((A.N. Haha, the initiation! It's about time, isn't it? I've dragged it out as long as possible, I know. Hm . . . definitely a rated R chapter for being sexually suggestive (let's just say Lemanus is a perverted freak and leave it at that.) This was originally a really, really, REALLY long chapter, but I split it up into two shorter ones for your convenience. Well, good luck with this one! Leave me a review!))
Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter . . . never will.
Draco and Pansy started walking forward, all eyes trained on them. Hermione and Lemanus entered soon after, their footsteps echoing in the immense silence of the moment.
Unless I am going insane, I just heard Lord Voldemort's voice in my head, Draco thought with slight concern.
Had Hermione not been completely terrified, she would have found the hall to be spectacular. Floating candles bathed the room in a soft, yellowish glow that was contrary to the nervous ora in the room. A high, domed ceiling with a sky roof allowed moonbeams to filter through onto the speckled marble floor. Hermione likened it to the Great Hall in Hogwarts instantly. Harshly she reminded herself that she was as far away from the Great Hall as possible.
A cautious murmur went through the crowd. They were no doubt wondering at the mysterious figure shrouded in the midnight blue cloak.
Hermione felt herself shrinking inside as she approached the dias at the end of the hall. A cold, sickly presence lingered there, yet she could feel eyes like fire burning through her cloak.
She looked up as Draco climbed the dias, greeted by his father when he reached the top. Lemanus took Hermione's arm and they too began climbing to the top. Draco didn't take his eyes off of Hermione, and neither did the majority of the men in the hall. They waited with bated breath to see whom this mysterious creature proved to be. For all they knew, she was an honored guest, or a notorious spy.
The presence as sickly as a dying calf increased as Hermione approached a high-backed chair where a man sat, his face as shrouded in cloth as Hermione's own. She knew who the man was. The murderer of her best friend's parents, the man who wished to purge the world of muggles like her own parents, and the arch enemy of Dumbledore, the wizard that she loved and rusted most in the world. She didn't need to take in the fact that he was Lord Voldemort. Hermione hated him intensely and absolutely simply for what he had done to the people around her.
"Draco," came and icy, raspy voice from within the hood. "Come to me, my boy."
Draco walked forward slowly, dropping onto one knee when he reached Lord Voldemort. Draco removed his cloak as a sign of trust and respect to the figure before him.
This man represents everything that my father has tried to teach me, Draco thought suddenly. He felt Voldemort's gaze shift from him to Hermione. Do not hurt her, he prayed, keeping his head down.
"Ah," rasped Lord Voldemort, removing his hood. Hermione almost screamed at the face in front of her. Demoniac red eyes and pasty white skin created the deranged face that had once been human, though she could not see how.
"Remove your cloak," he said simply. Hermione was suddenly reluctant to bare her skin in front of a hundred Death Eaters and the horrible creature not five feet away from her. She felt Lemanus's breath on her neck as he whispered, "Remove your cloak, or I shall do so for you."
Hermione unfastened the cloak and let it slip off her shoulder and drop to the floor, reveling the midnight blue gown.
She heard an intake of breath from the people behind. She was a woman, and a beautiful one, at that! This was certainly not what they had been expecting, and the occupants found themselves more than intrigued.
"Ah, Lucius . . . you have brought quite a jewel before me today. A filthy one, at that," Voldemort spat the last words with contempt. Only low enough so that the people around him could hear, he muttered, "Your son has quite the taste in playthings."
Draco didn't even look up at Voldemort, though he knew Voldemort expected a comment, or even a laugh. That's all she is to them, he thought maliciously. A play toy to be used and done away with. If only they knew how wrong they were.
"Don't get your hopes up for this one, boys. She is lower than dirt. She is a mudblood."
There was another collective intake of breath from behind Hermione, this time coupled with hisses and snarls.
"Not just any mudblood, but the accomplice of our good friend Harry Potter. I'm sure you've all heard of Miss Granger." Voldemort sneered at her title and let out a harsh laugh at the Death Eaters shouts of outrage and recognition.
"Silence!" Voldemort roared suddenly, and the people ceased their noise at once.
"As I said before, a filthy jewel. All she might need is some cleaning off-" Voldemort rubbed his hand back and forth through the air suggestively, causing crude laughter from the men behind her- "and she would be more than alluring, I'm sure. You are all probably wondering why she is here, however. The girl is to be part of our next mission. In order to ensure her allegiance, shall we say, she is to become a full Death Eater."
This time both the men and the women in the room gasped in shocked outrage and disbelief.
"How is this so, my Lord?" an anonymous figure called from the crowd.
"Of course, you realize that she will be dead as soon as we are through with her, Master Parkinson. This idea, however, has all been put together by none other than our honored Lucius Malfoy, whose son kneels before me tonight to join the Inner Circle," Voldemort drawled, his voice scraping like a thousand needles in skin. "Any problems with this plan will be blamed solely on him, and you all know what happens to my loyal servants when their scheming goes awry. Isn't that right, Mistress Lestrange?"
Laughter came from some of the men, but it was nervous laughter. Word had it that Bellatrix Lestrange had been severely punished for her failed assassination attempt on Harry only a few months prior.
Lucius immediately dropped to his knees before Voldemort, stating, "I know the consequences of my actions, Lord, and am ready to accept them if my plan fails."
Hermione heard the unworded statement in that phrase; my plan will not fail.
"We shall continue with the ceremony, in that case," Voldemort murmured. Suddenly he snapped his fingers, and the great mahogany doors opened once again. For the second time, a cloaked figure strode through the doors, once again puzzling all of the Death Eaters. The figure was cloaked in starless black, and walked with a sinewy grace that spoke of danger at the slightest provocation.
The figure strode up to the dias fearlessly and came to stand next to Hermione.
Voldemort did not have to ask him to remove his cloak, for the boy did it on his own. His cloak dropped to reveal a more stunning male than Hermione had ever seen. His dark hair and intense eyes were the striking opposite of the fair Draco, and he was tall and lean, though slightly muscled. He radiated a sense of power and flawlessness as he stood almost defiantly before the most evil wizard in the world.
"Blaise Zabini," Voldemort drawled, as if amused by the boy's intense nature. Hermione drew in her breath sharply. No wonder he looked vaguely familiar! The boy goes to Hogwarts! she thought in disbelief.
"Look at me," Voldemort said suddenly. Blaise looked straight into the Dark Lord's eyes without flinching; there were precious few who do such a thing. "Did you come here by your own free will?"
"I did," came the answer. His voice was surprisingly gentle for the fire in his eyes, but no less firm.
"Is it true that you came without the permission and acceptance, of your pureblood family, boy?"
"It is true." The boy held Voldemort's gaze solidly. "My family despises the Dark Arts and shuns the followers of you thoroughly. I, however, wish to join your ranks, Lord Voldemort.I believe that it is the only way to true power."
Voldemort smiled, satisfied with his answers.
"Let us begin, then. Draco, come forth."
((A.N. Sorry I ended it here. Next chapter very soon. So . . . tell me what you think of Blaise Zabini. What are his intentions? Review!!))