The last Death Eater entered, and amidst his horror Harry noticed
that the newest addition to the room was significantly smaller than the
rest. The Death Eater made his way up front to where Lucius Malfoy was
directing his wand at Harry's heart.
"It's about time," Lucius snarled at the Death Eater. He was about Harry's height, and his icy blue eyes made contact with Harry's from underneath the slits in his hood. Harry's stomach gave a new jolt, and this time it was not from nerves. Harry peered back, keeping his composure of defiance.
"I'm sorry, father," he said quietly, the drawl gone entirely from Draco Malfoy's voice. His father did not look at him, neither his attention nor wand wavered from Harry for a moment.
"You had better do well should you hope to make it to your induction tonight, Draco," Lucius drawled threateningly. Draco shifted uneasily. "This is your time to prove yourself."
Harry knew from Sirius that Death Eaters were inducted at the age of fifteen. Sirius had lost many in his class in their fifth year. As Sirius' face appeared in Harry's mind, shame and frustration welled up within him. He stepped back onto Hermione's toes and felt her give a little jump. He knew they were all shocked to see Draco there, but certainly not surprised. So this was to be his test. Harry's mind was reeling; the appearance of Draco suddenly brought it all home to him. He and Draco had exchanged insults and harmless hexes for years, they were simply competitive enemies. Harry now realized that Draco could be called upon to kill him, and it painfully became all the more real.
Lucius drawled on, asking in a shakily calm voice for the prophesy, and Harry shouted "Now!" Stunning spells were shot everywhere, most of which hit the Death Eaters. Several fell and lay as if dead. The ones remaining sprang forward to duel with Hermione, Ron, Luna, Ginny, Neville, and Harry. Draco looked down at the figure of his unconscious father, and his black hood slipped from his face. He looked back at Harry, and his face contorted with venomous malice. Harry made ready to fight Draco; both wands were pointing at the other's face. Harry circled Draco, whose movements mirrored his. Harry's eyes never left Draco's, whose were wide and fearful compared to Harry's determinedly fierce ones. Draco opened his mouth, but a spell from a duel between Hermione and a Death Eater hit Draco in the back. He faltered, then fell to the floor. Harry moved forward instinctively and knelt down beside him. Draco was alive, but just. Harry knew the curse; it slowly sucked the victim's power and life into the wand that had fired it. Draco was fading, and he looked at Harry. Harry knew he was afraid, there was terror in the tears now flooding his eyes. Harry did not know what to do; it felt as if hours were passing as seconds. He dragged Draco to an alcove in the room, and Draco spoke in a strained voice.
"Don't-" Draco panted, a pained expression on his face. "Don't...I don't...he is coming...I don't want..." Harry knew he was dying. He could not leave Draco to die, but his friends were fighting the Death Eaters single-handedly. Hermione screamed, then crumpled to the floor. A look of vindictive anger was in Ron's face as he bellowed, "Stupefy!" at the Death Eater now gloating over her. He froze and collapsed beside Hermione. Harry did not pause to think. He ran to the stunned Death Eater and snatched the wand from his hand. It glowed with a strange warmth, and Harry ripped it in half and threw it to the floor.
A curse shot over his left shoulder; Harry wheeled around and cried, "Petrificus Totalus," at the Death Eater advancing towards him past Ginny's still body. He slammed to the floor with a clatter, the last Death Eater in the room. Ron and Luna were the only ones left standing. "Where's Neville?" Harry asked sharply, looking at the silent forms of Hermione and Ginny. "That-" Ron panted. "That Lestrange woman carried him off. Harry, there are still five others." Harry nodded, and Ron and Luna sped off after them. Harry turned and saw Draco standing, facing him. Harry looked at him, welcoming the clearly imminent attack. Draco did not move, and Harry noticed his wand hung limply from his hand. A solitary tear fell down his cheek. Harry felt the danger was gone, and continued to consider Draco warily. "I'm sorry," Draco whispered. His face held no snarl, no smirk. "I don't want this." Harry numbly understood. With a father like Lucius Malfoy, Draco's life must have been centered around the Dark Arts. Draco really had no choice, yet he was now making one. Harry nodded, and Draco threw off his black cloak and followed Harry out of the room. Flashes of light could be seen from the room with the brain. They ran towards it, and three Death Eaters remained.
