Chapter 14
*Flashback*
Draco knocked on the doorframe to his father's study, waiting to see what the man had in store for him.
"Father?" said Draco. "You wanted to see me?"
Lucius Malfoy looked up from his desk and glanced at his son. "Yes, Draco, thank you for being prompt. I trust you are having a tolerable vacation?"
"As tolerable as can be expected, I suppose," said Draco, still standing in the doorway. His father had not invited him to sit down.
"Good," said Lucius, hardly noticing his son's apprehension. "Well, to get right to the point, Draco, I have asked you here to discuss your decision to join the Dark Lord."
Draco restrained a gasp. He hadn't mentioned anything about joining the Dark Lord for some time now and was excited to hear that something was finally happening.
"Yes?" Draco urged his father to continue.
"It seems that we could hold your initiation tonight, if you are willing."
"I am always willing, father. Anything for the Dark Lord."
"Good. I will come to collect you at 8:00 this evening. Until then, Draco," said Lucius looking back to the parchment on his desk.
"Until then, father," said Draco, barely containing the joy inside of him.
When 8:00 came, Lucius came to collect Draco as promised.
"The time has come, Draco," said Lucius.
"Yes, father," said Draco.
"If you're going to go through with this, Draco," said Lucius, "you must understand something."
Draco looked at his father expectantly.
"The Dark Lord does not appreciate traitors. Or deserters, or those who refuse to do his bidding. This is for life, Draco. You are giving your life to the most powerful man on earth. Do you understand what that entails?"
"Yes, father," said Draco.
"He does not tolerate failure; only compliance. Failure is betrayal and betrayal is tantamount to death."
"I understand, father. I still want to be a Death Eater. It's the highest honor I can receive."
"Very well, Draco," said Lucius. "Follow me."
Draco followed his father down to Lucius' private study. There, Lucius threw a handful of Floo powder into the fire place and called out a location unfamiliar to Draco. Then, he urged Draco to step through the green flames, into the presence of the Dark Lord.
Draco did as he was told and slipped as gracefully as possible into the fireplace, preparing to meet the most feared people in the wizarding world. His father quickly followed him.
Draco found himself in the middle of a circle of dark figures, each one wearing an identical midnight-black cloak with a hood that covered their faces. Nothing distinguished one from another. Except one. One had a pair of sinister red eyes peeking from behind his hood.
"My Lord," said Lucius as he knelt at the feet of the one with red eyes.
"Rise, Lucius," said a raspy voice, coming from the tall figure. "We come tonight to celebrate the arrival of your son. I hope he is ready."
"He is ready, my Lord," said Lucius.
Draco squared his shoulders.
"We shall see, Lucius, we shall see. Come here, my boy," said the man.
Draco obeyed.
The man with the red eye threw back his hood and reveled himself for what he truly was: a monster. He had a hideous, snake-like face, a pallid complexion and horrible red eyes.
"So," said the Dark Lord, "you want to join the ranks of my Death Eaters?"
"More than anything, my Lord," said Draco.
"Well, boy," said Voldemort, circling Draco menacingly, "in order to do that, you must first prove yourself. Are you prepared to face the challenge?"
"Anything, my Lord," said Draco, looking at the ground.
"Good," said the Dark Lord appraisingly. "Bellatrix!"
One of the figures stepped out of the circle and pulled something out of its robes. A large bundle of blankets now rested on the ground in front of Draco.
"Kill it," said Voldemort.
"I don't have my wand sir," said Draco.
"You don't need a wand for killing, boy. All you need are two hands, especially for this job. Now get to it."
Draco nodded and kneeled over the bundle of blanket, a cloud of doubt entering his mind. He pulled away the blankets to reveal the sleeping face of a young child, no more than 18 months old. He had to hold in a gasp. The child had curly blond hair and soft skin, with a delicate pink bow of a mouth. She had a small fist clenched by her face as she slept.
He couldn't move. He was supposed to kill a small child? That had never been part of the deal. His father had never told him about that.
"What are you waiting for, Draco?" asked Lucius.
Draco took a deep breath. He slowly spread the blankets away from the child's face, trying not to wake it. This would be hard enough without having her eyes upon him. He slowly slipped his hands around her neck, the porcelain skin warm against his fingers. Draco closed his eyes. He couldn't watch this. He began to tighten his grip, he could feel all the young muscles and tendons and her trachea under his hands. Suddenly, he stopped. A small sound came from her.
"Mama?" said the child. Draco tightened his grip even more. He opened his eyes and saw tears glistening in hers. Her small pudgy hands began clawing at his, trying to make him get away. She began crying in earnest now, her small mouth opening in silent screams, no air coming out of her throat.
