บท 132: 83
His answer hung in the air for several minutes, the entire room taking such a statement in. eyes flicked between the seriousness of his expression and the tiniest of smiles that was now gracing Kathryn's face.
"Very well." Apparently this was an acceptable answer. The next person to speak was the witch with the long white hair. She placed her pince-nez on the end of her nose and regarded Lucius for a few moments before speaking.
"I assume that this was the same reason you decided to abscond from the battlefield with her?" she asked, her quill poised ready to take notes.
"It was." Lucius gave her a curt nod.
"But she could have been treated just as well at Hogwarts; she could have spoken for you then and there. Why cause further controversy by spiriting her away to your Manor?"
"I know that would have peen perfectly well cared for at Hogwarts, but you are wrong in your assumption that she could have spoken in my defence." He was emphatic in his disagreement with her comment.
"How so?" she raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows, somewhat surprised at his nerve.
"You have seen her injuries," he explained, "by the time she was in any fit state to speak I would have already been carted off to Azkaban like the rest. The Order of the Phoenix would not have paused to listen to me."
"So you thought that escaping with Miss Potter would be a more effective strategy?"
"No, I took her for purely selfish reasons." He drawled. "I knew that I could not remain free for very long, given the circumstances, and I just wanted those last few hours with her."
"When you were discovered, a packed travel bag was found in your study." She read from her notes. "Surely you cannot expect this court to believe that thoughts of your own escape did not cross your mind?"
"Of course I considered such an option, only a fool wouldn't have."
"So why didn't you follow through with your plan?"
"She had once told me that she was determined to face whatever consequences arose from our actions, even though she knew what would be at stake." He explained patiently. Kathryn could remember the day he was recalling, her comments that morning seeming quite prophetic a few months on. "When she was prepared to go through such an ordeal, I could do nothing so cowardly as to run."
"But if you had run, there would have been no reason to suspect Miss Potter of anything untoward. You could have spared her this hardship completely."
"I didn't want to make her lover to a fugitive."
"It would have kept your secret."
"Such things rarely stay secret for long; her absences would have been noticed. In any case, measures had already put in place that would have eventually raised the issue."
"What measures?"
"I made her the guardian of my estate; put all of my wealth at her disposal. More than a few questions would have been raised by such an act."
"And just exactly when did she discuss these future possibilities with you?"
"It wasn't really a discussion, just an offhand comment."
"When?"
"Before Easter," he paused, casting his mind back, "the day after the Quidditch international against Italy. Miss Potter had joined the Minister, my son and myself for dinner and she had stayed the night."
"You dared have her there when your son was present?"
"He was otherwise occupied."
"With what?"
"His girlfriend." Lucius' replay was deadpan, and across the courtroom Kathryn saw Pansy Parkinson flush bright pink.
"I see." She cleared her throat slightly, shuffling her papers before continuing. "So, what exactly did Miss Potter have to say about your relationship?"
"If I remember it correctly," he glanced over at Kathryn, "she described it as the one thing for which she would never be forgiven."
"Quite prophetic."
"I hope not."
"Well, I do believe that time will be the test of that." She sounded very sceptical as to the likelihood of such an event. "More importantly, how did you explain her presence to your son, and to others, when you were together in public?"
"I had no need to explain to my son. She had been my guest for dinner and her remaining for a drink after dinner was nothing out of the ordinary. When he came into the room, all my son saw was his father and his guest."
"So when your son interrupted you, what time was it?"
"It was probably about half past eleven."
"Surely that would be considered a bit late for such a dinner guest to still be in your company?"
"Of course it was, had anybody else known about it. As far as her friends were concerned, she was dining with the Minister."
"And your son did not mention it at all?"
"If he had any concerns, he kept them to himself."
"What of your trips abroad? You were hardly out of the public eye when you went away? I cannot understand how questions were not raised." She did look completely baffled, as did many other members of the Wizengamot.
"People saw what they wanted to see," he shrugged, "what we wanted to show them."
"What did you tell the people you met while away?"
"Well, Miss Potter is a well known Quidditch fan, so her appearance at international matches was no surprise."
"But you also told other attendees that she was there as your guest."
"Yes."
"And this was just accepted?"
