Draco Malfoy sat in the window seat of Malfoy Manor. It was a grim day and a similar air had settled over the occupants of the gothic mansion. In the other room Narcissa Malfoy could be heard pacing the corridor. Since Lucius Malfoy had been dragged away by ministry officials to be tried at the ministry of magic, the remaining family members had become tense and agitated.

Looking across the lawn Draco saw a ball of what seemed to be black smoke hurtling towards the house. Malfoy felt his heart plummet, when any death eater arrived it nearly always meant bad news for the family. As the ball quickly transformed into a being Draco observed that it was the dark lord himself.

The pacing outside stopped and Malfoy heard hushed voices. The door opened Voldemort entered his long black robe mirroring the snake that stayed close to him, bound by an invisible bond. Draco got to his feet and glanced at the cold seemingly featureless face and then dropped his eyes. Draco still hadn't got used to Voldemort's skeletal corpse like face. The dark lord took Draco's actions as a mark respect and made a small motion of gratitude.

"Good afternoon master" Malfoy muttered his heart beating fast.
"Good afternoon young Draco" Voldemort said with a edge to his voice that made Draco shiver "I have some rather exciting news for you". Draco suddenly forgot his fear and looked up "what is it".

"You are aware that you are of a suitable age to become more," Voldemort paused "involved in our cause".

Draco's felt his heart drop again he had hoped for news of his father and began to wish that Voldemort never existed, " you want me to be a death eater master?" He inquired cautiously.

"That is right".

Draco stopped trying to listen, he instead thought about things that mattered more to him.

He thought about getting his letter from Hogwarts, there had been much rejoicing and his father had made a toast and speech at dinner that night. He had felt so proud when everyone drank his health. Most of those people were now locked away in Azkaban or lying dead, killed by the other side.

Malfoy remembered trying wands in Ollivanders wand shop. He had made his parents laugh when he accidentally made a set of boxes grow legs and Ollivander had to grab them with a net to stop them escaping.

After that they had had his robes fitted, that's when he had met Harry Potter. Potter who made him clench his fists in anger. Draco would trade places with Potter now even if he was going to die eventually. Harry Potter was probably with the Weasleys and Hermione Granger have the time of his life. Even if Potter was not having fun he still would not be living on suspense and fear. Malfoy considered what would happen if his father was sentenced to Azkaban. Draco Malfoy had heard terrible things about the wizard prison. If his father was sent to languish in that terrible place would he ever see him again. Even if his father was released would he still know him, Draco knew what a dementor could do.

Would Lucius still remember the things that seem so important, the time he had got hold of Narcissa's wand and levitated a whole plate of spaghetti over the head of the local bully. The ministry had had to perform a mind wipe charm and Lucius and Narcissa had had to explain to the boy's baffled parents why their son smelt of tomato sauce and had bits of pasta behind his ears. Draco remembered his relief when they laughed about it later. When he was caught watching an important ministry dinner and carried back upstairs insisting he was not tired and would not be till much later. It was at one these dinners that he met Crabbe and Goyle, a friendship begun. Crabbe and Goyle were more like henchmen now then friends. When he was younger wizard children couldn't be friends with muggles the risk was too great but he had been full of joy when he found other children like him.

Draco remembered first seeing magic when he was so young he could only stand with something at his height nearby. It wasn't dark magic like he saw as he got older, it was his father turning leaves into little gold birds that hopped around and fluttered their wings then turning back to leaves as they touched the ground. He had enjoyed trying to grab them and see them turn from round gold little sparrows to flat brown limp leaves. That memory made magic seem beautiful. The dark side was slowly making his love for magic turn sour. He hated to see something that was once used to make things golden and vibrant turn them black and dead.

"Draco" Voldemort inquired.

"I don't think I am ready to be a death eater, there is so much to learn." Malfoy whispered.

"You will be guided by many mentors and soon you will know what to do." Voldemort said surprisingly kindly, "Your family have been good a faithful servants and I am proud to have you in my ranks."

Voldemort then turned round and went out with Nagini sticking close by.

Draco was then left in his thoughts if he became a death eater there was no going back and his family would continue falling into that black hole that was consuming them.