Chapter Seven: Edge of Suffering
"Lucius?" Narcissa Malfoy wandered out of the kitchen into a hall. She rested her hand upon a railing and looked up the grand staircase just at the manor's entrance. "Lucius?" she called out again.
"Master Lucius not here miss," a feeble voice came from the top of the staircase. A small house elf, with wide yellow-green eyes cane bounding down two stairs at a time. She stopped on the sixth stair and looked to the lady of the house. "He has gone, he has. To pick up young Master Draco, he has."
Narcissa watched the elf. "Oh," she said, mildly surprised. She returned through the push open doors to the kitchen.
A rough hour later she heard the kitchen doors open behind her and turned her head slightly to see that Lucius was walking up to her. When he stood behind her he put a hand to her small waistline and kissed her jaw.
"Dear, where's Draco?"
At the sound of his son's name Lucius strutted away and sat in a chair at the kitchen table. He lent back and put his hand on his knee. "Off somewhere, being the stubborn prat he is."
Narcissa sighed. How often Draco and Lucius got in these tedious spats she'd lost count of long ago. She rolled her eyes and faced her husband. "Lucius, what're you two at about now?"
He scowled, his head kept low, and he looked up at her, raising his brow. "You think I know what's got your son worked up? There's always something that boy's angry over."
"He's got your stubbornness, Lucius. He always has." She approached him and ran her thumb across his cheek. He kissed it when it came to her lips and looked longingly up at her, his dark eyes full of intrigue. "But he's got your charm too. Can you at least try to get along with him, Lucius? It is Christmas."
"I will," he promised and stood, putting his hands on her hips. "We have some business we must straighten out then I promise there will be no more of this anger between us." He kissed her lips delicately.
"Good. Now go clean up and call Draco. Supper will be soon."
Lucius returned to the kitchen a few short minutes later and took his place at the head of the table. Draco had yet to come down. "Where is he?" Lucius asked quietly to himself. "DRACO! NOW!"
"I'm right here," drawled the younger Malfoy as he strolled into the kitchen.
"Draco," Narcissa said as she looked to her only child. God how he ever resembled Lucius. The platinum coloured hair, the tall, broad figure, that attitude of his, and even his glares and smirks. The only out of place part about Draco were his eyes. Lucius eyes had always been dark, black almost. Where Draco got those fine silver eyes, she'd never know.
"Mother," he acknowledged and slid into the back seat at the table. Narcissa placed food on the table and then sat across from him.
"Draco, we have business we have to settle tomorrow."
Draco glared at his father from the corner of his eye. "Whatever you say," he spat sarcastically and shook his head.
For Narcissa's sake, Lucius ignored Draco's lip. He'd deal with is son tomorrow. "I want you up early. None of that sleeping around all day. You hear me?"
"Yes, I hear you."
As a seventeen year old boy, Draco surely did a perfect job acting the part. Narcissa knew that the only thing that stopped her husband and her son from getting along was the fact that they were the spitting images of each other. Like father, like son. Draco's personality took directly after Lucius.
Sleepily, Ginny edged her way to the Gryffindor Common Room. She entered, stepping from the staircase leading to the girls' dormitories and gave off a wide yawn. She spotted Ron and Harry sitting around a table playing a game of Wizard's Chess by a fire. Asides from her, they were the only two in the entire room. Ginny doubted that there were many other students in Gryffindor who were staying the holiday. She made her way over to the two boys and took a seat in the lofty armchair in front of the fire, draping her legs over the chair's arm.
"Mornin' Gin," Ron said cheerily as he looked momentarily from his game with Harry.
"Gea' mornan'" she replied amongst another yawn and rubbed at her eyes. Ginny stretched out and flopped over the other arm, watching their game upside down. Her long, straight hair just brushed the floor.
Harry chuckled as he glanced sideways at her. "Your move Ron."
Ron moved his only remaining castle and looked to his kid sister. "Have a good sleep?"
