Soul Seeker

This chapter will get technical. That’s why it took me so long. I’m sick, and I haven’t the patience to read through my law books and figure out all the nitty-gritty details about land reclamation. If I got anything wrong, or confused, I blame it on Mr. Flu.

IMPORTANT: READ BELOW:
A: All of my law is based on Irish Property Law, which is where I live. Let’s pretend it applies to England as well. (1) The Proceeds of Crime Act wasn’t enacted in England until around 2001 or after.
B: England does not have a Constitution, unlike Ireland, so some rights are not Constitutionally guaranteed. As such, I will change some things to make it fit better.
C: See, ‘Principles of Irish Property Law’ by Fiona De Londras, for more information, as it is the leading text. It is also the book I am using. Some things are also taken from Conor Hanly’s, ‘And Introduction to Irish Criminal Law’.
D: Some of the legislation will be out of date, as it is 2008 now, but 1998 in the story.
E: I have never been to a civil trial. I have no idea how they are done. I am taking a creative license out on it. Leading questions can be asked when cross-examining. Since the Wizengamot exists to prosecute, any questions to the defence may be leading.

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Words: 7,159
Chapter 7
It’s Not Over
May 6th 1998.

In legal terms, ‘property’ is a bundle of rights relating to something. Thus ‘owning’ a house is, in essence, having certain kinds of rights and privileges in relation to that house. Real property is the term used to describe the rights held in freehold in relation to land, or things attached to land. The concepts of ownership and possession are central to the law of property. Ownership is control. The owner of something is the person who has acquired the right to control the thing that is owned. In contrast, possession is the right to enjoy and use something: it is a right that forms part of ownership but is also severable from it.

For example, if Harry Potter owned a pen, he would therefore enjoy both forms of a relationship with that pen. He could stand on it, chew it, throw it, and basically do whatever he wants with the pen subject to common sense and the law. He can also, because of the second relationship, borrow the pen to whomever he wishes, sell it, or give it away. The first relationship concerns the pen itself while the second is concerned with the rest of the world in relation to the pen.

One’s control over land is restricted in fairly logical ways in order to ensure that this control is not exercised in an anarchical manner. ‘Owners’ of property are restricted by planning law, criminal law, law of torts, etc., in the extent to which control can be exercised.

Property law does not cater for a situation in which one owns the land itself; rather property law reflects the feudal principle that people are said to hold land for a certain period of time. The estates can be broadly divided into three categories: freehold, leasehold, and hybrid. Freehold describes the rights held for life, or in an inheritable form by those designated ‘free men’. Freehold estates are said to have two characterises, (a) they last for an indefinite period of time, and (b) they are in relation to land only.

Many of the Pureblood families were well known for only allowing their land to pass to the males of their line. If the inheritability of the rights were restricted to lineal blood descendants, it would be said to be entailed and the ‘estate’ would be described as a fee tail. If the inheritability of the rights were not so restricted, it would be freely alienable and therefore known as a fee simple.

A fee tail will last for as long as a bloodline endures, thus it is an estate that is designed to remain within a particular family. The development of the fee tail is a testament to the fact that for a long time, wealth and status were linked almost exclusively to ownership of land. The basic concept of fee tail was that no member of the family could undertake an action that would result in the loss of the wealth and status of landholding for the entire family. As such, fee tail estates are known to be unalienable.

Most Pureblood families allowed their land succession to be determined by De Donis, which would have required succession to be determined by the normal rules of heirship. At the time of its creation, that would have meant, based on Primogeniture, that the eldest male heir would inherit everything. Where there were no male heirs, and only females, the female heirs would inherit together in what was known as coparcenary. It was also possible to create fee tail males, or fee tail females, or even fee tail marital (where only ‘legitimate’ heirs could inherit).

The fee tail is relatively rare in the modern Muggle world, though there is nothing prohibiting the creation of a fee tail or the barring of an entailment through the Fines and Recoveries Act 1834. Commentators have long been critical of the fee tail, however, due to the potential for gender based discrimination.

Due to the importance of land in economy, law is heavily concerned with ensuring some level of certainty in transfers of rights relating to land. It is important, therefore in relation to freehold estates, that one can easily discern which estate is being transferred by any particular conveyance. The words that are used to indicate which estate is being conveyed are known as Words of Limitation.

