The Lost Timeline | Dramione | ✔

#33 The Aftermath

"Now the question of er– Ms. Lestrange remains," The minister of magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, arrived to inspect the situation himself and after a brief discussion with Narcissa, the harassed-looking minister turned to the woman who had regained her composure and now sat with her wrists magicked together, against a ghastly tomb depicting a lion, which was rather comical when Scrimgeour stood in front of it, due to his hair and tawny colouring. Though nobody was laughing.

"Do we send you back to face trials in your own time or keep you here at the expense of our own timeline?" The minister sighed, "You say that the Dark Lord is defeated in your world. Correct?"

"Yes, and you're dead." Delphini spat. Having nearly died hadn't toned down her ferocity, which was only accentuated now that she no longer had a cover to blow.

If the minister seemed taken aback by this, he didn't show it. "Who else?"

"Loads... Severus Snape, killed by the Dark Lord himself," she laughed, "funny way dear old dad shows his gratitude, isn't it, eh?"

"... that bloke with the funny eye..." she gestured at Moody and scanned those that remained before her eyes came to a rest on Tonks, "You left behind a baby boy."

"Enough, enough." The minister said finally, horrified at the details that she was revealing, and deciding that it was best not to know.

"This is our chance to recuperate our losses," he said, nodding to everyone in the crowd, "you needn't die. This is our chance to do better."

"But what if we don't?" Harry piped up, "What if we let her stay here and everything falls apart? What if we make things worse?"

"But what if it makes everything better?" Scrimgeour countered, "Don't you want to give Tonk's child a chance to have a mother? Wouldn't you like someone to have given you that opportunity?"

That silenced Harry's argument, but Hermione could tell that he wasn't done pleading his case. All his life he never had an adult he could count on and now Scrimgeour was giving him another reason not to.

"If you feel that it is worth the risk so that one person may have a parent and not turn into this– this abomination, I say go ahead! But when Voldemort has massacred half the wizarding world, I hope you remember that it was you who allowed it. Your decision. And if you do make this choice, I won't be on your side... I won't defeat him for you, you'll have to do it on your own."

"Harry," Hermione gasped, "You don't mean that."

"Yes, yes, I do. We have a secure future but Scrimgeour wants to throw that away because he believes we can do better... but it won't bring back Dumbledore, it won't bring back Sirius..." his voice trailed off and Hermione went to him, patting him on the shoulder while Ron stood by his side.

"Mate, nobody's saying that the ministry's final choice is to keep her here, it's an option, right?" Ron looked around at the Order and the minister shifted uneasily, "And we should consider all options."

"I say kill her now and be done with it," Draco goaded Harry, too comfortable in his own house to filter his thoughts or care that there were other ears in the vicinity.

"Draco!" Narcissa hissed. "We're in company!"

"Only joking, mother." He shuffled sheepishly.

"This is hardly the time or place." She sniffed, voice tight.

Hermione spoke up beside him and Narcissa couldn't believe how Draco acted around her. He looked upon her like she was his personal shooting star, the way he hung onto her every word with wonderment was almost too painful to watch.