What Voldemort Left Behind

Chapter 23 - Parchment and Quills

AUTHORS NOTE: Sorry for the pretty rubbish chapter, it worked out better in my head but hopefully next chapter will be better, I've got an idea for it that i hope works out well

Harry sighed as he stared at the massive pile of paperwork on his desk, this was the one time of the year where the Ministry needed his help. Hermione had come over to give him some company as she had work to do and the best friends decided that it was better done together. Ginny was at work and the kids had a whole month left of school before the summer holidays so the house was otherwise empty. Harry's office was quite big, two large desks met eachother in one corner, above them a large collection of books, mainly about Defense but there were a few Quidditch ones mixed in, along with the average person's charms and potions reference books. The room was lit by a few lamps and two windows along one empty wall. Harry turned back to the sheets of parchment that he would give anything not to have to look at. Names jumped out at him and he wanted nothing more than to chuck everything out of the open window for no one to see again, but he knew that he couldn't. These were documents that needed to be checked every year, regarding ex Death Eaters, most of who were in Azkaban for life. There were a few supporters of Voldemort that had been left free, although they'd never really be free. Draco Malfoy had spent the two years following the war on house arrest, he wasn't allowed to use magic and anyone who communicated with him was first searched and questioned by the Ministry. If it wasn't for Harry he would have spent life in Azkaban like his father, who Malfoy and his mother hadn't seen since the end of the battle. Harry had testified on Draco's behalf, telling the Ministry of his efforts to avoid his aunt knowing that it was Harry in their home, and how anything he did towards Voldemort's movement was under threat of himself and his family being murdered, which Harry assured the Wizengamot hardly gave you more options but to obey than being under the Imperius curse, even Harry himself had come close to obeying Voldemort in the past when he threatened to kill the people he loved. Malfoy wasn't let off as innocent however, he was still charged with the attempted murder of Dumbledore, and resulting attempted murders of Katie Bell and Ron. Malfoy had been given back his wand after the two years but he could never escape the war. Harry would never be friends with him but he had always felt slightly sorry for him, the memories and the criminal record followed him everywhere. He apparently spent most of his time in his large house alone after his wife died a few years back, while his son attended Hogwarts. Harry had met him a few times since the war as Albus had struck up an unexpected close friendship with Scorpius, Draco Malfoy's son. Albus had even stayed at their house for a week last summer, despite the objections from almost all of their family and friends had voiced, Ginny and Harry made the decision to let their son be happy even though they would never get along with Albus's friend's father. They didn't allow him to leave unprotected, not because of his company, but as it was dangerous to let any of their children leave the protection they are always under either at Hogwarts, home, or the Burrow. Harry had cast tracking spells on Albus as well as dark detecting. He hadn't been very comfortable with Albus staying with the Malfoys, but he knew that they wouldn't harm him and Harry's children needed a carefree life where they could spend time with their friends without worrying, they had enough of that at home.

Harry lifted the parchment entitled with Malfoy's name and began to read. There were people employed in the Ministry who's job it was to watch over ex Death Eaters, they would forever be watched and tracked. Harry wasn't responsible for this, all he had to do nowadays was read the information and sign the forms, the Ministry could technically do it without him but they were hesitant to do anything involving Voldemort without checking with Harry that they were handling it correctly. That was most of the reason he joined the Aurors after the war, making sure all Death Eater activity was eliminated. Harry signed the document and watched as his owl, Mad-Eye, flew through the window into his study. The owl was named after the late Order member due to one of its eyes bearing a distinct resemblance to the famous magical one now buried in a forest tree somewhere. After the war it took Harry more than a year to get an owl and eventually Ron and Hermione practically dragged him to the Magical Menagerie, he rarely left the house. They tried to coax him towards so many of the animals but thankfully ignoring the one rare snowy owl that the shop assistant unknowingly pointed out, and after a while both of them had almost given up on Harry taking any of them. Harry finally noticed a brown owl with rough looking feathers and a funny eye and he felt... not happy exactly but there was a definite connection, this animal clearly knew what it was like to have a hard life, Harry empathized and decided that he would leave the place with an owl after all. As soon as Ron and Hermione saw him staring across the shop, they understood which he was looking at and why, and told the assistant to fetch it, much to her protests that the shinier new ones may be a better fit. After all those years Mad-Eye the owl had stuck around.

"Harry?" Hermione began cautiously, "Did Voldemort use the Cruciatus curse on you?"

"Yeah, a few times, why?"

"I'm beginning to research your history with Dark magic, we need to discover the cause of your magic attacks."
She scribbled some notes with the quill.

"Twice you were killed, right?"

Suddenly Hermione noticed that Harry was staring blankly at the page, his quill had slipped out of his grasp and ink spilled over the page, but he didn't seem to notice. Hermione rushed over, shaking him with much more force than it would need to wake someone who was sleeping, as hard as she could almost to the point of being painful. He began to breathe quicker and heavier, but didn't respond, his eyes were glazed over.
"Harry," She panicked, "Harry."
If only Ginny or Ron were there, they were much better under pressure. Finally Harry sat up straight, flinching away from her and holding his wand out. He lowered it upon realizing it was Hermione and looked down guiltily.

"Sorry, force of habit."

"Harry, what happened? You were staring like you were in some sort of trance," she said worriedly.

"Oh yeah it's nothing, Ginny mentioned I'd done it a few times recently." He waved his hand dismissively as if this was of no real importance.

"Harry..."

"Please don't take this the wrong way Hermione, but it's nothing you need to worry about."

Harry pushed the paper across the desk and walked out, shutting the door behind him.