Sirius POV
The Ministry smelled like parchment and lies. I hated every inch of it, the polished floors, the gilded lifts, the endless bloody corridors... it was all theater to cover the rot underneath. Lucius, of course, glided through it like he'd built the place himself, his every step was measured and perfect, bloody ponce. Severus stalked at his side, his cloak billowing around him like a bat in flight, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but determined to see this through.
While I just wanted to be done with it all.
We cut off toward one of the side offices, where Amelia Bones was waiting for us with her monocle glinting in the candle light. She didn't waste time with pleasantries, she just gestured us inside and shut the door with a sharp flick of her wand.
"Do you have it?" she asked.
Lucius set a slim case on the table and flipped it open. He didn't say anything he just slid the neat stacks of parchment across the polished wood. "Every debt, every cursed object he's ever bought or sold, and every child he's endangered by keeping dark artifacts in his home. With this Nott Senior is finished."
Severus's hand slid forward, dropping a memory vial that gleamed with its transparent wispy glow in the lamplight. "This is a memory of his own words. He was careless, when he bragged about his misconduct in front of me."
I grinned without humor and pulled a smaller pouch from my coat, tossing it onto the pile. The clink of gold was unmistakable. "And that's for Cornelius bloody Fudge. I'm sure his aide will know exactly what to do with it. Paperwork gets lost, warrants get signed without questions, and everyone goes home happy, well except for the bastards we're after."
Amelia's lips twitched, it wasn't quite a smile, but it was close to one. "I'll see that they are arrested before the day is done."
It didn't take Amelia long to get the raids approved by Fudge just like she promised, and it was a beautiful sight.
Remus and I stood across the street from Nott manor, wands in hand just in case he managed to escape their custody, while Aurors swarmed the gates. The wards screamed, with sparks flying as curses snapped, but there was no escape. Nott Sr. was dragged out kicking and roaring about ancient rights and sacred bloodlines.
"You know what's funny?" I muttered. "I Didn't hear him yelling about sacred rights when he was beating his own kid."
Remus's mouth went tight. "No, no you didn't."
I flicked my robe and turned my back when they Apparated away with the bloody bastard. Good riddance to bad rubbish, I didn't need to see his face again.
At the Parkinson estate, it was even easier. Senior Parkinson was caught red-handed in his study, surrounded by enough cursed trinkets to make Borgin blush. His excuses died fast in his throat when the Aurors dragged him out past his screaming wife, though I think she was screaming more in shock than in fear for her husband.
As for Pansy, Narcissa already had her waiting in the drawing room at Malfoy Manor by nightfall. She had pulled the girl from Hogwarts early so hat she had time to gather her things and her mother before we left. Theo, meanwhile, had signed papers naming him Lord Nott before the ink on his father's arrest warrant had even dried. This left us with two kids free and two bastards in chains.
It was on the way back that Lucius spoke, his voice smooth and cold as glass.
"Crabbe and Goyle," he said. "Their fathers were mine. They did what they were told when it came to work. Nothing more, nothing less. But they're sloppy and they're weak, only a weak man beats their own child. I'll... arrange things. I can't exactly leave a trail that leads back to me, even if we are leaving."
I looked at him with a sidelong glance and asked. "Accidents, then?"
His lips curved, into a dark grin. "Accidents."
I didn't argue. Because I would rather sacrifice them than the boys. I'm no saint myself after all. If I ever get my hands on Peter he is as good as dead, and it won't be a pretty death.
By the time I staggered into Grimmauld and dropped into a chair, my bones ached like I'd gone twelve rounds with a troll. But when the mirror on my desk pulsed, I still grabbed it.
Her face lit up the glass, her hair a mess, and her cheeks smudged with ink. My girl.
"Dad?" she asked.
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "Princess. I've got good news tonight. We took two bastards down today. Theo's free and so is Pansy Parkinson. They're both safe, and both are coming with us. Lucius said he will take Crabbe and Goyle under his wing, but their fathers..." I shrugged. "Let's just say they won't be a problem anymore."
Her shoulders eased, and the tiniest smile tugged at her mouth. "So... it's really happening?"
"It's already happened Cinthy," I said, feeling the truth settle deep in my chest. "Pansy was pulled out of Hogwarts early by Narcissa and her mother. They are packing what they want and need as we speak. As for Theo, he has his family elf packing his things, and Lucius is helping with the goblins in pushing through his lordship paperwork. But he'll stay with you guys at the castle until end of term. It's only 3 weeks out anyway."
For the first time in weeks, I let myself grin properly. "Now get some sleep, Princess. You're too young to start getting worry lines."
She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling when the mirror dimmed.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt like we'd struck the match that was going to burn the last of the old world down. I chuckled with malicious glee at the thought of the sheep trying to put out the flames, as we ride off into the sunset to build something better far away from their input.