Don't Look Back In Anger (Completed)

Chapter 14: Conclusions

A startled Draco and Severus were suddenly confronted by at least a dozen wands. They took no comfort from the fact that the people holding those wands were all wearing auror robes, this mob had just invaded Malfoy Manor with motives that were as yet unknown.

"I demand to know what's the meaning of this intrusion?"

Amelia Bones made her way to the front of her aurors to confront this challenger. "And I would like to know what you are doing here, Professor Snape?"

"I am visiting my godson. I wasn't aware ministerial permission was now required for that activity." Severus actually began to relax as Dumbledore made his presence known.

"Ah, Severus. Can you tell us if there is anyone else in the manor, apart from yourself and young Draco here."

"Not to our knowledge, Minister. That was why Draco contacted me, his mother has gone missing too. We were just discussing whether he should come and live with me before being so rudely interrupted."

Having his godfather stand up for him brought some of Draco's bravado back. "I noticed you didn't answer my godfather's question, Madam Bones. Just what is the ministry doing, rushing uninvited into my home?"

Acknowledging that was a legitimate question from the young wizard, Amelia answered it. "Your mother and father were both suspected of being Death Eaters, we're here to arrest your mother and search the manor. Lord Black gave his permission for us to enter, I assume you know he is in charge of all House Malfoy affairs now."

Draco had no answer for that, but Severus was trying to get a message across. "Minister, there's a room in the house that appears to have been used for a dark ritual. It is also where we suspect Mrs Malfoy disappeared from. I would suggest limiting the access to that room until it can be properly investigated."

This immediately had Dumbledore worried. "Amelia, Severus will lead me to this room. Please join us when you have your search teams dispersed."

As the pair made their way up the wide staircase, Albus was able to have a private word with Severus. "Voldemort sent his forces to Diagon Alley today - did you know anything about this?"

"No. After giving me the task of discovering how Potter survived the dementor's kiss, The Dark Lord dismissed me from the meeting. I can only assume it was a massacre…"

"Luckily, Harry and his party were in the Alley at the time. They were able to drive off the dementors."

This had Severus' eyebrows heading for his hairline. "How many dementors did the Dark Lord send?"

"By the accounts we've heard, and the pictures we've seen - all of them."

Severus clearly didn't believe that but Albus continued to shock his spy. "Harry, Miss Granger and Miss Lovegood actually managed to destroy four of the creatures, the dementors fled Diagon Alley in fear. When the Death Eaters then attacked, Harry himself ended Bellatrix and Rabastan Lestrange's days as Death Eaters, along with a couple of new recruits from Azkaban. Bellatrix murdered Xeno Lovegood by accident, she was attempting to kill Miss Granger. Harry's wrath was mighty, he took all of those Death Eaters down with a flame whip curse."

Knowing that was some serious magic, and those were two of the most dangerous Death Eaters, Severus couldn't quite mask the surprise in his voice as he asked Albus another question. "Who was stupid enough to teach the boy that curse? Wait - it had to be Black."