Words of Limitation depend of whether a transaction is conveyed Inter Vivos; which someone is alive, or through the disposition of a will once the testator dies. For fee tail Inter Vivos, the grantor must use words that not only indicate the inheritability of the estate – ‘fee’ – but also words that indicate the limitations on who may inherit – ‘tail’. As the tenants in tail will share a bloodline, the words are usually referred to as Words of Procreation. In general, “to X and the heirs of his body”, “and the heirs of his flesh”, or “and the heirs of his proceedings” would suffice. But in order to create a special fee tail, the transferor would have to add the additional limitation on inheritability. For example, “to Lucius and the heirs male of his body” would ensure that only Draco, as the eldest son, would inherit. Should Lucius have had a daughter, “to Lucius and the heirs female of his body” would have sufficed.

In contrast, to convey property in a will, the Words of Limitation would be “to X and his issue”. If the Words of Limitation were incorrect, for example, “to X and his children”, the beneficiary would only receive a life estate in the property, and once the beneficiary died, the property would revert back to the original granter or his heirs, or if deceased, to the state.

It was with this in mind, that the Lawyers employed by the new Minster, Arnold Currant, began work on the newest piece of legislation. War was costly. With every war there always came a period, directly afterwards, where the economy struggled to repair the damaged infrastructure and find enough money to float through the retail sectors. After the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles made it mandatory for Germany to pay a certain amount in reparations to the allied countries. That was similar to what Minister Currant had in mind. But, rather than require money, he planned to compulsory purchase land and property from the Death Eaters, most of which were Purebloods and could afford it.

Under normal circumstances, compulsory purchase could only occur in two situations. The first being to prevent land from being, or becoming, a derelict site and to enable authorities to force owners into improving their sites, and secondly, to purchase land for an ‘open space’ where a development has been carried out with planning permission. For example, if numerous houses were built, land could be taken from a third party to create a park, which would be co-owned by the owners of the houses.

But the Minister had thought to combine the Planning and Development Act 1990 and the Derelict Sites Act 1990 with the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996(1). The 1996 Act allows for the forfeiture of property that the Wizengamot believes on the balance of probabilities to be derived directly or indirectly from criminal activity. This power is exercisable even where the owner has not been charged with, or even convicted of, a criminal offence.

As such, he was aiming to take money from anyone who happened to escape a penalty. If convicted, the most serious punishment would have been the Kiss or Imprisonment. If a person is convicted with a series of offences, he may serve numerous sentences that would run concurrently, though a sentence could be suspended if the Wizengamot feels it is appropriate in the circumstances or if, for example, a Death Eater had turned spy or given valuable information to the Aurors.

Financial penalties account for the bulk of sanctions imposed by the Muggle courts, and generally represent a source of revenue that helps to defray some of the cost of the criminal justice system. If a fine is imposed but it is not paid, the defaulter can be imprisoned as a result. The imprisonment is not in lieu of the fine, but rather in addition to the fine.

Arnold Currant rather liked the idea of criminals paying for their own trials.

If someone was acquitted, or found guilty with a suspended sentence, hey might not suffer Azkaban but they would certainly, once his new legislation was enacted, be paying a hefty fine or forfeiting their lands.

With the combination of the three Muggle statutes, the important and relevant parts being incorporated into his own Bill, his lawyers finished drafting the Fines and Forfeitures (Wizard) Bill 1998. On May 6th, the non-Death Eater members of the Wizengamot met and voted the Bill into law. Later that same day, the Daily Prophet printed a summary of the Fines and Forfeitures (Wizard) Act 1998.

Lucius read over the paper with a frown. He was sitting on one of the couches in the Head boy rooms. Narcissa sat across from him, on the other couch. On the floor between them, lay Draco, looking entirely relaxed. He lay on his back, with Harry sitting on his thighs and Teddy sat on his stomach. The brunette teenager was helping the baby tickle Draco, and the blond playfully laughed and giggled whenever Teddy did. Lucius turned the page and snorted out loud.

Draco looked up at his father, but didn’t ask the others to get off of him. The elder Veela sighed, “Apparently they are re-trying every body suspected of illegal Death Eater activities.”

“Well,” Narcissa said softly, her hands folded in her lap. “It isn’t like we were actually tried a first time. Maybe,” she hesitated, her eyes straying to Harry, “maybe if we do this legally, in public, everyone will know. We wont have to answer to anyone, Lucius.”

“Malfoys don’t answer to anyone,” the elder said automatically and the other two blonds just rolled their eyes.

“Can I see the paper, please?” Harry stood. Teddy remained on Draco’s stomach, and the blond sat up pulling the child against his chest. Lucius handed the paper over, grimacing as the picture of the new Minister, on the front page, sneered at him.

‘The Ministry Acts’, by Elias Hopekeg.

