Draco and Harry: Escorts in Exile

Chapter Twelve

Draco's eyes went to the floorboards when Harry disappeared. They had molded themselves around Maeve's boots, effectively trapping her in place when she'd tried to Disapparate. Harry's final wave had restored them to normal, making it seem as though Maeve's death had just been a normal Splinching accident. All done by Potter with a flick of his hand, and no wand. And he'd sent the flaming wood surrounding Draco scattering without a sound, back in the sacrificial clearing.

Draco sat down hard on the couch. He thought back over the past several days. Harry breaking the wards in the Ministry dungeons. Harry rescuing him from Azkaban. Harry casting the Binding Spell. Harry using the spell to find him, and save him yet again. Draco had to admit it--Potter's powers were growing. He didn't even need a wand any longer, not at all. The problem was, as Harry's abilities grew, it seemed his conscience was shrinking. The Harry Draco knew would never have arranged Maeve's death, no matter how enraged he was. Breaking him out of Azkaban was crazy enough, but this... Draco felt sick.

Shit. This is so beyond not good I don't even want to think about it. Draco snatched a throw from the sofa and slung it about himself. He went outside, needing the night air to clear his head. It didn't really help. He stood looking at the cloudy sky and waited for Harry to return.

ooOoo

Harry Apparated back to the clearing to find general chaos reigning. Umbridge was still an unconscious lump, but apparently some of the Aurors had chosen to support the fallen Minister.

Harry's friends had been revived. Bill and Tonks stood beside Susan Bones, shouting orders and trying to subdue the rogue Aurors. The Weasley twins were causing general havoc by shooting off every sort of madcap spell imaginable. Tendrils of pink fog had enveloped one Auror and seemed to be tickling the man to death. Another was trying to flee, but his feet had become huge flippers--he sprawled headlong and a Stunner kept him down.

Hermione was busy binding Brigit in ropes while Ron called unhelpful directions to the twins. Harry ignored everyone and Levitated Umbridge. He bound her to the same post to which Draco had been tied. The urge to bring back the wood and set it aflame was strong--he actually had to clench his fists and talk himself out of it. Hermione's hand on his arm startled him. Harry blinked at her.

"Is Draco okay?" she asked.

Harry flushed guiltily. He shouldn't have left Draco alone, but the surprised chastisement in the grey eyes had made Harry seek escape. He could deal with disapproval from anyone but Draco.

"He's fine. I need to get him some clothes."

He vaguely wondered what Umbridge had done with the clothes Draco had worn. She had probably kept them as a souvenir. Or Maeve had, since her obsession with Lucius Malfoy had started this entire nightmare. The thought of Maeve brought another surge of emotion. He hadn't really meant to kill her, but he felt no remorse at all over the fact that she was dead.

If the others weren't present, Harry might have sent Brigit and Umbridge to join her. The knowledge caused him to rake a hand through his hair in agitation.

"I'll be right back," he said and Apparated home. He grabbed some clothing and boots for Draco, and then returned to Maeve's cottage. It took him a moment to find his lover, who was outside.

Harry joined him and handed him the clothing bundle. His eyes searched Draco's, but the silver eyes were unreadable.

"Everyone okay?" Draco asked and shrugged the blanket from his shoulders to stand naked in the brisk air. Harry felt a curious tightness in his throat. Draco borrowed Harry's wand and spelled the clothes to hover in midair. He pulled the pale shirt on first. Harry had to smile. Normal people put undergarments on first, but not his Draco. Harry knew it was madness to feel a surge of hot desire now, but he couldn't help himself.

"God, you're gorgeous," he said.

A familiar grin quirked Draco's lips, and he reached out with a groan to gather Harry into an embrace. Harry met his lips hungrily, and the tight knot of fear fell away. If Draco was horrified by Harry's engineering of Maeve's death, he was apparently willing to overlook it.

Before Harry became too mindless, he forced himself to break the kiss and step back to let Draco finish dressing.

"You didn't answer my question, Potter." At Harry's blank look, Draco laughed. "I asked if everyone was all right."

"Oh! Yes. Damn, I told Hermione I'd be right back."

"Hermione? I thought she was at the Ministry in lockup!"

