[HP] Three thousand days of innocence

Ginny thought her heart might have missed a beat.Or a few beats.

As before, Yaxley's words sparked whispers among the Wizengamot members, and O'Connell looked at Ginny with wide eyes. "Do you know about this?" he asked her softly.

She shook her head, still staring at Yaxley. "No-no-was never accused of-I-"

"Are you talking about Draco Lucius Malfoy who hasn't been seen in the wizarding world for eight years?" Kingsley asked Yaxley.

"It's him," Yaxley said. "I have to guide him through the task though, because he's pissing his pants with fear. Confessions are not a Malfoy specialty," he added, grinning darkly.

"So Draco Malfoy killed Colin Creevey?"

"Isn't that what I keep saying?" Yaxley sounded annoyed.

"Please record, Draco Malfoy—"

She had to stop this at once, do it now. "Don't believe a word," said Ginny suddenly, standing up abruptly.

Everyone in the room looked at her immediately. "Who is interfering with the pre-trial process?" asked the witch on Kingsley's right.

"Gee - Genevieve Molly Weasley," said Ginny breathlessly. "The Auror in charge of Mr. Malfoy's case." Romilda and O'Connell looked at her in disbelief.

There were more murmurs in the courtroom.Yaxley studied her carefully, and Ginny's skin felt goosebumps. "You have reason to believe that Mr. Yaxley has accused the wrong person?" continued the witch.

Ginny nodded. "I've been investigating Malfoy's case for four years, and the crimes he's just been charged with don't fit the rest of the case file. Harry Potter will prove himself that Malfoy used to be emotionally incapable of killing."

She knew that mentioning Harry's name had won her a small victory; nearly a decade after Harry's defeat of Tom Riddle, he was still greatly respected in the wizarding world.The older wizards were talking among themselves, and she could almost hear them saying: "Well, if Harry Potter would vouch for him..."

Then Yaxley ruined everything. "I can prove he did it," he smirked at Ginny. "I was there, I have a memory of it. I remember the Mudblood fell to the ground and Malfoy cried like a girl—"

"Enough, Mr. Yaxley," Kingsley snapped. "Miss Weasley," he said, looking at her, "I understand your devotion to the case, but formal charges are in effect. This will be entered in Draco Malfoy's file and we will notify the Creevey family people."

Ginny nodded silently, and sat down again, not paying attention to the pre-trial procedure that followed.She didn't hear the rest of the charges, but stared down at the hands clasped tightly in her lap.Romilda's eyes fell heavily on her, but there was nothing Ginny could do but think about Draco.

Muggle Draco.

Murderer Draco.

When Kingsley announced the trial was over, Ginny jumped from her seat and left the courtroom without waiting for either Romilda or O'Connell to stand.Ginny lowered her face so that no one passing in the corridor could see her face as she stumbled to the nearest toilet and locked herself in the cubicle furthest from the door.Only then—when she was sort of alone, and no one could hear her—tears came down her cheeks.Ginny slid against the cubicle wall onto the tiled floor, clutching the Yaxley file to her chest, not even wiping the tears from her face.

She must stop this before there is no turning back.On the one hand, she was eager to find out for herself what had happened to him so she could provide a full and detailed report when she handed him over.But now, drawn to his irresistible charm and captivating smile, and seeing him happy, peaceful, and cared for, she's reluctant to ruin the seemingly perfect new life he's built for herself.

On the other hand, she really wanted to join that perfect new life.

Ginny wiped away tears and took a few deep breaths.The time has come.He'd asked her out again on Thursday, and she'd go there with an assault wizard and have him arrested.No questions, no hesitation, no foolish attempts to protect him from the Ministry.Bottom line, she's a professional and he's a criminal.This is her responsibility.

She will forget him.It does take some time, but it's that simple.She will forget him.Will.

Ginny made up her mind, stood up again, and left the cubicle, magically covering her puffy eyes and wet cheeks.She made her way through the labyrinthine courtroom until she reached the elevator, then went to the Law Enforcement Division, where the Assault on Wizards office was located.

As Ginny approached, the stern-looking wizard behind the main desk of the Legal Enforcement Department looked at her. "Can I help you with anything?" he asked in a hoarse voice.

"I have a lead on my suspect," Ginny said casually. "I plan to track him down and arrest him. He could be dangerous, so I need reinforcements on call."

The wizard nodded, and reached for a piece of bright yellow parchment. "Fill out this form and someone will be assigned to you," he said.Ginny took the form and glanced at it briefly.She had never had a case that needed their help before, and it all seemed daunting. "Is this assassination or capture alive?"

The word "assassination" made Ginny shudder. "He's going to be captured alive," she said tremblingly. "He needs to stand trial for war crimes. I want him alive."

"Okay," said the wizard. "As I said, fill out this form and we'll get someone to work with you. Once the target is located and identified, the Aurors must retreat and let the Raider do the arresting. Once the Raider has taken control of the target, they will be called again. Aurors, together escort the target to the Department of Mysteries holding cell."

Now that everything was arranged, Ginny was tempted to withdraw her application.She couldn't stand Draco facing that humiliation; she just couldn't.The charges against him are all speculation and rumours—including the latest murder charge, since Harry was holding Draco's wand in the final battle.Draco couldn't have killed Colin Creevey unless he could cast the Killing Curse without using a wand, which even the most gifted wizards couldn't do.