Half of the Wizengamot met early this morning to vote on, and pass, the new Bill, which is to decide the future of those who participated on the losing side. All of those convicted will now have to pay a substantive fine as well as serve prison time. Not that I am against that mind you; I’d prefer they pay their own court costs rather than expect us mere spectators to pay such out of our taxes.

I am trying to be unbiased, but as someone who lost loved ones to the Death Eaters, I hope every single one of them pays the price for their actions. Reformed, or otherwise, I say they should all answer to Minister Currant’s new Act.

The ‘Fines and Forfeiture (Wizard) Act 1998’.

(1) – Participation and Damage
(i) Anyone who participated in illegal Death Eater activities is subject to a fine of 2,650 Galleons.
(ii) Anyone convicted of committing a crime under orders from the Dark Lord Voldemort, and caused damage or harm to property, Muggle or Magical, will be subject to a further fine of 2,650 Galleons.
(iii) Anyone convicted of committing a crime under orders from the Dark Lord Voldemort, and caused damage or harm to a human, Muggle or Magical, will be subject to a further fine of 5,650 Galleons.

(2) – Profits of Death Eater Crimes
(i) Anyone who made a profit from Death Eater activities, whether they participated or not, must forfeit all monies and properties gained or purchased with said profit.
(ii) Anyone proven to have bought or handle property that could be considered a profit from Death Eater activities will also forfeit said properties, regardless of whether they participated in the Death Eater activity or not.
(iii) Property that could be considered a profit from a Death Eater attack include:
(a) Homes of Muggles/Wizards killed or tortured.
(b) Monies of Muggles/Wizards killed or tortured.
(c) Monies made selling a Muggle or Wizard to any establishment, trade, persons, etc.
(d) Monies made selling said homes/possessions of Muggles/Wizards killed or tortured.
(e) Anything given to a Wizard or taken from a Muggle while said Muggle was under a mind influencing curse, potion, etc., such as the Imperious.
(iv) A further fine of 1,250 Galleons will be imposed on anyone convicted on the balance of probabilities of using any such mind influencing magic on a Muggle/Wizard.

(3) – Wizengamot Fees
(i) Anyone who is tried is required to pay 1,250 Galleons to the Wizengamot to cover the costs of a trail.
(ii) Anyone convicted in the Wizengamot is required to pay a further 500 Galleons to cover the cost of transportation to Azkaban.
(iii) Anyone tried and/or convicted in the Wizengamot and cannot afford to pay, or fail to pay, the required fees will automatically forfeit all land and properties to the State of Wizarding Britain.
(iv) Anyone who appeals their sentence before the Wizengamot must pay a subsequent fee of 1000 Galleons.

(4) – Forfeiture Upon Sentencing
(i) Anyone convicted in the Wizengamot and sentenced to less than twenty years in Azkaban will have their lands and properties frozen until their sentence has been completed.
(ii) Anyone convicted and sentenced, but with children remaining in the custody of a wife, husband, friend, etc., and the children have not been convicted, all properties and land will go directly to the eldest child. Control will revert to the Head of the Household once the sentence has been completed.
(iii) Anyone whose spouse is tried and sentenced, if they are found to have not participated or assisted and the spouse is convicted, all properties remain with them and not with the spouse.
(iv) Anyone convicted in the Wizengamot and sentenced to more than twenty years in Azkaban will automatically forfeit his or her land and properties to the State of Wizarding Britain.
(v) Anyone convicted and sentenced, but with children remaining in the custody of a wife, husband, friend, etc., and the children have not been convicted, all properties and land will go directly to the eldest child. Once the sentence has been completed all possessions remain under the control of the eldest child.

(5) – Remedies
(i) Appealing the sentence will cost a further 1000 Galleons. It is not guaranteed that the sentence will be overturned on Appeal. It is possible that the sentence could be increased, rather than decreased or suspended.
(ii) Land and properties will not be forfeited if not convicted.
(iii) Fees may be mitigated, if, without conviction, the accused can find somebody reliable and willing to testify on their behalf against the charges. If the Wizengamot considers such a person competent and compellable then the fee and additional fees will be substituted for a total fee of 1,250 Galleons (costs of a trial).
(iv) Anyone who is given a suspended sentence must only pay 1,250 Galleons (cost of a trial).

As you can all comprehend, this new Act will possibly be the best thing to have happened to Wizarding Britain since Harry Potter was born. On behalf of all of my readers, I would like to say congratulations to Minister Currant, and thank you to Harry Potter, defeater-of-the-Dark-Lord.

“Well, that’s a bit rubbish, isn’t it?” Harry said quietly. He looked over each of the Malfoys, the people who become or were slowly becoming a part of his family and he didn’t doubt they could afford it, but there were many people out there who couldn’t.

