Chapter Text
Tuesday, 11th June 2019
Final Submission and Concluding Remarks
Case No: 83042- Clareborne, C / Lysander, J
To: Head Auror Gawain Robards
From: The Secretary of Deputy Lead Auror Harry James Potter
Final Submission in the matter of the arrest of Alexis Dionysus (DOB:19/04/82) Charges:Murder x2, Theft of Ministry Information, Magical Terrorism. Suspect has been remanded to Azkaban to await trial on the above charges. Suspect is to be considered dangerous and a current high-level threat.
The following document represents my concluding remarks in the above matter. As of today's date, all evidence in the above matter will be magically sealed and handed over to the Ministry Legal Department for the preparation of the prosecution.
The suspect listed above has made a full confession to the murders of Unspeakables Clareborne and Lysander and a wealth of evidence was collected from his possession, including stolen parchments, and a diary. Magical residue testing on Dionysus’s bonded wand has discovered traces of the Diffindo spell-work that was used on both myself and during the commission of the original offences.
However the DME would not have been able to link Dionysus to these crimes were it not for the outstanding work of Healer Draco Malfoy. His success in isolating the magical signature of our suspect meant that it could be compared to those held on Ministry record. Our suspect was then arrested seamlessly within the space of an hour, taken into custody with no hexes, jinxs or curses discharged during the course of the incident.
Since his arrest it has become apparent that Dionysus used false documentation to gain his role at the Ministry. Our suspect was educated at the Durmstrang Institute. Here, records indicate, Dionysus became deeply involved with an Anti-Muggle/Wizarding Supremacy movement, to the extent he was expelled. His name was mentioned five years ago as part of a criminal conspiracy to kidnap a Wizarding child to ‘raise’ as an Obscurial but luckily this foul idea never came into fruition. Their plan had been to use an Obscurus to threaten and destroy parts of muggle London.
It seems that Dionysus decided to shorten the Obscurial process by stealing and weaponising his colleague’s research. The evidence found in notes and diaries at his home by the DME seem to suggest that Unspeakables Clareborne and Lysander had come to realise their co-worker’s nefarious intent. Sadly, they had planned to tell the Aurors about their suspicions on the very day of their murder. They were ambushed at home before this could occur.
The excellent Cursebreaking work of Mr. Anthony Goldstein should also be commended. Due to his careful and diligent work alongside Mr. Malfoy the threat of this curse has been nullified for the foreseeable future. The office of the DME recommends more stringent security measures within the Department of Mysteries in the hope that such criminal actions can be halted in the future.
Unless the DME find additional evidence, or Dionysus makes a further confession, my official recommendation is that Case No: 83042 (Clareborne, C / Lysander, J) be considered: CLOSED.
--- Letter from HP to DM ---
Tuesday 11th June 2019.
Draco.
Firstly, you’ll be pleased to know I’ve taken you your advice.
Your letter told me to get some rest; told me that I couldn’t contribute anything practical to the case whilst I was physically and mentally exhausted. As much as it pains me to say so, you were utterly correct. You won’t be surprised at the difference twelve hours of rest (and an empty vial of Dreamless Sleep potion has made to my ability to actually think . I’m holding a copy of that last letter and I’m shocked by its rambling, paranoid tone. I was injured, bleeding… Yet still determined to doggedly see the case to its conclusion. It felt indulgent, wrong even, to sleep, eat or even stop whist the killer was still at large.
And before you say it, Draco, yes : I’m aware of how unhealthy that all sounds.
It’s hard to describe really. I suppose it’s as if a veil descends over my eyes whenever any part of my life starts to actually matter. Some reptilian part of my brain starts to sabotage my behaviour. I run out of clubs abandoning relationships before they’ve even begun (a hundred points to Slytherin for that observation!) I drink far too much and I engage in reckless, dangerous behaviour because some part of me just doesn’t feel like I deserve anything better. Then, the treacherous voice in my head pushes me into these extreme actions, telling me if I don’t protect , don’t fight then nobody else will.
The DME has made me take mandatory counselling before, Draco, I’ve just never told you.
I suppose I thought it’d hurt the impression of the compelling, powerful Auror I was trying so valiantly to leave on you. My counsellor seemed to believe that my early upbringing and teenage years had left me unable to form useful strategies to seek help and support. She said that I held very little regard for the value of my own life. Something about adult role models giving me zero positive reinforcement any time I asked for their assistance? Anyway, I used to think she was talking psychobabble; touchy-feely nonsense. But maybe it’s time to reassess that notion. I'm going to ask Robards to re-refer me for counselling tomorrow.
And yes, Draco. It’s a date. Of course it bloody is, you absolute bloody menace .
Merlin, if I’d known you could actually cook I’d have married you a decade ago. Why you made us survive on take-out and my burnt offerings I’ve no single clue. Who could have known that being injured in the line of duty would have triggered such a revelation? In a related side-note, I have to admit I’m off the superhero films. All that running in and saving the day? I’m hoping to stick entirely to the romance genre in the foreseeable future.
And I have to admit, your letter rained on my Quidditch Pitch a touch.
You see, I was planning to tell you that I loved you. That I always have, really. That this case has shown me that a life without you beside me simply isn’t one I’m willing to countenance any longer. Clareborne and Lysander were ridiculously young; barely more than kids really. They should have had a lifetime together. That’s what I want Draco. A lifetime, shared with you.
I can’t promise to rein in all my shortcomings , as you so delightfully described them. Nearly forty years of acting the hero isn’t going to be so easy to shake off. I’m stubborn, impetuous and rash. Basically the same aggravating Gryffindor that I’ve always been and always will. But I think, with communication, a fair few arguments and more patience that I might be capable of we could really make this work. The thing is: I want to live a long life, too. Preferably at your side.
So it’s a bloody date.
And if you’re really lucky then perhaps we could re-enact some of the Auror calender poses. My personal favourite was the July 2017 page? The one with the sheepskin rug in front of the open fireplace? A bit cliché but tremendous fun… I’ll leave you with that mental image to enjoy.
See you at eight.
Yours,
Harry.