"Um... She was."

Draco looked at Harry and waited. The Gryffindor squirmed slightly, and scowled.

"It was her decision! She did not want to be used as bait."

"Like me."

"Well, yeah."

When Draco was clothed, they Apparated back to the clearing. Things were more under control, with most of Umbridge's Aurors subdued, but for two that floated in midair, doing a strange sort of spiraling dance around each other while begging for mercy. Harry overhead Bill talking to Susan.

"Damn them for not finishing their NEWTs. What Aurors they would have made."

This was apparently in reference to the twins, who reluctantly lowered the floating Aurors at Hermione's enraged bellow.

"Yes, but who could control them?" Susan asked.

Harry largely ignored this as he strode to Umbridge. He knew from experience that she would be out for hours yet. Unless he did something about it. Aware of Draco's steadying presence next to him, Harry did not even bother to raise his wand. He sent a concentrated burst of magic at Umbridge.

Her body jerked and he allowed himself a grin. Maybe that one had been painful. Just a little. Umbridge groaned and twitched. Harry raised his wand to cast a more traditional spell.

"Ennervate."

Dolores Umbridge raised her head. It only took a moment for her to process her surroundings, and then her mouth opened. Harry could imagine the vile invectives spewing forth. He had to imagine, because he had encased her in a bubble of silence. He glanced at Draco, who looked at him quizzically. Harry grinned.

"I woke her up, but I don't have to listen to her."

"Potter, this new wicked streak of yours will take some getting used to, but it has its good points."

Harry turned to Bill. "Bring them here!" He jerked his head toward the assorted fallen Aurors. They were quickly lined up behind the raving Umbridge, whose mad eyes glared at Harry. He walked before them like a general inspecting his troops.

"All right, listen up!" he bellowed. "There are going to be some bloody changes around here!" He halted his pacing in front of Umbridge, but fixed his gaze on each Auror in turn.

"When this psychotic bitch attained the office of Minister, I did nothing, hoping that her obvious insanity would become clear to everyone. When she brought the dementors back to Azkaban, I did nothing, hoping cooler heads would see how obviously fucking wrong that was. When she reorganized the Ministry in her own twisted image, I did nothing, thinking that an ineffective Ministry run by a madwoman was at least better than a world run by Voldemort. When she sentenced a man to seven years in Azkaban for using an illegal potion, I did nothing." Except break him out, Harry added mentally. "But when she stoops to using Dark Magic to summon a man with intent to burn him at the stake I feel it's time to stop doing nothing!"

The Aurors muttered amongst themselves, and Harry assumed many of them were surprised and probably disbelieving.

"I was put on this earth to rid the world of evil," Harry continued. "I thought my job was finished when I killed Voldemort." He let that sink in for a moment as a subtle reminder. "But I've learned that evil still exists. Draco Malfoy taught me that Voldemort left more than bad memories behind. He left pockets of evil magic that I'm sure every one of you Aurors has encountered. Draco and I have worked for the past year to eliminate those, while your Minister has been in London, basking in her own powers and doing nothing to improve things! Why is it dangerous to Apparate? Why has the Floo Network not been repaired? Why are Portkeys still under Ministry control? Voldemort has been dead and gone for six years and the Ministry might as well not exist for all the good it has done!"

There were frightened looks and louder mutters at that. He could practically hear them wondering if Harry planned to destroy the Ministry altogether. Umbridge screamed silently, so enraged a line of spittle edged from the corner of her mouth. For a moment, Harry thought about crushing the Ministry. He could do it. The magic sang in his veins at the thought and he felt his hair stand on end. The tip of his wand crackled with blue sparks.

"Potter. You're glowing," Draco said calmly.

The words steadied him. Harry siphoned some of his magic into the ground, causing the grass to thicken and darken in a fifty meter radius, unseen in the darkness.

"No, I do not plan to bring down the Ministry, nor do I intend to set myself up as Minister, or Dictator, or anything. I still have work to do out there." He flung out a hand. "I have to clean up the mess the last pretender to ultimate power left behind. However, I will not follow this Ministry any longer! There will be changes made, and they will be made right now, or so help me I will bring the fucking Ministry down brick by bloody brick!"

