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ManipulationAfter being dismissed from the Potions, Ron was heading straight to the Astronomy Tower. He didn¡¯t even bother to drop his books off at his dormitory. Draco, who was following him closely since they left the dungeons, simply assumed that Ron has some catch up to do.
Since all the students went to the Great Hall for their supper, the Astronomy Tower, being the upper most portion of the Hogwarts castle, was literally deserted.
Draco hid himself behind the walls time to time, so that Ron can¡¯t see him. He was deep in his thoughts, thinking about the duty given to him.
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The crescent moon was high up in the sky. The forbidden forest was silent as usual, except of the small footsteps across the leaf-covered floor. Draco was hooded with gray cloak as he crept along with the shadow of the clouds. He came to a halt as he reached a small clearing in the middle of the forest somewhere. It was placed in an odd location, so that even under daylight, people would pass by it without noticing the place.
Draco eased himself from the weight of his hood. Silver blond of his hair was competing its fairness with the moon above. His eyes were of matching gray like the night sky. He quietly stood at the edge of the clearing and waited.
When the shadow of the clouds overwhelmed the weak light of the moon, a tall shape appeared in the center of the clearing. He cloaked in black and hooded as well. Then Draco approached the center and knelt down before the taller one.
The standing figure then removed his hood. Thick strands of bluish black hair waved in the cool night breeze. Pair of silver orbs shone under the curtain of blackness. They had tint of crimson in them, which glowed from deep within. Pale skin of his was gleaming with the light of its own. His face was that of an eighteen-year-old boy. He looked young, but the air around him showed that he was much older than what he seemed. When the moon was revealed from the clouds, his feature was surrounded by indigo aurora, shinning off from his hair.
¡°My lord,¡± Draco spoke. ¡°I am glad to see you well. You have regained your youth much more than I have expected.¡±
¡°My servant, that is what blood of Unicorn is known for. Those creatures are absolutely useless for anything else.¡± The Dark Lord, now having the appearance of young Tom Marvolo Riddle, spoke.
¡°I have a task for you, my faithful servant.¡± His voice was blending in with the night and eliminating the light at the same time.
¡°I will do whatever my lord wishes.¡± Draco answered.
¡°Your job is to bring Ronald Arthur Weasley to me. To become a Deatheater.¡±
¡°I beg your pardon, but what service will that muggle-loving Weasley bring to my lord?¡±
¡°He will have his purpose, and it¡¯s your job to make sure that he comes to me. He has already started to turn away from the Light Side, because of absence of Potter, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Voldemort asked with amusement in his voice.
¡°Yes, of course. I should have known that it would be part of your master plan. May I dare to ask where is Potter right now?¡±
¡°He must be alive. I don¡¯t expect him to be dead, just yet.¡±
¡°But why didn¡¯t you just capture Potter and save yourself all these trouble of making Weasley a Deatheater?¡± The small one asked his last question, since he couldn¡¯t hold on to his curiosity.
¡°That is my way of enjoying a game. Now save me all these pathetic question of yours and do your job. You know the punishment to the failure.¡± His last sentence wasn¡¯t a question or a threat. It was a mere statement, but simply by the tone it was said in, anyone would tremble in fear.
¡°Yes, my lord. I know it very well.¡± With that, Draco bowed lower, and then the Dark Lord disappeared with the shadow that swept by the clearing within a second.
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It was just then Draco realized his footsteps were the only sound created in the dead-silent hallway. He panicked internally for his mistake but he remained calm and walked on, for there was nothing else he could do to fix the mistake.
Ron was half-leaning and half-standing beside the stony window frame, with his arms cross, and looking directly are Draco who was walking towards him.
Draco stopped about five steps away from him. Silence surrounded two boys. It was Ron who spoke first.
¡°What do you want, Malfoy?¡± Ron asked with a voice Draco never heard before. It was sort of monotonous, yet there was strong sense of authority spelled in it. His voice was lacking in emotion and chilling. Nothing like the meaningless growl he used to do.
¡°I just want to talk.¡± Draco spoke after regaining his cool from the initial shock.
¡°I have nothing to talk about.¡±
¡°But, I do have something to talk about. In fact, it¡¯s an offer you¡¯d like to hear.¡±
¡°And what would that offer be?¡±
Draco decided to get to the point directly.
¡°Join me and serve the Dark Lord.¡±
Ron didn¡¯t answer right away. But he wasn¡¯t panicking either. He was very unlike a Weasley. But then after what I have seen during the Potions class, anything would make sense.
¡°What do I get in return for being someone¡¯s servant?¡±
¡°Power, of course. Power to do and undo everything that happened in the past, to control the present and to create the future. Everything and everyone will be under your control as long as you¡¯re with Dark Lord and once he rises again. Even Potter will bow before your feet.¡±
Ron winced at the last comment.
¡°What makes you think I¡¯d want that?¡±
Ron kept his cool, but there was an uncertainly in his voice.
¡°Because you¡¯ve changed. People sees your changed personality, but I see your changed ambition.¡±
¡°You really are good at reading people. Is there anything else you are good at?¡± Ron asked rather softly with a smirk.
Draco felt that he was on the right track. Ron was turning in his favor already.
¡°Yes, I¡¯m also good at showing people the path to get what they want.¡±
¡°And the path you are showing me is to join the Dark Lord...¡±
Draco simply nodded. He was almost assured of the success of his task. After a few moment of thinking, Ron asked a question.
¡°Can you tell me exactly what is that I want? If you get it right, I¡¯ll join Deatheaters. If not, I¡¯ll find my own way to pursue what I want.¡±
Draco smirked for he was sure this was a done deal. And uttered a single word.
¡°Revenge.¡±
However, Ron¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He merely looked at Draco, as if that was the last thing in his mind. Draco was slightly disturbed.
I¡¯m wrong? But it can¡¯t be...
His confusion was revealed carelessly, as he searched for better things to say. As Ron watched the panic rise from Draco, his mouth curled up to form a smile, and Draco caught that in a glimpse.
It wasn¡¯t one of those toothy-smile or full-heart-laugh he used to do when his was around Harry, but a cold smile which is being amused from the other¡¯s trouble. Like Slytherins.
¡°I will join you. Fill me in the details later.¡± Then Ron walked pass Draco to go back to the Great Hall for his dinner.
After watching Ron leave the barren corridor, Draco thought about what just happened. Ron was a completely different person now. That small confrontation had changed him this much. Even Draco didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way.
Then, one tiny fact that Draco didn¡¯t recognize when it was happening, struck him.
He¡¦ just manipulated me! He knew what I was going to tell him after class. That¡¯s why he led me up here! He also gave me a scare, pretending I was wrong and¡¦ Everything tell me this isn¡¯t Ron Weasley I just talked to¡¦ At least not the same one I used to know.