Master Auror Kingsly Shacklebolt sat in his rickety office chair and thought about 'the Sword of Damocles'. He first heard the term when he drug Crouch Jr and Albus into the cells. While he was locking the Headmaster into the cell, he overheard Bones offer the 'Sword' contract to Fudge and Umbridge.
She needed Fudge to bring Albus before the Wizengamot, and Fudge was useless without the Toad. When they drug Malfoy in, he was not surprised when the Sword was offered to the Warlock, but where did the Boy hear of it? Getting copies of the three 'Swords' was child's play for him. He noticed that the Toad had walked very close to triggering her 'sword' to fall when she offered to release Heir Malfoy
But where did Harry Potter hear about it?
HANE
"Bones has Named House Potter their Champion." Luci 'washed' his face, "And they are backed by Abbot, Black, Greengrass, Longbottom, and Zabini."
"Siri took up his ring?"
"And linked it to Potter." Lucius pulled a flask from under his desk, popped the cork, and pulled deeply. "Not seeing a way to free Draco right there, I asked for a weregild. Instead, I got a Sword of Damocles. If the shit screws up, House Malfoy is no more. I get my wand, and ten-thousand gold. You get everything else and sent to back to Black. The little shit gets his wand and a head start."
"And where is our Son?" the Perfectly Stylish Witch asked.
"I left him in the Cells of the DMLE, where he could do less damage to House Malfoy." the exhausted warlock sighed. "I personally have not seen nor spoken to him about what he has cost us. I would have broken the 'Sword' and landed myself a pauper. No Name, no Leverage, and nothing but what is on my back and in my pockets."
"You signed?" Narssisa stood.
"No, but I said I would sign when it was filled out. I await the Ministry's owl." He took another swig of his flask.
"Then I will see about our Son." She rose gracefully from the chair and walked out of the Study.
HANE
Hogwarts Greenhouse three…
With a grunt, Neville lifted the clay urn full of 'dragon dung' rich mulch and the seedling he had eased into the mixture. He could have used magic, but his wand work was still weak, and lifting it by hand increased both his build and the seedling's health. The little 'guy' was easy to overindulge in the magic of its surroundings, and too much would cause root–rot.
Trevor voiced his presence with a minor croak, as he hopped from the floor in the corner, to the table where the urn was sitting. His tongue snapped out and caught a lacewing fly that was buzzing about due to the dung in the soil.
Trevor, a cave toad in truth, was now the size of Professor McGonagall in her cat form. While he could eat up to a mouse, he still preferred flys and bugs.
Neville set the pot in the corner where Trevor had been the minute before, with a grunt/sigh of release. As he stood and stretched, he looked at the 'gift' his uncle had given him. As a First Year, he was laughed at for having a 'toad' familiar. Trevor lacked everything in class, form, or style. Now as a Fourth year… the Toad had shown his Human why the Toad Familiar was offered. Flitwick had a 'Frog-choir' for those who had dire toads and smaller. But Tevor was a Cave Toad.
At full growth, a Cave Toad has been known to eat small children. In the Garden, the Cave Toad would eat the rabbit and other pests that would eat the leafy greens, trashing the green.
As a Garden Keeper, a Cave Toad was the perfect Familiar. Toad Dung mixed with Dragon Dung was known to grow and enrich the magical traits of the plants. Or so Professor Sprout said as she was looking at Trevor over last year. How Hagrid had missed the fact of the exact breed of toad confused Neville…unless he didn't?
Neville dug his watch from his pocket by the chain. He snapped it open. He had twenty minutes before he was to join the rest of the Fourth Year Griffondores at Hagrid's Cabin for 'Care'. If he left now he could talk to the big guy…
"You okay here Trevor?" Neville asked as he washed his hands in the sink by the door, before removing the apron, and drawing on the black robes with red and gold trim. "Or do you want to come with me to Care?" He slung his messenger-style book bag over his head so that it lay across his chest.
