Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does. I don't own the Road Not Taken either, that belongs to Robert Frost.
Warning: This will be HP/DM
Rating: M for language and suggested content
Note: Is not compatible with book seven, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Author's Note: I may be insane to start another story when one is already on the go but this idea is begging to be written. The story will contain four chapters, one for every verse in 'The Road Not Taken'. Constructive criticism is surely welcome. Updates will be infrequent and far between.

OOO

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

The Road Not Taken

I

"Mister Malfoy, your actions against the ministry and the foundation of your school are inexcusable. You should be sent straight to Azkaban without trial for conspiring murder with He Who Must Not Be Named and your former professor and Death Eater, Severus Snape" Rufus Scrimgeour paused in his allegation staring down at the pathetic lump he must be, slouched in the execution chair. "But, seeing as you have yet to receive the Dark Mark and are under the age of seventeen, you shall not receive such a punishment." He raised his head in false hope. "You will be striped of your surname and inheritance. You will be expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and forced to live a life without magic. You will take an Unbreakable Vow to ensure you do not use your surname for it still has sway over others."

The Vow was taken and the former Malfoy stood in his chair. He gazed over the crowd who presided during his trial and received cold challenging eyes. He couldn't find the strength to sneer. The Minister for Magic pounded a gavel onto the sounding block; instead of hearing the blunt wood meet its mate, he heard the unmistakable sound of an iron door slam into its frame.

Draco woke with a start.

OOO

My name is Draco Mal- well seeing as I was striped of my surname I guess I will have to say my name is Draco. I am one month short of my birthday. My twenty-third, I believe. I was to be a very powerful and feared wizard, like my father before me, but seeing as I was expelled from my school before my coming of age… I can only be considered an extraordinary muggle. How they have managed to live without magic and survive was beyond me but I do suppose I have learned some things after all.

Anyway, back to my story. I lived in one of the purest blooded homes in Britain. I grew up knowing I was better then other half bloods, mudbloods, blood traitors, and other assorted riffraff. My mother and father raised me this way and they made sure it was ingrained into my soul. I was to be the Lord's right hand man after my father. How I must have disappointed the insane blubbering mass that is now my sire.

Right after my sixteenth birthday, the Dark Lord sent me a message. I didn't see him face to face at this time so I entered my sixth year with my task in mind. At that time I was very putout thinking that perhaps he didn't think me important enough to see his face. I now realize how stupid I was acting and how lucky I truly was not to see his face. The first term began rather well with the exception of Snaps interference. I mean, how hard would it be to kill the headmaster and persuade Professor Slughorn over to the dark side? Apparently harder then I expected. The remainder of the year proved very frustrating and filled with failure indeed. Then I had major progress with the cabinet! It worked! That night I sent all the necessary messages and contacted the marked Death Eaters.

Even though I wasn't yet marked I considered myself a fully fledged Death Eater. I felt powerful. I drank it in and relished in those thoughts. But the moment they came through the cabinet, I felt fear coil in the pit of my belly. I felt sick and I was sick. The room provided the badly needed chamber pots that saved the floor. The men laughed and jeered at me until I felt the need to unleash the skills which my father had taught me. Needless to say they stopped laughing. The man I cursed was unfit to stay so he returned though the cabinet and out came Fenrir Greyback. I turned around and walked through the door to check if it was clear. I didn't want to deal with that monster. After using the blackness powder I bought off the Weasley twins I lead the Death Eaters to the main corridor before the staircase leading to the North Tower. The Order of the Phoenix was of course waiting for us. I managed to escape and run up the stairs where I encountered Dumbledore. Two brooms. The alarms went off in my mind but they were silenced quickly. We talked and I truly believed he could save me. Snape always told me never to trust him but then he was always trying to manipulate me anyway so I did. I was about to give back his wand which I held in my hand but the others arrived. Then Snape came and, without hesitation, killed the Headmaster. He grabbed me and we ran. On the grounds I became aware of someone chasing us. It was Potter. He was yelling like a mad man and shouting curses at us. He tried and missed countless times. Why was he chasing us? Did you know and how? Snape took care of him anyway and we left. We didn't go to the dark lord. No we went into hiding and Snape was scared. I had never seen him that scared. We stayed in hiding until the Order finally flushed us out-.

