"We've read his student files, Harry," said Tonks, shaking his head. "This isn't simple prejudice on our part. His record speaks for itself."
"But--"
Anything else Harry might have said was cut short by the sound of Draco and Snape Flooing in. The Aurors stood up, and after a second's hesitation, Harry did as well.
The Slytherin boy stepped forward out of the hearth just as though he owned the whole world and everyone in it, but his hands were out of sight, thrust deep into his pockets of his cloak. Harry thought they were probably trembling and Draco didn't want anyone to see.
"Kingsley Shacklebolt, Draco Malfoy," Snape made the necessary introductions. "And of course your cousin, Nymphadora Tonks."
Draco drew a hand out, then, holding it rock steady, though Harry could see from the strain lines around his eyes how much effort that took. "I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance," he said to Kingsley, looking him in the eyes. He shook his hand, then turned to Tonks. For a long moment they simply looked at each other, Draco's expression reserved even though Tonks' was close to hostile. Harry thought Draco was probably figuring out the best tack to take.
"Thank you for coming," he finally said, shaking her hand as well. Tonks looked a bit surprised.
"You had a pleasant journey to Hogwarts?" Draco went on, addressing them both. "Scotland is lovely this time of year."
Harry almost winced, because in the circumstances, Draco's perfect manners were only going to remind the Aurors of Lucius. The elder Malfoy had the same urbane way of making small talk. When the Aurors didn't respond to his pleasantries, Draco moved on to the reason they were all there. "I believe you have a parchment for me to sign."
"Yes." Drawing his wand forth, Kingsley conjured a form from thin air. "Standard consent for administration of Veritaserum to an underage wizard, though in your case we'll have to amend the document slightly."
Draco shrugged off his cloak and hung it by the door, then took the form Kingsley was still extending. "Shall we all sit at the table, do you think?" he invited, gesturing towards it. He waited until the Aurors were seated before pulling out his own chair. After that, Draco read the parchment through from start to finish without comment.
Snape took off his own robes, then sat down in the chair next to Draco. Harry wasn't sure what he should do until Draco finished reading and spotted him hovering. "Join us, Harry," the Slytherin boy urged, so Harry went and sat on his other side.
"I'll write in a notation that I'm signing as my own parent, so to speak," Draco said, reaching for the never-out quill Harry had left on the table. He didn't actually sign anything, though. Instead, his silver eyes steady on the senior Auror, he said, "Severus assures me that your questions will be quite limited in scope."
"We merely wish to feel confident that we should look elsewhere for the murderer."
Draco looked from Kingsley to Snape, and shook his head. "That won't do. You're going to use a transcribing spell, correct? To record my testimony? And this will become part of official Ministry records?"
"The transcription will be part of our official written report." Kingsley narrowed his eyes. "Is that a problem, Mr. Malfoy?"
"It should be. You're not just Aurors; you're members of the Order of the Phoenix," Draco returned, his voice level. "And no, before you start to wonder, Severus did not tell me that. Or Harry. I knew it already. I know a great many things, Mr. Shacklebolt. You wouldn't believe what Death Eaters will say when they think there's nobody listening. I told Harry it was all gossip, but now that I'm about to go under truth serum I suppose I'd better amend that. I had some... creative ways to eavesdrop on Lucius and his frequent guests. Now, the Order is already fully informed of everything I know, as the headmaster and Severus were really quite thorough when they interviewed me about my loyalties. But in my view the Ministry should know these same things through official channels; it would quite likely make the Order's work a good deal easier. Would you concur?"
Tonks' mouth dropped open, her gum falling to the table with a wet squishy plop. She hurriedly covered it with a hand and stowed it somewhere inside a pocket.
Kingsley was more reserved. He folded his hands together on the table. "Is this your idea, Severus?"
"No. When I told Draco that you would ask him only about the murder, he thought it was a wasted opportunity to make legal use of Veritaserum serve our ends. I must admit that I agree."
Tonks had recovered enough by then to say, "I'd think you'd be more concerned about saving your own skin than about what the Order needs."
Draco favoured them both with a dry smile. "Hard to believe in my altruism, is it? Perhaps you'll feel better if I clarify that my skin's not really in much danger. The Veritaserum will clear me. And as for the Order, I plan to be in it someday, so it's to my own advantage to do what I can to position it more strategically."
"Just as it's to your own advantage to have a couple of Aurors believing you'd put the war above family loyalty," Kingsley accused.
"Harry, have you been telling the good Aurors my career plans?" Draco asked in a mocking voice before swivelling back to face the Aurors. "No doubt you both told him how daft the idea was? Well, it's nothing I haven't heard before. Harry laughed in my face when I first told him. When it comes to family loyalty though, you appear to be grossly misinformed. It does come first, but in case you've forgotten, I've nothing to do with the Malfoys any longer. My family, my only family, is sitting right here."
Tonks shoved a new stick of gum in her mouth. "You mean Severus?"
"He means Severus and me both," Harry corrected. "I was going to tell you myself that Draco's my brother, but I thought it might cast his alibi in doubt. Now that you're going to clear him using truth serum I guess it's all right for you to know."
Kingsley stiffened slightly even as he shook his head at Tonks, who looked like she had a few choice things to say. She pursed her lips, letting him handle it. "In what possible sense is he your brother?"
Harry thought better than to say I love him as one, and that's all that matters. "Severus is his father too. Unofficially, but that doesn't make it any less real. And the family loyalty goes both ways. I want your report to prominently mention that in your opinion, Draco Malfoy has overcome the questionable influences he was exposed to during childhood and that his last name should not be counted against him when it comes time for him to apply for an Auror's apprenticeship."
"I doubt I can word it as strongly as that."
"For the information he's about to make official, you ought to," Harry said in a dark voice.
"Harry, don't burn your own bridges with the Aurors here," Draco said, taking up the quill to sign the consent form. "You're acting Slytherin and I get the impression they don't much like Slytherins."
"I am Slytherin," Harry told Kingsley. "That crest you admired wasn't just symbolic, you know. I'm in both Houses. And I expect some consideration for my brother here. He doesn't have to put himself under truth serum--"
"Kingsley is a man of conscience," Snape interrupted with a warning glace at Harry. "I'm certain that we can rely on him to further the interests of the Light, whatever it involves. At any rate, you can't dictate how his report reads."
"Yes, sir," Harry said, chastened.
Draco pushed the completed form across the table to Kingsley. "Will that do?"
The Auror studied the parchment before answering. "Yes. Thank you. Shall we set any more parameters for the questioning?"
The Slytherin boy shrugged. "I'm sure Severus can keep you from straying into things I'm not supposed to talk about. Let's get this over with."