Forever Silver

Forever Silver

The Silver Cycle part 3

By Elf Flame

*5*

They arrived at the Ministry two hours later, groomed and fed, but both wishing they were elsewhere. After having their wands measured, Draco led the way to the elevators, and they made their way to the Auror's offices.

Potter was waiting for them when they arrived. He nodded at the two men, and the three men walked quietly to his office. He waved each of them to chairs, then moved to his desk and picked up the file laying there.

"I've been looking over the details of what our forensic healer found yesterday. Seems your father was a very...creative man, Malfoy."

Snape snorted. "Demented would be a more apt term, Mister Potter. The man is a lunatic."

Potter turned to look at Snape, nodding after a moment. "True enough, professor." He took a deep breath. "I'd like to make this as easy as possible for you, but I'm not sure what the best way to do that would be. Would you like to give your statements at the same time? I can call in another Auror, and we could have this done in less than a half-hour, or one of you can give your statement to me while the other watches, but I have to ask whoever is listening to be utterly silent while the other speaks. I use a recording quill to ensure the accuracy of the statement, and more than two voices would confuse it."

Snape was silent, so Draco answered for him. "I think I'd rather stay, Potter, since you don't mind. Do you have a preference as to who you'd like to interview first?"

Potter glanced through his notes for a moment before looking at Draco. "You, actually, Malfoy. You didn't know him as well, so there shouldn't be quite as many questions. Best to get it over with."

Draco nodded. He glanced at Snape, who seemed outwardly calm, but he knew inside, the man was simply trying to hold himself together. "Will you be all right, Professor?"

Snape nodded, keeping his lips firmly pressed together.

Draco turned back to Potter, who now had a scroll of parchment out, and a quill that had been placed on it's point. "Ready, Malfoy?"

Draco took a deep breath. "Yes."

Potter cleared his throat. "This is the official statement of Draco Lucien Malfoy, given to Harry James Potter, on the twenty-third of August, two-thousand." Potter looked up at him. "Your name is Draco Lucien Malfoy, correct?"

"Yes."

"And your relation to the deceased?"

"He was my brother."

"And were you present at Malfoy Manor on the twenty-first of August, the night the deceased died?"

"I was."

"Could you tell me the events of that day, starting with the first event you think relevant, and proceeding to the point where you contacted the ministry?"

So Draco talked about how Silver had come to his house that day. How he had insisted Draco visit with Snape, though he carefully left out the reasons Silver had wanted Draco to go see Snape.

At this, though, Potter interrupted. "Do you think that your father had activated the homing spell by that point?"

Draco looked at him for a moment before glancing at Snape to see his reaction. The man was still stony-faced, but Draco could see that the knowledge of the spell had affected him. His eyes had fallen shut, and his breathing was a touch more ragged. He turned back to Potter to answer. "Since I've learned of the spell, I've gone over the conversation we had that day. He seemed rather sad, but I'd thought..." He stopped, realizing he didn't want to say why he'd thought Silver was sad. He tried again. "He seemed rather upset that Professor Snape had been so withdrawn lately. I simply believed that was the only reason. But now some of his comments seem a bit different, looking back. Like he was saying good-bye."

Potter nodded. "So, you went to Professor Snape's house, and then what?"

Draco began detailing the discovery that Lucius had escaped, their search of his flat, and finding the note Silver had left before Potter stopped him again.

"Do you still have the note, Mister Malfoy?"

Draco looked at him, startled. It had never occurred to him he might need the thing. "I didn't think to keep it. It may still be at my flat..." but before he could suggest he could go back there to look, there was a tap on his arm, and Snape was holding a crumpled scrap of paper out to him. He unfolded it. It was the note. Snape still looked stony-faced, but he'd seen the lost look that had flashed across his face as Draco had taken it from his hand. "Are you sure you're willing to give it up, Severus?"

Snape nodded, not meeting his eyes.

Draco passed the note to Potter. "Thank you, Professor. I'll keep it safe, and return it to you as soon as I can," Potter said quietly.

Snape nodded again.