He thought about Snape. The man’s mother was a Pureblood, but he seemed to not have anywhere to live other than the castle. Maybe his land had already been seized or his father had sold it when his mother died, or something. He couldn’t be earning very much on a teachers salary. But then again, he had been a spy, and if he was convicted it would probably only be to a suspended sentence. He wouldn’t, hopefully, have to pay more than the 1,250 Galleons.

“Let’s see?” Draco held his hand out, read through the article quickly and scowled. “No doubt we’ll be one of the first on trial.”

“Well,” Harry scratched the back of his neck. He bent down to pick Teddy up, who had remained on Draco and was dozing slightly. “I’ll testify for you all, if you want.” He said it softly, carrying Teddy into his and Draco’s bedroom and shut the door after himself.

Lucius watched him go with narrow eyes, before he smiled slightly. “I think I could learn to like him.”

“You don’t like him?” Narcissa asked curiously. “I do. He’s a little uptight, but he is a Gryffindor, I suppose.” Draco glared between his parents, wanting to stick up for his mate, but also wanting to hear what his parents’ thoughts were on the boy he loved.

“Yes, I like him. But not enough to consider him one of us. Not yet.” He ran a hand through his hair, thoughtfully, eyeing Harry as he stepped back into the room.

“What?” The brunette asked. He sat beside Narcissa on the couch, and Draco leant back against his legs.

“Nothing.” The other three said together.

XXX

May 8th 1998.

The summons came by owl a day after the Act was passed and published. All three Malfoys were required to attend, though only the two males would have to stand trial. Harry left Teddy with Mrs. Weasley: it was the first time he had seen her since the war ended. He had been unconscious when they buried Fred. Harry went with the Malfoys since Teddy was taken care of, and to his surprise, Hermione also volunteered to go.

“If one witness is helpful, then two may very well be essential,” she had said when Harry asked why she was waiting in the Headmistresses office. Ron had trailed after her, but he didn’t say anything about helping. Of course he was happy that Harry was happy, but he didn’t see why Harry let the Malfoys use him. When the battle was first over, Harry had to vouch for them, and now he was going to have to go on trial for them, and they’d probably just screw him over in the end. Ron shot Draco a glare before Hermione dug him in the ribs.

The six of them went through in pairs, and even after they had exited the floo in the Atrium, Draco remained holding on to Harry’s hand. They took the elevator up to Level Ten. Three Aurors met them outside of Courtroom Eight. Harry shuddered as they passed Courtroom Ten, and he remembered the horrible feeling of being looked down on by all of those people. Hermione remembered as well, but she was thinking of the time they had stolen the locket back from Delores Umbridge and saved that Muggleborn woman.

“You,” a female Auror said taking hold of Narcissa’s arm, “come with me.”

The elder male motioned Harry and Hermione to follow the woman, and he grabbed Ron, pulling him further down the corridor. Ron was made to sit in the spectators stand. Nosy witches and vindictive wizards surrounded him, and he had the fleeting thought that Fred and George would have loved to be there, taking bets on the sentencing, but he squashed it. Fred was gone, and George didn’t do fun things anymore.

The last wizard, a young fellow, smiled at Draco, nodded to Lucius, and said, “this way please.”

The two Veela looked at each other and nodded. Heads high and backs straight, they followed the Auror into Courtroom Eight. Draco was made to sit in the corner of the room, the Auror remaining by his side. Lucius took the stand instantly, repeating the vow to tell the truth that the Supreme Mugwump read out to him.

Kingsley Shacklebolt had taken over when Dumbledore died, and with all the chaos of the war he hadn’t had time to find a replacement. So, he was still the Supreme Mugwump (the Wizarding version of a Judge).

“Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, did you or did you not participate in illegal Death Eater activities?”

“I did.”

“Did you or did you not, under order from the Dark Lord V-V-Voldemort, cause harm or damage to a Muggle or Wizard, property belonging to either a Muggle or Wizard, or both.”

”Both.”

“Did you or did you not make a profit from any of the illegal activities you have admitted to participating in?”

“I did not.”

“Very well.” He cleared his throat. At his side, a short, balding man was hurriedly taking down everything that was said. “Did you or did you not ever place a Muggle or a Wizard under any mind altering potions or curses, etc.? For the record, it is not relevant which type of magic he used, nor is the accused required to state the type of magic used.”

“I did.” Lucius was rather relieved that he wasn’t required to tell them he had used several Imperious cursed. Each was punishable by a lifetime in Azkaban.

