Veritas Vos Liberabit [Drarry Fanfiction]

Mercedes

August was almost over. The sun was shining mercilessly and turning rich landscapes of Wiltshire into a sea of burnt grass and dust. Draco stepped out of a muggle Mercedes onto the pavement in front of the Smith, Smith & Smith Funeral Home. He opened the passenger door and helped his mother out of the car. She was wearing a muggle black dress and a mourning veil on her pillbox hat. Draco adjusted his tie and exhaled nervously, then walked inside the mortuary holding Narcissa's hand.

"Mr. Malfoy!" a muggle lady at the front desk greeted them. "The flower arrangements were delivered this morning. We will be ready to have the viewing soon".

"Thank you," Draco said courteously.

It has been almost two weeks since his mother and him were released on probation, Potter had kept his word and the cases did not even go to trial. There was enough evidence presented at the preliminary hearing and the Wizengamot had reluctantly settled off court. They still had to pay the reparations, so the estate in Wiltshire would be auctioned off soon, his mother would have to live in a small apartment issued by the Ministry and do her community service. And he had to go back to Hogwarts to sit his N.E.W.T.S. Draco was to have a meeting with his probation officer scheduled every month. He was not looking forward to it.

The day the hearing ended and the papers first started publishing smear pieces about the Malfoys getting off scot-free, his father was murdered in the Azkaban holding cell. The Auror claimed self-defense and was not charged. And no wizarding funeral service wanted to assist with the burial, that's why they found themselves here in muggle part of Wiltshire, wearing muggle clothes and hiring a muggle funeral director.

My father would start rolling in his coffin if he knew that a muggle embalmer had prepared his body for the viewing, thought Draco grimly.

"Draco, dear, how are you holding up?" his mother asked gently.

She always looked so fragile these days, Draco often found her just spacing out in the garden or when she had her tea. Narcissa rarely showed her emotions, but he could tell that Lucius' death was devastating for her.

He wasn't sure how to feel about his father being gone. When he got the news, he didn't cry, he didn't feel sadness or anger, he was just numb. Like he had been since his family was captured by the Ministry and brought in for questioning. Draco thought maybe all these Cruciatuses and all these legilimency sessions that he had to endure made some permanent damage to his brain. He felt like there were some things he couldn't quite recall. He remembered the war, the times that evil bastard resided in the Manor, the Death Eaters, and the torture, but somehow something was still missing. Draco couldn't put his finger on it. He just knew that there is something he ought to have remembered but it felt like it was covered by fog in his mind.

"I am... fine, mother." Draco said. "How can you determine whether your memory had been tampered with?"

"Do you think there is something wrong, love?" Narcissa asked worriedly.

"No, nothing..." he shook his head "Let's go say goodbye to father."

A lady wearing black laced shawl came up to them, she was followed by a tall blonde man, who was holding a baby in his arms.

"Narcissa, we came as soon as we heard," she said looking at his mother sympathetically. "I couldn't leave Teddy alone, so Vernon, his babysitter is here as well. I hope you don't mind?"

Narcissa's eyes were brimming with tears, she hugged the lady fiercely, her arms shaking with emotion.

"Andromeda! My dearest sister, can you ever forgive me?!" she whispered, dabbing her face with the handkerchief.