"Draco!"
"Yes, father?"
"Put down that book. The Dark Lord has called a meeting of his Death Eaters. It is a perfect opportunity for me to present you to him."
Draco's stomach leapt up to his throat. Meet the Dark Lord? Now? He wasn't ready at all!
"Well, get up boy, it's time to leave."
Draco considered staying put. Then he considered the consequences. He was sure his father would inflict more pain on his than one meeting with Voldemort would. He reluctantly got up and walked over to his father.
His father pulled something from amidst his robes. It looked like a piece of metal. "Touch this," Draco's father commented. Draco did.
Suddenly, he felt a jerk from somewhere in his stomach. He seemed to be flying. He realized that the piece of metal must have been a Portkey.
When he opened his eyes, he realized he was in a graveyard of some sort. There was a circle of people in black hooded robes. He knew Voldemort must be inside that circle. His father dragged him closer.
"Ah, Lucius, you have arrived," a low voice hissed.
Draco looked up. The sight that greeted him was horrible. Voldemort didn't look human in any way. With red eyes and slit-like nostrils, he reminded him of a snake more than anything else.
"Hello, Master. I have brought someone with me," Lucius answered.
"That," Voldemort answered, "is obvious."
Voldemort looked at Draco in the eye. Draco stared back at him without flinching.
"This is your son." It was a question, not a statement.
"Yes, Master. I have brought him for you."
"He is very young." Draco found himself agreeing with old Snake-face.
"He is in Harry Potter's year at Hogwarts."
"Father." Draco spoke for the first time.
Both Voldemort and Lucius turned to look at him. "What?" Lucius snapped.
"I hope you're not getting any ideas of using me to get to Potter." Draco felt braver as he spoke. "Potter hates me, and I hate him."
"I haven't decided if I need you or not, Draco, so don't jump ahead of yourself."
"He is very eager," Lucius put in.
"Very well, Lucius. We will see if he is strong enough to do what my trusted servants do."
"Even he thinks of them as servants," Draco thought to himself.
"But, he will not be inducted until he is out of Hogwarts, away from the influence of that wretched Dumbledore."
Lucius's face fell, while Draco's heart soared.
"Now, bring him into the circle."
Draco found himself being dragged and thrown into the center of the circle. When he got up, he noticed he was not alone.
Staring back at him was a short and stocky someone with red hair and freckles. Draco immediately realized it was a Weasley. He wondered which one it was, because he looked older than Percy, Fred and George.
"We will kill this one for you, Lucius," Draco heard Voldemort say.
The Weasley's face turned white at these words, but still remained quiet. He turned over and looked at Draco.
Draco was in shock. Voldemort was going to kill this man? Without any apparent reason? "I mean, sure it's a Weasley," Draco thought, "but this is just sadistic." He looked back at the man. His eyes were fathomless, without any sign of hope in them.
Voldemort stepped into the circle. "Charlie Weasley," he spat. "For the last time, will you tell us any of the Ministry's plans?"
"I do not work for the Ministry, therefore I do not know their plans," Charlie answered, forcing the words out.
"Crucio!" yelled Voldemort.
The air was filled with Charlie's screams as the Death Eaters laughed.
"These people are sick," Draco thought with disgust. "Charlie obviously didn't know anything, and these men knew that. These men were just playing with him. It was Draco's personal feeling that the Unforgivable Curses should be used, not messed around with.
"Now, Weasley," Voldemort began, as the screams died away, "your father is in the Ministry. Surely he talks about work at home?"
"Even if he did, I wouldn't tell you," Charlie answered haughtily, but his eyes betrayed his fear.
Draco was aware that Voldemort was watching him, seeing how he was reacting to Charlie's torture. He put a blank look on his face. He was not going to show his fear and disgust to Voldemort.
"Then you would rather face death?"
"Yes." Draco looked at Charlie. He was sweating now, but still staring Voldemort in the eye. He had to grudgingly admire Charlie's bravery. But he was surely going to die.
"Then I will kill you." Voldemort picked up his wand. Charlie looked at the ground.
"Wait!" Voldemort and Charlie looked up. Lucius hurried into the center of the circle. "He is a Weasley. It would give me great pleasure if you let me kill him."
Draco gaped at his father. He couldn't believe it.
"As you wish, Lucius." Voldemort stepped out of Lucius's way. Charlie heard Lucius's name and looked at him. Then he looked at Draco. A glimmer of recognition came into his eyes.
Draco wanted to scream at him. "No!" he wanted to say. "I am NOT like my father!"
"Avada Kedavra!" Lucius shouted. There was a flash of green light. As Draco blinked to clear away the light, he looked at Charlie. He realized that he must be looking very pale.
Charlie was lying spread-eagled on the ground, his eyes staring straight at Draco.
Don't hurt me! Thanks to arkaynn, Sara_Potter, and especially
Magelet for reviewing twice! Please review, all the rest of
you!