"It was. In the first instance, it was veiled as a kind gesture. The second time round it was the perfect apology for my son's actions the previous summer. People had no reason not to believe what we told them as we did not parade around like a pair of hormonal teenagers." Harry, listening intently along with the rest of the room, supposed that this was right. She may have often been on his arm, but they had kept themselves strictly in check.
"Can we assume that this was Miss Potter's wish as well?" she turned her cool gaze towards Kathryn, who met it with a dignified one of her own.
"Well, I can't imagine she was too happy during the trip to Dubai." He drawled. "I was forcing her into a situation where she had to smile and maintain the illusion for more than just her friends."
"Yes, I can see how that would make anyone uncomfortable."
"But on further occasions I believe that she understood the necessity of concealment. Indeed, she reminded me of it on more than one occasion."
"So you reached a point where the masquerade was no longer appealing?" she surmised, looking intently at him.
"I did." His response was forthright and honest.
"Why was that?"
"It was frustrating for the obvious reasons," he shrugged, "I could not see her just because I wanted to, there had to be a half-plausible reason for my doing so. I could only watch as other men eyed her up and flirted. I could not claim her as my own."
"I cannot imagine that any attempt to denote her as yours would have gone down well."
"No, but I did find my ways." He smirked slightly at the thought of everything he had done.
"Yes," she nodded, understanding exactly what he meant, "all the gifts you gave her would have shown she was yours if people had paid attention."
"Yes, but it was still frustrating. It did make me consider the possibility of defection during those final few months." He confessed, stunning even Kathryn.
"Really? That is most illuminating." The members of the Wizengamot were quietly murmuring amongst themselves after this admission. "Why, might I ask, did you not follow through on this matter?"
"By that time it was too close to the end-game for any desertion to be of effect." He explained. "Even if I had gotten away with it, it is unlikely that the Order would have accepted the move as genuine, even if I'd had Miss Potter to speak for me. It would have been seen as merely a last minute attempt to save my hide."
"Did you discuss this with Miss Potter at all?"
"No."
"Why not? Surely she would have been well placed to soften the ground for such an announcement?"
"They would have sooner thought her under a curse than actually giving me support." He replied pessimistically. "After all, she had spent nearly two years pretending to do nothing but humour me. Such a quick change of mind would not have been accepted by anyone."
"Therefore you decided to remain silent on the matter?"
"Yes, it proved to be a smart decision considering June's events."
"It did, didn't it?" she paused for a moment, and then asked him exactly what Kathryn had on their final evening together. "What would you have done if the tables had been turned?"
"Had the Dark Lord been totally victorious, Miss Potter and her brother would not have survived." His response was expressionless, stating the simple fact.
"Well let us say that your Master was victorious, but that victory did not entail the death of either Potter." As soon as she had spoken, Kathryn saw the face of every other person in the room grow pensieve as they considered the options themselves. "What would you have done?"
"Such a decision was far from my control, it would have depended on how merciful the Dark Lord was inclined to be."
"So let's say that he was tempted to let them live."
"Well, he would not have been willing to let them simply return to their friends and go on with their lives." He explained with a serious look on his face. "Even if they had failed to defeat him, he still would have been wary of the power and support they could wield against him."
"Considering your standing in the ranks of the Death Eaters, would you have advised him on such a subject?"
"Well, I believe that in such a case the Dark Lord would have preferred a more unusual form of punishment and control. Had I the opportunity, I would have suggested that the boy be returned to his friends and the girl kept as insurance."
"Kept?"
"Yes. A prize, if you will, for one of the Dark Lord's servants. Coupled with a guarantee that she would remain unharmed if there was no further rebellion, I do believe such a situation would have forced obedience from even the most determined members of the Order."
"And where did you imagine that you would figure into such a plan?"
"I promised her that should such a situation arise, I would do everything in my power to keep her safe."
"What makes you so confident that she would have come into your possession, as it were?" she sounded quite offended at the suggestion that that a person could be reduced to mere chattel.
"Well, if her survival was key to the agreement, I cannot imagine that she would have survived for very long if left in the depraved hands of Antonin Dolohov or Rabastan Lestrange." Kathryn shuddered at the thought of such a fate. "Indeed, I was probably the only one of my former associates that would have kept her in an acceptable degree of comfort and safety. Taking that into account, I would have been the logical choice. And I suppose that after the loss of my wife, the Dark Lord might have considered someone so young and beautiful to be the perfect reward. But, such as it is, we have not had to face such circumstances."
