We'll Be The Only Dream You Seek

by Ceilidhchaos

In the summer before 8th year, Head Boy Theo Nott and Head Girl Hermione Granger are dealing with alot of trauma at child soldier therapy camp. Pansy and Draco are waiting for their trials. The four of them end up growing closer over fire whiskey, cigarettes, group therapy and illicit touches. A polyamorous, kinky AU.

25. Anxious and Afraid: The Trials

Chapter 25

Anxious and Afraid: The Trials

The End of Part One

The songs of this chapter are "Anxious" by Sarah Reeves and "Afraid" by The Neighborhood

Draco woke up curled in Theo's arms. He looked over and saw the empty space in the bed that meant that the girls were already awake. There were only wadded bed linens where they ought to be. He could hear the water running upstairs in the shower. He wondered if they were showering together and the mental image gave some strength to his morning wandwood.

Draco stared at the coloured light from the window that Theo had charmed to make this room more like the dungeons. He took a deep breath of the smell of Theo and sex, Draco's own sweat, the floral scents of Hermione and Pansy. He realised that he still smelled vaguely of magical paint and he probably needed to shower as well. Pansy's trial was at 9 and his was due to be afterwards. The lawyer's had mentioned that Goyle's trial was after his and he wondered how his former friend was going to do. Draco had tried to visit him in the dungeons twice this last week, but Goyle had refused to open the door and called him a filthy blood traitor. Draco suspected that Goyle wanted to join his father in Azkaban or Crabbe in the afterlife; he was probably equally open to either possibility.

Draco didn't think Goyle had anything left to live for. It was a painful thought when it came to his former friend especially after all the suicides and attempts that had plagued Hogwarts the last few days.

He knew that Goyle he once knew had died when Crabbe had, he'd always suspected that the two of them had been like him and Theo, more than friends. Draco knew that if Theo had died in the Battle of Hogwarts that he would have fallen to pieces just as Goyle had done. He doubted if he would have even been able to leave his bed ever again. Theo was part of his soul in a way that Draco didn't think that he could live without. He was well aware that he wouldn't last in Azkaban without Theo. They didn't allow non-relatives to visit there, so this might be the last day that Draco ever saw him.

He turned and placed a kiss on Theo's sleeping shoulder and was rewarded with a pleased hum. Draco took just a moment to absorb Theo's warmth, breathing his perfect smell, part of Draco's amortentia when he'd brewed it in sixth year.

Draco stretched and got up to meet the day. There was very little that laying in bed a few minutes longer would accomplish and he wanted to feel awake when they reached the Ministry. The time to make love to Theo a final time did not exist, so Draco allowed his eyes to run over Theo's sleeping body instead as he gathered up what he needed for the shower. He tried to be grateful for this idyllic time that the four of them had had, but Draco thought that it might make his future imprisonment hurt all that much more.

He still couldn't find it in himself to be sorry for it.

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"No, I won't kiss you goodbye, because this isn't goodbye." Theo crossed his arms, stubbornly. The four of them were as ready as they were going to be. Everyone in the best formal wear that they had that was appropriate for the Wizengamot courtroom. Draco had kissed Hermione and Pansy goodbye causing both of the girls to cry and Theo now refused to accept his kiss.

"Theo…," Draco sighed, not wanting to argue with him in their last private moments. He didn't know what to say or do to make everything alright, it was a lost cause as nothing was alright in these final moments that remained to them.

"Don't Theo me," Theo said, "We have to get going. We are flooing into the Ministry from McGonagall's office. And later today I will kiss you. After you are a free wizard."

Theo stomped through the door and down the stairs from the Head Dorm, while he prayed to every god and goddess he had ever heard of that he didn't regret saying no to that kiss.

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Blaise felt the anxiety pooling in the pit of his stomach. Even after the relaxation he felt after his release with Luna this morning, he felt pulled tighter than a boy string. The troop of Aurors that had walked through Slytherin dorms just before dawn to take Greg into custody had hardly made for a calm morning. Their stomping boots had awakened him as they trudged through. He'd watched from his dorm room, with Luna peeking over his shoulder as Greg was none too gently taken into custody. The Aurors had broken Greg's wards like nothing and then kicked in the door. Greg's screams and yells echoed through the Slytherin dorms and several doors that had been opened a crack to see what was going on slammed shut at the exclaimed vitriol.

Greg spat, "Blood Traitor!" at Blaise as he was dragged bodily down the hallway. If Greg had not been surrounded by Aurors, Blaise would have punched him in the face. Instead he had closed the door and enjoyed a few more minutes in solitude with Luna, although he did discover she had stashed one of the fifth year Slytherin girls in one of the other beds. Luna merely put a finger to her lips and cast a silencing spell around his bed before pulling the curtains shut.

Now it was a quarter to eight and McGonagall was counting everyone in her office. "Ms. Parkinson, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Nott, Ms Granger, Mr Longbottom, Ms Lovegood, Mr Zabini. Oh good everyone is here." She picked up a folio and shrunk it to fit in her robe pocket.

The elder witch checked over a list on her desk and then turned to Blaise with a concerned expression.

"Mr Zabini. I just received an urgent floo call from your mother. Let's get through the floo to the Ministry and I will give you the details. You may want to head straight to the international portkey office after that." Blaise felt the cold dread curl in his belly.

Something was wrong.

Before he could be overwhelmed with even more anxiety, Luna laced her fingers with his and squeezed. Blaise did one of Cordelia's breathing exercises and tried to pull himself together.

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"Where is Cordelia?" Pansy asked, concerned that she didn't see the Mind Healer among those gathered in the HeadMistress' office. She'd never been in this room before and her eyes kept casting towards Professor Snape's portrait which scowled at her. She had never seen an awakened portrait for someone that she had known in life.

"Cordelia and Mr. Creevey have already gone ahead to the Ministry. Along with the Aurors who came to collect Mr. Goyle. Come along then, everyone."

"Headmistress-" Draco paused, his words getting caught in his throat as several pairs of eyes moved from the floo to him. "Might I just have a few moments with my godfather's portrait before I join everyone at the Ministry?"

Minerva pursed her lips together briefly before nodding. "We will go ahead of you and wait on the other side of the floo for you - best not to dawdle, just a few moments. Is that understood?"

Draco nodded profusely, offering Hermione the best smile he could muster as she was the last before their Headmistress to step through the flames.

There was a beat of silence before Snape's voice came from the portrait. "Well?" he drawled. Draco almost felt relief, almost a comfort in Severus' voice.

"I'm terrified," Draco managed to utter out, when Severus' look was of concern and not one of pity or disgust as he had been expecting, Draco knew that surprise was on his face despite his godfather always being the one that he could rely on.

All of his life, it was the same pattern for Draco - a never ending cycle - trying to please his father, his father punishing him, his mother healing him, and the cycle beginning again. When he returned to school, it was always his godfather that tended to his wounds. His godfather who helped him strengthen his occlumency.

Draco hated himself for how he just let his father walk all over him, for never doing anything, for never fighting back against Lucius enough. But he could never hate Severus, not after everything the man had done for him, how he had protected him when he had been alive.

"Draco."

The man's voice snapped Draco from his thoughts and he did not realise his whole body was shaking in fear.

"You are not your father. You will not be going to Azkaban."

"How are you so certain?" Draco questioned, trying to force himself not to cry, nor to occlude despite wanting desperately to do the latter. He needed to keep it together for his trial.

"Look at all of the things I did in my life, all of the mistakes I made. The one thing I can say with a certainty that was not a mistake was protecting you. You are not the villain of this story, no matter how much the Ministry wishes to spin it that way."

Draco sniffled, giving a small nod of his head.

"You were given an impossible and unforgivable task and you did not proceed with it!" Severus' voice was raised now, sheer anger of the situation coursing through him. "Albus Dumbledore was not your friend. He knew perfectly well the impossible situation you were in and yet he chose to do nothing to help you. Instead he had me - a man he claimed was his friend - be his murderer."

Draco furrowed his brows in confusion and noticed the pain the portrait held in his eyes. "I don't understand-"

"What I am saying is that you were given all the tools to be an awful person and you are not one. There were and are far worse… far worse rats who belong in Azkaban, those who are in Azkaban and deserve to be there - like your father. You are not one of those people. You are nothing like Lucius. You are Narcissa's son and that's something to hold onto, Draco."

"Thank you godfather."

"The night on the astronomy tower," Snape's portrait continued,"when Dumbledore died - you told me that he spoke to you of a boy who made all the wrong choices. Do you remember when you asked me who that was?"

Draco nodded.

"That was my friend, your cousin. Regulus Black." Draco's eyes widened, but Severus began speaking again. "I was too blinded by my own selfish choices, but Regulus knew, he knew this was not the path we should have taken. Rumours circled that he had been killed for trying to run away- but he told me what he was doing. What he was trying to do. But that's a story for another time- I will be seeing you after your trial, and next year. I promise you that. Now go, so you may return as swiftly as you are leaving."

His mind swirling with thoughts and even more questions, Draco bid his godfather goodbye and went through the floo.

