Jailbird
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling (JKR), various publishers of the Harry Potter (HP) series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 9 (uploaded 11/21/03)
Snape didn't move from the table. "There's more," he said.
Dumbledore looked up at Moody, who took the nonverbal message and sat down quickly. Snape continued, "I have learned and confirmed that Malfoy will be released from Azkaban very soon, perhaps tomorrow."
Moody slammed his fist on the table, "NO!"
"Preliminary testimony has revealed that Mr. Malfoy never fired a single spell that fateful night in the Ministry. In fact he never did anything but order everyone not to harm the kids, even after spells started flying. He was there to promote peace. Potter and his minions were responsible for the damage in the Department of Mysteries."
Moody yelled, "He's a Death Eater, a dark wizard! He was there to steal the prophesy."
"He didn't get it, did he?" Snape sat back and spoke silkily, "Last time I checked, simply being a dark wizard is not a crime. The Ministry can not prove he is a Death Eater. He did not wear a mask, he did not have one on his person. Malfoy has accepted the lesser charge of trespassing and will accept two months as punishment. That is as much as he has served, so he will be released."
"Give me the ferret, I'll make him talk," Moody growled.
"If you take him, I can not return as a spy," Snape said smoothly.
Dumbledore agreed, "He's right Alastor."
"Malfoy knows I picked you up and brought you to the mansion." Snape recounted, "He doesn't know Bellatrix has been captured or what happened to you at the Mansion. He knows that I have Draco and that I know about the ring. If this isn't done properly, he could ruin my standing with the Death Eaters and with the wizarding community, in general."
"I must return Malfoy to his proper form. No, Headmaster, why don't you transfigure Malfoy back. That will explain why he is here at Hogwarts. I will simply say that I was not up to the task of reversing the Dark Lord's spell. I will use the ring once more and retrieve Narcissa from Azkaban while Lucius recovers in the Hospital wing with Draco."
Moody sat with his arms crossed and looked over at Snape, who now had a satisfied smirk on his face. Dumbledore nodded, "We're done, then."
~ ~ ~
At Azkaban prison, Narcissa paced in front of the gates as she waited for her husband's release. When Lucius finally stepped out of the gates, he glared at his wife with such loathing until Narcissa put her arms around her husband and whispered in his ear, "Shhh, I am Severus. I know who you are. Let us talk at the Mansion." Narcissa's arm wrapped around her husband's waist as they walked out of the anti-apparition boundaries.
Back at the Mansion, they sat together on the couch in the drawing room. Snape took off the ruby ring and put it in his pocket, then he removed the glamour spell which disguised him in women's clothing. Lucius sat on the couch, looking like he wanted to cry. "What is the matter," Snape asked softly. "Can you not change back?"
Lucius shook his head sadly. "Why not?" Snape stroked his friend's hair.
He opened his mouth and pointed to the molar furthest back in his mouth. "It works like the ring. Every week, when Lucius visited, he put a fresh drop of his blood into the well. If you remove it from my mouth, I'll be cursed. He made me do it by putting me under the Imperius Curse."
Snape nodded, "Let's go upstairs." He led his friend by the hand into the bathroom attached to the master's bedroom. While Lucius held his mouth open, Snape touched the molar crown with the tip of his wand and it hinged open. He handed his friend a glass of water, "Rinse." When the last of the blood was finally brushed out of the tooth, Lucius transformed into Narcissa.
Snape held her to his chest, "Welcome back, love."
"Thank you, Severus." After releasing him from a long hug, she pulled him to the bed and sat at the edge. He took a seat next to her. "How is Draco?" she asked.
Snape fell back to the center of the bed, turned to his side and propped his head up on one hand. Narcissa laid down next to him and allowed him to stroke her face while he explained all that transpired since his first visit to the prison.
~ ~ ~ The End ~ ~ ~
Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment, or at least leave a note to say you read it. If you didn't like it, please tell me why. Tell me what's in your heart, your first gut reaction.
