Chapter One
Malfoy Manor
The train left the following morning at eleven o'clock. Draco anxiously waited behind a line of people at the doors of the train; his trunk already on aboard. His fifth year at Hogwarts had byfar been the strangest. Potter and his mates had been up to things that caused some trouble for not only Draco's family, but almost all Death Eaters in general.
He stepped into the compartment in which he usually sat in. Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, Crabb, and Goyle were already there.
"There you are!" exclaimed Pansy. "We thought you got...lost or something."
Draco sighed. "I've been doing this for five years of my life, Pansy. I'm not an idiot."
Pansy looked hurt but Draco hardly cared. He sat down next to Goyle and set his hands on the table. Crabbe had a newly formed dark circle under his eyes and Goyle had bloody knuckles.
"What've you two been up too?" asked Draco.
There was silence before Pansy spoke. "They beat up a first year."
Draco rolled his eyes. Crabbe and Goyle noticed this.
"He was really annoying..." said Crabbe.
"He was gettin' into our buisness..." Goyle rambled. "He was bein' nosy."
Draco turned away ignoring his-- for want of a better word-- 'friends'. He didn't feel like they are his friends but he didn' know what else to call them. They stuck around him but he couldn't tell them his feelings. Not like Potter and his mates.
The time on the train flew by faster than usual. Draco stared out the window most of the time. Pansy and Blaise tried to make small talk with each other but Crabbe and Goyle shot them glaring looks and they stopped. Draco didn't feel like talking. He was anxious to get home. He usually would've been excited to go home, but ever since his dad got locked up in Azkaban, his mum has been miserable and depressed. She had developed bags and worry lines under her eyes. She had become thinner and sallow faced. Her apperance started to dip and become unappealing. He hates seeing his mother like this.
When the train pulled into the station, he saw Mr. Crabbe, Goyle Sr., and Ms. Zabini. No sign of Pansy's parents. He hadn't spotted his mum but he knew she was there.
Draco filed off the train along with ninty percent of the students that attend Hogwarts and there stood his mother in the corner hidden by a lost, muggle family picking up a first year. Her hair pulled up and wearing her robes, but he didnt care. His mother was here.
"Draco," she coughed. She pulled Draco by the hand and walked through the crowded platform nine and three quarters.
"Narcissa!" roared Goyle Sr. who stopped her. "So good to see you! How's Lucius?" he doubled over from laughter.
Narcissa shoved Draco forward with an angered exprssion plastered on her face. "Bloody--" she started but stopped when she heard a snake-like voice whisper.
"Narcissa," breathed Voldemorts voice but his body was nowhere in sight.
"C'mon Draco." She grabbed his hand and ran through the crowd. She apparated quickly and they arrived instantly at the manor. The stone walls and misty air was all too familiar.
He followed his mother inside the masion. The house was extremely untidy. The celing was water damaged and the stone walls were dirty. The rooms were dank and dark. It reminded him of the Slytherin dormitory. His mum rushed around the house digging through drawers and boxes; sweat running down her face.
"No, no!" she yelled to the air. "No! He's too young! Please! My Lord..."
Draco, who couldn't hear what his mother was yelling at, could tell by the pain in her voice that it was Voldemort and he was talking about Draco.
"...please don't... My Lord..." she flopped on the ground crying and clutching her head.
Draco was also crying. He shook his mother but she kept screaming and kicking.
"Mum!" he wailed through the tears and the pain. "Mum! Mum! Voldemort stop, please!"
The pain seemed to ease and Narcissa was lying on her back wiping her tears. Her screams and her kicking had subsided, her long, shaky breaths were the only sound in the room.
All of the sudden, quiet whispers filled the room followed by the white skulled man. His scarlet eyes were like daggers that will pierce your soul with only one glance. He wore shreaded robes that concealed his snake-like body and secrated his snake Nagini. The whispers that once were, turned into sursurate screams.
