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July 1999
“Hmm… I could get used to this,” Draco Malfoy muses as he looks down at his wife Hermione Malfoy pleasuring him.
Hermione grins as she pops his member out of her mouth with a resounding ‘pop’.
“We have the rest of our lives, dearest.”
Draco smiles brightly, “Spending the next century-plus waking up like this would be heaven.”
“Only if you reciprocate,” Hermione smirks.
“Gladly!” Draco smirks and quickly flips Hermione onto her back and starts his assault amid her squeals, moans and mewls.
Several minutes later, the couple starts again in the shower after Draco thoroughly reciprocated. As the young newlyweds finally come down for breakfast, they are greeted by the floo alert, thankfully Draco had shut off the floo before going to bed.
“Should we answer?” Draco asks.
“I’m pretty sure it’s just Harry and Ginny making sure we’re awake and keeping our hands off of each other,” Hermione chuckled.
Draco laughed.
“Like Potter and Red can talk, do you remember their Valentine’s Day snogging display in the Great Hall? I nearly threw up my Eggs Benedict. I mean I knew Potter was lonely before Red got to him but Merlin, he kissed her like he’d been starving for water and she was an endless water fountain.”
“Draco, be nice. They’re our friends.” Hermione lightly scolded.
Draco made a non-committal noise, “Should I let them through then?”
“Please. I’ll have the elves start breakfast.”
Seconds later Harry and Ginny Potter brushed themselves off as they exchanged pleasantries then joined their friends in the family dining room of Folkestone Castle in Kent.
As the two couples sit, Ginny breaks the silence, “I still can’t believe you two live in a castle!”
Draco and Hermione had bought the land that Folkestone Castle stood from the Kent Land Authority shortly after coming back from their honeymoon in mid-June. In the weeks since Hermione had redecorated massively thanks in large part to her mother-in-law Narcissa.
“Come now Red, you can’t expect me to not treat the Gryffindor Princess, in a way not befitting her station,” Draco smirks, directing it at Hermione.
Hermione glares at her husband, she had tried to dissuade him from that moniker ever since they found out Hermione’s magical lineage in Fifth Year. It turned out that she was a descendant of Hector Dagworth-Granger, the founder of the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers, which explained in part why Hermione was naturally gifted at potions despite being muggle-born. It was later confirmed by Hermione’s father, that his great-great-uncle Hector was ‘a bit of an oddball’, after that a simple magical paternity test revealed that Hermione was, in fact, a descendant of Dagworth-Granger—also a Gryffindor—twice removed due to his youngest son, Hermione’s great-grandfather being a squib.
“Originally Red, I attempted to buy Hampton Court, but Queen Elizabeth II rejected my proposal immediately after she heard I was a Malfoy,” he rolled his eyes, “Honestly, you’d think 397 years is enough time to let bygones be bygones. So what if my thrice-great-grandfather jinxed Elizabeth I because she rejected him?” Draco huffs.
“So you’ve met the Queen?” Harry asks, he knows a little about British muggle politics but even he’s never met the muggle Queen.
“Yes, and it was excruciating. I should’ve taken Hermione along but little ‘Miss-I-Want-Absolutely-Perfect-NEWTs’ wouldn’t stop revising, and it’s rude to reschedule.”
The foursome laugh.
“But I like Folkestone Castle too, it’s obviously smaller than the Manor and Hampton Court but the extremely powerful Fidelius Charm around it was the clincher. To muggles this is just an empty hill,” Hermione defended her home.
“My Lady speaks the truth, and she’s done wonders with it,” Draco leans over and kisses Hermione.
“On a more sombre note, it’s Ron’s trial today, are you ready?” Harry asks.
“Yes,” Draco and Hermione answered in unison.
“The Weasel will pay dearly for insulting my family,” Draco seethes.
“I just hope he understands why we’re doing this,” Hermione relents.
“Pfft, if necessary I will literally take out The Rules and throw it at him to make him understand.”
Harry and Ginny chuckle.
“Merlin, you’re possessive of your wife, Malfoy,” Harry chuckles again.
Draco smirks, “Why wouldn’t I be, I mean look at her,” Draco leers at Hermione hungrily. Hermione blushes.
Harry and Ginny chuckle again.
“Do you two have an off switch?” Ginny asks Hermione.
