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It’s 11pm when they get the call. They're all gathered in Head Auror Potter's office. The department meeting ended only a few minutes ago but the Head Auror has insisted on receiving the new recruits separately to welcome them. Sam is about to introduce himself when a Jack Russel Terrier comes through the door and starts talking in Deputy Head Auror Weasley's voice.
"Code 17-11, at the Malfoys. We're meeting you there."
The Head Auror blanches, a sign that the situation is very serious.
The recruits start whispering amongst themselves. Sam doesn't. He observes the way Potter prepares his wand, his cloak and a little pouch with unidentified objects. Sam entered the DMLE hoping he would get to work closely with the Head Auror. He's not a star struck fool, he just wants to learn from the best and Potter's records and medals unequivocally mark him as the best.
They all get ushered out of the office and Potter runs through the corridors to the emergency apparition point.
Sam sighs, a little frustrated to be left behind. As a new recruit, he's mostly handed paperwork duties but he'll be damned if he still doesn't give it his best. His time will come, he's quite certain.
The department is buzzing for the next three days. People are stopping in the middle of the corridors to whisper about the Malfoy case. A lot of false information circulates. Sam knows because he was the one to fill out the report on the initial intervention. Head Auror Potter had come to his cubicle and asked Sam personally to handle it. Sam had blushed and stammered like a fool.
It's a missing person case. Draco Malfoy came home from a charity event to find his house ransacked and his thirteen-year-old son missing. So far, they had registered crime scene pictures and some random objects but nothing really relevant.
The DMLE is separated into two groups. The one that believes this case should not be prioritized because the Malfoys got what they deserved; the other one, more important thankfully, advocates that the war is long past and an innocent kid's life is at stake. Sam, of course, belongs to the second group. Both his parents fought in the war and died - probably another reason why he's so drawn to Potter - still, justice has been done already, reparations paid, sentences served. The country has moved on, as it should have.
A knock on his cubicle wall startles Sam. He’s surprised to see Head Auror Potter when he raises his head.
“Err, hello Head Auror Potter, err, what can I do for you?” He stammers rather eloquently.
“Auror Conley, we have Mr. Malfoy in interrogation room 2, we need you to sit in on the interview and take notes. We start in ten minutes.”
Sam doesn’t have time to think of a clever answer, Potter is already halfway to his office. A smile breaks on Sam’s face. An interview? An actual case related interview? With the Head Auror as the prime handler? Sam hurries to gather some parchment and quills and joins the little group waiting by the interrogation room.
“He’s waiting inside. I will be conducting the interview,” Potter says with authority. "Conley, you're writing down everything, what he says, what he doesn't. He's sneaky, we need to be careful. Ron, don't antagonize him, okay? He won't talk if he feels cornered. Marcus, I'll let you know the usual way if I need you to take over. Okay, everyone, let's get this done."
Sam nervously follows the group into the interrogation room. Malfoy is sitting on a metal chair, hands entwined over the table. He's freakishly calm. Whether they are suspects or witnesses, people always get nervous when interrogated. Legs bouncing, eyes twitching.
They all take their seat and Head Auror Potter casts a few protective spells around them. Sam frowns, Malfoy is a witness, right?
"Malfoy."
"Scarhead."
"It's Head Auror now."
"Oh sorry. Head Auror Scarhead."
"I'd have thought you'd be a little more worried about your son Malfoy."
Malfoy's smirk falls for a second. If Sam hadn't been looking so closely he would have missed it with how fast Malfoy recovered.
"Yes, well. I know better than to think you'll do anything about it."
"Look Malfoy, if you want to find Scorpius, you're going to have to trust us. Tell us everything you know."
"Trust you, huh?"
Sam knows of Malfoy and Potter's past, of course. At least, he thinks he does. The tension between the two feels bigger than old school rivalry and generic war grudges. It feels very personal.
"Is the Death Eater scum calling us untrustworthy?" Marcus spits.
Malfoy flinches slightly and Potter’s first reaction is to look at him briefly before scolding Marcus.
“Auror Marcus! Another remark and you’re out. Understood?”
Marcus begrudgingly nods and starts skulking in the corner. Potter focuses back on Malfoy, there’s something different in his demeanour though. Something almost tentative.