OOO

"Good Morning, Inspector Potter. What brings you here this early?" Stan, the office secretary and watchman called out as a young man with slightly messy black hair and bright green eyes entered the room.

"Hello, Stan. The usual as well you know by now," Harry said, accepting a cup of coffee. "Is Dursley here? I have some information for him."

"Sure thing, Inspector Potter, Just be warned he's in a mood. Yesterday he went to his parents' home for dinner and I guess his father went off on him about you again." He shook his head looking at the younger man in awe. "I have no idea how you do it but that man cannot stand even the sound of your name!"

Harry shrugged. It had been six years since he lived at his aunt's and uncle's house and he thought he had heard the last of them but apparently not. When Vernon found out about the plea from the Wizarding World for the muggle police to help in the war, he sneered and had nothing to do with it but then he found out that his darling son, Dudley, had made head guard in the prison system and would deal with others like his freak of a nephew frequently and that the main person he would deal with was Harry, his freak of a nephew, his fit blew gaskets off of man holes all week long. This was a job Dudley could handle, however and one he was good at and enjoyed immensely, even if it meant dealing with his 'criminally insane' cousin.

"Is anything else new? He's just bitter that they got landed with me when my parents were killed."

"That's rough. I'll just go get your cousin now shall I? We had a problem with one of our wacos. The guy was hiding a book from us. Looked like a diary to me but nothing was in it."

Harry chuckled darkly, "We get those too but they never seem to realize the difference between 'full' and 'empty'. Why did Dudley have to deal with it though? Doesn't it seem slightly trivial?"

Stan grinned. "He's for you mate! Picked him up about six months ago, just waiting for you to come around. Dudley thought he might be one of your kind if you know what I mean." He elbowed Harry in the ribs and Harry winced. While everyone didn't know about the Wizarding World except those who needed to know like the police or the prison guards, and most of them had a good enough sense to humour to joke about it after four years of being involved.

"Just get my cousin, you lazy prat!" Harry tried to sound rough without letting the laughter in his voice. He failed, of course.

Stan smirked as he left. A few moments later he returned with the Head Prison Guard in tow. Dudley Dursley was a large man just like his father, though he was more muscle and a couple inches taller. Shaggy blond hair covered his forehead and obscured his baby blue eyes, giving him a half wild look. No wonder he was chosen to be head jailer. The man was huge and he could easily handle most of the 'special cases'. His cousin scowled at him when he saw who was waiting.

"What do you want, Potter?" He sat heavily at his desk with a sigh of relief.

"Just came by to see how you were doing Dudders." Stan snickered in his hand at this and Dudley snarled at him.

"Just tell me what you want!"

Harry sighed. "I was told you had someone for me to pick up, from what I've been told, it's the reason for your irritation. I also have some information for you."

Dudley glared at him for a moment then yelled, "Stan!" Stan jumped and Harry had to work hard not to suppress laughter at the look on the secretary's face. "Get out! And make sure we aren't disturbed."

Stan squealed, "Yes sir!" and left, closing the door behind him.

Dudley turned to Harry and found him already sitting and looking completely at ease. Harry smiled cheekily. "So, Duds, what's this prisoner you have for me?"

"In a moment," Dudley rubbed at his face, "Tell me the information you have for me, first. I hope to hell that it can help!"

Dudley was now twenty three years old and he had a wife, some school sweetheart. Apparently she was the very image of beauty and was also very smart, which Harry highly doubted, seeing that she married his beefy cousin but he has seen stranger things in his years as an Auror. They had a baby girl who was now two or so years old named Alexia Petunia Dursley. However, before the war was able to wear down and stop being an immediate danger, the Dursley baby was taken. It wasn't clear if it was done by muggles or wizards, seeing as there was no magic involved, but they couldn't be too careful. Dudley was at his wits end and his wife, Alexandra, was under constant watch from Mrs Petunia Dursley. When the baby was taken, they notified the muggle authorities but it was a fluke that the wizard Aurors came across the information. Seeing as it could have very well been a magical attack on Dudley's family, they became involved. As Harry was Dudley's cousin, they have given him the task of relaying all and any information they may get. What they had this time was only a lead and it led in a different direction then the last one.