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling (JKR), various publishers of the Harry Potter (HP) series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 9 (uploaded 11/21/03)
Snape didn't move from the table. "There's more," he said.
Dumbledore looked up at Moody, who took the nonverbal message and sat down quickly. Snape continued, "I have learned and confirmed that Malfoy will be released from Azkaban very soon, perhaps tomorrow."
Moody slammed his fist on the table, "NO!"
"Preliminary testimony has revealed that Mr. Malfoy never fired a single spell that fateful night in the Ministry. In fact he never did anything but order everyone not to harm the kids, even after spells started flying. He was there to promote peace. Potter and his minions were responsible for the damage in the Department of Mysteries."
Moody yelled, "He's a Death Eater, a dark wizard! He was there to steal the prophesy."
"He didn't get it, did he?" Snape sat back and spoke silkily, "Last time I checked, simply being a dark wizard is not a crime. The Ministry can not prove he is a Death Eater. He did not wear a mask, he did not have one on his person. Malfoy has accepted the lesser charge of trespassing and will accept two months as punishment. That is as much as he has served, so he will be released."
"Give me the ferret, I'll make him talk," Moody growled.
"If you take him, I can not return as a spy," Snape said smoothly.
Dumbledore agreed, "He's right Alastor."
"Malfoy knows I picked you up and brought you to the mansion." Snape recounted, "He doesn't know Bellatrix has been captured or what happened to you at the Mansion. He knows that I have Draco and that I know about the ring. If this isn't done properly, he could ruin my standing with the Death Eaters and with the wizarding community, in general."
"I must return Malfoy to his proper form. No, Headmaster, why don't you transfigure Malfoy back. That will explain why he is here at Hogwarts. I will simply say that I was not up to the task of reversing the Dark Lord's spell. I will use the ring once more and retrieve Narcissa from Azkaban while Lucius recovers in the Hospital wing with Draco."
Moody sat with his arms crossed and looked over at Snape, who now had a satisfied smirk on his face. Dumbledore nodded, "We're done, then."
~ ~ ~
At Azkaban prison, Narcissa paced in front of the gates as she waited for her husband's release. When Lucius finally stepped out of the gates, he glared at his wife with such loathing until Narcissa put her arms around her husband and whispered in his ear, "Shhh, I am Severus. I know who you are. Let us talk at the Mansion." Narcissa's arm wrapped around her husband's waist as they walked out of the anti-apparition boundaries.
Back at the Mansion, they sat together on the couch in the drawing room. Snape took off the ruby ring and put it in his pocket, then he removed the glamour spell which disguised him in women's clothing. Lucius sat on the couch, looking like he wanted to cry. "What is the matter," Snape asked softly. "Can you not change back?"
Lucius shook his head sadly. "Why not?" Snape stroked his friend's hair.
He opened his mouth and pointed to the molar furthest back in his mouth. "It works like the ring. Every week, when Lucius visited, he put a fresh drop of his blood into the well. If you remove it from my mouth, I'll be cursed. He made me do it by putting me under the Imperius Curse."
Snape nodded, "Let's go upstairs." He led his friend by the hand into the bathroom attached to the master's bedroom. While Lucius held his mouth open, Snape touched the molar crown with the tip of his wand and it hinged open. He handed his friend a glass of water, "Rinse." When the last of the blood was finally brushed out of the tooth, Lucius transformed into Narcissa.
Snape held her to his chest, "Welcome back, love."
"Thank you, Severus." After releasing him from a long hug, she pulled him to the bed and sat at the edge. He took a seat next to her. "How is Draco?" she asked.
Snape fell back to the center of the bed, turned to his side and propped his head up on one hand. Narcissa laid down next to him and allowed him to stroke her face while he explained all that transpired since his first visit to the prison.
~ ~ ~ The End ~ ~ ~
Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment, or at least leave a note to say you read it. If you didn't like it, please tell me why. Tell me what's in your heart, your first gut reaction.