“Malfoy, Scorpius has been missing for three days now. I don’t need to remind you that these cases have better chances of being resolved in the first few hours. Anything you can tell us will help, okay? I promise you, we’re taking this very seriously.”
Malfoy seems to think about it for a minute then nods solemnly. The interview starts again with a list of known enemies, of friends of Scorpius and a review of the timeline. In the absence of ransom or signature, they rule out a willing disappearance. Malfoy assures them that Scorpius and he are really close and that he wouldn’t leave like this. The mess they found in the house corroborating his testimony.
Three hours later, Sam’s hand starts cramping. Marcus has been asked to leave after a few too many snide remarks. Deputy Head Auror Weasley has relaxed around hour two. Something’s off though. Sam thought at first that Weasley didn’t like Malfoy because of his Death Eater past, but the way the Auror kept looking between Malfoy - with contempt - and Potter - with worry - makes Sam wonder if there’s something he’s missing. There’s also the fact that his notes barely make sense. Potter and Malfoy communicate with half formed questions and barely there answers. They seem to be able to read each other so well they mostly don’t need words. Sam is beyond puzzled. He has three pages of notes on Malfoy’s silences and body language. Hopefully that’s what the Head Auror needs.
When the interview is finally over, they are all exhausted and agree to call it a day. Except Potter locks himself in his office with the content of the case file and Sam’s notes. The case really is complex, no clues were left at the scene, and Scorpius seems like a good kid. Even Malfoy, once he relaxed a little, looks like he’s living a very quiet, almost recluse life. He’s sharp, witty and so damn sarcastic but nothing that would warrant getting his son kidnapped.
The days that follow are a blur of interrogations of Scorpius’s friends and teachers. They review the list Malfoy gave them of his enemies but nothing comes out of it. Sam can sense Potter’s frustration growing. After the tenth door slammed and fifth accidental fire set, Potter starts keeping to himself in his office, and Deputy Head Auror Weasley handles the communication with the team.
Until one day, the Head Auror comes barging in the bullpen, robes barely fastened, face showing his lack of sleep.
“We have a lead! A group of vigilantes tried to abduct Pansy Parkinson’s daughter. We found Scorpius’s wand in their hidden base. Conley,” he says addressing Sam “you’re with Weasley, you’re interrogating the three suspects we caught. Marcus, you’re with me, we’re going back to the lair to look for clues as to where they’re keeping Scorpius.”
Before they enter the room to interrogate the first suspect, Sam hears Potter casting a Patronus.
“Give this message to Draco : you were right, we found them. I’ll bring Scorpius back soon, hang in there.”
Draco ? Sam thinks. That’s new. Or maybe it’s not actually. He’s in the interrogation room before he can form an hypothesis on what’s going on between Malfoy and Potter.
Weasley is relentless when it comes to interrogations. The first suspect they talk to gives them the names of his accomplices in less than twenty minutes then refuses to talk. The second explains that the group was formed by Blaze Woodward. Although Woodward was not ever involved in the war, he raised a small army amongst those that felt robbed by the leniency against Death Eater. He gathered around him a dozen of angry, revengeful men and decided that the best way to get their so-called justice would be to hurt the families of known Death Eaters and associates - aka Slytherins. That’s how Scorpius had been taken and Fenella Parkinson-Nott traumatised by black hooded men trying to abduct her outside her house.
Sam is really impressed by Weasley’s skills. He knew how good the Deputy Head Auror was of course, but maybe he’d been a little blinded by Potter. It seems he has as much to learn from the Deputy Head Auror.
When they start the third interrogation, the objective is crystal clear. They need a location. Every hour that passes increases the risk of Scorpius being dead. The group has been apprehended, the teenager is probably left alone somewhere without wand, protection and food.
“Where is he?” Weasley growls, barely waiting to be properly seated.
The perp smirks in response and Sam knows they’re going to be here a while.
Four hours later, everybody’s dead tired but still going through the plan one more time. The suspect finally cracked sometime around midnight. Potter, Weasly, Marcus and Sam are cooped up in the Head Auror’s office to review their rescue strategy before launching the assault. Apparently, two members of Woodward’s group managed to escape arrest and are now withholding Scorpius, in the Forbidden Forest of all places.
Potter is almost vibrating with impatience and barely concealed anger. He has been bouncing his leg consistently since they started before getting up to pace around his office.
“Okay, everybody’s clear? Let’s go.”
