Lucius' Office[7]

[Rydiger von Heap]

I laughed. "I'm sorry, I got a bit carried away." I talked loudly now. "Very well, Mr. Malfoy. Thank you for your time. I think I am to go back to Mr. Robards for a little chat." I said shortly and walked out, closing the door behind me.

[Lucius Malfoy]

*He put his face in his palms, wondering what he had now gotten himself into. He was by no means ready to take on Scrimgeour.*

[Rufus Scrimgeour]

*Sent via purple note.*

Dear Mr Malfoy,

A wizengamot trial is soon to be held for the case of Mr Rydiger Von Heap.
He has requested your presence to speak on his behalf. You have ample time to discuss the case with him.

Sincerely,

Rufus Scrimgeour

[Rydiger von Heap]

Dear Mr. Malfoy.[/u]
I trust that you will read this explanation, with the hope that you will understand my "logic."

It all started a few months ago, when I was still Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in Germany.
I was in the middle of a very fascinating case at this time. Some one had tried to poison a shop owner at just a small distance from the my old Ministry and was going to take a look, when I received an owl carrying a letter from The International Confederation of Wizards. The Confuderation asked me to meet in a gathering as soon as possible. So I visited the headquarters of the Confederation and asked what the hurry was, the entire Confuderation expressed concern of one place. Great Britain. After the Dark Wizard known as Lord Voldemort had gained so much power in UK. You who I heard once was one of his followers, must know better than me how dangerous he is. The Confuderation finds this deeply disturbing, since they are afraid his terror activity will affect the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. The Confuderation belives this is due to incompetent effort to stop this, that the UK is in such a bad shape. So it was my duty to deliver an offical Order of Dismissal to the Head of this Ministry of Magic. But I didn't belive that was all. Under the influence of the Imperius Curse, I once witnessed the power of the great Gellert Grindelwald. And if it is true this man is half as powerful, I have no problem to imagine why this Ministry has such problems with gaining control of the situation. So I waited to fire the Minister until I truly saw he actually was incompetent. Which man better to fight a Dark Wizard than a Auror, actually? And since this wizard's power of the British Wizarding Community just increases, I was temporarily released from my duties in Germany.

But as I started my travel to England, I discovered a hidden truth about my deceased son. He was a member of an organization called the Death Eaters. I couldn't belive my son would do such a thing. But again, after the divorce of my wife when he was just a little kid, I didn't know him very well, either. I just knew that he was killed some time in 1979 or close to it. I figured I could use this to my advantage.

When I arraived at London, I went directly to the Ministry of Magic. I couldn't do otherwise, as I didn't know anyone who live here. I meet the Minister and explained my son's connection to this Dark Wizard of yours and told him I would be glad to be a spy for the Ministry, as I trusted the Dark Lord of Great Britain would consider me a ally, being the father of a trusted Death Eater. So I went to a very specal place known as Knockturn Alley, a place widely known to have shops and places connected to the Dark Arts. There I meet a known Death Eater I recognized from the paper in a bar called Silver Serpent. I told him who I was, but he didn't even seem to remember my son. But of course, he trusted I wouldn't be such a idiot that I was going around and joke about wishing to see the great Voldemort, so he wanted to know if he could trust me. And this is how I found myself in a true mess.

Thorfinn Rowle wanted me to show I was loyal to the Dark Lord, so he asked me to murder the Minister. First I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. He said that if I refused or backed down, he would have me killed. I figured that in order to gain his trust, I at least had to give it a try. I randomly meet Barnamus Closeworth, (not sure if his first name is spelled right, sorry for that.) and keeped an eye at him. He definitely didn't seem very powerful, and obviously lacked the intelligence to could use as much as one simple dark curse. The perfect "victim."

