thattimeofthemonth | Open RP Post

"I--What do you mean about my parents? What will you do to them?" Draco replied confused and alarmed by the way this was changing. He had been about to agree, but then he didn't understand where this put his parents.

He stepped back as if to shrink away from Kingsley...suddenly feeling like the kid he was trying not to be.

"This is a question you must decide for yourself. Are you more than your family, than your parents, or are you your own man? If your parents prove to remain of the darkness that they had walked before, would you take up their side again as you had in the past?" Kingsley stepped forward again, his tall dark form almost looming despite the fact his expression remained neutral, his tone level. "What will you chose to do now, and then?"

There was a long pause before Draco finally allowed himself to speak. He wanted to make sure he fully understood what was said. His concern for his family was still there as the thought of having to give them up...was unthinkable.

"I don't want to be like them...but I can't simply abandon them either. I don't understand some of their ways and simply had followed them because that's what I had been taught. They're always kept me away from interacting with people outside what they believed was right...

And now I can see how wrong it was... and why people despised my family. I honestly don't understand why it's important that we have to be pure blood... and why they believed it to be all above others. When we really aren't that different...even Muggles.

Because I was so bent on having to follow my parents ways believing that they were right..it forced me to cut off ties with a lot of people...that I had wanted to interact with but couldn't. I was afraid if I stepped away from their way they would leave me behind.

I want to be the person I was afraid to be...but even if I fear that they would have left me behind...I wouldn't do that to them. They're all I have and all I was doing was trying to protect them."

"So it is your parents you would chose, regardless of their choices?" Kingsley's tone still was neutral, completely level, but he made no other move. Simply watched Draco, while Remus looked like he was actually going to panic but was managing to keep it to himself.

Draco didn't understand. What more could he do? He looked at Kingsley trying to understand what was aiming for. He was trying so hard to be open, saying things he wouldn't have dared to say to anyone else. Yet he got the idea he was failing miserably. He couldn't help but feel that he was trapped.

"What more do you want from me?! All of you had pinned me as the boy who made all the wrong choices. Labeled me as Malfoy's boy. None of you bothered to help me or try to reach out to me.

Can't you see? That we were all trapped?! Once you become His servant you only escape through death. My family wanted to leave but they couldn't! Who could they turn to for help? They had already lied once...so who would believe them a second time especially when it went against their first story?! Back then they didn't have a family to worry about. Now they did and they couldn't leave.

Even Professor Dumbledore wouldn't help me. He left me to my own devices knowing all the time I had going to do it. HAD to do it. If I didn't I was going to die and so would my family. I only did it to save them and hoping to gain some pitiful attempt at some glory. Only when the moment finally came that's when he tried to offer help. Too late then. I lost my godfather who saved me twice from Him and can never repay that back."

At this point Draco was shouting and tears were sliding down his face.

"All I wanted was respect from my father, but he always found ways to shoot me down. I tried so hard to be like him. Nothing I ever did seem to gain his respect. But I loved him and thought he was the best. All I did was want to save them. I did what everyone expected me to do...make the wrong choices. Do you think I'm proud to have this forever etched on my arm?"

Draco said and pulled away his sleeve and bandage to reveal the Dark Mark that was now slowly turning into a scar.

"I'm not. I'm ashamed to even have it. Now I'm trying to make the right decision because someone...who didn't have to gave me that chance. Remus actually believes me in. He's the first person to have genuinely reached out to me when I thought I had no one. I wanted to prove he was right to believe in me. But I guess I'm failing that too."

He looked away from Kingsley and didn't dare look at Remus. He tried to recollect himself, unsure of what would be said and done.

Silence reigned in the office after Draco's impassioned words, their echo hanging in the air as Kingsley stood there, looking unmoved. Remus, though, could not hide the expression from his face as he stared at the mark that Draco had been branded with so young - possibly younger than any other dark wizard had been. It would sit scarred into his flesh for the rest of his existence, forever a sight of shame to be covered up or hated by viewer and owner alike. Maybe there was something naive in him that wanted to believe Draco, one of the last people perhaps who he should have any faith or belief in, but from what he had seen of the older Malfoys and experienced so far with Draco in both the Malfoy summer home and his own home, he was certain of his own thoughts.

Finally, when someone moved, it was only Kingsley. He moved to his office door (Remus caught the faint hand motion of non-verbal, wandless magic being done) and opened it, speaking to someone outside of it too quietly to be heard. Unconsciously, Remus moved closer to Draco, silently lending the younger man support in physical closeness.

It decidedly surprised the hell out of him when two people came into the room, carrying a chest between them. They left after a gesture from Kingsley and shut the door behind them. Remus' brows shot up sharply as the chest moved, making him throw a confused look towards the Minister.

"...Draco," Kingsley started, "in this chest is a boggart. Open it, face it, and return it to the chest."

...What? It took Remus several long moments to even begin to guess why Kingsley would be requesting something from Draco that was taught to third years, but when the possibility of Kingsley's actions came to him, his expression of confusion turned to one of displeasure. It wasn't a test of skill or knowledge or courage... Kingsley wanted to know what Draco feared the most.