"Good luck, Draco," Snape's portrait called just before Draco was about to hit the green flames.

The Floo opened directly into the Ministry Atrium, and Draco scourgified the ash from himself.

The group of Hogwarts students had stayed close to McGonagall, and Draco joined their number becoming just as nervous as the rest, especially as they realised that they were being stared at.

"Bloody Death Eaters."

"Ought to get the Kiss."

"Filthy Slytherin Scum."

The voices echoed in the Atrium and they all tensed, wondering if they were about to be attacked. Hermione's wand was in her hand before anyone could blink, and her scowl gave Blaise pause. He hadn't forgotten how deadly the Golden Girl had been in the last battle. Their Headmistress put herself between the group and the crowds, scowling at the onlookers.

"This way everyone," McGonagall said, pointing everyone towards the lifts. Once she had them safely into the lift, she let out a small sigh of relief. "I think we managed to get into here without getting our photographs taken. Let's try to make it to the courtrooms so lucky." She mumbled something that sounded like bloody vultures.

Once they were down in the corridor outside the Wizengamot courtrooms and offices, McGonagall pulled Blaise to the side, Luna followed without being bidden.

"Mr Zabini I have terrible news, your stepfather has been hospitalised and your mother has requested you return to Italy immediately. She's in Rome at the Magical Hospital there, not at your family home in Tuscany. She returned home and discovered all your letters yesternight and floo'd me first thing this morning. She had forgotten to have the house elves bring her mail. It's rather serious with your stepfather. I'm so sorry."

Luna let out a gasp behind him.

Blaise gave Draco a tight hug and whispered, "Good luck, I wish I could stay to see how it goes. Don't fuck it up and owl me as soon as you get done."

Blaise looked meaningfully at Theo, "Owl me twice, as soon as Pansy is done and as soon as Draco is done. I'm gonna be at the hospital in Rome or whatever accommodations my mother has sorted there."

Blaise kissed Luna and tried to pull all the succour that he could from her lips. "See you in a few days."

Luna started to say something, but Blaise was turning and walking quickly not even waiting for her to get her words out.

Luna let out an annoyed breath and muttered something that sounded like "difficult, insufferable men." She went over to speak with Neville in hushed tones and he placed a comforting hand on her arm.

Theo snorted because Blaise would probably be positively green with jealousy if he could see his girl at that moment, but the Italian had disappeared towards the portkey office already.

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"Mr Malfoy, can you please follow me." His solicitor waved to him from down the corridor. Draco looked over at Theo nervously.

"Go on, I'm gonna watch Pans' trial. I'll be up in the gallery for yours as well. Just do what Ms. Wright says, okay?" Theo tried to smile reassuringly. "I'll see you afterwards, yeah?"

Draco nodded, unsure of his voice. He wanted to embrace Theo, kiss him, hold him close for just a few more moments, but the time had passed. They were in a busy corridor of the Ministry. There were reporters from the Daily Prophet around for certain.

Draco walked into the waiting chamber attached to the Wizengamot and found the legal team waiting for him: Mathilda Wright, Thaddeus Penworthy and Hepsibeth Osborne, Aletheia Achidan. The three women were all in similar robes, glasses on, hair in severe buns. Ms Wright was all monochrome, Ms Achidan was a deep umber skinned woman with a bright orange pair of spectacles that were surprisingly festive for a stern barrister. Ms. Osborne was a red-headed woman with a smattering of freckles and a Scottish accent. Penworthy was a younger man being mentored by Ms. Osborne, Draco recalled. He seemed meek for his career choice, but what did Draco know about trials, really?

Finally looking around at the room, Draco realised that he had been in that room before, he recognized a crack in the wall. That his sixteen year old self had wondered why it wasn't repaired with magic.

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Flashback

June 20, 1995

The room was overly white and sterile. It smelled odd and Draco did not want to be there. He had been trying to occlude all day and he couldn't hold it. The trial for his father was happening in a few short minutes and he was trying to follow what the solicitors were saying. It didn't sound good and something happened to Draco that hadn't occurred in years. He started to cry. He was trying to do it silently but a sob slipped out between his unwilling lips.

His father walked towards him and with no warning backhanded Draco. His Malfoy signet ring split Draco's lip in what had to be the most painful metaphor.

"Quit your mewling Draco," Lucius spat, "Narcissa, cast a glamour on his face and take him to sit in the audience. I've had quite enough of his incessant noise."

The solicitors did not even react. The lead simply removed his glasses and wiped them off, looking away from where Draco's blood had dripped onto the floor.

Narcissa quickly cast a glamour while dragging Draco out of the small room saying not a word.

Once they were outside of the room, she healed his lip and kissed his cheek.

"Didn't he want you to leave me hurt?"

"Oh Draco, he's going to Azkaban today. He'll never know the difference." his mother smiled at him kindly. "Now, we just have to go in front of those crowds and cameras and act with the poise of our house, my darling."

Draco watched as her smile melted away and a stern and worried expression took over her face.

Draco tried to mimic her. He hoped when he was an adult he had half the strength she had.

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"Mr. Malfoy," Ms. Wright was saying, her face in a severe scowl.

"Oh, excuse me. I was distracted. This room has," he paused searching for appropriate words, "unpleasant memories."

"Oh," she softened slightly, "Well, let's try to focus. Your mother should be here any minute with a suit for you to wear." She looked at the chipped black nail polish on his hands. Well that certainly won't do." She pulled out her wand and vanished it. "You can repaint them after the trial."

"Assuming I don't go to Azkaban," Draco quipped.

"You are not going to Azkaban today, unless someone has pissed in Tiberius Ogden's oatmeal. Judges are finicky creatures, but I have never lost a case yet and I do not intend for you to be my first."

"The Ministry will present first. It's very straightforward. You were a Death Eater. You have the Dark Mark. You were tasked with killing Albus Dumbledore. You let Death Eaters into Hogwarts castle. Their witnesses are your mother, Harry Potter, Mind Healer Cordelia, a contract employee of Hogwarts and Luna Lovegood. Gawain Robards is also scheduled to give testimony. We will see if he does as he's told me he will. I will be questioning each witness after the Ministry finishes with them. Our witnesses are Minerva McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, and Dennis Creevey."

Draco's head spun at the number of people testifying for him. He started to ask what in the Wizarding World Dennis Creevey wanted to say, but Ms. Wright continued.

"Lord Nott and Mr. Zabini both offered to testify for you, but their family connections would be detrimental and just cast doubt on all your other testimony."

"Witnesses are not allowed to watch the trial until after they have testified, so your mother asked to be first so she could be present for the rest of the testimony. Are there any other adjustments you'd like me to make in the order I call the witnesses?"

Draco looked over the list and had only one suggestion, "I want Hermione Granger to testify first."

Ms Wright looked over at Ms. Achidan, "Aletheia, that means you are up first."

"No problem, Mathilda," the black woman said, not even bothering to look up from her files and notes.

The door opened and Narcissa Malfoy walked in, a garment bag draped over her arm.

"Mother," Draco breathed.

She walked over to him and carefully laid down the bag before pulling him into her embrace, "It's going to be alright, my dragon. I promise."

Don't make promises you can't keep, mum.

He let himself be reassured by her touch anyway. She pulled back and smiled at him, "Let's get you into this new suit before you have to be out there."

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Pansy's trial was practically over before it began. Right at nine she was ushered into the courtroom, and sat in a chair that had been placed on the floor in front of the terrifying cage that she had been expecting to have to sit in. She looked up and saw Theo's surprised face.

The Ministry's barrister stood to address the Wizengamot, a mousy haired woman with thick spectacles and a body not unlike a pear, Pansy thought uncharitably, and her robes were a horrendous taupe colour. She was going to be sent to Azkaban by someone guilty of crimes against fashion.

"Abigail Fawley for the Ministry, your honours. Due to the sensitive nature of the crimes perpetrated against Ms. Parkinson by Death Eaters, we didn't want the ladies of the Wizengamot to have to see such brutal memories as presented by the main witness for the defence, Mrs. Narcissa Black Malfoy. They are available for Wizengamot members to view after this hearing. Please be warned that they are graphic and the guilty parties have already been sentenced to Azkaban. The report from Mind Healer Cordelia Mole also led to our decision. This report is in the file that was provided to each of you ahead of the trial. There is also a letter of reference from Poppy Pomfrey of Hogwarts with whom Ms. Parkinson has been volunteering for the last two and a half years."

"So in considering whether Ms. Parkinson is a danger to the Wizarding World. We found that she is not such a one, so the Ministry offered to waive the trial and offer a probation deal that has already been accepted by Ms. Parkinson's barrister." This was the first that Pansy was hearing about a probation deal, but it sounded good and if she didn't have to submit more memories or take Veritaserum she was all in. The idea of being forced to tell the truth about anything rankled.

"Is this true?" asked the Chief Wizard, looking toward Pansy's Wizengamot appointed legal representation.

Pansy's barrister stood up, "Yes your honour, we have accepted the offer."

The Chief Wizard nodded, "Please read the probationary terms that have been agreed upon for the record."

