The Department of Magical Retrieval

Episode 2: Malfoy Manor

Fern understood now why Ron had been so upset when they'd walked into her office. He'd known immediately that Fern hadn't committed the crime. She wasn't the one he'd been dreading to see.

It was Malfoy.

After Harry and Ron had left, Harry had requested audience with Malfoy at his manor. It had taken exactly two days after that to secure a meeting day for the afternoon after, absurdly enough, for a cup of tea. It was then, standing at the doorway of the frightening manor, that Fern understood why Ron had been acting like a right git.

Harry lifted and rang the enormous knocker on the front, adjusting his outfit, looking a bit uncomfortable. Beside him, Ron had the look of a man waiting to be hung. Fern, for her part, fidgeted endlessly behind them. She sincerely hoped Malfoy didn't remember her. It took about another long and painful forty seconds to go by before a homely looking elf opened the door a crack.

"Winky wants to know who yous are, please."

Fern tilted her head in confusion. She remembered Winky from somewhere. It only took her a few moments to put the pieces together.

"We're Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Fern Fawley. We're here to see your Master."

Winky nodded vigorously, allowing the door to open for them, and they stepped in. Beside her, Ron was clenching and unclenching his fists. Winky showed them the way to what Fern presumed was the drawing room, and took this small opportunity, to pick Harry's brain.

"Hey Harry, wasn't Winky working at Hogwarts during our last year?"

She whispered, cupping her hand to his ear. She remembered Winky swaying as she served her food from the kitchens at Hogwarts, quite vividly. It was an absurdly funny image, she had to admit. Harry nodded back.

"Yeah, she was, but she couldn't kick the butterbeer habit. She got canned shortly after and I guess Malfoy took her in for a bit of work."

Ron gave a dark chuckle at Harry's response.

"Right shame, too. I'm sure there's a fat chance in hell that prat isn't treating her like a dog. She was better off at Hogwarts. You remember what the Malfoy's did to Dobby."

Harry's face soured immediately, but it wasn't Harry who spoke.

"Ah, good to see you as well, Weasel."

Malfoy's baritone voice hit their ears. Fern could almost hear the sneer on his vestige in his voice, without even needing to see him. As they finished rounding the corner they found Malfoy sitting, legs crossed, at a table setup for tea. Fern stood anxiously behind Harry and Ron, praying that she'd have to do very little talking. She'd always been afraid of Malfoy during school. He'd bullied nearly everyone in the Slytherin house, and not only that, but he'd been the one to attempt to kill Dumbledore during sixth year. She shuddered just thinking about it.

"Likewise, Ferret. You're not too busy terrorizing house elves to have us for a bit of tea, then?"

"No, I'm afraid not, but I am quite busy these days, as you know."

She watched Ron grit his teeth, his fists again clenching and unclenching, in rapid succession.

"What? Busy managing Daddy's filthy death eater money while he's away at prison?"

Suddenly, the room became very still. No one dared to move or breathe and Fern felt like a cold breeze had drifted in. Draco didn't move a single inch, but she could see his eyes narrow minutely from behind Harry.

"I'm sure not nearly as busy as you are, having to deal with Rita reporting on your broken engagement, and all. I've read the Weekly, you see. Seems Granger got smart and realized she truly was the better half of the two of you."