“Only when he gets too cheeky, Gin,” Hermione giggles.
“And how often does that happen?” Ginny giggles as well.
The foursome break out in renewed laughter before they finish breakfast in companionable silence.
As Hermione and Draco excuse themselves to get ready, Harry and Ginny retire to the main living room or ‘the Sun Room’ as Hermione has taken to calling it as natural light always floods in.
Fifteen minutes later the young couples Apparate to Hermione’s family home in Hampstead to escort Hermione’s parents, Richard and Jean, both dressed in professional business attire.
“Now Draco, my boy, tell me will we be able to see this trial?” Richard asks as the party of six, walk toward the nearest Tube station.
“Yes Richard, you are a key witness after all.”
“This is quite exciting, I’ve never been in a Wizarding courtroom before, circumstances notwithstanding,” Jean gushes, “So Hermione dear, where are we going?”
“Not far, Whitehall.”
“Whitehall?!” The Granger parents exclaim.
“That’s where the Ministry is,” Hermione shrugs.
“But we’ve taken you to Whitehall before and we never saw anything magical.”
The four wizards chuckle slightly, “It’s under Whitehall, Mum.”
The Grangers gasped.
“The magical world really is remarkable,” Richard comments as the group make the train for the short trip over to Whitehall and the British Ministry of Magic.
“And as I understand it, Draco is a member of the Wizengamot as Lord Black, right?” Jean asks her daughter once they alight Westminister station.
“Yes, Mum.”
Richard chuckles, causing Hermione to turn her attention to him, “What?”
“Nothing, it’s just when you were a little girl you always said, ‘One day I’m gonna marry a Prince and be a Princess and we’ll live happily ever after in a beautiful castle’ and now look at you darling. You’re married to a Lord are titled ‘Lady’ and you live in a castle in Kent. I’m pretty sure your dreams came true,” Richard smiles at his daughter, “I’m proud of you, darling,” Richard gives Hermione a side hug and kisses the top of his daughter’s bushy hair.
Hermione blushes in her father’s embrace.
Twenty minutes, later Richard and Jean are seated next to Narcissa Malfoy in the front row and immediately behind were the Weasleys. Richard was in awe of the magical courtroom located in the dungeons of the Ministry, he was particularly chuffed with how they arrived—in a magically enlarged phone box. Jean and Narcissa began to speak quietly among themselves as the Wizengamot assembled.
“Narcissa, can you tell me what exactly it is your husband and son do? Draco has tried to explain, but while it isn’t unheard of in the muggle world I can scarcely believe a 19-year-old has so much political power.”
Narcissa smiled gently, “As the heads of an Ancient and Noble House, Lucius and Draco are permanent members of the Wizengamot, an apt comparison would be if your muggle Parliament and High Court merged into one body. And as you can see there are 28 Lords. Draco’s full title is ‘Lord Black and Scion of House Malfoy’, when my husband retires Draco will take his seat as Lord Malfoy while any sons he may have, will inherit the title of Scion Black and/or Scion Malfoy until they become Lord. Draco is Lord Black because the Black male line is practically extinct—except for him—after the death of my late cousin, Sirius, who was Scion Black until he was falsely incarcerated. When he escaped he retained the title of Lord Black but due to his untimely death, Draco inherited it once he was of age and retained it after passing his N.E.W.T.s this past June. He and Lucius act as both legislative politicians and judges.”
Jean was about to ask another question when the Chief Warlock called the session to order.
“Hear ye, hear ye, this full assembly of the Wizengamot is hereby called to order. Due for questioning is one Ronald Weasley, charged with violating the terms of a suspended Ministry sentence, making false statements, continual harassment of an Ancient and Noble House Lord and disturbing the peace. Bring in the prisoner.”
It wasn’t hard to call a full meeting of the Wizengamot, the 28 Ancient and Noble House Lords were easy to roundup since most had connections to the Black family. The other Ministry officials were also equally easy to convince. It wouldn’t do well politically to deny the request of two Ancient and Noble House Lords. However, because Draco had yet to pass his N.E.W.T.s to officially retain Lord Black’s seat, the full disciplinary hearing had been postponed until after the N.E.W.T.s in June, but following graduation, the current Lord Black had gotten married and requested time for his honeymoon. As a result, Ron Weasley had been in Azkaban for nearly nine months. He was given an arraignment hearing two days after he broke terms in November and that hearing was a disaster; according to the Daily Prophet, he ranted that ‘the Death Eaters are out to get him, that Draco had slipped Hermione a lust potion, and that Lucius and Draco were the second comings of Voldemort’. Fortunately for Ron, neither Lord Malfoy or Lord Black was present for his arraignment but unfortunately, any sympathy he may have had in the eyes of the remaining Ancient and Noble House Lords and other Ministry officials all but disappeared.