"Two years probation, a mandatory eighth year at Hogwarts including Muggle Studies, weekly Mind Healer sessions. Ms. Parkinson will submit to wand monitoring and have quarterly meetings with a member of the DMLE, who is being reassigned to a probation supervision position. She cannot leave Britain without prior approval and a tracking charm will be placed on her to ensure compliance. Any violations of this probation will result in a sentence of six months in Azkaban at the discretion of her probation Auror."

The Chief Wizard nodded. "It is so noted. As the Chief Wizard I heartily give my consent for Ms. Parkinson to receive the probationary terms as agreed by the Ministry and her legal representation. Can someone please see if Mr. Malfoy's barristers can be ready to present after the Wizengamot takes a 30 minute break rather than in two hours. I'd like to be home today in time for tea."

One of the clerks ran out the door before Theo could stand to do it himself. He stood there awkwardly for a moment and then looked at Pansy and mouthed "I love you. See you outside," and disappeared.

"Ms. Parkinson," her Ministry appointed barrister said, "Your probation Auror is here, Auror Selwyn. She will be taking you to her office to go over your terms in detail and cast the necessary charms and spells on your wand and your person. Collect your wand from the bailiff and follow her. She is waiting by the main doors."

Pansy looked over and saw the Auror from her house arrest, looking solemn and serious. She collected her wand, trying to keep the joy off her face, still worried that this would all come crashing down at any moment.

She followed Auror Selwyn out the doors and down the corridor saw Hermione and Luna down near the main entrance, but they were talking frantically and did not see Pansy exiting. The Auror opened the door to a small office and pointed Pansy inside, her dour facade never wavering.

Once they were inside and the door closed, Auror Selwyn activated a privacy ward on the door and sat down on the table. Pansy raised her eyebrow, but sat down ladylike in one of the chairs.

"Well," Auror Selwyn said, face breaking out into a grin, "that went much better than I was anticipating."

Pansy felt the air rush out of her body in relief.

The Auror reached over and patted her on the shoulder. "Well done, Pansy. I'm proud of you."

And not sure when the last time an adult other than Cordelia had said such a thing, Pansy Parkinson broke down in tears.

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"Brutus Galway for the Ministry, Chief Warlock, Honoured Members of the Wizengamot." The balding thin prosecutor stepped forward and bowed. "We are here today for the trial of Draco Lucius Malfoy who has been charged with having the Dark Mark, being an active member of the Death Eaters, Use of two Unforgivables- the Imperius Curse on Madam Rosmerta of Hogsmeade and the Cruciatus curse on an unknown number of witches and wizards and the Attempted Murder of the revered Albus Dumbledore."

Theo nearly choked on the use of the word revered, but he practised some of the breathing techniques that Cordelia had taught him trying to keep his face blank.

"The Ministry has conceded to the defence's request that Mr. Malfoy will not be tried inside the cage as he was not in Ministry custody prior to the trial, but if he displays any dangerous behaviour we would like to have the Aurors place him there."

The Head Warlock nodded absently, shuffling papers on his desk.

Theo's eyes went to the horrifying cage with its spikes and bars on the podium where it sat near Draco's defence table. He did not want to see Draco trapped in that torture device and was glad that the Ministry hadn't insisted. He suspected that they could have done it.

"The prosecution calls as its first witness, Narcissa Black Malfoy." Mr. Galway stated. Narcissa was escorted in from an antechamber and was an absolute vision in pale green and silver. If Theo hadn't been utterly in love with her son he would have pursued Narcissa. The woman was a goddess and a fashion icon. There would be pictures of her plastered everywhere tomorrow, of which Theo had no doubt.

"Due to the terms of your probation and house arrest you have to take this Veritaserum," The prosecutor stated, shoving a vial into Narcissa's face.

"This vial is huge, its effects will last far longer than my testimony, is this really necessary?" Narcissa asked calmly.

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy or no one will believe a word out of your mouth."

Draco couldn't believe that they were talking to his mother like this.

If his father were here…

Well his father had gotten them all into this mess hadn't he? He met Theo's eyes and saw Theo was having the same thoughts about the disrespect that this Ministry buffoon was showing to his Lady mother.

Draco had never seen a pensieve so large. He had only seen the small one that his father kept locked up in his office safe. This one also had a projection mechanism that threw an illusion of the memory up in the air; Mr Penworthy whispered to him probably catching the confused look on Draco's face.

"Whatever you do when the memories are being shown do not look away. You can cry, in fact it would be great if you do, but don't avert your gaze."

A younger version of himself was projected upward. Tears stained his cheeks and he had a huge bruise on one side of his face that had come at the hands of Fenrir Greyback.

'Draco, listen to me,' the projection of Narcissa was saying. 'You are going to have to take the Dark Mark tonight. If you do not, the Dark Lord will kill both of us'.

'I can't, mother. If you aren't loyal it kills you, I'll die and then you will be alone.'

'It's a myth,' Narcissa bit out. 'My cousin was no more loyal than you and just as forced to take it. It won't kill you, but if your occlumency shields fail the Dark Lord or Bella will. You have to keep them locked tight. Do you understand me? Pretend that you find this an honour, restoring the dignity of the Malfoy name as servants of the Dark Lord. Whatever it takes for us to survive this.'

'Whatever it takes,' Draco repeated back to her.

The following memory was simply Draco screaming as the Dark Lord Marked him, Bellatrix's cursed knife at his throat. The screams seemed to go on and on.

Theo realised that tears were running down his face as he watched the memory of Draco be dropped to the ground, writhing in agony.

The next memory was earlier.

Draco was not even old enough to go to Hogwarts. His father was using the Cruciatus on him. His younger self was shaking like a leaf as the curse turned his blood into fire. Draco couldn't remember from the brief view what he had done that particular time to deserve it.

The next memory was the Dark Lord cackling as Draco was forced to use the Cruciatus and other curses on Death Eaters as punishment until Draco was ready to drop from exhaustion. Bellatrix held a knife to his throat when he started to flag and threatened to slit him open if he failed his Lord again. Draco pepped up after that.

Next Narcissa begged Snape to kill Dumbledore in Draco's stead. Narcissa Malfoy was hysterical.

Draco struggled not to look away as his godfather took her into his arms and rubbed her back. Had there been something…intimate between them? Draco did not want to consider that at all. It made the bile rise in his throat, whether it was because of imagining his mother being unfaithful or imagining his godfather in an intimate situation he honestly wasn't sure, but he tried not to look away.

Snape made the Unbreakable Vow with Bellatrix as the binder.

"Thank you, Mrs. Malfoy," the prosecutor said. "No questions are needed as these memories prove without a shadow of a doubt that Mr. Malfoy was amMarked Death Eater and was ordered to kill Albus Dumbledore."

Theo sat back in shock, they had given Narcissa Veritaserum for no reason. The prosecutor for the Ministry hadn't bothered to ask her a single question.

The Chief Warlock looked to the defence table, "Ms. Wright, I trust that you have some questions."

"Indeed," she looked to Narcissa, "Mrs Malfoy, was Draco verbally threatened to take the Dark Mark? We did see your sister with a knife to his throat while it was being done, would she have killed her own nephew?"

Narcissa was utterly poised and took a breath before the Veritaserum forced her to speak.

"The Dark Lord…Voldemort…Tom Riddle…made it very clear that Draco was the last chance for our House to redeem itself in his service. Draco had to be Marked and he had to kill Dumbledore. I believe the plan was for him to fail and then be killed as a punishment for Lucius for getting caught at that debacle at the Department of Ministries. My sister was a madwoman and utterly devoted to Tom Riddle. She would have eaten broken glass at his command. She certainly had no problem using the Cruciatus on my son. Although my husband was no better."

"Lucius Malfoy used the Cruciatus curse on Draco? More often than that one memory that the prosecution showed?"

Narcissa nodded, "Lucius frequently used the Cruciatus on Draco when he was home from school. For saying positive things about Muggleborns, for coming in second to one at Hogwarts, for speaking out, for defending me. The list of things that could cause Draco to be punished was endless. He would often strike Draco with his cane or any other implement that was close at hand."

"And why did you do nothing," Ms. Wright asked, "Why did you not take your son and go to your parents or to some other relative?"

"My marriage vows included a loyalty oath," Narcissa said, her jaw twitching as though it was painful to speak of it. Given what Theo knew of loyalty oaths it probably was. "I did attempt to intervene once when Draco was young on an occasion when the abuse was particularly severe. Lucius used the Imperius Curse on me and I was forced to finish the abuse. Draco nearly died. I never intervened again."

Ms. Wright nodded, making some notes and handing them over to one of the other barristers.

"Would you say that Lucius Malfoy held extremist anti-Muggle views and expected his son to also have them?"

"Yes."

"Do you yourself hold anti-Muggle views?"

"No…no I never did. My family made it impossible to say so publicly however."

"But you disowned your sister when she married a Muggleborn, correct?" Theo had to admit that Ms. Wright wasn't giving away anything, her countenance was without any expression.

