"Father, what's England like?"
"Well... let's see... England is very green. There's lots of water- lakes, rivers and such, because it rains often. And it's cold. Does that answer your question?"
"Will there be lots of people?"
"Where we're going there will be many people."
Scorpius looked back down at his magical beasts coloring book that he balanced on his lap in the train car. "What's the place called again?" he asked.
Draco sighed and picked up one of Scorpius's crayons. "The Ministry of Magic. It's spelled like this." He neatly spelled it out in forest green on the corner of the page above a coloring page of a Chinese Fireball dragon.
Artemis tugged at the sleeve of my coat. I peeled my eyes away from the notes I had prepared for the trial. "Yes?"
"How come we hafta go to England too?"
"Because Draco and I are going to speak to someone called a judge."
Artemis slouched in her seat, bored. "Are we at England yet?"
The door to the train car opened abruptly, revealing two Ministry officials in suits. The woman said, "Draco Malfoy and Erica Thorncroft. We're your Auror escorts to the Ministry."
I forced a smile and turned to my daughter. "Seems like we're nearly there."
---
After getting off the train that took us to the coast of France, we boarded a boat that took us across the English Channel. The children loved the boat ride. They crowded around the windows to look at the Atlantic Ocean while Draco and I sat in silence trying not to notice that the Aurors didn't take their eyes off of us. When we reached the shore, a limousine was waiting.
It wasn't long before we were back in London. London, the city where I grew up. I miss it, but... it doesn't feel like home anymore. I suppose that happens when you move around a lot. Nowhere quite feels like home.
The Aurors led us to an inconspicuous back door entrance in a side alley of a shoe repair shop.
"I've never taken this entrance before," Draco grumbled suspiciously.
"You're likely used to taking the phone booth. This is the family entrance," the woman Auror informed him. "It's new."
Draco let out a light hmph. I could tell he was nervous. He spent an entire week mulling over what suit to wear. It ended up not mattering much in the end, as he covered it with a cloak to conceal his sling. I wore a simple white collared shirt and a chocolate brown knee-length satin skirt, but covered it with a cloak, too, so Draco would not stand out.
The Aurors led us through a skinny hallway that let out into the Atrium, which was the central arrival portal for the Ministry. The sound of flames erupted from every direction as witches and wizards arrived via floo powder to go about their business. They zig-zagged in every direction, some carrying papers, some carrying creatures in cages, some carrying plants overflowing with vines that could reach out and grab you. There was no shortage of oddities here. Artemis and Scorpius were fascinated by it all. I told them to stay close, and held their hands tight.
We made haste behind the Aurors and kept our heads down. It's been thirteen years, I reassured myself, Draco Malfoy is hardly front page news anymore. It's unlikely anyone will even care that he's back.
As we hurried across the Atrium towards the elevators, I glanced up at the large screen in the center of the Atrium that ran breaking news stories. My eyes doubled in size when I saw a moving picture of Draco stepping out of the limousine just thirty minutes ago with the headline: EX-DEATH EATER DRACO MALFOY RETURNS TO ENGLAND FOR RETRIAL.
Unfortunately, Draco noticed it, too. He glowered up at the 10 foot tall image of his face, likely wondering when they even took that photo.
"Come on." I encouraged Draco not to linger; people were starting to stare.
---
It seemed Draco's case was a big enough deal to put us in one of the largest courtrooms with a full jury. The courtroom was made top to bottom from wood planks that looked like they were at least 150 years old, and unfortunately smelled like it, too: the whole place reeked of pencil shavings. The Aurors led us to our seats in the first row closest to the podium. Directly across from us in the highest seat was the spot for the Minister of Magic who had yet to arrive.
The female Auror said, "Your children can come with us."
I asked, "They can't stay?"
She gave me a puzzled look. "You really want your children to watch this?"
Draco stepped in. "We have nothing to hide from them," he said firmly. The Aurors exchanged looks with each other, and then stepped to the row behind us to take their seats.
I sat down, well aware of the judgmental quietness of each and every jury member who was filing into the courtroom. Pair of eyes after pair of eyes passed over me, and then to the children, and then landed on Draco.
"Mum those people are looking at me-" Artemis complained loudly, but I quickly shushed her.
"Artemis, a very important meeting is about to happen," I informed her gently. "This is not a time for raised voices."
Scorpius looked up at Draco. "Father-"
"Be quiet, Scorpius." Scorpius was quiet.
Finally, the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, entered the courtroom. I nervously glanced at Draco, whose eyes were watching Shacklebolt with resentment.
"There's Shacklebolt. How are you feeling?" I murmured to him.
He hid his true feelings with a stern face. "Fine. Just superb." Then, Draco's eyes widened. "Oh. Shit."
I covered Artemis's ears and followed Draco's line of sight to the seat beside Shacklebolt's. A young woman with walnut brown hair was taking the seat of the Head of Magical Law Enforcement. As soon as I recognized her, my stomach dropped.
It was Hermione Granger.