But she knew that she would need to attack the wizard to bring Draco back.She made up her mind before finding him because she didn't know if he would attack her or not.Now, all she knows is that she can't arrest him herself, because she'll be soft on him and let him go.

She thanked the wizard, took the form back to her workshop at Auror headquarters, and looked at it more carefully.It asked for only the most basic information: her name, position, Ministry of Magic job number; the target's name, crime, danger level (from one to five, with five being the most dangerous), and a photo; and the time of the attack.The original word on the form is: attack time.As if they were about to start a small war against an unknown enemy, not a sous chef who liked to play rugby.

Unlike Auror offices, raids on wizard offices are surprisingly efficient.Ginny handed in the completed form on Monday afternoon, and by the time she left the Ministry on Tuesday night, an experienced witch raider had been put in charge of Draco's case.

Unfortunately, however, rumors of an attack on the wizard's office had somehow made their way to the Daily Prophet that Draco Malfoy might have emerged from his hiding place.Ginny rejected all of Rita Skeeter's Floo calls, and was also grateful that Ron threw her straight away when he saw the hideous woman trying to pour a mixture of Veritaserum and Forced Talk into Ginny's tea. Throw out the Ministry of Magic.Yet despite their best efforts, Tuesday night's Daily Prophet ran a catchy headline: "The Malfoy heir returns to magical society?" , accompanied by a beautiful photo of Draco taken in Malfoy Manor when he was 17 years old.The article itself is cheesy journalism at its worst, portraying Malfoy as the quintessential millionaire bad boy, unscrupulous rebel — and the most lovable bachelor in the wizarding world.

"There's at least some truth to it," said Harry, before Ginny went home that evening. "Do you really know where Malfoy is?"

"A few discoveries," said Ginny evasively. "I have a strong hunch that I know how to find him."

"But this is great!" he said happily. "You've done in just a few months what two Aurors couldn't do in four years. If I can do it - and I believe I can - I'll find a way to give you a raise, Kim ...the Auror Office will get a lot of press if you can get Malfoy back."

Ginny forced a smile. "Sounds good, Harry," she said, and after saying good night to him, she Apparated back to her apartment.

Thursday came too soon.She's been dreading and looking forward to this day, so when her alarm goes off to WWN's "Into the Sun," she's in bed for a while, reluctant to get up.The day has come.Draco will be arrested by this time tomorrow.Everything will end.

She's been working mechanically throughout the day, filling out paperwork, chatting with Angelina — who's better, but not yet recovered from the flu — and doing more paperwork.Harry was doing amazingly well, smiling at everyone, including Romilda Whan, who had the audacity to flash him a sexy and seductive smile in full view of the office.They were well aware, of course, that Romilda was desperate to get hold of the Boy Who Lived; they were just surprised that she would make such an open display of affection.

As Ginny expected, only Percy noticed her anxiety.

He pushed another cup of tea into her hand as they sat at lunch together. "You look like you need it," he said shrewdly.

Ginny sighed, but thanked her with a smile. "Yeah, I—I'm making my first arrest in a long time tonight. I think I'm just worried that I'm going to be rusty, that I'm going to make a mistake."

"Is that true?" Percy asked softly. "You really found Draco Malfoy?"

She nodded.

Percy whistled softly. "I can picture his trial right now," he said. "They'll be open to the public, of course, and it'll be like a madhouse. He's going to be tortured by the Wizengamot, because he's been off the hook for so long . . . it's going to be bad, Merlin."

Ginny's heart almost jumped in her throat. "You really think so?" she said. "I mean, the charges are pretty light, so I don't see a big deal—"

"The important thing is that the Malfoys got away with it just as they did in the first war against Tom Riddle," he explained darkly. "Most Death Eaters lose everything, and they get away without a word of condemnation. Draco disappeared after the final battle, making himself the last resort for everyone who thought the Malfoys should be punished." Good lightning rod. He could be charged with what people think his parents deserve."

Ginny clenched her fists on her knees. "You don't think Lucius and Narcissa should be sent to Azkaban, do you?"

Percy shrugged and fiddled with the food on his plate. "I don't know. Lucius Malfoy did a lot of horrible things - you know it yourself - and Narcissa didn't stop him. Still, where did most of the money for rebuilding come from? The Malfoy family coffers. Lucius Malfoy is almost entirely indebted to the wizarding world for recovering so quickly after the war."

She froze.Percy couldn't be right, he was just guessing - but Percy's guesses were usually right, especially when it came to the law. "So what do you think will happen to Draco?" she asked in a hollow voice.

Percy shrugged again. "Even if he didn't kill Creevey - ten to fifteen years in Azkaban. Taking Narcissa Malfoy's terminal illness into account, that would have made the Wizengamot sympathetic to the family. But," He shook his head and added, "There are a lot of people who would like to see the Malfoys get their due. Draco is their chance."

"However, it won't be that simple." She said softly. "There's something wrong with Draco."

Percy frowned. "What do you mean? Have you spoken to him?"

"He didn't run away." She ignored his words and said to herself. "He could have run away when he saw me, but he didn't. I have a feeling it's not going to be as easy as some people think."

Percy sighed. "Judgments are seldom easy."