"I have said this countless times throughout the whole summer, but we must isolate Potter."
Another Death Eater meeting at the Malfoy Manor. Draco tried his best to not yawn. Voldemort was going over isolation plans and recruitment ideas like he had every Saturday evening for the past month. Draco did have to admit that while Voldemort was an evil bastard, he made a pretty good leader. He was well organized, had a clear point of view for the future, and knew exactly what he wanted and how to make it happen.
"Our ranks are growing, slowly but surely, as people start to discredit Potter and Dumbledore. Potter's number of supporters is diminishing. Soon, it shall be all of us against him. Now, we have not done anything to silence Potter. I believe Fudge has managed to do that on his own, but something must be done to get him expelled from Hogwarts, thus, making our lives quite simpler. Any suggestions?"
"We could use the Imperius Curse on him and force him to do something naughty," Macnair voiced, cackling like the idiot he was.
"And what do you suppose we will force him to do?" Voldemort asked. "Eat something?!" he yelled. "You will do well to think things through before you say or do them. This carelessness could cost us someday."
Macnair was cowering in his chair. "Y-yes, m-my Lord."
"Anyone else?" After how Voldemort had berated Macnair, no one dared to speak.
"Hem, hem."
All heads snapped towards the short and plump woman in the corner. She was wearing a boatload of pink and Draco's eyes began to hurt just from taking in all that pink. This was Dolores Umbridge. Draco hated her. She was so fake and just plain stupid. She'd joined the Death Eaters only a few weeks ago, but she was so evil and old, Draco didn't know why she wasn't there during the first war.
"Yes?" Voldemort asked.
"Well, as most of you know, I am the Senior Undersecretary to the Miniser for Magic. I also hold almost as much power as the Minister himself. I think that it would be a splendid idea to send a couple of dementors to Potter's neighborhood." The pink-clad lady giggled.
Voldemort seemed to be taking this into consideration. "Alright. You can do that. How about this coming Wednesday, the second of August? I'm sure you'll have everything ready by then. Severus, when will the next meeting of the Order be taking place?"
Snape was a double agent. He would go to the meetings for the Order of the Phoenix and come back with information. What Draco had learned one day was that Snape was actually a double agent for the Order.
"August sixth," Snape replied in his monotone voice. "The Advance Guard plans to rescue Potter from his house that day."
"Excellent. That is enough for today." There was a great deal of shuffling as the Death Eaters made their way towards the Floo room.
Draco headed to the training room of Malfoy Manor. This was where Snape would have daily lessons with Draco. Draco was once "lucky" enough to have Voldemort himself teach.
"Today, Draco, I will be teaching you a very valuable curse."
"Yes, my Lord. What is it, Lord?"
"The Imperius Curse. I presume you have heard of it?"
Draco nodded.
"Very well. We shall begin with the wand movement. Do as I do." Voldemort brandished his wand in one slick motion, and Draco copied him.
"Good. Now, repeat after me. Imperio."
"Imperio," Draco said, purposely accentuating the "O". He couldn't let Voldemort know that thanks to Merlin, Draco could do all sorts of magic without practicing.
"No, it is ImPErio. Stress the middle syllable."
"Imperio," Draco spoked correctly because he knew that one more mistake would result in being Crucioed.
"With me, I have brought my snake, Nagini."
The snake slithered out from inside its owner's robes. The owner continued to speak. "You will attempt to control Nagini. Allow me to demonstrate. Imperio."
The snake suddenly began to strangle itself, but before it could be harmed, Voldemort stopped the curse.
"Now you shall do the same."
Draco pointed his wand at the snake and said the curse properly but did the most awkward wand motion he could so that the curse wouldn't work.
"You have to mean, it Draco. It is impossible for any of the three Unforgivable Curses to work unless you mean them. Again!"
"Imperio!" Draco did it semi-correctly while thinking about Quidditch.
"Again!"
"Imperio!" After his fifth "failure", Draco complained to Voldemort that his wand must've been broken.
"It takes time," Voldemort said. Draco was shocked that the creature hadn't Crucioed him yet.
"How long did it take you to learn the curse, my Lord?"
"Not long. I was an exceptionally talented wizard at your age, being Slytherin's heir."
Well, I'm Merlin's heir, so beat that, Draco thought.
Draco decided that he was done faking his incapability after his sixth try so on his seventh, he "managed" to do it correctly.
"Very well done, Draco," Voldemort said. "You will do well as a member amongst our ranks next year."
"Next year?" His father had neglected to mention this.
"Yes, of course. Although you will be of age at seventeen and fully trained at eighteen, you will be good enough to join our forces next year. That is the reason for your lessons with Severus."
"Alright. Well, it was an honor to be taught by you today. If you're not too busy,-which I know you are,-but if you ever get some free time, I'd love to learn the Cruciatus from you." Draco did his best to look bloodthirsty and enthusiastic at the same time.