“You are required to pay 1,250 Galleons for the cost of this trial. Do you understand that if you are convicted you will have to pay a further 500 Galleons, and if you fail to make these payments you forfeit your properties as a result?”

“I understand, Justice.”

Kingsley looked the man over and frowned. In the witness stand Harry and Hermione both looked over at him, and he met their eyes briefly before nodding. “Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, I, for the defence of Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, call Harry Potter to the stand.”

Harry walked towards them. Rather than sitting in the chair where Lucius sat, in the same position he had been in when he had been questioned before fifth year, he was seated in a small box almost directly beside Kingsley’s seat.

“Were you aware that the accused had participated in any attacks?”

“I was.” Harry licked his lips nervously. He had always hated speaking in front of a crowd. Everyone’s eyes seemed to be on him, and him alone; it was like he was on trial again.

“Can you illustrate said attacks, or activities for the benefit of the court, in your own words.” The scribe was still taking notes, rubbing at his forehead with ink stained hands.

“Um,” Harry looked around as he spoke. He met Draco’s eyes and smiled. The blond relaxed almost immediately and he leant forward, eagerly listening to Harry. “Well he was one of the people who were involved in the attack during the Quidditch World Cup, but he didn’t actually hurt anybody though. Er, he was there during the final battle too, at Hogwarts, but he wasn’t really participating.”

“Explain, please?”

“Um, well, he was with Voldemort.” There was a loud intake of breath from nearly everyone in the room. “But he was asking to stop the fighting. He was trying to find Draco. Draco didn’t leave the castle when the students were evacuated; he was, er, with me. Lucius was-”

“The accused,” Kingsley corrected.

“Sorry, the accused was sent to find Professor Snape. I didn’t see him attack anyone. He found Snape that was it. He found me later, and well,” Harry rubbed the back of his neck again. “He sort of helped save my life. So, yeah.” Harry shrugged. He wasn’t quite sure what else he was meant to say or do. He didn’t want to explain every little detail, because most of it was private and personal, and he didn’t want anyone knowing about the Horcruxes either.

“Thank you.” Harry nodded at the black man and walked, slowly, back to the witness stand. When Kingsley looked at her, Hermione shook her head. “Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, if you would trade places with the second accused, Draco Lucius Malfoy. The matter of conviction and sentencing will be carried out at the end.”

Draco and Lucius swapped places. Draco repeated the vow after Kingsley, his eyes focussing on Harry’s face. His hands were trembling, and he clutched at the armrests so that no body would notice. Narcissa watched him. She was also in the witness stand. At that point in time, a spouse was not a competent witness, but they were in regards to a child.

“Draco Lucius Malfoy, did you or did you not participate in illegal Death Eater activities?”

“I did.” Draco’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

“Did you or did you not, under order from the Dark Lord V-V-Voldemort, cause harm or damage to a Muggle or Wizard, property belonging to either a Muggle or Wizard, or both.”

”I did.”

“Please be specific.” Kingsley looked at the younger blond, and felt a small stirring of pity within him. Draco was just a child, Harry’s age, and he knew that children rarely had any say in their lives when it came to important events. More than likely, Draco was just a victim of circumstances, but it was necessary nonetheless to hold a trial for him.

“I tortured a Death Eater once, because He asked me to. He said he’d torture me if I didn’t. I didn’t destroy any property though.”

“Thank you. Did you or did you not make a profit from any of the illegal activities you have admitted to participating in?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Did you or did you not ever place a Muggle or a Wizard under any mind altering potions or curses, etc.? For the record, it is not relevant which type of magic he used, nor is the accused required to state the type of magic used.”

“Y-Yes,” he stuttered. During his sixth year he had placed Madame Rosmerta under the Imperious Curse. He wasn’t proud of it, but he had been getting so desperate by that point that he felt he had no other choice.

“You are required to pay 1,250 Galleons for the cost of this trial. Do you understand that if you are convicted you will have to pay a further 500 Galleons? As he is under eighteen at the time of trial and/or conviction, any fines owed by the second accused will be made payable from the Head of the Household, being the first accused Lucius Abraxas Malfoy.”

“I understand, Justice.”

Kingsley shook his head slightly. “Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, I, for the defence of Draco Lucius Malfoy, call Narcissa Malfoy to the stand.” She took her seat and nodded at him. “Were you a witness to any of the activities admitted to by the accused?”

“Yes. I was there when he was marked. I tried to stop it, Draco didn’t want to be marked, but he didn’t have a choice. At first he thought it was all a game of some sort, working for the Dark Lord, being important, but I knew it wasn’t what he’d want. I made Professor Snape swear an unbreakable vow to protect Draco. My safety and Draco’s safety was threatened on a regular basis.”

