A Christmas Wish - Part Nineteen
Dec. 15th, 2013 09:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alisanneTitle: A Christmas Wish - Part Nineteen
Author:alisanne
Prompt used:![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
slythindor100/![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
slythindor100's 2013 Christmas prompt #15: Decorated mansion.
Word Count: 875
Rating: PG
Warning: EWE, AU.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Author's Notes: Thanks tosevfan and emynn for the beta. This is part nineteen in my Christmas Wish Series.
Previous parts are: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, and Eighteen.
~
A Christmas Wish - Part Nineteen
~
Harry stared at the door to Hermione’s living room, wondering what was happening inside. Would Luna be able to find a cure? Or was Malfoy doomed to a life with minimal magic? How would he survive? This may be something I can’t fix.
“You’re really worried, aren’t you?”
Dragging his attention from the door, Harry looked at Hermione. “What?”
Hermione raised an eyebrow. “You do know that Luna won’t hurt him, right?”
“Not deliberately, anyway.” Harry returned to his perusal of the door. “They’re taking a long time, don’t you think?”
She hummed. “Not really. It’s only been an hour. Plus, I expect Luna’s going to have to do a fairly thorough evaluation.”
“I suppose.” Harry sighed.
“Have you thought about what will happen if he never gets his magic back?” Hermione asked.
“No.” Harry crossed his arms. “He’ll get it back.”
“But, Harry, you have to face facts. He may not--”
“We’ll deal with that when the time comes.” Harry started pacing. “I’m giving them another ten minutes and then I’m going in there.”
Hermione cleared her throat. “Before you go blundering in, take a look at this, would you?”
Spinning on his heel, Harry walked towards her. “A look at what?”
“Malfoy’s sentencing papers. I brought them out here with me to continue reviewing them.” Hermione pointed to a spot. “Can you make that bit out?”
Leaning close, Harry frowned. “It looks like it’s been altered.”
“See, I thought that, too.” Hermione chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. “But this is a Ministry document. They’re charmed to be unalterable. In fact, if there is any sort of tampering, the Ministry is alerted, and the contract is made invalid.”
Harry was still trying to read. “It seems there was something about Malfoy reporting to a parole officer?”
Hermione nodded. “But it’s been erased. So I wonder who that was supposed to be?”
“Does it matter?” Harry asked.
“Of course. A parole officer is responsible for the convicted person’s wellbeing.” Hermione smiled. “When we find Malfoy’s officer, we’re closer to finding out what happened to him.”
Harry’s eyes widened. “Well you realise who we have to ask, then, right? It would be the person who ran the Auror corps back when Malfoy was sentenced.”
Hermione frowned, then groaned when she realised what he was saying. “We?”
Harry raised an eyebrow.
She smiled ruefully. “Right, so that means a trip to the Minster for Magic’s house. No problem.”
The door opened and Luna emerged. Behind her stood Malfoy.
Harry gave him a thorough once over, relaxing infinitesimally when it looked like he was fine.
“Before you ask, Draco’s magic levels seem stable,” said Luna. “I can’t tell yet if his magic will regenerate on its own or not, but he’s definitely been tampered with.” And, for the first time since Harry had known her, she looked angry. “We need to find these people before they do this to anyone else.”
Hermione walked towards Malfoy. “I apologise for doubting you, but I asked Luna to check if you were faking or not.”
Malfoy inclined his head. “I don’t blame you,” he said. “I’d have had her do the same thing had our situations been reversed.”
Hermione smiled. “Right, so the good news is that Harry and I think we may have found something in your sentencing papers.”
Malfoy’s eyes narrowed. “Sounds like there’s bad news, too.”
Harry coughed. “Very perceptive. Do you know who your parole officer was?”
Malfoy shook his head. “I...” He blinked. “I don’t remember anything being said about a parole officer.”
Harry exchanged a look with Hermione. Slowly, she nodded. “It’ll be better if the request comes from you.”
“What request?” Malfoy asked, looking back and forth between them.
Harry sighed. “We need to see the Minister.”
~
Hermione made lunch and Harry sent the owl that afternoon, not expecting a quick reply, but Athena returned within a couple of hours. “This says he has a reception this evening,” he said, scanning the parchment. “But that we can come by about an hour before.” He looked up at Malfoy. “All of us.”
Malfoy blinked. “Me? I’m to see the Minister?”
“Yes.” Harry coughed. “He makes that clear here. Since it involves you, he wants you there.”
“I’m going to the Minister’s mansion?” Malfoy looked down at this outfit. “I need to change.”
“You look fine,” said Hermione. “After all, we won’t be party guests. Just let me leave George a note and we can go.”
Malfoy looked unconvinced, though. Harry smiled. “Relax. He’ll help us.”
When they Apparated to the coordinates, however, it was dusk, and even Harry got a bit nervous when he saw Kingsley’s home.
The Minister’s mansion was enormous and was decked out for the holidays, with white fairy lights everywhere, even in the trees.
“Wow,” said Hermione.
Malfoy sighed. “Malfoy Mansion used to look like this at the holidays,” he whispered.
“When we get your magic back you can restore it,” Harry said impulsively.
Malfoy stared at him for a long moment. Then, he smiled. “You really are an optimist, aren’t you?”
Harry smiled back. “This is a surprise?”
