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Children of the Mark

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Disclaimer: Okay…Neither of us owns anything dealing with Harry Potter. Of course, it all belongs to Mrs. J.K. Rowlings. Even though…(Sic speaking) I'd love to own Draco…His fine and sexy self… (RatWitch chuckles) I DO OWN LUCIUS! He lives in my basement and is my personal sex slave and he spanks me when I'm bad and…ok, no I don't own him but I can dream. It's all thought up by the legend, JKR! We love you!

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Prologue: What Seems Like So Long Ago…

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It had been such a bother to find a place this secluded. Blackened oak trees showered the yellowed grass in a sea of orange and red leaves that rustled like stray plastic bags when the line of five cloaks drifted out of the tree line. Wisps of cloud that looked like spiders had weaved themselves in and out of the black sky and were sliding smoothly and slowly across the thumbnail shaped moon, dimming its already low-key hues. The camouflage of darkness was a blessing and ironically somewhat like magic. The meeting was of complete secrecy.

"My Lord, if your feet ache we should impede our walk for the moment," a cool, female voice urged, speaking in low tenors to the cloaked figure in front of her.

A hissing gasp rasped from under the hood but ended in a guttural grunt and he raised the back of his thin, long clawed hand in front of her face.

"I am sorry, My Lord," she whispered, hanging her head and shaking it vigorously. They were in a wide opening that had been the result of mans aggression on the earth, the remnants of a house with nothing but the basement surrounded in mossy brick was there to present its failing existence. They were only but a few miles from a small village and this was hardly any place to conduct secret meetings. Anyone could walk into their congregation.

"Inshedious," the hissing, monotone voice droned, whisking his wand in several circular motions, a stream of purple fog frothing from the tip. When the plum colored string of swirling cloud was wrapped in front of the line of Death Eaters like a spiral drawn to hypnotize, it started from the center and began to split apart on both sides. It took the form of two great purple snakes, eyeless and blind, and wrapped itself around the exposed cellar twice before the spiral ring was gone and the violet snake shaped string of clouds were squared around the base of the crumbled house. The head to the heard of death eaters sat on the damp ground, pressed his feet against the wall of the basement and jumped into the mass of crumbled stone below. The second in line pulled her hood off to expose a mass of thick, ebony hair that fell to the curve of her back and turned to face the remaining three that were still hidden under hoods like they were attending a masquerade. "Follow the Master," she commanded, her lids covering heavily over her black eyes. She looked like a ravaging nocturnal devil, her lips pulled back in a serious frown.

Falling into the pit, the landing would have proved rocky and unstable but to the four wizards dropping from the sky, the landing greeted them with soft pillows and the smell of lavender. The floor wasn't made of old brick but satin stuffed with down. There was no furniture but large pillows with fluffy white and crimson tassels. The Dark Lord had already discarded his cloak and laid at ease against a cushion ten times his size, as it devoured him into it. As calm as he looked, the bossy black haired girl stared at him with uneasiness as she struggled to sit up in a straight position.

His slanted green eyes were closed and his breath was calm and consoled. He was dressed in ruby red robes with copper snake emblems clasped down the front. He had made her fix up his wasted brunette hair earlier this evening and now stringy pieces of thin straw were coming quickly unraveled from the professional bun she had to exactingly create at the back of his head. Tom 'Voldemort' Riddle began pushing the pieces back in place. It was as if he had no cares in the world when the entire wizarding population was looking for them. He was more worried about his hair.

He was also more worried about the formal procedure then the important issue at hand.

"My Lord, I know you think the induction is imperative but," the raven-eyed woman started, her face flushed with concern.

"Shush," he hissed without opening his eyes. The rushing sound of his breathing from the slits in the middle of his wrinkled face became deeper. "I can feel you rushing into my head like a whirlwind. Stay away; I'm warning you, Zabini. I do not wish to speak of it now. Soon, the time will come. If you speak out of turn once again I will have shunned from this life, do you understand me?" His eyes blazed open in an instant and the jade, blood stirring color of his eyes, in all entireties, frightened the woman. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"


Closing her eyes, she nodded knowingly.


"Now," he purred with delight, rubbing his clawed hands together, as if nothing had even happened, looking from the black haired woman to the white haired man who was just now straightening himself against a mound of maroon cushions. "I would like to hear about your kin, Draco and Blaise."