“Please say ‘the accused’.”

“Oh,” she said, eyes tearing up slightly. “The accused did torture another Death Eater, but he did it to keep himself and myself safe from the Dark Lord.”

“The Dark Lord resided at your home, did he not?”

“Yes. After my husband went to Azkaban he came and demanded we show him hospitality. He took the entire manor over. There was no where else for us to go so we just had to deal with it.”

“Very well. I now call Harry Potter to the stand.” Narcissa grabbed hold of the brunette as they passed by each other, and she squeezed his arm before letting go and making her way to the witness box. “Harry,” Kingsley said, “did you witness the accused during any of the previously mentioned activities?”

“Yeah. He let the Death Eaters into Hogwarts at the end of my sixth year. But like Narcissa said, he did it to keep his family safe. I mean, I probably would have done the same.”

The scribe looked up, wide-eyed, as Harry finished the sentence. “Strike that from the record.” Kingsley said with a scowl.

Harry carried on talking. “I saw him, before it happened, and he was crying. It was sort of obvious he didn’t want to do it, but he was afraid, you know? Pretty much everyone was afraid by that point.”

“But not yourself?” Kingsley asked with a grin.

“I was terrified, but Gryffindors hide it better than Slytherins. All that recklessness is just an act.” Harry grinned back.

“Now, if Hermione Granger would take the stand for the defence of Draco Lucius Malfoy.” The teenagers swapped places. “You were kidnapped, were you not, during the past year?”

“Yes, Justice. By Fenrir Greyback and a team of Snatchers.”

“They brought you to Malfoy Manor, didn’t they?”

“They did. Harry, Ron and myself.” Hermione brushed her hair back off her face, her cheeks red.

“In your own words, please tell the Wizengamot what occurred.”

“Well, we were in a forest, searching for certain items that would help us defeat Voldemort – oh, it’s only a name, honestly! – when they appeared. I hexed Harry so they wouldn’t be able to recognize him, and they brought us to Malfoy Manor. Mrs. Malfoy let us in, and Mr. Malfoy and the accused were in a study. The accused denied recognizing us, though I’m certain he knew very well who we were.”

“Why do you think he did that?”

“Well, Harry is his mate, isn’t he? And Harry was really the only chance you had of defeating Voldemort, and I was certain Draco wouldn’t have made a good Death Eater. His bark is worse than his bite, to quote a Muggle phrase.”

“Continue.”

“I think they were about to send us away, or let us go, but more likely leave us in the dungeon, which would have been a good thing because we would have been able to escape sooner then. Bellatrix Lestrange came though. She tortured me.”

“Did the accused participate?”

“No. He didn’t help me either, but honestly what could he have done? I wouldn’t have expected him to put himself in danger for my sake, because to be honest, Harry and Ron do that enough as it is. Foolish boys. He was sent to fetch Griphook. He is a goblin, and was employed by Gringotts. During that time, Harry found a way to escape and rescue us. He does that.” Harry had gone bright red, and even though he wasn’t on trial and he wasn’t on the stand, all eyes had turned to him again.

“You escaped? Unharmed.”

“Well I was tortured, and Mr. Olivander and Griphook were pretty sickly looking, but we all survived.”

“Harry mentioned that the accused didn’t evacuate the school when he was told to. Why, to the best of your knowledge, was that?”

Hermione frowned. “I don’t know if I’m the right person to ask, but as far as I know he went looking for Harry. He found Harry, and during an explosion that killed a friend of mine, he inadvertently saved Harry’s life.” She paused. “Later, after Voldemort had been killed, the accused helped us stun the remaining Death Eaters, the ones that hadn’t fled.”

“Please, leave the stand.” Kingsley waited till Hermione had taken her seat beside Harry. “The Wizengamot will take a ten minute recess to decide the outcome of the trial against Lucius Abraxas Malfoy and Draco Lucius Malfoy, to be decided independently.” He tapped his wand against the bench and a small ringing sounded through the room. Each person wearing the pink robes stood and left the Courtroom in single file.

Everyone else remained behind.

Ten minutes later, Kingsley addressed the crowd again. “Lucius Abraxas Malfoy you have been convicted of participating in Death Eater activities, of causing harm to property and people, of using mind altering magics, all of which accumulate to a fine of 12,200 Galleons. You are also required to pay 1,250 Galleons to cover the cost of this trial. However, the Wizengamot are satisfied that your witness is competent and, as such, your sentence has been suspended. You are henceforth required to pay, only, a sum of 1,250 Galleons, for the cost of the trial. You are free to leave. You have ten days to pay the required fine.”

