Rock Bottom

Published: 6/19/25

Unsurprisingly, Potter wasn't home when Draco arrived at his pigsty late that night. He found a fresh supply of drugs and empty liquor bottles. Sigh. He Vanished them and set several alarm spells to make Potter's morning extremely unpleasant, including an anti-Apparation ward out of the flat. Potter was not going to be happy.

It was nearly eleven when Potter finally showed up to the Probation Department on his own accord. Max was on high alert and managed to confiscate Potter's wand upon arrival. He brought him to his office.

"Thanks, Max," Draco said, and Max left. "Morning, Potter."

Potter glared and looked hungover and cranky. "What the fuck Malfoy!?"

"Didn't enjoy your morning? I believe I said ten."

"I will find all your damn spells eventually," he seethed.

"Perhaps, or you could show up on time like a civilized wizard."

"I'm not getting up at ten every day to come see you," he spat, rubbing his temples.

"Yes, you are," Draco said, retrieving a Hangover Potion from his locked cabinet.

Potter at least mumbled a thanks before downing it. "Your alarms gave me a massive headache."

"That's what I intended. Also, I got a present for you. I believe that you've worn this before?" he said, offering up the silver monitoring band.

Harry laughed. "You think that you can follow me?"

"If necessary," Draco said with a smirk as he wrapped it around Potter's wrist. He didn't fight it. "I think you'll find my additions interesting."

Potter grimaced as he inspected his new piece of jewelry. "What kind of additions?"

Draco smirked. "We'll just have to find out. I can play games too, Harry."

"I told you not to call me that, Malfoy."

"I don't feel any obligation to follow that request. I'm also giving you additional restrictions as you broke the rules again last night. You must be in your house from six in the evening until ten in the morning."

Harry scoffed.

"Keep pushing me, Harry."

"Malfoy...."

"And start cleaning your house!"

"Like hell I will! You're not my father!" Harry hissed.

Draco nodded. "No, but I'm your guardian."

"The fuck you are! It's just words on a paper," Harry spat and turned toward the door.

"Max won't give you your wand without a release either," Draco said.

Potter was shaking as he gripped the doorknob, furious. He turned back and stared.

"Have a seat. You need some time to cool off," he murmured, and pulled out a different case file-Samir's actually.

"I have no desire to sit here all bloody day. I don't care if I have my wand or not," he hissed.

Draco shrugged. "Nor do I."

Potter stood in front of his desk and leaned over it. "You never once have pulled out your wand, Malfoy."

Draco tensed up under the direct threat. Leave it to an ex-Auror to notice that. None of his other cases had ever noticed. "I don't point my wand at people if I can help it." He hated it when people did it to him. He has flashbacked before... and if he managed to avoid it, he'd be anxious and upset all day after.

"Really? Or is it because your wand still recognizes me as its master?" Harry sneered.

Draco looked down, flushed. Fuck, it had been some time since anyone had so humbled. He had been through the taunts, slurs and bullying behavior since the war. His six-month probation training was the worst. Aurors slammed him into walls or tripped him as he tried to pass them. Ministry employees would spit at his feet and outright ignore him. But the direct assaults and insults had waned as time passed. Others, Kingsley mainly, had put those people into place.

"It's the wand that I gave you? Right after I testified for you? Remember that?"

Draco had to stop the tears from building. Fucking hell... Potter had easily found a soft spot and slipped the knife in. Now, he was turning it. He was shaking and Potter noticed.

"What's a-matter, Malfoy? I thought you wanted to talk. Let's talk about your trial and probation?"

Draco glanced at him, wounded. He scribbled a note for Max. "Take it and go, Potter."

He snatched it. "See. It wasn't that hard to call me Potter, again." He thankfully left without another word.

Draco went into his private loo and let the tears fall for several minutes. Fucking hell, he knew Potter could be nasty. He wasn't expecting it to hurt so much though. He pushed his shame and guilt back behind his mental walls and washed his face. He couldn't break that easy, again. He jumped when there was a knock at his door.

He came out and opened it for Penelope. "Come in."

"Thanks," she said and closed the door behind her. "I take it that it's not going well?"

Draco didn't answer. He just sat back down in his chair. "Do you need something," he asked instead.

She eyed him carefully. "Max was worried when you wrote 'Give Potter his fucking wand back' on the release slip."

Draco sighed. "He hit a sore spot."

She nodded. "I didn't want this for you, Draco. You can have... someone with you and him, if he's acting up."

He shook his head. "Words I can handle... usually." He absentmindedly felt his wand in his pocket.

"Dare I ask what was so unusual about this time."

He shook his head, unable to meet her eyes.

She sighed softly. "There's only been a few times where I've seen you this bad, Draco. I think I can guess what it was about. You belong here, Draco. Everyone makes mistakes, and that's what this program is for... second chances. Or fifty-five hundred chances in Potter's case. You've helped so many people get through this terrible time for them." She pointed to Samir's file. "Harris actually punched you, but you reached him."

"He was scared of me... in the beginning," he murmured, trying to stop the tears from that memory, too.

"But he figured out that you were there to help him, and Harry will, too."

"I... thanks."

"Here's the approval... to go to the Department of Mysteries for Potter's pre-war file. Robards is absolutely livid that you got approval and he didn't," she laughed, and passed him the signed approval letter from Kingsley.

"Thanks."

"Anything else you need?"

Draco was about to say no but then looked at her. Penelope was engaged to Percy Weasley. "Can I ask you... do you know where Granger is?"

She frowned. "We don't know, other than she went looking for her parents."

"Her parents?"