"Mercifully. And you discussed this with Miss Potter?"
"Not explicitly, I merely promised to protect her by any necessary means. We did not discuss the future in such minute detail; we had so little time as it was. It did not do to dwell on the potential unhappiness ahead." Kathryn could remember their conversation, hidden in the gardens outside the castle. She had wanted that night to last forever; not wanting to go back to change things, but neither had she desired to confront the uncertainty of what was to come.
"And what about now, do you still feel as obliged to protect her as you did then?"
"I do, yes." He confessed, clearly uncomfortable with being so emotionally exposed. "Although I do believe she wishes I wasn't."
"So even though you did not have to take such drastic steps to ensure her safety, what have you done since July?"
"I am no fool," he stated bluntly, "I knew that if she and her brother were to emerge victorious, it would be nigh-on impossible to conceal our relationship. It was also no great strain to imagine the public backlash of such a revelation. It was pretty obvious to me that I was likely to be shielded from all this fury by the walls of Azkaban, as well as my son, whilst Miss Potter would be left to deal with the entire situation on her own."
"She seems to have managed fairly well."
"Yes, but at the time I had no idea how her brother and friends would react. For all I knew they could have turned her out of their house. In making her guardian of my estate I wished to give her somewhere that she could escape to; where she would have a legal right to privacy within its boundaries."
"Your plan appears to have worked quite well." To Kathryn's eyes, it looked like the woman was ever so slightly impressed by how much time he had spent considering her wellbeing above his own.
"So it may seem," he sighed, "but I fear that I have unintentionally created a prison."
"Has Miss Potter given any indication that she dislikes the arrangement?"
"No, she told me only yesterday that she is happy in the house." The reasons for his questions the previous evening now seemed very clear to Kathryn. "But after a life spent in hiding, I do not wish to be the cause of further seclusion. I believe she has earned the right to her freedom, despite what anyone else may think." A tear threatened to fall from the corner of her eye, but she held it back; discreetly brushing it away as she flicked her hair out of her eyes.
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." She looked strangely pleased with what she had learned, as if, maybe just a little, he had gone up in her estimation.
"Now, Mr Malfoy," the gentleman with the bushy moustache and eyebrows took over, fixing Lucius with a piercing stare, "although your activities with Miss Potter are of great importance to the overall judgement, I believe that we now must focus on your activities as a Death Eater." Though the movement was slight, she could see Lucius' posture droop. He had never told her about what he had done as a Death Eater, and she had never asked. She didn't really want to know, preferring to remain ignorant of that particular part of his life. She knew that he would have participated; he wouldn't have still been alive if he had declined.
"Yes, I suppose we must." Lucius' voice was resigned, a far cry from the confident tone he had used moments earlier.
"You do not sound like you look forward to the prospect." Kathryn wanted to hex him for being so tedious as to state the complete obvious.
"No, I do not."
"Why?"
"Because I do not look back on my actions with pride." This statement buoyed her hopes a little, but the look on the wizard's face told her that he was not likely to be easily convinced.
"And others would?"
"I can name a few."
"Well, we shall get to that later," he paused briefly to cast a glance down at his papers, "firstly, I wish to know the extent of your involvement in the following events. For a start, the murder of Amelia Bones."
"That was carried out by the Dark Lord himself." Lucius affirmed what had always been suspected by the Order.
"And what of Emmeline Vance?"
"She was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov."
"Any particular reason why?"
"She was a member of the Order of the Phoenix. That was reason enough for the Dark Lord." Nobody spoke, the entire room silent and waiting.
"I see." He made a quick note on his papers. "Now, there are conflicting reports as to your presence in the Department of Mysteries five years ago. Could you please confirm if you were involved?"
"I was tasked with leading that little expedition, so yes, I was there."
"Why were you placed in charge of such an undertaking?"
"It needed to be done with care and finesse. We had to wait for Potter and his sister to get the prophecy, not just blunder in sending hexes left, right and centre." His voice took on a tone similar to that of Snape when he was addressing Neville. "I knew my way around the Ministry and since most of those involved had not long been out of Azkaban, someone with a level head was needed to stop them running completely rampant."
"You call what they did restrained?"
