Teeny tiny droplet of crimson claim,
Staining culprits suit as a polka dot prayer.
Simple white mask of man's black urge,
Father never did the deed, the boy is not a son.
Soul escaping on the sigh, the human essence gone,
Sun glares on a new presence with burning flesh aroma.
Silver polish stench and greenback glimmer stages,
Records fade and dust decay, dimensions lose their depth.
Back-stabbing, hair-grabbing, façade-toting, tongue-biting,
Pain creep in the air.
The wind screamed through the thin gaps in the casements of the great stain glass window presiding over the grand staircase of Hogwarts. It was rapidly approaching midnight and all was deathly quiet as the residents of the castle had long gone to their respective beds.
All but one that is. A lone figure crept silently down the stairway and across the entrance hall, his steps muffled by the thick crimson carpet on the floor and the soft soles of his expensive dragon hide boots. All that could be heard was the soft crackling of a solitary torch glowing in its bracket, highlighting the hall in a soft golden hue until it too burnt out.
The figure glanced around one last time just in case he had missed any lurking spies in the darkness. Satisfied, he quietly heaved open the huge oak front doors and stepped out into the windy night.
The wind dipped and soared rapidly as it whipped around the castle and the teenage boy that was picking his way down the gently sloping bank to the lake. The air had a tangy, humid feel to it as it has a tendency to do before a rather large storm.
Back in the entrance hall of the castle one of the shadows near the burnt out torch moved.
The boy had settled himself on one of the rocks that protruded out over the lake with a contemplative look on his face. The wind blew ripples across the water. His heartfelt sigh was lost in the breeze.
A tall dark shadow had reached the other end of the hall. It was unaware of the other presence that was watching it, unseen from a tiny alcove near the great hall behind a statue of Aethelwhite the Pure. The only sound that could be heard was the taller shadow's hushed breathing behind its black mask.
The boy by the lake ran his fingers through silky white blond hair, twisting a strand of it forwards so he could glimpse it in the moonlight. A wry smile lifted his lips briefly and he leaned over the side of the rock to look at himself reflected in the shimmer of the slowly lapping waves of the water below.
The masked man was now standing behind a tree not ten feet away from the boy leaning over the water. A wisp of white blond hair escaped the black velvet hood and the man impatiently scraped it back. A soft gasp was let out involuntarily by the invisible one who was currently crouching only three feet away from him. The gasp went unheard, except perhaps by the wind.
Flashback
Gasping in pain, Draco pressed a shaking hand against the floor in a vain effort to get to his feet. His palm slipped in the violent lashings of blood dashed in a harsh contrast of bright red against the stately white of the cold marble floor. He winced as his elbow connected sharply with the stone.
"-You're weak! You'll always be weak!" Lucius was screaming at him. Silvery blonde hair, identical to Draco's, was slipping out of its velvet ribbon with his furious movements.
His staff tipped with a silver serpent struck a pillar with a crack that rebounded throughout the high-ceilinged hall in Malfoy Manor. The Death Eater's grey eyes were frosty and narrowed with a maddened glint in them. Flecks of spit flew from his mouth as he shouted.
Narcissa, the Lady of the house, was trembling with fear as she clutched at the old, ornate fireplace for support. She cowered as her husband strode purposely towards her and suddenly threw her viciously across the room by her hair. Several long strands of the once glossy array of rippling blonde waves were torn loose and remained in Lucius' leather gloved grip.
Flinching against the sounds of muffled screams and sobs, Draco started a slow and agonizing crawl to where his mother lay helplessly as his father beat her senseless.
"Stop it…"
The pained whisper had an instant result. Lucius swung swiftly around to grin sadistically at his son, dragging his wife by the neck as he went. The dead weight made the movement look almost drunken, which it probably was.
"Oh I'll stop it my beloved son and heir. I'll stop it as soon as you come to your senses and give in to fate. I'll stop it as soon as you succumb to your destiny and bow down to the Dark Lord and complete your task. Don't think you're special, we al have to make sacrifices to aid the greater good!"
"I won't hurt her," spluttered Draco round a mouthful of blood, " neither will you! I will never grovel on my hands and knees like a common beast like you do everyday to some monster because you're a pathetic, abusive BASTARD!"
Lucius hissed and reared back in fury at his son's words like a cobra about to strike. The skeletally gaunt figure of a dark haired woman stood shaking with laughter in Draco's path. Bellatrix narrowed her eyes with insane glee as she swooped down on the boy's broken body and jerked it up in her arms.
"Ohhhhh, Draco. Beautiful Draco. Poor ickle Draco, all bruised and sliced up," she licked her chapped lips thoughtfully, "Never mind, my sweet. I still think you're desirable. Let your woman kiss it better now." Tilting her head her long dark hair slid forward into Draco's face. As he struggled to pull back from her she sniggered and tossed it back over her shoulder and grabbed the side of his face so that he couldn't move.
Draco shuddered as she slowly dragged her tongue up the entire length of his cheek before sighing blissfully and letting a silly giggle escape her lips. As she leaned in for more the stern voice of Lucius interrupted them.
" That will be all Bella, this is not a fitting occasion, not when he is still refusing to acknowledge his rightful place in our circle." Lucius remained looking angry for a moment before seeming to come to a decision and his features calmed. "Well, if that's the way you want to play it, boy, I can see I'll have to clear up after you once again. You belong to our master and there is nothing you can do about it. Say goodbye to the only one who has ever loved you!"
A sickening crunch of severed nerves and bones twisting and snapping under pressure filled the air as the Lord of Malfoy Manor tightly gripped his semi-conscious wife's neck and violently wrenched it to one side. Narcissa's eyes bulged briefly in shock and then glazed over as all life fled her battered body.
Everything was frozen for a moment in a horrific tableau of murderous revenge, until an unearthly cry rent the air. Draco was screaming. A wordless protest of utter pain, misery and loss that steadily grew in volume, rebounding off the lofty ceilings and walls, pure emotion caught up in a single sound.
Lucius' Dark Mark throbbed. His master required his presence, he had to leave immediately. The scream was cut off instantaneously as Draco was hit sharply in the back of the head as his father and Bellatrix apparated away from the property to serve their master.
End Flashback
The water rippled softly as a solitary tear made its way down the side of Draco's face and plopped into the lake. He'd had to place a silencing charm around his dormitory bed since the new term had begun as he would constantly find himself waking up screaming at all hours of the night. The scenes of his mother's death replayed itself over and over in his mind, though he refused to be afraid of his father, he could not rid himself of his anger and hurt and thoughts of revenge had often crossed his mind.
This was why he was out here tonight. The calm of being alone at night in the refreshing pre-storm breeze allowed him to collect his thoughts. He would go to Dumbledore as soon as the morning came and offer his services against his Father. That would be sure to irritate him the most. It would never destroy him; Lucius could be in Voldemort's bad books for this but it would never destroy him. Nobody could do that, short of killing him, but it was a good a start as any.
AN - This chapter might seem a bit short as I was unsure how to go on and I figured I might as well post what I had to see what you all thought. Please review as I have been working on this fic for a while and have pretty much abandoned all my other stories in favour of writing this one.
