Issue. June 18th 1998
The Daily Prophet
Death Eater Roundup
It has officially been declared that those who were not deceased before the Battle of Hogwarts ended, have been found by Aurors and incarcerated for their crimes. No loyal Death Eaters remain free.
After the events of the battle of Hogwarts the Ministry took action immediately, capturing those still faithful to the opposing forces after Lord Voldemort's fall.
In this case, Draco Malfoy along with his mother, Narcissa Malfoy became the only reformed Death Eaters, each granted probation under house arrest for periods of time. For Draco, six months and for Narcissa, a year.
Draco Malfoy's alleged school sweetheart, Athena Greene gave a witness defence statement in court, proving his innocence. Other friends of his including Blaise Zabini, Maeve Rivière, Pansy Parkinson and Luna Lovegood also defended the Malfoy boy. Even Harry Potter himself declared Malfoy's reformation as 'should be a guarantee'. Those are some loyal friends he has.
Lucius Malfoy was imprisoned for life after attempting to convince the Wizengamot that he was faithful by revealing the location of those needed to be incarcerated. Both his son Draco and wife Narcissa gave a statement accounting for his condemnation of the Wizarding World, providing proof of his loyalty to the Dark Lord and threat.
He was proven to have committed vile acts against many but those that stuck out most in court were the murders committed, including the 1984 assassination of Atticus Greene (who was known as Atticus Rivière, discussed in earlier issues) and the murder of Cedric Diggory. It was also revealed that Lucius attempted to kill Athena Greene several times and even kidnapped her during the war.
The Ministry court acted courteously in the case of justice. He now resides within the walls of Azkaban along with those he sold out for his failed redemption.
For more details on this case, go to page 14.
Athena set down the edition of the Daily Prophet, weirdly content yet felt rather exposed and intruded on. She had never seen her name in the papers before. She'd never seen her name anywhere.
During the time of which Draco's trial took place, stress had been on high demand. He had been so sure that they would send him away, lock him up but Athena always felt the opposite. For the first time in a while, she was reunited with optimism.
The reveal of her father's truth to the public came all too surprisingly. They'd needed the evidence that Lucius Malfoy should have been imprisoned long ago. Therefore, Narcissa revealed her memories of the events, proving she had known everything and covered it up for her own safety.
Before Athena knew it, her family's name was all over the Daily Prophet. She should have expected this really. The Rivière name was just as famous across the Wizarding World as the Malfoy's.
When Draco's sentence had been revealed many were pleased. Others were not. After all, he was still a Death Eater. But they didn't know. How could they?
The outcome for Narcissa's sentence had been less clear. No one knew what the Wizengamot would decide. Alas, they gave her similar leniency to Draco, however doubling her time of house arrest.
Athena and Draco resided quite happily in the chalet. She thought he'd be unadapted and uncomfortable in such a small comparison to the Manor he had lived in for so many years, but he'd convinced her time and time again that he was relieved to be out of there.
Narcissa was rather lonely at the Manor. Athena made the effort to visit her as no one else could. She only agreed initially because Draco had asked and she'd do anything if he'd begged her too.
At first she didn't go frequently and was always reluctant to spend time with her. She also feared going to the Manor since the last time she'd been there, her life was about to be stolen from her. But after the first few months, Narcissa's company had grown on her.
She'd learned that his mother was truly nothing like his father. She was not as cold and as bitter as she seemed. Definitely not as wicked as Bellatrix. She was a mother and a loving one at that. Athena liked her, the two were technically best friends now.
As well as distributing her time between Draco and Narcissa, she often went to the Burrow where the Weasley's, Harry and Hermione stayed, keeping a low profile for the time being.
To tell the truth, they'd barely seen anybody since the battle. Had kept to themselves mostly, except occasionally sending and receiving letters.
Each funeral had stung. Fred's, Lavender's, Lupin's and Tonks', Colin Creevey's. They bypassed like checkpoints in the end.