As the side doors open, shuffling his feet into the cavernous room, a haunted-looking and gaunt Ron Weasley, it was clear nine months in Azkaban had taken its toll already, behind were wand-trained Aurors nudging him to go faster. A few Weasleys in the gallery reacted but otherwise, the room was silent.
“Oh my Gods,” gasped Molly covering her mouth to hide her shock, she hadn’t seen him since his arraignment.
“Wouldn’t be Azkaban if he didn’t look like that,” George whispers to Fred. “Serves him right,” Fred whispers back.
Draco cleared his throat before Ron sat down.
“Before we begin the questioning,” he spoke clearly and confidently, “Because it is rare to have the entire Wizengamot and Ministry present, I would like to get one piece of administrative business taken care of which requires an all Lords vote, may I, Madam Bones?”
The Chief Warlock Madam Amelia Bones agrees, and Draco steps to the podium. Draco glared hatefully at Ron.
“My fellow Lords, a new generation must—much like the phoenix—rise and fall, you have welcomed me, Lord Black—potentially under threat of my father,” a few of the Lords chuckled, “to the Wizengamot, today I ask you to welcome another to restore his name and acknowledge all he’s done for us. I urge all Lords to consider the immediate removal of Dolores Umbridge as Head of the Improper Use of Magic Office and immediate appointment of Harry Potter to post. Any objections?”
No one objected.
“To vote then, how many in favour of a joint resolution?”
A chorus of ‘Aye!’ followed by 28 quickly raised and lit wands followed.
“Very well, all in favour?”
A chorus of ‘Aye!’ followed by 28 raised and lit wands followed again.
“The aye’s have it. Thank you. May I request that Madam Umbridge vacate her seat immediately.” Draco glanced toward Umbridge with disdain but his face remained otherwise passive.
Dolores glared at the young Lord, the one Malfoy she loathed; but vacated her seat without complaint. Then Harry Potter walked in confidently and took his seat without fanfare.
“Mr Potter, welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Madam Bones, I yield my time.” Draco stepped back and retook his seat.
The Chief Warlock retook her place at the podium, “Thank you, Lord Black, welcome Mr Potter,” Amelia gives Harry a nod before she turns her attention to Ron Weasley.
“Mr Weasley, I see that you have no representation, are you planning on defending yourself against the entire Wizengamot?”
“Y-Yes,” Ron croaked.
There were murmurs among the elder Lords but otherwise, the chamber was silent.
“Mr Weasley, you are aware you may receive legal representation from any Wizard or Witch of age who has achieved at least five N.E.W.T.s, correct?”
“No, I wasn’t. Even if I did nobody would help me, even my own family didn’t come and visit me. So I’ll defend myself,” Ron said tiredly, looking down at his hands.
“Very well. I yield to Lord Black.”
This time Draco just stood from his seat.
“Thank you Madam Bones,” Draco acknowledged the Chief Warlock, then turned to glare down at Ron.
“Mr Weasley, it says on your Hogwarts record that you achieved an Exceeds Expectations on History of Magic O.W.L. is that correct?” Draco asked clearly.
“Y-yes,” Ron sighed.
“Good. Then may I ask what makes 1692 such an important year to wizardkind?”
“I don’t know.”
“That was the year the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was formally established. Can you tell me what that is, Mr Weasley?”
“No.
“What is your boggart, Mr Weasley?”
“Hermione Granger.”
“I see. And for those in the courtroom not familiar with that name or individual, can you please tell the court who or what Hermione Granger is?”
“Hermione is a muggle-born witch I was friends with.”
“Was? May I inquire about what happened?” Draco asked but his tone held no emotion.
“I c-called her boggart a ‘m-mudblood’ then was sent to Azkaban, I haven’t seen or talked to her since.”
Gasps were sporadic through the chamber.
“Do you know the terms of your now-violated suspended sentence?”
