Chapter 14:Of Truths And Interpretations

"It's… legal?"

"It is." Narcissa confirmed through the mirror. "It comes very close to the edge in places, but Evans Enterprises hasn't actually broken any of our laws that either I or our soliciters can find. I know it took us almost a month to check, longer than I had originally thought, but we had to be thorough."

"That's… how?" Draco demanded crossly.

"I don't know." Narcissa shrugged. "Every time we looked at any part of their company, it seemed to be breaking the Statute of Secrecy, but whenever we looked closer, we realized that it was actually reinforcing it."

Draco growled.

"I'm sending you a copy of my investigations by owl, it should arrive in a little while." Narcissa continued, then she looked at her son. "Draco… don't do anything rash. I've already lost my husband, don't make me bury my son as well."

"I know, mother." Draco said gently. "I have no intention of following my father's unfortunate example."

Narcissa gave him a gentle smile.

"Be careful, my son."

Draco nodded as the mirror clouded over, clearing to show his own reflection. Pocketing it, he strode out of his room and down to the common room where he sat down beside Theodore Nott. The Slytherin finished writing the paragraph he was working on, then looked up at Draco.

"You wanted something?"

"You told me that you have contacts." Draco stated. "I need to make contact with someone high in the government who shares our values, one who is willing to do what is right instead of what is easy… or even lawful."

Theo frowned in thought.

"When do you wish to meet… this person?" He finally asked.

"I expect some documentation to arrive later, so… this weekend would be the best time, preferably in Hogsmeade."

"You'll want to avoid the Hog's Head as the owner is Aberforth Dumbledore, the brother of our former Headmaster." Theodore mused. "The Three Broomsticks is so popular with the older students, so you'd be noticed there and you'll need secrecy. Madam Puddifoot's, from what I heard, is most certainly not a place to meet, which means… the only real place you can meet is at The Immaculate Line."

Draco blinked. "Where?"

"The Immaculate Line." Theodore repeated. "It's located in the alley behind Madam Puddifoot's and is located in a cellar behind a grey door with the picture of a staff on the door. My father took me there once to introduce me to his allies. It's where those who truly appreciate the old ways meet when they're in Hogsmead."

"Sounds like it will be perfect." Draco agreed. "Do it."

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"Goodbye Joyful Acres." James Kirk sneered as the last portion of the trailer park vanished into the distance.

"It'll take a couple of days to reach our next potential recruit." Voldemort said from the front of the vehicle. "Fortunately, we are prepared."

"I'll get some sleep ready to take over driving later, my Lord." Barty offered and Voldemort gave an approving nod.

"Good. Inquisitor, perhaps you could check the map, I think we should pick up something at a drive-through. For some reason, I have this sudden urge for chicken pieces."

"Yes, my Lord." Pettigrew squeaked.

"In the meantime, do you wish to borrow a book, James?"

"Nope, I have a comic I've been meaning to read since I picked it up last Saturday." James waved the booklet in question before putting it on the small table. "In the last issue, Omni-Man introduced his son to the League."

"This sounds interesting." Gellert half-turned in his seat. "League?"

"The Justice League." James held the comic up, showing the characters on the front cover. "Hawkgirl can fly and uses a special mace that can destroy anything magical, the Flash is the fastest man alive, Batman has no powers but is a keen detective and martial artist, Wonder Woman is super-strong, can fly and can deflect anything with her bracelets, Green Lantern can create anything from pure willpower, Martian Manhunter is a telepathic shapeshifting alien and Omni-Man is the heaviest-hitter of the League being a Viltrumite, an invulnerable flying super-strong alien. His son is half-Viltrumite and has the same powers to almost the same levels, but is new to heroing so needs to learn from the others…"

As James explained the characters and concept, Voldemort made mental notes on how the same ideas could be used to further cement his ability to command his super-weapons-to-be.

After all, convincing the young ones that their actions were for the greater good would make it far harder for anyone to persuade them otherwise at a later date.

And with the sheer power that Obscurials represented, that was most certainly not a consideration to be taken lightly…

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Draco stepped through the door and into the surprisingly dingy bar, glancing round with growing disgust. The floor was covered in half-rotted rushes rather than being wood, stone or even packed earth, fragments of food visible in the meagre light from the few lanterns that hung from the chains descending from the rafters. The barkeeper stood behind a plank of unfinished wood balanced on two beer kegs, a stout cudgel by one hand and a wand clasped in the other. Unidentifiable bottles were fixed almost randomly to the wall behind him, many of them filled with cloudy liquids or encrusted with grime.

Gathering his self-control, Draco strode forwards, making his way to the corner table where a cloaked witch sat with a goblet of something he would hesitate to label as a drink in front of her. Sliding into the seat opposite her, he looked up and for a moment, thought that he was looking at a pink toad.

"Madam Umbridge, I presume?" He asked hesitantly and the witch nodded.

"Lord-Apparent Malfoy. My condolences, the loss of your father to that murderer was a great blow to our society. It is such a shame that charges were not pressed."

