Chapter 4
Draco entered the ground of Malfoy Manor with trepidation. Granger's intrusion could easily ruin everything hehad worked hard to arrange in the past few months. Now that his father was in Azkaban and his family's cover had been broken, Draco was persona non grata everywhere he went. In the past, many had suspected them of being Death Eaters, but now everyone was certain. The fear and respect Lucius Malfoy has worked so hard to cultivate at the Ministry had been obliterated by the failed mission to obtain the prophecy. If the Malfoy family name was mud to rest of the wizarding world, it was worse to the Death Eaters. Once favored members of Voldemort's inner circle, the Malfoys were now treated little better than blood traitors.
Walking slowly up the path that led to the Manor's back entrance, Draco considered his options. It might be better just to put his plan in motion now. Time was precious, and the longer he spent perfecting every aspect, the more dangerous it would be to put into play. Hearing a sharp crack behind him, Draco startled. His face fell. "Snape. How nice of you to drop by."
"It will be Professor Snape to you in two weeks, Draco. You would do well to get back into the habit now."
Draco grabbed his left arm reflexively. "True, but we're all equals in the eyes of the Dark Lord, hmm?"
Snape's eyebrows rose at Draco's comment, but he appeared to wish this portion of their conversation over with. "The Dark Lord wishes to speak with you again at today's meeting. He wants to know your progress on the assignment."
Draco felt a cold tingle of fear settle in his spine and a wave of nausea passed over him. His last "talk" with the Dark Lord had been… unpleasant. His dreams now were filled with snakes and darkness, and torture that seemed would never end. "I have not made much progress, seeing as I can't do magic outside of school."
Snape's lip curled as he considered Draco for a moment. "You have not been given any instruction in the nature of Fidelius Charms, have you?"
"No. Bit advanced for our sort."
"Indeed. It is magic beyond the scope of many wizards, even those who are of age. A Fidelius Charm hides a person, or a location, from all attack. The object of the charm is concealed within the soul of a Secret Keeper. Only by revealing the Secret can the object be found by those who wish to harm it. You will recall, of course, the treachery of our own Wormtail?"
"I fail to see how this knowledge will be useful."
"Because a Fidelius Charm hides its object or location from all but those who have been given the secret, it also acts as a concealment of any magic performed within the location. While with advanced knowledge, a wizard may be able to tell that there was magical activity occurring in the vicinity of the protected location, they would be powerless to tell who performed the magic, or reach them in any way."
"The Manor is protected by such a charm?"
"It is now. With the Dark Lord currently using it as his headquarters, it would hardly do to have the Ministry showing up on social calls."
"Who is the Secret Keeper? I never have any problem getting in, and no one has told me. Wouldn't the Charm keep me out?"
"As the Malfoy heir, you are allowed onto the grounds by a much older magic. The place will always allow you in, even if there is a Fidelius cast to hide it from you. The identity of the Secret Keeper is, I think, none of your concern."
"So I can do magic at the Manor without the Ministry knowing?"
"Is that not what I have just told you? They may know that the Manor is here, may be watching it night and day, but unless the location were revealed to them by the Secret Keeper, they would be unable to enter the grounds or detect anything that occurs within them. "
"Useful to know. Might have been nice to have had that information two months ago when the Dark Lord gave me this task, though, Snape." Draco eyes the older man suspiciously. "Do you want me to fail?"
"I would not wish that on my worst enemy, Draco. I will admit, however, that I do not think the Dark Lord wishes you to succeed. I will try to help you, but there may be little I can do."
Draco suddenly found it rather difficult to breathe. He had known that the Dark Lord's task for him would be nearly impossible, but he had thought this was simply a test of his family's loyalty. The harder the test, the more the glory they would regain once the test was completed. Now, though, he forced to admit that he was hardly the best choice for the job. In fact, he was the one of the worst. He was doomed to fail, just as his father had done. And when he could not complete the task set before him, it would be the end of the Malfoy family. The Dark Lord had made that plain enough.
"Your advice is appreciated. I will work something out."
