Chapter 2
Draco was shaken awake at an absurdly early hour. He was about to hit Goyle, who was undoubtedly the culprit being as he had been bothered by bad dreams for the last three nights. "Goyle, I swear, we will talk about your dreams in the morning but if you ever wake me up at this ungodly hour again, the entire house will know of your obsession with that Hufflepuff bint."
"Unfortunately for Mr. Goyle, I feel entirely unthreatened by that statement," the voice replied.
Draco's eyes snapped open, a rush of adrenaline fueling his mind to alertness. He gazed up in surprise at his Head of House. "Professor Snape, what is going on?" He noticed a small, cringing shape next to him. "And why is Nilly here?"
"Young Master, your father is summoning you," Nilly said in a servile tone, then immediately went to Draco's trunk and began pulling out his clothing.
"Indeed, Lucius does need to see you, but I will be coming along as well," Snape told the young man in no uncertain terms.
"I do not think that is a good idea," Draco replied firmly.
"Perhaps it isn't," Snape admitted, though the determination in his eyes did not waver.
"Very well then," Draco replied, pulling off his pajamas and donning his school robes. "Tag along if you wish. I know father thinks of you as something of a friend. You may be useful."
"Your confidence quite overwhelms me," Snape said dryly.
"Shall we go?" Draco asked as his laces tied themselves. Snape preceded him out the door and led him off the Hogwarts grounds, Nilly trailing behind like a beaten dog.
Severus apparated to the grounds outside of Malfoy manor, Nilly providing the same service for Draco. They walked together up to the door, which Nilly opened for them. The creature then disappeared happily into the dark recesses of the castle, though she was replaced immediately by another, equally disparaging, elf who addressed them with an even more annoying whine in his voice.
"The Master instructed me to tell the Young Master that he would find his parents in the sitting room." The elf's over-large eyes trailed to the imposing Potions Professor. "The Master said nothing about guests."
"Show Professor Snape into the drawing room and provide him with refreshments," Draco told him, then addressed Snape directly. "I'll tell my father of your presence, but it is up to him if he wishes to see you."
"I understand," Snape replied, following the elf down one of the dim, though opulent hallways.
As soon as he was on his way, Draco turned down another hall. Navigating easily in the near-darkness, he arrived at the sitting room. It was easily distinguishable, being the only door with a light shining out from under it. Draco took a deep breath and twisted the doorknob, entering the room to confront his parents.
The first thing he saw when he walked into the room was his father nearly reclining on the sofa, his mother in front of him and leaning against his chest. Their mouths were centimeters apart and judging by their flushed appearances and slightly mussed hair, they had been employed in a rather more liberal form of 'conversation' than was socially acceptable before his arrival. While this might have discomforted another boy his age, Draco was a Slytherin. He was used to the passion his parents had for one another and knew that the cold exteriors that they both wore in public could completely fall away when they were together. As far as he could tell, their obsession with each other had never dwindled and their enthusiastic love was an inspiration in romantic devotion.
"Draco," Lucius said, looking up from his wife to greet his son. "I hope we did not disturb you on the eve of an important test."
"No father," Draco replied, taking a chair near them. "Not an important one."
Lucius smirked slightly. "When I was your age there was no such thing either," he admitted. All amusement fell away. "How loyal are you to the Dark Lord, Draco?" he asked suddenly.
Draco's expression grew wary as he searched his father's face. "As loyal as you are, Father," he said respectfully.
Lucius had to give the boy credit for his answer. "And what if I were to tell you that I betrayed Lord Voldemort today, or at least committed an action that constitutes betrayal?"
"I'd say that it is snowing in Hades," Draco said. His mother smiled.
Lucius met his eyes and began to speak. "This evening Bellatrix brought a two year old girl to me, the child of some auror who had nearly killed her on her last mission. The child was scared, but apparently unharmed. Bellatrix informed that the Master wished her tortured for information. I challenged this, asking what possible information the child could possess. She then produced inarguable proof that the Master had sent her on this errand, a ring bespelled against its misuse." Lucius' tone became slightly haunted. "I was prepared to torture her, a child not yet old enough to form whole sentences. But then she looked up at me, with blond hair just the shade of yours and eyes just the color of your mother's. She didn't even look afraid, just resigned." Lucius sighed. "And I could not do it. I could not attack that little girl. I obliviated Bellatrix and took the little girl. But we all know that Bellatrix takes a potion against obliviates; she will remember everything that took place in less than two days."