"Meh," she shrugged, putting her palms flat on the floor, "not bad. Probably could've been better."
A silence fell as Harry and Ron took turn on turn moving their pieces across the checkered board. Ron was by far winning, having at least half his players left. Harry had maybe six pieces remaining and had lost his queen.
"Where's Charlie heading?" Ron asked as it was Harry's turn. "China isn't it?"
"China?" Ginny questioned and rolled her eyes. Sometimes Ron was downright clueless about everything. "Honestly Ron, where do you come up with such daft things? It's Chile, complete different hemisphere compared to China."
"Charlie's going over to Chile?" Harry asked, intrigued, while Ron finally knocked over his king, winning the game of chess.
"That's what mum was saying. Come the new year. He'll be studying dragons over there for a bit." She sat up and blinked sharply as her head rushed. Shaking her head, Ginny grabbed the book off the table in front of her. She flipped the pages open as she repeatedly draped her legs over the arm.
"Not into reading upside down?" Ron joshed, grinning in her direction.
"Oh shut up Ron," she sneered and swept layers of hair off her face. Rounding on 'The Choices of Master Samwise', the only remaining chapter of book two, Ginny indulged herself in the author's words, soon to move onto the final book of the epic journey.
"What did you want father?" Draco asked with poison on his tongue as he entered the Malfoy study. Lucius was sitting in front of a desk next the room's entrance. He was busy quickly scrolling something on a piece of parchment.
"Come in. Shut the door," he ordered, never looking up from his work.
Draco obeyed and closed the doors to the room as he came in further. He took a seat in a leather chair in front of the room's fire place, slouching as he surveyed his father. An angry glare written all over his features.
"My God Draco, what has gotten into you?" Lucius asked, finally putting down his quill. He looked to his son and it was like looking into a mirror, only the reflection he saw was much younger, had shorter hair and lighter eyes.
"I'm old enough," Draco responded shortly, narrowing his eyes. He knew Lucius would pick up on the subject he was talking about. "I'm eighteen in two months. I'm old enough and you damn well know it."
Lucius sighed. "So this is what it's about?"
"Isn't this what it's always about?" Draco asked with a lash of sarcasm. With frustration he ran his fingers through his platinum hair, slicking the fallen strands off his face.
"It doesn't matter. This is what we had to talk about anyway."
"Good, then for Christ's sake get talking," Draco said and acted as if the shelves of books had suddenly become the most interesting thing he'd seen in a long time.
"Draco, you better change that tone with me or I swear boy, you'll regret it."
"I'm so sorry father. Please, do continue," he threw back at his father, mocking the innocence of a five year old.
Lucius ignored the boy's wicked comment and continued, trying as hard as he could to remain civil. "You'll have to wait Draco. You have to be eighteen. You know that as well as I."
"That's in two bloody months. Why can't we just do it now?" Draco returned his line of vision upon his father, glaring sourly at him.
"This can't be rushed! Our Dark Lord wants you just as much as you want him, but you must wait."
"I don't see why. What does two months really matter? If I'm loyal now, I'll be loyal then. This is stupid shit."
Lucius' shortness rose, but he was able, for now, to keep it to himself. "Patience," he hissed at Draco with a menacing glare. "You don't get it, do you? This is not about age. Of course two months makes no difference. It's all about patience. You have to learn to wait for what's coming to you."
"I've been patient for the last eight years of my life. Is that not fucking patient enough?"
"You watch that tongue boy. I don't want to hear it from you." Lucius brought a hand to his head and rubbed at his sore eyes. He hadn't been sleeping well lately.
"It's not going to be done in February anyway," Draco sighed angrily as he spoke. "I'll be in school. I'll have to wait until the bloody Easter holiday."
"And so you wait. You'll be waiting for as long as it takes."
"I don't wish to wait until then," he said stubbornly, narrowing his liquid metal eyes at the superior Death Eater. "I don't see why it just can't be done now. I'm ready father. Do you not get that?"
