When Icicles Dance In Flames
Vivien
Chapter 1Author's Note: Well, here it is, my first long Harry Potter romance fic. I've always had a secret desire to write a Draco/Ginny fic and when I reread 'Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince' I decided now was the time to get on with it.
It's set during 'Half Blood Prince' and afterwards (Shocked gasps from Harry/Ginny shippers, I'm sorry you guys).
Another new step for me is that it's written in the third person, I haven't done that for a while.
Draco Lucius Malfoy, stood, regarding his reflection in the large silver framed mirror in his bedchamber. He was dressed perfectly; a long crushed velvet black robe over a crisp white shirt… two crisp white shirts in fact, around his waist was tied a long green sash and a heavy silver broach at his throat knotted his cape around him. The broach depicted a striking serpent, a striking serpent grasping at his throat, 'ironic' he thought to himself, without the slightest trace of humour.
Only then, did he cease his examination of his clothes and regard the boy in his reflection; for regardless of his fine regalia, that was still all he looked like, a pale boy. His face was white, his eyes under set by dark purple shadows. His face and body drawn by the effects of rapid weight loss in a short period. He thought darkly of the time, just a few short weeks ago when he had been the adored heartthrob of Slytherin house, the house's undisputed leader, the boy whom many a Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had secretly pined for. Now it was hard to imagine them recognising him, let along wanting him.
There was a soft creaking sound and his bedroom door swung open. In the mirror he could see the reflection of his mother in the door. She also was dressed in her finest; dark black robes over a dark green dress, her magnificent blonde hair loose down her back.
'Mother,' he remarked, attempting to keep his voice as cool and sarcastic as was usual for him, 'do I have to remind you again to knock before entering my room.'
'Draco,' she replied, her voice coming out as a rasp 'do I have to remind you that if this meeting does not go well, it could mean the end of your life!'
'No' Draco replied shortly, finally turning around to face his mother and removing a pair of heavy velvet gloves from his desk.
'Ready?' Narcissa inquired, her voice returning to its usual controlled state.
'Indeed' Draco replied, taking a last look around his bedchamber before following his mother out of the door and down one of Malfoy Manor's long corridors.
They had nearly reached the top of the grand staircase when Narcissa suddenly turned round and almost violently, clasped her son to her. Draco, somewhat unnerved by his mothers actions, remained silent.
'Draco, Draco' she muttered into his hair, 'just do what He says, don't answer back, try and assist your father.'
Draco awkwardly pulled himself away from her.
'I will do my best.'
They walked in procession down the staircase, Draco in front the condemned prisoner, Narcissa behind playing the loyal lady in waiting. The scene was slightly interrupted by the arrival of a small houself (dressed in a filthy pillowcase), who shuffled down the stairs to Narcissa.
'Mistress will be needing this.' The lowly elf muttered, holding out a long black veil.
Narcissa snatched the veil from the elf's hand, whom gratefully scattered away, back to the gloom of the manor's upper floors.
Narcissa solemnly pinned the long black veil over her face, while Draco tried hard not to vomit over the polished green tiles of the manor's great hall. A suit of armour on Draco's left, decorated with dangerous looking spikes gave a wheezing laugh and clanked slightly.
'Dissipo!' Narcissa yelled hoarsely and the suit of armour exploded into thousands of fragments, Draco raised an eyebrow.
'Father wont be happy.'
His mother ignored him, she took a series of long strides over to the ominous and massive stone fireplace that dominated the hall, removed a handful of flu powder from a jar on the mantelpiece, cast it into the flames, which rapidly turned green. Stepped into the fire, gave a yelled direction and was gone.
Draco gave a sigh, and hearing his own heavy footsteps echo across the deserted hall, stepped over towards the fireplace, he grasped his wand tightly in his gloved hand as he reached for the flu powder.
'I'm a Malfoy' he thought harshly to himself, 'A Malfoy, heir to one of the most long established and purist familes in the wizarding world. I fear nothing, I certainly don't fear this. The Dark Lord and I have the same goals, we are of the same side.'
The self-hypnosis did not remove his hammering nerves, but it gave him the courage to throw the flu powder into the fire, step into the lurid green flames, and cry those fateful words 'Milvorda Palace'.
