Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Universe was created by J. K. Rowling.
No monetary profit is being made from this writing
Summary: The Ministry of Magic raid the Malfoy Manor and find Voldemort’s most prized possession...
Set shortly after "Goblet of Fire"
Rating G - Humourish
~~~~~~~~~~
MRUKYL
"Are you sure, Dobby?" Arthur Weasley stressed.
The ex-house elf nodded emphatically. "Dobby heard his old master speak of it, Sir. It is hidden in the very secret vault under the Malfoy Manor it is."
"Have you seen it?"
The elf shook his head. "Dobby only overheard his former master speak of it to ... He Who Must Not Be Named, Sir, on the night it was brought to the manor, about fifteen years ago."
"Thank you very much, Dobby. I’ll see you get a commendation for this."
Dobby began to cry loudly. "Ohh thank you, Sir." The elf jumped up and down. "Never before has Dobby been so honoured."
"Thank you, Dobby. Hurry along now and wait outside."
"Yes, Sir." The awkward elf obediently scurried out of the room.
"I’ll get Malfoy for sure this time," Arthur said, rubbing eager hands together with a smile.
"Are you sure we can trust that house elf?" Fudge asked. "He used to *be* the Malfoys’ servant after all. What if it’s some sort of trick?"
Arthur took a sip of tea and shook his head. "I trust him, Sir. Lucius accidentally freed Dobby over two years ago and after hearing from Harry how he treated the poor little blighter, I’d definitely say Dobby won’t be doing Malfoy any favours."
"All right then. Good ... But we have to find out what all this means, Arthur. Mrukyl. What in the name of Merlin is Mrukyl? We can’t very well send a team of Aurors into Malfoy’s home without a clue on Earth what we’re looking for."
"No, we can’t. All we know now is Mrukyl is something You Know Who cherishes greatly."
"Then it’s something we definitely don’t want him to have."
"Indeed. Hogwarts library is the best resource I know of. I’ll send an owl to Dumbledore to ask his permission."
* * *
"Welcome, Arthur. You look well" Dumbledore said, behind his desk in his office, Fawkes, his red and yellow phoenix on his perch above.
"Morning, Professor Dumbledore. I take it all’s well with you?"
"Yes, quite well thank you."
"Would you like any help to find what you’re looking for?"
"I would like to borrow Harry, Ron and Hermione, hopefully just for the afternoon. Those three have a knack for uncovering mysteries."
Dumbledore’s gentle eyes smiled under his half glasses. "That they do."
"I’m afraid, Albus that we’ll probably have to make use of the restricted section."
"I’ll send Filch along to keep an eye on everyone."
Arthur smiled. "Thank you."
* * *
"Don’t touch anything you know you shouldn’t," Filch’s gravely voice warned as he petted his fluffy tabby cat, Mrs Norris.
"We won’t," Harry promised.
Filch gave him a long, creepy stare witch Potter did his best to ignore.
He walked down one aisle of the restricted section. Each of the others tried a different aisle, but no joy. Harry began looking at the spines of the books when a book fell onto his head. Harry rubbed his sore head. It was a very large book and a very old book by the looks of it. Potter bent down and picked it up.
~ Ancient and Forbidden Curses ~
He opened the book to the first page. The writing came off the page.
Beware ...
The cures contained within are not to be used lightly, if at all. Many of them have been banned from all use, especially the dreaded curse, referred to within, on page 666 ... This curse cannot be used. Even to speak its name is dangerous ...
Harry immediately turned to that page and began to read.
The Dreaded Curse ... MRUKYL
The curse, Mrukyl was invented by an evil wizard of the same name. It is said that he makes Voldemort look like a walk in the park. Mrukyl lived before the time of ancient Egypt. It is said he lived alone with only a vulture for company. The curse that bares his name is an ancient killing curse, older and deadlier than the forbidden Avada Kedavra. When one is cursed by the evil Mrukyl curse, the person’s entire body freezes up. It then begins to burn, but without fire. The curse proceeds to disintegrate the body, molecule by molecule, the unfortunate victim suffering a slow and painful death. The curse can also be administered to a number of people at once in a wide spread. Though the wizard Mrukyl was killed by the good witch Myrta, the curse lives on beyond the grave. However, the good news is, the infamous wizard, Merlin trapped the essence of the Mrukyl curse in a silver box and sealed it with powerful magic. To this day he is he only one who knows the box’s whereabouts. Should the box be discovered and fall into the wrong hands, even though it is protected, the consequences could be disastrous. To use a cliché, all Hell would break loose and the curse of Mrukyl will be free once more ...
Harry rushed the book to the others.
"I found it .. Mrukyl ..." he added quietly.
"I heard about a dreaded curse," Hermione said ,"but I never knew its name."
"By Merlin’s beard!" Arthur exclaimed. "This means that Lucius is hiding the box at his manor. I’ll bet my wand he’ll be wanting to give it to ... You Know Who..."
"We have to get it from him," Harry stressed.
"I finally have an excuse to nail him," Arthur said with a smile. "But you’re right. Our first priority is getting that box. If we do secure it, leaving it with professor Dumbledore will be our best bet."
"We’ll come with you," Harry said.
"It’s too dangerous," Arthur protested.
"I know Mr Malfoy ... He’s very tricky. Please let us come. We can help."
"All right, if you promise to be careful. We’ll need back up as well."
* * *
Four Aurors, Arthur and the children apparated at the front door of the Malfoy Manor. Arthur rapped on the large engraved wooden door with the back of his wand.
A few moments later, the door was answered by a small house elf.
"Welcome to the Malfoy Manor, Sirs. Madam."
"We would like to see Lucius Malfoy," Arthur said. "Ministry of Magic business."
"Sha will fetch him."
The house elf ran to Lucius, running into him. He gave her an annoyed glance.
"What is it?" he snapped.
"There is people to see you."
"Tell them to go away. I’m busy."
"They is from the Ministry of magic, Sir."
"Wonderful..." Lucius growled, gathering his staff.
Reluctantly, he greeted his guests. "Well, well, well ... Weasley, children and four Aurors I see. To what do I owe this *pleasure?*"
Arthur looked into Malfoy’s blue eyes. "We have come to search the manor. You’ll find our documentation in order." He thrust it at Mr Malfoy.
"Search my home? This is outrageous!" He banged his snake staff on the floor. "On what grounds?"
"On the grounds that you’re holding something very dangerous."
Malfoy stepped back, knowing that a refusal would only deepen their suspicions. "Fine. Go ahead and search. You won’t find anything," he said, assuredly.
"We’ll see," Arthur said.
Draco came down the stairs. "Mother wants to know what’s going on."
"The Ministry’s here for a visit," Lucius said, barely able to keep the disgust form his voice. "Go back upstairs."
Draco tried to keep his face emotionless, but Harry could see he was nervous and Lucius was concerned for him, that’s why he sent his son back upstairs. At least he cares about something, Harry thought. Draco gave Harry a dirty look before retreating.
The Aurors and the children followed Arthur through the recreation room.
"Where are you going?" Lucius demanded.
"To your secret vault of course."
The elder Malfoy stiffened. "What secret vault? I have no such thing."
Harry knew instantly he was lying.
"Oh, I think you do," Arthur said. "Our informant was *most* helpful."
Lucius gave a disgusted look. "Who?" he snarled.
"I’m afraid for their protection they’ll remain safely anonymous."
Lucius’ nostrils flared in indignation. "I have ways of finding out what I want to know," he threatened.
Arthur gave him a dark look. "Make it easy on yourself, Lucius. We know you have a secret vault under your house and we know what you’re hiding down there. I know the vault’s under the very floor of the next room."
Weasley walked with the others, Lucius reluctantly following. At the entrance to the room, Arthur took out his wand and waved it over the floor. "Apperatus," he said.
The image of the wooden floor vanished to be replaced by a large metal trapdoor. Lucius tried to hide his nervousness.
"Open it," Arthur demanded.
The Aurors pointed their wands at Lucius. He sighed and waved his hand over the metal door.
