AN: Here's the second chapter! Things pick up here. This thing ~*~*~ separates Draco's memories from the present, just to let you know. Thanks for reading!

            Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 2: Crucio

Draco felt more nervous and tense in those three weeks he had to wait than any other time in his life. He knew that nothing could prepare him for his meeting with Lord Voldemort, but he still felt he had to do something. So he had holed himself up in the library for the past three weeks, doing nothing, but studying dark curses. He could not reach the books that held the very powerful dark studies in them, they were in the restricted section, but he could still find out some things.

            The day before his meeting, Draco headed to breakfast, with Crabbe and Goyle by his side, feeling a bit apprehensive. When the mail came, he scanned the ceiling of the Great Hall looking for Raptor. He finally spotted him, trailing the other owls a little bit, but hurriedly flapping his wings trying to catch up.

            Raptor swooped down and dropped a letter into Draco's hands. He tore the letter open as soon as it had touched his fingertips. He sighed, reading its contents.

            Draco,

            The Dark Lord has some instructions for you. Your initiation meeting will be held tomorrow at our Manor. Odd choice perhaps, but the Dark Lord feels it is the ideal location. You are to be in the Dining Hall at 6pm. We will be having a guest of honor.

                                                                                                            Father

            Draco read the short note several times, feeling his nervousness and tension spring up in him again. A guest of honor? What was he talking about?

            That night, Draco tossed and turned, wondering what was in store for him the following day.  You are a coward, he thought to himself. It can't be that hard, just do what he tells you to do and you'll be fine. With a new resolve, Draco fell fast asleep, his breath coming out slow and even and his dreams peaceful.

~*~*~

            He couldn't handle the memories. They were all too much. Too much. Furious, Draco wiped away the tears that had formed in his eyes, trying not to show any signs of weakness, though he knew it was too late for that.

            He found himself thinking of that moment for a long time. His last moments as a carefree teenager who wanted nothing more to be like his father. A teenager who hadn't known what fate held in store for him. He had done so much on the path of wrong, how could he ever make things right? Even when he had joined the Light Side. Had it been enough?

            After that night, Draco had experienced more hurt, pain, and guilt than he had thought possible and he had brought it all onto himself. He had caused so much hurt and pain for others too. Feeling like he owed it to his victims, Draco once again delved back into the memories.

~*~*~

            Draco arrived at Malfoy Manor at 6pm sharp. It was cool for an April night and he tightened his robes around himself. Slowly he walked into the Dining Hall, and what he saw caused him to breath in relief.

            Death Eaters sat around his father's dining table, apparently getting ready for a meal. So this is initiation; we have some big dinner party, Draco thought smiling and feeling a bit stupid. There would be no killing; there would be no mudbloods. It was just dinner. Draco recognized most of the people there, most of who were parents of his schoolmates.

            His father finally noticed him standing in the doorway and hurried him inside. "Draco! I'm so proud of you. This is a big step." His father was smirking and Draco vaguely wondered if this was something other than it seemed.

            "So, dinner, eh? Is this the big initiation?" He asked Lucius, hoping that he sounded casual.

            "This?" His father, asked, waving a hand to the dining table and the guests. "Oh, no. Draco, this is nothing. This is just a little pre-ceremony meal. The real festivities start later." The Death Eaters grinned at each other knowingly and Draco felt a sick swoop of fright in his stomach.

            Immediately, he scolded himself for his fear. There was nothing to be scared of. He was a Malfoy and his place was as a Death Eater. Though Draco formed these words in his mind, he couldn't help but doubt this fact.

            After the dinner, Lucius ushered everyone outside. "Three people are due to arrive at any moment. Our Lord, a faithful Death Eater, and a special guest, and then Draco, then your ceremony will begin."

            Draco became curious, wondering whom this "special guest" could be and what this person have to do with him. A minute later his questions were answered.

            Three people appeared out of nowhere. Draco recognized Lord Voldemort, as if he could ever fail to be recognized. That serpent-like face and red eyes were unique features that no other human being possessed.