"A man was seen, walking down the streets in Diagon Alley in London. He said something in passing to one of our other men. They mentioned something about a little girl named Allie and the kidnapping." Harry began to relay everything that was told to him in detail. "This man in question said that the girl would be powerful and had to be kept away. This was all he said. We don't know if he has your daughter or not, but when we find him he will be questioned thoroughly." Dudley covered his face with his hands in utter desolation. "I'm truly sorry, Dudley."

"You said that he said she was powerful! Does that mean that-."

Harry shook his head hopelessly. "We don't know if it's her, but if it is, then yes she would be a witch."

"Why?"

Harry shrugged, "My mother was your mum's sister maybe it was something your mum passed down to you."

He looked up, his face hardened. "I will not turn into my father! I don't care what he thought! If she is a witch then she is going to grow up knowing it!"

"It's different when it's one of your own, isn't it?"

"I'm not going to apologize to you, Harry. Don't even think it!"

"That was the farthest thing from my mind," Harry promised. His respect for his cousin had just increased tenfold even if the animosity between them hasn't completely disappeared. "Now, show me this prisoner."

OOO

Draco was lying on his bed, glaring at the cracks in the walls. The guards took his dairy from him and the blond one came in and started yelling at him for hiding things and that he would get his comeuppance soon with his kind. Draco snorted. "My kind? Now really! I haven't been my kind for five long years! What does he know about them anyway?"

The keys jingled outside his iron door and a mummer of voices could be heard from the outside. Draco had enough. "Leave me the sod alone you wankers! What did I ever do to you?"

A thump on the door told Draco that that may have been the wrong thing to say at this time. The lock clicked and the bolt slid out. He didn't wait from them to come in. He stood ready to attack them by hand if he had to. While his wand was taken, he found he was still able to use short bursts of magic if his emotions were strong enough. He just hoped rage mixed with fear would be enough to invoke uncontrolled magic. He had been locked up for the past six months and he needed a change! They didn't even give him a bloody trial!

The door opened and he felt his power surge. With a yell of triumph he moved forward only to find himself trapped by invisible bonds. He fell painfully on his side and looked at the sideways feet of his assailant. Following the black polished shoes past the pressed black trousers a black suit jacket with a white dress shirt beneath. He was met with olive toned skin and green eyes. Quickly looking at the forehead Draco found what he was dreading, a pale scar in the shape of a lightning bolt, half covered by a lock of unmanageable hair. He growled as he spoke to his school rival for the first time in half a decade. "Potter!"

OOO

Harry and Dudley stopped outside a large iron door. Harry laughed when he saw it. "We sure do make you guys nervous don't we?"

"It's just a precaution," he stated defensively. "We can never be too careful!"

"I know I know. Well open up the door already!"

There was a shout from the inside. The prisoner was obviously not happy about the treatments he has been getting. Dudley pounded on the door with his large fist to shut the man up. The door was unlocked and Dudley went to open it but Harry stopped him when he felt a surge of power being focused. He shook his head and motioned for the guard to back away. When Dudley was out of the way he pulled out his wand and opened the door, ready to disable the captured wizard. The body fell to the ground in bonds and rolled over revealing his face. Harry was shocked! A muggle prison was the last place he expected to come across Draco Malfoy.

"Potter!" The blond man from the floor growled out. He was obviously as displeased about this as Harry was. The very man who was responsible for the aged Headmaster's death was lying at his feet. The same man who was believed to have perished in the fire. The same man who followed the true murderer in almost every way except when it came time for the cowardly death. Harry was enraged as he glared down at the dishevelled man still bound by the invisible ropes. Harry's wand, forgotten until now, was raised and pointed at Draco.

"Give me one reason to kill you now." His voice was cold and his power began to seep from his skin where it belonged and crackle around him. He ignored Dudley's protest of 'you cannot attack prisoners without reason' and tightened his grip on his wand.