"Can you not simply kill her, or inform the aurors as to her location?"
"It would do no good. Voldemort will ask about it tomorrow, at the meeting, and if she does not remember or is dead he will turn to me. The building we were in was absolutely secure, so there is no chance of claiming someone rescued the girl and obliviated us both. I am afraid that for the first time in my life, I am actually going to have to face the music," Lucius replied.
Draco sat back heavily in his chair, thinking over what his father had just told him. It was simply insane. His father had been a loyal follower and because he would not take place in the senseless tormenting of an infant he was to be killed. Apparently mercy was a crime in Voldemort's circles. Draco could still remember when his father had been proud of his Deatheater status, believing he was ushering in a new, more powerful era of the wizarding world. Now Lucius had nothing left but contempt and fear for the sadistic half-man who had become his master. In a way, Draco was relieved that his father was finally going to act against the madman, but he had a sneaking suspicion that he wasn't going to like what Lucius had planned.
"You're going to use the Vesuvius, aren't you?" Draco asked, seeing his mother's calm features reflecting no surprise at this suggestion. That was confirmation in itself.
"It is the only way to be sure," Lucius replied practically. "Of course the trouble will be pulling it off." It was as if there was no need to get upset because, after all, what they were discussing was hardly worth the energy. Draco had never been comfortable with his father's easiness with death.
"You'll need a Potions Master," Draco added, sounding for all the world as if he were mentioning an unimportant detail.
"I planned on asking Severus," Lucius admitted. "I shall have to call on him directly."
"No need," Draco said. "I've brought him with me."
"Anticipating me, Draco?" Lucius asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not at all. This is merely serendipity at work." he replied, a small smirk twisting his mouth.
Lucius had never really liked the idea of fate or karma, especially considering the insane amounts of strokes against him that he must have incurred from his dark deeds. Still, the idea that some higher force wanted him to succeed in his plans was strangely comforting. "Would you mind fetching Severus for me, Draco?"
Draco stood without question and headed for the drawing room. Lucius turned back to the contemplation of his wife's face.
Draco was shaken awake at an absurdly early hour. He was about to hit Goyle, who was undoubtedly the culprit being as he had been bothered by bad dreams for the last three nights. "Goyle, I swear, we will talk about your dreams in the morning but if you ever wake me up at this ungodly hour again, the entire house will know of your obsession with that Hufflepuff bint."
"Unfortunately for Mr. Goyle, I feel entirely unthreatened by that statement," the voice replied.
Draco's eyes snapped open, a rush of adrenaline fueling his mind to alertness. He gazed up in surprise at his Head of House. "Professor Snape, what is going on?" He noticed a small, cringing shape next to him. "And why is Nilly here?"
"Young Master, your father is summoning you," Nilly said in a servile tone, then immediately went to Draco's trunk and began pulling out his clothing.
"Indeed, Lucius does need to see you, but I will be coming along as well," Snape told the young man in no uncertain terms.
"I do not think that is a good idea," Draco replied firmly.
"Perhaps it isn't," Snape admitted, though the determination in his eyes did not waver.
"Very well then," Draco replied, pulling off his pajamas and donning his school robes. "Tag along if you wish. I know father thinks of you as something of a friend. You may be useful."
"Your confidence quite overwhelms me," Snape said dryly.
"Shall we go?" Draco asked as his laces tied themselves. Snape preceded him out the door and led him off the Hogwarts grounds, Nilly trailing behind like a beaten dog.
Severus apparated to the grounds outside of Malfoy manor, Nilly providing the same service for Draco. They walked together up to the door, which Nilly opened for them. The creature then disappeared happily into the dark recesses of the castle, though she was replaced immediately by another, equally disparaging, elf who addressed them with an even more annoying whine in his voice.
"The Master instructed me to tell the Young Master that he would find his parents in the sitting room." The elf's over-large eyes trailed to the imposing Potions Professor. "The Master said nothing about guests."
"Show Professor Snape into the drawing room and provide him with refreshments," Draco told him, then addressed Snape directly. "I'll tell my father of your presence, but it is up to him if he wishes to see you."
"I understand," Snape replied, following the elf down one of the dim, though opulent hallways.
