Hello Everybody and Happy Halloween!
A/N: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters/locations related to the franchise. That all belongs to J.K. Rowling. I hope you enjoy the only thing I do own...the plot. Also M rating for language and possible sexually explicit scenes (really just wanted to be safe with the rating).
Draco ran as fast as his long legs could carry him. With each foot he gained, his lungs burned with the need of a fresh breath of air. The grounds were alight with the partial moon, its silvery glow reflected off the Black Lake lighting the path that he needed to take. His salvation was the Forbidden Forest, the one place on the grounds of Hogwarts that Draco actually feared. It was ironic that tonight it was the one place he wanted - needed - to be.
The soles of his dragonhide shoes hit a patch of grass, wet with freshly fallen dew causing his feet to slip. Landing heavily on his back, Draco tried to breathe but was unable to pull in air. Time seemed to slow, and he felt as if he was suffocating. Finally, Snape came up from behind him, and yanked him roughly to his feet. One smooth pat on the back from the older wizard and Draco was able to pull in several gasping breaths. "Keep moving, Mr. Malfoy." The older wizard grunted.
Draco Malfoy looked back at his godfather. Severus Snape's normally smooth black hair was standing at odd angles, and his hooked nose was red on his pale face. There was a shout from somewhere behind the older wizard, back up the hill towards Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Draco took a second and glanced up at the old castle. Even now he could see lights reflecting from within the windows as students and faculty were shaken awake to the horrific news.
Draco's stomach turned violently when the memory of what he had accomplished tonight was thrown back in his head. The memory of watching his classmates duel Death Eaters. He could still remember one of the Weasley's on the ground, Fenrir Greyback standing above him like he had won a great prize. The crimson of the man's blood mixed horribly with the bright red of his hair, and all Draco could do was feel grateful that it wasn't him unconscious on the ground. At that thought his stomach tightened once again and he dry heaved until sick erupted from his mouth and fell to the grass.
As Draco brushed the back of his hand over his mouth Snape lowered down until he was at the boy's ear. "Listen closely Mr. Malfoy, if the Dark Lord even senses an ounce of hesitation it won't matter what you accomplished today, he will end you and your mother. Do you understand?" Draco forced his head to bob up and down in the sign for yes.
"Good." Snape snapped before pulling Draco up by his collar. "You will behave like a faithful servant." Draco could feel his gaze shift into one full of questions, but at the warning glance from his godfather he nodded feverishly. The shouting began to get louder, and a voice that Draco had come to hate over the past six years called out his godfather's name, the tone blasting with contempt. Potter.
Draco barely had time to register that the bifocaled boy wonder was chasing him, as at that moment the small hut at the edge of the forest erupted into a burst of magical fire. He quickly covered his face as the explosion echoed through the night. Draco lowered his hands when the worst of the explosion ended, flinching as his Aunt Bellatrix's insane laughter filled the cool air. His Aunt's malicious glee added to the nervous beating of his heart. His palms began to sweat, realization of what his actions had caused slowly seeping into his soul like tar.
Draco felt himself being pushed towards the flames. Snape's hand was strong and solid on his upper arm as he led him towards his aunt. "Take him to Spinner's End," Snape pushed Draco towards Bellatrix as she danced around the flaming hut. Briefly Draco wondered if the Gamekeeper Hagrid was alright, before turning his attention to the crazy haired witch before him.
Bellatrix Lestrange stomped her foot like a pouting child, her black eyes running over her nephew before turning back to Snape frustrated. "He can take himself. He's of age." Snape whipped around to face away from them as a curse rebounded off the shield he had hastily cast. Harry Potter was standing at the edge of the hill, catching up to them, shooting spells from far away. Snape stood there, his wand in hand, and waited for the boy-who-lived to catch up.
"Listen to me closely Bella," Snape's voice came out harshly, "The Dark Lord is going to want to question Draco himself, and if anything happens to him because you were too busy I will make sure He knows who is at fault. Do I make myself clear, or should I write it down? Now get him to Spinner's End." Bella hissed out a frustrated breath before grabbing Draco by his robe and yanking him towards the Forbidden Forest, muttering to herself the entire way.
Once they had cleared the edge of the forest they continued to walk, weaving their way under large branches, until they felt the pulse of the castle wards. Once outside the veil of magic, Bella grabbed Draco roughly on the back of the neck and apparated them without any forewarning. Draco felt his insides being squeezed, every ounce of his body feeling like it had been squished together like he was on the knight bus as it maneuvered between two cars. Finally, he landed ungracefully on his feet and stumbled forth until he landed hard on his palms, the concrete scraping his pale skin.
Bellatrix made a noise of disgust before hauling him up impatiently. She then walked him to the familiar front steps of his godfather's house before stomping away. Draco barely noticed her before she disapparated, leaving him alone and shell shocked on the stoop.
Draco waited.