In order not to blow up my cover as a Ministry spy, I had to think ahead of any spies Voldemort could have placed in the Ministry of Magic. I figured these spy's would know if I backed down, inform Rowle and have me tortured and killed. So I casted a Imperius Curse on Mr. Closworth, knowing perfectly well that a wizard as powerful and skilled as Rufus Scrimgeour would overpower him with the greates ease. I also knew that my role as spy had to be hidden to other Ministry Officals than the Minister, as I didn't knew who was spies of Voldemort and who wasn't. So I also modificated Mr. Closworth's memory so he would think the caster of the Imperius Curse was Bellatrix LeStrange, as well as removing the memory of who I was, and used LeStrange as I knew she is a well known witch in UK who was a wanted criminal. (I had seen a picture in the paper the day before.) I led Closworth to the Minister's office, but held him back so he never actually had the chance to harm Scrimgeour. Even if he can't know, that was why he stoped and stood and pointed at Scrimgeour and just said: "But I have to kill the Minister." without actually doing anything. Plus that I was trying to make my inexperienced Imperius Curse as weak as possible, with the hope he would be able to break free. Now I had two different chances to be unsuccessful. Because if I failed, but didn't back down, Rowle would probably be impressed that I was able to get the "killer" so far, and would be likely to arrange a meeting with his master so I could become a spy for real. And here, let me point out I actually sent a letter to Scrimgeour's office and told about my plan, but it seems like he never got it.

I was looking for Rowle, a man in Knocturn Alley said he hadn't seen him since the day he saw the two of us speak. I said perhaps Rowle had traveled to the country side to do some Muggle Tortur.

I ended up a few miles away from Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon. I was at a muggle resturant when I heard a scream and walked outside. A witch - I knew she must have been, due to that poor muggle disguse - pointed at the air and shouted "THE DARK MARK! THE DARK MARK! THE DEATH EATERS ARE COMING! RUN! RUN! RUN!"
The Muggles around us looked more confused than scared. I had to clam down the witch and modify the memory of several muggles before I traveled to the location of the Dark Mark.

When I arraived, I saw them. The Death Eaters, perhaps fifteen of them at one place, gathered at the Burrow. I knew that someone would have to see the Dark Mark and warn the Ministry. I had no owl and have never really learned the Patronus Charm and was unable to send bidding for help. I looked at the Death Eaters, hiding in a few bushes. If I could hide behind them, I could attack from behind when the reinforcement came.

I used my own, black traveling cloack and an brife made mask to hide behind the group, undetected. They must have had their minds else were, because they didn't spot me. But after a while, I doubted the Ministry had recived any messages, as no one seemed to come, and they started to burn the house too. I walked in front of them to look for any signs of Aurors. When I didn't see them, I was on my way to walk back, when the reinforcements suddenly appeard. I was caught is suprise, and was misplaced to attack them, since I stood closest you, with the army of Dark Wizards behind me. I hesitated, I didn't want to attack my true allies, but a witch I belive actually could have been the real Bellatrix LeStrange saw that I hesitated, she used the imperius curse on me and ordered me to attack. I'm very strongminded, so I almost managed to breake free from the curse, when a male Death Eater put two and two together, and used the confudus charm on me. Suddenly I belived the Aurors to be the Death Eaters, and the Death Eaters to be the reinforcements. So bewitched by both the Imperius Curse and the Confundus Charm, I had no problem attacking the Ministry, beliving my orders from Scrimgeour was to kill. Lucky for us, a curse blasted of my leg and stoped me from actually kill anyone. The great loss of blood knocked me unconscious.

I awakend on St. Mungo Hospital and waited for my leg to grow out. When the Minister visited me, the confunuds charm must still have been active, because I couldn't remember why I was there, and figured I was looking after Gilderoy Lockhart to bring him back to that very hospital, which was my cover story when I was in the field.

I tried to heal my leg by myself, but did a mistake, and is now a crippled.

I went back to the Ministry, concerned and afraid that I had killed anyone. Fortunately I hadn't. I asked Scrimgeour when he visited me if I could work in the Ministry's Intelligence Department to investegate and track down the Death Eaters, because I figured that if I worked there, my role as a spy could get easier and far less dangerous. As a crippled, I could use my damaged leg as an excuse not to attend practical missions, and only give information from the Ministry directly to the Dark Lord. And since I'm an excellent Occlumens, I can give the Dark Lord what seems like valuable information, but retain and hide the important details. And in return provide fully information about the Death Eaters's activity and plans to the Ministry of Magic.

