"Enter." Draco pushed the old rickety door open into the formal dining room of Malfoy Manor. Draco didn't need to look up to know where the Dark Lord was seated at his family's long, dark mahogany table.
Draco's father, Lucius, shut the door behind him to leave Draco alone with the terrifying man and his equally terrifying snake, Nagini.
"Take a seat Draco, we have much to discuss." Draco looked up at the hiss in the Dark Lord's voice, and saw that bit of anger in his master's eyes whenever he talked with him directly. Draco feared this anger, but was grateful that the Dark Lord's anger towards him paled in comparison to the anger he had shown Lucius.
Draco made his way to the seat opposite the Dark Lord, eyeing the snake the entire time. Ever since he had seen that very same snake kill and devour a Hogwarts teacher, he'd had nightmares of watching Nagini tear into his own family and friends. Suffice it to say, Draco had not been sleeping well lately.
"Draco, I know it's been awhile since I've spoken to you personally, but you should know it is not because I no longer trust you."
Draco knew this speech by now. The Dark Lord was disappointed in him for allowing Snape to take over the task assigned to him, the task of killing Dumbledore.
"I understand my Lord, I disappointed you. But you must know that I am truly more disappointed in myself." Draco had practised this lie many times and knew that his face would show no sign of treachery. Just to protect that lie, Draco began closing his mind more to those around him, even his own family. Harboring his true feelings and hurt was crucial to keeping his parents and himself alive.
"I believe that Draco. And that is why I want to give you another chance."
Draco felt every breath leave his body. He couldn't kill, it didn't matter who it was. He discovered that night atop the Astronomy tower just how scared he truly was of becoming a killer. Draco kept his eyes trained on the Dark Lord, never breaking contact. He wanted the Dark Lord to peer into his mind just so he could show the façade that he had placed there, showing how exhilirated he felt for a second chance. The Dark Lord leered back at him, but didn't make any such attempt to enter Draco's mind.
So Draco spoke of his enthusiasm, "I would be honored to perform whatever task is asked of me my Lord. And this time I shall not fail you."
The blood curdling smile on the Dark Lord's face grew to something truly sinister.
"Good. While it has been made clear that I must be the one to kill Harry Potter, there still stands many other obstacles in my way. Not only the Order of the Phoenix, but many other barriers that need time to be taken down. However, I believe that taking away some of his closest allies would prove to be extremely helpful. And you, dear Draco, know these allies better than any other weapon I have at my disposal."
Draco could hear his heart beat in his ears. The Dark Lord didn't even need to speak another word, he knew who it was that he would be expected to terminate.
"While I would love to see both heads before me I will ask for only one from you, I believe that will be effective enough. But you should know Draco, this time I will not forgive your failure, if you do not succeed I will deliver on my threat to have your mother killed."
Draco could feel his breath catch in his throat, he had witnessed the Dark Lord's wrath in his time at Malfoy Manor, and the last thing he wanted was for his poor mother to be on the receiving end of that wrath.
"Having made that clear Draco, I leave you with a choice; kill the Weasley or kill the mudblood..."