Draco screamed "Stupefy!" with angry might at an unmasked Death Eater, causing him to fly several feet and crash against the wall. He was unconscious as he slid to the floor. Ron looked from Draco to the stunned Rookwood, and gave Harry a quizzical stare. Harry had no time to explain as Luna stunned the last Death Eater, and the four of them now ran from the room.
As they reached the circular room with the black doors, darkness fell around them. Ron whimpered into the silence of the impenetrable blackness surrounding them. Harry saw two glowing red lights emerge from the door adjacent to them. Draco gasped and proceeded to shake so violently that Harry took his hand in a firm grip. The red lights spoke, and Harry knew Draco's terror.
"Come forth," hissed the voice. The darkness lifted as the Death Eaters entered from every door. The red lights, Harry saw, glowed from a snakelike face recognizable as Voldemort. The four held their ground, each feeling death upon them. They were completely surrounded and outnumbered. Ron raised his wand and opened his mouth-
"Stupefy!" shouted Lucius Malfoy immediately. Ron fell into a silent sleep upon the floor. Lucius' boastful face now glowered over them with vicious malice. He stopped, however, when his eyes fell upon his son. All expression died from his face, and was slowly replaced with furious anger.
"Draco," whispered his father in a dangerously low voice. "To me, now." Draco stood defiantly between Harry and Luna. Lucius saw that Draco made to stay, and shrieked, "NOW, you fool! How dare you defy me, defy your lord-"
"My lord?" asked Draco incredulously. He had lost his demeanor of prideful smirking, and looked his father directly in his eye. "No lord of mine is he, no father of mine are y-" Lucius whipped his wand into the air and spoke to curse Draco, a mad gleam in his eye.
"Perhaps," said a voice that struck terror into Harry's very heart, "you can remember what happens to those who forget where their allegiance lies." Lucius looked at Voldemort pleadingly, and Voldemort continued. "Never have you swayed in your service, Malfoy. But your son, he is old enough. I would not have one so informed of our facilities opposing us." Lucius looked afraid now, but nodded. "Step forward," Voldemort said to Draco, who shivered at Harry's side. Voldemort did not wait for a response and jerked his hand. Draco shot forward onto the ground. He made to stand up, but Lucius bent down to him.
"Son," he goaded. "Son, do not embarrass me now. Pl-"
"No, Lucius," Voldemort stood before them. "He is a coward. He is full of fear, it repulses me." Draco flinched as Voldemort faced Lucius. "Kill him."
Lucius' eyes were afraid as Voldemort bore down upon him. "Now, Lucius, my patience wanes thin. Family is irrelevant. Those around you-" Voldemort gestured to the leering Death Eaters, "-are your family in the pursuit of power." There was nothing else for it.
Lucius took his son by the arm and pulled him up, and clasped his shoulder as if in an embrace. The words "Avada Kedavra" reached Harry's ears a second too late. Draco's face was illuminated with green light; there was an expression of mingled confusion and terror upon it. His tortured eyes looked at his father with surprise as he fell.
Draco slowly leaned backwards, life abandoning his body. He lay upon the floor, an image of a life wasted. His blue eyes were not narrowed in anger or scorn as Harry had always known them; they were wide with fear and disbelief. His silver hair was strewn across his face and strands of it were in his eyes. Never again would he draw the platinum tresses behind his ears, never again would his mouth, opened slightly as if in protest, utter a word. Harry looked at his hand, oblivious to the thundering silence now filling his ears, and could still feel Draco's touch. All that time, Harry thought, and as he stared at his hand for some kind of comfort a tear fell and splashed upon it.
