Al Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

3 - The Weasley girl

Astoria Malfoy was woken up by a kiss on her shoulder. She didn't open her eyes, but smiled.

- Is that you, Flitwick? – she muttered. – You want to repeat what we did last night?

- Go to hell – her husband laughed. – I wouldn't mind, by the way...

- What is it, then? – Astoria turned around and smiled at Draco.

- The Weasley girl is here. She says she wants to talk to us.

- What Weasley girl? –Astoria sat up in the bed and looked around the room to find her clothes. – You mean Ginny Potter?

- Whatever – Draco rolled his eyes. – Red hair, annyoing, stuck-up husband. But she came alone. And she said she wants to talk to both of us. I hope the guys didn't do anything stupid, but Longbottom would inform us about that, wouldn't he? I just can't imagine anything else, and as far as I know Scorp still hangs out with the younger Potter kid.

- And you have nothing against it, right, sweetheart? – Astoria smiled and started to get dressed. She felt a bit dizzy, last night she might have drunk a little more than it was necessary. They were invited to Malfoy Manor to have a dinner with her parents-in-law and they had a really good time. They really didn't drink that much, but Astoria wasn't used to drink alcohol at all for years. However, Draco didn't seem to feel bad at all.

- Well, Cyrill says the kid is okay – he shrugged. – Scorp is smart enough to be able to choose the right people to hang out with. He wrote that he really dislikes the elder Potter kid, which doesn't surprise me very much. But then, if he says the younger is really cool, well... he must be. Let's go, talk to the Weasley girl. I hope it's not about the boys, but I can't imagine anything else.

Astoria nodded and followed her husband down the stairs. Ginny Potter was sitting on the sofa in the big living room. It was bright, even in wintertime, when the sky outside was darker than usually. In the corner stood a huge christmas tree, and a warm fire was burning in the fireplace. The Malfoy parents were really looking forward to have their sons back home for Christmas.

- Hi, Ginny – Astoria smiled and sat down next to her. – Draco told me you want to tell us something. Is something wrong with the children?

- No, they are okay, as far as I know – the woman shook her head. – It's about Death Eaters.

- About... what? – Astoria couldn't believe her ears. She thought that it all was over for long years. – What Death Eaters? There aren't any Death Eaters anymore. The Dark Mark can barely be seen, the former Death Eaters are dead or imprisoned. What are you talking about?

- It's not true, Lucius Malfoy is neither dead nor imprisoned, for example – Ginny said, but Draco replied immediately.

- Let's just leave him out of this, okay?! Call the police if you wish, make them take me to Azkaban, tell them I'm a Death Eater, try to make them take my father to Azkaban, too. I don't care what you and your filthy little husband think about us, but you don't insult my father in my house, understood?! If you came to do that, you can leave.

- Draco, please – Astoria took his hand. – Ginny, don't do this. Tell us, why you came. We both know noone reported Lucius Malfoy for being a Death Eater after the second war, and you know exactly what Draco had done later. You can't be serious that you want to destroy their lives 20 years later.

- I don't – Mrs. Potter rolled her eyes. – I just don't get how he didn't get punished at all. You have nothing to do with it but he nearly killed me when I was 11. Sorry, he is still not my favourite. I know that wasn't Draco.

- What if it wasn't me? I take all responsibility. If you want to report him, report me instead. I will confess that I have done it – Draco stood up and stared at Ginny angrily.

- I'm not here because of this – the woman sighed. – I wanted to warn you. Harry told me not to get you involved because he doesn't trust you, but I know you are on our side, and the more people know about it, the better chances we have. Someone is trying to renew the old crap. People are whispering again. There can't be too much of them, but there are clearly some signs of their existence. Borgin and Burke's opened again. It went bankrupt 2 years ago, I guess you know that, and it opened again 2 moths ago. It looks like they don't have financial problems anymore. And there were a few reports. A witch reported an unknown wizard for trying to use the Imperius curse on her but she managed to defy it. Considering your past, maybe you could get more infomation about these things. If someone really is planning something again, we have to stop it. Voldemort is dead for long but it doesn't mean that no more evil people exist. My grandmother once told me about the time when people were afraid of Grindelwald, but then Dumbledore defeated him. They thought it was over, and look how the world ended up: Voldemort was thousand times worse.

- So you want us to get information about the new wave of Death Eaters? – Draco raised his eyebrow. – And if I risk my life with spying again you promise not to send my father to Azkaban for the rest of his life?

- It's not about your father, I told you – Ginny rolled her eyes and stood up. – This was all, by the way. I don't really enjoy talking to you, Malfoy, so I'd better leave now. You don't even know that you should invite your guests for a tea. And you think you have good manners.

- I simply don't think I should be polite with someone who considers my father evil – Draco smiled. – Goodbye, Weasley.

- It's Potter – Ginny corrected him. – I guess you hate that name equally, so you don't have to call me Weasley if you want to say it in the most disgusted way possible.

She turned around and walked to the door with her head held high.

- Ginny, for a minute – Astoria said and stepped to her. – I know it might not be the best moment, and right now I'm angry with you, too, and I share Draco's opinion that you shouldn't hate on Lucius, at least not here. But this has nothing to do with our children and I was planning to invite your son during the christmas holiday. I know you might not be happy about this invitation, but think about it, please, before saying no. I think the guys would want that badly. They are always together as far as I know, and your Albus gets on well with my elder one, too. And I'd love to get to know him a little. Just think about it, okay?

Ginny hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

- Just don't expect us to say yes. Even if they are good friends, Harry would not like the idea of letting his younger son spending time with you. I'm sorry to say this. I will try to convince him, I want the best for the boys. This is just the ugly truth.

- Thank you, anyway – Astoria nodded and let Ginny out of the house.