Croak. And as he turned to leave, Trevor jumped and landed on his back, causing Neville to stumble before he could leave the greenhouse. It had been sometime since he carried Trevor without a carrier.
HANE
Narcissa Malfoy nee Black arrived through the Ministry's Atrium Floo. Her Piebald tresses bound tightly to her skull, in a braid and a platinum web with polished jet gemstones hair net. A Silver Spider hair pin holding things in place. With the loss of Dobby, She was finally able to force her Husband to 'buy' a proper Female House Elf, trained in the Arts of Hair Care and Styling. If anything, it showed that he was happy with the 'up-grade' as she was. His hair never had such luster under the poor guy's service.
Where Lucious was a Snake… She preferred a Spider motif. And it showed in her jewelry selection. A Black Ribbon choker with an ivory spider cameo, and matching earrings caught and drew the eye to her alabaster skin. The parasal was carved to look like a web over a jade and silver spider ready to spring upon its prey.
Her Black spider(Acromantula) silk robes were tightly woven and formed to her torso like a witch two thirds her age. Meaning that every male worth their wand was watching her and every female wanted to be her. As such, she had almost one standing between her and the check-in desk.
"Narcissa Malfoy to see Umbridge." While Luci could demand to see Fudge, She did not have the Clout. But demanding to see Fudge's underling was in her purview.
"W-w-wand please." the Auror behind the desk stuttered out. "P-p-purpose of visit?"
She drew her school wand from her belt holster, passing it butt first to the guard. Of course she kept her bespoke wand from France a secret. And like her Husband… it was in the shaft of her Parasol. Narcissa just gave the Guard a Demure smile.
Her wand was scanned and returned to her. A gold ribbon and pin was passed to her, reading; 'Barreling' Umbridge.
She allowed her hips to sway as slinked to the Lift and rang for service. As the cart ratted into place, she smiled over her shoulder, and as the Gate closed behind her, the atrium behind her exhaled as one.
She stepped out on the Minister's floor, and here the people watched the Witch sway up to the Minister's secretary.
"Hello, Love." her black lipstick sparkling in the faux torchlight of the halls. "Be a Dove and tell me where I might find …Deloris."
"In with the Minister." the Busty Witch jumped from her seat, "Allow me a second to announce you." the witch practically ran in her stiletto heels to the office door. Opening she hissed something before standing aside and gesturing the Pure-blood to enter.
Narcissa passed the poor girl, kissing the air by her cheek. "Please see that we are not interrupted." the witch nodded like a bobblehead doll and softly closed the door as she exited back to her desk.
Narcissa turned her smile on the two people in the office with Her. Fudge in his Black and green pin-stripe robes… while silk, were 'off the rack'. Deloris was dressed in bespoke pink wool. "Why is my Son still locked up?"
"Lady Malfoy…" Fudge threw all dignity he possibly had aside and went straight into butt-kissing mode. "Between the three Swords of Damocles contracts, we were forced to hold to both the Letter of the Law and the Spirit."
"We offered to spring him, but Luci decided that a night in the Cells would do the young lordling some good." Deloris was firm in the protection of her Power and pointed the finger at the easiest scapegoat. "We can let you visit as you wish, but Dear Draco will remain in his cell until Nine tomorrow morning unless he is called before the Wizengamot by then." The Toad-faced witch licked her lips, making herself look even more frog-like.
"I will Remember this," Narcissa spoke in a genteel tone, giving the impression that she was seeing their actions as a Nicety, as opposed to the fact that these two incompetents had failed Her, House Malfoy, and even more Deadly, they had Failed House Black. "Take me to my Son."
Deloris scurried to the door and whispered at the secretary. A minute later, there was a tapping at the door.
"Madam." the Auror offered a genuine smile to the woman who was all but Royalty in their society. "This way."