When the swirling finished, and Draco stepped out of the correct grate, he found himself in a tiny and dirty stone room, illuminated only by two flickering torches, this was no place for natural daylight. There was virtually room for nothing but the fireplace behind him and the ominous oak door in front of him. The doorway to the lair of Hades himself.
Summoning what remained of his courage, Draco's gloved hand tapped lightly on the door. An oily voice rang out from what Draco presumed to be the inner depths of the 'palace'.
'Name, business….password.'
'Draco Lucius Malfoy, a meeting with the Dark Lord ……Mundussacersanguis.'
The door dissolved, vanished completely and Draco stepped forwards, the moment he had reached the next room the heavy door reappeared behind him.
'Draco, what took you so long?' He heard hissed, it was impossible to see the figure that stood beside him in the darkness, but he recognised his mother's voice.
'Mother where are we, I can't see a thing?'
'Shush' Narcissa replied curtly, but then she muttered 'lumos' and a beam of light shone from the tip of her wand, casting some light on their surroundings. They were stood on a strip of stone flooring that crumbled away to a passage of murky black water, an underground lake. Draco shuddered inwardly, 'and so I find myself to cross the river Styx.'
There was the gentle sound of oars lapping water and from the darkness ahead a small rowing boat appeared, the figure in the prow was hooded and hunched over his oars. Draco and Narcissa stood on the jetty in silence, watching the boat's slow approach.
When finally the boat reached the jetty, the figure threw out a rope and awkwardly tied the craft to a post on the jetty. He lifted back his hood slightly and peered upwards at the mother and son.
'Ahhh.' the figure cackled, a remarkable feat, Draco thought to himself, seeing as this man has no teeth. 'Narcissa Malfoy, and young Master Malfoy, they're waiting for you, quickly in the boat if you please.'
Narcissa, lifted up her dress and robes and stepped into the front of the boat, which gave an unpleasant lurch, Draco lifting the hem of his own cloak followed his mother and they sat huddled in the stern of the craft, starring into the darkness ahead.
'All aboard' The hunched men cackled, climbing nimbly into the boat and untying it from the jetty, he picked up his oars and with a splash, the boat began to slide through the black water.
'It is only the reflection of the sky that makes water appear blue', thought Draco absent mindedly, trying to distract himself with useless trivialities.
Time seemed to fly by, and what felt like mere seconds to Draco had passed before the boat was passing through a tunnel with walls made of dark metal.
'They call this the tunnel infernos.' Cackled the boat man, as if giving a guided tour.
'And why is that?' Draco inquired, pleased that he managed to use his 'Lord Of the Manor' Hogwarts voice.
'Because, young Master Malfoy.' The man explained, 'If a Mudblood should dare through this tunnel…they instantly burst into flames.'
Narcissa and Draco gave small chuckles, yet for once the notion of Mudblood suffering gave Draco no pleasure, he half envied the poor souls, at least their suffering would end at this point.
'Well here we are' the boat man announced once they had passed the tunnel. They had reached another stone jetty.
Draco and Narcissa clambered gratefully out of the vessel and stood, once again outside another imposing door. Narcissa tapped it three times with her wand and it swung open, a voice called out to them.
'Narcissa, finally you arrive.'
Narcissa grabbed her son's shoulder and pulled him into the room with her. Draco, his feeling of nausea returning, glanced around the room, It was in ways, like a far larger version of the Slytherin common room. The walls were made of bare stone, covered in places by tapestries depicting the torture of Mudbloods and muggles and the victorious triumphs of the noble Salazar Slytherin. Every so often the walls were punctuated by yet more doors.
The room was illuminated by green light, with shone from torches hung from the walls, the ceiling was painted with yet more scenes of Serpentine Glory and hanging from it in cages suspended by thick iron chains, were many corpses, kept by enchantment, in a permanent state of decomposition.
Draco supposed these to be the bodies of Voldemort's trophy enemies. Draco's urge to vomit rose and he tasted acidic bile in the back of his throat.
In the centre of the room was a throne, set upon a raised platform, behind which were stood five cloaked figures, 'the favoured five', upon the floor around the chair was encoiled a gigantic snake and sat upon the throne in all his 'magnificence' was the Dark Lord, Voldemort himself, who had been the one to address them from the doorway.