Potter dictated to the quill that the good-bye note from one Silver Malfoy to both Professor Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy had been given to him by the same Professor Snape, then turned back to Draco. "Continue."

Draco picked up his story where he had left off. How Snape had known that Lucius would take Silver to the Manor, at which Potter jotted down a note. He told him how Snape had led him to the secret passage, and that they had found Lucius there, with Silver. Then he told Potter how his father had killed Silver, and sworn revenge on Snape and Draco as well.

Potter nodded. "But you say he seemed pleased at Professor Snape's reactions?"

"Yes. I believe he felt that was a part of his revenge."

"I see. And then?"

"Then I had a house-elf watch him while I went and contacted the Ministry."

"I see. Is there anything else you'd like to share before we end this, Mister Malfoy?"

Draco took a deep breath. "Yes. There was a time when I looked up to my father, but I never realized how deep he could go in his depravities. No one is safe near him, and I feel it would be in my family's best interests if he were not released ever. I will do whatever it takes to ensure that he stays there this time."

"Thank you, Mister Malfoy," Potter said, looking at him bemusedly. He picked up the quill, cast a quick drying charm at the parchment, then rolled it up and placed it with the file. Then he turned to Snape. "Are you still up to this, Professor, or should we take a quick break?"

Snape's voice was hoarse when he spoke. "No break. I want this over with."

Potter looked at him, worriedly. "Of course." He set up a new scroll, placing the quill upon it, and shooting Draco a warning glance. Draco crossed his arms and glowered at him.

Potter took a deep breath. "This is the official statement of Severus Silvanus Snape, given to Harry James Potter, on the twenty-third of August, two-thousand." He turned fully to face Snape. "You are Severus Snape, correct?"

Snape's lips tightened. "I am."

"And your relation to Silver Malfoy?"

A muscle twitched in Snape's jaw before he responded. "He was my lover."

Potter raised his eyebrows at this. Apparently he hadn't expected Snape to be quite so candid in a formal statement. "I...see. And how did you come to meet Mister Malfoy?"

Draco was horrified. He'd thought since Potter hadn't touched on Silver's origins during their interview, he would be keeping who Silver truly was out of the record. Apparently he had been mistaken.

Severus took a deep breath. "I met Silver the summer Lucius Malfoy was sent to prison."

"And why was that?" Potter asked.

"He wanted me to take care of the boy."

"Just Silver, not Draco?"

Snape glowered at Potter for several minutes before answering. "No one, aside from Lucius, and a few of his house-elves, knew of Silver's existence."

"And why was that, Professor?" Draco tried to get Potter's attention to stop the questions, but Potter just shook his head. "Professor, the medical report says that Silver shows signs of having been sexually active from a very young age. Do you know why that might be?"

Draco sagged back into his chair, relieved. Potter hadn't been trying to get Snape to say Silver was his clone, he'd been trying to get him to admit the use to which Lucius had put the boy to.

Snape wasn't much happier with this idea, though. "He was...used by Lucius until Lucius was sent to Azkaban."

"'Used,' sir?"

Snape glared at him sourly. "He was his sexual plaything. Is that what you wanted to hear?"

"Sir, I just..."

"He was used by Lucius in ways that would turn your stomach, Potter. And he never understood that he didn't have to do those things until I came to retrieve him. Lucius hadn't even named the boy!"

"Professor, I understand. I did not intend to upset you, and I understand there are things that you may find difficult to talk about, but the more details we have about what Lucius did to Silver, the more chance we can keep him in Azkaban for the rest of his natural life."

Snape was still breathing hard, but he nodded, and Draco relaxed slightly at this.

Potter sighed deeply, and sat back. "Are you all right to continue, sir?"

Snape nodded.

"So, you went to the Manor, where you found the boy, and then what?" Potter asked quietly.

"I took the boy to my home, and gave him the first true home he had ever had."

"And he lived with you until he died?"

"Yes."

Potter waited for a moment, and when Snape didn't further elaborate, he cleared his throat. "So, then I need you to tell me the details of August twenty-first, if you would. From the first moment you see as relevant, to the point at which the Aurors arrived to pick up Lucius Malfoy."

