Chapter 67

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[Harry]

The five of them were silent.

Then a silver fox interrupted them.

It spoke in Head Auror Robards' voice. "Lucius Malfoy had broken out of Azkaban an hour to midnight. Come quick."

Quant eyed the unconscious and rigid Death Eater. "Found him," he shrugged.

Travailler sent his Manx cat and repeated Quant's exact words.

"Potter, you alright?" Travailler grasped his shoulder firmly the second the cat was gone.

"Er- yes, sir," Harry choked, startled by the sudden ferventness in his voice.

"Good." He seemed genuinely relieved.

Bayard tugged the wand out of Lucius' hand and stowed it in his Auror robes. "Must be stolen. Don't know from whom, but we better preserve the evidence."

The Aurors bound ropes around him (just in case) and they apparated back to the Ministry.

The Head Auror and a guard were waiting for them. "Interrogate. Now. I called in Meena for the Veritaserum, she's preparing it already."

The guard took over Lucius Malfoy and marched him away.

"Come, Potter," Travailler said sternly to him.

"Where are you taking him?" Bayard asked.

"To heal and clean up, Ethan, he's got cuts all over his body! Surely I can let my trainee rest before he's shunned in interrogation with Lucius Malfoy?"

Bayard pursed his lips. "Very well. Which room, Gawain?"

"The first interrogation room is already set up. Liam, you take Potter up to headquarters. I'll come to fetch you when we're ready. Ethan, Calynn, Alexander, come with me. I need full details."

Harry was promptly dragged by the arm by his trainer to the lift.

They rode the lift in silence. The second floor was pitch-black, the only light generated by the Auror's Office which they were previously in.

Travailler took him to training room W and ordered him to sit down on one of the couches. He gathered vials and bottles from the medicine cabinet and it was only then when Harry realized he was aching all over.

"Drink this." Travailler handed him a cup of herbal tea dosed with a teaspoon of Blood-Replenishing potion.

He dutifully drank and felt better instantly, while Travailler cast healing charms all over him. He vanished his left shirt sleeve and dribbled dittany over the visible scar.

"Thank you, Auror Travailler."

"No, Potter, don't. I'm so sorry," Travailler said heavily.

"Wha-"

"I knew you could handle dangerous cases, but I still shouldn't have let you gone. Lucius Malfoy could've killed you. You're not even Auror yet, I should've known better."

Harry was dumbstruck. Travailler couldn't possibly be blaming himself for this?

"No, Auror Travai-"

"Look, Potter. This incident wouldn't stop me from taking you along to more exciting or dangerous missions if that's what you're thinking. But Bayard was right, this one was over the line. The subject was still unidentified and his tactics were fishy. Turns out, he wanted us to take you along and have you alone."

Harry couldn't speak. He felt too many things at once. He felt touched that Travailler believed in him so much, he was also desperate to let him know it wasn't his fault.

"But I'm bound to go through it sooner or later-"

"The case is closed." Travailler said sternly. "Have a biscuit, Potter."

Harry gingerly took the jar of cookies Travailler had fetched and fought the lump in his throat while Travailler cast cleaning charms over his clothes and his face.

Travailler stood and threw him a spare Auror robe from the medicine cabinet.

"Here, put this on, it'll be cold in the interrogation room. I'm sorry, Potter, but you'll have to stay here while we interrogate Lucius Malfoy. We are certain that he had been plotting against you. Have you any idea why?"

Harry swallowed. He thought of the person lying next to him that jumped with him in surprise when Travailler's Patronus barged into the bedroom.

"I may have a thought or two."


---


Harry watched from the outside of the interrogation room with Travailler, Quant, and Gunderson. Travailler's Manx cat and Quant's black and white cat patrolled around them, guarding them against the two Dementors standing by.

Bayard, Head Auror, and a potions master (who he guessed was Meena) were in the room, with Bayard in charge of interrogation. An eagle feather quill was scribbling steadily on a roll of parchment as the interrogation progressed.