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"Are you scared?"

He looked upon her with eyes of steely gray. With one single hand laid unmovingly on his mantle place, she gazed into the fire, the flames licking at the hearth with a desire to smolder the stone without prevail. A small smile played her red lips as she held back her urges to laugh, the fire dancing tulles in her big brown eyes.

"...It's only a meeting with your father., even though he scares the hell out of me," she snorted, looking away from the roaring fire. She changed from a thin smile to a mock, stone-like expression. In almost a whisper, she spoke to him. "How do you feel about this?"

He smirked to the back of the flame haired girl. Removing himself from his leather armchair beside the fireplace, the blonde placed himself beside her. "Virginia," he breathed sweetly, "I'm seldom scared of anything. To answer your question, though, I'm not really sure how I feel. It's just a meeting."

The young Gryffindor rolled her brown eyes and turned to face him. "I'm not too sure myself. What time is it?"

Draco gave a sigh of annoyance. "We have about twenty minutes before my father arrives."

She rolled her eyes and glided towards the door. A rumble of her stomach could be heard throughout the room. She couldn't recall the last time she had had a full meal. "Well, I'm off to the kitchens. I'll be back soon." She raised her eyes at him in anxiousness and turned a heel. Draco watched her leave and remained standing in front of the fireplace, the heat warming all of his left side. When the door closed soundly behind her he said, "Like I care…," and he didn't.

They hated each other, true, but Virginia Weasley was not the same girl from all those years ago. She had become what everyone thought her not to be…all in secret, of course. The red head played two roles in a dangerous game called espionage. She left no clue that she had enough evil in her for three death eaters, but it showed at their meetings and from what she had told him, in between insults of course.

To her brave Gryffindors, she was innocent and pure. Ron's little sister could do no wrong. She did well in her classes and helped anyone who needed her…Virginia was known as a mere shadow of the dream team and the famous Harry Potter…but to the Slytherins, she was one of them. Cunning and loyal to them until the end, Virginia learned a great deal from the snakes. With the help of Draco and a select few other Slytherins, the dark arts became second nature to her and the actress that she was. A certain blonde haired Slytherin did not do it because he wanted to. Lucius, the mighty and powerful Malfoy senior, had assigned him to her…She was just another assignment he was going to pass with an 'A'…plain and simple.

Draco hated how she got the better treatment from everyone. Even his own house treated her with more respect than him. He was quite enticing but what did she have that he didn't? He was a MALFOY, for crying out loud.

He stayed there alone for about ten minutes when the door burst open, making sound noises as it smacked the wall. In walked a boy of sixteen with ebony colored hair and skin of the purest white. He acknowledged Draco with a single glance and dropped himself into one of the blonde's many armchairs. After sighing heavily, he looked towards the boy standing by the fireplace; his lips curled up in a snooty smile.

"Malfoy, when is your father supposed to get here?" he asked with arrogance. He knew how pointing out things Draco had no control over--like his father that was being late for example--made the silvery haired devil steam.

Draco successfully fought off the urges to rebuke him for his severe insolence on Lucius Malfoy and smirked. "I'm glad that you could join me, Zabini. What was the delay this time? I'm sure you were out snogging Parkinson again. Haven't you gained any taste yet?"

Blaise looked at him for a long minute and arched a thin eyebrow. "Well, well, well...Are you jealous, Malfoy? Do you want a go at her?"

Draco's could not hold it in as his laughter rang throughout the room. His smirk grew as he replied with a sneer. "Like I'd mess with something you've touched. No, I'd much rather have a go at your twin."

At hearing the comment that was way below the belt, Blaise jumped from his chair. He felt himself grow hot as the blonde haired boy continued to show malice. How dare he talk of my sister that way? He doesn't know what fire he's playing in.

Draco praised himself mentally for hitting a nerve. Good one, Draco. He continued to smirk, while suppressing laughs from watching Blaise's eyes grow at an alarming pace.

Shaking off Draco's last statement, Blaise bore his golden eyes into Draco's gray ones. With an accomplished smile, the ebony boy retorted. "Like my sister would touch you," the ebony boy laughed lightly. "Face it Malfoy, you aren't good enough for someone like Carmilla."