Draco leaned forwards, pulling a folder out from under his cloak and sliding it forwards. Umbridge took it and opened it, eyes darting across the pages with practised efficiency as she absorbed the information. After a few moments, she closed the file and frowned.

"I am sorry, but although this is concerning, it doesn't quite break the law."

"By itself, no." Draco agreed, his fists clenching. "Or at least, it doesn't seem to break the law. The half-blood Potter is quite sneaky in that regard, but I am sure that someone who could look deeper would find something they could use."

Umbridge tilted her head slightly and a cruel smile settled on her lips. "Indeed. Why, an in-depth investigation could turn up all manner of issues… couldn't it?"

"That is what I suspect." Draco agreed. "At the very least, I think it may contravene certain regulations…"

"The fines could be quite steep." Umbridge purred as the folder vanished into her own cloak. "And as you were the one to bring this… malefactor to my attention, you would undoubtably be rewarded."

Draco inclined his head slightly and Umbridge continued.

"It may take a while, but I am sure that justice will be served."

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Theodore watched Draco enter the common room and raised an eyebrow.

"I feel as if I need a shower." Draco grumbled as he passed the other boy. "A long one. That witch was just…"

"My father often told me that he felt she would have been a good follower, had she not been so loyal to Fudge." Theodore commented quietly. "He never discovered why she was so loyal, but he did say that there was no evidence at all of them having an affair."

"I'm not certain that I want to know." Draco shuddered. "The mere thought of someone trying to have an affair with her…"

Draco shuddered, then scurried off, looking rather sickened. Theodore watched him go, then returned to writing the Transfiguration essay that he had been working on.

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Harry slammed onto the ground, sliding for a few feet on his back as his wand pinwheeled out of his grasp. Before he could use the remaining momentum to roll to his feet, conjured ropes enveloped him, holding him motionless.

"Not bad." Filius noted as he strolled over, the only sign of his recent exertions being that his heart was beating slightly faster than normal. "You really are improving."

"Thank-you, sir." Harry panted as Filius dispelled the ropes and summoned Harry's wand, deflecting it so that it landed in Harry's hand. "What was that spell that sent me flying?"

"A cleaning charm." Filius smiled. "I conjured soap on the floor as you dodged my hexes."

"Soap." Harry repeated flatly.

"You did well." Filius waved his wand and the slippery residue vanished. "I remember that move once let me win a match as only one foot of my adversary slipped."

Harry thought about it for a moment, then he winced.

"That was the reaction that every single man who was watching had as well." Filius chuckled. "A few of the ladies, too."

"Sir, you have an evil sense of humour." Harry grumbled as he finished climbing to his feet. Filius simply grinned at him and Harry flexed his shoulders. "I…"

Harry's comment was lost as Neville was sent flying across the room by Hermione and Harry reflexively caught the larger boy, fielding him like a professional goalkeeper before setting him on his feet.

"What in the name of the Explorer was that spell?" Filius asked in shock and Hermione blushed slightly under his respectful regard.

"Um, it's something I developed from the same basis as the Wingardium Leviosa spell. Rather than lift things up, it absorbs half the magic of the spells the target tries to use for about four seconds, then transforms it into kinetic energy away from the target's wand."

"Whatever it was, it was weird." Neville agreed as he crouched down to pick up his wand. "I thought she'd hit me with a fake spell, then… whoosh! Flying time!"

"Professor Vector helped me work it out, we've been working on it since I wrote to her during the summer." Hermione added and Filius nodded.

"Arithmancy is very useful in developing new spells. Ten points to Ravenclaw for expanding the reach of magic and if you would be so kind, may I learn that spell too? It could be very amusing to use it at the next Duelling Championships. Having all my opponants flying off the duelling platform would be very amusing indeed."

"It relies on the target using magic once hit." Hermione pointed out. "If they simply dodge until the spell triggers, it'll have no effect on them at all."

"Duelist's Shield." Flitwick pointed out and Hermione's eyes widened in understanding.

"Of course! You told me that at the higher levels, using that technique between attacks is so reflexive that most don't even realize that they're doing it!"

"What's that spell you created called?" Harry asked curiously.

"Potenportus." Hermione replied. "The full name translates as Stored energy releases to induce movement, but by moving your wand like this as you cast, it lets you shorten the incantation."

"Magnificent." Filius clapped his hands and then causing his wand to appear once more. "Well done! Can you show me once more?"

"Potenportus!" Hermione cast the almost-invisible spell at one of the interactive training dummies and a few seconds later, it rocked slightly backwards.

"Potenportus!" Flitwick cast a moment later and once again the dummy rocked backwards. "Excellent, Miss Granger! Ten points to Ravenclaw for the creation of a new dueling spell."

"Thank you, sir." Hermione ducked her head slightly in embarrassed pleasure.

"And do I have your permission to use it if I can master it enough to cast it silently?" Flitwick asked, his eyes twinkling.

"O… of course, sir!"

"Thank you." Flitwick smirked. "I do believe that Professor Black is going to find our next scheduled dueling match to be… interesting."

"What did my dogfather do this time?" Harry sighed.

"You know him too well."

"And you haven't answered my question, sir."

"No, I haven't."