Drao had kept his gaze ooly traihe pair of greearing bak at him in the lobby. Potter had removed his harmed disguise, awihe sight of him, if only beause Eversworn’s bloated fae had hose eyes. Wheo the lift finally losed arane he’d been in, he shook himself awo aren’t mutually exlusive, Pans. I am Drao Malfoy, former Death Eater, and I work for the Department of Mysteries.”
“I know you an’t tell me anything,” Pa maybe you an expin why a disguised Potter was beiioo Bertrie’s disappearaurhe soothing relief of her fiere and inquisitive mind a onsotio his features soften in affinity for her. She quirked an eyebrow and added, “And maybe why you ouldn’t take your eyes off eah other just now?”
&,” Drao rolled his eyes. The lift doors opened ahem out.
Pansy followed him to his room and wathed him use the spell key followed by a series of preise wao open his d she maintained her u on with it look, pushing past him into the room as soon as the loks were undone.
“How do you know this is Malfoy’s room?” Hermione asked.
Harry’s jaw lenhed. “I just know, okay.” The sene of himself, oddly dressed and irritated, fshed aross his memory.
Hermione sighed. “You haven’t been following him again?”
“I have absolutely not been following him,” Harry bristled. “If anything, he’s been following me.”
“Malfoy broke into his ft,” Ro that, Hermione wore a look of mild onfusion.
Harry reahed for the door. The antiipation prikled from his nek down his spine, and he mildly wondered why. He somehow knearkihe other side, and with them, any number of lues and answers. As he hesitated, the ool metal of the doorknob in his palm, Harry wo felt less like arane and more like a preipie; as if the moment Harry walked through the doorway, he would be jumpi of he rush of purpose flooded him, ahe door.
&rio walked in to a superior suite deorated iones of greehy aravagant. Harry reog as they eing room, a of double doors led to the bedroom behiing area. Malfoy and Pansy sat oaring at the group of them iion.
“It took you long enough,” Malfoy finally said. He leaned forward ao a bowl of fruit oable. Looking pleased, he grabbed a bak. “Did you get lost on the ?”
Harry was sure he did a terrible job hiding his surprise. “You expeted us?”
Parkinson snorted.
Hermione leaned in and whispered, “Y at Malfoy from aross the lobby.”
Harry turhe ii her—he unequivoally had not bee Malfl, sneerihehing odd aught Harry’s eye. Ihe sitting room ste ase board overed in photographs, notes, ah Hippolyle’s It’s Solved Then! Every Color g. Harry and Ron pratially fell to get a better look at it.
Zivantus ihe top of the board ao of Bertrie uht, a series of names and photos of people Harry didn’t reognise. Pes like Joillery and Hantorave Dowed and had various ol them to individuals on the board. Pihe enter, a rge lok fae with the hands at a quarter to seven had l to people ahe left, Harry reog ould only be a Gringott’s vault iory list of items, some of whih had missing written in sript to them. There riel, a left of the board, a photo of an older womarude Lokhart.
“This isn’t bad work,” Ron said absentmindedly. When he realized he’d said it out loud, he spped a hand over his mouth.
Harry turned arouo see Malfoy’s lip quirk. “Thank you, Weasley.” His grey eyes flitted to Harry. “I had help.” Harry gave him a questioning look. Malfoy stared at his apple and asked, “Did you have a produtive visit at the DMLE?”
Harry almost hoked. “I’m sorry?”
“You met with the iigators orie’s ase, did you not?”
“How—”
“Even if I hadn’t reoghe moment I first saw y the exat lothes you had ohis m. The only thing that’s hahe absehose awful disguise harms, of whih I am ever thankful. It’s hard to admit there was somethihan your atual fae, but here we are.”
&ook a seat ihe armhairs, staring at Malfoy with wide, bzing eyes. Harry ouldion. Was it a looked like somethio expetany. Hermio bak ahe hair, “A, you allowed the preteinue. Why?”
Malfoy tensed.
“Hang on—” Harry stepped forward. “You didn’t think it was odd that I was in disguise orter?”
“If you hader, there isn’t a sihing about this ase that isn’t an odd but oordiion.”
Harry took that as a defletion. Malfered on him, and Harry narrowed his eyes. It was true, the eve day had been truly bizarre. Even though behind him stood a detailed ase board, and Malfoy himself had admitted that Zivantus had hired him, Harry held ohat Malfoy was still hidihing.
“Our first priority should be firie,” Parkied Harry’s thoughts. She was looking at Hermione bu