Chapter 10 Interrogation (2)
The Dark Lord did not summon a follower without a good reason, let alone the pawns skulking among the enemies like them. Draco sat still on the sofa, his fingers stuck deep in the crochet cushion, feeling every second going by a pure torment.
Two hours ago, after he followed Snape to his office, they flooed to a dingy alley, from where he was side-apparated four times in succession and then arrived at the front door of Malfoy Manor. Yes, Malfoy Manor, the place he had lived for sixteen years since his birth, was no longer his home - no homeowner needed to go under rigid examination before he was allowed to enter his house, nor did any homeowner have to endure a group of Death Eaters' sarcasm and jeers at his own place.
Snape had been in the meeting room for more than an hour and no sound escaped from that closed door. The Carrows had been looking at him, so he could not go to find how his mother was...had she known he was called by the Dark Lord, she must be more than appalled...The thought made him break into a cold sweat, when a harsh voice rang from across the room.
"Look, this is our guest today! Little Malfoy looks so unscathed. He must be enjoying a much better life than we are." The werewolf Greyback bared his yellow teeth to him and the Carrows guffawed.
Draco looked away in disgust.
"Tut, tut, a Malfoy is a Malfoy. You smell so delicious." Greyback walked closer, lowered his head and sniffed at him, as if he was a lovely steak.
Draco could barely palliate his frayed nerves to overlook the provocation, his fear driving him to tremble and his rage reddening his pale face. He clasped his wand in the pocket and responded in a hoarse voice, "Stay away from me, wolf."
"Why, are you ordering me? Who are you to order me, brat? Malfoy is over, you bastar-" The werewolf roared, the stink smell in his mouth nearly waving Draco's hair. Before the last several letters had come out, Draco's wand was pointed at his forehead.
The werewolf halted, and even Draco himself was looking at his own hand in amazement-he really had stood against the atrocious werewolf.
"What's your meaning? How dare you raise your wand at me ?" Greyback's long-yellow-fingernail hand clawed Draco's arm with such force that it nearly crushed Draco's bones.
Draco felt veins throbbing in his temples as he saw the werewolf's jaw wide open, the smell of blood emitting from his scarlet tongue, and the Carrows laughing at him. They didn't think he could pose any threat, since he was nothing but a spoiled, pusillanimous, and worthless sixteen year old. His shame overcoming fear and his pain bringing courage, Draco controlled his limbs and flames burned in his eyes - He would not continue like this, he must make a change and he had resolved to change. If he still flinch from the Death Eaters, how could he ever face the Dark Lord!
Gritting his teeth, Draco replied coldly, "Whether Malfoy is over or not, do you want to have a try? "
The Carrows whistled. "Cool, got spine? Even Lucius doesn't have the guts to speak to Greyback like that, how – "
A bolt of red light struck and the werewolf was left unconscious. Without turning his head, Draco threw another purple light and all his efforts in this semester paid off – Amycus fell to the ground, shrieking and writhing.
"Stop! How dare you attack us and use Cruciatus Curse on her!"
"This is Malfoy Manor." Draco pointed his wand squarely at Alecto, the success of two curses greatly boosting his confidence. He looked at the man in contempt, his eyes full of hatred. "We are honored to offer it to the Dark Lord as the headquarter, but you, if it were not for the fact that you are servants of our Lord, why do you think you deserve to stay here?"
"How dare you – "
"How dare I?" With a flick of the wrist Draco disarmed Alecto before he could take action. There were soft sounds coming from inside of the closed door and Draco hastily occluded his mind. He was to convince the Dark Lord that he was no longer the useless boy. "Maybe it escaped you, but don't you forget that Bellatrix is my aunt. She can use the Unforgivable Curses on disobedient Death Eaters, so can I!"
The Carrows cringed unconsciously. The boy standing before them had grown tall, and although his shoulders might not be as strong as an adult's, he was by no means weak – When he was saying those words, murderous madness characteristic of Bellatrix glistened on his otherwise delicate face. They let out a sigh of relief as the door of the meeting room finally opened, for an instant they even forgot the fury of the Dark Lord that might come.
"Look at our little dragon…You've grown up, Draco."
Low, hissing voice sounded, as if the speaker was whispering his ears. Draco looked up and saw the Dark Lord in floor-length robes walk out of the door. The Dark Lord opened up his arms, his crimson eyes on Draco.