Narcissa still on the ground, Voldemort turned to her. He spoke something in parseltounge and Ngini struck Narcissa in the midsection numerous times.
"No!" yelled Draco rushing towards his wounded mother. An invisible force seemed to hold him back. Voldemort grew a bone chilling smile on his face that made Draco look away. He struggled against the force. "Stop that! Stop it!"
Voldemort advanced on Draco immediatly after the last word left his lips. He wrapped his colorless hands around his neck and pressed his nails into his clavicle.
"Don't you dare demand from your master!" said Voldemorts raspy voice. Breaking glass was more appealing than the sound that left his mouth.
"I-I'm sorry...My Lord..." Draco chocked for air.
Voldemort released his grip and Draco plumited to the ground.
A womans voice that shared a resemblace to Narcissa's spoke, "Poor, poor Draco." It was none other than his carzy-haired aunt Bellatrix. She ebteted Draco's hazy view. They say she used to be beautiful before her sentance but Draco couldn't imagine her as anything that a haggard, miserable person.
Bella pointed her wand at Dracos inner left forearm. "Morsmordre," she said softly. A mark started to appear where her wand used to be. In the shape of skull entertwined with a snake. The Dark Mark. Draco gasped.
"Do you, Draco," said her soothing voice, "pledge youresf to the Dark Lord? Will you complete his every demand and request with the upmost obediance?"
Draco nodded. He didn' know what else to do. He couldn't awnser 'no' and risk Voldemort's wrath.
She held out her arms. Draco gave her an awkward hug and she whispered in his ear, "welcome, Draco."
"You, Draco Malfoy," said Voldemort after a slight pause, "will lead the assasination of the headmaster of Hogwarts."
"You want me to do what?"
"Kill Albus Dumbledore!" roared Bellatrix. "That old bat had it coming!"
Before Draco could protest, Bellatrix and Voldemort apparated out of the manor leaving Narcissa on the ground and Draco with a burning arm.
* * *
After Narcissa had gotten the help she needed, and was in bed resting, Draco rushed to the bathroom sink. He ripped out a wash cloth and muggle soap and scrubbed his arm; hoping the dark mark would fade. The mark stayed as black as midnight. Although, the skin around the mark was raw and pink.
Draco marched into his fathers room, looking for something to cover his arms. He dug through his drawers and finally came across a formal black suit. It looked to be a bit big, but it would do just fine.
He slipped the suit on, grabbed his wand, and stormed out the door. An owl dropped on his shoulder no later than a second after his foot crossed the threshold. Its peak clenched two letters and a clipping from The Daily Prophet.
Draco ripped open the letters; one from Crabbe and one from Goyle.
Draco,
My dad told me about what happened at your house... wow you're one of us now! My familiy's excited. How's your mum doing? Is she happy? I'd guess she is. See you at school after the holiday's.
Goyle.
How did Goyle's dad know about him becoming a Death Eater? Draco didn't know. He opened the next letter.
Draco,Open the article.Crabbe.Draco tore the off the paper that concealed the newpaper and read it.
Malfoy Family Mischief?
Rita Skeeter.
The Malfoy family has been causing trouble around the wizarding world lately. Lucius Malfoy being locked up and now there are rumors going around that his son, Draco Malfoy, is an alleged Death Eater.
Lucius Malfoy was caught earlier this year in the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic. He was accused of a failed attempt to steal a prophesy concerning You-Know-Who and Harry Potter. He was locked up in Azkaban prisen.
Draco Malfoy, Lucius's son, is rumored to have become a Death Eater a few days after Lucius was taken into custody. They say his reasoning is to avenge his father.
More on this story when it proresses.
Draco threw the article on the ground in frustration. Stupid Rita Skeeter, he thought. She always has to make things seem worst than they really are. How did everybody already know he was a Death Eater. Crabbe, Goyle, Rita, and now most, if not all, of the wizarding world.