"Well, no one died." He shrugged. "That is at least one sign of moderation."
"So how, might I ask, did you manage to escape whilst others were captured?"
"I was engaged in a duel with Sirius Black and, when I was momentarily disabled, Miss Potter threw herself in front of her Godfather to protect him from on of Bellatrix's curses." Several people made sounds of admiration at this information, their eyes flicking towards Sirius. "Obviously he was distracted and I used the opportunity to retreat."
"This was the first time you encountered Miss Potter, wasn't it?"
"No, I had met her the previous summer, but only in passing."
"A most brave act," he nodded in approval, "what did you think of her?"
"I was most impressed," he conceded, "she appeared to be calm, despite the situation, and she stood her ground as well as the most seasoned member of the Auror Office."
"Duly noted. Now, moving on, were you involved with the incident at the Millennium Bridge?"
"I was, yes." Hands were clapped to mouths in horror. That particular atrocity had happened just before the start of their seventh year and London had been rocked by the apparent failure of a structure that was not even a decade old. Thirty three Muggles had lost their lives that day, overcome by the unusually strong currents that had swept through the Thames that day. "The three Lestranges, Dolohov, Thorfin Rowle, Fenrir Greyback and the Carrows were also involved."
"To what purpose was such violence?"
"It was meant to demonstrate our power, and to strike fear into the hearts of witches and wizards around the country. If we were willing to visit such devastation upon Muggles, then there was no telling what we would do to those who openly opposed us." It sounded incredibly cold, but it was the truth.
"I see." He made another quick note before continuing. "What can you tell us about your involvement in the sporadic slayings that have plagued our lives for the past four years? I am particularly interested in the past two years."
"I cannot deny that I was involved in some of the killings," he spoke slowly, choosing his words with care, "but in the past two years my involvement has been very limited."
"How so, if you were such a prominent member of his inner circle?"
"I preferred to leave the killing to those who enjoyed it." his voice was full of distaste. "I participated when I was required to do so, but it was a far cry from the involvement of my youth."
"According to those who were aware of your activities as a Death Eater, you were notoriously renowned for your torture skills. From what Miss Potter has told us, you have not lost your touch, so what was the reason behind this sudden change in activity?"
"Upon the Dark Lord's return, I was the only member of his inner circle that had a relatively untarnished reputation." He tried to do his best not to sound arrogant as he spoke, knowing it was difficult considering the subject matter. "Whilst I had been impetuous and power-hungry in my youth, I was now well-connected and powerful. I had spent over a decade building a reputation that the Dark Lord realised he could use. He had plenty of younger followers to do his dirty work, leaving me to ensure that, when the time came, the Ministry would easily fall."
"Like a well played game of chess, am I right?"
"Exactly. If you wish to use the chess analogy, you could say that I had a piece in every department."
"Every department?" he looked furtively around him, as if expecting immediately see a traitor within the ranks of the Wizengamot.
"Well, all except the Auror Office and the Minister's Office."
"Why not those two? Surely they were of vital importance?"
"It would have been impossible to successfully insert someone into the Auror Office, not when half of them were members of the Order and had Alastor Moody waiting in the wings to assist them." Seated near the end of the row, Kingsley, Tonks and Moody all took this as a compliment to their efforts. It was quite pleasing to know that the Death Eaters had considered them incorruptible. "As for the Minister's Office, well, my position of influence was considered more than adequate."
"I see. And just who were these people that you had positioned on your board? Death Eaters?"
"Oh no, a Death Eater was far too easy to identify." He drawled, again taking on a tone so similar to Snape's.
"Apart from yourself, of course?"
"I suppose so, but that did take me many years to achieve. The people I used varied from department to department. Some were sympathetic to the Dark Lord's cause and others were," he paused, searching for the right word, "coerced."
"You mean threatened?"
"After a fashion. It doesn't take much to force compliance when a person's family was placed in a position of potential jeopardy." Kathryn shivered at that last remark, her insides seeming to ice over. She knew that, out of all the people he had threatened, she was probably the only one who had refused to submit.
"What would be an example of this 'jeopardy'?" he asked curiously, the entire courtroom eager to know the answer.
"For those with children, the mention of one name was generally enough to elicit the desired effect."
"And that was?"