"Lucius insisted when it happened. We were engaged at the time. I had planned to reconnect with her once I was married and had more freedom than my parents allowed, but then the loyalty oath prevented that." Narcissa stated.

"Why didn't you flee Malfoy Manor when Lucius went to Azkaban?"

"He had previously ordered me to make sure I was home in the Manor by nightfall each day, this prevented my escaping with Draco."

"What is the punishment for disobeying your loyalty oath?"

"Death," Narcissa said, tonelessly.

The Wizengamot and the audience burst into noise at that.

"Quiet! Quiet!" The Chief Warlock cried, "Or I will have the room cleared. I trust you have no further questions, Ms. Wright?"

"No further questions, Chief Warlock." Ms. Wright scribbled some more notes.

"Who is the next witness for the Ministry?" The Chief Warlock asked, as an Auror escorted Narcissa out of the witness box and up the stairs to the viewing audience. She made her way to Theo and sat next to him.

"Don't ask me anything, Theodore," she whispered, turning her attention back to Draco, her eyes raking over his face.

Theo leaned to her ear and said, "And here I was going to ask about the most embarrassing stories that you have about my mum."

Narcissa's small smile was sad. "Best not."

Theo nodded, watching as the Aurors flung the side doors open so that someone could enter.

"Harry Potter for the Ministry, Chief Warlock."

Of course Potter was in full Auror robes even though he was only a trainee, Theo thought.

"It's an honour to have you here, Auror Potter," the Chief Warlock stated. "All the Wizarding World owes you a great debt."

At least Potter had the decency to blush and look embarrassed at that. The bowing and scraping to the Boy Who Lived was so sycophantic. Theo couldn't help but be disgusted.

Potter sat down in the witness seat and said, "I was only doing what needed to be done, Chief Warlock and esteemed Wizengamot. Thank you for letting me speak today."

Theo looked over at the prosecutor who was just smiling like a fool at Harry Potter with clearly no intention to ask him questions.

Potter continued, "I would not be here speaking before you if it was not for Narcissa Malfoy. As I previously testified at her trial, she was instrumental in the success of my fight against Tom Riddle. I have to be honest about the role that her son Draco Malfoy played as well. Malfoy has always been a coward and a right git, but when snatchers brought us to Malfoy Manor in March of this year, he pretended not to recognize me." Despite the positive words that Potter was saying, the scorn positively dripped from every word he uttered. Draco fought against the urge to occlude and made bloody crescent marks in his palms instead.

"Despite the fact that I was with Hermione…Ms. Granger and Ron…I mean Auror Weasley, and he knew very well who I was, Malfoy refused to say who I was. One word from him that day and I would have been dead and Voldemort would have won. His cowardice didn't extend to defending the innocent however and I know that he watched as Ms. Granger was tortured when I was taken to the dungeons. He was too much of a coward to kill Dumbledore as well, Severus Snape had to take that duty from him."

Harry Potter stopped speaking and the silence dragged on.

"Is that all you have to say?" The prosecutor asked.

"It is," and Harry Potter started to rise.

"If you'll pardon me, Auror Potter," Ms. Wright stood, "But I would take just a few minutes of your time with a couple of follow up questions."

"Oh. Of course," he settled back into the seat.

"You stated that Mr. Malfoy watched as Ms. Granger was tortured. Were you in the room when this occurred?"

"No."

"Oh I see. And when Mr. Malfoy failed to kill Dumbledore, were you there?"

"Yes, I was hiding and saw the entire thing."

"Can you tell the Wizengamot exactly what you saw?"

"Of course. I came up to the Astronomy Tower and was watching. Malfoy was crying, blubbering really. Saying something about being chosen for the task and that if he didn't kill Dumbledore then Voldemort was going to kill him. He could barely keep a hold of his wand, but he had managed to disarm the Headmaster. I was about to come out of my hiding place and intervene, but then Professor Snape entered and gestured at me to be silent and I trusted him so I did."

Ms. Wright was nodding, "So Mr. Malfoy hesitated to kill the Headmaster despite Dumbledore being unarmed, and Mr. Malfoy having him at wand point?"

"That's right," Potter stated, looking confused.

"So given the opportunity and means to commit murder, Mr. Malfoy did not do so."

"No, he did not," Potter fidgeted in his seat.

"And then Headmaster Dumbledore was killed by Professor Severus Snape, correct?" Ms. Wright pushed her glasses up her nose. Unnecessarily, Theo thought, but she was certainly masterful to watch.

"But they had arranged it in advance! Dumbledore had asked Professor Snape to kill him as he was slowly dying from a dark curse." Potter was clearly unsettled and nearly yelled defending Severus Snape of all people.

Did Potter know that Snape had been Draco's godfather? Theo doubted it.

"Thank you Auror Potter, that will be all." Ms. Wright sat back at her seat. She must have done something right because Penworthy looked like someone had just offered him his favourite dessert. The man was practically bouncing in his seat until he was quelled with a look from Ms. Osborne.

Harry Potter looked confused as ever, but shook himself and walked up the stairs to the audience, taking a seat in the front row next to some other men in Auror uniforms.

"Next the Ministry calls to testify, Mind Healer Cordelia."

Draco turned as she entered and her calming smile seemed to set his body at ease.

Remember to breathe, the memory of her voice said in his mind.

"Hello Healer," The prosecutor said. "We have provided your report to the assembled Wizengamot, but can you summarise it for the assembled court."

"Certainly. I found that Draco Malfoy is suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and night terrors. He seems to have no other mental health issues. No concerns with Occlumency Psychosis or other types of madness."

"No Black Family madness, you mean?"

Cordelia snorted, "I have not worked with any other members of the Black family, but no, I have witnessed no types of madness that are hereditary in nature. It is my professional opinion that Mr. Malfoy acted as a Death Eater under duress due to threats against the safety of himself, his mother and others who were in vulnerable positions in Voldemort's power or in captivity under his orders. I believe that Mr. Malfoy did everything that he could do short of getting himself killed to protect others and takes a great deal of blame on himself for those he was not able to protect or save."

"So you believe Mr. Malfoy feels guilty for his actions during the war?" The prosecutor asked.

"That is not what I said," Cordelia looked as though she was trying very hard not to scold the prosecutor. "I said that he takes blame on himself for crimes committed by others. Although getting himself killed trying to prevent those crimes would have saved no one. Mr Malfoy was in an impossible position for a boy of his age who felt responsible for his mother's safety and was forced to have a war criminal in his ancestral home for more than two years. The brutality that Mr Malfoy witnessed would certainly have an impact on any one of us. He was tortured regularly and lived in constant fear."

"Malfoy Manor is quite opulent…" The prosecutor began.

"Draco Malfoy was a bird in a gilded cage," Cordelia interrupted, "it was my job for the Ministry to evaluate the child soldiers who were coming up for trial and tell you whether I found them to be a danger to Wizarding society. Draco Malfoy was severely abused by his father a Death Eater, who has been sentenced to the Kiss for his crimes. His Aunt, also a Death Eater, would curse or hex him for entertainment or as punishment. There is no love lost between Draco Malfoy and the Death Eater movement. He was tortured more often and more severely than many they considered enemies, because they wanted to keep him alive to torture him another day."

The prosecutor looked shocked that she had interrupted him and then just continued on her tirade. "I believe that's all for me, Chief Warlock. Your witness, Ms. Wright."

"Thank you Mr. Galway. Healer Cordelia, what is your area of specialisation?"

"I specialise in treating child soldiers after the cessation of war time violence. My team and I have worked in various countries throughout the world. Children are often forced into combat and this causes a variety of conditions that require Mind Healing treatment, including trauma."

"Can you define trauma for the Wizengamot, Heale?."

"Certainly. A trauma is a stressful event that makes a person fear for their or other people's life or safety. The entire Second Wizarding War was a traumatic event and the child soldiers who participated have different individual traumas like participating in combat, physical or sexual abuse, sudden loss of a parent through death or arrest, being the target of hate or having threats of harm made against them."

"And you believe that Mr. Malfoy has been traumatised by the war?"

"Without a doubt." Healer Cordelia crossed her legs. "Mr. Malfoy is one of the young people most traumatised."

"But you do not believe that he is a danger to the Wizarding World?"

"On the contrary, I believe that Draco Malfoy will likely spend the rest of his life trying to make up for his perceived failures during the war, and I don't mean his failure to kill Albus Dumbledore. I mean his failure to save more women and children during the war itself. The young man is an artist of no mean talent and I think that being sentenced to Azkaban would be a travesty. He's no more a war criminal than I am. He was simply put in an impossible circumstance that could have happened to any of us merely by the accident of his birth as the Malfoy heir."

Theo heard one of the Aurors with Potter scoff at that. Theo's hands twitched and he wished that he could get away with hexing the man, but it was assuredly a horrible idea.

"Thank you Healer. That will be all."

Theo wished that he could see the faces of more people on the Wizengamot, those that he could see looked quite pensive. He hoped that they were taking Cordelia's testimony seriously. She was a Ministry-contracted employee after all.

Hadn't they employed her for this exact purpose?

