He stood in front of the full length dirty mirror gazing at the Dark Mark that had been burned into his skin mere hours ago. Draco could still feel the sting of it's creation into his flesh and remembered his screams that left his throat raw and dry. His hand covered the mark and gripped his arm where the mark lay. For a moment he contemplated clawing it off, ripping at his own flesh to undo the last 24 hours of his life. It had all gone horribly wrong for him, Snape had stolen his Glory and the word just rotted inside him. There was no glory that night when Dumbledore died, when the Death Eaters ransacked Hogwarts.
He could still see the image of Dumbledore shooting up into the air just under the Dark Mark and then so slowly his body fell back and disappeared. Draco's world was not the same since that moment, now he was one of them one of the Death Eaters. He knew his father would be proud at last to have Draco in the ranks of the Death Eaters. His mother had sobbed when he had returned, sobbed that he was alive and now part of the Dark Order.
He hated himself more then anything for not being able to do as Lord Voldemort had ordered. For being so weak that all he could do was just stand there boasting how he had let the Death Eater's in, how he was the one responsible for the destruction that had followed. That night had not been as glorious as he thought it would be, there had only been death. He had bowed his head remembering all the carnage of blood bodies and forced those images away looking back into his reflection. He saw a weakling who couldn't muster the will to do as ordered and yet wanted to all the same.
That was what was eating at him now the being stuck between wanting the kill and not being able to. He had finally become what he had always wanted, why did he suddenly wish he didn't have it? The door to the room opened then letting outside light pour in, a tall greasy haired man stood in the doorway.
"Draco, The Dark Lord beckons for your presence." Snape spoke to him his expression unreadable.
"You play messenger dog real well don't you?" Draco shot at Snape looking at him hatefully.
Snape's eyes flashed and he stepped fully into the room; Draco tensed sensing the need to prepare for a fight. However all Snape did was cross his arms and look disdainfully down at him.
"You would do well not to forget Draco that it was I that has kept the full wrath of Voldemort from you. You even have what you've always wanted, to serve the Dark Lord like your father and… your Aunt do." Snape spoke the last word with a vile contempt that Draco could hear quite well.
"Well Aunt Bellatrix has done more for me then you ever have, I've already told you I don't need or want your help." Draco said scathingly, there was a time he used to hero worship this former potions master. Now he couldn't look at the one who had brutally murdered Dumbledore, the one teacher who had never treated him with scorn or disdain. Why did Dumbledore say his mercy was so damned important? Where did it get him in the end? Dead and that's where he was going to be if he didn't stop these weak pathetic feelings, it was time to steel himself the way his Aunt had showed him.
Snape looked into Draco's face and Draco knew that he had been prying into his mind again.
"Like what you see you slimy git?" Draco snarled at Snape and shoved past him and out the door. Snape followed him silently behind him and he balled his fists with anger, he didn't need him and he didn't need anyone to prove himself and that he would do. Storming down the hall that lead to Voldemort's throne room as they all called it though not to his face. Draco worked again and again the Occulmency shields that his Aunt had trained him to make. He conjured a void in his mind feeding all his emotions into it, letting his exterior seem calm and hiding any weak thoughts. He only let fear remain, let the Dark Lord see that he wasn't too confident or cocky. Draco knew better then to be too sure of himself in front of Voldemort, his temper was horrible to witness let alone be the subject of.
The double doors swung open as Draco approached them his mental shields in place as that snake like gaze sought him out. Draco could see there were many others in the room all robed in their Death Eater cloaks and masks on. His mother he could see was off to one side watching her son with fear. Voldemort sat upon his regal but still tattered throne, his eyes bored into Draco's mind. Voldemort's hands were steeple at his lips, a thin wicked smile displayed.
"Draco… You have done well Draco to the cause of killing Albus Dumbledore, I want you to know this Draco because…." Voldemort paused as he pulled a thin wand from within his robes and pointed it at Draco. "You have FAILED to be the one to do the deed and for that you will be punished! CRUCIO!" Voldemort had stood up at this point towering over the now cowering Draco.
Draco howled with pain, his entire body burned with the searing pain of the Cruciatus Curse. Draco's mind was reeling and his walls collapsing under the pain that was being delivered to him. When the pain stopped Draco just lay their panting and tried to stop himself from whimpering.
"Draco Draco … Draco… What is it that you are hiding from me; I can always tell you know. I can sense your keeping it from me; let me remind you that none of my death eaters can hide anything from me!" Voldemort was standing directly over Draco now, Draco looked up and tried to voice that he was loyal to Voldemort, that he tried to swear his eternal allegiance but the words stuck in his mouth. Voldemort's gaze intensified and Draco could actually feel his mind being ransacked now.
"CRUCIO!" Voldemort bellowed once more and Draco's body went into convulsions on the floor thrashing his arms and legs. His brain no longer could hold up the walls made by Occulmency.
Draco laid on the floor his breath ripping through his lungs he felt close to tears from all the pain. Somewhere he could hear his mother's sobbing and it sickened him to know she saw him in this state. He had to be stronger then this, he couldn't let them do this to him he couldn't fail his father and mother and give into weakness.
"Ah yes Draco, there is the weakness and there is the lack of conviction that you failed to kill Dumbledore by your own hand. You must overcome this weakness Draco, if you wish to serve in my Dark Order. Now stand Draco, show me that there is strength left in that pitiful shell." Voldemort said to Draco and then laughed as Draco continued to lie there.