"Fenrir Greyback." Instead of the usual gasps, this time there were shrieks from around the courtroom; most women looking utterly horrified. Fenrir Greyback's penchant for young flesh was well known, and gave good cause for him to be well feared.
"I don't know what people are so horrified about," Kathryn hissed in Harry's ear, "it's not like such threats were uncommon." Indeed, such threats were why Greyback was so feared.
"What has become of those you had in your service, as it were? Are they still at large in the Ministry?"
"No, prior to the beginning of this trial, I agreed to cooperate and name those that had successfully infiltrated the Ministry." Now that he thought of it, those dark days with absolutely no knowledge of how she fared seemed a very long time ago.
"So all you little chess pieces are now removed from the board?"
"Not all." Fudge's eyes widened in shock, apparently unaware that support for Voldemort could still be lingering in the Ministry.
"Then I would not call that cooperation."
"I have given the names of all Voldemort's supporters that were strategically placed within the Ministry. I have chosen to withhold the names of those who agreed to cooperate under duress."
"Why?"
"Because they have no right to be persecuted simply for trying to protect their loved ones." There were several nods of admiration and agreement from around the room.
"But what if you were offered unconditional freedom in return for those names?"
"I would decline the offer." He replied firmly, a definite tone of finality in his voice. "I have seen the suffering caused by accusations of treason when comparatively little has been done wrong. I would not wish it upon anyone." No one in the room was under any illusion about whom he was speaking of. Kathryn felt a flush creep into her cheeks as hundreds of eyes flicked towards her for the thousandth time.
"Very well. Now, moving on, you mentioned that your involvement in certain aspects of Death Eater activity over the past two years had been limited. What alibi can you offer that will prove that you were absent?" Lucius took some time before answering and, by the look on his questioner's face, it was no struggle to tell that he hoped that the man before him would fail to provide a watertight excuse.
"Like I said before, I had spent the years after the Dark Lord's fall cultivating a certain reputation. Upon his return, the Dark Lord realised the potential benefits of such a position and sought to use it accordingly. Of course, such a standing was only possible if my connection to the Dark Lord was thought to be long forgotten." Even Sirius, in all his ire, could not deny that this made perfect sense. "Thus, whilst the Death Eaters were about their campaign of intimidation, I was presenting a respectable face to the world."
"And therefore you were able to have the ear of anyone you wanted, Ministry official or otherwise." He finished, raising a questioning eyebrow, as if daring Lucius to disagree.
"Yes, and it worked."
"What about your son?" he asked curiously. "I'm surprised you managed to hold onto your reputation after the events of his sixth year at Hogwarts."
"Yes, it was a testing summer," he mused, "but he did not bear the Dark Mark then. It was easy enough to claim that he had been intimidated."
"When did he take the Dark Mark?"
"That summer, just before he went back to school."
"After the Ministry had cleared him?"
"Naturally."
"I still find it hard to believe that people would remain so trusting of you after such an episode."
"I must admit that I was also surprised. But Minister Fudge was quick to intervene and speak in support of my son. In turn, I was happy to lend my full support in his bid to re-take the office of Minister." Fudge looked like he wanted to sink through his chair, his eyes fixed to the floor as Lucius spoke.
"So you traded political favours for assistance?"
"No, the assistance was given out of friendship and I merely repaid the kindness with the right words whispered in the right ears. People were already incensed that something so catastrophic could happen with a former Auror at the helm, so it didn't take much to swing public opinion in favour of Minister Fudge. After all, nothing so calamitous had happened under his stewardship."
"Most interesting," he seemed to consider the point, his fingers stroking his moustache, "but to return to the original question, can you provide a suitable alibi for times you claim to have been absent from Death Eater activity?"
"On the whole, I think I can safely say that when there were major occurrences of Death Eater activity, I was otherwise engaged." Looking to her right, Kathryn and Dumbledore shared a knowing look.
"With Miss Potter?"
"Most of the time, yes."
"So, if I were to ask you where you were last summer when there were murders in Liverpool and Devon, what would you reply?"
"I was in Paris," he answered quickly, "in search of Miss Potter. I found her on the Friday afternoon; we had dinner that evening and then spent the night in her hotel. Those attacks were carried out in the early hours of Saturday morning and Miss Potter can confirm that I was still with her at that point."
"Was he, Miss Potter?" he asked in a clipped tone, turning his head to look upon her.
