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Fur Better or Fur Worse by Sainyn Swiftfoot

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A huge thanks to Azhure for betaing this for me! I do NOT own Harry Potter-- it belongs to J K Rowling. And she's not giving it to me, not even if I ask with a "Please!"
Lucius Malfoy, to an onlooker, would have seemed perfectly calm, even serene, but inside, he was screaming in joy... Sighing in relief... Drowning in gladness... However, years of hiding his emotions did not fail him, and he managed to put up an impenetrable, blank mask. He gave a small smile, as much as he thought would be scrupulous. He had to seem as though he had known all along that the case would go in their favour -- after all, they were innocent!

Putting a hand around Narcissa's waist, and holding Draco by his shoulder, Lucius started to walk out of the courtroom. As soon as the doors opened, they were engulfed by a flood of reporters -- everyone wanted to know the outcome of the trial.

Lucius smiled. “Cleared!” he announced.

That immediately provoked a barrage of questions, and Lucius held up a hand. “Questions will be answered in due time, but right now “ move. We need to get home after this gruelling trial. But I doubt this would come as a surprise to you; we've been telling you that we were innocent all along. Even the famous Harry Potter supported our case!” Saying that left a bad taste in his mouth, but he had to do what he could to get the people on his side. He had to appear a hapless, misunderstood person caught in an unfair war.

The reporters, however, persisted, and Lucius was forced to answer questions. He tried to move forwards, but progress was slow -- one person was replaced by another. To the side, a group of people had rolled out a banner that alternatively flashed Narcissa's, Draco's and his faces, with devil horns drawn on them, and the words “Death Eaters” and “Evil” appearing randomly. No matter. All that would clear up once he had given a few interviews, appeared on a few radio shows, given out a little money. It would all be taken care of. But right now, he truly wanted nothing more than to be back at the Malfoy Mansion, his legs soaking in warm water, his wife and son next to him.

Things were taking a turn for the worse, with people pushing over each other, demanding for interviews, screaming questions “ when a voice suddenly boomed out, “Lucius Malfoy?” Lucius looked to see who it was -- there, a head above everyone else, was the dark face of Kingsley Shacklebolt, interim Minister of Magic. The crowd parted, almost magically, as Shacklebolt made his way towards Lucius. “Please come with me,” he murmured in his deep voice. Confused, Lucius followed him.

Shacklebolt walked briskly through the corridors, nodding at a few people along the way. Lucius, Narcissa and Draco hurried to catch up, Narcissa wearing a confused expression, and Draco looking fearful. Lucius smiled at them reassuringly. “Minister, where are you taking us? I would prefer it if I could return to my home right now,” he said.

Kingsley looked back. “Here, come in,” he said, pointing to a door. He walked in, and the Malfoys followed. The room was dimly lit, with a table in the middle, and chairs to one side. On the other side was a larger chair which Shacklebolt seated himself in. He motioned for them to take their seats.

A brown-haired woman walked in and placed a few rolls of parchment on the table, smiling at Shacklebolt before exiting. The Minister opened up the parchments and looked grimly at Lucius. “Mr Malfoy, over the years you have amassed a huge personal fortune -- a lot of it, I believe, is inherited?”

Lucius looked him straight in the eye and spoke, “Minister, what do you want with me? We “ my family and I -- are honestly weary, and would like nothing better than to return home. I was cleared of all charges by the Wizengamot.”

“Mr Malfoy, you were cleared of everything that you were charged with. Right now, I'm charging you with bribery, embezzlement, possession and sale of illegal artefacts, and fraud. Do you deny this?”

“Minister, I assure you, I have no idea what you're talking about,” said Lucius, his heart racing. Shacklebolt could have no proof to back up his claims!

Kingsley pushed forth a few pieces of parchment. “Here are written confessions made by several officials, in various Ministry institutions, who all admit to having accepted large amounts in the form of bribes from you...”

Lucius looked down. Shacklebolt had hidden the names, the fox. “Slander!” he said. “A man of my position attracts several people who show... undesirable emotions of envy and jealousy.”

Shacklebolt remained unnerved, and instead pushed forth another piece of parchment. “This shows the input of an incredibly large amount of money into your Gringotts vault from the heads of several institutions -- Borgin and Burkes, Freddy's Fwooper Racers... The list goes on. Further investigation shows that you, through a mixture of blackmail and threats, forced them to 'donate' you this money.”

Lucius started to say something, but Shacklebolt cut him off. “Look here, Mr Malfoy -- on the twenty-second of June, 1980, the daughter of the owner of the Diagon Alley Apothecary goes missing. Twenty-fifth June, 1980 -- a sum of seventeen thousand Galleons is deposited into your Gringotts vault from vault 367 -- the Travers' vault. On the twenty-eighth of June, she is returned to her family.”

Lucius glanced at the parchment. “That isn't my vault number!” he said.

Shacklebolt gave him a grim smile. “No, that's the vault of a certain Mr Crabbe. However, the same sum of seventeen thousand Galleons was transferred from Mr Crabbe's vault to vault number 666 “ now, do you deny that that is yours, Mr Malfoy?”

Malfoy looked quite pale. “N“No, Minister.”

“Malfoy, you really can't squirm out of this one. If you don't wish for me to go public with these pieces of... interesting information, I would suggest you confess right here.”

“And what is to happen if I do confess?” asked Lucius.

“You will be immediately dispossessed of your Manor, and all the money in the various banks you have in use -- Gringotts, Zurich International Bank... Yes, Mr Malfoy, I do know everything. I'm happy to say that I'm not as incompetent as Cornelius, nor am I afraid of you. You will get a sum of five hundred Galleons to start over, have an honest living... Do something good for a change.”