Lucius stood, and anyone who knew him well enough could see he was shocked. His hands were shaking, but he pulled his sleeves down to hide his hands, and he left the room silently.

“Draco Abraxas Malfoy you have been accused of participating in Death Eater activities, of causing harm to property and people, of using mind altering magics, all of which accumulate to a fine of 12,200 Galleons if convicted, but have been acquitted on the grounds of Duress. The Wizengamot have found your witnesses competent and, as you are under the age of eighteen, your Head of family will be required to pay 1,250 Galleons to cover the cost of this trial on your behalf. He has ten days to pay the required fine. You are free to leave.”

Ron was the first out of the Courtroom. He found Lucius leaning against the wall, his shoulders shaking slightly. Narcissa went to him immediately, and Harry smiled softly as they held each other. He didn’t watch them for long because soon enough Draco had thrown himself into his mate’s arms, and Harry held him tightly.

“That wasn’t so bad. You only have to pay 1,250 each rather than 13,450 Galleons each.” Hermione said to herself.

“Bloody hell!” Ron said, turning to glare at Hermione. “Why are you relieved? You’re not fucking one of them too are you?”

”Ronald!” Hermione hissed. She had her hands on her hips, looking utterly scandalised and sounding so much like Mrs. Weasley that even Harry took a step backwards. “What has gotten into you?”

“It isn’t fair!” He shouted. The elder Malfoys looked at them, bemusedly curious but at the same time, horrified by their undignified behaviour. Though neither of them said anything with Harry standing there. Harry and the Muggleborn had helped them; even Lucius was a decent enough person to not want to offend them so soon after accepting their help. “They deserve it!”

“Deserve what? Honestly!” She huffed, tapping her foot against the ground.

“They didn’t lose anyone. They all survived. They didn’t have to watch anyone they loved die, did they? The least they should have to do is pay a stupid fine. But no! of course not. Poor Veela Malfoy, fucking fortunate enough to land himself with Harry. Of course Harry isn’t going to refuse. He wouldn’t say no if you asked him to saw his leg off!”

“I offered Ron.”

“Why?” He turned on the brunette, his face as red as his hair. His eyes were watering, and he tried hard not to think about Fred. “Why would you do that?”

“You know they could have sent Draco to Azkaban right?”

“So what? We won, they lost; they should be punished.” He was actually crying now.

“And if we had lost? Wouldn’t you want someone to stick up for your family?”

“That isn’t the same Harry. My family got hurt. Yeah, Death Eaters lived in their house. My brother was killed, and another was mutilated, and that was his fault.” Ron pointed at Draco, ignoring Hermione’s mutter of ‘pointing is rude, Ronald’. “It’s not like he can’t afford to pay a fine. He’s always on about how bloody rich he is. What the fuck Potter?” He reached out to shove Harry lightly. “You couldn’t have just let them pay the fine? Sure maybe not Azkaban, but they deserved some punishment.”

Ron shoved Harry again. The brunette just looked at him, an eyebrow raised, just waiting for Ron to come to terms with everything in his own time like they always did. Ron pushed him again and Hermione sighed. Boys were so silly sometimes.

Apparently the third time was the charm, because when Harry was shoved that last time, Draco growled at Ron. The red head flew back into the wall with a crack. H opened his eyes, groaned slightly from the throbbing in the back of his head and looked at the tip of the blond’s wand. “Don’t touch my mate!”

Harry had one hand on Draco’s arm, trying to push the wand away from Ron’s face, but the Veela wasn’t budging. “You attacked me.” Ron accused.

“You attacked my mate.”

“I barely touched him!” Ron spat, standing up. “Harry isn’t as much of a wimp as you are, ferret face. He’s had worse.”

Draco growled again, taking the words as a threat to his mate. Harry rolled his eyes and chuckled at the look Hermione was shooting Ron. Ron moved forward, more than likely planning to punch Draco, but the Veela was acting on instinct now. His mate’s safety was paramount, and with that thought in mind he assumed Ron planned to attack Harry. He punched Ron in the face and the boy’s head snapped back before he went down like a sack of potatoes.

When he came around a few minutes later he nodded, and pursed his lips in thought. “Maybe you aren’t so bad, Malfoy.” Ron said.

The blond looked slightly stunned. Harry and Hermione were kneeling on the ground beside the redhead, and the elder Malfoys were standing protectively in front of their child.

“Merlin knows Harry needs somebody to keep him safe.” Ron snorted. “Always getting into trouble, that one is. You keep defending him Malfoy, and I’ll stop wanting to beat the living daylights out of you. Deal?” He didn’t wait for a response.