Draco chuckled dryly, "Still a hero, Potter? But still a monster, too. Will you use the same curse which cut open my chest and face?"

Harry hardened his gaze, fury evident in every movement but his wand was slowly lowered. The invisible bonds were released and Draco struggled to his feet. Harry growled out "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be dead."

"Thank you for the death wish there, Potter. I knew you were dark."

"Answer me, Malfoy!"

Draco's eyes flashed in panic. "Don't call me that! I'm not a Malfoy anymore! Don't you call me that!"

Harry raised his eye brows and sneered at him. "What's this now? Are you not a pet of the once living Voldemort?"

Draco shrank back against his cot and fell onto it. The anger and loathing radiating off Harry could be felt by Draco and the fear on his face just so pathetic that Harry gained control of himself once more. "Come off it, then." He looked over at Dudley who was confused and worried at the state of his cousin. "Is there a place where we can go and sit down? I'm not taking him with me until I know what the hell he is doing alive and in a muggle prison!"

Dudley nodded. "You can go into the private visiting room. It's the place usually reserved for lovers and spouses of the prisoners but its private and I can make sure you're not disturbed." He narrowed his eyes for a moment. "There are cameras in that room so you won't be able to do away with him until you take him into custody."

"I won't be killing him on this property anyway, Dudley. We've worked to hard too get you muggles to trust us, I'm not about to blow it now for revenge that should have run cold."

They were taken into the private room where a table sat between two chairs. Harry took the one closest to the door and waited until Draco sat. Dudley stood at the door for a moment then said, "Behave! If he gains any outer damage that will mean a lot of paper work for me!" He left, locking the door behind him.

They sat in silence in which Harry glared and Draco sighed. When Harry thought he couldn't intimidate Draco anymore then he had already, he started his questioning.

"What are you doing here?"

Draco looked up and rolled his eyes. "Still wanting to be a hero, don't you, Potter?"

"Answer my question!"

"I was arrested six months ago, alright!"

"Why did you get arrested?" Harry was looking curiously again.

"I was found breaking into a house."

"Why?"

"Because I was clumsy!" Draco yelled! It was obvious he was getting tired of these questions but he also knew it was only the beginning.

"No, why did you break into the house?"

Draco shrugged. "They had a nice stereo system and the television? It was a 64 inch platinum, I couldn't turn it down."

"How are you so familiar with muggle equipment?"

Draco rolled his eyes again and said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, "It's because I've lived in the muggle world for almost six years. Please try and ask more intelligent questions."

Harry frowned. "Why-."

"They expelled me and stripped me of my name! Everyone with any amount of intelligence would know that, Potter. I am no longer considered a citizen of the wizarding world. Why do you think I was ever released?"

"Of course I knew you were at trial and why and I have an idea of your sentence but why didn't you die!"

"Die? Why should I have died? The muggle world isn't that dange-."

"The ministry was attacked. Hundreds died, including you and everyone else in the courtroom where the trials were held."

OOO

Draco was speechless. Everyone was killed? That meant that sometime when he was released and the trial was to end, the ministry was attacked. It must have been that which triggered the war so completely. He was believed to be dead along with the other Deatheaters who were in trial and the Minister for Magic himself? He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe something this big just passed him by.

"Is that why no one came to torment me? I would have been ridiculously easy to fuck with, you know."

Potter nodded. "You didn't cause it then?"

"No! Is… is that why you wanted to kill me without even an explanation?"

"Yes, it was. But now I know and I… believe you. How did you escape the fire?"

"I didn't escape the fire. I was long gone by that time, apparently. Once they gave me my sentence, they thought it best if I started right away as a muggle. I was left with nothing on the street. It was hell and you are going to doubt my reasons for becoming a thief?"

Potter stood up abruptly. "I think we are finished. I know now that you aren't what I'm looking for. Have a good life Draco. I hear you still have another twelve months of time to fill." He started to the door and pulled out his wand to unlock it when the sound of a chair knocking over made him turn again.

