Chapter 2: Betrayal

A thin man with a long face, red eyes, and a billowing black robe was sitting on an old fashioned green armchair. The room in which he was in was dark and eerie, with sinister shadows bouncing on the walls. The brown paint on the walls was peeling, and the floor had dirt and mud tracked all over it.

"I shall hunt them down and kill them, every single one of them, one by one. They will die at my mercy, begging for forgiveness, which I will not grant them. I intend that they will have a painful and slow death," he said maliciously.

"Isn't this a b-bit severe?" stammered Wormtail, who was kneeling at the Dark Lord's feet, his hands twisting nervously on his lap.

"No," hissed the Dark Lord, striking at the figure near his feet. "You'll do as I say, or you'll be next Wormtail. You have failed me many times as well."

Wormtail squeaked in fright, and said, "But I will never ever desert you my Lord!" As he said it, he bowed himself low, and since he was already kneeling, his nose touched the Dark Lord's feet. He pressed a hasty kiss onto them, and straightened up.

"Ah yes, you claim you are faithful to me, don't you?" asked the Dark Lord nonchalantly. "You're saying that you are just incapable of following commands correctly."

"No, Lord," whimpered Wormtail, "Nothing of the sort!"

"You give yourself credit for helping me create my own body, don't you?" asked Voldemort, cackling evilly. "Well, don't, you foolish creature. Or you're giving yourself more credit than you're worth. Now, do as I say, and hunt down Narcissa Malfoy and her son, and murder them. Make them feel pain, both of them. It's what they deserve after betraying and deserting me. I've heard that Draco Malfoy confessed to Dumbledore about his loyalties to me, and that fool offered him and his mother protection if they desert me. And so they did. Only Lucius remained faithful to me, and only he will survive from their family. Narcissa and Draco must die."

"But, Lord," protested Wormtail, "That would devastate Lucius, and he doesn't deserve anything bad!"

"Oh no," cackled Voldemort shrilly, shaking his head with contempt, "Lucius is my servant. He agrees to what I say, and he supports me. If his family desert me, he, just as I, wants them to get what they deserve. He is loyal to me, and no family will stop him from that. Now, Wormtail, you have a month. Within that month, I want Draco and Narcissa dead. You may employ as much Death Eaters as you need, and do whatever needs to be done, as long as you fulfill this mission. If you do, I'll reward you. If not, Wormtail, beware."

And on that note, there was a loud cracking sound, and Voldemort disappeared, leaving Wormtail groveling on the dirty floor.

At last, he got up, and walked out of the room into a pitch black hallway. From there, he pushed open a heavy door, and entered a room similar to the one he just left, except that this room was filled with furniture and Death Eaters.

"Lucius," said Wormtail, "Can I speak to you for a moment?"

Lucius, who was idly lounging in a chair, listening to what another Death Eater was saying, stood up, signalling that he will be right back, and walked towards Wormtail.

Wormtail backed out of the room, into the hallway, with Lucius following him.

"Well?" inquired Lucius coldly.

"Lucius," gasped Wormtail, shaking him by the hand, "I need your help!"

"With what?"

"With a mission given to me by the Dark Lord!" Wormtail replied importantly. "He said I may get as many Death Eaters as I need to help me."

"Go on."

Wormtail briefly told Lucius of the mission. Lucius did nothing but stare coldly into Wormtail's eyes, unfeelingly and unemotionally.

When Wormtail finished, Lucius retorted, "Well what do you want me to do?"

Taken aback, Wormtail asked, "Lucius, you agree to your wife and son's fate?"

"Of course," barked Lucius, "They are traitors and that is what they deserve! If you need me to help you track them down and kill them, I will. With pleasure."