Malfoy laughed. “No, I suppose not.”
~
Author:
alisannePrompt used:
slythindor100/slythindor100's 2013 Christmas prompt #15: Decorated mansion.Word Count: 875
Rating: PG
Warning: EWE, AU.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Author's Notes: Thanks to
sevfan and emynn for the beta. This is part nineteen in my Christmas Wish Series. Previous parts are: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, and Eighteen.
~
A Christmas Wish - Part Nineteen
~
Harry stared at the door to Hermione’s living room, wondering what was happening inside. Would Luna be able to find a cure? Or was Malfoy doomed to a life with minimal magic? How would he survive? This may be something I can’t fix.
“You’re really worried, aren’t you?”
Dragging his attention from the door, Harry looked at Hermione. “What?”
Hermione raised an eyebrow. “You do know that Luna won’t hurt him, right?”
“Not deliberately, anyway.” Harry returned to his perusal of the door. “They’re taking a long time, don’t you think?”
She hummed. “Not really. It’s only been an hour. Plus, I expect Luna’s going to have to do a fairly thorough evaluation.”
“I suppose.” Harry sighed.
“Have you thought about what will happen if he never gets his magic back?” Hermione asked.
“No.” Harry crossed his arms. “He’ll get it back.”
“But, Harry, you have to face facts. He may not--”
“We’ll deal with that when the time comes.” Harry started pacing. “I’m giving them another ten minutes and then I’m going in there.”
Hermione cleared her throat. “Before you go blundering in, take a look at this, would you?”
Spinning on his heel, Harry walked towards her. “A look at what?”
“Malfoy’s sentencing papers. I brought them out here with me to continue reviewing them.” Hermione pointed to a spot. “Can you make that bit out?”
Leaning close, Harry frowned. “It looks like it’s been altered.”
“See, I thought that, too.” Hermione chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. “But this is a Ministry document. They’re charmed to be unalterable. In fact, if there is any sort of tampering, the Ministry is alerted, and the contract is made invalid.”
Harry was still trying to read. “It seems there was something about Malfoy reporting to a parole officer?”
Hermione nodded. “But it’s been erased. So I wonder who that was supposed to be?”
“Does it matter?” Harry asked.
“Of course. A parole officer is responsible for the convicted person’s wellbeing.” Hermione smiled. “When we find Malfoy’s officer, we’re closer to finding out what happened to him.”
Harry’s eyes widened. “Well you realise who we have to ask, then, right? It would be the person who ran the Auror corps back when Malfoy was sentenced.”
Hermione frowned, then groaned when she realised what he was saying. “We?”
Harry raised an eyebrow.
She smiled ruefully. “Right, so that means a trip to the Minster for Magic’s house. No problem.”
The door opened and Luna emerged. Behind her stood Malfoy.
Harry gave him a thorough once over, relaxing infinitesimally when it looked like he was fine.
“Before you ask, Draco’s magic levels seem stable,” said Luna. “I can’t tell yet if his magic will regenerate on its own or not, but he’s definitely been tampered with.” And, for the first time since Harry had known her, she looked angry. “We need to find these people before they do this to anyone else.”
Hermione walked towards Malfoy. “I apologise for doubting you, but I asked Luna to check if you were faking or not.”
Malfoy inclined his head. “I don’t blame you,” he said. “I’d have had her do the same thing had our situations been reversed.”
Hermione smiled. “Right, so the good news is that Harry and I think we may have found something in your sentencing papers.”
Malfoy’s eyes narrowed. “Sounds like there’s bad news, too.”
Harry coughed. “Very perceptive. Do you know who your parole officer was?”
Malfoy shook his head. “I...” He blinked. “I don’t remember anything being said about a parole officer.”
Harry exchanged a look with Hermione. Slowly, she nodded. “It’ll be better if the request comes from you.”
“What request?” Malfoy asked, looking back and forth between them.
Harry sighed. “We need to see the Minister.”
~
Hermione made lunch and Harry sent the owl that afternoon, not expecting a quick reply, but Athena returned within a couple of hours. “This says he has a reception this evening,” he said, scanning the parchment. “But that we can come by about an hour before.” He looked up at Malfoy. “All of us.”
Malfoy blinked. “Me? I’m to see the Minister?”
“Yes.” Harry coughed. “He makes that clear here. Since it involves you, he wants you there.”
“I’m going to the Minister’s mansion?” Malfoy looked down at this outfit. “I need to change.”
“You look fine,” said Hermione. “After all, we won’t be party guests. Just let me leave George a note and we can go.”
Malfoy looked unconvinced, though. Harry smiled. “Relax. He’ll help us.”
When they Apparated to the coordinates, however, it was dusk, and even Harry got a bit nervous when he saw Kingsley’s home.
The Minister’s mansion was enormous and was decked out for the holidays, with white fairy lights everywhere, even in the trees.
“Wow,” said Hermione.
Malfoy sighed. “Malfoy Mansion used to look like this at the holidays,” he whispered.
“When we get your magic back you can restore it,” Harry said impulsively.
Malfoy stared at him for a long moment. Then, he smiled. “You really are an optimist, aren’t you?”
Harry smiled back. “This is a surprise?”
Malfoy laughed. “No, I suppose not.”
~
no subject
Date: 2013-12-16 02:21 pm (UTC)