He didn't like this one bit.

Draco couldn't help but feel stunned at this new test. His face paled at the thought of facing his own fear. He already felt so raw and vulnerable. His chest was still heaving and his body trembled for his release of the inner turmoil he was feeling. Even that wasn't enough. Couldn't Kingsley see that he was telling the truth? He wasn't acting or lying.

Right now he wanted to hide away in shame. How was this fair? He had already shown his weakness now he wanted to know what he feared? Hesitantly, he looked to Remus and noted that his old teacher had moved closer to him in an attempt to offer support? He couldn't tell. He did know he saw the horror on his face when he revealed the Dark Mark, which made him more ashamed.

He knew had it been when Remus taught Defense of the Dark Arts class...that fear would have been his father. He had been glad then to not have that fear revealed in front of his classmates...but that fear had changed since then and now for the Prime Minister to see it?

He didn't say anything...He knew that nothing at this point was going to get him out of it. And to deny it would go against everything he just said.

Trembling, he forced himself to walk over to the chest. He opened the chest and quickly stepped back as the boggart came out. A Death Eater stood before Draco and at first he thought it was his father. The outfit was similar and he carried a walking stick. Only when he took the mask off it revealed a much older version of himself. Not his father.

Fear held him where he was and he struggled to say the spell and summon up something ridiculous. He found himself failing at the attempt.

Remus stood there trembling, but his trembling wasn't fear but anger. Why was Kingsley doing this?! He had come to the Minister because of all people, he believed that Kingsley would be fair. This was almost a form of torture! If he had been thinking logically and less with his heart, he would have realized Kingsley had to do this. To test Draco and prove that the young man was telling the truth (as he saw it).

When he saw what Draco's fear was, it stunned him to the center of his being. He stared at the older Draco, sneer on his lips and anger in his eyes and utter disdain for his younger self, and refused that to be Draco's future.

He found himself stepping forward, drawing his wand. As he stepped in front of Draco, the bogggart shifted - but it was no longer the full moon that he had feared all of his life. He knew what it would become and the other two would only get a second of what it was now.

Even as Remus snapped off the spell to change the boggart into something silly, they would see a tiny lifeless body on the floor before it changed into a small black puppy.

When the boggart slammed back into the chest, Remus pocketed his wand and glared at Kingsley. "There was no need for that!" He stood between the Minister and Draco, letting the young man regain his composure.

It surprised him that Remus stepped in and sent the boggart on the chest. At the quick glimpse he saw...he wondered if that had been Teddy. To see that hurt him more.

Draco collapsed to his knees and buried his face in his hands. Silent tears were streaming down his face. He felt so ashamed of himself. He knew if his family had seen him in this state they would have been furious at him.

He couldn't do anything. First Professor Snape had come to his rescue and now Remus had. He had come to this meeting hoping to prove himself only to find himself being exploited. He found this to be much worse then the punishments he watched the Dark Lord inflict on his father.

Draco could hear Remus arguing with the Prime Minister. He wondered what would become of him at this point. If the Prime Minister didn't believe he was worth it... then he might as well just go back to his family at this point. Right now he tried his best to regain his composure despite how low he felt.

There was quiet arguing, but Kingsley have Remus a look eventually and he gestured for Remus to step aside. Slowly, Remus did, but he knelt down to put a hand on Draco's shoulder. Draco wasn't alone.

"You may be asking yourself why I have done this. Why I am being cruel, as Remus has suggested. You must understand, young Malfoy, that I must have the safety of the wizarding community as a whole in my perspective. Your parents chose to lie, then lie again, until we could do nothing more than assume they will lie again. This, unfortunately, carries down to you as well. You chose to follow their path in your love for them, and you will be scarred for it. I must be sure that your words are true, to protect us and others. I see now that what Remus has told me is true. As such, I will agree with him on clearing your name, though your family is not under this action unless they chose to work to do so. You will be given a freedom that would not be so granted to them."

Draco flinched more out of habit then because of it being the Prime Minister. Aside from his family he wasn't used to such gestures and even those were rare.

However, it did get him to look up at Kinsley. At that point he managed to get the tears to stop as he listened to what he had to say. While he was upset that his parents weren't cleared...he did understand. He was grateful for the explanation as well.

He gave a nod in understanding. "What can I do to help? I wanted to work...but I'm not sure where or who would take me." He said in a rough voice due to the shouting and crying from earlier..

"Your family must chose what their future is on their own. You, however, will have a choice. Remus spoke to me on this matter. I know of some who I believe will take you on to learn, if you wish." Kingsley stood as Remus rubbed his brow, knowing this had not gone quite as expected.

"Remus or Tonks would be able to show you life as an Auror- regardless of title, Lupin." Remus had been about to point out that he certainly wasn't an Official Auror but... "Perhaps a medical field might interest you more, but more work would have to be done to see if you have the skills for such a thing."

He doubted he would be able to handle he life as an Auror...due to his family. He would fail there. Doing tasks like capturing Dementors... was something he could handle, but when it came to people he wasn't sure on that. The medical field did hold his attention.

