Draco Malfoy spent most of his days in his room, whenever his presence wasn't required at the Dark Lord's table. Though he had made Dumbledore's murder possible his glory had been short lived. His father had been granted his freedom but the Malfoy family name had not been cleared.

Nervously Draco twisted the ring engraved with the family crest around his finger. Another meeting had been announced and each ticking of the clock brought it closer. A knock on the door made him get off his bed.

"Come in," he said as he took a hand through his hair. It was getting too long, like his father's.

"I brought dinner." His mother entered and put the tray on his desk.

Draco nodded. "Thanks." He tried not to look at the food disgusted. Lately he found it hard to get anything through his throat except the fire whiskey he had found in his father's study. His mother was still lingering in the doorway, a worried look across her face that he had grown all too accustomed to lately.

"How is father?" He asked more out of sonly duty than out of actual interest. Since his father had returned from Azkaban he'd been different, broken. All the respect he had held for the man had disappeared and it had left him questioning his reality. Where would he be now if his parents had thought him how to love, instead of how to hate?

"He is doing good," his mother answered and gave him a watery smile. They both knew he wasn't.

"Enjoy your dinner," she said in a last attempt of saving the family that was already broken. Draco nodded again and watched her turn around and leave.

Without giving the tray a second look he moved to his window. The grand gardens seemed to take no notice of the depressed atmosphere that hung around the house and its inhabitants, and neither did the white peacocks who merrily trotted about.

Walking down the ancient staircase Draco ignored the other Death Eaters entering his house. His mother and father were already seated at the long black table.

"You're late," his father hissed as Draco took the seat next to him.

"Sorry father." He closed his eyes in a moment of annoyance, more than half the seats were yet to be filled.

As he had done before every encounter with the Dark Lord Draco started checking his mental shields. He would be dead the moment the Dark Lord discovered his memories with Hermione Granger.

A fire sprang to life beneath the marble mantelpiece signalling the Dark Lord's arrival. Everyone present hurried to their assigned seats and stood behind the chairs. It was as much a done out of respect as it was out of necessity. No one wanted to be in the way as the grotesque snake slithered through the room.

"Come Nagini." Voldemort's quiet voice sounded from the other end of the table at which he was now seated. There had been now 'pop' of apparition and the fire had not turned green as it did when the floo network was used. Had Draco not grown up in this manor with all it's hidden doors and passageways he would be just as mystified as the majority of the witches and wizards present.

The space just left from the fireplace only pretended to be a wall, in reality it covered a single staircase leading straight to the basement. Ever since the Dark Lord had declared this house his headquarters Draco had not dared to thoughtlessly wander through. Who knew which hidden passageways he or his snake utilized.

"I see we are nearly complete. Wormtal, bring out the prisoner, if you please."

The rat-like man made a noise which could only be described as sniffling and disappeared through a wooden side door. That piqued everyone's curiosity and they started clapping when Wormtail appeared again, a petrified body floating behind him.

It did not take long for Draco to recognize the witch.

"Silence." Those still clapping immediately stopped and seemingly lost all interest in the woman as she was moved to float above the table. Draco could not keep his eyes off of her.

"Yaxley. Snape. You are very nearly late," Voldemort said and pointed the two to their seats.

Most of the conversation went past Draco as he tried very hard to concentrate but failed every time as his eyes got pulled again and again to the floating Hogwarts professor. She had taught muggle studies and though he had never been in touch with the subject he had seen the Professor seated at the High table.

A wail sounded from beneath their feet, a terrible drawn-out cry of misery and pain and everyone looked down uncertainly.

"Wormtail, have I not spoken to you about keeping our guest quiet?" A chair scraped over the floor as Wormtail got up and left the room.

"As I was saying," Voldemort continued, looking at the faces of each of his followers. Draco kept his head down. "I shall need to borrow a wand from one of you before I go to kill the Potter boy."

The silence was a loud enough portrayal of shock. They had already given him their souls and now he wanted a wand to top it off?

"No volunteers?" A dangerous smile played around the snake-man's lips. He got up and walked the length of the table, his fingers touching the backs of the chairs ever so lightly before finally stopping behind Draco.

If he'd refuse, would the Dark Lord just kill him and be over with it, he wondered as his heart started beating faster.

"Lucius, I see no reason for you to carry your wand any more."

"My lord?" Lucius Malfoy responded, the words catching in his throat. Draco could practically feel his father shaking next to him.

"Your wand, Lucius. I require your wand." The words were spoken slowly, as if to a child.

"I-" The hesitation was so obvious that everyone around them shifted in their chairs. Some nervous, others expectantly. For a moment Draco caught the eye of his former Potions Master, the only one to sit entirely still. In his eyes he saw a green flash, the old man falling from the tower, the sound his body made when it hit the ground. Draco took care not to meet Snape's eyes again.

"What is it?" The Dark Lord asked as he took the wand Lucius reluctantly offered.

"Elm, my lord," Lucius whispered, all colour drained from his face. It was almost like the connection to magic had been the only thing to keep him standing these past few weeks.

"And the core?"

"Dragon- Dragon heartstring."

"Good," said Lord Voldemort as he compared it to his own.

Draco turned to look at his mother, who kept her eyes sternly at the table. He resolved to do the same as the insults flew over its surface tarnishing the Malfoy name. He could not bear to hear his father grovel. His father, who had once been so mighty, who he had looked up to most of his life had revealed himself to be cowardly and weak. And Draco hated him for it because he was the same.

With a flick of his father's wand the Dark Lord removed the petrification charm on the witch and with a tiny groan she started to struggle against her invisible bonds.

"Do you recognize our guest, Serverus?" Voldemort asked and everyone turned to face Snape.

"Serverus! Help me!" The terrified voice came from above and Draco found he was unable to look up again.

"And you, Draco?"

He shook his head, feeling all eyes on him, even the ones of the tied up witch. No, as long as he pretended he did not maybe she wouldn't come haunt his dreams, maybe she'd see him as just a bystander and haunt Snape instead. It was a terrible superstition.

"For those of you who do not know, we are joined here by Charity Burbage who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This week Professor Burbage wrote a passionate piece in defence of muggles. Given her way she would have us mate with them."

The witch's whimpering was lost in the deafening noise of disgust and angry protests made by the Death Eaters.

"Avada Kedavra."

The room, quiet now, was illuminated by the flash of green light reaching every corner. With a thump the lifeless body fell onto the table. In his haste to get away Draco fell backwards out of his chair. He could barely hold back his tears as he was forced to watch Nagini swallow the body whole.