“N-no.”
“No? But this is your signature on a magically-binding parchment outlining said terms, is it not?” Draco levitated Ron’s parole notice signed last July down to him to allow him to view it.
Ron looked at the parchment, then nodded.
“Please speak Mr Weasley, actions are not recorded only words.”
“Y-yes, that’s my s-signature,” Ron stuttered.
“If that’s your signature then how is it you do not know the terms of your suspended sentence? By signing the parchment in front of you on 21 July 1998, you agreed to the expressed terms which are what, Mr Weasley?”
“I don’t know.”
Draco rolled his eyes, but continued unflinching, “Have you ever visited Muggle London, Mr Weasley?”
“Just to get to the Hogwarts Express from King’s Cross.”
“Do you know what an Amplifying Charm is, Mr Weasley?”
“N-no.”
“Then how were you able to be recorded by MLE officers working in the muggle office of the British Broadcasting Corporation in Muggle London on 21 July 1998?”
“I-I used my brothers’ new Sonorus device.”
“Did you know your rant made the muggle news that evening?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Did you know it was reported by no less than 26 muggles in and around Charing Cross Road that there was ‘a strange screaming echo’ on that day?”
“N-no.”
“Do you know where Charing Cross Road is, Mr Weasley?”
“No.”
“How do travel Mr Weasley? Floo or Apparation?”
“Floo.”
“Have you ever floo’d to the Leaky Cauldron?”
“No, I don’t like that place.”
“So how do you normally access Diagon Alley?”
“I use the floo in my brothers’ joke shop.”
“Do you know how many people live in Britain?”
“No.”
“Do you know how many wizards live in Britain?”
“No.”
“Do you know why 31 October 1981, is important in Wizarding history?”
“Everyone knows that: it’s the day Harry became the Boy Who Lived.”
“Good. Do you know how?”
“He got that lightning bolt scar.”
“Do you know how he received the scar?”
“He survived the Killing Curse from Voldemort, his parents didn’t.”
“How long have you known Mr Potter?”
“Since First Year, we met on the Hogwarts Express.”
“Eight years, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Is it safe to say you and Mr Potter are best friends, practically inseparable?”
“Yes.”
“You have stated numerous times that you fought in the Second Wizarding War, can you tell the court the start and end dates of the War?”
“Uhh… my Fourth Year until what would’ve been my original Seventh Year.”
“Who were you fighting?”
“D-death Eaters and Voldemort.”
“So, you were on the Light side, correct? A member of Dumbledore’s Order of the Phoenix?”
“Y-yes.”
“What was the purpose of the War, Mr Weasley?”
“To d-defeat Voldemort.”
“Correct. Do you know why? Did Dumbledore ever share with you why children needed to go and defeat the evilest wizard of our time?”
“N-no.”
“If not, why did you fight?”
“B-because Voldemort is evil.”
“Indeed, but you did not answer my question, why did you fight? Personally.”
“I w-wanted to help Harry.”
“I see. Were you successful in your aid?”
“N-no, I ran back home in November because I was cold and hungry and tired of living in a tent, two months into the Horcrux h-hunt. T-then returned after destroying Slytherin’s locket.”
“Did you know what that locket contained?”
“A Horcrux.”
“What is a Horcrux, Mr Weasley?”
“I don’t know, all I know is that it was something bad.”
“Do you know the average age for healthy wizards, Mr Weasley?”
“No, I-“
“I’ve heard enough,” Lord Abbott interrupted Ron, “Lord Black, I have heard enough, I do not need to hear anymore testimony from this boy who is a supposed ‘hero’ of the Second Wizarding War. Lord Black if you have a proposition regarding him, I will gladly support it.”
“Hear, hear,” voiced several other Lords.
“Very well,” Draco cleared his throat, “I propose under Clause 73 of the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, that Ronald Weasley be stripped of his magic, wand snapped, and repatriated to the Muggle world after Obliviation for the following reasons: inadequate knowledge of Wizarding customs and history, falsifying his O.W.L. scores, inability to understand his actions on 21 July 1998 inadvertently exposed and endangered our society, and failure to follow terms of a mandated and magically-binding Ministry parole sentence, any objections or addendums?”
No one objected.
“To vote then, all those in favour?” The Chief Warlock asked.