Snape glowered at him for a moment, and for that short space in time, Draco suddenly felt as though he were back in the dungeons at Hogwarts, with Snape glowering down at Potter for fouling up yet another potion. But then the moment was gone. Snape took a breath and began to speak. He told Potter how he had heard the news that Lucius Malfoy had escaped, and that he had worried until Silver had returned home, glowering at Draco as he said this, causing Draco to flush, as he'd completely avoided that part of the story. Potter's eyebrows shot up, and he glanced at Draco, writing down a note, before nodding at Snape to continue.

Snape then talked about discovering that it was Draco and not Silver he was speaking to, and rushing to Draco's flat, where they had found the note. "I...kept it unthinkingly at the time, but Potter...I would appreciate getting it back, when you can."

"Not a problem, sir. I'll take care of it myself."

"Thank you." Snape sounded a bit strangled as he said it, but there was no doubting his gratitude.

"So, you knew where Lucius would take him?"

"I assumed that Lucius would take him to the room he had kept the boy while he was growing up. Lucius isn't exactly known for his originality."

"I see. And you found them there."

Snape leaned forward, his hair curtaining his face. "Yes."

Draco glared at Potter, daring him to ask it.

Potter cleared his throat once more. "Is there anything you would like to add to Mister Malfoy's version of events?"

"Other than the fact that Draco did what he could to prevent his father's actions, even if his own actions came too late."

Draco was startled. He hadn't realized Snape had even noticed what he'd done.

"I'll make sure that that is put into the official record, Professor. Was there anything else you'd like to add to your statement?"

"No. I believe we've covered everything."

Potter smiled, and pulled the quill from the parchment, placing it in a box behind his desk. "Well, that's everything. Thank you both for coming in so quickly..."

Draco was startled that Potter wasn't going to follow up on the fact that he had been pretending to be Silver. "That's it? No further questions?"

Potter's mouth quirked into a not-quite-smile. "Was there something you wanted to add, Malfoy?"

Draco clenched his teeth. "Nothing that is anyone's business, but I thought..."

Potter sighed. "I understand. Believe me when I say that your personal lives will remain just that." He turned to Snape. "For record purposes, you will be listed as guardian. I...figured it would be easier to explain than 'Lover.' I hope you don't mind, sir."

Snape raised an eyebrow. "It matters little to me. I was both. And I won't deny it if asked."

Potter nodded, then turned back to Draco. "And I've twisted the record slightly so that it simply appears you have a brother you knew nothing about. None of the clone information is in the public record at all, Malfoy."

Draco blinked, rather astonished at Potter's generosity. "Thank you."

"We were never friends, Malfoy, but that doesn't mean we can't treat each other civilly." He held out a hand.

Draco warily looked at it for a minute before reaching out to grasp it. "Truce, I suppose?" he smiled wryly.

"Something like that. Ron'll have an attack when I tell him I shook your hand."

Draco grinned. "Can I be there?"

Potter laughed. "Only if you want to end up in a knock-down, drag-out."

Draco sighed dramatically. "Ah, well. Perhaps another time. We should be going anyway." He grew serious. "Thank you, Potter. You've been quite...amenable. I appreciate it."

"No problem, Malfoy."

Snape stood, and the two of them left the office. Snape was silent all the way out of the building. However, when Draco prepared to apparate, Snape stopped him. "I think, Draco, that it would be better if I did not return to the Manor with you. That way we can avoid any more...incidents."

Draco looked at him blankly for a moment before realizing that Snape meant the two of them sleeping together again; or rather, Snape coming into his room in the middle of the night out of his mind once more. "Severus..."

"No, Draco. It's better this way. I should not have done that, and it would be better if I removed myself from even the temptation. You may contact me when you are prepared for the funeral. I will be at home." Without allowing Draco so much as another word, Snape vanished, and Draco stood there, mouth agape. Once he'd recovered enough to be angry, he kicked at a nearby stone, growled, then apparated back to the Manor.