Lucius groaned, "Have you not been listening to what I just told you? Jesus Draco, it's not I who controls this. It is He. If for some reason Voldemort thinks you are ready in these two weeks than so be it. But don't count on it boy."
Standing, Draco stormed from the study. He crossed the upstairs hallway, passing the staircase that lead to the main level and his mother. Upon entering his chambers at the opposite end of the house he furiously slammed the door shut.
A few short moments passed and Lucius emerged from the study. He looked to Narcissa who was standing at the top of the stairs. She changed glances between her husband and her son's closed door. She slowly approached Draco's room.
"Draco?" she called softly. But Draco, being the stubborn teenage boy he was, never answered.
Coming up from behind, Lucius reassuringly wrapped his arms around her waist. "He'll be alright," he muttered in her ear and lightly kissed her cheek.
"Of course he will," she said with confidence. "He's a Malfoy, isn't he?" She paused and pivoted to look at her husband's inky eyes. He kissed her once. "I just worry about him."
"Well don't. He's strong on his own. Now come." He took her by the wrist and pulled her after him, back in the direction of the study. With a grin he pushed open the doors to the master chambers and brought her inside, only to close them behind him.
Christmas had come and gone and only four days remained of the break. Ginny came into the Common Room to find the two seventh years playing yet another game of chess. She swore that they spent the entire holiday playing that stupid, waste of a time game.
She shook her head as she picked up her winter cloak. Only two other Gryffindors had stayed the break and they were both in their second year. Ginny, Ron and Harry had taken it privilege to use the Common Room as their own personal facility and had many belongings strewn all over the place. Ginny pulled the cloak on over her shoulders.
"Gin, if you're heading out, wear your scarf," Ron advised, playing out his role as the protective older brother.
Ginny smiled and picked her Gryffindor scarf up. Wrapping it around her neck, she fastened the cloak and pulled her hair over her shoulders. She made her way out through the portrait hole and onto the school grounds. She found a stamped down path that would lead her to the lake and followed it. Once at the lake's perimeter she crossed her arms of her chest and starred over the icy surface.
An owl screeched overhead and the young Weasley diverted her attention upward. Not a single cloud was found in the winter blue sky and the sun burned brightly to her left over the Forbidden Forest.
With a yelp, Ginny lunged forward as she felt a sudden probing at her sides. She looked about to find Blaise now standing to her side. "Blaise?" she questioned, a bit shocked. "Where'd you come from? You haven't been here this whole time."
"Ah, but I have. I was just blessed enough to spend it in the hospital wing. Fell violently ill the day before the break and although I was better two or three days ago Pomphrey insisted on keeping me there."
"What are you doing out here then? In, let's go," she pointed in the school's direction and forced him to march back to its promising warmth.
"What were you thinking?" she demanded as he sat at a table in the hall, removing his thick cloak. "Really. You've been sick for a week and a half and you come out in that weather? A bit moronic, don't you think?" She sat next to him and placed her cloak on the table's end.
Blaise shrugged and picked a mug of hot cocoa up from the table; those house elves were good. He passed it to her than picked up one for himself. "I saw you head your way down there and thought it would be a nice thing to come say hi. Is that simple thing not appreciated in this day and age?" He watched as she clutched the warm mug in both her hands and brought it to her mouth.
Ginny rolled her eyes and put the mug back down on the table. She rubbed her hands together to create some friction and perhaps supply her with heat. Blaise laughed and took her hands in his own. He slowly began to massage the warmth back into them.
A queer sort of silence feel and Ginny pulled back her hands. An interesting thought than slithered into her mind, although she wasn't sure where it came from. What if Blaise supported You-Know-Who? After all he was a Slytherin. What if his parents were Death Eaters? Ginny shuddered at the possibility.
"What?" Blaise said, bringing her forward from her world of thoughts. She looked at him, the questions still there. "What is it?" he persisted, reading her face like he would the Daily Prophet.
