Chapter Text
The memo flew into her office as the clock struck seven, shooting through her open office door and careening enthusiastically into her head, only to meet its demise in the tangled web of her unmanaged hair.
Sighing tiredly, Hermione extracted it, smoothing out the creases and spreading it across the topmost layer of the many files languishing on her desk. She bent close to the parchment to read it, recognising Harry’s illegible scrawl.
Subject: Suspected Illegal Breeding and Distribution of Cockatrice, Designation: Beast. Class B, Non-Tradeable, Regulated Breeding Only
Responding Officer: Senior Auror H. Potter
Date: 5/6/2006
Time:15.54
Location: DMLE, MoM
Additional Notes: Report received: sighting large numbers of cockatrice at location: Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire. Suspected large scale illegal breeding for purposes unknown. Potential breach of Breeding of Dangerous Beast Act 1774 clause 4, sub-section 15. Warrant granted for immediate inspection of premises and seizure of assets.
Originator: C.G.X.I Shufflebottom
Secondary Witnesses: R.A. Shufflebottom (Non-Human)
Location: Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire
Primary Occupant: Lord Draco Abraxas Malfoy
Witness Statement: I was walking my pet Niffler, Reginald the other day. He’s more of a friend really if I’m being truthful, Mr Potter. Brings great comfort, he does. It was a nice day out, you know. Warm but with a nice breeze. Perfect for a walk, really. Reggie enjoys a breeze.
Well, we took our usual route from Devizes. Reggie loves to wander around Devizes. Reggie was very discreet of course. I’m a strict upholder of the law, Mr Potter. Upstanding citizen, I am. Not a single arrest, except that one for that one minor breach of the statute of secrecy which I can assure you was a misunderstanding, Mr Potter. Really more Reggie’s fault than mine. Upstanding citizen, me.
Anyway, Reggie says to me, he says, Cyril. I think that’s some illegal Cockatrice over there at Malfoy Manor. And I looked, and by Merlin, he was right! Bloody hundreds of them. Thousands. All breathing fire and rampaging across the grounds. I think I saw a poor young Muggle lady running from the pack. Chasing her right across the fields as the crops burned to ash. Right in front of my eyes. Her apron was aflame if you’ll believe it, Mr Potter. Screaming all the way she was. Reginald said I ought to have stepped in of course, but I was on my way home, and well, things to do. You know how it is, Mr Potter.
So I popped home. Needed a stiff drink after that ordeal if you know what I mean. And then I came straight here to tell you all about it. And here I am now, you see. Couldn’t believe my luck when you showed up, Mr Potter. I said to Reginald, my Niffler, I said, Reggie! That Mr Potter will get him Reggie! You wait, I said to him.
Hermione dragged her hands over her eyes, a throbbing in her temple threatening to cause her to set fire to Cyril Shufflebottom’s report, regardless of what Reggie the Niffler might have to say on the matter.
A cockatrice, Hermione recalled from her quick mental regurgitation of her Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them textbook, was a dragon-rooster hybrid which also happened to breathe fire, although as far as dragon’s went, they really were very small.
Whilst there was no love lost between her, or any functioning member of the wizarding world for that matter, and the Malfoys, she doubted they had yet fallen on times so hard that they had resorted to the illegal breeding of dangerous magical creatures. That sort of behaviour was for the common folk, surely. And even if they were, her job was mundane enough that she would never be so lucky as to stumble across an operation of such a size.
Glancing up at the clock, she pulled out a new sheet of parchment, a small thrill of anticipation running through her fingers as she held her quill, trying to imagine the look on Malfoy’s face as he saw the Ministry Insignia and her name beneath it.
Dear Mr Malfoy,
We have received a report of criminal misconduct, taking place at your place of residence on the morning of 4 June 2006. As per the conditions of your parole (Case: 123977D) I enclose notice of my visit to your residence on 6 June 2006 at 10am. Please ensure your floo is activated to receive Ministry Personnel, and your person is available for interview promptly upon arrival.
Kind Regards
Hermione J Granger
Senior Special Officer
Department of Law Enforcement
Ministry of Magic
She sent the letter with a Ministry owl and was surprised when it returned only a few minutes later.
Miss Granger,
As you have not provided me with the required 24 hours notice, as per the conditions of my parole (Case: 123977D) I am unable to meet the terms of your request.
Regards
Rt. Hon. Lord Draco Malfoy
The wanker had underlined his title, whilst willfully disregarding her own. She felt a familiar surge of anger, which must have been lying dormant since their last interaction at Hogwarts as she picked up her quill once again.
Dear Rt. Hon Lord Draco Malfoy
As the visit relates to suspected criminal activity, and is not a standard probationary visit, you are required to grant Ministry Personnel immediate access to your property as requested. I will expect your presence at 10am, on the 6 June 2006, as per my previous correspondence.
Kind Regards
Senior Special Officer Hermione J Granger
Department of Law Enforcement
Ministry of Magic
Two can play the You-Will-Address-Me-By-My-Proper-Title game, she thought. Minutes later, the owl returned, looking ruffled and out of breath.
Officer Granger,
Have charges been levelled against me?
She wasted not a single second in responding, her quill skidding across the paper at lightning speed.
Malfoy,
It can be arranged. Not as yet.
She wondered absently if he was actually sitting outside of her office with the speed of his replies.
Granger
I will expect you at the Manor 24 hours from your initial notice. As a gesture of goodwill, I will consider your first correspondence to serve this purpose.
Sighing, she copied her initial words onto a new piece of parchment, loathe to admit defeat but also, she was really rather hungry, and it was getting late.
Dear Mr Malfoy,
We have received a report of criminal misconduct, taking place at your place of residence on the morning of 4 June 2006. As per the conditions of your parole (Case: 123977D) I enclose notice of my visit to your residence on 6 June 2006 at 7pm. Please ensure your floo is activated to receive Ministry Personnel, and your person is available for interview promptly upon arrival.
Kind Regards
Hermione J Granger
Senior Special Officer
Department of Law Enforcement
Ministry of Magic
The poor owl, when it returned, took wobbly flight the moment she had removed the parchment from its leg. Her eyebrows shot up as she noted her own correspondence returned to her with what appeared to be corrections.
Dear Mr Malfoy,Rt. Hon Lord Draco Malfoy
We have received an alleged and uncorroborated report of criminal misconduct, taking place at your place of residence on the morning of 4 June 2006. As per the conditions of your parole (Case: 123977D) I enclose notice of my visit to invasion of your residence and your privacy on 6 June 2006 at 7.0003pm. Please ensure your floo is activated to receive Ministry Personnel my abrasive self, and your delightful and victimised person is available for interview unlawful interrogation promptly upon arrival.
Kind Regards
Hermione J Granger
Senior Special Officer Department of Law Enforcement
Ministry of Magic
She crumpled up the paper in her fist, resolved to arrive at 7.03pm exactly, and leave with nothing less than a strong case for Draco Malfoy’s immediate arrest.