As they neared the lift the red robe spoke softly. "Milady, My name is Yaxley. I had offered to spring your Son earlier, but he declined. Something about while your House could no doubt make it worth my while… until Bones caught wind of his release. He decided that a Friend in the Corp was a better investment." The Lift rattled into place.
Once they were on their way down, he turned to the witch once more. "Is there anything that I can do to lessen your discomfort in this matter?"
"Just get me to my son."
HANE
Albus perked up when he heard the lift arrive.
Another 'Visitor' was arriving. He eased himself to his feet, as he approached the cell door, and leaned on the bars to see who was being escorted in. He was somewhat surprised when he saw his inside man leading Sirius Black down the stairs and into a cell beside him.
"Black." the Headmaster drawled. "What are you doing here?"
"Harry got me a Trail." The 'mad man' grinned. "And these boys have to treat me gently, or Bones is serving the Pup!"
"Just what he needs." snaked Draco, "Another Bitch to service him."
"I think you misheard me, boy." Black was glaring at the young lad. "When I said Bones, I did not just mean the Witch… but the whole House."
The Lift arrived again. This time it was Yaxley leading Narcissa down the stairs.
Black smiled as he saw the witch, "Cissy. You look most ravishing." He leered. "That ass is almost as tight as it was when you got married."
"Almost, Dogbreath?" she slapped her buttock, with her right hand. "I will have you know it is as tight as it has ever been."
Sirius barked his laugh, "But you are no longer climbing the stairs to the Astronomy Tower three times a week!"
"Shut your mouth, you filthy mutt!" Draco was incensed about what the man was insinuating.
"I see your little dragon has teeth." Sirius was serious. "As he is here, I will bet he has the Temper to match. One must think he needs to work on his impulse control. I know I do. My last rage-induced thought saw me sitting in a stone cell for ten years."
"How was it possible for you to claim the Ring?" The witch cocked her hip, knowing that the Aurors around her were bought by the wizards they served in the cells about her, Albus would tell no one as he was a keeper of secrets, and Runcorn only spoke in grunts and sneers.
"Dear ole Mother burned me off the Tapestry and disinherited me, yes. Dad counter-signed the paperwork, but old Arcturus had named me Heir two days before." The raggedy wizard huffed. "Then the Idiots that caught me, decided I was guilty, and tossed me into that Hell Hole without a trail, so my titles were not stripped from me."
"How is that possible?" Narcissa frowned.
Sirius turned his head to glare at the stone wall between him and the headmaster. "No idea, but I believe some backroom deal was made before my cuffs were even locked about my writs."
"What could be so important that someone would do that?" Draco sneered.
"What is the basic common reason we are all here?" Sirius asked. "Not knowing the reason you are here, but I can guess."
Draco frowned… "Potter?"
"Potter." Sirius smiled at his little cousin. "Now if you excuse me, I am going to try to cough a kip while I can." Black removed his outer robe and used it like a blanket as he lay out on the cot. He was soon asleep.
Albus pulled out his woven bag of treats, waved to the two 'Malfoys', and popping a lemon sherbert, copied Lord Black. He closed his eyes and listened to his eavesdropping charm.
"Why did you cast that Curse at that witch?" The matron witch hissed at her spawn.
"I didn't" He hissed back, "I was trying to hit Potter." he shoved off the door and fell back into his cell. "What I forgot when I was tormenting Potter, I had sworn on my Magic that I would leave him alone until the first of the year."
"You were casting the Castration Curse at Potter and what… your Magic in an attempt to protect itself fired at the Witch beside him?"
"Something like that, Mother." The Lad sat on the edge of his cot. "I need some time to myself to think. Yaxely, See my Mother out. No doubt she has other business to handle, so allow her to take care of it." He stood to sit all the way back, as he leaned against the wall, he closed his eyes and began laying bricks for his Mind-wall.
"Come Yaxley." She turned and climbed from the lower level to where the lift was. The button was pushed and the Lift was called.
