Punishment and Salvation

Published: June 10th, 2025

Harry's heartbeat was going crazy. It all came down to this. The Blood Tracker Spell had pinpointed this location all three times that he and Aunt Andy cast it. Canvasing the area around the building, he found a muggle who recognized Malfoy but couldn't tell him anything else.

Harry couldn't believe that Malfoy was hiding amongst muggles this whole time. For years, he had torn apart every Malfoy and Black property they could find. He searched all the old "friends" Malfoy had, too. Zabini had almost sued them after the third time they searched his assets. But Malfoy hadn't been seen or heard from since the day Harry "let" Malfoy escape.

Harry was still berating himself for letting a criminal go... for letting a wanted fugitive convince him to break the law. It shamed him, and he felt nothing but guilt. If Malfoy hurt someone or did something bad... it was his fault. He didn't know if Malfoy had done anything criminal since that day. Up until the muggle confirmed his photo, he didn't know if Malfoy was even alive. Harry felt a mixture of relief and happiness at knowing he was so close. He could redeem himself.

Even after four years, the senior Aurors still dropped digs on him for letting the disarmed "bitch" get the drop on him. He hated that everyone seemed to label Malfoy like that. Bitch, coward and worse names. He spent years studying Malfoy's case, and there were so many holes in it. The direct cuts to Malfoy's character seemed so personal, even though none of the Aurors knew Malfoy. Harry didn't understand their callous, derogatory remarks toward him.

Nearly all the Aurors and Death Eaters called him those names, even Malfoy's father. Malfoy's mum refused to discuss it or help Harry find him before she was whisked away to interrogation. Harry, being a trainee still, was not allowed to attend it. He didn't understand her reluctance, as she had lied to Voldemort just to get to Draco. Harry had testified for her, much to the Aurors' anger, and she got 10 to 20 years for it.

However, Hermione developed a Blood Tracker Charm. As it was a light spell, it could only be used by a family member who wanted to help their blood kin willingly. Harry convinced Andromeda that finding Draco would be in Draco's best interests. Her nephew was on the run and living on the fringe. It couldn't be good for him, he argued. She listened to his reasons and agreed to it, but she made him promise that he would help Draco at his trial. Harry agreed, praying that his lapse in judgment four years ago wouldn't get brought up.

A week ago, Aunt Andy cast the spell over a map of England. Dots appeared erratically on it, indicating blood kin. The brighter the dots, the closer they were related. Teddy was brighter than the Weasleys, as they were related distantly to her. When the Weasleys were all at Burrow, it became a single bright dot. Narcissa, in Azkaban to the North of Britain, was the single brightest dot, but there were probably a number of distant relations entombed there.

However, there were hundreds of dots across the country, but there was a bright dot in the West End of London. Harry guessed that Draco, Aunt Andy's nephew, was it. When she cast it on a map of London, Harry got an address. She cast it again the next night and two days later, and the dot, which was brighter than Teddy's, was still there. Harry debated scoping the building out, but he figured Malfoy had evaded detection for a reason. He must have alert wards like at the Mulberry property.

After some brief hesitation, Harry decided to organize a raid. The task force had 18 Aurors, and once Aunt Andy confirmed the location again, they surrounded the building. The team dismantled several triggering wards, put up Anti-Apparation wards and made entry into the dilapidated building. Harry was not expecting nearly a hundred muggles to be squatting in the building. They had to switch to Muggle police uniforms and round up everyone they found, never discounting the use of Polyjuice.

Unfortunately, by the time they swept the building and congregated the mass of muggles, Malfoy was gone or appeared to be. The other Aurors were pissed about the fruitless bust and told him he'd f'ed up again. They searched the muggles, waited the hour for Polyjuice to wear off and pulled out from the raid. Harry was pissed and was about to leave, too, when he spotted a young child with an old woman shuffling amongst the dispersing crowd.

Harry felt for the young boy, growing up in a condemned building with other beggars and addicts. But then he noticed platinum blond hair sticking out from under a watch cap and a pointy nose. Harry felt chills down his back... and butterflies in his stomach. His intuition was screaming. Was it Malfoy de-aged? Or something else? He didn't want to say anything, so he released his team and told Ron he was staying. In case there were wards, he Apparated to a nearby roof with vantage points.

He waited over two hours outside the building before he spotted the child and old woman leaving. Several others had left already, but these two looked vigilant and purposely walking. He maintained his distance, following them from above. They walked a few blocks and went into a park. Harry watched as he saw someone in a hoodie and jeans approach them. Harry flicked up a Notice-Me-Not Charm as he silently Apparated near them. It was a handy Auror trick. Then he threw up some Anti-Apparation as he closed in and saw the man pick up the child.

He silently approached and heard, "Thank you for bringing him. Are you okay, my star?" It sounded like Malfoy.

Harry could just hear the child say, "I'm tired, Papa,"

Harry's eyes widened. Malfoy had a son?

"I'm sorry, mon cher. I'll take you someplace quiet. Thank you for everything, Madam Jenna," Malfoy said, and handed her money.

"You're leaving, aren't you, Tosh?" the muggle said with a thick accent.

"Yeah, I'm sorry," Malfoy said.

"Take care of yourself and the little bit," she said, patting the boy's head and walking away.

Harry waited until she was gone, before he put up Muggle Repealing Wards and approached Malfoy as he was turning to leave in the opposite direction.