"Please! Take me with you! I may have been ripped of my status of Wizard but you are the only one who knows that! I can help you, I swear! Look at me; do you think anyone who sees me would connect the pompous Malfoy and me?"

Potter looked at him closely as if sizing him up. He shook his head sadly.

He would have never imagined seeing Mal- Draco beg. "No, I'm sorry Draco. Perhaps I'll reconsider when and if we meet again in a year's time."

No! Potter left the room and locked it behind him. Draco was left in the closed room until one of the guards came to get him. It wasn't time to give up though. Draco knew about the lost daughter of the head jailer for he had heard the guards talk. Just in a matter of time, Potter would come back and beg for help and Draco would bribe him into giving him a wand in exchange for information. He had faith in the hero. He didn't want to harm anyone but he wanted to stop living like a muggle street thief. There were too many factors out there that made life severely unpleasant for both homeless and very poor. He was tired of living like a rat in the sewers. Soon would be the time to get out and return to where he belonged.

OOO

Harry entered his office and shut the door. He lay on his couch and tried to rest and not think about anything whether it be the problem with his cousin's daughter or if it's Draco. He didn't want to worry about anything any more. After the affair with Voldemort, Harry thought he could finally stop caring and being peoples' shield whether they are wizard or muggle. He killed the bastard who murdered his parents and was the cause of terror and turmoil in the wizarding community for half a century. Wasn't that enough? But no, Harry knew it would never be enough. The aftermath of the war caused just as much devastation as the war did. Families were torn apart as the true identities of different members were discovered of being Deatheaters. Missing Wizards were discovered dead and the remaining Deatheaters caused mayhem every chance they got. It was hell all over again.

He closed his eyes, calling to sleep. It was morning when he got back from his nightly rounds and instead of going home he figured he would try and catch up on some sleep in the office. It wasn't the first time nor would it be the last time he would sleep in his office. Harry was one of the younger aurors in the ministry. When he graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry he entered into post secondary schooling to finish his training. The usual training period is four extra years. It took him a year and a half to finish due to the war and the part he was to play in it. His friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley also completed in this time to fight in the war. He was the only one to stay doing his best to protect people. Hermione went on to be an accountant for the Gringots bank, and Ron became one of the Unspeakables who work in the very bowels of the ministry itself, (after it was rebuilt). Throughout the war, Ron ingenuity concerning strategy became irreplaceable. After the war, which of course they won, he was offered a job doing secret and unmentionable things. Harry had a strong suspicion that they were creating a new chess game. Perhaps even with more then two players; maybe three or four so it would progress from a game to out right war.

Harry felt himself drifting into a restful state when there were a couple of bangs on the door. He groaned and sat up, scrubbing his face. It happened every time he tried to rest at work. He never had a chance to get comfortable. He looked at the clock and was startled to realize that it was nine in the morning.

"Harry! Come on, open up!"

Harry winced as his friend's voice filtered though the wood door. With a wave of his wand the door opened, revealing his tall redheaded housemate. "What'd you want, Ron? Aren't you supposed to be in the Department of Mysteries right now?"

Ron grinned, "Nah, snuck out for a while. Come on! You gotta see this! Let's go."

Ron led him out of the office and up three floors. He took him out onto the street in what they commonly call muggleland. There was a protest happening. Hundreds of people lined the street and sidewalks holding signs like 'Release our freedom!' and 'give us the rights to severely depressed lives!' Throughout the crowd, muggles and wizards were together protesting the same thing. A large picture of a house elf in chains drew Harry's attention he blanched as he realized what was happening. They were not muggles and wizards in the crowds, they were muggle women and witches! The muggle women were protesting the use of magical creatures and the witches were there for fun or revenge! (They look the same when they have a good time or gain revenge on a certain someone). Harry started to laugh and Ron's face was positively glowing.

"Look mate, there's Hermione!" and indeed it was. She was wading her way through the crowd to meet with her best friend and lover. Her face was red from exhilaration and she grinned widely.

"Hi! Ron! Harry!" she was breathless when she reached then and gave then each hugs and a kiss for Ron. "Do you see? I never would have thought it possible!"