Theo was shaken from his thoughts by the prosecutor calling, "The Ministry's next witness is Luna Lovegood who will be giving…a victim impact statement."

Theo leaned forward as Luna entered. She'd changed into pale blue wizarding robes today instead of one of her quirky vintage Muggle outfits. She looked serene and very lovely. Theo felt sorry for Blaise for missing this performance.

"Miss Lovegood, I understand that you requested to speak today to give a victim's impact statement."

"The person who kidnapped me from the Hogwarts Express was Thorfinn Rowle. He assaulted me and took me to Malfoy Manor, where Lucius Malfoy locked me in the dungeon. Fenrir Greyback threatened repeatedly to rape me. I watched Corban Yaxley violently sexually assault another witch. These are the people that victimised me. I was never Draco Malfoy's victim."

"If you will excuse my asking, Miss Lovegood, why are you here?" The prosecutor asked, running his hand over his thin hair, his expression exceedingly annoyed.

"Why, to share how Draco Malfoy kept me and the other prisoners alive," she smiled at him, and then turned her ethereal face up towards the seated Wizengamot, "Chief Warlock and members of the Wizengamot. I say to you that if it were not for Draco Malfoy I would not be here speaking. He brought food and water into the dungeons almost daily despite great danger to himself. I shared it amongst the other prisoners without revealing its source for fear that it would lead to him being caught."

"Draco Malfoy smuggled food to you while you were held in the dungeons?" The prosecutor asked in startled disbelief. "And how did you know that he was not supposed to be doing it? That it wasn't a source of manipulation to get information?"

Luna's tinkling laughter rang through the courtroom, "I knew very little. I was being held as insurance that my father would stop printing anti-Voldemort articles in the Quibbler. I'm not sure what information you are supposing that I possessed, sir. Draco Malfoy was clearly terrified of being caught. He would sneak in and sneak out. I may have been a prisoner trapped in the dungeons, but Draco Malfoy was just as much a prisoner of Malfoy Manor as I was."

Draco shuddered, it wasn't the first time he had heard Luna say such a thing, but the truth of it cut to the quick. He would have done anything to escape, but he never would have left his mother behind in the clutches of those mad men and women.

"I'd like to share a memory with the Wizengamot please," Luna said.

"Auror Thorne, please step forward," the Chief Warlock said, "Miss Lovegood, if the memory is altered in any way you will be guilty of perjury before this august body, do you understand?"

"I do, sir." Luna smiled. She closed her eyes as the Auror brought their wand to her temple and drew away the thin silvery web of the memory. It was placed in the pensieve and projected upward for everyone to see. Draco clenched his jaw sure of what type of memory this would be. He didn't look away remembering his instructions, but he could feel Theo's eyes on him. It was so hard not to look at him.

"You charmed the heart right out of me. To my whole life you hold the key," A dirty-faced Luna sang at the top of her lungs, "You cast your spell and suddenly I cannot forget you!" The memory zoomed out and on the ground at her feet the bloody body of the nameless blonde Muggle shuddered as the unconscious girl heaved, blood splattering the stones near her mouth.

The witch was nearly covered in blood. It drenched her long ragged skirt, it oozed from cuts and slashes all over her body and on top of that she was covered in bites, the teeth marks of men and wolves. If she survived this, she'd be a werewolf. Her odds of survival did not look good.

The unexpectedly gruesome memory had several members of the Wizengamot letting out shocked cries. Theo watched as some of the older women covered their eyes. He turned and kept his eyes on Draco trying to send him love and support and strength.

"This feeling's utter bliss yet something seems amiss like a Dementor's Kiss!" The projection of Luna was nearly screaming now. The echo of the dungeon door slamming and the heavy footfalls of someone running down the stairs, the sharp jangle of glass potion jars hitting each other made the memory Luna wince. Black-clad and panting, a thinner drawn Draco Malfoy, his lip bloodied and dark circles under his eyes, skidded to a halt in front of the cell door, "What's happened?" He asked, hands shaking as he put the key in the lock and opened the door. "Are you alright?" His eyes ran over the blood all over Luna's hands and knees, as he pulled the door closed, not bothering to lock it behind him.

"Shh, Draco, I'm okay. I'm not hurt. It's her," Luna said, moving to the side to allow Draco see the mauled girl. His breath came out in a hiss as he finally noticed the crumpled form on the ground.

"Bloody hell," Draco exhaled, roughly falling to his knees and pulling out the jars. He pulled out a rag and a bowl and conjured water into it with an Aguamenti. "Luna, help me," he commanded with an edge of desperation to his voice.

She settled the girl's bloodied head in her lap, lifting her shoulders a bit off the cold stones and rinsing the blood and filth off her as Draco rubbed dittany over the ragged cuts on her torso.

As the memory focused closer on the wounds, it became obvious that they were claw marks. Someone behind Theo began to heave and then rushed out the rear doors of the audience area. Next to him, Narcissa's breathing seemed pained, so Theo reached over and took her hand. She grasped it, but hid the gesture underneath a fold of the fabric of her robes.

Luna rinsed and wiped the blood from the pale skin of the dying girl. The bowl next to her was red with blood and she dumped it towards the drain, and Draco refilled it with a wandless Aguamenti, not bothering to reach for his wand that laid closer to Luna than him nor looking away from the flesh where he was rubbing in the dittany paste, his fingers red with a mixture of the paste and blood.

The projection of Draco's face hardened as he lowered the torn remains of the witch's top and cursed when he saw the shredded remains of her breasts.

"I'm not sure dittany will be enough, Luna," he rasped into the cold of the cell. Luna shuddered and stroked her blood-matted hair, wiping more blood from her face.

"She hasn't regained consciousness the whole time she's been here with me," Luna told him, biting her lip and tears welling in her eyes. Draco looked at the bleeding witch in desperation, and then he slowly lifted her skirts and saw the bloody ruin of her womanhood.

One of the clerks at the prosecution table turned a shade of puce and ran from the courtroom. More gasps were heard from around Theo. Harry Potter's leg shook in his seat, but he didn't turn away from the gore that was projected for all to see. Theo felt the tiniest bit of respect for him at that moment. Rita Skeeter was in the same row and was taking notes along with two Quick Quotes Quills. Theo could only imagine what she was going to be writing about this.

The projection of Draco sat back against the damp dungeon wall, his arms across his knees and looked down at his blood-drenched hands. He began to sob silently.

Draco bit the inside of cheek until it drew blood to keep from crying at the memory that he was being forced to relive in graphic detail.

"Just breathe," Mr Penworthy whispered next to him, "It's alright if you cry." He passed Draco a handkerchief which Draco took gratefully with a nod.

Luna stroked the forehead of the dying woman as she bled out on the cold floor, watching the stranger's life's blood meandering through the cracks and crevices towards the grate in the floor, and looked over at Draco.

His expression looked like he was dying just like the girl on the stones. Luna's tears rolled down her cheeks and upon falling, made tracks in the remaining blood on the dying blonde's face.

The only sound was of the slow death rattle of her final breath.

The entire Wizengamot was silent as the memory faded from the air. The silence stretched until the Chief Warlock said, "Do you have any questions, Brutus?"

The prosecutor was still staring in shock at the air.

"Brutus?" The Chief Warlock repeated, not unkindly.

"No, No. I haven't." Mr Galway, the prosecutor, took a sip of water and his hands shook. One of the clerks whispered something to him and he shook his head.

"Ms. Wright?" The Chief Warlock looked to the defence.

"Thank you Chief Warlock. I do have some questions. Miss Lovegood, what happened next?" Ms Wright shuffled some papers and took a note from Ms. Achidan.

"Draco Malfoy took the woman's body and buried her somewhere on the Manor's grounds." Luna stated.

"But you did not witness that part?" Ms Wright raised an eyebrow.

"No, I was locked in the dungeon." Luna pointed out, matter of fact.

"Why did you remain in the dungeon? We all saw Mr. Malfoy left your cell unlocked and his wand was in easy reach of you as he attempted to heal that girl."

"I may be brave, but trying to fight my way out of Malfoy Manor with unknown numbers of Death Eaters, Greyback's pack, and the Dark Lord himself would have been a suicide mission. And if I had escaped, how would Draco have known to come and help the girls the werewolves tossed into the dungeon?"

"Did you manage to save any of them?" Ms Wright asked.

And there was a world of pain in the single word when Luna answered.

"No."

Ms. Wright nodded. "No further questions."

"Thank Merlin for that. You are excused Miss Lovegood. If you ever testify again, please warn the court in advance of something like that young lady," the Chief Warlock said.

"You might not have wanted to see, if I had told you first. And you needed to see," Luna said, "Noone could see that and believe that Draco Malfoy was completely evil or a blood supremacist. That girl was a Muggle and he was covered in her blood."

"So he was Miss Lovegood, so he was." Tiberius Ogden nodded to the Auror who took Luna by the hand and led her to the stairs, she took a seat next to Harry Potter.

Her "Hullo, Harry" echoed in the silence that followed her testimony.

"Hey Luna," the Chosen One replied, awkwardly.

Theo barely restrained himself from pinching the bridge of his nose. Absolutely painful. How on earth had the Chosen One ever managed to get himself a girlfriend?

