was not good. I was confident we'd have found some recognizable trace of dark magic in that area and made some progress on the case. I ran through the case file again, trying to find something I could have overlooked…
I needed to talk to Trixie; that was clear, but communication was definitely going to be an issue, not to mention the barbaric servant-master control factor. If she's been commanded to keep a secret, only a Malfoy would be able to get an answer from her.
Then there was Narcissa… she spent a suspicious amount of time at French spa retreats; even if her alibi was solid, Harry should have at least gotten a statement. A trip to France was not in the CBD's budget right now.
Finally, an idea hit me like a ton of bricks, and I grabbed a parchment and quill.
I have an old friend that might be able to help. It was comical, honestly, that neither Harry nor Ron had thought to reach out to Gabrielle Delacour. I quickly wrote to her, begging for her help and sharing the few details I had about Narcissa's whereabouts. Honestly, Gabrielle looked a bit like Malfoy, so if anyone could get through for a visit, it would be her.
I didn't have an owl, so I tucked it into my purse to mail from the office before heading to the Manor.
Next, I needed to butter Malfoy up so I could get his help with Trixie. I laughed at the thought.
As if.
But, just in case, I brewed a quick pepper-up potion and grabbed some other hangover treatments for him. If he survived the night, he was going to have one hell of a morning.
Xxx
"Wakey, wakey, eggs, and bakey," I crooned, regretting it instantly. "What the fuck am I doing? Malfoy, hey, Malfoy, my team will be here any minute, and you need to go to your room."
He was alive, but he was not moving.
After a few more failed attempts to get him up, resulting only in grunts and muffled swears, I had no choice but to move him with magic.
Not wanting him to puke all over himself or me, I very carefully lifted him, kept him horizontal, and slowly guided his sleeping body along until we were in his bedroom.
He really must have had a whole bottle of something because landing on the bed didn't wake him either.
I set the potions on the bedside table and hurried out, not wanting to be there if he woke. As I did so, I realized I had forgotten to send my letter at the office; I made a mental note to ask Malfoy if he had an owl.
My team was waiting for me when I returned to the drawing room.
"Hello everyone, good morning!" I began, "Sorry for the delay. I reviewed the data from yesterday's scans, and I'd like to get a second round done. Gohar, June, I'd like you to rescan the South Wing of the first floor. Then, when you're finished with that, there is a hidden cellar entrance here in the drawing room I forgot about. If I remember correctly, it's in the corner closest to the stairs. Wes, Matteo, Calvin, I haven't had a chance to map out the 2nd floor yet, so let's start with the stairs and go from there. Alright?"
"Sounds good. Wes and I will start on the South Wing stairs and meet you on two," Matteo offered before he and everyone, but Calvin filed out of the drawing room.
"Well, that leaves you and I, Calvin; let's get to it."
The North and South Wing staircases opened up onto a large foyer with three sets of closed double doors. The South Wing facing doors revealed an impressive ballroom; it took the four of us most of the morning to complete.
After a quick lunch, we began on the North Wing, and by late afternoon, we'd completed the music room. That's when Malfoy finally decided to make an appearance.
"Just the man I needed to speak to. Late night?" I asked, feigning curiosity.
A glare was all I got in return as he entered the music room from a narrow stairwell.
"Do those stairs go up to the roof? What's up there?" Matteo asked Malfoy, taking a look inside.
"Yes. There's an old broom closet and an owlery up there." Draco replied curtly.
Clearly, he had not come up for conversation but to sneak through to a door in the back corner of the drawing room.
"Can we go up there next? We'll also get a good look at the grounds from there." Calvin asked.
"Matteo and Wes can go; I still need your help on this floor," I replied before remembering my letter. "Malfoy, do you have an owl I can use?"
"Erm, no," he responded quizzically before a mischievous look flashed in his eyes. "You must be Calvin; I don't believe we've met. Granger speaks so fondly of you."
