Chapter 35

Three days after Harry's return, the King of Magical Britain was still under strict bed rest. Strict, in this case, meant that three healers, one furious husband, and a worrying house-elf had all conspired to keep him horizontal.

Harry had attempted to sit up exactly once. Just once. Zippy had magicked the bed curtains, which had wrapped around him like a cocoon.

Severus had threatened to dose him with Dreamless Sleep if he kept trying to work. It was then that Harry had wisely decided that perhaps bed rest was not the hill upon which he wished to die.

Severus, unfortunately, did not have the luxury of remaining at his husband's bedside indefinitely. The kingdom had been without its monarch for thirteen days, and though Draco, Ginny, Neville, Luna, and Kingsley had prevented outright catastrophe, the court had responded to Harry's disappearance with all the dignity and restraint of kneazles trapped in a sack. Which was to say, none.

Draco had handed him a scroll of all the incidents. Three emergency succession debates. Four attempts to temporarily suspend royal authority. Seven petitions to review the legitimacy of Harry and Severus's marriage. One fainting epidemic among the older nobles when Neville's chomping cabbages had developed a taste for expensive shoes. Severus had a chuckle at that one. Also, one deeply unwise comment about the King perhaps being 'too unstable to rule' that had resulted in Ginny Weasley hexing that Minister so thoroughly that he still sneezed glitter.

Severus had been back in the castle for less than forty-eight hours at that time, and he already wanted to hex half the court into decorative furniture. Possibly more than half.

He got ready in his chambers and looked at himself in the mirror, then at the Consort crown on the vanity. Harry lay in the adjoining room, asleep at last under the combined effects of pain potions and Dreamless sleep.

The first night back, Draco had refused to sleep. By the second morning, the blond had begun speaking to a teacup as though it were his fiancée. Astoria Greengrass did not find it funny, and Severus had finally had enough. He ordered Zippy to sedate Draco.

Draco had slept for eighteen hours after that. He had woken furious, refreshed, and somehow even more dramatic.

Breaking the news of Ron's death to Miss Weasley, however, had not been so clean. He had invited Ginny to the small sitting room outside the infirmary and had told her what Harry had seen. He did not tell her everything. He told her only that Ron had been taken, used, and killed by the same dark presence that had abducted Harry.

Ginny had gone very still. Then her face crumbled, and she sobbed into Severus's robes.

Now, three days later, Ginny stood in the throne room beside Luna and Neville, pale but upright. Draco stood at Severus's right as the Potion master took a seat in the throne next to Harry's.

Luna stood slightly behind them, wearing soft blue robes and earrings shaped like tiny silver moons. She looked dreamy and utterly harmless. Which was, Severus had learned just a day ago from Kingsley, precisely why no one suspected she ran the most efficient intelligence network in the kingdom.

The court quieted as Severus addressed them. "For thirteen days," he began, "His Majesty was absent from this court. During that time, rumors spread. Some of them were foolish. Some were treasonous. Several were both." This caused a few nobles to shift uncomfortably.

Severus continued. "I will address the matter once, and only once. His Majesty was abducted by a hostile dark presence operating beyond the usual borders of wizarding jurisdiction. That presence manipulated several witches and wizards into service, using compulsion, fear, and corruption of the mind." He did not mention the fae. The wizarding world could barely handle goblins and other creatures without behaving like idiots. Introducing the fae to public knowledge would create panic, opportunism, and possibly three new departments full of men eager to write regulations about beings who could turn them inside out for sport.

"Several of the missing citizens have been confirmed deceased," Severus stated. "Some remain unaccounted for. The Crown will notify families privately before names are released publicly. Compensation will be provided to those affected. Investigations into how these individuals were targeted have already begun. Any household found to have concealed information, aided the dark presence, or exploited His Majesty's absence will answer directly to me."

The Minister of Finance rose from his seat. "Your Highness," he said, bowing just low enough. "With the deepest respect to the Crown, I believe one of the deceased to be Ronald Billius Weasley. I hereby express my sympathies to Miss Weasley, but I must raise a concern."