Prosecutor Galway seemed to pull himself together finally and announced, "The next witness for the Ministry is Gawain Robards of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Draco sat straighter in his seat and caught Theo's eyes briefly. Something flared between them for a second, something dangerous: hope.

"Chief Warlock, esteemed members of the Wizengamot," Robards greeted, seating himself on the witness seat. "Please excuse my presentation of evidence today. I know that I was a late addition to the docket. I will be brief. Draco Malfoy provided to the DMLE twenty memories of his attempts to save victims of Greyback's pack. There were thirty-five casualties. I would show one of the memories, but they are …difficult…to watch."

"Thank you for being so thoughtful," the Chief Warlock interjected, "But Miss Lovegood already showed us one. Can I assume that all are similar?"

"Miss Lovegood…oh…of course. Yes. And Mr. Malfoy's memories included him personally burying each of the victims, which the DMLE has now exhumed and is working to identify each of the victims. Mr. Malfoy's submission of these memories and testimony that he gave to me personally was extremely essential in dealing with this series of murders. I have come to go on record that Mr. Malfoy has voluntarily provided evidence that will allow several members of the Greyback pack to also get the Kiss. He has been instrumental in those cases and I personally would prefer having him work for my office for a prescribed length of time under my supervision rather than serve time in Azkaban. I believe he may have additional knowledge that could be critical in apprehending and prosecuting the few Death Eaters that remain at large."

"Is that all, Robards?" the Chief Warlock asked, and at Robards' nod, "I trust no one has questions?"

"None from the Ministry."

"None, thank you Mr. Robards for your testimony," Ms. Wright smiled. Robards nodded absently in her direction.

Theo recalled that she had been an intern in his office before becoming a barrister. Robards didn't come up to the audience, but instead headed back out of the courtroom.

"Alright, I'd like to move this along Ms Wright," the Chief Warlock stated, "Call your first witness."

"The Defence calls Hermione Jean Granger." The Wizengamot stirred and there was a murmur amongst the audience. Potter sat up straighter.

Hermione walked in, and Theo could feel the nervous energy pouring off of her. He would bet that she was pacing in the corridor waiting for her turn to come in.

Draco couldn't stop staring at Hermione's face. Her jaw was set and she oozed power. He wanted to worship at her altar. He tried to memorise every inch of her in case this trial went badly. This might be the last time that he was able to see her.

Hermione sat in the witness seat, her stern expression not cracking in the slightest.

Theo couldn't decide which of them to focus on at that moment. Hermione looked like an avenging angel. Draco's face showed a vulnerability that he so rarely presented. Theo wanted to remember him like that, a softer version of the often brittle man that he loved.

Ms. Achidan stood with a notepad and a quill. "Thank you for coming today Ms. Granger. I understand that you have a prepared statement that you would like to read to the court?"

"Yes, thank you." Hermione pulled out a long scroll. "My name is Hermione Granger, Muggleborn and one third of the Golden Trio. I am here to testify on behalf of Draco Lucius Malfoy who is on trial today. Mr. Malfoy has made several choices during the course of the Wizarding War that the Wizengamot should be informed of. When the basilisk was attacking Hogwarts, it was Malfoy who placed the paper on basilisks in my petrified hand allowing Harry Potter to defeat the monster in the Chamber of Secrets. At the Quidditch World Cup, Malfoy was unkind about it, but warned me to stay away from the approaching troop of Death Eaters, even going so far as to direct me where to hide. When we were captured by snatchers and brought to Malfoy Manor, Malfoy refused to confirm our identities. I was tortured by Bellatrix LeStrange in front of him, and Narcissa had to prevent him from interceding. During the battle of Hogwarts I was nearly killed by a spray of Fiendfyre cast by Vincent Crabbe, and Malfoy shoved me out of the way despite great risk to himself."

Draco had forgotten all about that moment in the Room of Requirement. He had been hoping that he would die if he was honest with himself. He had thought that it was the only way to escape from his father and the Dark Lord, as Potter had seemed destined to lose at that point.

Hermione continued, "And while he was raised by a renowned Blood Supremacist and Death Eater, the younger Malfoy does not truly embrace those beliefs. His actions attempting to protect me as a Muggleborn indicate that."

"And Ms. Granger, you and Mr. Malfoy have had a fraught history, correct?" The barrister appeared to be checking notes, but Hermione had gone over all this testimony with Ms. Wright several times. She knew that nothing she was saying was a surprise to them.

"Yes. He's the first person who called me Mudblood in our second year and I punched him in the face in our third year. Despite all that, I am here to beg the Wizengamot to show him mercy. He was just a boy on the wrong side of the war. He has a chance now to do some good for the Wizarding World, but that can't happen if he is sentenced to Azkaban."

"On what basis do you make such a conjecture?" The barrister looked at her over the rim of her glasses.

"I have been attending the summer program at Hogwarts with Malfoy and beyond the actions that I mentioned in my statement from during the war, since the war's ending he has shown real remorse for his actions and a desire that he could have done more to help others. I believe these feelings are sincere."

"Thank you, Ms. Granger, I have no more questions."

"Brutus Galway for the Ministry, Ms Granger. May I say it's an honour to have had both you and Mr. Potter testifying today." The thin barrister simpered. Hermione's nose twitched as she attempted to hide her disgust, but it was obvious to Theo and Draco.

"Thank you Mr. Galway," Hermione nodded regally.

"She has excellent poise," Narcissa murmured next to Theo. He agreed, but only nodded.

"You believe that Mr Malfoy is not a danger to the Wizarding World despite being a marked Death Eater?"

"I do, Mr. Galway. I believe that Malfoy wants to redeem himself and make reparations. If the Ministry wanted to be fair then he deserves a chance to live a just life without Lucius Malfoy in the picture. Please place him on probation, but give him the opportunity to do the right thing. I do not think that you will be sorry to have shown such a young man mercy. And I can't have been the first person to come before you today to advise you to do so."

Mr. Galway nodded. "That will be all. Ms. Granger, please take a seat if you would like to watch the remainder of the trial. And again thank you for appearing today."

The Auror escorted Hermione to the stair, more of an honour guard than an escort. Hermione passed Luna and Harry on her way up, and sat next to Theo. Harry looked over his shoulder at her in surprise. Hermione smiled at him, but then turned to whisper in Theo's ear.

Draco desperately wished that he could hear what she was saying. He didn't think that he could love her any more than he did at that moment. Even if she hadn't saved him, she'd tried.

It was more than his father had ever done.

00000000000000

McGonagall handed over her wand to the Auror by the door clearly unwillingly and took her seat in the witness box.

"How long have you known the accused?" Ms Wright asked.

"Since he came to Hogwarts and was sorted. I also taught both his mother and father and was contemporaries with his Grandfather, Abraxas Malfoy."

"What has your experience with the Malfoy family been?" Ms. Wright queried.

"Lucius Malfoy was a violent young man while at Hogwarts. There was at least one instance where he put hands on Narcissa Black at the school due to some petty jealousy. Her father and his had it hushed up and it was quickly forgotten as they were already engaged. He was often violent with people, even those he was supposedly friends with from his own house. If someone from Slytherin House particularly failed during Quidditch they would often have injuries that had nothing to do with the game the following day. He was competitive and that fueled his violence. It became worse once he developed a taste for fire whiskey his seventh year. To be fair, Abraxas was just as violent if not more so, it is likely Lucius was behaving as he was taught."

"How does this relate to this trial, Professor McGonagall?" Mr. Galway huffed impatiently.

"That's Headmistress, Brutus. You'll remember that I taught you as well and I would appreciate it if you would respectfully use my current title."

Theo was thrilled to watch the prosecutor shrink in on himself. McGonagall was a dragon. The prosecutor would do well to remember that fact.

"Now if I can be allowed to continue with what I was saying, Draco Malfoy often returned to school with injuries, often favouring a leg. After a Quidditch game where Harry Potter had beat him to the snitch, he would sport a hand mark on his face. There is no doubt in my mind that Lucius Malfoy was beating the boy. Twice Draco returned after a break with the tremors associated with being cursed with the Cruciatus. I spoke with Headmaster Dumbledore about it at the time and he stated that I did not have enough evidence to take action. He stated that unless Lucius Malfoy had done the Cruciatus in front of me it was pointless to inform the DMLE. I did not agree, however, he was the Headmaster and I could not overrule his judgement. I did however talk with Severus Snape, Mr. Malfoy's godfather and his Head of House about my concerns. And he did not deny them at that time. He stated that he would handle whatever potions Mr. Malfoy needed as he was sure the boy did not want to court attention by going to the hospital wing. I will leave it to the Wizengamot to determine whose attention he did not want. His father was still on the board of Governors at that time."

"Are you saying that Lucius Malfoy was using the Cruciatus on his twelve year old son?" The prosecutor looked horrified.

"I am, and for long enough that the boy showed symptoms upon the return to school after holidays. That's not a second or two. The boy was both terrified of his father and desperate to please him. I think all of his actions ought to be seen through that lens."