"Yes."
"How can you be certain that he was there in the early hours of the morning?"
"Because we were awake." Her face was serious as the grave as she gave her reply; fixing him with a cool stare.
"Very well. Now, Mr. Malfoy, why is it that your presence was not required in these situations? Indeed, I would have thought that the more experienced of his followers would have been most trusted to carry out such attacks?"
"Like I said before, with myself it was about maintaining a respectable image. Beyond that, such attacks were left to lower ranking Death Eaters in order to keep the more valued members of his circle, how should I put it," he paused for a moment, searching for a way to explain, "free, I suppose. After the fiasco in the Department of Mysteries, the Dark Lord could ill afford having his best lieutenants apprehended."
"But surely that was not always the case?"
"The Dark Lord used the best when the situation merited such skill."
"Could you give an example of such a circumstance?"
"Aside from the murder of Emmeline Vance, the killing of Miss Potter's foster parents in France would qualify as such an example." He didn't really want to mention it, knowing how upset she had been about their deaths, but it was the most well known example he could think of.
"Ah yes," he nodded, remembering it well, "Miss Potter has already informed us that Bellatrix Lestrange was one of the Death Eaters involved. You informed her of this, yes?"
"I did."
"Who else was involved?"
"Her husband, Rodolphus, and I believe they took Yaxley along for good measure."
"Did you know this was going to happen?" he asked inquisitively.
"Not essentially." Kathryn froze in her seat at the sound of such an ambiguous answer, not wanting to believe that he could have lied to her.
"And what does that mean?"
"I knew that the Dark Lord wished to strike a blow to the Potters," he explained carefully, "but I never found out how, at least, not until I read the papers."
"So you had no way of preventing such an atrocity?"
"Lamentably, no." It was impossible for those observing to overlook the regret in his voice.
"But had you the opportunity, would you have warned Miss Potter? Even if it risked exposing your relationship?"
"If I could have done anything to prevent the pain such an act caused her, I would have risked more than our secrecy." Looking at his sister, all Harry could see in her eyes was adoration.
"That's the man I know." She whispered with a smile as the wizard indicated that he was finished with his questions.
"Mr. Malfoy," the next member of the Wizengamot to speak was the woman with the kindly face, "before we progress any further, I should like to raise the issue of your attitude towards those of Muggle descent."
"And what should you like to ask me?" he was perfectly polite, knowing that he had to tread carefully in his remarks on the subject.
"To start with the facts, you are the head of one of the oldest Pureblood families in Britain, are you not?"
"That is correct."
"And as such you were seen as a leading figure in Pureblood society, a section of the Wizarding population that believes that those who are pure-of-blood are naturally superior to those with partial or total Muggle heritage."
"I was what society expected me to be," he shrugged in an unconcerned fashion, "surely it was no great surprise that I behaved the way I did."
"Did you never question your beliefs?"
"I believed what I was brought up to believe. From a young age my parents sought to instil in me the values that had been a cornerstone of their lives. It was only when I went to Hogwarts that I met people of Muggle lineage, but by then I was already secure in the belief that I was inherently superior." It was a cold, clinical analysis of his childhood, but he knew that it was true.
"But didn't that make it hard for you to find friends?"
"No," he shook his head, "I knew who I was supposed to be friends with, and who I was supposed to avoid."
"So who were you friends with?"
"Well, back then Slytherin was full of the old families. Black, Lestrange, Nott, McNair, Flint, Avery." He rattled off a very familiar list of names. "You name them; they were there at one point or another."
"And you were friends with them?"
"They were friends with me." He corrected firmly. "I was from the wealthiest, most influential family; destined to be the next Slytherin golden boy." Looking to her right, Kathryn saw Sirius' lip curl in disgust, obviously ignoring the hint of cynicism that pervaded his tone.
"Did you fulfil these expectations?"
"I was Quidditch captain for three years, a prefect and then Head Boy in my seventh year. Beyond those, I achieved Oustandings in most of my OWL's and NEWT's. My parents expected great things of their son and I was not about to disappoint."
"I can see how any parent would e proud of such achievements," she nodded in an understanding way, "but were they proud that you lent your support to the Dark Lord?"
"They were pleased because they saw me taking a stand to protect their ideals of Wizarding society."