Lucius Malfoy was revived and cuffed to a chair.

"Have you broken out of Azkaban since you were sentenced to ten years in it besides tonight?"

"No," Malfoy replied in a flat tone, clearly under the influence of Veritaserum.

"Who tortured the muggles if it wasn't you?"

"Many people."

"How?"

"I have connections. A friend of mine Imperiused wizards and witches to torture the muggles. He spied on the Ministry for me. The Dark Lord taught us Dark Magic. He was able to not leave any trace except the 'M' I instructed him to carve."

"Why did you tell him to help you torture the muggles?"

"I wanted to throw the Aurors on my case off track, let them believe that was what I was up to."

"And what were you really up to?"

"Kill Harry Potter."

Harry felt Travailler stiffen beside him.

"Are you seeking revenge for the Dark Lord?"

"No."

"Why do you want to kill Harry Potter?"

Suddenly, Lucius Malfoy's face flushed red with fury. He tried to break free of his binds but failed.

"He tainted our blood!" he roared.

"Elaborate."

"He is a filthy child of a mudblood trying to get his hands on our pure bloodline! He seduced my son! No son of Malfoy is a fag!" he spat.

Just then, the door flew open. Draco and Narcissa were brought in by the guard.

"Harry!" Draco screamed and rushed to hug him tightly.

He kissed him all over his face, still squeezing his arms around Harry.

"What happened? Is he hurt?" Draco asked frantically at the Aurors beside him.

"Your boyfriend is alright, Mr. Malfoy," Travailler answered, standing up.

"I had to tell them about us, it's relevant to the case," Harry whispered to Draco.

"I don't care," he said. "What happened?" he demanded to the three Aurors.

"Draco, dear, calm down," Narcissa said gently behind them.

"We are currently interrogating Lucius Malfoy."

Draco and Narcissa turned to face the interrogation room. Harry saw Draco visibly pale.

"Father?"

No one in the interrogation room took any notice, they were secluded from any voice or action outside.

"What did my father try to do to my boyfriend?" he asked, shaking.

"Lucius Malfoy's friend did some spying for him and found out about your relationship while he was still in Azkaban. The friend was unwilling to kill but willing to help. He had been helping Lucius place false tracks in disguise of a vague dark wizard ever since to gain attention.

"When Lucius was sure there were Aurors on this case, specifically Mr. Potter's training Auror, he continued to lead them on with muggle torture while plotting the murder of your boyfriend. When he was done planning his breakout from prison, he delivered a threatening letter to one of the Aurors on this case, believing since it was the third year of Mr. Potter's training, his trainer would take him along.

"He broke out of prison an hour to midnight, preparing the scheme and made sure the guards didn't find out until it was too late. He used advanced Dark Magic to rope-bind the four Aurors searching for him at once and revealed Mr. Potter's disillusionment charm. His original plan was to kill Mr. Potter on the spot and depart but obviously failed."

Draco's grip on his arm was so tight he couldn't feel his bicep and Draco's knuckles were white.

"Draco, dear, your suffocating Harry," Narcissa said to him.

"I have no father," Draco said slowly and quietly. No one replied, not even Narcissa until she spoke moments later.

"I assume he would be taken back to Azkaban?" she inquired airily.

"Yes, Mrs. Malfoy."

"Very well. I personally request the highest security over my husband. He shall not harm anyone anymore."

"It will be done, ma'am," Quant replied.

"Good. Is Harry free to go?"

"I'm afraid not yet, Mrs. Malfoy, we'll need some more information from Mr. Potter."

"I'm staying here," Draco said at once.

"You may stay until Mr. Potter is done."

Draco took a seat beside Harry and Narcissa promptly sat beside her son.

"I'm so sorry, love," Draco whispered into his ear.

"Don't be. Why?"

"Because I caused so much trouble."

"No, it's not you. If anything, the drama finds me." Harry gave him a throaty chuckle. "You should get used to it."

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