"Must you?" Severus asked as his eyes narrowed at the blatant defiance.

The Minister faltered slightly upon noticing Severus's glare. "I... yes. Given the situation that Ronald Weasley was among those compromised by this dark presence, and given Miss Weasley's familial ties to the deceased, I believe it would be prudent to remove her from her post pending review temporarily."

The throne room went so quiet at that request. Ginny's lips parted, but no words came out.

"Prudent," Severus stated slowly.

"Yes, Your Highness. Merely as a precaution. The Crown must be seen as impartial."

"Indeed, impartiality is important. So is integrity." The Potion master said, and the Minister nodded along as he mistook the tone for agreement. "Precisely, your Highness."

"How fortunate that you brought up the matter of questionable family ties. Tell me, how is your son doing?"

"Your Highness?"

"Cassian Mulciber. Your eldest son. Currently employed as an assistant treasury clerk after you personally recommended him for the position."

"That has no bearing..."

"On the contrary," Severus interrupted. "It has approximately eighty-seven thousand galleons of bearing."

A ripple of murmurs went through the court at that. The Minister's mouth opened, closed, opened again, but no sound came out.

"I was going to handle this quietly out of consideration for your service, but over the past eight months, your son has embezzled treasury funds through false repair invoices, inflated transport claims, and a rather unimaginative series of payments to a shell apothecary that does not exist."

"That is an outrageous accusation!" The Minister shouted.

"Is it? The apothecary's listed address is a broom cupboard in Knockturn Alley." Severus retorted.

"My son's alleged actions are not relevant to Miss Weasley's position." The Minister's face reddened.

"Your son stole from the Crown," Severus stated. "Miss Weasley's brother died after being magically compromised by a hostile force while His Majesty was abducted. You are suggesting that grief makes her unfit to serve, while apparently theft does not inconvenience your own household's standing."

"Shall I remove you from your post due to questionable family ties?" Severus continued. "Or would you prefer I remove you due to incompetence, corruption, and the breathtaking stupidity of raising this issue while living in a kingdom maintained by the treasury your son was robbing?"

The Minister's voice shook. "Your Highness, I had no knowledge of..."

"Yes," Severus said. "That is your best defense. That you were too oblivious to notice your own son siphoning funds from the department you oversee. Cassian Mulciber is already in custody. He was arrested this morning by Aurors, who, unlike certain ministers, are capable of reading ledgers."

Luna smiled pleasantly from behind the stone while the Minister sputtered.

Severus looked toward Ginny. "Miss Weasley will remain in her post. Her brother's death does not diminish her loyalty, competence, or value to the Crown. If anything, her conduct over the last thirteen days has demonstrated more strength than most of this court possesses collectively."

"As for you, Minister, you are suspended pending a full audit of your department. You will surrender your wand, seal, keys, and access privileges before leaving this chamber."

"You cannot simply..."

"I can."

"The King..." The man spluttered.

"Is alive," Severus stated. "Resting. Recovering. And very much still your sovereign. Until he resumes audiences, I speak with his authority as Prince Consort."

At Draco's signal, two royal guards approached the Minister of Finance. The man looked desperately around the chamber, searching for allies, but he found none.

"Now," Severus said, "The next person on the docket may speak. Briefly."

A minor lord rose, looked at the Prince Consort's foul mood, and then sat back down. "No petition at this time, Your Highness," he squeaked.

"Excellent," Severus said.

Draco leaned closer. "You know, Harry usually lets them talk longer."

"Harry is kinder than I am."

For all the satisfaction of seeing the court cowed, Severus would have traded the entire morning to be back in the bedroom, sitting beside Harry while his husband slept without fear.

"Go. We can manage the aftermath." Draco said.

"I do not trust you not to start a political fire."

The blonde looked offended. "I would never."

Everyone stared at him. Just stared.

"Fine. I would never do so without a good reason." Draco sighed.