The crowd began a chant: No more Magic! Give us Static! We can clean the filth! We don't need the Elf!

Hermione just giggled again and said. "Let's go in for a second so I can explain." They just passed the entrance when a herd of Wizards from the Department of Muggle and Secrecy Sector ran past them to erect barriers around the commotion.

"Hermione, I know you are still active in spew and all but really most of those women are muggles!" Harry was still chuckling but he did understand the gravity of the situation.

"Oh come off it Harry! They are wives and daughters of the police and prison Guards! Their husbands and fathers bought the house elves off of the black market where money hungry wizards were selling them!" Hermione's face lost all mirth and Harry's did as well. He had heard of something to that effect happening but as it wasn't in his department, didn't know enough. Hermione, meanwhile, worked at the bank and must have had some inside information in every con happening at this moment.

Harry frowned. "That doesn't explain the witches! They will get caught and be charged, which means more work for me!"

She sighed and looked to Ron who was wisely staying out of the conversation. Being an Unspeakable did give him a wider range of common sense. "They are the wives who are losing their house elves to the muggle women. Their husbands make the profit then spend it as they wish while the witches are left to clean up the mess; literally."

Harry was silent about this. He looked out the door where most of the excitement cooled down. There was a large cage of house elves and the muggles were departing, whether obliverated or not, Harry didn't know. The witches were left to give some statements to the wizards. He peeked at Hermione and noticed she was watching him like a hawk. He sighed. "I have to go talk to Kingsley about this. See if I can get off the case. I have too much to deal with at the moment.

He started walking back to the elevator when a hand stopped him. "Harry, there was another reason I'm here." He looked into Hermione's big brown eyes. "I found something about Alexia, you're cousin's baby."

OOO

Draco leaned against the wall as he watched everyone around him exercise. No one bothered him, ever. They didn't pay any attention to him at all actually. The first few days were hard because he had to fight to keep certain prisoners out of his pants. Apparently his grey eyes and white blond hair along with his athletic stature and pointed face were too much for them to resist. The first time was scary and it was then he began to have a feeling of control over his magic. He can channel it through fear better then any other emotion. The man who tried to molest him was unconscious for two days. The others were more weary but still tried until two more ended up in similar states. That was when the staff began treating him with extra caution. This was the first time he was allowed out doors in all the six months. He almost begged the blond man who was with Potter a few days ago to allow him outside. After seeing the wizard, Draco felt immense cabin fever shock. He needed to be outside again. It took three days of good behaviour and sucking up before the Head jailor gave his okay.

He looked up to see a snow white owl fly around the open roofed compound. It swooped and dived at the sparrows passing beneath it. It was odd seeing an owl in day light not carrying post but Draco assumed that in this area it was more regular for the other prisoners gave it a fleeting glance before returning to what they were doing. The owl circled directly above Draco then dived suddenly causing the wizard-no-more to hold out his arm and catch it. The bird landed gracefully, mindful of her talons and peeked affectionately at his matted hair.

"Hey girl. What are you doing here, huh? You're not supposed to be here." Draco looked her over for any sign of injury but found nothing. He lifted his arm into the air and she took off again, passing close enough to allow the tip of her wing touch his head lightly. She was off again and disappeared into the clouds. One of the guards came up to Draco and leaned against the wall beside him.

"She comes, now and then to drop off some mail if you'd believe that." Draco looked at the man beside him. Never before had one of the guards just come up to him and actually began a conversation. Draco was grateful.

"They are beautiful creatures, aren't they, and highly intelligent. I've seen hundreds swoop through tall windows and not mistaken who their burdens belong to." He spoke softly and smiled at some of the memories from his old school days; the marvels of first year and the adventure in the second and third.

The guard looked at him sharply. "So it's true. You're one of them are you?"

"Not any more. I was, a long, long time ago but with some mistakes and a bad choice in role models I ended up here, a muggle prison." Draco looked sideways at the man beside him. "Are you scared?" He raised an eyebrow and sneered in his old fashion.

He shook his head. "I was just surprised is all that Inspector Potter didn't take you away like he usually does. What did you do to get chucked out?"