Warily, Draco stood back up taking the time to brush off any dirt and straighten his rumpled suite. He paused a bit almost afraid to speak what he wanted to say, but finally allowed himself to.

"Since Remus had first presented me the possibility...I had been thinking and that the medical field held my attention. After watching what my father has been going through... I had thought about wanting to learn how to help people that have suffered like him."

He had also wanted to help Remus and others like him...but he wasn't sure how to voice that with out offending Remus. He knew how sensitive the topic was and didn't want to single him out. But he did want to help.

Edited 2015-10-19 15:52 (UTC)

"Maybe you should speak to Melinda on the subject when she arrives," Remus suggested. "She would be willing to talk to you frankly about the field."

"Melinda?" Kingsley questioned, and Remus rubbed the back of his neck.

"She actually should be passing through the Ministry sometime later today. From America, actually."

"Oh...she's coming by today?" Draco replied a little surprised. He didn't realize she would be arriving so soon.

It seemed like he wasn't the only one surprised. He knew his parents would be in for a surprise as well. Even if she didn't visit tonight but tomorrow.

Remus gave a slight cough. "Melinda tends to go about things her own way. She is, if you can believe it, an American pure-blood, but the Americans handle things very differently. She'll end up flying here much like a Muggle, I would bet."

He hesitated though, "I doubt she will make it up to your parents until tomorrow or the day after."

"Flying in one of those big planes?" Draco replied, somewhat curious. Why would she go one of those strange planes when she can use floo network?

"Then... that'll give them enough time to prepare for the visit."

"Like I said, Melinda does things her own way. I mostly just get out of her way and let her do her thing." Remus shrugged.

"I will be looking out for this Melinda-?" Kingsley said in question.

"Solvens," Remus supplied.

"Melinda Solvens, then."

Before they left, Draco thanked Kingsley for giving him this chance and then stepped in a rest room to clean up. He also made sure his mark had been recovered as well. Quietly, he followed Remus home.

While he had calmed down from the ordeal, he was still dealing with an inner turmoil. He hadn't prepared for anything he dealt with today. He didn't blame Remus for them... this had been out of his control. Remus had done a lot for him already.

Right now, he simply wanted to hide away in his room. He still felt horrible from what happened and ashamed of his behavior and failures. As soon as they got home, Draco quickly went up the stairs and to his room.

Tonks glanced between the disappearing Draco to the guilty looking Remus. "I take it that things didn't go as planned?" she asked.

"I don't even know," Remus said honestly, clearly frustrated. He could tell the moon was waxing and the closer it got, the more easily his frustrations came. "Kingsley... pushed Draco harder than I expected. I never imagined he would be pushed to the point of tears."

He quietly explained to Tonks what had happened at the Ministry, getting a bit more anxious as the explanation went on. When he was done, he sat down hard, head in his hands.

"Remus...Kingsley is a fair person, but hard. It was right to take Draco to him. Out of anyone he would be the one to judge his character the best. He had to push Draco to his limits in order to see what he was really like. This also gave Kingsley a good idea of what to expect from Draco and know what to look for before things become too late.

Draco has a long hard path to follow. People will be looking at him to make mistakes and give up. It's obvious he looks to you as his mentor and he'll need that guidance. Out of anyone...you are the best person to guide him. I am really proud of you, Remus." At this comment, she reached up and kissed him.

She understood his frustrations and how hard it was for him to deal with as the full moon approached. She only wished he would stop carrying the weight of the world with him.

Remus ended up resting his forehead against Tonks, bring up a hand to cup her cheek. He would never understand why she loved him so fiercely but felt like the luckiest man in the world to have her.

"It feels like I couldn't be a worse choice for someone like him, but I won't give up on him when he needs help. ...Pay back for what Albus did for me." The name still brought up so much emotion in him.

"This is that point... I wish James and Lily were still alive. They were so good with this sort of thing."

"They may have been, but the Malfoys were close with Severus Snape. I'm not so sure they would have been right for Draco. I still think you're the right choice. Both of you have come from a similar path and understand each other better.

So should we arrange to go out for dinner tonight if Melinda will be stopping by?" Tonks responded as she attempted to move to a happier topic.

Remus sighed softly. "Melinda is going to end up staying in a Muggle hotel most likely. A part of me knows that sending her to the Malfoys could be like sending a fire spell to a pile of wood, but I know she'll be the best for them. As for tonight... I don't know if she'll pop by tonight or tomorrow. ...I don't know if Draco will be up to seeing her at this rate."

He leaned back slowly, his hand sliding down to take hers. "I've got about a week to the moon, which I'm glad isn't coming until everyone's here at least."

"I personally think that the Malfoys need someone like Melinda to push them around. It'll give them a taste of their own medicine. The only thing they can fuss about is that she's American. She's also the only one who would be impartial to what they've done. Really...that's going out of your way for them." Tonks made a displeased face. She would never be able to accept them not for what they've done.

"Well, then we'll play it by ear to what to do for dinner then. And make sure everything's alright for you." She replied in a softer tone. The full moon weighing on her mind more.

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