"Terevertis..." he said, resigned.
The door obediently opened and inside became illuminated.
Arthur smiled. "There, that wasn’t so hard, was it, Lucius?"
Malfoy glared at him.
"Come mow, Lucius, you don’t want to miss all the fun."
"Don’t push me too far, Weasley," Malfoy senior growled.
Though he wasn’t about to do anything with four Aurors around.
Reluctantly, he followed his uninvited guests into the vault as they descended the stairs.
"Spread out," Arthur said. "The vault’s larger than I thought."
Lucius smiled. "So what *exactly* are you looking for if I may ask?"
"Something that belonged to You Know Who ... One word. Mrukyl."
Suddenly Lucius went paler than usual. "I ... I don't know what you’re talking about ..."
Harry knew he was lying.
"Oh I think you do." Arthur said. "Our informant told us that it was brought to the manor some fifteen years ago, before He Who Must Not Be Named tried to curse Harry here."
"You’re mistaken... I have no such thing."
But by the tone of Malfoy’s voice, Weasley could tell he was not mistaken at all.
"I’ve never even heard of Mrukyl," Lucius lied.
"We’ll see. Are you going to help us or not?"
"Help you find what I don’t have? What fun."
"All right then, but I’m warning you, this could have you in Azkaban, Lucius."
Malfoy folded his arms and looked indignant.
Arthur and the children split up.
"We’ve put a spell on our wands to detect silver, so this should be relatively easy."
Half an hour later, they returned to the centre of the vault.
"Find anything?" Arthur asked.
Ron and Hermione and the Aurors had empty hands.
"Only this bottle of illegal thistle wine from the 5th century," Harry said.
"I’m afraid I’ll have to confiscate this, Lucius," Arthur said.
"Knock yourself out. I told you I didn’t have whatever it was you’re looking for."
Arthur looked defeated, then a slight movement caught his eye and he looked up ahead.
"Hang on a minute, that’s not a wall, it’s a curtain ..."
Lucius held his breath.
"And I’m detecting silver. It’s behind that black curtain ... Cleverly disguised to look like the walls I might add." Arthur strode toward it.
"Don’t ..." Lucius pleaded, getting desperate now. "Please..."
Arthur turned around and smiled. "Worried, Lucius? You should have thought of that."
He parted the curtain in a melodramatic swoop. The silver the wand detected was a silver table. Lucius wiped the lower half of his mouth, worriedly.
"No box ..." Arthur said and then he stared at what was on the table, nothing out of the ordinary emitted form it.
"You found what you’re looking for," Lucius snapped. "I trust you’re happy now?"
Arthur frowned. "But Do ... our informant said you had Mrukyl ... Are you telling me *that’s* Mrukyl?"
"In a word. Yes."
Arthur and the children struggled to keep a straight face. The Aurors looked at each other sheathed their wands and shook their heads.
"I promised Voldemort I’d look after it for him," Lucius said. "Going to take me to Azkaban now are you?"
"Well hardly ..." Arthur said. "I don’t believe this ..." Part of him wanted to laugh, the other part was deathly embarrassed. "I think we’ll leave now ..."
Lucius looked at him. "I have one request, Arthur. Keep this *quiet.*"
"Oh you have nothing to worry about Malfoy. I have no desire to embarrass myself."
Lucius glared at the children. "And you brats, you’d better not spread this all about Hogwarts..."
Harry covered his smiling mouth with his hands. He started to laugh and struggled to stop, even when Lucius glared at him.
The eight uninvited guests began to leave. Sha saw them out.
Lucius stayed in the vault. He grabbed a bottle of ancient wine, found an opener, twisted off the cork, threw it away and drank straight from the bottle. "Well at least they didn’t find out about the second vault ...." But the damage was done. Lucius sighed. "What are you looking at?" He glared at Mrukyl. "You caused me a lot of trouble today... Look at me ... I’m talking to a big black fluffy teddy bear with big black eyes ..." Lucius shook his head. "And this will probably be all over Hogwarts tomorrow ... " He took another swig of wine. "Great... Tom’s gonna kill me..."
*