Lost And Found

THE OTHER MALFOY

"What's the meaning of this, Harry?" Asked an angry Hermione.

"Its just a routine procedure. I've to show on papers that we are actually investigating the case."

"And who would ensure his safety there? Can you guarantee that again some crazy Auror won't attack him during investigation?"

Harry put a reassuring hand on Hermione's shoulder, "Hey, relax. Nothing such will happen again. Bill will be there as a supervisory member from different department. He'll make sure that nothing untoward happens."

"Why can't you go there yourself and look after it?"

"Because I've some more pressing works with you", Harry said with a grimace, "I wanted to show you something important and to you alone, not Malfoy."

Hermione calmed down for the first tr since the Aurora took Draco to the Auror's office for investigation about half an hour ago, from the breakfast table. Curiosity overtook anger.

"What's it?" She asked with a frown.

"Let's go somewhere more private and secure... The library?"

"Alright. Come."

As the two friends entered the library of Malfoy Manor, Harry lead Hermione gently to the sofa and made her sit. But in stead of taking the seat beside her, he started to pace up and down in a nervous restlessness.

"I don't have all the day, Harry. Unless you have forgotten, me and my husband are still under house arrest till we clear our names by unravelling whatever twisted plans our enemy has for us."

"I... Yeah... Yeah I remember it very well since I'm the one investigating the case. And considering what I found during the investigation, I really don't know what to make of it. I'm really really confused..." He ran his fingers through his mess of a hair in frustration and slumped on the sofa beside Hermione.

"Hermione, what I'm going to tell you is of paramount importance and yet, looks so confusing. Please don't be angry or jump in to conclusions. First hear me out in cool brain, okay?"

"Umm... Ok--ay... You're scaring me, Harry. What's it?"

"Well, as you know we arrested those people who attacked the Muggleborne witch and her Muggle fiance at Diagon Alley. All of them submitted statements that they were working under the instructions of Draco Malfoy, who was planning a Death Rater uprise."

"Yeah... They did. Their whole plan was to get Draco in trouble with false accusations."

"See, that's what I thought too. So we checked them for being under the influence of the Imperious Curse or some other spells. But we didn't find any. There was no sign of memory tampering also. They were under Veritaserum. So they weren't telling lies."

"What are you trying to say?"

"What I'm trying to say is, doesn't the most probable scenario seem to be that they were, in fact, telling the truth."

"What!"

"Yes, Hermione. Exactly my expression! I, too, wanted to cross it out of the checklist. But then I looked in to their memories... And..."

"And what, Harry? Don't stop talking at the crucial moment. What's it?"

"They were telling the truth, 'Mione. It was Draco. I know... it's hard to believe. I don't want to believe it too. It defies everything I believe. But, there was no tampering. I saw it in their memories, as clear as I'm seeing you sitting on the sofa beside me. I saw them meeting with Draco, day after day, planning to bring back the ideologies of Voldemort and start a Death Eater uprise."