Draco and Narcissa instantly sunk to their knees and Voldemort left them there on the ground in uncomfortable submission for more than a few minutes. Draco knew this was his way of humiliating them in front of 'the favoured five' displaying what happened to the families of Death Eaters who displeased him.
'Rise' the Dark Lord, finally and lazily commanded. Draco and Narcissa rose in unison, keeping their eyes averted from Voldemort.
'Narcissa, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how much your husband displeased me with his foolish idiocy.'
'No My Lord.' Narcissa replied demurely.
'And that I'm convinced the fool should remain in Azakaban until he develops some common sense.'
'My Lord…' Narcissa began, her voice pleading.
'Silence' Voldemort remarked calmly. Narcissa immediately ceased in her plea.
'And now the only way your husband can redeem himself in my eyes, would be through a loyal service made by your son.'
'Yes My Lord.' Narcissa replied, her voice now void of emotion.
'Step forwards boy.' Voldemort commanded, and Draco took a heavy step towards the Dark Lord's throne.
'Raise your eyes boy, let me look at you.' Voldemort hissed, Obligingly Draco lifted his eyes, but he could not bring himself to look the Dark Lord in his monstrous eyes, he turned his gaze instead to a point some centimetres above his head.
'The very image of his father,' Voldemort sneered, and the hooded figures behind his throne chuckled appreciatively.
'Boy are you loyal only to me and the noble cause of Salazar Slytherin himself?'
'Yes My Lord.' Draco replied, keeping his voice as sanctimonious as he could.
'Are you ready to accept a task, which if you succeed in, will lead to the return of your father's glory and equal glory being gifted upon you.'
'Yes My Lord.'
'You are to kill Albus Dumbledore'
A shocked gasp from a member of the 'favoured five' shivered around the room, Draco tried not to faint.
'Understand that if you fail in this task, you will pay with your life.'
'Yes My Lord.' Draco swallowed hard to chase away the bile that had gathered in his mouth.
'Do you understand that if you betray any information that you know of this group, you will be killed?'
'Yes, My Lord.'
'And are you ready to join the ranks of my followers?'
'I am.' Draco declared, giving his soul away on a silver platter.
'Do you swear to give your life, soul and all earthly goods away if required in your service to me.'
'I do.'
'Do you swear to do all you can to eschew the continuation of Salazar's noble quest.'
'I do.'
'In that case' Voldemort commanded, 'Hold out your arm.'
Draco, was suddenly glad for his decision to wear the second shirt, it helped him prevent shivering when Voldemort lifted the shirt sleeves to reveal his forearm and placed the tip of his wand upon the pale skin.
Draco, did not hear the incantation Voldemort muttered, he was too busy trying not to scream in agony as a hideous scorching pain gripped the spot on his arm, it felt as if poisonous little vipers were biting the evil mark into his flesh. He bit down on his tongue to prevent himself from yelling, and the taste of his own blood filled his mouth, mingling with bile.
However, as suddenly as the pain had begun…. it was over.
'Leave my presence' Voldemort commanded lazily, waving his hand dismissively towards Narcissa and Draco.
That night, Draco lay in bed, glaring at the canopy of his four poster above him. How on earth had he got himself into this ridiculas mess? How on Earth was he supposed to kill the beloved headmaster of Hogwarts? The most powerful, he knew this was a blaspheme against his Lord, but the most powerful wizard who lived?
Draco had never doubted that his place was within the ranks of Voldemort's followers, that he would one day become a Death Eater, that he would be branded with the Dark Mark. But he hadn't imagined he would be this young, that his overbearing father would not be stood right behind him, that he would enter the ranks of Voldemort's followers not as a favoured friend, but as a member of a fallen family, gifted with a 'do or die' mission.
'Kill Dumbledore?' Could he? Well he had to, his life and probably the life of his mother depended upon it. No, he had to do the task given to him by the Dark Lord, in one single swoop, send his immortal soul to eternal damnation…
Not that Draco held any religious convictions, life was all that there was. And he would live it, and do his best to purify this world for the generations yet to come.
Draco Malfoy was a boy whom had from his earliest years been tainted by evil, who had grown up in a web of sin. And the curious love of his parents had never taught him that most valuable lesson of life, that one always has a choice.