Harry took a deep breath and glanced at Draco, whose expression could have been carved from ice, but for the argent fire in their depths.

"Now, Bill, if you please, will you call all of the Department Heads? We're having an impromptu Ministry meeting. Tell them to convene in Courtroom Number 10."

Bill sent out a number of silvery Patronus messages, and then he looked at Harry. "What about the Wizengamot?"

Fuck the Wizengamot, Harry thought bitterly, having no mercy for the collective that had sent Draco to Azkaban. "Them, too," he said grimly. Bill looked as though he might speak, but thought better of it.

"You can all Apparate back to the Ministry," Harry announced. "I fixed that, at least."

Several people gaped at him. Susan's tone was hushed. "You fixed Apparition?"

Harry nodded curtly. "But only in London. I wouldn't try it outside the city yet. We're still working on that. Hermione, will you and the others Side-along our unwilling participants? I'll take our soon-to-be-ex Minister. Oh, and one more thing. Accio Draco's wand!"

Harry wasn't certain who had it, but Umbridge's robes shredded on one side as Draco's wand snapped into Harry's hand. Harry handed it to the blond.

"Here you are, love. Sorry you'll need to disinfect it."

Draco took it, and watched as Harry loosened the ropes that bound Umbridge to the stake. She might have staggered and fallen, but Harry's magic held her upright. He wanted no one to have reason to pity the hateful creature. She glared at him, still snarling wordlessly.

"Save it," Harry snapped. "You'll get your bloody chance." He glanced at Draco, knowing he could Apparate Umbridge and Draco easily, but he knew his Slytherin would not appreciate being dragged around like a sack of produce now that he had his wand back.

Harry grabbed the Minister roughly by the shoulder and Disapparated.

center ooOoo /center

Draco watched Harry and Umbridge disappear, quickly followed by Weasleys and Aurors. For a moment, Draco thought about Apparating home (although at this point home was a nebulous concept) since Harry seemed to have everything under control. He sighed and popped into the Ministry lobby, knowing it wasn't going to be as easy as that to convince the Ministry and the Wizengamot to oust Umbridge.

A few harried wizards and witches milled about, looking frantic. It had not taken long for Potter's actions to wind up the Ministry, even at this ungodly hour of the morning. He heard a shriek, and glanced over to find a pudgy witch gaping at him before she clutched the wizard next to her and whispered urgently. Draco smiled evilly, recalling that he was now a wanted criminal.

Bill Weasley appeared next to him with a bound Auror in tow. Bill pressed the button for the lift.

"Come on, Malfoy, you're causing a stir."

They entered the lift and made their way to Courtroom 10. Potter was already there, and Umbridge sat in the central chair, shackled. Draco grinned at the sight. He seated himself casually in the spot Harry had occupied during Draco's trial. Potter strode over to join him while the other either Apparated in, or filed through the doors. Neville entered and hurried over, with Luna in tow. He looked nervous, a shadow of the boy he had been at Hogwarts.

"What's happening?" Neville asked with an anxious glance at Umbridge.

"Potter is asserting himself," Draco said with a smile, and Harry gave him a sardonic look. "Have a seat, Longbottom. This could get interesting." He reached out and caught Harry by the collar. Draco dragged him close and murmured in his ear. "Don't do anything stupid."

Harry's chest pressed against his for a moment, and then he pulled back and winked at Draco.

"When have I ever done anything stupid?" he admonished. His laugh hovered in the air as he returned to Umbridge, not giving Draco time to conjure the Encyclopedia of Stupid Things Done By Harry Potter.

When everyone had seated themselves and the general uproar was loud in the small room, Harry raised a hand. The place went silent.

"I'm sure all of you know who I am. I'm sure all of you know what I've done in the past. Some of you know what I've done recently, and some of you only think you know."

Harry's voice was clear and confident, as if he spoke for a living. Draco sat back to enjoy the show. Harry seemed to have a plan. Either that, or he was flying by the seat of his pants, which was far more likely.

"I'm here to clarify a few misconceptions. In order to do that, I'm going to have to go back a few years. I'm sure you all remember Voldemort."