"It's about time," Lucius snarled at the Death Eater. He was about Harry's height, and his icy blue eyes made contact with Harry's from underneath the slits in his hood. Harry's stomach gave a new jolt, and this time it was not from nerves. Harry peered back, keeping his composure of defiance.
"I'm sorry, father," he said quietly, the drawl gone entirely from Draco Malfoy's voice. His father did not look at him, neither his attention nor wand wavered from Harry for a moment.
"You had better do well should you hope to make it to your induction tonight, Draco," Lucius drawled threateningly. Draco shifted uneasily. "This is your time to prove yourself."
Harry knew from Sirius that Death Eaters were inducted at the age of fifteen. Sirius had lost many in his class in their fifth year. As Sirius' face appeared in Harry's mind, shame and frustration welled up within him. He stepped back onto Hermione's toes and felt her give a little jump. He knew they were all shocked to see Draco there, but certainly not surprised. So this was to be his test. Harry's mind was reeling; the appearance of Draco suddenly brought it all home to him. He and Draco had exchanged insults and harmless hexes for years, they were simply competitive enemies. Harry now realized that Draco could be called upon to kill him, and it painfully became all the more real.
Lucius drawled on, asking in a shakily calm voice for the prophesy, and Harry shouted "Now!" Stunning spells were shot everywhere, most of which hit the Death Eaters. Several fell and lay as if dead. The ones remaining sprang forward to duel with Hermione, Ron, Luna, Ginny, Neville, and Harry. Draco looked down at the figure of his unconscious father, and his black hood slipped from his face. He looked back at Harry, and his face contorted with venomous malice. Harry made ready to fight Draco; both wands were pointing at the other's face. Harry circled Draco, whose movements mirrored his. Harry's eyes never left Draco's, whose were wide and fearful compared to Harry's determinedly fierce ones. Draco opened his mouth, but a spell from a duel between Hermione and a Death Eater hit Draco in the back. He faltered, then fell to the floor. Harry moved forward instinctively and knelt down beside him. Draco was alive, but just. Harry knew the curse; it slowly sucked the victim's power and life into the wand that had fired it. Draco was fading, and he looked at Harry. Harry knew he was afraid, there was terror in the tears now flooding his eyes. Harry did not know what to do; it felt as if hours were passing as seconds. He dragged Draco to an alcove in the room, and Draco spoke in a strained voice.
"Don't-" Draco panted, a pained expression on his face. "Don't...I don't...he is coming...I don't want..." Harry knew he was dying. He could not leave Draco to die, but his friends were fighting the Death Eaters single-handedly. Hermione screamed, then crumpled to the floor. A look of vindictive anger was in Ron's face as he bellowed, "Stupefy!" at the Death Eater now gloating over her. He froze and collapsed beside Hermione. Harry did not pause to think. He ran to the stunned Death Eater and snatched the wand from his hand. It glowed with a strange warmth, and Harry ripped it in half and threw it to the floor.
A curse shot over his left shoulder; Harry wheeled around and cried, "Petrificus Totalus," at the Death Eater advancing towards him past Ginny's still body. He slammed to the floor with a clatter, the last Death Eater in the room. Ron and Luna were the only ones left standing. "Where's Neville?" Harry asked sharply, looking at the silent forms of Hermione and Ginny. "That-" Ron panted. "That Lestrange woman carried him off. Harry, there are still five others." Harry nodded, and Ron and Luna sped off after them. Harry turned and saw Draco standing, facing him. Harry looked at him, welcoming the clearly imminent attack. Draco did not move, and Harry noticed his wand hung limply from his hand. A solitary tear fell down his cheek. Harry felt the danger was gone, and continued to consider Draco warily. "I'm sorry," Draco whispered. His face held no snarl, no smirk. "I don't want this." Harry numbly understood. With a father like Lucius Malfoy, Draco's life must have been centered around the Dark Arts. Draco really had no choice, yet he was now making one. Harry nodded, and Draco threw off his black cloak and followed Harry out of the room. Flashes of light could be seen from the room with the brain. They ran towards it, and three Death Eaters remained.