He stood up, and with Hermione’s help he made his way back to the Atrium and then to Hogwarts. It was around the time Draco’s fist was flying towards his face that Ron realized that the Veela could be good for his friend. Unlike Ginny, Draco would be willing to take charge once in a while, despite being a submissive. He would protect Harry, and take care of Harry, and Harry was definitely someone who deserved to be pampered once in a while.

When Harry and the Malfoys arrived back at Hogwarts the first person they saw was Luna. She was crying softly, while humming to herself. When Ginny came running down the corridor, also crying, Harry thought they might have had a fight. Ginny threw herself at him, and he automatically reached out to catch her. Ignoring Draco’s dark looks, she clung to Harry, sobbing against his chest and he uncomfortably attempted to comfort her.

“What’s the matter?” He asked Luna, because she didn’t seem to be crying as much as Ginny. Draco thought she was probably faking it for attention.

“They found him,” she said airily, staring up at the ceiling. She started humming again. A minute into the tune, she turned back to Harry and said, “he fell on her you know.”

“It was ho-horrible,” Ginny sobbed. “We were cleaning the Room of Requirements, just some of us from D-Dumbledor-res Army. He just fell on me. Oh Harry! I was cleaning and then he fe-fell on me.”

“Who?” The brunette looked utterly confused. He turned to look at Draco but the Veela had gone pure white.

“Vince?” Draco whispered and Harry suddenly remembered. He had saved Draco, and Ron had saved Goyle, but no body had gotten Crabbe out of the Room. He would have either been killed by a stray curse or by the Feindfyre. He couldn’t believe they were still finding corpses.

“It wasn’t pleasant, Harry,” Luna said softly. She smiled at Draco then, “sorry,” she said before she started humming again. She skipped off down the corridor, but Ginny remained pressed against Harry’s chest crying.

“I’ll see you.” Draco said quietly, before he followed his parents back to their room. Harry wanted to go with him, but no matter how much he pushed at her, Ginny wouldn’t let go.

XXX

May 14th 1998.

He could hear the screaming.

He could smell the blood.

All before he could see the bodies. When he finally spotted them, they were everywhere. Seven of them in total, three adults and four children: all of them Muggle. Fenrir was there again, leading the attack. Harry didn’t understand why he could still see these visions, these events. Before he was able to see them through Voldemort’s eyes because of the curse scar, but now Voldemort should have been dead, the scar shouldn’t have had power over him, but it did. His scar still hurt. He was still able to see and hear and feel the Muggles writhing in pain. Screaming and crying and begging.

And a part of him enjoyed it, and that made everything so much worse.

The three adults were already dead. Parts of them were scattered across the lawn, arms and legs and feet and hands all severed from one another, thrown haphazardly out of the way or discarded after being chewed on. Six werewolves snarled and ate, covered in blood and bits of flesh and bone, enjoying the feast laid out before them. Each still looked human, except for the amber eyes and the sharp, pointed teeth. Fenrir watched them all, looking very much like a proud father might after his son learnt to ride a bike.

Four Rouges were casting curses on the remaining four Muggles, the children. They screamed and screamed, and Harry found himself screaming with them. He screamed for it to stop, for them to just die, he screamed to join in, desperately wanting a turn to make them beg so prettily. He wanted to have a chance to play. He never got to play and he hated it. This was his game, his, and he would be damned if those pathetic Muggles denied him anything else he wanted. As Harry thought that, his scar flared and he cried out in his sleep. Something warm and wet ran down his leg and he wondered briefly if he was bleeding.

Then he woke up.

“Morsmorde,” was the first word out of his mouth, but he knew the Dark Mark had appeared over the Muggles and not above his bed.

His legs were wet and Harry suddenly, with much embarrassment, realized he had pissed in the bed. Fortunately, it was late in the morning and Draco had already woken up. He reached for his wand and vanished the sheets. Almost immediately, clean sheets were on the bed and Harry thanked the house elves for small mercies. He didn’t know how he would have explained himself. Merlin, he hated wet the bed since he was seven!

What kind of freak wets the bed at his age?

XXX

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Thanks for reading. If you review, I’ll try and reply to you with a random quote. Who doesn’t want a quote? If you don’t want one… review and let me know. :P (Either way you’ll have to review).

xx I read through the previous chapters, and unless I overlooked it, I don’t believe I named the new Minister of Magic… If I have, correct me if I’m wrong. From henceforth, we shall have Arnold Currant as Minister. He’s a cross between Fudge (incompetent) and Scrimgeour (ruthless).