CHAPTER 1

'You have failed me Draco" hissed the dark lord, "my lord please-"' SILENCE! You know perfectly well Narcissa that as merciful as I am, failure is something I cannot condone.'

Draco kneeling on the ground at Voldemort's feet, had his eyes trained on the hard marble floor of his own house- one that he could no longer call his home-, hate, anger and resentment, a spinning world pool in their stormy grey depths, his hands balled into fists.

He had been given the mission as a punishment for his parent's transgressions, he was meant to fail. Severus had tried to tell him before, make him understand, to help him. But he had not listened, had been too proud, too arrogant and though he wouldn't admit- too scared, 'I was a fool' he thought spitefully. It really is interesting how deaths inevitability can change ones perspective.

He had heard the death eaters his father's so called comrades and friends, his guards while he was detained in the dungeons awaiting his judgment, talking about the fate of his family as if it were the joke of the decade. They were to be made a example of, Voldemort (curious how the name came so easily now) did not tolerate mistakes and Lucius had made his fair share of them, the son was to pay for the sins of the father' how pathetically poetic' Draco thought spitefully.

About his father's transgressions Draco was not entirely certain but whatever they were, it hadn't mattered at the time, the dark lord had assured him and his family full pardon if he could complete the tasks given to him. The first had been successful he had fixed the damned cabinet enabling the death eaters to enter Hogwarts. The second however seemed to have found its way flushed down a toilet.

He was naïve to think he knew better, to think he had it in him to take the life of another. He had at first tried to be one of them. It was not until he was on that tower facing his would-be victim that he realized what he was, nothing but a' pompous ignorant arrogant brat!' He had be unable to take a life even if it was of a man who probably had very little time on the mortal plane considering how old he was, what was he now 160 -200?.

He quickly sobered after that thought. Dumbledore had offered Draco help, a chance even when it was he himself who was in mortal peril. Anyway it didn't matter did it he was going to die he had been unable to finish his given task moreover his mother had gone behind the dark lords back, made the unbreakable vow that was the icing on the cake, the thing meant to save Draco's life had now sealed his fate.

"Any last words Draco?" the voice had not been loud but it was forceful enough to jar him from his internal monologue. Did he have any words yes plenty he wanted to scream at his father for dragging him into this life of hell, for enslaving him to a master he never wanted. He wanted to show him what a hypocrite he was for himself serving someone with mixed blood when he boasted his pureblood heritage to the world, yes Draco knew the truth for it had been shouted form his rivals lips that night loud and clear and not disputed by Voldemort's most loyal. But most of all he wanted to tell his mother he loved her.

Draco made his decision if he was going to die he might as well die with his pride and dignity intact he would not cower beneath someone who according to his upbringing was suppose to be inferior to him. Not that blood purity mattered any more but it was a matter of principle. "Yes" he said raising his head, he looked directly into the red eyes of his would-be killer and with the smirk that was in pure essence Draco Malfoy and a tone which to date was only reserved for one Hermione Granger he said " Go to hell you filthy Mudblood!".

The silence that followed was deafening all the death eaters gathered and looked in wide eyed astonishment at the kneeling 17 year old who had dared to speak in such a tone to the greatest dark wizard of all time, as for Voldemort himself, anger radiated off him in smoldering waves and everyone around could feel the heat and they shrank back Draco's own parents among them.

Voldemort cold glare pierced Draco like a Dagger but he refused to flinch, he would at least die with dignity and slowly the wand raised and came to rest just above his heart " AVADA-" stop!" came the soft yet firm voice from the middle of the assembly. "Arianna to what do I owe the pleasure." the anger in the dark lords voice at being interrupted was undisguised and palpable.

" I want the boy" said the woman as the crows parted. She was beautiful according to Draco long scarlet hair definitely not a Weasely and eyes as deep and blue as the clear ocean on a summer day. But she was much too pale. "He is to be punished for his and his family's' transgressions" "True enough but you are intending to kill him correct." Red anger clashed with a wall of blue calm and Draco wondered how this woman who dared to stand up to the likes of Voldemort and carry the air of superiority in his presence still lived and then it hit him as she stepped into the dim light of the candles she wasn't alive.

Draco had learnt about the undead at school, impossible to detect amongst regular humans unless you know what you're looking for and she had all the signs the unnatural beauty the dangerous aura that told you to run like hell in the opposite direction it seemed to effect Voldemort as well if the tightened grip on his wand was any indication.

As if to confirm Draco's suspicions she said "you know that that little stick has no effect on me don't you I am dead hence …. , anyway back to the point, I tend to stray, if the boy is to die it should make little difference how he should meet his end. I am tired form my long journey and I need nourishment a snack for the road home if you will and did u not tell me yourself I could have my pick of victims?"Voldemorts voice reflected his distaste, but then a cruel smile curved onto his face, "true but that is if you promised to lend me as many of your vampire soldiers as I needed the quota falls short." "I may belong to one of the first bloodlines Voldemort and they may respect me for that but I cannot command them, I gave them the choice to join you and many chose to do so the rest however want nothing to do with this war, now are you going to deny you guest a meal". Voldemort swept one look over Draco's defiant eyes and then to the terrified eyes of his parents before he replied quiet nonchalantly, " as you wish he is yours."

"No!" it had been his mother's voice before she had been silence with his father's hand on her mouth well at least he got to hear her before he died. He looked towards his parents, unshed tears shining in his mothers eyes his father's however looked as cold and dead. His attention was then directed to another pair of ocean blue ones as she knelt before him and held his chin so that he could not turn form her face and the last thing his senses registered was a vision deep auburn hair as he felt a sharp pain in his neck before the darkness encompassed his vision.