"Uh, Calvin, maybe you should go up and ensure Matteo and Wes don't fall off the roof." I interrupted as Malfoy extended a hand. "Take some pictures of the roof and grounds, and I'll finish mapping this floor."
"Sweet. Nice to meet you." He managed before eagerly heading up the stairs.
"Was that really necessary?" I asked as soon as Calvin was out of earshot.
"Was it necessary for you to enter my room while I was gone?"
"Lucky for you! My team would have seen you plastered on the drawing room sofa if I hadn't moved you." I retorted, my body heating up.
His smirk wavered for a moment before returning in full force.
"I suppose you expect a thank you for that and the potions," he mused, abandoning the door he'd been leaning on and walking past me. "I must admit they were quite helpful."
"Where are you going now?"
"You'll see." He mused, walking through the bar and out into the foyer.
I followed, not knowing why, just that he seemed to expect it.
"I'm assuming you haven't been through here yet." He stated, motioning toward the set of double doors facing the east.
I shook my head.
With a swish of his wand, both doors opened into what looked like a den at first sight, but as I entered, my jaw dropped.
"Oh my…" I gasped, covering my mouth.
Books, so many books, covering the walls and shelves stretching left and right. I ogled with pure elation at the most beautiful library I'd seen since Hogwarts.
"Pitty, your team was making such great progress; now I'm sure you'll be here another six months searching each page for curses." He chuckled behind me.
"You-you should charge admission fees; this is incredible!" I replied breathlessly and turned to find him eyeing me curiously.
"Yes. Incredible."
A blush began to creep over my cheeks when the sound of screaming from the rooftop interrupted.
"Fuck." Malfoy cursed, running a hand through his hair.
I don't bother asking questions; I just run to and up the nearest stairwell as fast as my heels would take me. Malfoy follows.
When we get to the roof, a massive eagle owl is clawing at Calvin's face and hands while Matteo and Wes fire curses at it.
"You liar! You said you didn't have a fucking owl!" I yelled back at Malfoy as I whipped my wand. "Carpe retractum!"
A rope of light flew from its tip and wrapped itself around Calvin's waist, enabling me to pull him away from the roof's edge and toward me.
"No," Malfoy argues back, aiming his wand, "You asked if I had an owl here you could use; clearly, Felix isn't usable. Petrificus Totalus!"
The owl dropped onto the roof with a thud; Matteo and Wes, both with claw marks and ripped clothing, ran over to us. Blood and gashes covered Calvin's face and head.
"He needs to get to St. Mungo's fast!" I exclaimed, casting a few quick healing spells to hold him over.
"We can take him," Wes affirmed.
"Are you sure you can apparate? You both need to get checked out as well."
"We're fine; we've got this."
"Okay, go quickly, I'll meet you there shortly."
The three vanished from sight, leaving me alone with Malfoy on the roof.
"He hasn't been right since the war; he attacks anyone who points a wand in his vicinity," he said, picking up the petrified owl and putting him inside a large cage in the owlery.
"Why didn't you warn them about Felix when I sent them up here?!" I yelled; with my team gone, nothing was holding me back.
"Honestly, I didn't know he was still alive; he's been in the family for 20-plus years. I've been in France for half that." He answered calmly, locking the cage.
The lack of fight in his response flustered my resolve, and his explanation seemed annoyingly and conveniently plausible.
"He'll be sentenced to death once the Ministry learns what happened." I sighed, starting down the stairs.
I needed to get the fuck out of here.
"I know." He said soberly, following me down. "I'll make sure all hospital bills are covered, and they are taken care of."
"That's not how this typically works," I corrected. "You'll hear from a solicitor before anything gets settled financially, but injuries on the job are, unfortunately, an expected risk for my department."
"I will ensure they have the best care; galleons work wonders in that arena." He replied dryly, as he started texting rapidly on his phone.
"Well, thanks," I dryly offered as we approached the foyer. "I have to go tell June and Gohar and then head to the hospital. See you tomorrow."
I didn't wait for him to respond, too angry to care what else he had to say; instead, I click-clacked down the stairs as quickly and loudly as possible.