Draco loved the way half the people in the room still flinched at the name. He loved even more the way Harry had reminded them all of what they owed him, and in his humble Gryffindor manner, so they couldn't even resent him for it. Draco's eyes were drawn to the furious Minister. Well, some of them couldn't, he amended.

"After Voldemort's demise, I took some time off. I had been fighting him, on and off, since I was eleven years old. I needed a break." Not many people knew that the defeat of Voldemort had cost Harry most of his powers. It was fairly common knowledge to those that had fought in the war, but the general populace did not know.

"I met Draco Malfoy again when I hired him to guide me to Hogwarts," Harry continued. Draco almost smiled. Lupin had hired Draco much against Harry's will. "It was then that I discovered the legacy left by Voldemort, whose talent for spreading horror did not die with him. Dark Magic scattered across Britain had been allowed to run rampant, growing and mutating."

Harry paused and let his gaze roam over those gathered, seeming to touch every person in turn.

"What has the Ministry done about this?" Harry asked. "Travel has been halted almost completely. No one with a hint of magic is safe in the outlying areas. Even Muggles are dying in magical incidents, or from attacks by trolls or altered creatures. The Ministry spends all its time trying to cover up the fact that they have lost all control, rather than dealing with the problems!"

Umbridge's eyes bulged nearly from their sockets, and her hands twisted so savagely in the manacles that her wrists gleamed with blood.

"Why are the Aurors not out there trying to fix things and mopping up the shite left by Voldemort's bid for power? Why has the Auror Department been cut back to nearly nothing, and populated mainly by those loyal only to her?"

Harry cast a finger at Umbridge.

"I will tell you why. Because of power. Many of you were at Hogwarts during Dolores Umbridge's brief reign of terror. Do you remember what it was like?" Harry thundered. Draco kept his face expressionless, because he had only good memories of that time. It had been Draco's first real taste of power, and he had liked it. On reflection, of course, he and his friends had been utterly ruthless and somewhat irresponsible. Do-gooders such as Potter would have remembered it as a period of grim darkness. Many heads in the room nodded. Susan Bones, the Weasleys, Granger, and several of the Aurors.

"The Minister," Harry sneered the title in such a striking imitation of Draco that the Slytherin felt a jolt of pride, "Is content for us all to huddle in London like insects in her web. Do you remember how life used to be? When Apparition was not a deadly exercise? When using the Floo Network to visit a friend did not carry the risk of sending you to Gibraltar?" Or Budapest, Draco added silently, wishing he could say it aloud just to witness Harry's long-suffering expression.

"Should the Ministry not work to restore those things to us?" Harry demanded.

"Yes!" the Weasley twins shouted. Their voices were echoed by others, and a loud murmur ghosted through the room, sounding almost hopeful. It was really too bad his darling Harry despised the limelight. Draco knew they would install Potter as Minister right now if he only suggested it. And with Draco behind him--! What a blazing pair they would make.

Draco huffed a sigh. His Gryffindor would never accept it. Draco admitted to himself that he probably wouldn't be quite so in love with Harry if he were more grasping and power-hungry.

Still, Harry could give it a go just to try it on. Draco wondered how much lime salve--or withholding thereof--it would take for Potter to change his noble stance.

"Yes!" Harry cried, snapping Draco back to the courtroom. "Yes, it should. And I, for one, would like to hear an accounting of why it has not." Harry turned slowly to face Umbridge, and bowed with exaggerated slowness. "Minister, perhaps you can explain."

Draco felt a tiny surge as Harry released the spell that kept Umbridge quiet. Almost as an afterthought, he raised his wand and said, "Finite Incantatum." The green gaze flicked to Draco in amusement. Draco returned a look of such heat the Potter started, and a hint of pink touched his cheeks. When this was over, Draco planned to rid Harry of every single button he wore. The exhange took only an instant, and then Harry's attention went back to Umbridge, who had found her voice.

"Arrest them!" she screamed. "Arrest these criminals at once!"

A couple of the Aurors moved, but others stopped them almost instantly. A smiled of satisfaction touched Harry's lips, and Umbridge looked even more livid. If she had possessed Harry's powers, Potter would have been lucky to leave a smoking pile of ash to mark his passing.