The whole room was awash with intimidating magical aura and Draco felt his soul toyed with by an iron hand, only fear and despair left his heart. His wand dropped and his limbs were weak. He walked up amenably, letting the Dark Lord's icy hands fall on his shoulders. His pallid complexion and trembling body seemed to have satiated the Dark Lord, who waved his hand, allowing the relieved Carrows to hold Greyback up and left the room.
"Severus, you can go now. I want to have a little chat with Draco." Voldemort sat on the sofa where Draco had sat before and conjured a bottle of red wine and a goblet out of the air. "You shouldn't disappear for too long under Dumbledore's nose."
"But my Lord, how will Draco return to Hogwarts? He cannot – "
"Didn't you see the fantastic spells just now? I believe he is capable of apparating on his own."
"He's under age, if – "
"I wiped out the Trace when I marked him, Severus. How can my servant be bound by this sort of thing? You may leave now."
The Dark Lord's tone was indisputable. Snape only had a chance to shoot Draco a warning glance when the Dark Lord lowered his head to pour the wine, and then he left compliantly. When he approached the door Narcissa turned up. She held him by the sleeve and looked at him pleadingly. Snape just nodded and walked past her.
"Narcissa, please come in. Don't you want to see your son?"
The doors were shut, silence hanging heavily upon Draco. Though the fireplace held a blazing fire, he felt the air around him cold and thick. The blood in him was congealed, and a chill traveled up the spine to the top of the head, making his mind numb.
Narcissa walked near, trembling, as Draco was kneeling beside Voldemort's feet, his head bowed, completely ignoring her.
"My Lord, Draco…"
"He is doing well and I can see his growth. He will become a competent Death Eater before long. You and Lucius should be proud of him."
"But, but why do you summon him…"
"I just want to check the progress of his task. You are worried too much, Narcissa. Please be seated and have a drink." There was no displeasure in the Dark Lord's voice, who even waved his wand and placed a goblet of wine before her. Narcissa hastened to sit down and grabbed the goblet, but her fingers were shaking so severely that she could barely grasp it.
No need to mind her, Voldmort turned to look at Draco, his thin, grey lips seeming to quirk a little. He did not ask Draco's progress, however. "I heard from Bella that you solved a turmoil in Hogsmeade some time ago."
Narcissa's wine spilled a drop. Not having anticipated the Dark Lord asking his least wanted to be asked question, Draco knelt upright, trying as he might to smooth his voice, as if he was not churning inside. "Yes, I had a glimpse of that necklace, possibly a powerful dark magical artifact. It must be an heirloom from a pureblood family and was stolen for sale by some idiot. That day I saw Potter having a row with Mundungus Fletcher outside the Three Broomsticks, accusing him stealing from Sirius's house, so it's likely to be something from the Blacks."
"Hum, what you say make sense. I shall ask Bella whether she has seen such a necklace." Voldemort sipped his wine and cast a glance at Narcissa who looked as white as a piece of paper. "Yet if I'm not mistaken, Bella also went to Hogsmeade that day, but why, Narcissa?"
Letting go of her goblet, Narcissa fell off the sofa and down on her knees, not able to utter a word. Draco felt burning pain in his heart as he saw the Dark Lord already raise his wand and his crimson eyes widen slightly.
"Don't make me ask you twice, Narcissa. What's there that you can't tell me?"
"My Lord, aunt Bella was looking for me!" Not being able to refrain himself any longer, Draco clutched the bottom of the Dark Lord's robes and explained anxiously, "Mother knew I could get out of the school on that day, and she had intended to see me, but aunt Bella said it was not appropriate, so, so mother asked her to see me instead. You know my mother always cares for me. She wanted to send me something, but it was inconvenient lately in Hogwarts, so she..."
Seeing Draco' panic as he made lame explanations, Voldemort's lips curled and he smiled. "Calm down, Draco. I won't do anything to Narcissa, because she is not one of my Death Eaters. But you are. You should have known how unadvisable rash acts are. Were you discovered, you wouldn't be allowed back to Hogwarts, not to mention accomplish what I ask of you."
Draco released the robes and bowed his head deferentially. He occluded his mind once again with force, knowing what would happen next –
"It's a pity that I have to give you a small punishment – Crucio!"