First Meeting
Draco would never label himself a coward. He was a man of pride and dignity, as would befit an honourable scion of the Malfoy family. And here he was, having been given the chance to meet the Dark Lord in person; a privilege so many of his acquaintances sought badly.
After all, there was no greater compliment than to be acknowledged by the Dark Lord amongst the House of Slytherin.
Standing before the door, all he had to do was but to wait for Bellatrix's call.
Yet, Draco could not shake off the feeling of unease as time began to slow. His world became no more than a blur, and the only thing he could see was the doorknob. He could feel his father's hand settle on his shoulder, his warm breath ghosting the Draco's ear but couldn't hear a word of what he said. All he could hear was his own breathing, and the silence of his surroundings that seemed to drown all else.
Then, he heard it. The doorknob twisted and the door creaked as it opened. Bellatrix stepped out, her features unreadable, her dark eyes peering directly into Draco's. Her thin lips curled into a smile as she watched Draco remain frozen under her stare. His father mentioned that she was already driven mad by whatever she endured in Azkaban, yet he felt utterly naked before her focused look.
"Draco," Her voice was throaty and low, and she stepped forward lightly, her tall figure towering over the boy.
"Aunt Bellatrix." He regarded curtly, lifting his chin to meet her gaze.
It seemed to fill the woman with amusement, as she gave a high, screeching laugh. Her eyes lit up in mirth, but there was no warmth in them.
"And Lucius as well," Bellatrix turned to his father, her tone dripping with contempt. "Are you truly sure this boy is fit to face the Dark Lord? For his sake, I hope he does not inherit anything... most undesirable."
Lucius' grip on his son's shoulder tightened, but he remained silent. Bellatrix's sneer seemed to soften as she turned to Draco, seemingly to examine him one last time. It looked to be a test of his will; one he could not afford to fail, especially as a pure-blood of the Malfoy family.
Bellatrix bent her body, taking Draco's chin with her finger, levelling her dark eyes with the boy's.
"Such a brave boy," she said. "But will it be enough to redeem your father's disgrace?"
"We have no time for your pointless blathering, Bellatrix." Draco heard his father step forward. "Such sentiments are only fit for those who only know to rot in Azkaban, where they would have been of better use outside of it. Now take us to the Dark Lord; you should know he is not a patient man."
Immediately, the dark woman stood up. Her face inches from Lucius, she bared her teeth in a snarl not unlike an animal, a fierce glare as she narrowed her eyes and her fists clenching. Her composure seemed to be all but lost as she loosed a visceral growl. Then all of a sudden, she covered her mouth and started laughing the same screeching laugh, only this time, it was louder and sounded far more sinister than the last.
"Bravado does not befit a proud man like you, Lucius," she said evenly, before motioning them towards her. "Follow me. The Dark Lord awaits."
"Let us go, Draco," Lucius tapped his son's shoulder, lifting him out of a trance he never knew he was in.
xXx
Contrary to his expectations, the hall was lit majestically.
The chandelier was filled with what seemed like a thousand magical lights, and there was a large banner ahead emblazoned with the sign of a snake.
Below was a large black chair, positioned directly under the banner akin to a throne, and on it sat the Dark Lord himself. Draco hadn't been introduced to the him yet. However, when he saw the him on the chair, he knew.
There was something about the Dark Lord that made him wish to run, to never return, yet he could not move from his spot. He could not escape the snake-like gaze, so distinct and sharp even from the considerable distance between them. He felt himself shaking even though he tensed, and he felt himself freezing even as he forced his body to move forward. The room was almost silent; all he could hear was his thumping heartbeat and their heavy footsteps as they walked towards the Dark Lord.
When Bellatrix knelt and motioned Draco to do the same, it was almost a relief.
"Welcome, Draco Malfoy… last scion of this great family," His voice was soft, yet projected extremely well; it was almost as if he was alone in the room. "I have waited some time to see you. It appears you uphold your values well."
There was a pause.
Draco looked up to meet the Lord's eyes. "It's an… It's an honour, My Lord."
"And now you impress me even more than your father, who cannot even bear to look at me now," the Dark Lord crooned. "You could learn a thing or two from your own son, Lucius."
"We are immensely proud of him, My Lord," Lucius' head remained bowed, his voice managing to remain even.
Draco heard Bellatrix chuckle behind him. The Dark Lord stood up, and lifted Draco's chin with his hand.
"I sense courage in you, Draco, but it is not enough. A proud Slytherin like you must recognise that." The Dark Lord said. "For I wish to save the Wizarding World, and I must have nothing less than your undying loyalty and all your strength. And I know you have been raised well, or am I mistaken?"
Draco had dreamed of this moment for a long time, yet he felt hollow. There was no pleasure, no satisfaction, no pride. Just an emptiness that began to build within him, especially as he glanced towards his father, who hadn't moved from his bowed position.
"Will you aid me?" The Dark Lord extended his pale hand.
The young Malfoy couldn't help but hesitate, but took the Dark Lord's hand. While he hadn't yet known his feelings about it, he knew that this was what he had to do. It was his duty as a pure-blood, as a Malfoy. It was his duty to his father.
"I applaud your conviction, Draco." The Dark Lord acknowledged, his mouth curled into a smile. "Your redemption may yet be fulfilled, Lucius."
END
I kind of like this one, tbh.