"You'll pay for this!" Umbridge snarled, at first to Harry, and then including the rest of the room. "You'll all pay for this defiance! You're traitors, the lot of you! All of you Weasleys will rot in Azkaban! And Susan Bones! I am not surprised that you are a turncoat! You have probably conspired behind my back! Haven't you?"

Harry turned to scan the crowd, and his calm demeanor was a marked contrast to the twisted rage exhibited by the Minister.

"And Shacklebolt! You have been plotting with Potter, as I suspected! I should have rid myself of you long ago!"

"Like you rid yourself of Rufus Scrimgeour?" Kingsley asked loudly.

There was a shocked silence as everyone recalled the circumstances surrounding the death of the former Minister. Umbridge glared, but the accusation seemed to have jolted her back to a semblance of calm. She relaxed slightly and sat back with a rictus of a smile.

"Stop clinging to childish fancies, Kingsley," she said condescendingly.

"No fancy!" Kingsley said angrily. "It was murder! Good men were killed that day!"

"They accepted the risks of their positions," Umbridge said placidly. She seemed to have recovered her aplomb. Draco preferred her ranting. His eyes narrowed, but Harry was apparently not in the mood to be ignored.

"Hem hem," Harry said in such a perfect imitation of Umbridge that several people burst out laughing. Harry grinned wickedly and Draco felt such a surge of desire that he had to cross his legs and murmur a localized Glamour to hide the evidence. Damn, but vengeful Potter was enticing.

"Excuse me, Minister," Harry said politely. "We'll get back to Scrimgeour in a bit. Right now, I would simply like an answer. Why is the Ministry doing nothing to rid us of the Dark Magic left from the war?"

Draco saw something dark and treacherous slide through Umbridge's eyes. His gaze sharpened, and he wondered if Harry had noticed.

"The Ministry does not explain itself to civilians," Umbridge spat.

"No?" Harry sounded disappointed. "Well then, perhaps the Ministry can explain itself to the Ministry." He turned back to the gallery once more. "How many of you would like an answer to the question?"

Several hands shot up at once, and others more slowly, until nearly every hand was in the air. Draco made note of those whose hands were down. They bore watching, and it was always good to prepare for future enemies.

Harry spun back to Umbridge. "Apparently, the Ministry is somewhat unclear as to its position on restoration. As Minister, you might want to explain it."

Harry's smug attitude was novel, and guaranteed to send Umbridge back into a froth if he kept it up. She attempted rationality, likely because of the sheer number of those opposing her.

"It is important to maintain order close to home," Umbridge stated.

Neville got to his feet. He raised his hand, and Harry acknowledged him. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. If I may, Minister, I have a list here of the calls the Auror Department handled in the past month." He held up a sheaf of papers and looked at them dramatically. "These, of course, are a matter of public record. Let me see, on 20 May, three Aurors were sent to investigate an incident of public drunkenness by Mr. Jacob Hanley." Neville tsked.

"Poor Jake, he must be over eighty by now. Took three Aurors to subdue him, did it?"

"He was using magic in plain view of Muggles," Umbridge snarled.

"Yes, I see that. In days past, a single Obliviator would have been sent out to deal with Mr. Hanley. Three Aurors! And Jake was served with a 300 Galleon fine."

"Order must be maintained, Mr. Longbottom," Umbridge snapped. She seemed to have forgotten Harry, completely focused on her arch-nemesis.

"Order and replenishing the Ministry coffers, apparently," Neville said dryly. Umbridge said nothing, so Neville loudly flipped a page.

"On 27 May, two Aurors were sent to Paige's House of Pleasure, which mysteriously burned to the ground that same night when a magical fire got out of control."

"A fire set by a patron!" Umbridge gritted.

Neville made a humming sound. "So it says. Although the attending Aurors were not questioned under Veritaserum--"

"I am not in the habit of disbelieving my Aurors!" Umbridge said loudly. Neville looked surprised.

"Your Aurors? Then how do you explain the routine program of Veritaserum interrogations given to Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks, and Bill Weasley, among others? Were they not your Aurors? If not, whose Aurors were they?"