            Draco strained his neck to see the other two people. One was a tall man, who Draco couldn't see very well in the darkness and the other was being dragged by the man, seemingly against his or her will.

            As soon as the two strangers walked into the light, Draco let out an audible gasp. Argus Filch, the caretaker at Hogwarts was the man and the person being dragged along with him? None other than Harry Potter. Draco's mouth went dry as Potter looked up at him, comprehension dawning on his face. His mouth twisted into an expression of anger, but Draco could not muster the usual sneer that he had on his face when Potter was around.

            "My Death Eaters!" Voldemort cried. Draco snapped his gaze away from Potter, who was being magically chained to a boulder. "And new recruit!" He said with a nod at Draco. "Welcome! Welcome! Argus Filch, the caretaker at Hogwarts has provided me with information from within Hogwarts for a long time. Using this information and the man himself, I have once again been able to bring Harry Potter to you. However, before he dies, we have a bit of business to take care of, do we not Lucius?"

            "Yes master. My son." Draco heard his father whisper in a hoarse voice.

            "Ah, yes. Draco Malfoy." Voldemort turned his attention to Draco and surveyed him closely, looking him in the eye. Draco did not break the gaze. "You wish to follow me?"

            Draco tried to find his voice. "Yes, master." He said, mimicking his father's words.

            "Then you shall have what you want!" Voldemort hissed. "But first!" He raised his wand and Draco stared at it terrified, wondering what was coming. "Crucio!"

            Pain. Pain like Draco had never experienced. Every nerve, every muscle, every bone in his body was on fire. White hot pain like a dagger mutilating his insides. His body trembled and shook. His eyes rolled back into his head. There was nothing to be done, but feel pain.

            And suddenly it stopped. Draco worked to return his breathing to a normal rate. He was sitting on the ground, gasping for every breath. "Stand up!" Voldemort ordered. "Unless you wish to feel the pain of Crucio again?" Voldemort taunted.

            Eyes watering with the prospect of another round of the curse, Draco used all the energy he had and stood to his feet.

            Voldemort smirked evilly. "Good boy, Draco." He laughed a cold mirthless cackle and the Death Eaters around him joined in. Draco looked helplessly at his father, but his father was laughing with the others. "Only a couple more things left to take care of."  Voldemort raised his wand again and Draco shuddered, knowing that he could not take much more. "Dermikio!"

            Draco looked at his arm as his flesh burned. He cried out in pain as his skin blistered and twisted before his eyes. A few seconds later it was over. He looked down at his arm and was surprised to see a black skull with a serpent running through it tattooed on his arm. The Dark Mark. Draco knew he could never go back now. Now that he had the foul mark on his arm. There would never be any going back. He was labeled a Death Eater for life. 

            "Now the last thing, Draco, involves our little guest here. Harry Potter must feel pain. Don't you agree? Perform the Cruciatus Curse on Potter! Now! And you will be one of my Death Eaters!"

            Draco looked at Potter and saw pure hatred in those green eyes. He looked down at his wand and couldn't seem to raise it. This was Potter, his enemy sure. But that was more of a schoolboy grudge, not something to torture or kill him over.

His palms felt clammy as he raised his wand. Somehow he couldn't do it, couldn't, but he had to. He heard voices around him. Voices. Everywhere. "Do it!" They called. He looked down at his wand and then up at the struggling boy. For a moment, the their eyes met and Draco could not do it.

"Perhaps the boy needs a lesson, Lucius?" He heard a cold voice hiss. He gasped; he couldn't take any more torture. Had to do it. Had to. The only way. Trying not to look into Potter's eyes, he raised his wand slowly. "Crucio!" He choked out.

           The other boy cried out with pain. His body shook and trembled. His eyes rolled back into his head and his face wore an expression of pure terror.

~*~*~

            Draco screamed out loud at the memory, the memory that was his nightmare. Tears ran down his cheeks as he realized the magnitude of his actions. That was where it had all begun. A path that had led to a downward spiral.

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