"And yet, after such time dedicated to the preservation of your way of life, you now find yourself in a relationship with a half-blood witch who has famously defended everything you sought to destroy."
"It's quite ironic, isn't it?" he commented dryly, wishing that she would just get to the point.
"Somewhat, yes," she agreed, "but what about her friends?"
"What of them?"
"Are they welcome in your house?"
"Yes." He knew that she wanted him to question why they could possibly be unwelcome, but he was not about to give her the satisfaction.
"Even those that you would have once considered beneath your society? Like Miss Hermione Granger, for example?" two spaces away from Harry, Hermione shifted uncomfortably in her seat when her name was mentioned.
"At this point in time Miss Granger spends more time at my house that I do." He replied with a smirk. "So of course, she is welcome. If you are in any doubt, I suggest that you ask her yourself."
"All in due course." She made a quick note. "And do you find her to be inferior, as you were brought up to believe?"
"No, I do not." His answer was quick and assured. "She is exceedingly intelligent and has always been civil towards me, though I have done little to deserve it." Hermione flushed crimson at such praise.
"Miss Granger," the witch turned to look at Hermione, "is this true? Do you feel welcome at Mr. Malfoy's home?"
"Yes," her voice was quiet in the vast chamber, but everyone could tell that she was answering honestly, "I mean, at first things were a bit awkward."
"Understandably."
"But now it is somewhere where I am quite happy to spend my time." She finished, flashing a quick smile at Kathryn.
"And do such feelings reflect your views on your friend's relationship with Mr. Malfoy." She asked, deviating slightly from her original question.
"I believe that it is Mr. Malfoy that you are meant to be questioning, not me." Hermione replied in her familiar, matter-of-fact tone; apparently unconcerned that she was addressing a member of the Wizengamot and not one of her friends. "If you wish to ask me such questions, do so in a more official capacity." She knew it was an open invitation for them to officially question her but, after everything Kathryn sacrificed for them, she would be glad of the opportunity to publicly defend her friend. She sat back down calmly, her gaze boldly fixed on the Wizengamot; challenging the woman to disagree with her cool logic.
"We may yet, Miss Granger, we may yet." With a curt nod to Fudge, she indicated that she was finished.
"With your approval Minister," the next words came from the gentlemen with tightly curled hair and a quizzical brow, "I should like to call Severus Snape forward to bear witness to the character of Mr. Malfoy." From where he was sat next to Dumbledore, Snape betrayed no surprise at such a request.
"Certainly," Fudge nodded his assent, "though perhaps now would be an appropriate time to take a brief pause in proceedings?" the members of the Wizengamot all signalled their agreement. "Twenty minutes."
With that, the Wizengamot stood and retired to their chambers, leaving the assembled onlookers to do as they pleased. Some left in search of refreshment, whilst other stood to stretch out stiff limbs. All were talking furiously, eager to discuss what they had heard with their friends. After waiting a few moments for the room to empty slightly, Kathryn stood and walked down towards the chair where Lucius was still chained. However absorbing their conversations, people still found the time to watch her as she went.
"Do I really need to ask Scrimgeour?" she inclined her head towards the chains that still held him in place.
"There are others present." He reminded her, casting a nervous glance at the benches around them.
"And you are here to prevent anything untoward." She countered smoothly. "Really, what do you expect him to do?"
"Very well." Casting a final, wary look around the room, he waved his wand and the chains vanished. People gasped and murmured as he stood, stretching out his aching arms and sweeping a hand through his hair.
"You did well." She told him quietly, taking his hand in hers.
"I'm surprised you can look at me after some of that." He replied bitterly, not meeting her gaze.
"It did not shock me," she reassured him, "after all, I was there."
"Still, I do not like to speak of the way I treated you."
"It was painful to hear," she stepped closer, lacing her fingers with his, "but it was necessary." He did not reply, but his eyes did finally meet hers; staring into their green depths with a pained expression.
"Listen," she told him firmly, but softly, touching her hand to his cheek, "you showed them the man I know, and I could have asked for nothing better." Finally, a glimmer of a smile played across his face. That was all he needed to hear.
Laying one hand behind her head, he pulled her towards him; kissing her soundly, without a care for the hundreds of eyes that watched their every move. For a moment, in the middle of a room full of people who would wish them ruin, there was peace.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง