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Never Let Go by majestic_ginny

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*Pops in*.

It's almost been 9 months since I last updated, oh my God. I can't even say how sorry I am, and I'm assuming I've lost more than half of my readers by now. I've had a terrible case of writers block that refused to go away, and I've finally got over it last week, so I sat down and quickly wrote this one. Somehow, I managed to crank out more than 3000 words, which is probably my biggest chapter till date.

Once again, I am so sorry. =(.

I don't own Harry Potter. All this belongs to JKR, except for my OCs.


Croton oil.

Not a potion for headaches or a brain stimulant for the exams.

Not any banned drugs for Quidditch matches.

Not even some boil-growing potion or forgetfulness draught for his next prank.

Teddy would have been glad if it had been any one of those. Anything but the two words Harry had spoken.

Harry clenched his fists. His eyes were full of pain and betrayal. –This cannot be happening. James couldn’t have...”

–Some-someone could be framing him,” Teddy croaked, looking for any possibility, any slight chance that it wasn’t James. Harry would be crushed. His whole family would be crushed. –Someone might have put it there, or--”

–Look at the evidence, Teddy, just look at it,” Harry said, throwing the paper at Teddy. –It says clearly that the poison used to murder Lucy was found in a vial in my son’s trunk. They don’t need any more evidence to acquit him. He’s as good as dead.” Harry slammed his fist down on the table, the thud resonating around the room.

–He must have a chance to explain himself, Harry,” Teddy said. –His statement must be taken into account as well.”

"Do you think the likes of Williamson will give a damn about what a convict says?" Harry pointed out, taking a piece of parchment and scribbling something on it furiously with his quill. He was going to do something irrational, Teddy knew it. "No they won't. If I were them, I wouldn't either. And besides, they've been trying to find a way to get me sacked, and they aren't going to let go of this opportunity. They will make him rot in Azkaban if only to get at me."

Teddy knew he was right. Head Auror Potter’s son, guilty of killing the Minister’s daughter. James had no way out, and those after Harry’s job were going to grab this chance like hungry sharks on a bloody piece of meat. It was going to be like the Crouch case back in the days of the first war, Teddy realised.

Harry folded up the parchment into a paper plane and let it go. It immediately whizzed out of the room and towards its destination. –Harry, where did you send that?” he asked cautiously.

Harry stood up and grabbed his cloak from the back of his chair. –To the elite team,” he said, a determined, calculating look in his eyes. –The only way I can now think of a way to save both my son and my job is to arrest him and interrogate him myself.”


Auror Potter stood at his own front door at twenty-five minutes past nine that night, Auror Teddy Lupin at his side and a team of the best Aurors behind him, armed with wands. This was not his first time carrying out an arrest or a raid, and yet the feeling inside him right now was something he’d never felt before. He wasn’t arresting some common criminal. He was at his own house. Arresting his own son. The same son he’d sworn to protect his whole life the moment he’d first taken him in his arms the day he was born.

For a second Teddy was sure he saw apprehension in his eyes, a flicker of doubt; he wondered if Harry was having second thoughts.

–Harry, are you sure you want to--” Teddy started, but Harry cut him off.

–I have to.”

Ignoring the mutterings of the Aurors behind him, he raised his arm and rang the bell.

Teddy could hear a flurry of motion behind the doors. The doorknob turned and the wooden front-door swung open, revealing Ginny Potter.

–I’ve been waiting for you for an hour, Potter, what sort of time do you --” she stopped mid-rant as she noticed the crowd behind her husband. –Harry, Teddy,” She frowned. –You should have told you were bringing some of the boys home from work, I haven’t cooked anything else except onion soup.”

The leader of the team, Auror Hemmingsworth stepped forward. –Ma’am, we need to talk to James Potter. Please ask him to step out.”

Teddy cursed the man under his breath. He should have let Harry handle this.

–My son is up in his room at the moment,” Ginny said briskly. Teddy understood she didn’t like the man interrupting her conversation with her husband, and especially not in such a fashion. Turning to Harry she said, –What is going on here? You come home with a bunch of Aurors behind you and then one of them,” she glared at Hemmingsworth, –demands to see your son, who, as you know, refuses to meet almost everyone these days. So before I lose my patience, you better tell me what this is all about.”

–Ginny, please,” Harry said, looking at her. His gaze was hard. –I need you to tell me where James is right now.”

–He is upstairs, but --”

–I’m here, Dad,” said a voice from inside. Teddy felt a chill. James was there and in a while Harry was going to arrest him. He didn’t want to imagine how this would play out. –Did you need anything? And why’s Mum shouting?”

–Mr Potter you are under arrest for the murder of Lucy Weasley,” stated Hemmingsworth, a stern expression on his face. He stepped forward and, before any of them could react, he snapped a pair of cuffs onto James’s wrists.

–What?” Ginny yelled, looking from Hemmingsworth to Harry. "Harry Potter, what in the name of Merlin do you--”

James’s shout drowned out Ginny’s voice. –Dad, you’ve got to be kidding me!” he yelled, struggling against the cuffs, which were bound tightly around his wrists. Two Aurors rushed forwards and grabbed him by his arms. –How on earth --”

–Hemmingsworth, you idiot,” Teddy muttered as Harry stepped forwards.

–Ginny, I’ll tell you everything later,” he said, a pleading look in his eyes. This was hard enough for him as it was, Teddy knew, and Ginny was making it so much more difficult. –Right now, James has to come with us for questioning.”

–To hell with your questioning, Harry,” she seethed. –You know James has nothing to do with it, and people don’t arrest someone unless they are a suspect. Are you suggesting that James killed Lucy?”

–I can’t ignore anything,” Harry replied, not looking at Ginny or James, who was struggling against the Aurors with all his might.

–Dad!” he pleaded, looking at his father with a desperate look, who was staring intently at the doorframe. –I didn’t do anything, you know I didn’t. Mum, please --”

–James, let’s go,” Teddy said quietly. He turned to Ginny, who looked ready to murder someone. –I promise, we’ll explain this later.”

"I don't give a damn about your explanations, Teddy," she replied, staring at him with a fury he had never expected to see in his godmother's eyes, that too directed towards him. "If anything happens to James, you two will have hell from me. Especially you," she added, looking pointedly at Harry.

–I’m sorry, Ginny,” Harry said quietly. –But I have to do my job.” Turning to Hemmingsworth and Teddy, he ordered, –We’re done here.”

Hemmingsworth nodded. –Take Potter into interrogation.” He ordered the two Aurors holding James.

Ginny was furiously holding back tears, a hard look on her face, her jaws set. With one last look at her, Teddy Disapparated on the spot with the other Aurors.


–What was the reason you decided to kill her?”

–I didn’t kill Lucy!”

–I’m going to ask you this one more time, Potter. Why did you murder the Minister’s daughter?”

–Merlin damn it! I did not kill her! Why would --”

Williamson slammed his hands down on the table and pushed forwards. The edge of the table hit James in the chest, who hissed in pain at the contact.

It was around eleven thirty that night when James Potter sat facing Auror Demetrius Williamson in the small interrogation room of the Auror Office. For the previous hour the ruthless Auror had been grilling him in all sorts of ways possible: he started it off with a simple –where you when Miss Weasley died” and –What was your relationship with her”. And then, as calmly as though asking the weather, he asked, –So, why exactly did you kill her?”

And when James denied it, he turned into the cold and ruthless interrogator he was famous for being.

In the observation room, which was located in a hidden extension of the room behind the one-way mirror, Teddy Lupin sat with his godfather, wondering why on earth the older man was letting this happen. Ever since they had brought James from the Potters’ house, Harry had not said a word. Teddy was worried he had gone into shock, but every now and then he saw Harry’s eyes dart from one corner to another, or would see him soundlessly mouth a few unintelligible words. Harry was thinking, and he was thinking hard. Teddy didn’t understand him, really; Harry had simply arrested James on the basis of the reports about the contents of the vials discovered in his room. What was his plan? What did he intend to do? Did he believe that James was the killer? Did he think he was innocent?

This was the first time Harry hadn’t discussed anything with him while he was on a case. And Teddy was confused. His instincts told him that James was innocent. But reports didn’t lie.

As they saw Williamson overturn the chair in his attempt to frighten James, Teddy finally sighed. –Harry, what is going on?”

Harry remained silent for a few seconds. Finally, he answered with a frown, –I need to talk to James.”

–What?” he asked, confused.

–I need to be in there. I have to speak to him. I need to know what James’s account is. There has... there has to be a reason why.”

–So you believe him?”

–As a father, I cannot believe my son did it. I know him,” Harry relied slowly. –But as an Auror, I have been trained not to believe in emotions or to judge people by their looks. I have to see the evidence. And the evidence says he did it.”

–But,” Teddy pressed. –You’ve also been trained not to see things in black and white. And things aren’t always what they seem. You’ve got to see the bigger picture and trust your gut, not just rely on proof.” He looked at Harry with a determined expression. –You told me that the evidence is not always the truth and those Aurors who acquit people only based on the proof are one-dimensional --”

–I know, Teddy, I know,” Harry snapped. –That’s why I need to be in there, I need to hear him talk.”

–So this is the great Harry Potter’s son?” Williamson’s voice came through the glass. Teddy looked up to see him hunched over the table, sneering at James. –Has Potter never been around to instil his heroic values in his kids? Was he too preoccupied with saving the world that he let his own children become murderers?”

–Don’t!” James said, his voice weak. Teddy felt so sorry for his god-brother. The usually strong teenager was crumpled up in his chair, all but broken. –My father is the best father there is.”

Harry closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.

–Look who’s snappy,” Williamson sneered. –Didn’t think about daddy’s reputation when you decided to kill her, did you? Didn’t think what people would say? Potter’s son, a murderer!”

–I DID NOT KILL HER!”

–YES. YOU. DID!” Williamson shouted, accentuating each word with a thump on the table with his fists. –The Croton oil that was used to kill her was found in your trunk! We don’t need any other proof to decide that you -- did -- kill -- her!”

–I don’t know what you’re talking about!” James screamed, banging his wrist on the table.

–Stop fucking lying!”

–That’s it,” Harry said, standing up. He turned on his heels and strode out of the room.

As Teddy looked on, the door of the interrogation room opened in the middle of Williamson’s tirade, and a junior Auror popped his head in hesitantly.

–What?” Williamson snapped at him, and the Auror flinched.

–Um, the boss wants to talk to you,” he mumbled. It was common knowledge in the Auror office how everyone was terrified of Williamson; his fiery temper and sarcastic attitude didn’t tend to earn him any votes for the Friendliest Auror of the Month Award.

–I am busy,” Williamson replied through gritted teeth.

–But- but he says that it’s important.”

Williamson swore. –Damn that man. Tell him I’m coming. Now get out.”

The Auror looked relieved to be dismissed. He nodded once and quickly closed the door.

Rounding on James, Williamson said, –I’m not finished with you.” Striding over to the door, he yanked it open, and, as he stepped out, he slammed the door shut behind him.


Outside the door of the observation room, in the corridor with doors leading to both the observation and interrogation rooms, Teddy could hear muffled voices belonging to Harry and Williamson. And both of them sounded furious.

–... do you think you were doing in there?”

–... murderer! So what if... is a killer... treated like one.”

–You have no... till then you have no right to...”

–Don’t teach... my job!”

–... my case, I’ll interrogate...!”

Silence. And then Teddy heard some very loud footsteps, which slowly faded into nothingness. He then heard the door of the interrogation room creak open. A second later, Harry came into view through the glass, slowly clicking the door shut.

James looked up, his face showing a confused mixture of relief one second and apprehension the other. –Dad,” Teddy heard James say. –Dad, I swear, I didn’t do it.”

For the first time since finding out about the contents of the vials, Harry smiled. –Williamson gave you a hard time, didn’t he? It can’t be helped; he’s become like that ever since he had to send his own son behind bars. The boy killed his own girlfriend, and the evidence was so strong Williamson couldn’t do anything.”

–Dad, I --”

Harry held up his hand. –I know what you’re gonna say, James. But I have to do my job.”

