Disclaimer: Who invented this disclaimer thing anyway? It's kind of annoying…oh well. If you must have a disclaimer, please check the last chapter! J
A/N: Thanks to anyone who has reviewed!!! I can't say how often I'll be able to get chapters up, because school starts soon for me. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this chapter, R and R!!!
Chapter 2: Dark Mark, Dark Soul
Pale rays of light gradually entered the eastern room, until the sun was a blazing ruby in the sky. The girl shifted in her sleep, hiding her face from the daylight. One dark green eye opened, and she squinted at the window. Sighing as she left the warmth of her bed, Rayne advanced toward the window and drew the thin curtains back. Perfect, she thought sarcastically. It would be a sunny day when my mood is blacker than the night sky. Rayne returned to her bed at sat down, only to immediately rise again as she noticed the unfamiliar black robes at the foot of the bed that she had failed to detect the previous night. Rayne pushed a lock of hair out of her face as she bent down to read a scrap of paper attached.
Rayne — these will be your robes for the initiation. You will not have a mask until after the ceremony is complete, so this is all you need to have. You may bring your staff later if you wish, but if you do, I guarantee there will be some explaining to do. — DracoRayne fingered the strange new robes. They were so different from her own! In place of vibrant greens with intricate embroidery, there was only simple black. The fabric was different also. The black robes were made of a much thicker material than the young sorceress was accustomed to. "What am I doing?" Rayne asked of no one in particular, "I could have let Martelus do this instead; he would have been happy to!" No, chided a voice inside of her, you are the one with more determination, more skill. You volunteered, because you had connections to the Malfoys, everyone agreed it would be best for you to go. Finally giving in to her subconscious, Rayne removed her beloved green robes and replaced them with the black ones. She gazed at her reflection in the huge wrought-iron mirror that adorned one wall. As much as she detested the robes, they would have to do.
After a moment of debate, Rayne lifted her staff from the floor. "Nothing would make me leave my staff, Draco," she muttered to the silence. The staff was beautiful, as all staves of her kind were. They were true works of art; no two were the same. It was a little over four feet high, and made of an expensive tropical wood. Complexly carved vines twisted up the staff and wound together at the top to encase a rare green gem. The dragonstone, as it was called, would never leave the staff. The carvers made sure that the stone atop each sorcerer's staff was permanent, as that stone was the source of much power.
"This is it," Rayne said to herself, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be!" With that said, Rayne exited her room and looked around the hall. Without a doubt, breakfast would be served in the smaller dining room off of the kitchen. She started toward the staircase, pausing from time to time to admire the priceless artifacts that were always present through the Manor. Eventually the sorceress reached the dining room, where Draco already sat.
"Morning," he greeted her, "Sleep well?"
"Fairly," she replied, "As well as I could for being so damned nervous."
Draco nodded, "I understand. The ceremony isn't horrible, but it isn't…pleasant…either." He rolled up his sleeve and touched the Dark Mark that was burned there gently. "The worst is over after the branding, and if you can make it to that point without screaming too much, all the better for you. You're actually lucky the Dark Lord is even considering you, usually Death Eaters as young as I aren't allowed to present apprentices for initiation."
It's lucky that you don't know I was never trained as a dark apprentice, thought Rayne as she sat down and helped herself to some toast, which she picked at nervously. "How bad was it for you? The initiation, I mean."
"You have to be at least seventeen to be a Death Eater," began Draco, "and my father brought me to the Dark Lord a year ago, the summer after sixth year. It was a fairly standard initiation, but it may have been easier for me as a result of my father's status. There were only three Cruciatus curses I had to endure; I've heard some people get as many as ten…"
The story went on for a while, until it was time to leave. Rayne was led into a small room near the library, where a grotesque skull sat atop a pedestal.
"You've used portkeys before, right?" questioned Draco. Rayne only nodded in reply, fighting down the lump in her throat. "On three," he instructed, "One…two…three--"
There was a lurch, and the next thing Rayne knew, she was standing in the hall of a dimly lit building. Draco appeared beside her, and purposefully strode down the hall, saying only, "Come on."
Rayne followed, knowing she would soon be one of the Dark Lord's followers. The sorceress gasped as she beheld the richly adorned chamber. There he was, sitting atop a marble dais—Voldemort. Draco stopped at the center of the chamber, with Rayne slightly behind and to his left. Taking a deep breath, Rayne concentrated on shielding her mind. If he catches me lying, I'm as good as dead, she thought.
There was a slight swishing noise as more Death Eater's entered the chamber to witness the initiation. After all who were coming were present, a cold, high-pitched voice rang out.
"Who presents this girl to enter my service, to become a Death Eater?" demanded the Dark Lord.
"I do, m'lord," answered Draco.
"Is her blood pure?"
"Yes, m'lord,"
Then Voldemort stated, "Step forth girl. What is your name?"
Just breathe, Rayne told herself as she stepped forward. Her mind was properly concealed, and hopefully she wouldn't have to try to influence his mind if he started asking too far. "My name is Rayne Altheriana, my lord," answered Rayne as she knelt down to take the vows.
"Why do you wish to enter my service?" inquired the Dark Lord.