Draco sneer twisted into a hateful smile targeted at his actions past. "I was given the task of killing the Headmaster and nearly succeeded. When it came time to yell the curse, I couldn't. One of the other professors did it instead. He rushed in just as I was about to give the old man back his wand. That man was killed shortly after by our dear Inspector Potter. He just shipped me off to the ministry so I could undergo trial. This was my sentence. To live out my life as a muggle and I was stripped of my surname." Draco shrugged. "It's nice to talk about it, if you know what I mean. I was never open with my thoughts until I had nothing else to rely on."

The man was silent for a while then smiled suddenly. "I know what you are saying and I understand. It's the same with me when my wife died. I thought my life was over and I kept everything I felt in until my house burned down about a year later. I lost everything. When I started working here to maintain a small apartment I started spilling my life story to anyone who would ask. It was sickening in the beginning but after a while I grew to like this new degree of openness." He looked hard at Draco. "Now you are the first prisoner I've talked to about this, keep that in mind eh?" He pushed himself back onto his feet and walked away.

The bell signalled the end of break alerted everyone and they started to pack it in. Draco was the last to leave the compound. He felt like he gained an ally of sorts. He stared at the sky in the direction the owl flew then started in.

OOO

"Are you sure?" Harry was anxious. Hermione just told him of a lead that could very well take them to Dudley's daughter.

"Of course I'm sure! Have you ever known me to research ineptly when it concerns anything of this importance?" She made an undignified sound in the back of her throat. "Anyway, Harry, there is a very large investment with these people. They take young children from the streets and train them as thieves. It's mostly a muggle operation but there are a few wizards who joined in resent years."

"That explains why they took Dudley's kid." Harry stated thinking fast to follow Hermione's train of thought. Years of being tutored by her had instilled the ability to make the mind jump. "One of the muggles must have had to deal with him in jail some time in recent years."

Hermione brightened. "Exactly! And you know what? I took a peek at the files-."

"Hermione! You're not supposed to do that! It's against everything you strive for!" Harry was truly shocked that his friend would do anything like that but it was something he would do!

She gave him a pointed look and continued. "One of them went to the same school as he did. Smeltings school for the gifted or some kind of rubbish like that. They weren't the best of friends. Then in the prison, Dudley filed a lot of notes about abuse he received and had to deal with in concern to the prisoner."

"That's not such a good thing, now is it? We'll get her back though, or at the very least we can alert the muggle police about this."

Hermione frowned. "That's not possible. Like I said, there is an investment in this operation. It doesn't matter that it's illegal in the muggle world, apparently it very much legal in the wizarding one! Besides there are wizards there with the muggles. They found a loophole in the new law that states law keepers may have contact with the wizarding world. It states that civilians cannot have contact but it says nothing about criminals!" She glared at Harry as if it were his fault. He suggested it but he didn't write it

"Don't blame this on me, Hermione! It's another thing I'll let Kingsley know. He is the head of our division!" Harry got up from the chair he was occupying and made his way to the door.

"I wasn't blaming you, Harry! I'm just not happy about it." Came her voice, small and slightly nervous. "You might be able to get a spy into the organization. You need someone who is either a child or not recognized socially then you might have a chance. Good luck, Harry." He didn't turn around but muttered a small 'thank you'. He could feel her pleasure radiate off of her.

OOO

The slamming of an iron door nearby brought Draco out of his dose. It was in the middle of the day. His birthday was tomorrow and he would be twenty-three years old. The number twenty three wasn't anything special in the wizarding world but it was his favourite number. It represented a number of things in his life: The two represented the number of lives he's lived already and he was working on his third. His fourth, he had a feeling would begin very, very soon. The three represented the people that changed his life. His mother who was dead now always showed him the kindness which kept him from falling apart when his father was arrested, his godfather who betrayed his trust but he couldn't find it in his heart to hate him and of course Harry Potter who was in every way his opposite and the one to get him out of the muggle world. Oh yes, he still had faith that Potter would do just that. Now that he was seen and known once more by wizards, it was only a matter of time… After this thought, Draco realized how insane it would have sounded if he said it aloud. Soon he would be back in the world and less time spent in his own head.