Draco screamed "Stupefy!" with angry might at an unmasked Death Eater, causing him to fly several feet and crash against the wall. He was unconscious as he slid to the floor. Ron looked from Draco to the stunned Rookwood, and gave Harry a quizzical stare. Harry had no time to explain as Luna stunned the last Death Eater, and the four of them now ran from the room.
As they reached the circular room with the black doors, darkness fell around them. Ron whimpered into the silence of the impenetrable blackness surrounding them. Harry saw two glowing red lights emerge from the door adjacent to them. Draco gasped and proceeded to shake so violently that Harry took his hand in a firm grip. The red lights spoke, and Harry knew Draco's terror.
"Come forth," hissed the voice. The darkness lifted as the Death Eaters entered from every door. The red lights, Harry saw, glowed from a snakelike face recognizable as Voldemort. The four held their ground, each feeling death upon them. They were completely surrounded and outnumbered. Ron raised his wand and opened his mouth-
"Stupefy!" shouted Lucius Malfoy immediately. Ron fell into a silent sleep upon the floor. Lucius' boastful face now glowered over them with vicious malice. He stopped, however, when his eyes fell upon his son. All expression died from his face, and was slowly replaced with furious anger.
"Draco," whispered his father in a dangerously low voice. "To me, now." Draco stood defiantly between Harry and Luna. Lucius saw that Draco made to stay, and shrieked, "NOW, you fool! How dare you defy me, defy your lord-"
"My lord?" asked Draco incredulously. He had lost his demeanor of prideful smirking, and looked his father directly in his eye. "No lord of mine is he, no father of mine are y-" Lucius whipped his wand into the air and spoke to curse Draco, a mad gleam in his eye.
"Perhaps," said a voice that struck terror into Harry's very heart, "you can remember what happens to those who forget where their allegiance lies." Lucius looked at Voldemort pleadingly, and Voldemort continued. "Never have you swayed in your service, Malfoy. But your son, he is old enough. I would not have one so informed of our facilities opposing us." Lucius looked afraid now, but nodded. "Step forward," Voldemort said to Draco, who shivered at Harry's side. Voldemort did not wait for a response and jerked his hand. Draco shot forward onto the ground. He made to stand up, but Lucius bent down to him.
"Son," he goaded. "Son, do not embarrass me now. Pl-"
"No, Lucius," Voldemort stood before them. "He is a coward. He is full of fear, it repulses me." Draco flinched as Voldemort faced Lucius. "Kill him."
Lucius' eyes were afraid as Voldemort bore down upon him. "Now, Lucius, my patience wanes thin. Family is irrelevant. Those around you-" Voldemort gestured to the leering Death Eaters, "-are your family in the pursuit of power." There was nothing else for it.
Lucius took his son by the arm and pulled him up, and clasped his shoulder as if in an embrace. The words "Avada Kedavra" reached Harry's ears a second too late. Draco's face was illuminated with green light; there was an expression of mingled confusion and terror upon it. His tortured eyes looked at his father with surprise as he fell.
Draco slowly leaned backwards, life abandoning his body. He lay upon the floor, an image of a life wasted. His blue eyes were not narrowed in anger or scorn as Harry had always known them; they were wide with fear and disbelief. His silver hair was strewn across his face and strands of it were in his eyes. Never again would he draw the platinum tresses behind his ears, never again would his mouth, opened slightly as if in protest, utter a word. Harry looked at his hand, oblivious to the thundering silence now filling his ears, and could still feel Draco's touch. All that time, Harry thought, and as he stared at his hand for some kind of comfort a tear fell and splashed upon it.