Dammit, I thought to myself, distress blooming in my gut. If there's one person on this earth that has a reason to hate Draco it's Hermione fucking Granger. Her Muggleborn blood status made her the exact antithesis of Draco. And from the cold and unfeeling look on her face, she was going to make this trial very, very hard for him.
A gavel called everyone to attention. Kingsley Shacklebolt stood. "Let the retrial of Draco Malfoy, convicted Death Eater, begin on the matter of lifting his exile and ban from intercontinental travel."
The secretary, who was a wiry old woman, began to take roll in a whiny drawl. An enchanted typewriter tip-tapped every word she said. "Let the record show that the following people are present. Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister of Magic... Hermione Granger-Weasley, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement... Draco Lucius Malfoy, the defendant.... Erica Beryl Burton-"
"It's Thorncroft," I interrupted boldly. When all eyes went to me, I added, "...My official title is Doctor Erica Thorncroft."
The secretary slowly blinked, and then struck out my last name with a quill. "And... who are the children?"
"Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy and Artemis Dymphna Thorncroft," Draco answered. The secretary recorded their names. I couldn't help but notice the raised eyebrows on many of the jurors.
"Let us proceed." Shacklebolt declared. "Dr. Erica Thorncroft to the podium."
My heart jolted in my chest. I wasn't expecting to be called upon first. I gave Artemis a reassuring smile, and then nervously made my way to the center of the courtroom.
I was hyper-aware of the fact that the jury could see every angle of me. I felt like a specimen on a petri dish, to be examined under a lens. But I could handle it, I reminded myself. My cause was justified.
"Dr. Erica Thorncroft," Kingsley began in his commanding deep voice, "You are a graduate of both Hogwarts and Ilvermorny. Your accomplishments as a Dark Magic Rehabilitation Specialist have given you recognition across the entire Wizarding World. Is it correct that you are now focusing solely on finding a way to remove the Dark Mark, the tattoo which signifies Death Eater status and membership of Voldemort's inner circle?"
"Yes." It was a simple answer. I don't know why my voice was already shaking.
"And why have you taken it upon yourself to perform this task?" Shaklebolt asked.
"Why?" I repeated. Shit, calm down. Pretend like all these other people aren't here. Just talk to Shacklebolt like he's the only person in the room. "Because the Mark is slowly killing the people who bear it, sir."
There was a moment of subdued shock that rippled through the crowd. "The Dark Mark still has its sinister secrets, doesn't it?" "Let it kill them, I say..." Shacklebolt's stern gaze quieted them down.
"No one has been able to remove the Dark Mark before. Healers before you have died attempting it. What makes you so certain you can be successful?" asked Shacklebolt.
I procured Malachi's journal and held it before me for the court to see. "A family member of mine was a Death Eater. He left behind this notebook with detailed information on the Dark Mark that will help me design a removal procedure that allows both the reformed Death Eater and Healer to live."
Hermione leaned forward in her seat. "That notebook is supposed to be in storage with the rest of the items recovered from the Battle of Hogwarts."
I swallowed. "As I said, the notebook belonged to my relative. It was recently returned to me, its rightful owner."
Hermione did not appreciate my cheek and pursed her lips in annoyance. Before she could question me further, I blurted, "May I approach the bench?"
Shacklebolt and Hermione were taken aback by the request. ".... I suppose," Shacklebolt said warily. "You may approach."
I carefully hiked up my cloak and began my ascent up the steep stairs that led to the judge's seat. "Good day, Minister," I greeted Shacklebolt. I nodded at Hermione. "Mrs. Granger-Weasley." Hermione watched me with analytical eyes as I spread out three files on the desk before them.
"This first file contains a transcription of the notebook and my personal notes. The second file contains analysis on the Dark Mark's creation. By taking apart the spell used to create it, I was able to come up with possible counter-curses to neutralize the Mark. The last file contains the surgical procedure that I designed myself."
Hermione was the first to reach for the files. She opened them, skimmed over certain pages and then carefully re-read others. Shacklebolt also examined them.
After what was probably fifteen minutes of just Hermione and Shacklebolt reading my files in silence, Hermione set them down. "Your countercurses are well thought out. It would be impressive, were it not for the amount of unknown variables in the surgical procedure."
I wasn't sure if I should thank her or not. "This was the best I could prepare in a week and a half."
Hermione looked at me. Her eyes were so firm and wise- she was only a year older than me, but it felt like she was at least ten years my senior. "Do not get the wrong idea, Erica. I admire what you've done for your profession. But I am not convinced that a surgery is enough to warrant Draco's excusal. The Mark is just that- a Mark. Whether he has it or not, he's still a Death Eater within."
I felt my face get hot. "Do you think this is just a cosmetic procedure? I'm trying to free these people of the past and help them heal. Everybody deserves that chance."
Hermione realized that jurors were beginning to murmur again. "Noted," she said curtly, snapping her fingers and returning my files into a neat stack.
Shacklebolt asked, "In your professional opinion, will the surgery be successful?"
I answered honestly. "I won't know until I try."
---
To be continued in the next chapter....