Chapter Two: Too Scared?

His long cloak of midnight blue swayed slightly in the gentle night breeze. Something about this night made him very uneasy…

He turned back to look upon the place his called his home. The world that was his very own…yet he always felt as though he never truly belonged there.

The shadows cast from the large gravestones littered about the grassy moor made the night seem even more terrifying. At least, that's how Serpent Tongue felt.

No one really knew his real name. They always called him that…ever since he had come to their service, sobbing like a young child who lost its favorite toy and the blood dripping from his wounds faster than rain. He was taken in for his family bloodline, not because he was hurt.

Voldemort could care less if he was dying. He just cared that he was carrying on the Malfoy tradition.

"Serpent Tongue?" His young apprentice, Jacob, looked up into his master's eyes with fear.

"What is it, Jacob?" Serpent Tongue sighed. Jacob always had some sort of question for everything that was happening or has happened or may happen in the future.

"Why are you crying?"

Serpent Tongue put a hand to his cheek, feeling the wetness of tears trickling down his pale face. "Oh…I really don't know…"

"Do you miss your family?" Jacob asked very politely. He knew that he had to tread lightly on this subject…there were horrors in Serpent Tongue's past that most young boys never even dreamed of.

"In some ways…I miss the life I once had…the friends I once had fun with. In others…I'm glad to be rid of the asshole I called a father."

Jacob, being only ten years old, knew every cuss, swear, and foul word in the dictionary and even some that weren't. He picked them up from Serpent Tongue and others around him.

"Serpent Tongue?"

"Hm?"

"Will I make a good Death Eater when I get old enough?"

Serpent Tongue's weathered roughness melted away for a moment to reveal a most handsome smile. Coming from a twenty one year old man with long silver blond hair, cold silver eyes, and skin that looked as pale as a dead man, this was a rarity to see.

"You, my young apprentice, will be the finest Death Eater the world has ever seen. I must admit, you may end up taking my place when I leave on this mission."

Jacob's eyes lit up. "You really think so?"

"I know so." Serpent Tongue turned away, ashamed to show his fear.

"What's the matter, Serpent Boy? Too scared?" Alex, Serpent Tongue's only close friend, slapped him on the back in a rather rough manner.

"Oh yeah, sure…I'm TERRIFIED!" Serpent Tongue chuckled. "You know, I think I have a permanent bruise on my back where you slap me all the time!"

"So, how's the Serpent Baby doing?" Alex grinned at Jacob. "Training getting a little old?"

Jacob blushed slightly, but it was so dark outside, a careful observer could not even tell. "A little. Serpent Tongue always tries to make it interesting…"

"Oh, sure Jake. Serpent Boy is so fucking interesting! Bloody hell, kid!"

Jacob grinned. "Well, it's sort of hard when he goes off on his missions and I have to take over his jobs for him. A little bit boring as well…"

"Well, you'd better get used to it. He'll be gone for quite some time for this one." Alex turned to Serpent Tongue. "Time to go, kid."

Alex was about twenty-nine years old, and anyone younger than him automatically becomes a kid. Anyone older was "Sir" or "Ma'am".

"May I have a moment alone with Jacob? I must explain his duties to him…"

"Of course…" Alex began to leave as Serpent Tongue turned to Jacob.

"I want to tell you something just in case I don't make it back alive from this mission…I want to tell you my real name…"

"Yes…?"

"My real name is Draco Malfoy."

Jacob's eyes went as wide as tea saucers. "The Draco Malfoy?"

"The same one."

"Wow…this is an honor, sir."

"You are the only one who knows who I really am…"

"SERPENT TONGUE!" The voice of the Dark Lord echoed over the hills, terrifying him into running to the source of his voice.

"APPARATE!" He touched his mark, making Draco's burn.

"I'm coming, my Lord!" Draco quickly apparated to his side. "Yes?"

"You are prepared for this mission?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"You are prepared to die?"

Draco swallowed, then weakly answered. "Yes, my Lord."

"Good. Here is her picture. Those who know her call her Lionheart or Whisper."

"I understand, sir." Draco took the picture and quickly examined it.

"Draco?"

He looked up, terrified. "Yes, my Lord?"

"Do not fail me."

"Why would I fail you?"

The Dark Lord sighed. "You always say that, Serpent Tongue. How do I know that this time you will fail me?"

"I will not fail you. No matter what happens, I am loyal to you."

"Good. Now be on your way."

"Yes, my Lord." Draco readjusted his cloak upon his shoulders and ran off into the darkness of the night.

"That boy is so troublesome sometimes. I would rather he did fail me so I can send him on his way."

Alex, who appeared from the shadows in a rather mysterious way, nodded. "I can finally take over as the head Death Eater."

"Yes, Alexander. You will be my partner at last."

"Ah yes…the ultimate power…" His eyes glowed maliciously.

"But keep this to yourself, Alexander. The entire world does not need to know that however close you are to Serpent Tongue, you wish to have the power that he has every single day."

"Of course, my Lord…"