Snape gave Draco an odd glance, and then stalked away. He no doubt had other bad news to deliver before the meeting began. Watching Snape's receding form, Draco sighed. There had been pity in Snape's eyes, and Snape was not a man to feel compassion. The situation was much worse than he had ever imagined, and it made his plans for escape look childish. If Draco left, they would kill his father. If he stayed, either he would have to complete his task or the Dark Lord would kill them all. There was no winning in this, he knew. He was a dead man.
"We are at war."
The dining room of the Malfoy Manor had been adopted as an impromptu conference room upon the Dark Lord's arrival. The elaborate furnishings languished in shadow, as the snake the Dark Lord kept preferred the dark. He had enthroned himself at the head of the table, the snake draped over his lap like a lover. He stroked it idly as he spoke with his long, pale fingertips, his other hand resting lightly on the ornate mahogany table. "The contamination of our noble race continues as our kind dirty their blood with marriages to Muggles and treating Muggleborns as members of society. We must put these blood traitors and filth lovers back in their place. Too long, we have skulked in the shadows, building our strength, biding our time. We must infiltrate the Ministry, and it must happen quickly."
"But, my lord," simpered Draco's aunt Bellatrix, reaching towards the Dark Lord's hand, "You have counseled us with patience. We were to remain cautious, and not draw any attention. Have you changed your mind, my lord?"
The Dark Lord withdrew his hand from her grasp with impatience, and she shrank back as though kicked. "It is hardly your business to question my actions, Bella. Are you not happy with my leadership? Do you perhaps wish another, more competent Lord? Perhaps, young Master Malfoy would better suit your taste. We have all certainly observed the family's talent for taking charge."
"No, my lord, never my lord. I would never question your actions. I merely meant to clarify. I am your most faithful servant!"
"Many have claimed to be so, Bellatrix. Yet I have had little proof from any of you that you mean these empty words. The time has come for action. Will you all stand beside me, now that the time has come to stop your idle games and fight to take back what is ours by rights? You offer praises of me, and play lip service to the ideals of blood purity. Yet now that the time has come to rid our world of these usurpers, will you cower in the corners, advising patience?"
"No, my lord," voices around the table murmured.
"Prove it to me. I want the Ministry under our control, and I want it done swiftly. I do not want it said that the Dark Lord has grown weak in his absence."
"Never, my lord," the voices again filled the air, many sounding panicked.
"And Master Malfoy? The assignment of which we spoke, you are no doubt diligently applying yourself to completing it?"
"Er… yes, my lord. It is… progressing." Draco tried to keep the hesitation out of his voice, but found it in impossible.
"Good. We eagerly await the news that you have succeeded."
"Yes, my lord. I understand."
"Indeed, I hope you do, young Malfoy. I hope you have learned well the price of failure."
Draco was not by nature a reckless man. He had done more than a few things in his teenage years that were perhaps rash and ill thought out, but rarely anything that could get him into real trouble. He had a healthy sense of what he could get away with under the scope of his father's influence. Tormenting Potter and his pals had never held any danger. His father had been a school governor, and the Malfoy family had always been careful to line the pockets of many charitable causes. They had friends in high places, and Draco had been raised to believe himself above the law.
Draco realized now that his privileged existence had done him no favors. He had never bothered to make friends, as all were beneath him. He had those he might bully into keeping him company, but he did not choose them for their intelligence or their loyalty. He envied Potter briefly, but pushed the feeling aside. Potter had his Weasel to back him up when in danger, and he could grudgingly admit to himself that there were few witches brighter than Hermione Granger. Draco had no one to call upon in his hour of need.
He hoped that Granger would believe his story about the flat. He didn't need her snooping around to add to the list of his already heavy burdens. The last thing he wanted was for her to be caught up in this mess. She was naïve, he knew. She could get herself hurt, and he didn't need that on his conscience. He might have bullied her a bit in school, but he never wished her real harm. She had just made herself such a tempting target. Bushy haired, know-it-all Mudblood. He had to tease her, or lose his image. He thought of the softness of her lips on his, and shuddered.
He considered his Aunt Bella's lessons in Occlumency gratefully. Had the Dark Lord been able to read Draco's mind tonight, he would have seen many things to cause him alarm. Not least of which would have been the memory of Hermione's kiss.
A/N: Please tell me what you think so far! Reviews are like sunshine/ on a cloudy day…
