The Dark
Chapter Five: Initiation
Krystiana
krissy@zahadum.com

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any related characters. If you're reading this, hopefully you know who does so I won't have to list them.

This was written while listening to the new Radiohead album - "Hail to the Thief." Same album I listened to while reading the fifth book - I highly recommend doing the same as I did, especially the end of the book. Sends chills down your spine.

This chapter is a bit shorter than the others, and it's terribly unbetaed. Typos may be abound, but I will catch them in the edit. And don't give me crap about waiting forever about releasing a chapter and not having absolutely perfect - I don't have the internet, and I work my ASS off all the FREAKING TIME. I've got enough STRESS. Stress the word STRESS.

Have fun. And, as always, leave a comment.


-Malfoy Manor-

How could it… how could they? How could his own father DO this to him? He was too young to be a Death Eater, and to make him take Harry, too…

Draco Malfoy felt as if his entire world was crumbling around him, and his mind was going with it. Gone was the calm, cool, arrogant Draco, except on the exterior - and even that was starting to fade.

Since Harry had been brought to Draco by the Death Eaters, one thing after another had been revealed to the young Malfoy. Even after being told so much about what was going on, he was still in the dark.

Draco didn't like it.

He was getting out of the Death Eater circle, and he was taking Harry with him. Neither of them deserved this kind of future.

That was something Harry had taught him - there was no set destiny for any one person. Although Draco had been "destined" to be a Death Eater since before he was born, he did not have to become one. He didn't have to join them simply because of a birthright. His father would be quite unhappy, though…

~That doesn't matter,~ Draco thought. ~It doesn't matter what he wants for me. I want something different for myself. It's my future, and it's my decision.~

Such positive, hopeful thoughts he'd been having lately. Bright thoughts in one of the darkest periods of his life.

Draco supposed he had to have a positive outlook on things to make up for Harry's lack of it. Draco wasn't even sure WHAT Harry's outlook was. After every meeting with Voldemort, Harry got quieter and quieter. Now he rarely spoke - he simply sat and stared at this wall with a blank look on his face. Sometimes he slept.

He had been sleeping when Draco's father came to tell them the 'wonderful' news. The two of them would be initiated together. That would make Draco the youngest Death Eater even, followed closely by Harry, and then Draco's own father.

Draco couldn't possibly look happy when his father told him - his brain wouldn't allow it. His brain wouldn't allow him to appear upset, either - for fear of repercussions from his father. Instead, Draco appeared as Harry did most of his waking hours - emotionless. He accepted what his father told him, acknowledged it, and then appeared to move on, as a true Malfoy would.

The bit of news was taking it's toll, though. And even has Draco was scared for himself, he was ten times as frightened for Harry. He didn't deserve this fate.

He had to get both of them out before the initiation took place. The portkey he had created wouldn't work until after the ceremony would begin. Perhaps they could both attend the initiation and stall until the portkey had activated.

How in the world does one stall, Voldemort, though?

* * *

It's hard being faced with a decision no one but you knew you had to make.

Draco, his lover, the one thing that made him feel happy and normal, had crafted a plan to escape - for both of them.

And Voldemort, his grandfather, whom had told Harry the secret that changed his perspective on things, did not know that his most loyal follower's son had planned on escaping with his grandson.

He had no one to turn to on this decision. Harry sat in silence, mulling over his options and weighing out each side.

Draco offered happiness.

Voldemort offered revenge.

Something… had to fall.

Draco may have perceived Harry as being emotionless and unfeeling, but that the farthest from the truth. Harry was overwhelmed with emotion, and he merely didn't know how to express his feelings. On the outside, Harry had shut down. On the inside, he was raging - thoughts racing, still trying to comprehend what was happening.

"Harry."

The Boy Who Lived looked up at his lover. Draco had an expression on his face that Harry had never seen on him before, but he couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what it was.

"We need to talk." Draco sat down beside Harry on the bed, where Harry seemed to spend most of his time, when he wasn't taken away to one of his secret meetings that could only be with Voldemort.

"What about?" Harry asked, studying the blonde.

"Everything."

Harry raised an eyebrow, confused. "I don't understand."

When the Death Eaters brought you here, my job was to turn you to our side. The original plan was torture - and it was my plan. My idea."

Harry couldn't speak for a moment. "Why?"

"Because I had to stay in Father's… and the Dark Lord's favor," Draco said, looking away. "If I had flat-out refused to take part, I would have been punished - if not killed - and you still would have been captured and tortured. Brainwashed.

"Then the plan changed when the Dark Lord told Father about our relationship. Instead of torture, I was to give you an ultimatum - either you join with the Dark Lord, or I would leave you." Draco paused to look at Harry, but the scarred boy kept silent.

"But then you kept getting taken away to these meetings with the Dark Lord. Each time you return, you get colder and more emotionless." Draco closed his eyes before continuing. "You hardly speak to me. I know that dealing with what You-Know-Who told you is hard, but…" Draco began squeezing his eyes shut, unable to continue his thought.

"But what?"

"Do you still love me?" Draco's voice was small.

Harry's face cracked and he began crying. Startled, Draco reached for him as he collapsed into the blonde's arms.

"I… still… love…" Harry choked out between sobs. "So much."

Draco didn't say anything, but tightly held the scarred boy in his arms, stoking his lover's hair tenderly.

"You're the only thing I have left," Harry said in a voice so quiet that it could barely be heard. "He took everything away from me. It's his fault."