Draco turned on his side feeling every inch of him aching to stay still; he had to ignore the pain. He had to show that he was strong that he would not bend or be broken. He looked up from the floor and saw his mother's tear filled eyes watching him; she had silenced now watching his struggle. He saw Snape standing near her, his face was pale and his lips in a thin line but his eyes were unreadable. Draco made his face an iron mask of determination; he unsteadily got to his feet and turned once more to face Lord Voldemort.
"Good Draco, now see if you can still stand this… Crucio" Voldemort said the curse casually but that did not stop the wave of pain entering Draco.
Draco stood barely, his knees bending and his every muscle taunt with searing pain. His teeth bared and jaw clenched he managed to continue to stare at the red snake eyes of Voldemort. An evil smile slid across Voldemort's smooth bloodless face and the pain stopped. The pain's sudden absence was almost enough to send him crashing to his knees but Draco managed to continue standing looking defiantly at Voldemort.
"Yes I can see it now Draco, you foolishly cared for your former headmaster, so much so that you almost allowed your own life and parents come to risk. You must not do that again Draco, weaknesses such as mercy and love have no place here. You should thank Severus that you are being given this chance, if it had not been for the fact that it was after all your cunning plan that got the Death Eaters in Hogwarts…" Voldemort spoke in a maddeningly calm voice and stepped right up to Draco, his red eyes just inches away from him. "You would now be feeding Nagini her supper with your own pathetic flesh." As it stands I will give you a new mission Draco, one that you will fulfill to the letter or you will suffer the consequences." Voldemort whispered in a low voice full of venom. Voldemort lifted Draco's sleeve to reveal the Dark mark and pressed one pale long finger to the Mark.
Draco felt a wave of nausea as image after image flooded his mind, these images were what the Dark Lord's wishes for him to accomplish. It filled him with sickening dread and yet a hope for survival, even a grim one. Voldemort wanted only Draco to know what these orders were to send him the message this way. Draco's head was bowed as he fought down the nausea.
"Now what say you Draco?" Voldemort asked eyeing him with his red eyes mere slits now. Draco lifted his head enough to gaze at the Dark Lord from under his platinum blonde hair. One corner of his mouth curving into a wicked smile.
"Well... Potter's got a girlfriend…" Draco said still holding his smile.
Voldemort let out a chilling laugh.
"So the boy who lived, has found love has he?" Voldemort spoke in ominous tones.
"It seems so master." Draco told Voldemort what he wanted to hear.
"So then you are willing to carry out the mission?" Voldemort questioned Draco smoothly.
"Without hesitation master." Draco said with a deep bow his eyes never leaving Voldemort's.
Voldemort laughed again and signaled for Draco's Dismissal. Draco left the audience chamber his cloak whirling around him. He did not spare a glance at his mother or for Snape; he did wonder why his Aunt was not present though as he left the room.
Once he regained the seclusion of his room and closed the door behind him and leaned against it for a moment. He had to let the terror of the meeting run it's course; Voldemort inspired fear even in his most loyal servants what would he give to one such as he? Draco thought to himself as he walked over to his mirror. He again looked at his reflection and could see the fear in his own eyes. He had given Voldemort the information he had wanted, a weakness in Harry Potter, that of whom Harry loved and cared for. Draco had known for a long time now his relation to the Weasley's.
In exchange for information on them he had been able to keep away the most dangerous feelings and memories. Those of revulsion of having to serve such a despot, Voldemort cared nothing for glory but only for the killing. To one such as Draco who was used to luxury it was appalling to have to crawl in this filthy hovel of a muggle house. He hated working for Voldemort who held his family's life over his head but then he hated all those smug mudbloods and blood traitors.
What he hated the most was watching himself be so weak he slammed his fist into the mirror. He caused a web of fractures to spread across the mirror centered from where he had hit it. Bits of the mirror even dug into his flesh cutting him and causing blood to leak from his knuckles, he didn't care. The pain would serve as a reminder and distraction from his weaker base feelings of… mercy.
"Stop being weak, if you don't he'll kill you… he'll kill them all he doesn't care…." Draco growled at himself. 'Not the way Dumbledore did...' the thought floated in his mind.
"Shut up!" Draco growled at himself grinding his fist into the broken surface of the mirror. It was then that his mother entered the room and gasped at the sight of him. Draco flinched away from the mirror and hide his fist behind his robe.
"Draco what have you done?" Narcissa exclaimed going over to him giving the mirror a startled glance.
"Nothing Mother just going over my new mission, I won't fail you or father this time I promise." Draco said as his mother tried to see his arm but he backed away from her.
"Draco I see the blood you can not hide this from your mother, please let me see it my son." Narcissa said sternly but with an air of warmth seldom seen by anyone.
Draco hesitated not wanting her to fuss over him but decided better on it since she would not leave him be anyways. He drew out his hand and showed her the cuts he had made. Narcissa took his hand and began to wave her wand over his cut up and bloodied hand.
"You have to be careful Draco, the Dark Lord is dangerous and I won't lose you Draco." Narcissa said tersely and looked at Draco with a scared look etched on her normally cold face.
"I know mother, I have already told you I won't fail you. I've already proven my worth twice now letting the Death Eaters into Hogwarts and now given him information on those close to Harry Potter. I promise no matter what that I won't let him kill you or Father." Draco said stoically though he watched his mother sadly. "I will make Potter pay for what he's done to us Mother."
"I know my good Draco, that's why I am so proud of you "Narcissa said with a smile finishing up cleaning and healing Draco's wounds.