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Chapter 12 continue

Harry was walking up and down in Matthias' office looking at the man sitting next to Hermione with the corner of his eye.
"I don't understand", he said finally looking at him, as they all waited for Matthias to come from the Minister's office.
"Well, that's not surprising", Draco Malfoy said smirking ironically at him. It was kind of bizarre actually; how in spite of his worried and even paller than usual face he could still keep the irony in his voice.
"Why would they want to hurt you? As I recall you were a Death Eater!"
"Everybody knows by now that my mother helped you that day in the forest! We are now considered as blood-traitors just like the Weasleys!" he said irritated; it was obvious that the thought was causing him distress. "And they didn't hurt me...they hurt my son!"
"You're sure that they were Death Eaters that took your son?" Hermione asked.
"I think I can recognize a Death Eater, Granger!"
"It's Mrs. Weasley now" she corrected him proudly.
"Ha! I wouldn't be that cocky about that if I were you!"
"You're always cocky!"
"Cut it off!" Harry said with such a harsh voice that even Malfoy shut it. "Where's Matthias? Why is this taking so long?"
"He's trying to convince the Minister to let him publish that there's a madman who wants to kill people! It's not the easiest thing to do, Harry!" Hermione said shaking her head.
"He's gonna make it though, huh?" Draco asked them worried and Harry shrugged
Matthias entered the office and both Hermione and Draco stood up. Harry though only needed to look in his face to understand what the Minister said.
"Tomorrow's headlines would be about Apostollo and the Death Eaters", Matthias said and Malfoy fell back on hid seat.
"Matthias, can I read the letter?" Harry asked.
"No, you can't", Matthias said. "The Minister has it, there was nothing in there you should be interest of", he added with a loud voice so that everyone outside the open door of the office would hear him.
"Matthias, what...?" Harry began but he waved him to close the door.
"I am not allowed to reveal any of this to you", Matthias whispered and both Harry and Hermione looked at him alarmed. "We know the location from which the letter came".
"What?" Malfoy said jumping out of his chair again. "So you know where our kids are?"
"No, they don't" Harry said shaking his head. "But it's a start".
"It's a start", Matthias nodded in agreement. "The Minister wants to keep this information from you though, Harry".
"But why?" Hermione asked Matthias confused, but Harry was the one who answered.
"He's afraid of Apostollo...he doesn't want to cause a major attack from him".
"So he expects us to sit here when there's information that could lead us to James?" Hermione said outraged.
"No, he expects you to run there and cause the Death Eaters' rage...that's why he clearly forbid me to tell you anything".
"But you did", Harry said slowly.
"Yes", the man shrugged sheepishly. "I know James since he was a little kid...I care about him", he said and Harry smiled.
"Thank you", he nodded.
"The problem is that you can't go on an official auror search without the Minister knowing".
"So, what are we going to do?" Hermione asked.
"I'm gonna give you a sabbatical", Matthias said to Harry. "You can use it to search for your son...but you'll have to go alone".
"No, no...I'll go with him".
"No, Hermione, you can't" Harry said. "If you do the Ministry will understand it's a trick...I have to do it alone".
"No, you won't" Draco said. "I'm coming with you".
"What?" Harry exclaimed. "There's absolutely no way!"
"I didn't ask for your permission, I just announced it to you".
"We can't let a civilian on this", Matthias said.
"Look...I care about what you say just as much as I care about your son Potter, which is none at all", Malfoy said and Harry grunted. "I suspect that you care about my son just as much...how do I know that once you've got yours, you're not gonna leave mine behind?"
"I'm not scum like you Malfoy".
"Yeah, yeah...either you're letting me come or I go to the Minister and reveal all about your so called sabbatical!"
"Fine!" Harry yelled exasperated.

Harry apparated back to his house with Hermione and to his great dismay Draco Malfoy. He hated it that Malfoy would come along but it was the only way he wouldn't go to the Minister. Harry didn't care at all about what the revelation of their trick would do to his career but he knew that the Minister would stop him from going if he knew. So, he just had to put up with Malfoy for his son's sake.
"Wow...fighting evil surely does pay well, doesn't it Potter?" Malfoy said looking around.
"What happened?" Ginny sad coming fast into the kitchen. "Did you..." she stopped as she noticed Malfoy. "What is he doing here?"
"Oh, if it isn't the Mrs.!" Malfoy said smirking
"What are you doing here? What is he doing here?" Ginny demanded once again.
"Is that a way to greet an old friend?" Malfoy asked back. She crossed the room and slapped him before anyone could stop her.
"Ginny, stop!" Harry yelled as she was punching and kicking a completely taken aback Malfoy.
"Where's my son? Did you have anything to do with this?"
"Get off! You're freaking crazy!"
"Ginny, stop!" Hermione said. The woman backed off and for a second Hermione thought she calmed down but then she pulled her wand out.
"Where's my son?" she demanded once more.
"Ginny, stop", Harry said in a slow calming voice clutching her hand. "He doesn't know".
She looked at him for a while and then she lowered her wand and left the kitchen. Harry sighed.
"Your wife is bloody crazy!" Malfoy said rubbing his jaw.
"Yeah she is", Harry agreed smiling. "And if you don't watch your manners in my house I'm gonna set her on you again!" he added and walked towards the living room.
Ginny was sitting on the couch with her arms crossed across her chest and with Albus sitting next to her. Ron was just coming down from upstairs as they entered the room.
"What is he doing here?" he asked taken aback.
"Don't give him another round, he's still trying to get over the last one!" Hermione smiled at him. Harry walked over to the couch and sat next to his son.
"Why did you bring a Death Eater in our house?" Ginny asked him.
"I'm not a Death Eater!" Draco exclaimed irritated but as she gave him a sharp look he didn't dare to add anything more.
"Honey, he's right. He's not a Death Eater, not anymore", Harry said.
"Why is he here?"
"They've taken my son as well!" he shouted.
"What?" Albus said looking at his father. "It's true? They've taken Scorpius as well?"
"Obviously", Harry nodded.
"What? It's not possible", Ginny said shaking her head. "You used to be one of them!"
"As I explained to your husband before, we are considered as blood-traitors now because of what my mother did that day in the forest...and if the Death Eaters hate something more than Potter that's a traitorous Death Eater".
"I can't believe I'm gonna say this...but he's right", Hermione nodded.
"Yeah, listen to the Mudblood", Malfoy said only to cause Ron to point his wand at him and Harry to jump up.
"Didn't I tell you to watch your manners, Malfoy?"
"Sorry", he said looking at Ron's wand. "Old habits".

-Angie-