Theo's hadn't taken place yet. The date had been set six months afterwards so Draco could attend. It was going to be held in Malfoy Manor. After all, Narcissa had been like a mother to Theo, especially when they were boys.
Athena feared this one the most. But it would be the only one with Draco by her side. It was the last of all of them. The last and the worst.
She could tell Draco dreaded it too. Especially because he blamed himself for Theo's death. He was reluctant to be free again. The chalet had become his comfort zone. Athena, his happy place.
He hated when she left. After all it was just the two of them. But her absences were necessary. If she could have stayed with him in the chalet day in day out she would have.
The first few months since the end of the war, she never liked to leave either. In fact, this being one of the reasons why she rarely went to visit Narcissa. But unlike Draco, she had adapted, no longer confined to the chalet. However beautiful it was there, swimming in the lake and lounging around in bed, even if in Draco's arms, could become tedious after a while.
Apparating felt like a breath of fresh air sometimes. But she'd always be desperate to return whenever she'd leave.
Craving him, aching for him was one thing that never changed. It never would.
Today was the final day of Draco's probation. Tomorrow was Theo's funeral.
In the morning, Draco dressed in his familiar all black attire. Since the war he'd changed his choice of clothing, sporting jeans and sweatshirts, fitting into more of a muggle style.
And now he was returning to the Wizarding World, thus reuniting with all of the pain that this world caused him.
Athena watched him fumble with the collar of his shirt through the mirror he stood in front of. She smoothed down the creases in her knee length onyx dress, slipping on a small pair of heels over her tights.
Their eyes met through the mirror and he stilled, staring at her as she pinned up her hair. His mouth curved into a discreet smirk after his eyes returned to himself.
"I'm forgetting something," he said, looking himself up and down.
"Tie?"
"Ah yes." He waded over to his set of draws and pulled out a plain black tie. At the top of the tie was a small badge with the Malfoy crest proudly engraved in silver. He stared at it for a moment, eyes blank.
Athena was already putting his tie on for him when he regained composure.
This happened frequently. He would get a reminder of the past and all would crash down upon him. She'd learned how to soothe his sorrow by now. Today would be the hardest.
His eyes softened on hers and he grinned, leaning forwards.
"Look at this. We might as well be married already," he joked, smoothing his hands around her waist and pulling her hips to touch his. "I am going to marry you one day Miss Greene, you know that?"
"I know," she smirked, patting down his readily made tie. They both pulled on their coats to shield themselves from the wintry weather. The service would be held in the gardens of Malfoy Manor.
"Are you ready?" she asked, absentmindedly flicking a few fallen blond hairs away from his face.
He took a deep breath, found her hand and caressed his thumb over her wrist before nodding.
She apparated them to Malfoy Manor and they arrived in the main lobby. Athena was watchful of Draco as he took in his surroundings. She was nervous for him, but he seemed to be alright.
"Draco," Narcissa's voice greeted as she walked into the room. She smiled at him sympathetically, but he didn't like that. He couldn't hide his grimace and that clearly upset Narcissa. But neither said a word, instead Narcissa pulled Athena in for a hug.
Draco wouldn't let go of Athena's hand. She tried to squeeze her fingers out from his but he was determined to keep her in his hold. She let him.
"Everyone is just through this way," she informed, leading them into the gardens and through to one of their few greenhouses.
Athena was in awe when they entered the glassy fortress. Plants, botanicals and vines decorated the area, not too many so it appeared overgrown and crowded, but the perfect amount so it seemed modest. Running up the glass pains were strings of ivy which reached the ceiling. From the outside, ice cascaded over the glass, giving a wintry facade.
But it was far from cold inside. Warming charms had been applied to the room, the subtle air having soothed them as soon as they had walked inside.
In the very centre of the greenhouse were chairs set up in rows and sat on these chairs were the familiar faces of their peers. There weren't many, only those who they'd wanted to be there. Who Theo would have wanted.
Blaise, Pansy, Luna and Maeve sat on the four seats in the second row, turning back their heads as they welcomed Athena and Draco, all with the lingering melancholy in their eyes.
Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny sat on the other side of the small aisle. They'd only come because Athena had asked them to. To support. They hadn't been reluctant to pay their respects at all.
Neville, Dean, Seamus, a few more Slytherin's who had been friendly with Theo, and some other classmates of theirs also turned up to pay their respects.
Narcissa led Draco and Athena to the front row of chairs. Athena felt Draco's hand twitch in hers. He was shaking. She leaned into him and hugged his arm comfortingly.
Narcissa stood at the front, cleared her throat and spoke a few words.
"If I knew something about Theodore it's that he would certainly not want us to cry at his funeral," she started, laughing at the irony of her words as she wiped at the streams of tears from her eyes. "So think of this as a memorial. We are here to celebrate his life, who he was and what he did. Not dwell on what we have lost."
Athena could feel the lump arising in her throat already. She didn't want to cry. She wanted to be strong for Draco.
"If Theo saw what we've created for him here today he would certainly laugh at me, say something like, 'Oh Aunty, you always know how to throw a stunning party. Even if it would kill you.' He'd be right of course," she tossed her hair, jokily, earning a few laughs.
Draco's blank expression didn't falter.
"Theodore was Draco's best friend. He was always here at the Manor when they were boys, always getting up to mischief together as they do. He may as well have been Draco's brother."
A few of them glanced at Draco, his eyes were fixed forwards, staring into nothingness.
"The last time I ever spoke to Theodore was just before his sixth year at Hogwarts. I have never spoken of this before. In fact, I have never told a soul. He had begged me to do right by my son. To fight for him and not allow them to turn him into one of them. A Death Eater. I wish I had listened. In fact, he had proven to me then that he had so much fight in him, he was willing to sacrifice himself to protect those he loved. So he did the bravest thing imaginable. He offered himself to them in the hopes that they wouldn't take Draco, so he wouldn't have to become one of them instead. But his plea was declined. He fought for Draco when I felt like I couldn't and he fought for him until his very last breath. He was Draco's brother. My second son. And we will miss him more than the world if it ended. "
There was a long silence after Narcissa finished speaking. Athena briefly glanced at Draco, finding a tear falling down his cheek. He caught her looking and gave a smile through his glossy eyes.
She let her head fall on his shoulder, hugged further around his arm and the two of them stayed like this for a while. Even as the room cleared out and the rest of the service took place elsewhere, they didn't move.
"Did you know?" Athena asked after a while. "That Theo did that for you?"
"No."
That was all he said.
After a while Narcissa came back into the greenhouse and sat beside Draco, taking his other hand in hers.
"You never told me," he said, betrayal in his tone.
"It was not my place. If Theo had wanted to tell you he would have. But today it would have been a waste to honour his memory and not reveal his bravest doing."
Theo had been a lot of things, but one of those that Athena had never even suspected was his modesty. Draco had had so many people trying to save him while oblivious.
"I am sorry," Narcissa whispered, giving his hand a tight squeeze and leaving the room with an air of elegance.
Athena surveyed him, waiting for him to say something.
"I just—I can't understand—why?" His brows threaded together in frustration.
"He loved you." It was all she needed to say. There was no justifying it. The reason being love was simply enough explanation. Everything she had done herself was for love.
"I bet he's pissing himself laughing right now, watching the look on my face," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Who knew Theo could be so fucking heroic?"
She laughed, nodded and stood up, attempting to pull Draco with her.
"Come on," she smiled. "Let's honour him in the way he'd want."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a few bottles of firewhiskey that she had packed for safe measure. She cracked off the cap on the top of the bottle and held it out for him.
He grinned, took the bottle from her, and allowed him to drag her up from the seat, slinging his arm over her shoulders. The two wandered out of the greenhouse and into the Manor where everyone else was together.
And it was in that moment that foretold something to Athena, not as a thought or a hope, but a strong feeling. There was absolute certainty in what she now knew.
They would be ok.