Chapter 1
"Umph."
"Hurry up, Draco." Severus Snape hissed as he caught hold of the boys' elbow and pulled him up from his stumble. "The Dark Lord will not be pleased if we are late."
In a distance, Draco heard the mad cackling of his Aunt Belatrix, swishing her wand and skipping toward the old Martyl Estate.
"Quickie, quickie, quikieeeee!" she sang, eyes feasting on the mansion ahead for just a minute before she ran back to Snape and Draco. "Oh he is going to be ecstatic!"
"Is that emotion even possible for the Dark Lord." Draco mumbled.
She grabbed him by the chin and the party stopped.
"Belatrix." Snape mumbled, "you might want to lower your wand from the boys' head. It wouldn't be your wisest move to blow him up to pieces."
She rolled her eyes then glaring at Draco said "Watch your tongue, dear nephew." Then she grinned madly, kissed him on the cheek and turned to Snape. "You don't think I'd actually destroy my own flesh and blood do you!" she shrieked then burst into mad giggles and ran ahead of them.
Snape glanced down at Draco as they trudged on through the muddy path. His tired face held eyes that shifted from looks of hate to those of disdain. He sighed. There was truly a long journey ahead for the boy.
The three reached the door of the mansion and it was swung open by a ghost butler.
"Oh hello, Matkinson! Have you seen my sister or has she locked herself in some room to bawl her eyes out!"
"Narcissa is in the court. The assembly is about to begin, Belatrix." He replied calmly.
"Hmph." She responded, tossing her coat at him and skipping off to the court.
"Draco, come." Said Snape softly as he stood at the door.
The boy was standing on the porch, starring out at the sky as rain began to fall.
"He's dead." Draco's smooth low voice came out a whisper.
"Yes."
Silence.
"Come, Draco."
Snape calmed down as he heard the familiar sound of heels tapping against marble making its way toward them.
"Where is he?" came a concerned voice as a delicate hand grasped his shoulder from the back. Draco whipped his head around and immediately walked toward the door. Narcissa pushed past Snape with her alms wide open and enveloped him in a strong hug. Tears shone in her eyes but never fell. "My darling boy." She whispered, one hand stroking his hair and the other holding him tightly. She kissed his forehead as he pushed her away.
"Mother." He greeted.
She smiled warmly at him.
"It's done. Snape did it."
She nodded, then moving aside, nodded toward the court. Draco strode determinedly past her. He was doing this for his family.
The sky was lit with the glow of thousands of wands. Ginny Weasley held Harry Potter's hand in a tight grasp. Slowly, one by one, students left the grounds with instructions from Professor McGonagall to pack and prepare themselves for the homeward journey.
"Dumbledore's dead. He's not coming back, Harry." Said Hermione as she and Ron came to stand by Ginny.
Harry nodded then let go of Ginny's hand.
"This won't work." He said, looking her straight in the eye. "You understand...don't you." He continued, voice barely audible.
"Yes." She nodded, not moving.
She felt her brother's hand on her back.
Harry took a step toward her.
"You understand why don't you?" he asked, pleading.
"Of course." Her face was a blank but she did understand. Harry had other obligations and she wasn't one of them right now. Or at least, she wasn't the priority.
He held her cheek in the palm of her hand but she didn't react to him. "Thanks, Gin."
Then not looking at anyone else, he turned and walked back to the castle, cloak billowing behind him.
"Harry." Ron started, but Hermione pulled him back.
"Give him time." She said.
"Right. I'm going to pack. I'll see you." And without waiting for an answer, she jogged back to the castle.
When Draco entered the court, he stopped at the door. Narcissa and Snape stopped immediately behind him. The soft murmurs that were running through the room slowly died down and Voldermort turned to look at him.
"You made it." He said, and gave a rare grin. "Come in, boy." He hissed.
Draco took a good look around the room before walking in. Unmasked deatheaters stood all around the rounded court. A large circular space was left empty and in the centre of it was the other side of the vanishing cabinet he had fixed. The half that was once in Knockturn Alley. He stood tall, before the Dark Lord.
"Mr Malfoy here," he addressed the crowd, "has earned his place amongst my higher ranked deatheaters. He has shown little bravery perhaps, seeing that it was Severus that killed the old man, but he is undoubtedly one of the brightest, powerful young deatheaters among us." He finished, giving Draco a nod of approval. Draco's face remained emotionless.
"Mr Malfoy, take your seat." He continued, waving behind him to the long line of highly intricate wooden chairs, meant for only the most useful, talented deatheaters. Everyone was filled and Draco noticed, for the first time, a new addition to the set.
He took his place.
Immediately, Belatrix gave a loud whoop and then bursting into laughter, twirled on the spot.
"Belatrix, behave." Warned the Dark Lord, eyeing her with slight disgust.
"Family." She stated, finally standing still and throwing the Dark Lord a smug look. He nodded.
"Wands out."
A hundred wands were whipped out from the pockets of the surrounding deatheaters.
"We welcome, Draco Malfoy." And a hundred dark marks were thrown into the air bobbing up and down against the ceiling in an eery welcome and acceptance of their newest member.
Ginny was lying flat on her bed, starring up at the ceiling. Her bags were packed and she had two hours before they left the castle. Her mind was flipping through memories of the year. She had finally kissed Harry that year. She couldn't say it was fireworks and falling rose petals but it was a sweet enough kiss to make her grin and giggle at the memory of it. She allowed a slight smile to grace her features. But it was over now. Or rather, it was over for the time being and she wouldn't let herself fall into melancholic wishful thinking.
'but just one more time' she thought. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up. Jumping off the bed, she slipped her shoes on, grabbed her wand and walking down the stairs, pulled her cloak over her knee length emerald green dress.
"Where are you of to, Gin?" asked Hermione who was on her way up the stairs.
"Room of Requirement."
Hermione caught her arm. "Look Ginny if you ever need to talk, I'm all ears alright?"
Ginny smiled. "Yeah thanks, Hermione...but it really isn't that big a deal you know?"
Hermione nodded. "What are you going there for anyway?"
"Oh you know...memories." she grinned back.
Hermione laughed remembering the night Ginny came rushing into her room, cheeks blushing and eyes sparkling and the girls parted.
Ginny practically ran to the room. For one last time she would just stand there and remember.
The room was as she remembered. Light sliding in through the tall windows, all kinds of objects scattered across the room. She slowly made her way to the very spot that she kissed Harry. It was in front of an oddly shaped cabinet with a triangular top. She stopped and closed her eyes, remembering the moment. She couldn't quite recapture the bliss she felt originally. Sighing, Ginny turned to investigate the cabinet. The door was beautiful carved. She reached out for the knob then hesitated. It could be dark magic. It could be another diary...or potions book. Then pushing her paranoia away, she held the knob firmly and opened the door. It was empty but it seemed to go deep and far beyond as she starred at the blank space before her. She stuck her head in it and leaned in. Something tugged her abdomen and she felt the door scoop her legs up and the cabinet tilted forward pushing her into itself. Panicking, Ginny swung her arms around trying to find something to hold on to but she could only slam her palms against the side of the cupboard. It was pitch black. Her heart hammered against her chest.
"Oh Merlin I'm a git." She muttered, eyes wide and frantically trying to see something...anything in the darkness that surrounded her.