"They are muggles... I guess they went into hiding during the war."

"Oh."

"Were you thinking of enlisting her help?" she asked.

"As far as I can tell... Potter has no one. No family. No support."

"He does... but he's unwilling to make everyone pick sides."

Draco sighed. "Him or Weasley."

"Ron has done his best to drop hints of Harry's... activities over the past two years to his family."

"What about... Ginny?"

"Still angry that Harry didn't want to rekindle their relationship after the war. She refuses to talk about him and is closer to her brother, now."

"She thinks that he'll choose her."

Penelope nodded, seemingly unabashed about the workings of her soon-to-be in-laws.

"And Percy?"

"Unsure, as is the rest of the family. Harry has yet to speak to any of them about it. They only have Ron's side."

"And... you don't..." he broke off, understanding that he was somewhat accusing her.

"He's not stupid enough to say things while I'm there. Percy has asked, but what do I really know? And should I break confidentiality?"

"No, I'm sorry...."

"It's alright. You should ask questions. He's your responsibility, but if he crosses the line, Draco... don't let him get away with it. My problem with him is not because it's causing family drama. It's because he hurts people... sometimes innocent people... and gets away with it. Those muggles he keeps bringing into this... are innocent of this and get hurt, one way or another."

"I'll get him to stop," he murmured. "Also, Potter managed to get past security with a wand."

"I'll have it investigated. I know you don't like wands."

He nodded. "Thank you... for everything. I can't explain how much it means to me... to work here."

She smiled. "You've shown time and time again that you're sorry for what happened, and how much you care for charges. You're the best officer here, Draco, including me. I really do want Harry to... get better... to find peace."

He nodded. "It's not just a one-way street. I gave the Aurors notice to knock it off... just so you know."

She sighed. "Try not to get arrested, then, and report any misbehaving on their part."

"I have a whole file of it. Weasley did punch me, yesterday, if you want to know," he gestured to his eye, which had a slight black twinge to it.

She glared. "He would dare...!"

"Yeah, he would. It was after some word trading and me calling him a weasel."

Penelope snorted a bit. "Well... do you want me to talk to WWR? Or Robards?"

"No, leave it for now. The threat was delivered, and hopefully, they leave Potter alone."

"If it gets too much...."

"I'll let you know."

"Good. Well... good luck... I guess."

"Thanks."

When she left, Draco finished off his letter to McGonagall about Samir's readmission to Hogwarts. He pleaded with her about Samir's repentance and successful completion of rehab. He asked for a meeting with her to discuss Samir's past and why he had spiraled so much. He didn't want to commit too much to a letter that could be lost, stolen or mishandled. He sent it off in the afternoon post and checked in with his other cases.

It was nearly six when he returned, and he went home to his cottage to use his floo. He had no intention of being there personally for the show. He conjured a fire, threw some powder in and called out "12 Grimmauld Place" where he had unrestricted access and waited. It was dark, and Potter clearly had left beforehand to specify break curfew. Fool. The clock chimed six, and it only took a minute before Potter landed on his back in his living room.

"What the fuck?" he slurred, rubbing his wrist, which looked a little burned.

Draco was cautious. He put in a charm to burn Potter if he was near muggles until he left their presence. Then, the portkey would activate. There was a bunch of other charms, hexes and curses on there to prevent tampering. "How was your night?"

Potter popped up to his feet, wobbly, and glared at him. "Malfoy!"

"I said that this one would have more bite. You broke curfew again and appear under the influence."

He snarled, "Fuck you! It burned me!"

"I'm sure you can manage a simple Healing Charm. It will have gotten worse the longer you delay it."

"Malfoy! This isn't funny!" he roared, his eyes bloodshot with whatever he was on.

"No, it isn't. You want to play these games? Fine, I'll play and I'll win. It's my job."

Harry stepped toward the fire. "Still too much of a coward to face me in person, Malfoy?"

Draco grimaced. "I knew you'd be salty, and pardon me, but you have a reputation of attacking your probation officers."

"Coward. You haven't changed at all, have you, Death Eater? Still daddy's little bitch," Harry spat.

Draco felt himself going cold. Fuck that cut deep, but he was the one in charge. He couldn't let Harry control him like he did earlier that day. "You won't be able to leave until 10. Use the floo to call St. Mungos or me if there is an emergency. I expect you in my office at 1030, Potter. Have fun trying to break the spells. I'm not a hapless Ministry minion who puts the standard ones on there, either. Goodnight Potter."

He disappeared and locked his floo before Potter could try to come through it, not that he knew his address. He let a few tears fall, again. He had been called 'Death Eater' by his charges and nearly every Auror, probation officer, Ministry worker and visitor that he came in contact with. Even Penelope was cold to him at first, but they all had a good reason... at first. But Harry... Harry was the first one who said he wasn't. He stood up for him at Court and told the whole Wizengamot it.

Some part of him knew that Potter was angry and high on something, but Potter had always been the reason he tried. The only reason he kept his head up when the insults came. He knew from Day 1 that Potter would hurt him badly, and earlier... Potter nearly sent him into his headspace. Potter could really hurt him. He sighed. It was a risk he was willing to take. He was bound to take. Potter was owed... everything.

He curled up in his muggle recliner under his throw blanket and tried to cry his emotions out. He even had to beat down the urge to use potions himself, but he didn't keep any in his home. He never wanted to go down that road again. The few potions he kept in his office were strictly for his charges or fixing ailments. No, Draco would let himself feel everything... the hard way. 

Oooohh... angry Harry is mean. Kinda got that vibe from Book 5....