"Do you have anything further, Headmistress?" The Ministry barrister asked, seeming to realise that members of the Wizengamot were murmuring sympathetically. It wasn't illegal for a wizard to beat his son, or his daughter for that matter, but it was frowned upon. Using Unforgivables on your children was another matter entirely and was quite illegal.

Despite Narcissa's memories and testimony earlier, it appeared that none of them had truly believed her. They had obviously thought she was tricking them somehow, but no one would dare to accuse Minerva McGonagall of lying.

"Not from myself, but yes, I do." McGonagall pulled out a folio of papers. In an impressive show of wandless and nonverbal magic, she duplicated the folio and sent it flying to every sitting member of the Wizengamot. Theo thought that she had done it just to remind them all that she was one of the most powerful witches in Britain.

McGonagall gave each member of the Wizengamot the force of her stare. "In the folios in front of each of you, you'll find a number of letters. I'll read the first of them now. Madam Pince was sorry that she was unable to be here today. 'To the esteemed Wizengamot and Chief Warlock,

I, Irma Pince, have served as Librarian at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since 1974 upon my graduation from this prestigious institution. In the time that I have been in charge of the library, the number of student volunteers I have had numbers less than a dozen. The number of volunteers that I would advocate for assisting a librarian numbers exactly three, of which Mr. Malfoy is one. Not only is Mr Malfoy excellent at the delicate spellwork necessary for rare book repair, with no prompting or promises from me, he still organised the most comprehensive book drive for the school library that has occurred in the last two hundred fifty years. Nearly every book destroyed in the battle has been replaced. It is a miracle. I know that many of you have children or grandchildren currently at Hogwarts, and the young man whose future you are considering has greatly improved the quality of research and academic materials for their use. Several of these books are beneficial supplemental material for students studying for their NEWTs, a critical point for any young witch or wizard's future.

I would much prefer to have Mr. Malfoy volunteer with me this school year rather than wasting away in Azkaban, where I have been told there is NO library. I am certain this is a shameful oversight by the Ministry.

Sincerely, Irma Pince, Head Librarian, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'"

McGonagall lowered her glasses to look at the Wizengamot. Theo was glad that that glare wasn't directed at him. Several of those seated fidgeted under her gaze as though they'd been caught with a Fanged Frisbee in the Hogwarts corridor.

"Now the following is a cover letter from fourteen first years that I have been asked to read.

'We, the undersigned first years of the incoming class who were sorted in September 1997, have come together to write this letter so that the Wizengamot might be made aware of the horrors of Hogwarts under the rules of the Carrows and Headmaster Snape. We were tortured by upperclassmen in DADA, for punishment and for entertainment. Each of us has been crucio'd, imperiused and tortured with other Dark hexes and curses. Some of us have lost fingers and toes. We were in torment last year and no one was able to help us, except Draco Malfoy and some of his cohorts from Slytherin House. Draco Malfoy used magic to slip into our minds to tell us to pretend that the Cruciatus hurt when it didn't. He would pretend to cast it, but nothing would happen. Some of the other seventh year Slytherins did the same, but we knew to pretend. Draco Malfoy found more than one of us passed out from injuries in corridors and abandoned rooms during his patrols as a prefect, but instead of turning us in, he would hide and disillusion us before sending other Slytherins to smuggle us into the Hospital Ward or into the secret infirmary that was set up in one of the potions laboratories that operated only late at night. None of us would describe our relationship with Draco Malfoy as a friendship, but he saved our lives again and again last school year. His position as a marked Death Eater gave him the freedom to do so and he used it to our benefit, to save Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and even Gryffindors whose names he probably didn't even know.`

Draco wiped at his eyes, he wished he could occlude, but he didn't dare. He knew their names, everyone he saved, every one he hadn't. One Gryffindor boy that had died in his arms as they sat disillusioned by a suit of armour still haunted him. He had placed him in a bed in the infirmary in the morning. It hadn't been enough. Nothing ever could be.

"Do you have anything additional to add, Headmistress?" Ms Wright smiled kindly.

"Only that Mr. Malfoy has been a model student and participant at the summer Mind Healing and restoration program. I would very much prefer to have him back at Hogwarts for the upcoming school year beginning on Tuesday." The tone of McGonagall's voice made it very clear that this was not a suggestion.

"Thank you for making the time to be here, Headmistress McGonagall. I have no further questions." Ms. Wright shuffled her papers and looked to Ms. Osborne, who nodded.

"Any questions for Headmistress McGonagall?" The Chief Warlock looked over at the prosecutor, stroking his beard, clearly deep in thought.

"No, Chief Warlock. The Ministry does not need to clarify any of the Headmistress' evidence." Mr. Galway was looking even more pale and drawn than he had at the start of McGonagall's testimony, Theo noticed.

"Do you think that he is about to be ill?" Theo whispered to Hermione.

"I think he knows that he is going to lose," Hermione whispered back, confidence overflowing in that moment. How could the Wizengamot sentence Draco to Azkaban after that testimony from McGonagall?

Ms Osborne, the grey threading through her red hair shining under the light of the courtroom, stood. "The Defence calls Neville Longbottom."

The doors opened and revealed Neville, holding himself tall and looking the members of the Wizengamot in the eye, but meeting his grandmother's eye and smiling, which softened his expression immensely.

"Mr Longbottom," Ms Osborne said in her melodic Scottish accent. "You have come today to speak in defence of Draco Malfoy, why would a war hero like yourself do such a thing?"

Neville looked at Draco and then up into the audience at Theo and Hermione. "Draco Malfoy is one of the reasons that I was alive to slay Nagini and the Wizengamot deserves to know the truth."

"Can you explain what you mean by that, Mr. Longbottom?" The barrister was as calm as any woman that Theo had ever seen. Draco held his breath not sure what Neville was going to say to the court.

"He consistently ran interference with the Carrows and other Death Eaters, preventing them from finding Dumbledore's Army where we were hiding in the Room of Requirement. More than once we started to leave the room and his voice would ring out speaking to someone who would have killed me and the majority of those we had hidden there."

"How do you know that his loud voice was a warning?"

"Draco Malfoy has never raised his voice in all the years that I have known him unless it was at Harry or Ron. He was clearly doing it intentionally as a warning for those trying to enter or leave the Room. We now know that he was well aware of the Room of Requirement's location, so he could have let himself in and captured all of us at any time. He did not do that, however. Instead, dozens of times we found younger students beaten and tortured who had been healed and left outside the Room; when they woke, one after another had the same unbelievable story. They had been saved by Draco Malfoy and healed by Slytherins. There is no mistaking him for anyone else. Malfoys are distinctive. It would be wrong for a young man who saved so many children at Hogwarts under the horrors of the Carrows and Snape's rule to serve time in Azkaban with the perpetrators of those horrors. If the Wizengamot can posthumously forgive Severus Snape who never lifted a finger to help anyone other than Harry Potter then the Wizengamot can find Draco Malfoy to have been a Death Eater only under duress."

"Thank you, Mr. Longbottom. The Defence has no further queries."

"The Ministry has no questions for Mr. Longbottom and would like to thank him for his service to the Wizarding World," the prosecutor stated without rising, passing notes to his clerks at the table and looking in no small part frustrated with the progression of the trial.

Neville went up the stairs and sat next to Luna, leaning over her to shake Harry's hand, making it very clear to all the courtroom that Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter were still close allies.

"All his associating with Slytherins is rubbing off on him," Theo whispered to Hermione, careful to keep his face blank despite the desire that being behind her earlobe raised in him.

"The Defence would like to call our final witness, Mr. Dennis Creevey," Ms. Achidan announced.

"Dennis?" Hermione looked to Theo, who shrugged.

"He reached out to the solicitors himself when Draco's trial date was announced. If they didn't think that his testimony would be helpful, then they wouldn't have let him testify," Theo said noncommittally trying to trust that the legal team that he had put together and was paying a pretty galleon to were going to pull off the impossible: keeping a Malfoy out of Azkaban.

Dennis Creevey came into the courtroom, wide-eyed and staring around. Hermione felt badly that no one had prepared him for this, he seemed clearly overwhelmed, The Auror had to prompt him up onto the witness seat.

"Mr. Creevey," Ms. Achidan said, briefly wiping at her orange-framed spectacles.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Creevey you reached out to our legal team and stated that you had important testimony that needed to be shared at this trial that was not previously known as you were the only living witness."

"Yes, yes I did." Dennis' leg was shaking and he was opening and closing his hands on his lap as Hermione and Theo could see from their heightened elevation above the main floor. "I think I would prefer to submit the memory, please, rather than say what happened…I don't…think I can…tell what happened…my brother died, you see, and …" He trailed off.

"We understand completely, Mr. Creevey, and considering your background this must all be quite overwhelming." The Chief Warlock nodded toward the Auror standing below him, "Auror Thorne if you please."

"Did Tiberius Ogden just make the blood supremacist statement about Muggleborns that I think he did?" Hermione hissed into Theo's ear.

Theo shushed her, hoping he wouldn't pay too dearly for that later.