"You are the only one I would ever call master," replied Rayne.
"What do you seek?"
"Knowledge and training in the Dark Arts, my lord, as only you could provide."
The vows went on and on, and Rayne modified the truth as necessity dictated. Then came his questions about her staff.
"Why do you carry a staff instead of a wand?" he demanded, his tone changing from the steady drone of previous questions.
"I am a sorceress, my lord," Rayne stated as her heart rate quickly sped up. Don't worry, she told herself, your mind is properly shielded, he won't know if you lie about power! "There are very few of us, and we have always used staves. Our power is no different from wizards, however," lied Rayne. He seemed to accept that as the truth, but his questions could soon be dangerous to answer. The sorceress concentrated and tried to direct his mind away from awkward inquiries. Almost there…almost…
"WHAT DID YOU JUST TRY TO DO, GIRL?!" raged Voldemort, "Rookwood, Nott, Seize her!" The sorceress paled as two masked Death Eaters approached and held her arms behind her. "I could use the Cruciatus curse on you, but I fear damaging your mind…I may grow impatient, however…" Voldemort half-whispered, his voice dangerously soft. "Snape, go and get me a truth potion," he ordered.
"Yes, m'lord," replied the voice of Severus Snape, bowing his head before turning to leave.
Rayne panicked, she couldn't do anything to stop the effects of a potion. She would have to speak using her mind, and hope no one realized what was going on. Stop! Rayne pleaded, directing her words into Snape's mind. Please, please bring back a weak or imitation potion! If you bring back a valid truth potion it will most likely mean my life! Snape turned toward her, a curious look on his face. I know who you are! threatened Rayne, I know you are not loyal to him! Just bring back a false potion and I will confess everything to you under Veritaserum later, I swear! Snape narrowed his eyes, and watched her for a few moments before he left.
"Well, I suppose we will soon know what you tried to do, won't we?" threatened Voldemort.
"My lord, please, I didn't mean to--"
"Crucio!" cried the Dark Lord.
Instantly, with out time to think, Rayne was hit by severe pain. Don't scream, don't scream, she ordered herself, but it was no use, the pain was just too much…As soon as she screamed the pain stopped. There was high-pitched laughter, and the pain started again…
It may have been hours or minutes later, Rayne didn't know. She was still shaking from the effects of the curses. "Had enough?" asked the Dark Lord. Rayne could only gasp in reply. At that moment, Snap returned with a small vial in his hand.
"I could not get any Veritaserum, my lord, but I assure you it will force her to tell the truth."
"Give it to her then," instructed the evil creature atop the dais.
Rayne's arms were taken behind her once again, apparently she had wrenched them free during the curses. She opened her mouth without protest, and allowed the unknown liquid to be poured down her throat. She could feel no effects of the potion, and hoped it really was a forgery.
"What did you try to do earlier?" asked Voldemort again.
Rayne took a deep breath, and tried to look as if she was under the effects of a potion. "I was breaking the law of my kind, my lord, when I told you I was a sorceress" lied Rayne. She decided to try making him feel powerful: "By telling what I was, a charm that was performed on me years ago to prevent me from divulging what I am was broken. You must be immensely powerful to have gotten through it, my lord," Rayne continued, knowing it was what he would want to hear.
"Was everything else you swore to true?" the Dark Lord questioned.
"It was, my lord," replied Rayne.
"You may give her the antidote, Snape," instructed Voldemort. Another liquid was given to her, and Rayne shook her head as if she was unaware of what had happened under the potion. Before she even had time to react, Voldemort had once again cried, "Crucio!" and Rayne was screaming in agony once again.
Seeming satisfied, Voldemort rose from the dais and descended the stone steps. "I accept you as a Death Eater, but if there are any other…mishaps…I will not hesitate to kill you." He then addressed the Death Eaters who were holding Rayne, "Expose her left arm."
Her left sleeve was rolled up, and her arm was dragged out in front of her, held by Rookwood. Rayne braced herself for pain as she knelt at Voldemort's feet. She closed her eyes and felt the tip of the Dark Lord's wand touch her skin. She clenched her teeth against the pain. This is it, she told herself, Don't scream, don't scream. It felt as if liquid fire was being poured onto her skin, it was pain worse than the Cruciatus curse. She wanted to scream but couldn't. The pain was just too much…Then it was over, and she was released. She fell onto her hands and panted heavily, trying to get a grip on the torture she had just suffered as the Dark Lord returned to his dais
"You are now a Death Eater, and I expect you to recognize me as your master," Voldemort informed her, "You may thank me, as well as you, Malfoy."
Rayne observed Draco instantly dropping to his knees and crawling to Voldemort to kiss the hems of his robes. Fighting down her pride, Rayne did the same. The sorceress then backed away, and joined the circle of Death Eaters. She was one of them now. The other Death Eaters did not look at her, she was just another new follower, nothing special. Except for one of them. Even though he was wearing a mask, Rayne could see the suspicion that smoldered behind Snape's eyes.
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A/N: So what did you think? I hope some parts didn't seem too rushed, I just didn't want to spend too much time on this chapter! R & R!
~ Wandering Phoenix ~