–Dad, come on!” James said, throwing his hands up in exasperation. –I have no idea what that man was talking about! What evidence, Dad? What did you find?” he asked. –Why on earth am I here? You should be hunting down the person who killed her, instead of wasting your time arresting me! Me, of all people!”

–James, tell me, what do you know about Croton oil?” Harry asked patiently, pretending to ignore James’s rant.

–Croton oil?” James repeated, his brows knitting into a frown. –I think -- isn't that the same thing that was used to -- to poison her?”

Harry nodded. –Yes. Do you know what it is?”

–You said something about an aborti- abortiwhatsit --”

–Abortifacient,” Harry supplied.

–Yeah, that,” James said. –They used it to kill her and... and my child,” he finished, a pained look on his face.

–James,” Harry said, moving forwards. He rested his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together and placing his chin on top of them. –Listen to me very carefully. Two vials were taken from your trunk today. One of them contained highly concentrated Croton oil.” James’s eyes widened. He started to speak, but Harry held up a finger to silence him. –The potioneers here at the ministry determined that it was the same thing that was found in Lucy’s blood. The exact same substance.”

–You... you think I would kill Lucy?” James croaked. –Or my own child? Dad, how could you even think that I would -- someone must have placed it in -- Dad I swear to you, I know nothing about this. Please tell me you believe me, Dad?”

Harry sighed dejectedly. –James, I am following procedure! Do you think I like this one bit? Do you think I don’t want to trust you?”

–Then why am I--”

–James listen to me,” Harry cut across him, looking him in the eye. –Tell me whatever you 'know. Anything. I have to know every single detail. I will get to the bottom of this, and if you’re innocent, I swear upon merlin I’ll get you out of this. But you must give me enough substantial proof to override the evidence we found, do you get me?”

–Yes,” James nodded.

–Good. Now, start with Lucy’s pregnancy. Did you know anything about it?”

But before James could reply, the door opened and Williamson stepped in, a smug look on his face, a roll of parchment in his hands.

Back inside the observation room, Teddy thought, This can’t be good.

–Yes, Williamson?” Harry said through clenched teeth, a fake smile on his lips. –I’m in the middle of interrogating my suspect here, so if it’s not too important --”

–Your suspect?” Williamson smirked. –I don’t think you can call him that anymore, I’m afraid.”

–What do you mean?” Harry asked quickly.

Teddy felt a sinking feeling at the pit of his stomach. Definitely not good..

Williamson sauntered over to Harry and handed him the roll. –The Minister says that you cannot be a part of this case because the suspect is your family,” he said, a sickening smile on his lips. –Although, he wasn’t too eager to get rid of his brother-in-law,” he emphasised, as if the only reason Harry was the Head of the Auror office because he was related to Percy, –he had to be, ah, reminded of a few ground rules.”

Harry stood up. –Williamson, you bastard.”

"Shut up, Potter," he snarled, the smirk on his face disappearing, replaced by one of extreme loathing. "Have you forgotten how you benched me when it was my son's case? He went to Azkaban. You found him guilty and I didn't say a word. Do not try to teach me the rules."

For a minute, the two Aurors glared at each other. Teddy knew this was it. Harry didn’t have any other choice. He had to get off this case or he’d lose his job.

Finally, Harry’s shoulder slumped. –The case is yours.” Williamson grinned triumphantly.

–Dad, you can’t!” James shouted, standing up. –He’ll get me sent to Azkaban!”

Harry looked at James, a tortured look donning his face. –There’s nothing I can do, James, I’m sorry. I’ll try everything I can.”

–Dad...”

Harry sighed, and without another glance at James, he walked out.

James slumped onto the chair, one hand covering his mouth.

Teddy couldn’t watch anymore. Walking over to the door, he pulled it open and walked into the corridor outside, where Harry stood leaning against the wall, his head tilted backwards, staring up at the ceiling.

–You can’t think of leaving him here like this.”

–I’m not.”

Teddy was taken aback. He hadn’t been expecting this. –What?”

Harry turned to face him. –I’m going to get my son out of this if it is the last thing I do.”


Chapter Endnotes:
Please review! I can't promise when the next chapter will be up, but I hope it will be by the end of February. --Nadia

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