Slowly, 28 ‘aye’s and wands lit and raised. Indicating unanimous consent by the Ancient and Noble House Lords.
Slower still were the votes of the Ministry officials, but eventually, they too voted unanimously for Obliviation, although there were gasps when Harry Potter voted in favour of the resolution.
“All those opposed?” The Chief Warlock asked, per parliamentary procedure.
No one opposed.
“All abstaining?” The Chief Warlock asked once more.
No one abstained.
The aye’s have it. Unanimously 51-0,” the Chief Warlock announced.
“Thank you, Madam Bones I yield my time,” Draco sat.
“Mr Ronald Weasley, in the matter of violating the expressed terms of your July 1998 parole sentence, the Wizengamot has voted 51-0 in favour of Lord Black’s resolution on 28 July 1999. You are hereby ordered to remain in Azkaban until 1 August, wherein by noon, you will be stripped of your magic, wand snapped, and repatriated to the Muggle world after Obliviation by trained Ministry Obliviators. Do you have anything to say?”
Ron sat silent, eyes wide, and looked paler and much more ragged than when he came in.
After Ron was taken away, the Wizengamot ended proceedings. Forty minutes later as predetermined, the Malfoys, Weasleys, Grangers, and their families all gathered in the formal ballroom of Malfoy Manor for a debrief of the day’s events. The only ones unaccounted for were Draco, Lucius, and Harry.
As people gathered up light refreshments and a place to sit, Narcissa was informed by an elf that Master Lucius, Master Draco and Mr Potter had arrived. She thanked the elf and awaited the arrival of her husband, son, and the Wizarding world’s saviour.
When the three men entered, their partners greeted them as the rest of the room looked on.
“So what happened?” Hermione asked Draco as she pulled away from his kiss and settled herself in his embrace.
Draco smiled, as he looked down at his wife, then smirked with a twinkle of amusement in his eye which everyone saw. Apparently what had happened was very amusing, and everyone was dying to know what it was.
“Well, Father, Potter, and I paid Weasley a little post-hearing visit along with Headmistress McGonagall, Chief Warlock Bones and Minister Shacklebolt. He was being held in one of the Ministry holding cells awaiting transfer back to Azkaban. Father brought out a Pensieve and we showed Weasley exactly what Father and I did in the War; including all the memories of us,” Draco wrapped his arm around Hermione tighter, “Needless to say, it was very eye-opening for him. Then, to drive the point home, I extracted his memory of the chess match you all were a part of First Year, then I played him—it took all of 10 minutes—while explaining to him that the ‘war’ that he was so adamant was the worst thing imaginable was nothing more than a minor skirmish between a madman, his small band of followers and the Light side, thanks to the involvement of the Malfoy and Black families, and should stay that way. I explained that Sirius and Severus were better off dead because now at least their souls can reunite with those they held dear, James and Lily Potter respectively. I also explained that the worst-case scenario would have been if Voldemort was successful in returning to power and sanity; and if the war had dragged on. Then to wrap things up, Father and I showed Weasley our unblemished arms. The look on his face… Merlin, I wish I had a muggle camera,” he chuckled, “Then as we left, the Headmistress, Chief Warlock, and Minister began to lay into him.”
“So you told him about how you and your father spied for us?” Hermione asked.
Draco nodded.
“Even telling him about your meetings with Walburga’s portrait, Regulus’ ghost, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Griphook?”
“Of course darling, I am nothing if not thorough,” Draco winks. “I even told him that your S.P.E.W. campaign wasn’t because you wanted to free elves but you wanted them to be sympathetic to our cause and not Voldemort, you just didn't account for Dobby,” Draco grins.
“Prat,” Hermione cracked a smile and leaned up to kiss him.
“Needless to say, he now understands or at least knows the key points. Whether the next few days will change his mind is irrelevant.”
“I understand why the three of you were in with Ron, but why were the other three seeing him?” Arthur asked from his spot beside Molly.
“I believe that they too wanted to see the memories but more so, I think it was to make sure he doesn’t weasel his way out, pardon the pun,” Lucius spoke in his son’s stead, his own arms wrapped around Narcissa. “I would suggest you all make your peace with him before noon on August 1st. All the parchment work is completed and with Mr Potter now the Head of the Improper Use of Magic Office, he’ll be best-suited to monitor your son.”
Arthur just nods as he comforts his wife.