I was asked to investegate Closworth, and told Gwain Robards what Closworth told me, that LeStrange imperiused him.
Typical my luck, the letter I sent to Mr. Closworth home, he had for some reason putted in his pocket and showed it to a Ministry worker I think is called Peasgood, or something like that.

When I was arrested, I lied first to cover my role as spy, unsure if I could trust the people in the room. Now, due to the Ministery's discovery of how I DIDN'T harm the Minister, I want you to know this because of my trail.

As you are the Advisor of the Minister of Magic, I'm sure you are not one of these spies.

Sincerely: Professor R. von Heap. Law Enforcer and Supreme Mugwump.[/size][/i]
[/font][/color]

[Lucius Malfoy]

*Lucius took the reply from Heap and immediately noticed the length. He decided that it would be best to take notes, so magically duplicated the document. One to keep fresh and one to put his own thoughts onto. He then read through the proposed statement, making notes as he went along.*

Dear Mr. Malfoy.[/u]
I trust that you will read this explanation, with the hope that you will understand my "logic."

It all started a few months ago, when I was still Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in Germany.
I was in the middle of a very fascinating case at this time. Some one had tried to poison a shop owner at just a small distance from the my old Ministry and was going to take a look, when I received an owl carrying a letter from The International Confederation of Wizards. The Confuderation asked me to meet in a gathering as soon as possible. So I visited the headquarters of the Confederation and asked what the hurry was, the entire Confuderation expressed concern of one place. Great Britain. After the Dark Wizard known as Lord Voldemort had gained so much power in UK. You who I heard once was one of his followers, must know better than me how dangerous he is. The Confuderation finds this deeply disturbing, since they are afraid his terror activity will affect the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. The Confuderation belives this is due to incompetent effort to stop this, that the UK is in such a bad shape. [/color][/size]

I will have to speak with Cornelius Fudge to confirm this. His position as representative for Britain would mean that he would have certainly been present for or involved with this.

So it was my duty to deliver an offical Order of Dismissal to the Head of this Ministry of Magic. [/size]

The Confederation have no power to remove officials. They are mediators. They may encourage it, but it is the countries right to choose their own leaders.
In the case of Magical Secrecy, the Confederation may issue fines.

But I didn't belive that was all. Under the influence of the Imperius Curse, I once witnessed the power of the great Gellert Grindelwald. And if it is true this man is half as powerful, I have no problem to imagine why this Ministry has such problems with gaining control of the situation. So I waited to fire the Minister until I truly saw he actually was incompetent. [/size]

Having no power to 'fire' the Minister, it would have been unwise to attempt it.

Which man better to fight a Dark Wizard than a Auror, actually? And since this wizard's power of the British Wizarding Community just increases, I was temporarily released from my duties in Germany.

But as I started my travel to England, I discovered a hidden truth about my deceased son. He was a member of an organization called the Death Eaters. I couldn't belive my son would do such a thing. But again, after the divorce of my wife when he was just a little kid, I didn't know him very well, either. I just knew that he was killed some time in 1979 or close to it. I figured I could use this to my advantage. [/size]

It was my understanding that Heap knew of this long before this time. He was informed when his son was killed years ago.



When I arraived at London, I went directly to the Ministry of Magic. I couldn't do otherwise, as I didn't know anyone who live here. I meet the Minister and explained my son's connection to this Dark Wizard of yours and told him I would be glad to be a spy for the Ministry, as I trusted the Dark Lord of Great Britain would consider me a ally, being the father of a trusted Death Eater. So I went to a very specal place known as Knockturn Alley, a place widely known to have shops and places connected to the Dark Arts. There I meet a known Death Eater I recognized from the paper in a bar called Silver Serpent. I told him who I was, but he didn't even seem to remember my son. But of course, he trusted I wouldn't be such a idiot that I was going around and joke about wishing to see the great Voldemort, so he wanted to know if he could trust me. And this is how I found myself in a true mess.