"Mr. Creevey, please concentrate on the memory that you would like the Wizengamot to watch. Focus is very important here," the Auror kept his face neutral, because it was clear that Dennis was very nervous.

Dennis screwed up his face and the Auror's wand pulled the silver strands of the memory, which he took to the pensieve. Dennis looked up in awe at the projection of his memory.

Theo wondered if the solicitors had advised him to submit his memory rather than testify, he did not look as though he would be able to handle speaking publicly. Dennis was already crying as the memory began to materialise in the air for viewing.

Dennis was cowering behind some stone debris. Blasts were exploding all around. Spells flew through the air one after another. Fatal green spinning towards victims and finding their mark. A stone wall fell somewhere nearby and there were screams. Smoke obscured what was happening.

A young blonde wizard came into view, clutching his wand in one hand, his camera around his neck. "Dennis! What the bloody hell are you doing here!?"

Colin Creevey's living face surrounded by the chaos of the battle floated above the courtroom. Hermione's hand flew to her mouth in shock as she realised these had to be his final moments. Her involuntary gasp caused eyes to fly to her face, including Rita Skeeter who hadn't stopped taking notes the entire trial.

"Colin, I-I wanted to fight!" The projection of Dennis cried out.

Everyone looked back at the memory then, the explosions and screams more rivetting than Hermione Granger's tears. Theo reached over and squeezed her knee gently, the only soothing gesture that he dared in such a public place. He watched Narcissa's eyes follow his hand and swiftly pulled it back.

"What you are going to do is get yourself killed! Let's get you out of here." And as Colin grabbed his brother's arm to lift him up, a green spell caught him in the back, and he fell on the ground in front of Dennis, dead.

Dennis shook him, "Colin! Colin!" Colin's dead eyes stared back at Dennis who started to shake. "No! No!"

Suddenly a Death Eater emerged from the chaos and pointed his wand at Dennis, "Prepare to join your friend, boy!"

"Bombarda! Diffindo! Stupefy!" Another Death Eater sent the first flying backward. Dennis grabbed at Colin's body and tried to pull him further into the shadows. The second Death Eater was struck with a hex that sent his mask flying.

Standing there, in the middle of the battle, was a bloodied Draco Malfoy. He hissed and looked for his mask, replacing it on his face then rushing back into the thick of the fighting. He never even looked at the Creeveys.

The memory faded.

"As you just saw, Draco Malfoy saved my life at the Battle of Hogwarts," Dennis Creevey announced to the courtroom. "Me, a Muggleborn and a Gryffindor. He was not a true Death Eater. And I owe him a life debt, this I vow on my magic."

The room exploded in noise as people gasped, cried out and conversations raged all around.

Draco could feel the wizard's vow that Dennis Creevey had just made attaching itself to his magic.

Today wasn't going any of the ways that he had been anticipating.

"That's quite enough!" Tiberius Ogden announced loudly, "Brutus, Mathilda, any questions?"

"No," the two barristers said at the same time.

"However, Chief Warlock," the prosecutor stood, "The Ministry moves to question Mr. Malfoy under Veritaserum."

Ms. Wright stood up glaring at the prosecution's table. "The defence objects as Mr. Malfoy was under age at the time of his so-called crimes."

"His crimes are not alleged! The boy has the Dark Mark!" Mr Galway yelled at her, losing his composure.

"I'm perfectly aware, Brutus. But as you just stated, Mr Malfoy is only a boy." Ms. Wright's smile was sickly sweet.

Theo had to restrain himself from laughing outright at her.

The Chief Warlock cleared his throat, "Brutus, I believe that we have heard and seen more than enough to make our decision today. As it is Gregory Goyle's trial will need to be moved to Monday morning. Let's clear the chamber so that we may deliberate. Ms. Wright, you may take your client to the anteroom. We will call you when we make our decision. I don't expect that we will be long."

Draco looked at his legal team, not sure if this was good or bad. They all seemed pleased, so he tried to quiet the desperate pounding of his heart and the desire that beat through him to try to run for it.

For only a moment, he met Theo's eyes before he had to turn away. He didn't even have a chance to look at Hermione or his mother a final time before the Aurors herded him from the room.

Salazar, let that not be the last sight he had of them.

00000000000000

Hermione and Theo were pacing in the corridor outside the courtroom. Harry hadn't come out, Hermione assumed that the Aurors were allowed to remain within while the case was debated. Though it could have just been the privileges of being the Chosen One. She could see McGonagall and Cordelia speaking away from everyone and wished she knew what they were saying. The confidence that she had had watching the trial had disintegrated like a shadow as the minutes ticked by.

Narcissa sat silently nearby, attempting to ignore the reporters who were staring at her and taking photos while they waited.

Luna sat for a while tapping her foot next to Neville. When Dennis Creevey came out of the loo, she ran over and hugged him. He looked like he wanted to crawl out of his skin.

An Auror stepped out into the hall and announced, "The Wizengamot has made their decision, but has adjourned for the day. I am here to announce the verdict. Draco Malfoy has been found guilty of all charges against him, but due to mitigating factors such as his minor age and the duress under which he committed these crimes, he will not be sentenced to Azkaban, instead he is to receive a term of ten years probation, has to attend a mandatory eighth year at Hogwarts and see the Mind Healer weekly. Wand Monitoring, mandatory Muggle Studies, and has to donate more to the reconstruction effort as reparations, amount to be determined by the DMLE Liaison's Office, in addition to restitution to one Madam Rosmerta of the Three Broomsticks Hogsmeade which is at her discretion galleons or labour or a combination thereof of a value no less than one thousand galleons. He must denounce blood supremacist views publicly, work for DMLE or another approved Ministry office for 6 months after graduation without pay. Mr. Malfoy is not going to be allowed to take his Wizengamot seat for a minimum of 10 years and he needs to have a minimum of two children to take the Malfoy and Black Seats in the Wizengamot and once they are adults he must cede his seat/s to them. The second blood heir must possess the Black surname for the probation to be considered complete."

He closed the door and went back inside, leaving the chaos in the hall behind him.

"The second heir requirement is their way of keeping him on probation for life. To my knowledge there hasn't been a Malfoy sibling in generations," Theo said to Hermione.

Theo missed the sharp look that Narcissa sent his way, but Hermione saw despite that the expression was gone so quickly that Hermione thought that she thought she had imagined it.

"All I care about is that he isn't going to Azkaban," Hermione said, "Any probation terms are tolerable."

Draco walked out of one of the rooms down the hall and the reporters converged on him at that moment.

No longer being in view, Theo swung Hermione around and laughed, burying his face in her hair and whispered "Granger, you are the ultimate good luck charm. Our boy is free!"

The door to the courtroom opened next to them and a confused voice said, "Hermione?"

"Oh hi Harry!" Hermione pulled away from Theo, "We were just celebrating the verdict."

Harry nodded and looked at Theo and contemptuously said, "Nott."

"Potter." Theo greeted back, wishing that he could punch the Chosen One in the face.

The tension between the men was palpable, and Narcissa stepped forward and defused it by saying, "Mr Potter, thank you so much for your testimony for my son today. I'm sure it impacted the Wizengamot's thinking."

"Oh Mrs. Malfoy, of course. It needed to be done. I owed you, after all, but I would like to think that we are now even."

Narcissa nodded, "Of course, Mr. Potter. No debts are owed between the House of Malfoy and Potter now. We have a clean slate between our families." Narcissa smiled, benignly in a way that made Hermione think of a snake about to strike.

Harry nodded absently, "Can I talk to you for a minute, Hermione?"

"Oh, of course, Harry," Hermione said, walking a ways down the corridor with him.

"Are you coming to Grimmauld Place for the weekend before you head back to school Tuesday?" Harry asked. "I'm working nights, but we should be able to spend some time together in the evenings before I head into…"

"Oh um, no, I'm…going back to Hogwarts, to help get things ready. I thought McGonagall might have mentioned it. It's been a rough week at Hogwarts."

"Oh," Harry said, looking disappointed, and Hermione hated that it bothered her, but she looked at Theo watching her, a relieved Draco being surrounded by reporters, and Pansy walking out of an office with an Auror escort before being swept up into Theo's embrace and she shook off any guilt.

Harry wasn't even going to be home for Merlin's sake!

Looking for a change of subject, Hermione looked around, "Where's Ron?"

"Oh…He's on assignment…" Harry ran his hand through his hair in that way that told her that he was lying. Hermione realised that she didn't actually care where Ron was. She supposed that was a good thing, that she had moved past him, that she didn't miss him really.

At least Ron hadn't come and sabotaged Draco's trial. She'd count her blessings that he was likely off with some slag instead.

"Well, I have to get back to Grimmauld to get a nap in before I'm due back here for work," Harry said awkwardly. "Um…Ginny's waiting and…" He couldn't wait to get away from her, her so-called best friend.

"Oh, yes, of course." Hermione Granger and Harry Potter shared the most uncomfortable hug they ever had before he turned and walked away. "Give Ginny my love," she called as he walked away.

"Goodbye Harry," Hermione whispered as her past walked away from her and she turned back towards her future.