Something in Harry's voice was harsh, and Draco had an odd feeling that he wasn't talking about Voldemort. He froze for a moment, but shook off the feeling. "Harry, we're going to get out of here. Don't worry. The Dark Lord plans on initiating us tonight, but we'll get out of here in time. Just follow my lead."

Harry said nothing, instead burying his face in Draco's chest, relishing in the comfort of being in his lover's arms.

* * *

-Hogwarts, Seven Months Earlier-

With narrowed eyes, Ron watched Harry race back and forth between their dorm room and the bathroom for about ten minutes before finally speaking up. "Why are you spending the last night here with him?"

Harry stopped moving and glared at Ron. "We're been over this about twenty times, Ron. I won't get to see him again after tonight. The school is closing because of the war. We both have sides to commit to - "

"Yeah. Opposite sides. You're going to be fighting AGAINST each other. He's EVIL, Harry."

"He's not evil!" Harry snapped. "Why are you making this even harder than it already is?"

"Because Malfoy is a raging, egotistical freak! He's not right for you, and you'll just be upset after we all go our separate ways!" Ron growled.

"Just let me be happy! Merlin knows I won't have any happiness after the school closes!" Harry turned his back on Ron, peering into the mirror and unsuccessfully attempting to smooth his hair down. His reflection gave him a sympathetic smile.

"So hanging out with me and Hermione is nothing?"

Harry clenched his jaw before turning back to Ron. "It's different, Ron, and you know it."

"How is it different?"

"Because I'm not in love with you and Hermione."

Ron smacked his forehead. "Forget it. I'm not going to talk any sense into you, so there's no point in trying."

"No, there's not. Besides, I'll get to see you and Hermione after the school is closed."

Ron sighed. "That's true. Speaking of which, what am I supposed to tell Hermione?"

"What do you mean?"

"She'll want to know where you are."

"Tell her I wanted to be by myself tonight. I'll sort it out with her later."

"Are you ever going to tell her?"

"If there's a need." Harry straightened out his clothes for the tenth time.

"You look lovely. Stop fretting."

Harry gave Ron a mock-glare, turning back to the mirror to check his hair one more time.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, there's nothing you can do about you hair!" His reflection snapped. "Just go and have a good time!"

Harry raised an eyebrow and looked at Ron, who offered a small smile. "Yeah. Goes double for me. Enjoy yourself, Harry. Be sure to NOT let me know the details."

Harry grinned and started to move to leave. As he opened the door, he turned back towards Ron once more. "Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

* * *

-Present Time, Unknown Location-

The two figures walked stoically into the dark room, side by side. Their heads were held high, and their eyes betrayed nothing.

They came to the middle of the room and stopped. Although there were torches burning around the perimeter of the room, it was still dark. It seemed to be brightest where the two were standing, although it was just as dark as the rest of the room.

Draco did not let his eyes wander, but he allowed himself to observe his surroundings out of the corner of his eyes. For some reason, he felt that although he could not see any of the faces of the Death Eaters in the room, they could see his and Harry's quite clearly.

"Kneel before the Dark Lord," a voice said, one that Draco identified as his father's. Harry was already getting to his knees.

Draco was quick to follow.

Someone came forward to them. Draco didn't need to look up to know it was Voldemort. He'd been in the Dark Lord's presence before, and he recognized the chilled feeling that came over him when Voldemort was near.

Draco also didn't need to look up to know what he'd see. In a dark area like the one the were in, he'd simply see a dark figure with two powerful glowing red eyes. Those eyes had pierced into Draco's soul before.

Voldemort began to speak.

"My loyal Death Eaters, we have two in front of us that would be great additions to our group."

Not knowing how powerful Voldemort's ability to read minds went, Draco attempted to clear his thoughts. There was about twenty minutes left until the portkey was activated…

Voldemort was speaking again.

"But, as you all know, their loyalty must first be tested. All of you, please step forward."

Draco tensed up, having a feeling he knew what was coming. Voldemort crossed his arms, nodding once to group of Death Eaters that had gathered around Draco and Harry.

"Proceed."

The word was spoken in unison by all of them, and Draco's fathers voice rung out louder than any of the others.

"CRUCIO!"

* * *

-Ministry of Magic-

"It's very late for us to be eating dinner." Hermione said quietly, looking around at the tired group of people. Dumbledore, Snape, Remus, Ron, and herself were picking at the food on the plates in front of them.

The small gathering was in the dining hall, eating in near silence. Every once in a while, someone would ask to pass the margarine, or the salt.

A bright flash and small 'BOOM' broke the silence. Everyone stood up from their chairs in a flurry, wands out, only to see Draco Malfoy apparently fall from the ceiling. He landed on the ground with a sickening sound. For a moment, he was still.

However, he soon curled up into a ball and started sobbing. "No, no, no, no…"

Severus ran forward, cradling the blonde in his arms. "Draco!"

"No, no, no!!" Draco began screaming, pushing himself away from his professor. "He wouldn't come with me! He wouldn't come with me!"

Ron and Hermione stood with their mouths wide open. Of all seven years they attended school with Malfoy, they had never seen him so uncomposed. His voice was cracking as he screamed and yelled, trying to stand up without much success.

"He wouldn't come with me! He said he wanted to stay!! No, no, NO!!!" Draco collapsed in a heap, shaking and sobbing. "Harry…"

Draco finally lost consciousness, falling to his side. As his arm fell limp, everyone in the room could clearly see his left wrist, and the dark tattoo of a skull and a serpent freshly burnt into it.

To be continued…