They all get up and gather around the portkey leading to the edge of the Forest.
When they get there though, a unexpected guest is waiting for them. Draco Malfoy is standing in the night, wand in hand and face intent.
“Draco!” Potter shouts, surprised. “You can’t be here! I told you to trust me with this.”
“He’s my son, Harry. I’m not waiting on the sidelines while you do the heavy lifting. Not this time.”
Where there was animosity and scorn a few days ago, Sam sees vulnerability and concern. Potter has a hand on Malfoy’s arm, and speaks in a low voice. They have a hushed conversation, while Marcus scowls at Malfoy and Weasley observes in silence.
Finally, Potter leaves Malfoy’s side and comes back to the group.
“He’s coming with us.”
“What? You can’t be serious!” Marcus yells.
Weasley and Potter share an intense look that drags on for long seconds. Sam is just waiting on the sidelines, eager to see how this is going to play out.
After a nod in Potter’s direction, Weasley turns to Marcus.
“Malfoy’s coming, either you get on board or you can go back to the office. What will it be?”
With a crack, Marcus Disapparates. Weasley and Potter briefly look startled, before putting their game faces back on.
“Okay, Ron and Conley, you’re going this way as per the plan. Draco and I will take the other side. Send a patronus if you need help or find something. Be careful.”
Each duo enters the Forest, wands drawn in front of them.
Sam feels like they’ve been walking for hours when a large stag appears next to them. It stops next to Weasley and starts speaking in Potter’s voice.
“We have them in our sight. Scorpius is fine. We are attacking now, join us fast!”
The stag starts galloping away, leading them to where Potter and Malfoy are. They arrive in a blur of hexes and shouts. Scorpius is kneeling in the dirt, protected by a strong shield charm. Potter and Malfoy are trying to capture the two remaining vigilantes. Weasley jumps in easily whereas Sam lingers on the sideline. He’s never been part of an actual fight before. He tries to remember what he learnt in training but his mind is blank. He’s starting to panic a little when Potter’s voice booms next to him.
“Take Scorpius and leave, now.”
That, he feels he can do. He goes to the boy, grabs his hand and casts a new protective charm over them both. When they’re out of range, he Apparates them directly to the Ministry. Scorpius starts crying.
“My Dad! We have to go back!”
“It’s okay. He’s with the Head Auror and the Deputy Head Auror, they’ll protect him.”
“Yeah okay,” he says more to himself than anything else, “yeah, Harry wouldn’t let anything happen to him.”
They wait in silence after this.
The sun is rising at the horizon when Malfoy barrels into the room they’re in.
“Scorpius!”
He grabs his son and holds him tight. His face doesn’t reflect any of the contempt or boredom that Sam has always witnessed until now. Relief, concern and love are etched all over his features instead.
Sam turns his back on them to give them some privacy. He spots Potter and Weasley in the doorframe. Potter’s eyes are focused on Malfoy and Scorpius. The expression on his face is unmistakable. Love, adoration, longing. It should be more surprising but actually makes a lot of sense.
After Potter and Weasley recount the events he missed in the Forest, Sam goes back to his cubicle to write the needed reports. The adrenaline coursing through his veins prevents him from feeling the weight of a full twenty-four hours without sleep. He participated in his first real case, with the two most amazing wizards and they managed to save the kid.
The following day, Sam is finished with his reports and heads over to the Head Auror office to have them signed and filed away. He knocks on the door and enters like always. The sight he’s welcome to isn’t so usual though. Potter has Malfoy backed up against his desk, hands in his hair, lips tightly pressed against the blond’s. Sam drops his files in surprise and the couple springs apart.
“Fuck.” Potter mutters. He takes a deep breath and turns to Sam.
“Yes Conley?”
“Err, sorry, I - Here are the reports for the - err - Malfoy case?”
Malfoy has an amused smile on his face, he seems very at ease in Potter’s office, lips still swollen and cheeks flushed from their earlier activities. Sam doesn’t know where to look.
“Yes, thank you, I’ll look at them later.”
Sam drops the files on the nearest surface and flees the office. He’s almost out the door, when Potter addresses him again, a warm smile on his face.
“Conley? Good job on your first case.”
Sam nods shyly and leaves. He walks back to his cubicle with a new spring in his step. He can’t wait for his next case.