Chapter 1-Decisions

Above an old cemetery, situated on top of a hill, stood the large house. Many of the windows were boarded up or broken and there were tiles missing from its roof, giving the impression that it had long been abandoned. It was large enough to be called a mansion, but the villagers knew it as "The Riddle House". It was avoided nowadays, due to a rather odd murder that had taken place there barely three years ago, and another set before that. However, not all avoided this house...

Down in the cellar, a large throne had been erected. On top of it sat what appeared to be a man. It didn't really look like one though; it had a pale, chalk-white face, red eyes and a flat, snakelike nose with slits for nostrils. Its name was Lord Voldemort. On the right side of the throne stood a short man with watery blue eyes and stubby fingers. One of his hands looked as though it was encased in a silver glove, and he whimpered as he caressed this hand. On the other side of the throne stood a woman, her blonde hair falling across her tear-streaked face as she sobbed. Around the throne stood a circle of masked people, all dressed in identical black robes.

Lord Voldemort spoke in a low, echoing voice that bounced off the stone walls. "Bring them in." He spoke tonelessly in a voice that promised no mercy.

Three men shuffled into the room, manacled at the hands and feet. Several Dementors flanked each. The men were deposited in the middle of the circle and the Dementors glided out of the room.

At this, the woman stepped forward. She raised her sodden, white face and whispered to Lord Voldemort, "Please, my Lord, maybe Draco could perform a different service to you. He is young and may still be of use."

Voldemort spoke again to the woman without even turning to look at her, "Ah, Narcissa. You wish Draco to be spared; you wish me to show him mercy." He stopped and looked thoughtful for a moment, and then he whirled and pointed a wand at her and cried, "Avada Kedavra!" Narcissa crumpled the ground in a heap, dead. Voldemort turned and addressed the crowd, "This is the fate that awaits the next person who is foolhardy enough to suggest that I have mercy on them." Then, in a different tone, he addressed one of the prisoners.

"Severus, why have you completed the mission that I set for Draco?" The prisoner to whom he had spoken turned toward Voldemort. He had a sallow complexion, a hooked nose and greasy black hair.

"My Lord, I thought it obvious that Draco would fail in this task and, knowing of its importance, I decided to fulfil it myself."

"Well spoken, Severus", said Voldemort silkily. "Of course, you will be honored greatly for completing this mission for me. However, you shall also be punished for completing this task. This was Draco's to complete and it should have been completed by him alone. Crucio!" A flash of light illuminated the cellar for a few seconds as Snape's body contorted in pain.

"Enough!" cried Voldemort, his eyes gleaming wickedly. "Now, Severus shall be honored for fulfilling his duties." Snape moved to stand at the left side of the throne, beside Narcissa's body.

"Draco", said Voldemort. "You should have fulfilled this task. Your punishment; Avada Kedavra!" A blinding flash of green light illuminated the cellar again as the body of Draco Malfoy hurtled through the air and came to rest at the base of the steps leading up from the cellar. Finally, Voldemort turned to the last man.

"Lucius," said Voldemort, his face expressionless. "I have just killed your wife and son. Do you wish to live?" The question surprised everyone in the cellar. The circle of people in black murmured amongst themselves for a minute or so. Then, there was quiet.

"My Lord," replied Lucius, after a short pause. "I live to serve you; my actions and my life are at your command." Despite his disheveled appearance and the streaks of dirt in his blonde hair, his voice carried all of its usual silkiness.

"Good," replied Voldemort menacingly. "And now that your allegiance is absolute, you shall complete another task; in place of your son."

"If you wish, my Lord, I shall do," said Lucius softly, his face impassive.

"Good," said Voldemort. "Your job is to kidnap Harry Potter and bring him to me." Without another word to his followers, he swept up the stairs and Disapparated. After a moment, the Death Eaters began to Disapparate. Only Lucius remained behind.

He picked up the body of his son and tenderly laid it next to the body of his wife. "Narcissa, Draco, " he said bitterly "I am so sorry. I should have been a better father and husband ... And now, you are gone. I hope you forgive me." He sat down and held his head in his hands, staring at the bodies of his family.

"Draco, I never said how proud you made me. I should have told you. You were a great son and, though you may have been a coward, you never shirked from your duty. You tried to be noble ... And now you are gone because of it." He paused and took a breath to steady himself.

"Narcissa, you truly were a great wife. You were a good mother to Draco and you cared so deeply about him. Your beauty will never be matched ... I'll miss you ..." He cried for a moment longer, and then picked up the bodies and Disapperated.

He reappeared in the garden of the house. A flick of his wand later, and two graves had dug themselves. Then, he laid Narcissa and Draco in them and took a final look at their bodies. The sunlight bathed them in orange light and it almost looked as though they were sleeping and alive.

He raised his wand and the mound of dirt to fell into the graves, neatly filling them. Finally, he conjured two tombstones and Disapparated away.

Far away from the Riddle House, a teenage boy named Harry Potter stepped off the Hogwarts Express. He was among all of the tired, sad students returning to their homes early for the summer holidays. Only a few days ago, his headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, had been killed at the hands of one of his most trusted colleagues. Severus Snape was currently on the run with the rest of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Harry sighed deeply as he reached through the bars of his owl's cage and stroked her feathers. He was followed by his best friends; Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

"Harry!" Hermione hurried to catch up to him, her bushy brown hir streaming out behind her like a banner, Ron following quickly at her heels.

"OK, let's go," Harry replied He turned away from the pair of them and started toward the magical barrier that separated platform nine and three quarters from the rest of Kings Cross Station. He was about to go through the barrier when he was confronted by a pretty, red-haired girl.

"Ginny," said Harry warily. "Let's not go through this again."

"Harry," retorted Ginny, her eyes flashing. "I'm coming with you, Ron and Hermione."

"Ginny," Harry said in exasperation, 'I've told you this before, it's just too dangerous!'

"Listen, Harry," she replied. "I am tired of being pushed aside by you. You were fighting Voldemort when you were younger than me. I fought Voldemort with you when I was in my fourth year. I can do this, too, Harry."

"She's right, you know, Harry," came Hermione's voice from behind him. "We were fighting Voldemort when we were in our first year. She's in her fifth year and you're not going to let her fight?"

"Fine, Ginny. We'll come get you from the burrow after the wedding." replied Harry wearily.

"No, Harry. I'm coming with you now."

"Let's get a move on, mate, we still haven't figured out how to get to your aunt and uncle's place," said Ron, running his hands distractedly through his short, red hair.

"Let's go, then." Harry said exasperatedly." Ginny, got your stuff? Ron? Hermione? Then let's go."

They Apparated to Privet Drive.