"Nothing," she lied, not wishing to pose him the question. She drained her mug of the cocoa and slung the scarf lazily about her neck. She stood and draped the black cloak over her left arm. "I'll talk to you later," she mumbled her quick goodbye and began to walk away.
"Ginny," he said, catching up to her in the school's main hall. He put his hand at her waist and walked around to face her, seizing her from walking away. "Are you sure there's nothing bothering you?"
It was kind of odd that he was being so persistent about the whole matter. Or at least that's what Ginny thought. "It's nothing Blaise, as I told you."
He gave her a very cynical look. He may have been stupid for going out in the cold after being sick, but he was not stupid about this. Something was troubling her. He snacked his hand to the small of her back and pulled her an inch or so closer. Looking to her golden eyes, Blaise searched for an answer, but never found one. "Alright," he ushered and softly kissed the tip of her nose. He withdrew his hand from her and moved on, leaving her there with even more questions coursing through her head.
"Draco!" Lucius hollered as he pounded his fist on his son's door. Ever since that second day Draco had come back for the holiday he had spent it up, locked away in his room. Stupid boy. "Draco, stop acting like a child and come out here." Lucius was about to pound on the door, but it opened and Draco stood there, leering at him.
"What?" he asked maliciously, full of attitude.
"Let's go." Lucius briskly sauntered away, heading down the stairs and turning in direction of the manor dungeons. Draco was forced to walk at a quick pass to keep up with him.
Pausing at the entrance, Lucius pulled the door open. Draco's brow lowered in great confusion. "What the hell is this?" he asked, following his father deep into the dungeons. Draco didn't even know the dungeons spread this far underground.
Lucius came to a stop at a wooden door and yanked it open. It was far back, at the possible end of the Malfoy Dungeons. "Boy, are you coming in or not?" Lucius' black eyes beat into Draco who refused to enter the room.
"Not until you answer my god damn question." He stood there stubbornly, torches casting shadows over his pale face. "What the fuck is going on?"
Approaching his son, Lucius backhanded him without really thinking. He watched crimson blood come to the boy's lip. "I told you to watch your tongue. Now come on."
Draco watched his father stalk into the room as he wiped the blood on his lip away with his thumb. Curiosity got the better of him and he entered. It was a small room. Small, but dark, lit by only two torches. In the centre stood his father and two figures stepped to his sides, both were heavily cloaked. Lucius raised a hand over his shoulder and Draco watched as he beckoned, with a long finger, that he come closer.
Somewhat edgy and nervous, the young Malfoy walked further into the dark room and stood behind his father.
"Come forward Draco," Lucius ordered and soon his son was standing before him. He noted that Draco's silver eyes were darkened and perplexed. He had no idea what was in store for him. "Are you ready boy? As ready as you have claimed to be?"
It all came clear. Draco understood what was going on. This was his time. Voldemort was most likely standing in the shadows behind him, ready to accept him as a Death Eater. Draco swallowed hard and replied, "I've been ready my whole life."
An amused smirk came to Lucius' face and the men to his sides pulled down their hoods. On, the man to Lucius' right, was a tall and stocky man. He was Eugene Avery. The other, the shortest and also the slimmest was Leonard Nott, Melanie's father. Lucius nodded his head for his son to turn around and Draco willingly complied.
"So, I have the second Malfoy," came a snakelike voice from the darkness before the blonde student. Red, catlike slits appeared before Draco and an extremely gaunt and pale man stepped forward. "I was thinking it was about time that Lucius' prodigy was to join my services."
Draco deeply inhaled as Voldemort walked a full circle around him. He stood very still and straight, waiting for what was to come next.
"I normally don't allow this until a man becomes eighteen," came the foul hiss. "I like to be certain that one can handle what is to come to them. But as you generously pointed out you are of that age in two months and I quote 'you have been ready your whole life'. Is that not right Draco?"
