Never • The Lost Daughter | A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 46 - The Hearing

"Now, I happen to have a full report of your abilities or even your latest actions in Hogwarts. Here it is clearly stated that you happen to be a very charismatic parslemouth. Knowing that your father had the same ability, didn't you even once think that there was some connection to you a certain person from the House of Slytherin? A Dark Lord maybe?" he said in a sarcastic tone.

"You mean to imply that I knew who I was because of my abilities? No. I never gave much thought to it. It had concerned me, but I was made sure it was plain luck."

"You were made sure by who, exactly?"

"By my godfather," I said and paused. "Albus Dumbledore."

A long pause followed. I knew what was coming. I didn't know what I was going to answer to the next question because I practically hadn't sort out my feeling yet. I was terrified of saying something that I shouldn't but I had no other choice. The court stared at me before the Minister finally spoke.

"I'm going to make my question quite plain and simple. Have you in any way followed your father's lead? Are you a Death Eater?"

"No, I'm not."

It was the truth. Come to think of it, the fact that I had met Voldemort didn't make me a Death Eater.

"Do you have any intentions of becoming one? " he went on.

I didn't know the answer myself so I hoped the Truth Serum would do the work.

"No, never. No, I don't intent to become one," I was actually very surprised by my own answer. I was in some sort of confused situation through the last few days. I was thinking of the answered that I would give Voldemort when the time comes. I didn't want to think about whether I was going to become a Death Eater or not. I felt like I was going to resist but would I be brave enough to do it? I felt some kind of relief and fear too. I felt good because I now knew exactly what the truth was, what I wanted.

"Take her wand..." he said before I saw two thickset men coming up to me and taking my wand from my wand pocket. Then they gave it to an old, white-haired man who was sitting near the Minister. I had heard that wizards and witches felt a strong connection to their wand and I had always felt guilty and ashamed for not feeling that way about mine. But it was in the moment when I had to part with it that I realised how empty and defenceless I felt without it. The man took the wand from my hand and placed it near his ear.

"Nothing illegal," he said after a few moments of examination. "And this wand once belonged to her mother. It seems that it chose her because it's was her daughter." I didn't know so but it didn't surprise me. I keep learning things about myself for the last few days. I was sure never to see my wand in the same way ever again.

There was some loud murmuring for more than a minute. People were nodding and some were smiling. Only a few were shaking their heads in disapproval. Among then was Umbridge, who hadn't lost a chance to look at me with hatred.

The entire room fell in silence.

"Excuse me Minister, but you are not considering of clearing all charges, are you? You were not going to let the Dark Lord's daughter free, are you?" said Professor Umbridge by the end of the court room. She was hiding a snigger like it was obvious that there were going to be consequences anyway.

"She drank the Truth Serum, Dolores. She couldn't lie."

"And forgive me, if I sound naive but I don't think we should take such matters that easily. We've seen cases like this before and we are no fools. We don't take chances with our rivals."

"Excuse me, Dolores, but she just learned that she's his daughter," said a young lady who was sitting next to the Minister. "And we shouldn't forget who her mother was. Sophialine McGregory was the brightest witch of the 20th century and of course our beloved Ambassadress. Our Ministry has never met more glory in this sector before. She had done great goods to the whole Wizarding World and as you can remember, and she was one of the most preponderant candidates for the Minister's place more than once before her death. The people trusted her and they still recall her as a brave, young witch that couldn't be described with other words than intelligent, confident, strong and of course beloved to each and every one of us. No wonder why we respect her memory as a Spiritual Leader. I think that no matter should be taboo here. Her mother's glory was no greater than You Know Who's powers. Young Miss Riddle shouldn't be judged by who her father was. But if she must be judged by who her parents were, let her be judged by who her mother was as well."