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Chapter 20 — The Wand Taken
Malfoy wasn't sure whether he'd end up in a Muggle prison someday.
What he did know was that he might already be in trouble.
When he arrived home, he found not only Narcissa and Lucius waiting for him, but also two middle-aged men in Ministry uniforms standing stiffly in the living room. All four wore grim expressions.
"Baby, you're finally home. Did anything happen?"
Narcissa rushed forward, hugging him tightly and patting his back. Then she whispered hastily in his ear:
"Go upstairs. Go to sleep. Don't stay here."
"Don't shield him."
Lucius's voice was colder than usual. He pulled out several letters and tossed them onto the table.
"Look at him. Look at the disaster he caused."
Malfoy picked up the first letter.
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Mr. Malfoy:
We have received a report that at 3:40 p.m. today, you cast a Stun Charm on a Muggle inside a Muggle residence in Little Hangleton.
As you are aware, underage wizards are not permitted to use magic outside of school. If this happens again, you may be expelled.
(Act to Impose Reasonable Restrictions on Underage Wizards, 1875, Section 3)
Furthermore, under Section 13 of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, any magical act likely to draw the attention of non-magical persons (Muggles) constitutes a serious offense.
Have a pleasant holiday.
—Mafalda Hopkirk
Ministry of Magic, Improper Use of Magic Office
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"This is… a little troublesome," Malfoy murmured.
"A little troublesome?" Lucius barked, voice rising as he lost his usual elegance.
"Look again."
Malfoy opened the second letter.
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Mr. Malfoy:
We received a report that at 4:30 p.m. today, you cast a Muggle-Repelling Charm on an area inside a Muggle residence in Little Hangleton…
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The following letters said nearly the same thing—only the spell names changed.
Finally, the last one:
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In view of your previous actions, you have seriously violated the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy. The Ministry has decided to impose severe punishment.
Although your academic performance at Hogwarts appears excellent, and despite Professor Dumbledore's personal recommendation, we will not expel you. However, your wand will be confiscated and returned at a later date as disciplinary action.
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"My baby never even saw the warning letters—they were sent here!" Narcissa snapped defensively.
"Calm down, madam," said the taller Ministry wizard.
"We're just following orders," added the shorter, rounder one.
"Hand over the wand."
Lucius's tone had turned low and dangerous.
"I'm willing to cooperate with the Ministry." Malfoy nodded and handed his wand to the tall wizard.
"No!"
Narcissa's voice cracked—high, sharp, frantic. She couldn't bear the thought of her son being punished.
The two Ministry men exchanged looks of surprise.
They had witnessed countless underage magic violations. Usually the child cried, clung to their wand, begged, screamed, or tried to hide behind their parents.
But this boy—this first-year—was calm. Too calm.
"What admirable composure," they said almost in unison. "It must have been a misunderstanding."
"We'll report everything to our superiors," said the short wizard, clearly warming to Malfoy. In his mind, such a polite, steady boy couldn't possibly be the law-breaking type.
"Thank you," Lucius said with a courteous bow.
"It's getting late—we'll return and make our report," said the tall wizard.
"Stay for a bite to eat—there are desserts prepared," Narcissa insisted desperately, making one last attempt to win their favor.
"Madam, we appreciate the offer, but we're quite busy," the tall wizard replied gently.
Moments later, both wizards stepped outside and Apparated—bodies fading, then vanishing into the night.
"Lucius!" Narcissa rounded on her husband, voice full of pent-up fury.
"Oh, Narcissa, calm down."
Lucius was relaxed again—as if he hadn't just been scolding or panicking.
"Calm down? Our son was almost expelled! They took his wand, and you want me to be calm?" Narcissa had reached the level of hysteria shared by all mothers who've just heard "your child nearly got expelled."
"Don't worry," Lucius said soothingly. "Learn from our son—look how calm he is."
He gestured toward Malfoy, who was quietly standing beside the table, expression composed.
Lucius continued casually, "The Ministry likes to save face. Whenever something happens, they need to look authoritative. Those letters?"
He snorted.
"Dumbledore and the Ministry don't get along. The more he tries to help, the more they want to annoy him. If they did expel someone, they certainly wouldn't tell the old man first."
"And as for the wand…"
Lucius smiled faintly. "I happened to have lunch with their boss recently. Sponsorship isn't easy to get without giving something in return."
"Who is he?" Narcissa asked.
"The superior of those two men. He's fundraising for some 'activity budget.'"
"Oh…" Narcissa collapsed onto a chair, suddenly weak with relief. Lucius had spelled it out clearly enough.
"I have backing too, you know."
Malfoy felt entirely unsurprised.
Lucius's protectiveness was legendary—most of this had obviously been theater.
"And besides," Lucius said proudly, patting Malfoy's shoulder, "our boy can almost cast spells without a wand."
"Enough. Change the subject," Narcissa said, finally calmer.
Lucius nodded.
"So—what spell did you use on that Muggle? Petrification? No, the letter said you used a Stunning Spell."
Lucius frowned thoughtfully. "You can't torture a Muggle with a Stunning Spell. It ends too fast. What you should have done is—"
And then Lucius launched into a disturbingly detailed lecture about his younger days torturing Muggles, using vivid examples as "education."
"At the end, you cast a Muggle-Repelling Charm to clear the scene. Very prudent. Very cautious."
He patted Malfoy again, beaming. "As expected of my son."
"Enough of your nonsense."
Narcissa cut him off, but her voice was much lighter now.
"Baby, you must be exhausted. You return to school tomorrow. Go to sleep—you need rest."
"Yes, Mother."
Malfoy felt as though he'd just been pardoned. He had absolutely no interest in learning torture techniques and slipped away toward his room.
"I still haven't told him about the Unforgivable Curses…" Lucius muttered suddenly, smacking his forehead. His expression fell.
"Do you want our son thrown into Azkaban?" Narcissa snapped.
"No, no, of course not!" Lucius waved his hands quickly. "I won't say anything. I won't."
Then muttered under his breath, "Just an introduction…"
"What was that?"
"Nothing."
Lucius spread his hands innocently.
Night descended over Malfoy Manor.
Quiet, heavy, utterly still.
It was a silent night.
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