The Healer II- The Patient (Draco Malfoy Fanfiction)

Chapter 26- The Trial

"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.