"I suspected them of treason! Quite rightly, as it turns out!"

"Interesting," Neville said blandly as an angry muttering passed through the crowd. It seemed most of the Wizengamot had not been privy to several of Umbridge's practices. Neville returned to his scroll. "On 1st June, four Aurors were dispatched to subdue Mr. Orrin Lightlinger, accused of tampering with the Floo Network."

"We were trying to protect Mr. Lightlinger," Umbridge said.

"Despite his claim to have fixed his own Floo in order to transport himself to his sister's house in Cambridge, due to her needing care for an illness."

"The Floo Network is dangerous!"

"Apparently, free-thinking is dangerous. Why did the Ministry not investigate Mr. Lightlinger's claim? Perhaps his technique could have been used to repair the entire network?"

"Mr. Lightlinger was delusional. He could not possibly have fixed his Floo!"

"We will never know, will we? The Aurors dismantled his entire chimney brick by brick."

"That was done for Mr. Lightlinger's protection," she repeated primly.

"Really?" Neville asked dryly. "Where is Mr. Lightlinger now?"

Draco thought Umbridge might explode from the force of her ire. For a long time, she glared without answering. Neville waited patiently, and finally prodded, "Minister?"

"He is in Azkaban," Umbridge admitted with obvious reluctance.

"He is in Azkaban for attempting to fix his Floo?" Neville managed incredulous with such panache that Draco actually envied him for a moment, before he filed the thought away under Things Never to Admit Even Under Torture.

"He is in Azkaban for resisting arrest and badly hexing two Aurors, as well as unauthorized tampering with the Floo Network."

Neville looked dubious. "Azkaban. Sounds a bit excessive."

"Excessive!" Harry burst out. "Azkaban is the Minister's answer to everything, isn't it, Dolores? You sentenced a man to Azkaban for using an illegal potion! Seven years for an offense that should have warranted a fine!"

Umbridge would have retorted--oh how she wanted to--but apparently Harry had no intention of allowing commentary in regards to that particular issue. Her jaw worked, but no sound emerged. Harry's cold smile warmed Draco's heart.

"In case you have not received a clear picture of the sort of Ministry we currently have, let me present another piece of evidence," Neville said after rustling his parchment again for attention. "Despite Nymphadora Lupin's exemplary record as an Auror for over a decade, she was recently put on suspension and her young daughter was taken away merely because she was suspected of knowing the whereabouts of Harry Potter, despite the fact that questioning under Veritaserum proved that to be an erroneous assumption. Not only was she not reinstated to duty, but her child was not returned to her." Neville let that sink in and Draco was amused by the looks of outrage suffusing the faces of those gathered.

He continued, "If that was not unconscionable enough, the child was not even handed over to relatives of the Lupin's, but instead was given to hand-picked persons of the Minister's choosing. Nymphadora was allowed no contact with her daughter at all, and was placed under house arrest by order of the Minister."

Tonks tried to look victimized, but could not quite manage it. Instead, her eyes glittered with suppressed fury. In Draco's opinion, that was even more telling.

"In the interest of time, I shall not even mention the violation of rights suffered by her husband while the Minister attempted to pass retroactive laws in order to justify sending him to Azkaban, as well."

An angry buzz had begun to hum through the room. Draco thought he might send a gift basket to Neville merely as a token reward for bringing that particular shade of puce to the face of Umbridge.

Neville returned to his seat next to Luna, who beamed at him in such adoration that Neville blushed deeply.

"I think we have all heard enough," Harry said loudly to quiet the growing voices. "I recommend that the Wizengamot and the collective Ministry remove Dolores Umbridge from office and place her under arrest pending investigation of her past practices." He paused and added, "I shall, of course, present myself for arrest in order that the Wizengamot may satisfy itself as to my motivation for the actions I've performed in the past few days. I'm sure Mr. Malfoy will do the same, especially considering I removed him from Azkaban against his will. I am prepared to present a Pensieve memory and undergo Veritaserum questioning in order that you may verify such as fact.

Draco rolled his eyes. Potter was still determined to save him, no matter the cost.

"Comments, Minister?" Harry asked sweetly.

Umbridge said nothing.