Chapter Seven – Malfoy

Draco—

I'm sure you haven't forgotten your duties. How is the chubby boy coming along? Remember, you must get him on our side. If you don't, you know the consequences. The Dark Lord and I are counting on you. And if you fail…

Write back soon, Draco. Let me know how everything is going.

Your Father,

Lucius M. Malfoy

Draco stared at the letter. He couldn't decide whether to put it in his desk, or burn it. He hated, or rather, despised his father. The Dark Lord on the other hand…he knew the Dark Lord would kill him if he didn't do what his father asked.

He picked up the other letter that had come just a few minutes after he received the one from his father. He opened it to find it was from his mother, Narcissa.

My son,

You know what your father wants, and you know how I feel. I won't pressure you to choose between me and your father, but please, think before you decide. If you're caught doing his dirty work, you could be put in Azkaban. They won't care you're only fifteen: remember Crabbe's brother?

Please, my boy, do what you think is right. I know I can't stop whatever you do, but I beg you: think first. I'll be your only way to survive.

With all my love,

Your Mum

Draco smiled. His mother cared deeply for him. He was still surprised she hadn't disowned Lucius—he always heard her cursing him, wishing him death. It wasn't that his mother was a spiteful person. But Lucius had lied to her from the beginning.

Lucius met Narcissa in school. He was afraid to like her. Here he was, a pureblood Slytherin wanting to go out with a Ravenclaw. It was unheard of. He was terrified of what his father and mother would say. They would be so disappointed with him.

It didn't stop him from talking with her. They would exchanged Quidditch ideas: both were Chasers. She was able to look beyond the fact that he was a Slytherin who treated others poorly. It took a while of course. To just forget everything an individual has done in the past just to please oneself was hard. (Just try to forget everything Draco has done to Harry Potter and his friends, just to please yourself.) There was always a little voice inside her head that would say, "Don't do this, Narcissa. You know it's just a game."

It took two years until that voice was completely shut out of her mind.

Lucius, on the other hand, was able to continue adoring the Ravenclaw because of the fact he was protected by one simple man who had a brilliant idea.

The man's name was Tom Riddle…but now he called himself Lord Voldemort. He decided he had enough of the Mudbloods and Muggles in the world. Purebloods were better then anyone else—Lucius and Tom had the same ways of seeing things.

As long as Lucius' father, Gregory, left him and Narcissa alone, he was safe. But Gregory didn't listen to Tom and Lucius' threats. He refused to allow Narcissa in his home at Christmas time. So Gregory was disposed of.

Lucius didn't tell Narcissa what he and Tom had done to Gregory. When word came that Gregory was dead, Lucius covered it up by saying that he was "old, overweight, and obviously had a horrible heart-attack". Everyone, especially Narcissa believed him, and nothing more was said.

But eventually, Narcissa found out what happened. One night, during their early marriage, she woke up to the sound of arguing from downstairs. She first assumed it was between the cook and butler, who didn't care for each other, until she noticed Lucius was out of bed.

Narcissa hurried downstairs to find him, and found him with the horrible man who had been killing innocent people: Voldemort.

She didn't know what to do, so to save her own life, she returned to bed and didn't fall back to sleep. The next morning, she confronted Lucius, who told her that if she were to mention it again, she would regret it.

For years she stayed quiet. She raised her son, Draco, who received rare "visits" from his father—despite living in the same mansion as him.

When Draco turned eleven, a notification announced he had been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lucius took this as a sign of maturity, and introduced his only son to his master, Lord Voldemort.

Lord Voldemort was amused by Draco—he was a young boy, who he knew would become useful in later years. It didn't take long to turn Draco from a fun loving, sweet happy boy to a boy of the Dark Arts. Only a matter of weeks. It was especially easy because Draco wanted to be accepted by his father so desperately.

Narcissa pleaded to Lucius to leave Draco alone. He was too young to be a boy of the Dark Side. He was too innocent.

By the time Narcissa threatened to Lucius that she would leave him and take Draco if he didn't stop mutilating her son, it was too late: Draco had become like a son to Voldemort himself. He had even been given orders.

Get Harry on their side.

Draco agreed. As soon as he recognized Potter at Diagon Alley, getting cloaks, he decided to be friendly. He asked Harry questions about Quidditch. Trying to be nice. Harry Potter didn't seem to mind, though he seemed incredibly confused and lost by all of Draco's questions.

And when Draco saw Harry Potter on the Hogwarts Express with Ronald Weasley, he panicked. He tried to warn Harry…tried to get him back to the Dark Side, but to no avail. He had failed.

Thankfully, he was smart. When the livid Voldemort threatened to do away with Draco, Draco thought of the brilliant idea. Get one of Harry's friends to the Dark Side.

Narcissa was furious. "Leave him alone!" she screamed at Lucius. "Stay away from Potter!" she told Draco.

And then Draco sat down and thought. He could listen to his father, go against the person who raised and loved him, stay alive, but do an awful thing. Or, he could listen to his mother, risk his life, but stay true to the one who taught him to read, write…to do spells, eat, and be responsible.

Draco stared at his father's letter.

He hung it over the large candle on his desk, and watched it burn.