Chapter 6

                                        

                                              
Published: 6/20/25

Harry bumped into Ron at the doorway. He dragged Ron out of sight and into a private conference room. Harry pushed him into the wall and held him there. 
"Harry! What the...."
"Shut up. I don't care what your beef is with Malfoy. It is over. We were bloody kids, Ron! If you lay a hand or cast a spell on him... I swear to Merlin, I will break your nose, and our friendship is fucking over. You got me?" he snarled. 
"Harry, what is wrong with you?" Ron gasped.
"Ron! I mean it. Don't traumatize him or beat him. Or you are no friend of mine."
"It's... Malfoy?" Ron said, confused.
Harry shoved Ron into the wall, again. "Did you not hear me? If our friendship means so little to you... try me!"
"Bloody Hell! I won't fuck with Malfoy. What's up your butt? He's a ruddy Death Eater!"
"No... he wasn't! You want to know what Draco was doing that summer that we went into hiding? He was being passed around to all the Death Eaters to be tortured and raped for refusing to kill Dumbledore! He's a fucking victim, Ron!"
Ron's mouth dropped open. "I... I...."
"So, yeah. Keep yer mouth shut and stop hanging out with pricks like Killens, alright? I need to deal with a few things. Just make sure no one goes in for any more fun time like you and Killens got in earlier, okay?" Harry said, disgusted with Ron for that, too. It was so bloody wrong to stand by and watch someone beat a crying, cuffed prisoner.
"I got it," Ron snapped.
Harry left, ducking through the cubicles until he made it back to Nat. The boy was still sleeping, leaning up against his father's pack like it was a pillow. He hadn't realized he left it there, but realized Malfoy must have charmed it to stay with his son. Nat agreed to continue to watch him as Harry went to a private floo calling room to call Andromeda. She was up, thankfully. 
"Harry! Is everything alright? Did you find Draco?"
"Yeah... I did, and it's bad, Aunt Andy. Really bad," Harry said, more tears coming out, as he realized what he had done.
"Is he hurt? Is he dead?" she gasped. 
"Yes... no... I mean he is hurt... was hurt. They hurt him bad, but... but he has a son, Aunt Andy. A little boy a few weeks older than Teddy! Voldemort made Draco drink a potion to allow him to have kids. He's only five. He's so young, and he won't understand what is happening."
"Oh, my Merlin!" she gasped, equally horrified by the turn of events.
"I know Teddy is a handful, but I couldn't think of anyone who would take the child in."
"Bring him here at once!" she ordered, scandalized that he would think that she would refuse a child in need.
"Thank you. I'll be there soon. I just wanted to make sure," he said.
He ended the call and went straight to the Minister of Magic's office.
Kingsley didn't look shocked to see him. It wasn't the first time Harry came storming in. "You look like a man on a mission. Robards doesn't like you jumping over his head, though."
"Robards is a corrupt bastard, and I don't know why you put up with him!" Harry shouted.
"Politics, Harry. What can I do for you?" 
Harry launched into the 온라인카지노게임, including Killens and Ron's abuse and ended it with a demand for a custody order for Draco's son.
"Harry, this is... tragic," Kingsley said, shaking his head. "I can order temporary custody, but then the WWR may try to meddle with the kid to place him properly with his family."
"It's okay... I know his next closest kin, anyways."
"Okay, but I can't drop the charges if Robards and the Wizengamot want to try him. There are rules. I'm sorry," Kingsley said. "I could pardon him... if he's convicted."
"Fucking hell... I want to testify for him."
"Of course, it will be a full trial and Draco has rights, but they will probably get him to testify under Veritaserum."
"He tried to help... he did help me. I defeated Voldemort because of him!"
"I know... but... people are still angry about the war. I can't stop a trial from happening. But we'll figure that out later. Go to WWR and apply for custody. If there's any hassle, I will step in. This will keep the hatemongers sated as you followed protocol. Then get that kid out of the Ministry as soon as possible," Kingsley ordered.
Harry thanked him and practically ran to WWR. He managed to find a nice one who gave no hassle about temporary custody. The rep did drop a few disparaging lines about the father being a Death Eater. It got dicey when Harry didn't know that child's name. He explained that the child was still unconscious, but she stamped the form granting custody of the "child of Draco Malfoy".
Harry Disillusioned himself as he slipped into the office, again. He made it to Nat, thanked her, grabbed the backpack, and carefully lifted Draco's son up into his arms. He snuck back out and flooed to Aunt Andy's through the private floo, after wrapping the little guy in a Cushioning Spell. The child didn't wake up. 
"Harry, is that?" she asked, quietly.
Harry placed the child on the couch and removed the Cushioning Spell. He put up a Silencing ward, though. It hurt him to let the child, whose name he didn't know, go. He had already connected to the boy. He looked at Aunt Andy. "Where's Teddy?"
"At Molly's... I thought it best...."
"Yes... I'll try to be back soon, maybe lunch? But if he wakes up before I do, send a Patronus, okay?"
"Oh, Harry... he's adorable. His father?"
"Arrested and going through hell right now. I was stupid... I shoulda left him alone. But the boy... they were living in a drug den. Draco looks half-starved and mentally... hurt. Aunt Andy... the Death Eaters... they abused him... terribly. I can't even imagine what he's been through," Harry said, tears flowing.
"It's alright, Harry. None of this was his fault... or yours. Go... try to help him."
Harry nodded and wiped his eyes. He prayed to all that was good and holy that Draco would be okay. "Take care of him. He's... so young. He won't understand what is going on."
"I will, Harry."
Harry swallowed hard and flooed back to the Ministry.