Draco couldn't take it, his heart was wrenching within him, causing tears to form in his own eyes. He let go.
"Draco, what are you doing?" Lucius demanded when the child's cries pierced the cold air.
"I'm sorry, father," said Draco, looking Lucius in the eye. "I can't."
Lucius gave his son a surprised look. "Oh yes you can," he said.
Draco looked at the child lying in the pile of blanket, the bruises beginning to show on her throat, her wails still echoing through the night. "No, father," said Draco, "I can't."
"I understand, Draco," said the Dark Lord, interjecting in the interlude between father and son. "Being a Death Eater is not for everyone. Bellatrix, that child is giving me a headache."
One of the figures nodded its head and took out its wand. A flash of green light and the cries ceased.
"However, Mr. Malfoy," said Voldemort, "I cannot deny my followers the opportunity of a spontaneous revel. And you have failed me."
Draco swallowed. He knew what this meant, but he still kept silent.
"So, I leave your fate to your father and his companions. I shall retire and allow them to have their fun," said Voldemort. He walked away and the figures around the circle began to close in around Draco. He heard a small thump and saw a bright light before his eyes, the world was spinning and then everything went black.
*End Flashback*
Hermione had tears in her eyes after Draco had recounted his tale.
"I'm sorry, Draco," she said.
He nodded. No emotion showed in his eyes, except anger. Furious intense anger stormed in his silver-gray irises. "I'm sorry, too," he said.
One question still lingered in Hermione's mind. "Why did that cause you to hate your father so much?"
Draco took a deep breath. "He was the one who hit me over the head. When I came to, he was standing over. I remember him saying 'If you won't take the Mark willingly, you will take it forcibly.' He carved the Mark into my skin that night. Then he joined the other in the stabbing and the hitting and the kicking and the . . . . And all I had ever tried to do was make him proud of me," Draco snorted. "Apparently, I had to kill a baby to do it. I will never forget the look of approval in his eyes when I told him I wanted to take the Mark. And I will never forget the hatred in his eyes when I refused to strangle that child."
Hermione reached out and took Draco's hand. "It's all right, Draco. There are other people who care about you."
"Who?" he asked sarcastically, as if daring her to name one.
"Me," she said just before she leaned in and kissed him.
A/N: K, what do you think? I hope you liked it! Review please! Hope to have the next chapter up soon! Post any questions with your reviews please!
*Flashback*
Draco knocked on the doorframe to his father's study, waiting to see what the man had in store for him.
"Father?" said Draco. "You wanted to see me?"
Lucius Malfoy looked up from his desk and glanced at his son. "Yes, Draco, thank you for being prompt. I trust you are having a tolerable vacation?"
"As tolerable as can be expected, I suppose," said Draco, still standing in the doorway. His father had not invited him to sit down.
"Good," said Lucius, hardly noticing his son's apprehension. "Well, to get right to the point, Draco, I have asked you here to discuss your decision to join the Dark Lord."
Draco restrained a gasp. He hadn't mentioned anything about joining the Dark Lord for some time now and was excited to hear that something was finally happening.
"Yes?" Draco urged his father to continue.
"It seems that we could hold your initiation tonight, if you are willing."
"I am always willing, father. Anything for the Dark Lord."
"Good. I will come to collect you at 8:00 this evening. Until then, Draco," said Lucius looking back to the parchment on his desk.
"Until then, father," said Draco, barely containing the joy inside of him.
When 8:00 came, Lucius came to collect Draco as promised.
"The time has come, Draco," said Lucius.
"Yes, father," said Draco.
"If you're going to go through with this, Draco," said Lucius, "you must understand something."
Draco looked at his father expectantly.
"The Dark Lord does not appreciate traitors. Or deserters, or those who refuse to do his bidding. This is for life, Draco. You are giving your life to the most powerful man on earth. Do you understand what that entails?"
"Yes, father," said Draco.
"He does not tolerate failure; only compliance. Failure is betrayal and betrayal is tantamount to death."
"I understand, father. I still want to be a Death Eater. It's the highest honor I can receive."
"Very well, Draco," said Lucius. "Follow me."
Draco followed his father down to Lucius' private study. There, Lucius threw a handful of Floo powder into the fire place and called out a location unfamiliar to Draco. Then, he urged Draco to step through the green flames, into the presence of the Dark Lord.
Draco did as he was told and slipped as gracefully as possible into the fireplace, preparing to meet the most feared people in the wizarding world. His father quickly followed him.
Draco found himself in the middle of a circle of dark figures, each one wearing an identical midnight-black cloak with a hood that covered their faces. Nothing distinguished one from another. Except one. One had a pair of sinister red eyes peeking from behind his hood.
