I state that I do not own any Harry Potter characters, though this plot is my own. Nagini in human form is also mine, though the snake belongs to the Dark Lord, and both of them belong to J.K. Rowling. Hope you enjoy!
+ Draco was dreading this meeting. The directive had been fulfilled, but not by him. Snape had had to step in. He would be the Dark Lord's favorite, prized beyond all others. And Draco would be murdered.
It had been the threat from the start; that if he didn't complete the task he was assigned, he would be killed. Quite simple, really.
But even in his fear, Draco felt the injustice of it all. Hadn't he completed a task that had been thought impossible? He had smuggled the Death Eaters into Hogwarts? Was this to be forgotten? And Dumbledore WAS dead, no matter who raised the wand in the end.
He shivered. The Dark Lord had made this forest Unplottable, and surrounded it with his enchantments, but had done nothing to warm the place. The Death Eaters were gathered around a bonfire, which flickered strangely and threw shadows onto their masked faces.
They were still recuperating from the Hogwarts battle. Many of the people surrounding the flames bore just-healed scars and burns, marks of the recent struggle. But their eyes blazed with something like triumph. Their enemy's leader had fallen.
Draco drew a long, steadying breath. He had to face his Master in the end.
He began to move, slowly but purposefully, to the dark clearing whence Snape had just emerged. At its edge he stopped, hearing the Dark Lord's voice. He was speaking to someone. Draco shouldn't interrupt, and certainly shouldn't listen, and yet.
"What do you think, Nagini"
His Master spoke in English, not Parseltongue, which surprised Draco. He also spoke as though he expected an answer. To Draco's surprise, he received one. "I think nothing, my lord"
The voice was feminine, soft and whispery. A shiver ran up Draco's spine.
"You hear all, and yet have no opinion? This I cannot believe"
The Dark Lord's voice sounded almost...amused.
"What can I say? I am merely a servant, just as your Death Eaters are servants. I am flattered that you think highly enough of my opinion to ask it of me, but really, will it matter in the end"
Draco was shocked. How could a servant of the Dark Lord refuse him anything? He expected green light to illuminate the clearing at any moment, but instead, the Dark Lord simply spoke again.
"You mean more to me than you can know, Nagini. Were it not for you, I could not have subsisted in Albania, less than spirit, staving off death. Were it not for you, I'd have been missing a key ingredient in the formation of my temporary body. And were it not for you, I would not have my soul split into such a magically powerful number. As Secret Keeper for one seventh of your master's soul, I value you more than any other Death Eater"
Draco was breathing fast. He was not supposed to have this information. His Master would see it in him, and be furious beyond measure. And yet he stood rooted to the spot as this secret conversation continued.
"And so, Nagini, it is for these reasons that I ask your opinion"
"Well my lord," came the almost hiss-like tones of the Dark Lord's companion, "I think that, perhaps, given the success of the mission, you ought to show Lucius' son your mercy. He has shown to be a loyal servant, if a bit rash in some respects"
Draco thought of the necklace and the mead and his face burned.
"He will be a fine addition to your army"
"And what of his unwillingness to kill"
Draco swallowed hard.
"I believe," said the lady calmly, "that his failure in this mission was due to Dumbledore's trickery. He has been the downfall of many older, wiser Death Eaters. Now that he is gone, Draco can become acclimatized to our work without the old man's interference"
Draco was grateful for this unknown source's defense, but he was also confused. Who was she? The only Nagini he knew of was.
"I will take your views into consideration, as always," said the high-pitched voice Draco so feared. "Now change back. Your identity is hidden, even from those servants who are in my inner circle, and I deeply desire to keep it that way"
He saw a light shimmer and fade within the clearing. Then the Dark Lord spoke in Parseltongue, and his snake went gliding away into the night.
After a moment, the Dark Lord spoke again.
"I know you're there, Draco," he said. Draco's bones froze. "Show yourself.."
+ Draco was dreading this meeting. The directive had been fulfilled, but not by him. Snape had had to step in. He would be the Dark Lord's favorite, prized beyond all others. And Draco would be murdered.
It had been the threat from the start; that if he didn't complete the task he was assigned, he would be killed. Quite simple, really.
But even in his fear, Draco felt the injustice of it all. Hadn't he completed a task that had been thought impossible? He had smuggled the Death Eaters into Hogwarts? Was this to be forgotten? And Dumbledore WAS dead, no matter who raised the wand in the end.
He shivered. The Dark Lord had made this forest Unplottable, and surrounded it with his enchantments, but had done nothing to warm the place. The Death Eaters were gathered around a bonfire, which flickered strangely and threw shadows onto their masked faces.
They were still recuperating from the Hogwarts battle. Many of the people surrounding the flames bore just-healed scars and burns, marks of the recent struggle. But their eyes blazed with something like triumph. Their enemy's leader had fallen.
Draco drew a long, steadying breath. He had to face his Master in the end.
He began to move, slowly but purposefully, to the dark clearing whence Snape had just emerged. At its edge he stopped, hearing the Dark Lord's voice. He was speaking to someone. Draco shouldn't interrupt, and certainly shouldn't listen, and yet.
"What do you think, Nagini"
His Master spoke in English, not Parseltongue, which surprised Draco. He also spoke as though he expected an answer. To Draco's surprise, he received one. "I think nothing, my lord"
The voice was feminine, soft and whispery. A shiver ran up Draco's spine.
"You hear all, and yet have no opinion? This I cannot believe"
The Dark Lord's voice sounded almost...amused.
"What can I say? I am merely a servant, just as your Death Eaters are servants. I am flattered that you think highly enough of my opinion to ask it of me, but really, will it matter in the end"
Draco was shocked. How could a servant of the Dark Lord refuse him anything? He expected green light to illuminate the clearing at any moment, but instead, the Dark Lord simply spoke again.
"You mean more to me than you can know, Nagini. Were it not for you, I could not have subsisted in Albania, less than spirit, staving off death. Were it not for you, I'd have been missing a key ingredient in the formation of my temporary body. And were it not for you, I would not have my soul split into such a magically powerful number. As Secret Keeper for one seventh of your master's soul, I value you more than any other Death Eater"
Draco was breathing fast. He was not supposed to have this information. His Master would see it in him, and be furious beyond measure. And yet he stood rooted to the spot as this secret conversation continued.
"And so, Nagini, it is for these reasons that I ask your opinion"
"Well my lord," came the almost hiss-like tones of the Dark Lord's companion, "I think that, perhaps, given the success of the mission, you ought to show Lucius' son your mercy. He has shown to be a loyal servant, if a bit rash in some respects"
Draco thought of the necklace and the mead and his face burned.
"He will be a fine addition to your army"
"And what of his unwillingness to kill"
Draco swallowed hard.
"I believe," said the lady calmly, "that his failure in this mission was due to Dumbledore's trickery. He has been the downfall of many older, wiser Death Eaters. Now that he is gone, Draco can become acclimatized to our work without the old man's interference"
Draco was grateful for this unknown source's defense, but he was also confused. Who was she? The only Nagini he knew of was.
"I will take your views into consideration, as always," said the high-pitched voice Draco so feared. "Now change back. Your identity is hidden, even from those servants who are in my inner circle, and I deeply desire to keep it that way"
He saw a light shimmer and fade within the clearing. Then the Dark Lord spoke in Parseltongue, and his snake went gliding away into the night.
After a moment, the Dark Lord spoke again.
"I know you're there, Draco," he said. Draco's bones froze. "Show yourself.."