His door was opened rather abruptly and Draco was pulled off his bed by his arm. He looked up into a pair of bright green eyes. Draco grinned. "Right on time Potter." he said smugly.

Potter glared, "You're coming with me."

"I didn't expect anything less. It must be an early birthday present." At the inhuman growl that came from Potter's throat, Draco realized he had gone too far. Maybe he should be slightly more sneaky and less blunt…

"You're going undercover in an organization that specializes in taking children and training them as thieves. You will become one of the men who train those kids and monitor what goes on there."

Undercover? I'm monitoring the kids? Is this about the little girl? Draco just shrugged. "I'll do it, but for a price."

Potter looked on in shock. "I'm setting you free! You will be allowed in the muggle world once more! I'll even give you some money so you can get a proper place and find a job! What more do you want."

"I know what I want and I know you can give it to me. Before I tell you though, you have to agree to give it to me. Or else I won't help you and I'll tell them that you are on to them." Draco waited while Harry warred with himself. It was obvious that they thought the girl was taken by this group and it was very likely. Draco had heard about them while he was on the streets. He was slightly surprised that wizards would involve themselves unless there were wizards in the organization… Draco's eyes widened as he came to this conclusion. That's why Potter was involved!

"Tell me if you will agree to this before I tell you if I accept." Potter's glare increased and Draco had to push himself not to laugh. How juvenile the request was. The 'you say it first, no you' kind of fight could go on for ages unless Draco upped the stakes.

"If you don't agree with my terms I won't help you find your baby cousin. What was her name again? Alex? Alexis?"

Potters raised his brow and Draco felt a rush of relief. He was right. "Alexia. Do you know anything?"

"No, only that she was taken just before I came here. I heard the guards talking about it." He answered truthfully. Potter would give in to his demands anyway.

"Fine, I'll give you what you want," Yes! "As long as it's legal." Damn, might be slightly more tricky…

"Fine! I'll give you my conditions at a later time." Potter nodded his head and turned to go. When Draco didn't follow he looked back. "Come on! We have to get there as fast as we can. It will be dark soon and then we can fly-."

Draco gasped! To fly again meant so much! He would have done this job without anything in return for a chance to fly once more.

Potter smirked. "I had a feeling you might be pleased, now let's go." He left at a fast pace.

Draco practically ran to catch up after another moments pause. He passed Stan who was the guard that spoke to him the first day he went outdoors. Stan nodded to Draco and wished him a quiet 'good luck' as he opened the door for Potter and himself. He smiled slightly and nodded his head. They passed into the courtyard which was emptied of everything. The walls which usually held gunmen were empty as well.

Two pristine Firebolts leaned against the wall. A snowy owl perched on the handle of one and she hooted in greeting as they approached. "Hi, Hedwig, you ready?" she hooted again and nipped lightly at Potter's hand.

Draco couldn't resist and reached over to stroke her feathers. Potter made as if to stop him but when he saw that Hedwig didn't bite, he backed off. "She likes you. That's odd because she doesn't take well to other people."

"She came by to visit me after she delivered a letter. She's come by often since then." Draco smiled inwardly as the show of trust from the owl slowly changed Potter's opinion about him.

Potter pulled the brooms to hover at waist height. "Draco, when you mount this broom I am going to connect us. You will be leashed to me so you will not… get lost."

Draco smirked, "I won't run away, Potter. I have to ask though, where did you get the spare broom? It's superb."

Potter stilled for a moment then slowly looked at the younger man. "I borrowed it from Ron."

Draco stared at Potter in shock. The weasley came into some gold? Has hell frozen over? Deciding it would be a bad thing to comment Draco threw one leg over the broom and settled comfortably on it. "Where are we going anyway? I'm ready."

Potter screwed up his face and answered, "My home." Before nodding and pulling out his wand. Casting a quick silent charm a connection formed between them. It wouldn't let Draco stray more then ten feet away from Potter. On a one two three, they kicked up off the ground and disappeared into the night.

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