"Malfoy," he called, wand out.

Malfoy's head snapped up. He looked at him and froze, caught like a centaur staring at the night sky. He could see that Malfoy knew he was trapped, caught. No escape this time, though he clearly was considering it.

"Don't try it. I can track you wherever you go now with a Blood Tracker Charm," Harry declared.

Malfoy's shoulders slumped, and his eyes watered. He shook a shaky breath and nodded.

His son seemed to sense his distress. "Papa? Who is that? Are you okay?"

Malfoy looked at his son, forcing on a smile. "It's okay, mon cœur. It's-It's going to be okay."

However, even his son could hear the panic in his voice. "Papa?!"

Malfoy was seemingly drinking in the sight of his son. "Just remember... what I always tell you."

His son chanted back, "Papa loves me, and I wuv Papa!"

Malfoy hugged him tightly and glanced at Harry, terrified. He looked so hurt and afraid that Harry felt his own soul ache from his pain. He was almost stuck. Malfoy's eyes filled with tears as he let go to look at his son.

"This is Mister Potter, okay? When you wake up, he'll be there. You need to listen to him," Malfoy explained.

The little boy gasped. "Papa... I will, but-but... what do you mean, Papa!" his little voice shattered as the boy knew something was really wrong.

"I love you, mon cœur. I will always love you," Malfoy breathed and hugged his son tightly.

Harry felt uneasy that Malfoy had put it on him to take care of the child, but he realized that Malfoy didn't have anyone else to ask.

"Go to sleep, my star..." Malfoy said and whispered, "Domniere."

Helpless against the Sleeping Charm, the child's head lobbed into Malfoy's chest, sound asleep. Malfoy kissed his head, and Harry could see that he was noticeably shaking. Malfoy seemed to be struggling to breathe, but he glanced at Harry with tears falling unashamedly from his eyes.

"T-Thank you... for not ar-arresting me in front of him," he murmured, as he wrapped his son up tightly in a blanket.

Harry was uncertain about how to respond to that, so he just nodded. "Where's your wand?"

Harry had spent many hours trying to track Malfoy through wand merchants. Any leads he found were dead ends.

Malfoy glanced at his hand and back to his son. "Last time I checked, you had it. And you took the other one I acquired four years ago."

Harry blushed slightly. In truth, the blackthorn wand was in the inner pocket of his robes and had been there since he had used the Elder Wand to repair his holly wand. He was the only Auror on the force who had two wands. Then Harry realized the Malfoy had been evading detection for four years without a wand.

He had wandlessly cast wards, Repelling Charms and probably Magic Dampening Charms. Impressive and unprecedented. Many people could cast without a wand, but they could usually only do easy spells. He wondered if Malfoy could really put up a fight, but Harry doubted it, not with his child in his arms. However, seeing Malfoy carrying a small child, defenseless, made his anger evaporate. He wasn't sure what to do. Ron was on standby. Anyone else could have stayed behind, too, eager for a bust. Harry couldn't let him go again.

"Potter," Malfoy pleaded, interrupting his thoughts. "Please... you're the only one who... would help me... who would understand...."

"I can't let you go again," Harry snapped, not willing to face the guilt and shame of that again.

"No... I didn't think you would, but... it's my son," Malfoy gasped, tears welling. "Please, please... find him a good, safe home."

Harry's mouth dropped.

"Please, Potter. I'll do anything... anything! He's innocent... he doesn't know what I did or even my name. He's a sweet boy! Please don't let anyone punish him for my sins," Malfoy begged, desperately. Tears were pouring out of his eyes as he clutched his son in his arms.

Chills went down his back, and his stomach churned at the hopelessness in Malfoy's voice. He realized that Malfoy had cause to fear. Harry had no idea what the Ministry and press would do with a Death Eater's child. The child was so young... when was he born? Who was the mother? Did Malfoy have a relationship with a muggle? But Harry didn't ask that. Malfoy was waiting for an answer.

"I can't promise you anything, but I will do whatever I can, okay?" he said, gently.

Malfoy nodded, tears falling unhindered from his eyes. He looked down at his son helplessly.

Harry steadied himself as he ordered, "Here, give him to me."

Malfoy flinched and was shaking. He glanced at Harry before he hugged the child and kissed him on the head. It took a lot of effort, but carefully placed him in Harry's arms. Malfoy's fingers brushed the hair out of his eyes.

"I'd do anything for him," Malfoy whispered, backing away.

Harry maneuvered the child into an awkward one-arm carry. The boy was light and a little smaller than Ted. "I'm sorry, Malfoy. If it wasn't me, someone else would have found you. It's time to stop running," Harry said, staring at his former rival.

Malfoy nodded, meekly. His head lowered. There were no signs of aggression or anger. "There was no one I could leave him with. I have no one but him."

"That's not true. Your Aunt Andy has been worried about you. Zabini has been asking, too," Harry said, but then pulled fingered his wand. "Drop the bag and put your hands behind your back, Malfoy."

Malfoy sniffled but slowly complied. Harry cast an Incarcerous and put a lock on for good measure. Then he pulled his bag onto his other shoulder. There were a lot of spells on the bag.

"Come on, Malfoy. Lucky for you, it's still morning and the office is practically deserted," Harry murmured, grabbing Malfoy's arm.