Nodding his understanding, Draco waited for his Lord to continue.
"I've been interested in you for sometime now. You're like your father and so far Lucius has proved himself to be a faithful servant. I assume that the sooner you are with me the better off I am. I also have more uses for you than you could ever possibly dream of. I have no fear that you will be anything but one of my most loyal and one of my strongest Death Eaters. Do I believe wrong in any way Draco?"
Draco shook his head. Of course he wasn't wrong. Draco had been loyal to Voldemort since he was ten years old - if not before then. This was finally to be his time.
"What was that?" Voldemort asked, demanding that the young Malfoy speak.
"No, you do not believe wrong in any way."
"Good, because the consequences are great if you did. They are even greater if you betray me." He paused and looked over the boy in front of him. "You will be great. Lucius, you might wish to brace your prodigy."
That was it? No big fancy oath? None of that? But then, why would Voldemort need to make long oaths with future Death Eaters? Did he not know who was loyal and who wasn't? And if anyone proved to be disloyal, Voldemort would kill them, so it didn't really matter anyway. An oath can always be broken.
Lucius nodded and grabbed a firm grip on Draco's shoulders, ready to support his son in his moment of glory.
"Roll up your sleeve Draco," Voldemort hissed as he withdrew his wand from the depths of his robes.
Draco pulled the sleeve of his robe up passed his forearm and then stuck his arm forward. Taking a deep breath, Draco clenched his free hand into a tight fist.
"Don't bite your tongue son," Lucius advised quietly from behind.
He had been ready to do just so. Bite down on his tongue to cease from screaming when the time came. But Lucius had a point, there was a possibility that Draco could bite so hard he might sever the tip of his tongue.
"I trust you will be loyal Draco. Either that or you will face the dire consequences." Without warning Voldemort thrust his wand tip onto Draco's flesh.
The boy bit down hard on his bottom lip and shut his eyes tightly, turning his head from the pain. Every muscle in his body went rigid as Voldemort burned the Dark Mark into his skin. Draco soon tasted fresh blood from his lip and he quivered under the white-hot pain coursing from his arm throughout the rest of his shell.
As quick as it had started, the pain was over. It was all gone save for that pain that tingled in his arm. Draco watched as his Lord removed the wand from his skin where there was now a darkened brand. The irritated skin around the mark was glowing pink.
"Welcome, my son," spoke Voldemort in that treacherous serpentine voice, "you are now one of us." He cackled malignantly then disappeared back into the dark shadows. Draco had to wonder if Voldemort was always there, always in his house.
Avery and Nott vanished and Lucius tugged on his son's shoulders. Draco followed his father out of the dungeon room in silence and realized he could still taste the iron of his blood. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and pulled it away to see streaks of deep red blood.
"Congratulations Draco," Lucius spat acerbically when the two had come to the main levels of Malfoy Manor. Draco rubbed at his sore and freshly branded arm. "Now you'll know what it's like to live the life of a Death Eater."
Unsure if that was a good comment or a bad, Draco simply nodded. He was now a Death Eater. A loyal servant to the Dark Lord. He would be forever proving himself and his devotion. Draco recalled Voldemort's comment, "I also have more uses for you than you could ever possibly dream of". What had he meant by that? What was in store for Draco? He had to wonder where his loyalties were going to get him.
A/n: Another chapter up and done. Thanks again to all you who have reviewed. You people are so amazing! Quick note. If had this little itch in the back of my head for awhile now and I can't get the answer until next Sunday (when I go to my cousin's). So, here's my question: if anyone knows any song with the phrase 'Unspoken Words' in it, please tell me. It's either Linkin Park or off the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Californication cd - but I don't have them here and never have the time to do a detailed search. So if anyone is completely music smart and has a slight idea at the song I'm talking about please give me a shout in either a review or email (prairie_dog_blues@hotmail.com). Thanks so much, it's been really bothering me for sometime now!
Anyone watch American Idol? Clay's going to win! Lizi