Thorfinn Rowle wanted me to show I was loyal to the Dark Lord, so he asked me to murder the Minister. [/size]

Quite an ambitious request, though not entirely unbelievable.

First I thought he was joking, but he wasn't. He said that if I refused or backed down, he would have me killed. I figured that in order to gain his trust, I at least had to give it a try. [/size]

It is well known that Death Eaters do not approve of failure. Merely attempting would not win their favour. Perhaps this could be attributed to misunderstanding.

I randomly meet Barnamus Closeworth, (not sure if his first name is spelled right, sorry for that.) and keeped an eye at him. He definitely didn't seem very powerful, and obviously lacked the intelligence to could use as much as one simple dark curse. The perfect "victim."

In order not to blow up my cover as a Ministry spy, I had to think ahead of any spies Voldemort could have placed in the Ministry of Magic. I figured these spy's would know if I backed down, inform Rowle and have me tortured and killed. So I casted a Imperius Curse on Mr. Closworth, knowing perfectly well that a wizard as powerful and skilled as Rufus Scrimgeour would overpower him with the greates ease. [/size]

Admitting to performing an Unforgivable Curse on an innocent is extremely unwise.

I also knew that my role as spy had to be hidden to other Ministry Officals than the Minister, as I didn't knew who was spies of Voldemort and who wasn't. So I also modificated Mr. Closworth's memory so he would think the caster of the Imperius Curse was Bellatrix LeStrange, as well as removing the memory of who I was, and used LeStrange as I knew she is a well known witch in UK who was a wanted criminal. (I had seen a picture in the paper the day before.)[/size]

This appears to have been an unwise choice. Lestranges status as most wanted means she is unlikely to appear in public.

I led Closworth to the Minister's office, but held him back so he never actually had the chance to harm Scrimgeour. Even if he can't know, that was why he stoped and stood and pointed at Scrimgeour and just said: "But I have to kill the Minister." without actually doing anything. Plus that I was trying to make my inexperienced Imperius Curse as weak as possible, with the hope he would be able to break free. Now I had two different chances to be unsuccessful. Because if I failed, but didn't back down, Rowle would probably be impressed that I was able to get the "killer" so far, and would be likely to arrange a meeting with his master so I could become a spy for real.[/size]

Possibly, but in my experience, he may have set another task instead. Though again, Heaps lack of knowledge as to the workings of Death Eaters may be in his favour here.

And here, let me point out I actually sent a letter to Scrimgeour's office and told about my plan, but it seems like he never got it.[/size]

Best not blame the postal service for any aspect of this.



I was looking for Rowle, a man in Knocturn Alley said he hadn't seen him since the day he saw the two of us speak. I said perhaps Rowle had traveled to the country side to do some Muggle Tortur.[/size]

A stranger was allowed to witness Heap speaking to Rowle about secret Death Eater business in public. I would expect Rowle to be more careful. I would expect the Wizengamot to feel the same.



I ended up a few miles away from Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon. [/size]

What possible reason could Heap have for going to Devon?

I was at a muggle resturant when I heard a scream and walked outside. A witch - I knew she must have been, due to that poor muggle disguse - pointed at the air and shouted "THE DARK MARK! THE DARK MARK! THE DEATH EATERS ARE COMING! RUN! RUN! RUN!" [/size]

A witch was warning muggles of something that they had no knowledge of and was by law meant to keep secret. Possible if she panicked I suppose.


The Muggles around us looked more confused than scared. I had to clam down the witch and modify the memory of several muggles before I traveled to the location of the Dark Mark.
[/size]

A plausible solution to the above. Why though would Heap feel the need to go towards the Dark Mark. As a supposed spy, he would be causing himself unnecessary difficulty, where allowing the proper authorities to handle the matter would have been simpler.


When I arraived, I saw them. The Death Eaters, perhaps fifteen of them at one place, gathered at the Burrow. I knew that someone would have to see the Dark Mark and warn the Ministry. I had no owl and have never really learned the Patronus Charm and was unable to send bidding for help. I looked at the Death Eaters, hiding in a few bushes. If I could hide behind them, I could attack from behind when the reinforcement came.