In his third year, Sirius had told Draco to ask Severus for Occlumency lessons, so that was exactly what he had done. Initially, Snape had declined, saying that a certain person was to teach him the following year, Draco had insisted that Snape start the lessons this year. In addition to Dumbledore, Snape knew about Draco's link to Merlin so they were able to get through a lot of spells, potions, and general knowledge a day, so slipping Occlumency and Legilimency (which Snape wanted to teach Draco after Occlumency) into the mix would be no problem. Draco was waiting for Snape so that they could start Draco's first Occlumency lesson.
When Voldemort had taught Draco the Imperius Curse, Draco wasn't scared like he thought he'd be. He remembered that at the beginning of the summer, Voldemort insisted that he and Draco should have some time together so that Voldemort could learn more about Draco. That was one awkward conversation.
"Your library is quite extravagant," Voldemort commented as he sat down on an armchair. Draco sat down on the other, trying to figure why Voldemort was treating him as his equal.
"Thank you, my Lord."
"So tell me, Draco, are you in Slytherin?"
"Of course, I am. Where else would I be?" Draco knew he shouldn't have had an attitude, but Voldemort had probably shrugged it off as teenage problems. That was odd because Voldemort should have been scolding him for not respecting his elders.
"Your father says that you play Quidditch."
"I do."
Voldemort gave him a look that said "Go on" so Draco obliged.
"I'm the seeker for Slytherin. I was recruited during first year because Professor Snape thought I flew quite well."
"I had been slightly interested in playing Quidditch when I attended Hogwarts. However, there were more important things going on. Tell me, what is your favorite subject at school?"
"Potions."
"Ah, I should have known. You shall be useful when Snape's time comes."
They both sat in an awkward silence until Voldemort asked, "What do you wish to be when you are older?"
Draco actually hadn't thought about that yet. "Well, it's not that the Malfoys need any more money, but perhaps I'll take father's job when he retires."
"Very good." After another uncomfortable silence, Voldemort rose and strode out of the room. When Draco realized that the Dark Lord wasn't coming back, he left as well.
"In the past, it was often the Dark Lord's pleasure to invade the minds of his victims, creating visions designed to torture them into madness."
Snape had now entered the room and was telling Dracro about the skill. "Only after extracting the last exquisite ounce of agony, only after he had them literally begging for death, would he finally…kill them. This is Legilimency. Used properly, the power of Occlumency will help shield you from access or influence from anyone. In these lessons, I will attempt to penetrate your mind, and you will attempt to resist. Prepare yourself. Legilimens!"
Draco used his emotional strength to block his professor. This was successful for a few minutes until he had an itch and lost his concentration.
"...you, heir to one of the most powerful pureblood families in the wizarding world, are a squib!"
"Therefore, you must be punished. Crucio!"
...
"That wand of yours does not just have the same wood as Merlin's wand does. Your wand is Merlin's old wand."
...
"You tried to kill the Boy Who Lived in front of the Headmaster's office! You could have gone to Azkaban!"
"It's better than having Potter alive, isn't it?"
"No! I'd rather have Potter alive than you in Azkaban."
...
"Since when do we have a choir?"
"Not thinking of joining, are we?"
...
"I didn't plan this at all but...you're getting executed. I'm so sorry, Buckbeak. I'm telling you, I had nothing to do with the decision, but I swear that somehow, I will get you out of this mess. In the meantime, let's just go for a fly."
...
"Congratulations, Draco! You're officially an Animagus."
...
"The Malfoys can't feel pain. "It's a family thing. I don't know too much about it."
"Then perhaps you would like to demonstrate for us."
"No, Draco! What are you doing?"
"Crucio!"
"Excellent bravery, Mr. Malfoy. Could you give us the last Unforgivable Curse?"
"Avada Kedavra!"
...
"See, this night isn't so bad."
"I know. I'm glad you came and cheered me up. Thank you for that."
"It was nothing."
"No, it wasn't. We're supposed to hate each other. If not for our houses, then for our friends and our past. My parents are squibs, too, so that doesn't help."
"None of that matters. Well, actually, let's not tell our friends about this. I think we're the only sane ones in the school."
"I'm serious, though. Thank you for being there for me. And not just tonight."
...
"Sir, Professor Moody just took Potter inside. I'm telling you, he's Barty Crouch Jr. Please. You have to listen."
...
"Tell me, what is your favorite subject at school?"
"Potions."
"Ah, I should have known. You shall be useful when Snape's time comes."
...
Using all his might, Draco shoved Snape out of his head.
"Draco, I know you have more control than this." Snape frustratedly glared at his star student.
"I had an itch!"
"Well, control it!"
Draco let out a sigh. "That was only my first try. Besides, I blocked you for a good amount of time before the, er, itch."
"Very well. We shall try again tomorrow. I suggest you join your family for dinner now."
Draco frowned. "Won't you eat with us tonight?" Snape usually had dinner with Voldemort and the Malfoys. Meals were now the most awkward times of the day, thanks to his Greatness.
"I'm afraid I have some business to attend to," Snape replied. "Good night." He spun around and left the room, Draco following him shortly.