A/N: Hey there! Just a quick message of warning. This chapter contains strong language and scenes of strong violence. If this offends you I am sorry, it offends me too, but unfortunately this chapter is critical to the plot and the rest of the story. I hope this rating is fine. If not could someone please let me know? I definitely don't think PG-13 is strong enough but that's just me. Thank You ~ :o)
CHAPTER 2 – PRESENT TIME!
Draco had left Severus sitting in stunned silence within his chambers and returned to the Slytherin Common Room. As he walked through the arch behind the portrait of Salazar Slytherin, the first thing he noticed was a small group of fellow seventh years deep in a tight nit conversation. Draco sauntered over to them to see what all the secrecy was about.
"So they're having a party?" Blaise Zabini asked.
"Yeah! We overhead Longbottom and Weasley talking about it on their way to the kitchens!" Vincent Crabbe replied.
"Who's having a party?"
Everyone jumped as they heard Draco's question.
Pansy Parkinson moved slightly to her right to allow Draco to sit down beside her. She smiled at him in such a way that, to her, must have been thought to be incredibly seductive but, in reality, Draco thought that the back end of a cow was more tempting. Instead of vomiting on the spot, he simply sat down without looking or touching her and repeated his question.
"Those bloody Gryffindors!" Blaise retorted spitefully, "It's that mudblood Granger's birthday and they're having a party to celebrate. How exciting will that be?! Bet they're playing Musical Petrificus Totalus and Pin the Tail on Longbottom!!!"
Everyone laughed at Blaise's attempt at a joke. Everyone that is except Draco. Pansy noticed his strange behaviour and asked what the matter was, while seductively feeling her way up his thigh.
"NOTHING!" Draco exclaimed while jumping out of his seat. "Well….it's….I've just….it's-just-a-headache-I'll-be-fine-Just-gonna-go-lie-down-for-a-while." He said all this in a rush and practically ran towards the stairs which lead down to the dormitories when Gregory Goyle yelled; "Draco!"
Draco turned. He could see the shocked looks on the groups faces, well not on Crabbe or Goyle's faces but then they were always much slower than the rest.
Goyle continued, "This owl came for you and left this."
He handed over a brown paper covered package and returned to the bitching session about the Gryffindors.
~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~
Draco went into the seventh year dormitory and closed the drapes around his bed. He never warded the door because he knew that the other boys wouldn't enter without knocking when Draco was alone in the dormitories. They may be Slytherin's but at least they had manners.
He opened the package and found a small black box. The box had a silver snake clasp which slowly uncoiled itself to allow the box to open. The lid jumped up like that of a Jack-in-a-box. From the black and silver object, a small silver feather floated upwards and hovered just in front of Draco's face.
He knew what was about to happen and yet he felt completely unprepared. He desperately wanted to put the feather back into the box, close it and forget about it forever. However, he knew that he couldn't do that. He would just have to take his Uncle Severus' advice and allow his heart to lead him in the right direction.
Slowly, he reached up and gingerly touched the silver feather.
He felt the familiar tug at the pit of his stomach and the nauseating feeling that always follows travel by portkey. All too soon he felt the ground beneath his feet as the world returned focused. It took him a few moments to figure out where he was and he felt a shiver travelling up his spine when the realisation hit.
~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~
The cold, damp atmosphere in the dungeon in Malfoy Manor was only accentuated by the bleak darkness. Draco was trying to think rationally but found that he couldn't. He could hear his subconscious telling him to be brave and that he would soon be home.
'How ironic!' He thought. 'Here I am standing in one of dungeons of the Manor which has been passed down from my ancestors for generations and I don't and won't even think of it as home!'
He resisted the urge to play with his ring. He knew that he would have to let fate take her course. A familiar drawl penetrated his thoughts.
"My son."
"Lu - Father?"
Draco looked around but he could see nothing but shadows dancing across the floor where the light from the tiny window near the roof was shining brightly.
"Yes my boy. Happy Birthday!"
"Thank you father. May I ask why I am here?"
He was shaking. Physically and mentally shaking. He reminded himself to stay strong. He couldn't break down.
"Now now Draco, today is very special. Tonight you will become a man, my son. Our Master has decided that it is time for you to join him and me, time to take your place at my side in the circle of Death-Eaters. Lumos." Lucius stepped out of the darkness and into the light. With a sneer he continued. "Tonight you will receive your Mark."
For the first time in Draco's life he did not feel afraid of Lucius. All he felt was anger and hatred towards the man.
"I won't take the Mark." Whispered Draco.
Lucius walked towards Draco and stopped behind him. Sneering quietly into his ear he asked "What did you say?"
Turning to face his father, eye met eye and Draco held his ground.
"I said," he started, "I WILL NOT TAKE THE DARK MARK AND I WILL NOT JOIN VOLDEMORT!"
SMACK!!
The echo ricocheted off of the dungeon walls as Lucius' fist connected with Draco's cheek.
"Insolent child, you shall do as I say!"
"NO!" Draco retorted.
In the blink of an eye, he found himself thrown across the room and being magically held against on the walls.
"YES." Lucius shouted, before curse after curse began flying out of his wand and connecting with Draco's body.
Draco could not speak so he simply moved his head from side to side and found his fathers eyes through his narrowing slits. Determined silver met seething grey as Draco fell from his constraints. The pain from the fall was quickly dispersed as Lucius' boot made contact with Draco's ribs. The boot continued on its journey over Draco's body and all too quickly he was curled up into a ball to try and protect himself from the constant torture. He could feel the pain coarse through his muscles, his bones and even his blood. He thought that it couldn't possibly get any worse than this but then fate always throws fat on the fire.
"CRUCIO."
It felt like thirty Filibuster's Fabulous Fireworks exploding from his body. He was on fire. He needed water. He needed air. He needed help. He needed to go home. Home. He needed to go home.
Lucius ceased the effects of the curse. He could see his heir cowering from him while still shaking from head to foot.
"So Draco!" Lucius was spitting out every word and Draco could hear the venom in the tone. "What are you going to do now, Child?"
He tried to move his body towards Lucius but the pain was too great. He was glad he could feel the ring on his right thumb. The movement needed to ignite the potency of the potion was minuscule. The strength from the ring was coursing through his body. He knew there was no physical reason for the feel of strength; it was purely in his mind.
He looked up at Lucius and simply said "I'm going to go HOME!" and with that Draco disappeared.
~~~~~~~~ * ~~~~~~~~
Draco arrived outside the Great Hall in Hogwarts. He managed to raise himself slightly off the ground. His pace was slow as he crawled and dragged himself towards the stairwell to the dungeons.
He had just reached the stairs when the pain became too much. He let out a scream; saw a flash of green, then fell into a soothing pit of blackness.