I used my own, black traveling cloack and an brife made mask to hide behind the group, undetected. They must have had their minds else were, because they didn't spot me. But after a while, I doubted the Ministry had recived any messages, as no one seemed to come, and they started to burn the house too. I walked in front of them to look for any signs of Aurors. When I didn't see them, I was on my way to walk back, when the reinforcements suddenly appeard. I was caught is suprise, and was misplaced to attack them, since I stood closest you, with the army of Dark Wizards behind me. I hesitated, I didn't want to attack my true allies, but a witch I belive actually could have been the real Bellatrix LeStrange saw that I hesitated, she used the imperius curse on me and ordered me to attack. [/size]

Unlikely. She should have no need to control an ally. If an ally faltered she would be far more likely to punish him into obedience.
From what I know of her, she would be further more likely to ignore Heap altogether and go into battle.

I'm very strongminded, so I almost managed to breake free from the curse, when a male Death Eater put two and two together, and used the confudus charm on me. [/size]

Again unlikely. While battling Aurors the Death Eaters would most probably be concentrating on fighting their enemies, not cursing their own allies. Also, what possible clue could have been given that Heap was a spy among their ranks?

Suddenly I belived the Aurors to be the Death Eaters, and the Death Eaters to be the reinforcements. So bewitched by both the Imperius Curse and the Confundus Charm, I had no problem attacking the Ministry, beliving my orders from Scrimgeour was to kill. Lucky for us, a curse blasted of my leg and stoped me from actually kill anyone. The great loss of blood knocked me unconscious.[/size]

Yet Heap remembers all this taking place?



I awakend on St. Mungo Hospital and waited for my leg to grow out. When the Minister visited me, the confunuds charm must still have been active, because I couldn't remember why I was there, and figured I was looking after Gilderoy Lockhart to bring him back to that very hospital, which was my cover story when I was in the field.

I tried to heal my leg by myself, but did a mistake, and is now a crippled. [/size]

It may be best to focus on a series of mistakes rather than explanations.



I went back to the Ministry, concerned and afraid that I had killed anyone. Fortunately I hadn't. I asked Scrimgeour when he visited me if I could work in the Ministry's Intelligence Department to investegate and track down the Death Eaters, because I figured that if I worked there, my role as a spy could get easier and far less dangerous.[/size]

Not in the Intelligence Department.

As a crippled, I could use my damaged leg as an excuse not to attend practical missions, [/size]

The Intelligence Department are all regularly active. There are no positions that are not.

and only give information from the Ministry directly to the Dark Lord.[/size]

The Ministry would not approve of this at all.

And since I'm an excellent Occlumens, I can give the Dark Lord what seems like valuable information, but retain and hide the important details. And in return provide fully information about the Death Eaters's activity and plans to the Ministry of Magic. [/size]

This sounds like an active position. The Dark Lord certainly would not have much use for a cripple.



I was asked to investegate Closworth, and told Gwain Robards what Closworth told me, that LeStrange imperiused him.
Typical my luck, the letter I sent to Mr. Closworth home, he had for some reason putted in his pocket and showed it to a Ministry worker I think is called Peasgood, or something like that.
[/size]

This is the evidence used to prove Heaps guilt. Success revolves around discrediting this.


When I was arrested, I lied first to cover my role as spy, unsure if I could trust the people in the room. Now, due to the Ministery's discovery of how I DIDN'T harm the Minister, I want you to know this because of my trail.[/size]

Lying upon being arrested was another unwise choice. An innocent would have had no need.



As you are the Advisor of the Minister of Magic, I'm sure you are not one of these spies.

Sincerely: Professor R. von Heap. Law Enforcer and Supreme Mugwump.

Since when has Heap been a Professor of any sort?[/i]


*Lucius glanced back over his notes. It was clear to him that the statement was full of holes. It was fortunate it was in his hands and not the Ministers, else it could be used against him. There were a lot of questions he would need to ask a lot of people before he could begin to piece together a defence.*