It must not have been very long, because he was still in shock when he heard his mother's cool voice, "Oh, my Draco." He hadn't even heard the pop of her apparation, but now felt her cool fingers on his hair. She lifted and pulled on his arm gently until he stood, leading him into the old decrepit building that Snape called home.
He smelled the musty air when the door creaked open, the gust seeming to fight for escape. It pushed past him giving him a nostalgic feeling. Mold clung to the greying walls, and the dark floor always seemed permanently wet. Each step they took creaked through the old house, making Draco flinch at the noise. Draco had not been here in years, but when he was younger, he used to love to visit his Uncle Severus. Severus used to treat him like a grown up and let him help with potions long before he got his Hogwarts letter.
The first time he had seen the man impatient was when he had gotten to school, and Harry Potter had appeared in his class. Still, there was something oddly comforting about sitting down in his favorite moth eaten armchair, his mother kneeling hesitantly at his side.
"Draco, dear are you alright?" The question was soft, floating around the room like bubbles from his childhood bath. His grey eyes flicked up to his mother's face. Her blond hair was tied up in a stylish bun, and she had red lipstick shining on her thin lips, which were pursed in worry. Her pale blue eyes scanned his face quickly before a cool hand reached up and brushed the fringe from his face, pushing it back so it rested haphazardly on his forehead. He tried to manage a weak smile for her, but the way she released a quick breath told him it was poorly executed.
"Whatever you have done, it has saved us." She grabbed his hands forcefully, holding them between her cool ones in an effort to ground him like she had done so many times when he was a child.
"I failed, mum…mum I-"
"Shh," she pulled him down against her shoulder, running her fingers through his hair. He felt every bit the seventeen-year-old child he was when his mother whispered to him that it would be ok. He allowed himself a second to break against her shoulder, knowing that once this was done he wouldn't be able to break again.
Too soon after he had begun there was a soft throat clearing from the other side of the room. The two Malfoys turned to look quickly, the younger trying to wipe away any evidence of his mental state. Snape entered the room after giving his guests time to compose themselves.
"Cissa, I didn't expect you so soon." The potions master walked to a small table, pouring two glasses of an amber liquid before bringing one to the witch. He then handed the other to Draco, before summoning a glass of water for himself. Draco found it odd that his Professor would choose water over brandy, but he wasn't going to question it. Not when the alcohol felt so good burning down his throat.
"Bella arrived at the manor a short while ago. She said the night was successful." Snape nodded slowly, his eyes bouncing to the doorway before waving his wand, causing the door to slam shut. He then muttered a spell that Draco had never heard before. A soft buzzing descended on the room, and Snape nodded first to the walls and then gave a quick nod to the witch. "What happened?"
"Dumbledore is dead." The sharp intake of breath from his mother caused Draco to look up concerned. She was eyeing Draco with something akin to suspicion and worry.
"Draco-"
"I did it." Snape cut off Narcissa's choked reply with his normally stoic voice, "Draco is safe." Narcissa nodded quickly, clinging to her son's hand. She stood in one smooth movement, summoning a chair behind her so she could stay close to her son before sitting in it. She crossed her legs gracefully under her dark grey robes.
"The Dark Lord will take issue with you being the one to execute Professor Dumbledore. Won't he?" Snape quirked an eyebrow at the witch. He eyed her a second his head moving in a slow nod.
"He will. But, Draco should survive whatever punishment the Dark Lord sees fit." Draco shuddered at the thought. He had failed to kill Dumbledore – that much was certain – but he had rather hoped he wouldn't be punished, because he had succeeded in getting Voldemort's forces into Hogwarts. The most well protected place in all of Great Britain. Clearly he was wrong. He looked up at his godfather, the panic flashing uninhibited in his grey eyes.
"Practice what I taught you, Mr. Malfoy." Snape snapped at him. Immediately Draco pulled up a few weakly constructed occlumency walls. He pushed the panic and the fear into the back corners of his mind. Taking a deep breath he met his professors eyes once again. "Better."
"What will happen to me?" Draco dared to ask once he felt in control of his emotions.
"I don't know. If we are lucky, you will just receive a few minutes of the torture curse." Snape leaned back in his chair, the exhaustion from the past few hours making itself evident in his posture.
"And if we are not?" Narcissa prodded.
The question was left unanswered, but hung between the three Slytherins, each scared to break the heavy silence that had fallen between them.
I promised to post by the end of October so here is a snippet of what is to come. I will not have a regular posting schedule for this fic, at least not yet. It has been slightly difficult for me to write in the male perspective, but I am really proud of how it has turned out as of right now. Some characters might be out of character and if so I am sorry.
Also please remember that this is my second fic, and that I am still learning to develop my style. Comments are welcome always, but rude and mean ones are not. Please be constructive in your criticism and remember that us fanfic authors do this to celebrate the characters and the stories and not to be rudely judged. Thank you and I hope you enjoy it.