It was secret to no one that Draco and Blaise detested each other. They had been making cheap shots and brawling with each other for years. Contrary to what everyone else thought, though, it had nothing to do with their individual selves but everything to do with a beautiful young lady that no one dared loath. She was lovely beyond her years--and this was only when she was eleven. She had gone away, going to a magic school in France. The only time the boys got to see her was on summer vacations, where she'd spend all of her time at Malfoy Manor, working hard on her black magic.

Draco was about to say something further when his door burst opened for the second time that night. In walked a stunningly tall man of 39 with long, silky white hair that was tied with a Victorian patterned bow, the tail of white whisking in between his thighs as he strode in. He was accompanied by two cloaked figures...death eaters. Draco, nor Blaise, could see their faces. Lucius looked upon the two boys with incandescent eyes. The corners of his mouth were threatening a smile. He seemed...happy.

"I must apologize for the extensive wait. As you know, there was a meeting." His voice trailed as the smile stretched fully across his features. Draco had never seen his father so--if he dared to say--excited. "I'm pleased to announce you, my son, and Blaise Zabini will be inducted into the Dark Circle tonight." Draco gasped. Blaise, who had jumped to his feet from the door bursting open, stood unmoved. Both boys wore expressions of surprise, forgetting completely about their previous argument.

Lucius beamed at his son. For the first time, hard word and patience would not go unrecognized. Lucius was so sure his son wouldn't have made it along so nicely but he had surprised both he and the Dark Lord. Draco had spent years preparing for this moment. Finally, he would bare the mark. He'd wanted it every since he could remember.

Lucius had never pushed his son towards the mark. He had wanted it to be solely Draco's decision because he knew Draco's decision would be the right decision the every Malfoy had in their blood to make. Not so many others had it this easy. For that, Draco had been relieved.

Blaise knew that receiving the mark is what he'd always been expected of. He did not fight the obvious. He and his sister had several squabbles about it. She always wanted to stay loyal to their father, while it took Blaise everything he had not to jump all over him every chance he had. Their father was a bastard and nothing would change that. Yet, it had finally been decided; his fate was finally chosen for him. Are you happy now, father?

They followed him out of the room, down the cold stonewalls that were filled with portraits. The ancestry of the Malfoy's. Blaise and Draco followed close behind the black-clad figures and Lucius. They walked for what seemed like hours but it ended abruptly. They stood in front of a medieval type painting. The frame was concealed in silver snakes, while the actual picture consisted of a man adorned in Slytherin robes and a tight smirk. Thomas Riddle…

Lucius muttered a password none of them could decipher and the portrait swung forth, revealing a chamber flooded with rich greens and pure silvers. A cold chill sliced through their skins as they stepped into the immense room. A giant circular stone plate was raised in the middle, with green water surrounding the outer edges. Black robes outlined the plate, bowing on knees to their master that sat in a high throne gracing the middle wall. As Lucius lead them towards the middle, the two death eaters that had been leading him stopped. Lucius stepped around them and took his place by the Dark Lord.

Tom Riddle. The Dark Lord. Lord…Voldemort. Draco and Blaise stared at him. The blonde looked intently in amazement while the ebony haired boy looked upon him with disgust. They watched him rise from his seat slowly, calculating the movements of the new blood entering his chamber. When he spoke, his voice was youthful and sharp.

"Ahh, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini, I'm so glad you could join us. I'm sure Lucius has informed you of why your presence is needed here…" His green slits bore into their wide eyes with unsurpassed intensity, tuffs of air rising from his snake-like nostrils from the chill in the room. It was almost as if the deformed wizard himself was the one making it so unpleasantly cold. Riddle waited for one of them to speak, but neither did. The tightness of his features allowed only a smirk as he stood in front of his high back chair. "Please come forth children."

Blaise felt as if his feet were rooted to the spot, but managed to walk anyway. He looked to Draco, who wore a similar expression of surprise and maybe…fear. They both walked around the still kneeling black clad figures that had stopped just in front of them. Once in front of the standing form of Tom, they bent on one knee, becoming one with silence.

A hissing laugh fulfilled their ears.

"Now you will receive your mark…"

Draco let out a repressed breath. This is finally it. An overwhelming feeling corrupted his spine as he watched their Dark Lord bring his wand tip to the flesh on his forearm. The young voice was soothing and calm.

"Mortismorsus."

