AN: I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
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While Draco had been disapparating, Voldemort had mentally sent him an image of Malfoy Manor, so that's where Draco went. He finally reappeared in the Great Room.
The Great Room was just as Draco remembered it: large and spacious with a full-size fireplace that could fit a good four people at once. The furniture was antique, yet surprisingly new-looking. The thing that Draco first noticed, however, was the thin layer of dust that had settled on everything. Draco supposed that this had to do with the fact that the house was empty. His mother was dead, and his father was in Azkaban. 'No one is around to make the house-elves clean,' He thought.
Draco's attention suddenly turned to the fireplace that had burst into green flames. Voldemort, in a hooded cloak, stepped forth. As he pulled off his hood, his eye caught a gleam of silver in Malfoy's hand.
"What is that?" asked Voldemort.
Draco realized he was still holding his time-traveling watch. "Oh, this is why I arrived an hour earlier. It lets you travel through time. Oh, and in an hour, you might want to activate the Dark Mark, or else I won't have come."
Ignoring Draco, he continued, "Where did you get that?" Now Voldemort had a curious look on his snakelike face.
"It's been in the family for ages."
"Boy, do you know what that is?"
Malfoy looked confused. "I thought I just told you what it was."
Voldemort looked annoyed, yet incredulous. "You fool, that belongs to Salazar Slytherin. It is said that only those directly descended from his line of ancestry are able to use it correctly. Do you realize what this means?"
"That this thing is worth more than I had originally thought?"
"NO! It means that you are descended from Slytherin, as am I."
"So we're…"
"Related, yes."
Draco was shocked. He was related to the Dark Lord. By direct bloodline, no less. He walked over to the couch and sat down. Hell, he was related to Salazar Slytherin, the original muggle-hater. This was almost too much. So much history, so many struggles still not fully realized rested in him. He looked at the pocket watch again. 'So the S stood for Slytherin.'
"Draco. The reason I called you here is because I have an important request to make of you."
"Yes, my lord?"
"I need you to break your father out of Azkaban."
Draco looked at his newfound relative in dismay. "Azkaban? Oh no problem. And then after I break my father out, we can go kill Dumbledore," he said sarcastically.
"That is the idea. With Dumbledore out of the way, killing the muggles and the mudbloods will be much simpler."
Draco's eyes widened. "But I was only kidding!"
"But I wasn't. Now, you obviously won't be breaking out your father today. I will send you instructions through post."
"Isn't that a bit dangerous? What if it is intercepted?"
"Draco, Draco. Do you really think I am stupid?"
"No, sir."
"The letter will be blank. In order to see what is written on it, you must perform the Imperious Curse, and demand that the letter show you what I have instructed. Then, when you are done, you may order it to go blank once more."
"Alright. I guess I'll be going then?"
"No. I actually have something else to discuss with you, since you are an heir of Slytherin." Voldemort conjured an old piece of parchment. "Read this."
Draco took the parchment and began to read the elaborate script.
The Wizard's world will arm to fight
When two great enemies of old unite.
Two enemies, and houses four,
Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor.
The battle will be short and quick
But won't be won by yew wand's flick.
Darkness will die its darkest death
As darkness draws its infant breath.
Beware to those who seek light's victory:
The triumph is not the first in history.
Darkness harbored in goodness' womb
Allows the dark to evade the tomb.
Because he was reading the parchment facing the fire, the watermark inside the parchment showed through:
Lord of Amacy's choice will determine the fate of darkness.
"Is this a prophecy?" asked Draco.
The Dark Lord replied, "Yes."
"What does it mean?"
"I'm not quite sure yet. I think I will lose if I fight Potter again, but I have a feeling that even though that Potter boy might kill me, with some intervention of 'Lord of Amacy,' he won't have seen the last of me. I don't see how he could kill me completely, not without tracking down all the horcruxes. Although he has gotten rid of one already. I blame your father for that. He doesn't deserve to come out of Azkaban."
"Erm, sorry, but what are horcruxes?"
"Oh yes. The Horcruxes. How much time do you have left?"
Draco checked his watch. "Thirty minutes."
"I suppose that will be enough time." Voldemort sat down next to Draco. "A horcrux is an object that holds a piece of one's soul. To make a horcrux, you must first kill someone, because killing is the supreme act of evil,or so they say, and rips the soul apart, and with a special spell, may place the piece of soul into an object. Usually the object chosen is of value, so that it won't be destroyed. The advantage of having a horcrux is that one may avoid death. With a piece of one's soul still existing in this world, one may eventually find a way to return to a corporal state."
"If you can cheat death, then why isn't it popular?"
"They say it is unnatural to split your soul, but I find the rewards are far too valuable to spend time worrying about the consequences. Besides, humans have two souls."
"Two? But I thought there was only one soul per person."
"No. That is false. One is your personal soul. The other is shared."
"Shared?"
"Yes. Killing, the supreme act of evil, splits the soul. Conversely, the supreme act of love binds your soul to another."
"And that is…?"
"The physical form of love. That is why Wizards take abstinence so seriously. They know that having their soul bound to another is a serious commitment. If a person is not faithful to their soul partner, the bond between the two souls is broken. Then, the souls will not be able to bond themselves to any other soul, and the people who those souls belong to will experience an intense emptiness for the rest of their natural lives.
"The other soul, of course, is for the next world. No one knows for certain what lies there, and some people give up their chance at the next world to become ghosts. I don't know why they would give up their soul. Souls are precious." Voldemort paused, leaving the room in silence.
When he finally did speak, it was to tell Draco that their hour was nearly up, and that he should be heading back.
"Don't forget what I told you about the soul," Voldemort said. "You can't afford to lose a perfectly good soul to someone you don't care about."
"Yes, lord," replied Draco, wondering what that look in Voldemort's eyes could be. "Remember to activate the Dark Mark when I leave, so that I will have come."
"Goodbye," said the Dark Lord.
"Goodbye." Draco pressed a button in a hidden area of the watch, and was transported ahead a few minutes in time, and miles away to the amusement park.
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AN: So did you enjoy it? Write a review and tell me. Thanks to all my loverly reviewers! You guys make writing so much more enjoyable.