As soon as he was on his way, Draco turned down another hall. Navigating easily in the near-darkness, he arrived at the sitting room. It was easily distinguishable, being the only door with a light shining out from under it. Draco took a deep breath and twisted the doorknob, entering the room to confront his parents.
The first thing he saw when he walked into the room was his father nearly reclining on the sofa, his mother in front of him and leaning against his chest. Their mouths were centimeters apart and judging by their flushed appearances and slightly mussed hair, they had been employed in a rather more liberal form of 'conversation' than was socially acceptable before his arrival. While this might have discomforted another boy his age, Draco was a Slytherin. He was used to the passion his parents had for one another and knew that the cold exteriors that they both wore in public could completely fall away when they were together. As far as he could tell, their obsession with each other had never dwindled and their enthusiastic love was an inspiration in romantic devotion.
"Draco," Lucius said, looking up from his wife to greet his son. "I hope we did not disturb you on the eve of an important test."
"No father," Draco replied, taking a chair near them. "Not an important one."
Lucius smirked slightly. "When I was your age there was no such thing either," he admitted. All amusement fell away. "How loyal are you to the Dark Lord, Draco?" he asked suddenly.
Draco's expression grew wary as he searched his father's face. "As loyal as you are, Father," he said respectfully.
Lucius had to give the boy credit for his answer. "And what if I were to tell you that I betrayed Lord Voldemort today, or at least committed an action that constitutes betrayal?"
"I'd say that it is snowing in Hades," Draco said. His mother smiled.
Lucius met his eyes and began to speak. "This evening Bellatrix brought a two year old girl to me, the child of some auror who had nearly killed her on her last mission. The child was scared, but apparently unharmed. Bellatrix informed that the Master wished her tortured for information. I challenged this, asking what possible information the child could possess. She then produced inarguable proof that the Master had sent her on this errand, a ring bespelled against its misuse." Lucius' tone became slightly haunted. "I was prepared to torture her, a child not yet old enough to form whole sentences. But then she looked up at me, with blond hair just the shade of yours and eyes just the color of your mother's. She didn't even look afraid, just resigned." Lucius sighed. "And I could not do it. I could not attack that little girl. I obliviated Bellatrix and took the little girl. But we all know that Bellatrix takes a potion against obliviates; she will remember everything that took place in less than two days."
"Can you not simply kill her, or inform the aurors as to her location?"
"It would do no good. Voldemort will ask about it tomorrow, at the meeting, and if she does not remember or is dead he will turn to me. The building we were in was absolutely secure, so there is no chance of claiming someone rescued the girl and obliviated us both. I am afraid that for the first time in my life, I am actually going to have to face the music," Lucius replied.
Draco sat back heavily in his chair, thinking over what his father had just told him. It was simply insane. His father had been a loyal follower and because he would not take place in the senseless tormenting of an infant he was to be killed. Apparently mercy was a crime in Voldemort's circles. Draco could still remember when his father had been proud of his Deatheater status, believing he was ushering in a new, more powerful era of the wizarding world. Now Lucius had nothing left but contempt and fear for the sadistic half-man who had become his master. In a way, Draco was relieved that his father was finally going to act against the madman, but he had a sneaking suspicion that he wasn't going to like what Lucius had planned.
"You're going to use the Vesuvius, aren't you?" Draco asked, seeing his mother's calm features reflecting no surprise at this suggestion. That was confirmation in itself.
"It is the only way to be sure," Lucius replied practically. "Of course the trouble will be pulling it off." It was as if there was no need to get upset because, after all, what they were discussing was hardly worth the energy. Draco had never been comfortable with his father's easiness with death.
"You'll need a Potions Master," Draco added, sounding for all the world as if he were mentioning an unimportant detail.
"I planned on asking Severus," Lucius admitted. "I shall have to call on him directly."
"No need," Draco said. "I've brought him with me."
"Anticipating me, Draco?" Lucius asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Not at all. This is merely serendipity at work." he replied, a small smirk twisting his mouth.
Lucius had never really liked the idea of fate or karma, especially considering the insane amounts of strokes against him that he must have incurred from his dark deeds. Still, the idea that some higher force wanted him to succeed in his plans was strangely comforting. "Would you mind fetching Severus for me, Draco?"
Draco stood without question and headed for the drawing room. Lucius turned back to the contemplation of his wife's face.