At first, an unfamiliar coldness surrounded his arm, but it soon turned into searing heat. It felt like the fire of unbound vehemence had bit at his flesh. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes tightly…hoping the unwanted feeling would disappear soon. As if someone had answered his prayers, the pain vanished. Draco looked upon his newly branded flesh with wide eyes. His gaze fell upon a rotted human skull that was the color of night. A silver serpent slithered gracefully out of the skull's mouth and wrapped itself around the black symbol. A feeling of accomplishment flooded his senses as he looked into his father's eyes. Finally…

Standing beside him, the ebony haired boy watched Draco in loathing. 'How can he be so proud of something so evil?' The next thing Blaise knew, Tom was standing in front of him with a knowing look playing his features. He brandished his wand tip upon the pale skin of the boy's forearm, his voice becoming tight and calculating while looking upon the boy he knew didn't want to be there…

"Mortismorsus."

The feeling that fulfilled Draco's senses fell upon Blaise like a waterfall. It was the coldness and then the scolding heat. He felt as if his arm would explode at minute if the searing warmth did not leave him. It soon vanished just as Draco's did. Blaise was left with a mark that made him nothing more than one of them.

"Now then, resume your prior positions and we'll begin the binding."

Draco's eyebrow crinkled at the word binding as he made his way back behind the cloaked figures. What in the hell is he talking about…? I hope he isn't saying what I think he's saying… but their Dark Lord had something so much more in mind. Blaise stood knowingly beside Draco. The black haired boy chuckled lightly to himself. So…he's resulted in the ancient spells, has he? How pathetic…

"Now, I will give you both a brief explanation. I know some might be confused." His green slits glittered as he looked upon his newly branded members. "You two, along with two of my most loyal followers," he gestured to the figures still in the center of the room, ", will be bound together to serve as an elite force. I ask that you take notice of your marks. They are different than the others." With that, every soul that had lines the steel plate donned their arms, making skull-ish marks shine against their skins and Tom was right; theirs were different.

A sense of nervousness rose within Draco's soul. He did not know where this speech was going but he knew that it would change his life. He looked to his black haired enemy…Blaise watched the two figures in front of him. A feeling of closeness was slowly encasing him…luring his mind towards their presence. A strange feeling of love electrified his senses as he continued to stare at them. His confusion was evident.

"We've waited a very long time for this binding. I needed four children I could trust…Ones I knew would not let me down. I've waited on you two for a year now…but now the circle is complete." Their Lord fell into a fiendish grin. "Now, meet the two people you will be bound to for eternity." Even though his voice was more quite than usual, a coldness still coursed through it.

Suddenly, the death eaters stood before the two boys, stillness confining them. With a wave of a spiny hand, the hoods to the robed figures dropped to reveal two people Draco…and Blaise, for that matter, had never expected to see here.

Long, silky black hair tumbled from the hood. With the skin of light, her lamp-like golden eyes twinkled with unknown emotions flashing silver every so often. She bore those golden orbs into Blaise's like ones, absorbing his confusion and hurt that shimmered so truthfully across his pale face.

Her fellow DE stood at her side, her head of flames and eyes of emerald green that lusted with excitement. Instead of her sweetness and innocence, a stance of pure fury consumed the small redhead. A smirk that rivaled Draco's played her small lips as she gazed open Draco's very unenlightened features.

Suddenly, a silver chalice appeared between the black clad figures and the boys. Realization hit them both as they took in the full presence of the very beautiful death eaters standing in their wake. It was none other than the Gryffindor…Virginia Wealsey and Blaise's sister…Carmilla Zabini.

Without any words the girls faced the goblet and, with swift movements, they both had silver daggers in their hands. Where they came from, the boys did not know.

Virginia stepped towards the large silver cup and held the dagger to her wrist. Closing her eyes, she moved the blade over her flesh, revealing crimson liquid. At opening her eyes, she watched amusedly as her blood drained into the cup. She then replaced herself where she once stood.