"My Lord," said Lucius as he knelt at the feet of the one with red eyes.
"Rise, Lucius," said a raspy voice, coming from the tall figure. "We come tonight to celebrate the arrival of your son. I hope he is ready."
"He is ready, my Lord," said Lucius.
Draco squared his shoulders.
"We shall see, Lucius, we shall see. Come here, my boy," said the man.
Draco obeyed.
The man with the red eye threw back his hood and reveled himself for what he truly was: a monster. He had a hideous, snake-like face, a pallid complexion and horrible red eyes.
"So," said the Dark Lord, "you want to join the ranks of my Death Eaters?"
"More than anything, my Lord," said Draco.
"Well, boy," said Voldemort, circling Draco menacingly, "in order to do that, you must first prove yourself. Are you prepared to face the challenge?"
"Anything, my Lord," said Draco, looking at the ground.
"Good," said the Dark Lord appraisingly. "Bellatrix!"
One of the figures stepped out of the circle and pulled something out of its robes. A large bundle of blankets now rested on the ground in front of Draco.
"Kill it," said Voldemort.
"I don't have my wand sir," said Draco.
"You don't need a wand for killing, boy. All you need are two hands, especially for this job. Now get to it."
Draco nodded and kneeled over the bundle of blanket, a cloud of doubt entering his mind. He pulled away the blankets to reveal the sleeping face of a young child, no more than 18 months old. He had to hold in a gasp. The child had curly blond hair and soft skin, with a delicate pink bow of a mouth. She had a small fist clenched by her face as she slept.
He couldn't move. He was supposed to kill a small child? That had never been part of the deal. His father had never told him about that.
"What are you waiting for, Draco?" asked Lucius.
Draco took a deep breath. He slowly spread the blankets away from the child's face, trying not to wake it. This would be hard enough without having her eyes upon him. He slowly slipped his hands around her neck, the porcelain skin warm against his fingers. Draco closed his eyes. He couldn't watch this. He began to tighten his grip, he could feel all the young muscles and tendons and her trachea under his hands. Suddenly, he stopped. A small sound came from her.
"Mama?" said the child. Draco tightened his grip even more. He opened his eyes and saw tears glistening in hers. Her small pudgy hands began clawing at his, trying to make him get away. She began crying in earnest now, her small mouth opening in silent screams, no air coming out of her throat.
Draco couldn't take it, his heart was wrenching within him, causing tears to form in his own eyes. He let go.
"Draco, what are you doing?" Lucius demanded when the child's cries pierced the cold air.
"I'm sorry, father," said Draco, looking Lucius in the eye. "I can't."
Lucius gave his son a surprised look. "Oh yes you can," he said.
Draco looked at the child lying in the pile of blanket, the bruises beginning to show on her throat, her wails still echoing through the night. "No, father," said Draco, "I can't."
"I understand, Draco," said the Dark Lord, interjecting in the interlude between father and son. "Being a Death Eater is not for everyone. Bellatrix, that child is giving me a headache."
One of the figures nodded its head and took out its wand. A flash of green light and the cries ceased.
"However, Mr. Malfoy," said Voldemort, "I cannot deny my followers the opportunity of a spontaneous revel. And you have failed me."
Draco swallowed. He knew what this meant, but he still kept silent.
"So, I leave your fate to your father and his companions. I shall retire and allow them to have their fun," said Voldemort. He walked away and the figures around the circle began to close in around Draco. He heard a small thump and saw a bright light before his eyes, the world was spinning and then everything went black.
*End Flashback*
Hermione had tears in her eyes after Draco had recounted his tale.
"I'm sorry, Draco," she said.
He nodded. No emotion showed in his eyes, except anger. Furious intense anger stormed in his silver-gray irises. "I'm sorry, too," he said.
One question still lingered in Hermione's mind. "Why did that cause you to hate your father so much?"
Draco took a deep breath. "He was the one who hit me over the head. When I came to, he was standing over. I remember him saying 'If you won't take the Mark willingly, you will take it forcibly.' He carved the Mark into my skin that night. Then he joined the other in the stabbing and the hitting and the kicking and the . . . . And all I had ever tried to do was make him proud of me," Draco snorted. "Apparently, I had to kill a baby to do it. I will never forget the look of approval in his eyes when I told him I wanted to take the Mark. And I will never forget the hatred in his eyes when I refused to strangle that child."
Hermione reached out and took Draco's hand. "It's all right, Draco. There are other people who care about you."
"Who?" he asked sarcastically, as if daring her to name one.
"Me," she said just before she leaned in and kissed him.
A/N: K, what do you think? I hope you liked it! Review please! Hope to have the next chapter up soon! Post any questions with your reviews please!