Blaise watched his sister, not at all surprised of this revelation. His father had always wanted her to be one of them. He allowed his eyes to lock with hers, which were watching him carefully. He did not know how she could not have told him. Even after their interludes, how had he not noticed? Someone who he thought to be a kind-hearted person…was now…nothing more than one of them…Death itself…

Unexpectedly, she stepped around the table that held the cup and placed herself beside her brother. He looked at her with impassive eyes as she took his hand in hers. Blaise felt himself being pulled towards the chalice, but his skin was numb. Taking her dagger, she moved it across his wrist causing his blood to seep into the awaiting goblet. He did not flinch or take notice of pain. After she let go of his hand, he stepped back in place. He would be just one of them…walking Death.

The mirror of her brother gracefully made her way around the ebony haired boy. Her golden eyes locked with a familiar pair of gray ones. They searched hers. Draco knew what was coming…the same thing that had happened to his loathed enemy. She was going to cut him and steal his precious blood. He turned his head towards his father's black clad figure. Lucius looked upon his son with gleeful eyes. His proudness was unmistakable.

Looking down at the dagger, he felt himself becoming anxious. The thrill of excitement flooded his senses as she pulled him towards the table. Her movements were quick and graceful as she placed the blade beside his flesh and sliced it open. Draco gasped in surprise as coldness enveloped his soul.

After Draco fell back into place, Carmilla walked quietly back to her position beside Virginia. She closed her eyes and stepped forward; stealing glances at the people surrounding her…she was allowing herself to actually do this. Things will not be the same…but they haven't been for a while now. She looked to Virginia, who had quickly healed her arm; they would now be blood sisters. Her gaze fell upon her brother and Draco. They were scowling at each other in unattractive manners. They would now be blood brothers. A small smirk played her lips as the blade came to her own wrist. Closing her eyes and smiling fully, she gashed the skin open.

The pain seared her mind as the life giving substance fell from her arm and into the chalice. The goblet was full.

Insane happiness filled the Dark Lord as he watched the young black haired girl cut and filled the cup for him. Such a good little servant. As he stood for a second time, all four children kneeled. His black cloak trailing slowly as he made his way down towards the middle of his chamber. Wrapping his hand around the silver hallow, he moved the tip of his wand into the crimson liquid that consisted of their special blood. After stirring it easily, Tom allowed himself a taste. Good indeed…

As he removed his wand, the blood stained at the tip, emitting the glow of night even though the substance was still red. One by one, he called them forth, allowing them sips of their serums and placing his tip to their marks. As their combined bloods ran over their already there marks, a unique glow surrounded them. For Virginia, the glow was of a fiery red…encircling the snake and then turning into an acid like liquid exiting the creature's mouth. Draco's allowed the deepest green, doing the same as the Gryffindor's had done.

Blaise stared his Lord in the eye as he downed the crimson liquid and turned away as the blue of a thousand oceans marked his already scarred skin…his sister had been different. She looked upon Tom fondly, allowing him special smiles as she drank their blood and watched his crooked hands stain her with the brightest gold.

Tom stepped away from the children as the four looked from each other to the next. With another wave of his hand, they lifted hoods of their Death Eaters robes and encircled their faces, allowing no light to their skins or features. He then began chanting the final spell…One that would complete the process and allow no one to ever turn back.

"Ita is ea id finis. Andron no itaque bellum." All four of the children repeated after him and then came to a knell once more, knowing this was it for the rest of their lives.

Their fates had been chosen. Everything they had ever stood for will vanish. A love that is so true envelopes them and allows only the hate of an unfaithful friend entrance once the one that will try to hurt the circle is exposed. Then there will be personal loss and physical hurt. The children of the mark will prevail and allow a merciless power to encase the world. Virginia…Draco…Blaise…and Carmilla…will allow evil to overrun the world and finish the once genocide like plans of a powerful house master. Slytherins will reign supreme once again…

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Author Notes: So Far, So Good

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..::..::..:: RatWitch ::..::..::..

*Applauds* Oh, look! We have finally decided on the prologue and isn't it wonderful? This story has been in brainstorm mode for several weeks and finally getting something out of an outline and into a real story is really such a thrilling thing, especially since I'm writing with one of the best fan fiction authors I've come to know and love ^_^ So…erm…this is it! Enjoi!

*..*..* SicDreamsInc *..*..*

It is I! Yep…I would just like to say I enjoying working with RatWitch so much. She's such a talented lil 'ol thing. Writing this prologue, as well as the whole story, was and is going to be the most exciting thing I've ever done. Alright…now on to the readers…um…What more is there to say…If you read…you review…please!