Disclaimer: I do not own any character you recognize. Desereigh is here with the permission of herself as she decided to invade my muse's psyche. Please don't sue, I already don't have enough money to keep this cardboard box together.

A/N: I wanted to write a fic for my friend and give a little insight to what I view as the reluctant Death Eater Syndrome.

Quietly Desereigh, a 7th year Slytherin, moved forward; her black hair moving stealthily with the wind. The air nipped at her fingers until she could feel nothing anymore. Numbness had overcome her but it no longer mattered. Her bright, silver eyes were avidly watching the young man in front of him.

It was a young blond she knew by Lucius Malfoy. Also a 7th year, she could almost feel his sadness through the darkened sky. It folded around him like a cloak that could not be unclasped.

Continually she moved, her cloak wrapped around her slim body, and his voice washed over her in his moment of need.

"Why?" He asked the darkness and, unwillingly, her.

She reached his back and stared out upon the lake as he was. She took off her cloak, even as the warmth in her body protested, and wrapped it around his slim shoulders. "The world is not fair to us."

His silver eyes were haunted as he turned them on her, his Slytherin mask no where to be seen. "Tis not the world who deems life unfair, it is the parents."

Des wrapped her arms around her distraught classmate. "Can I help?"

"There is nothing you can do Des. I'm sorry." He turned saddened eyes on her though he could not keep her gaze long. He broke eye contact and watched his hand, which had begun to unconsciously rub his forearm.

"Oh, Luc, you didn't." Her face conveyed her disbelief. Luc was not what he showed the world. He was a quiet, studious type with whom she had fallen in love with. She had not told him but she had hoped her actions had conveyed that message. Sadly, she was unsure of that now.

"I didn't choose it." He spat, his voice laced with pure self-hatred and anger. "My father decided it was time to grow up and take over the family business." He drew up his cuff and showed her the ugly mark that scarred his pale skin.

She kissed the back of his neck soothingly and ran her fingers over the Dark Mark. He hissed in response and tried to take his arm from her grasp but she refused to let him. "No, this is you now. What happened?"

He sighed, knowing he could never lie to her.


FLASHBACK

Lucius had received a letter from his father at dinner. He knew better to open it when he had seen the familiar scrawl on the parchment. This could not be good.

After dinner, he made his way to the lake. It was his favorite place to sit and contemplate what he knew his future was to be. The letter was tucked into his cloak, hidden from the world. Lucius new he would need to respond to the letter and the longer he waited the greater the possibility of punishment became.

Sighing, he pulled the letter from the depths of his school robes and carefully broke the wax seal. Unsure of what this meant, he began:

Son,

It is time for you to make our family proud. You will follow your destiny tonight. Enclosed is an enchanted quill that will portkey you to the Manor. As I made sure that this would arrive by dinner, you will arrive here by ten, after your dorm mates are asleep. Go to the Astronomy Tower and meet with Severus Snape. He will be bestowed the same honor tonight. You will arrive together. Do not disappoint me. You will be punished if you do.

Cassius Malfoy

Lucius sighed, he had been afraid of this. Both he and Sev had been trying to avoid this since they were old enough to understand what it meant. Though never shown to the world, his mind was frantic with the thought of serving the Dark Lord for eternity.

It was not supposed to be this way. He was supposed to find something in the sea of books he had absorbed. But, inevitably, this was how it must be. Lucius only hoped he could escape afterwards with his life and his friendship in tact.

At 9:30 pm, Lucius snuck out of the dorm room and made it to the Astronomy Tower, without getting caught; unsurprised to see Severus already waiting.

"Punctual as ever, I see." Lucius murmured to lighten the mood. It didn't help.

Severus merely nodded, lost in thought as to what was going to happen. There was no escape and death was not an option. Both of them had thought that they would be marked at graduation but that was still three and a half months away.

At five minutes to ten, he spoke. "Time to go Sev. Be safe my friend and do not forget us if our future's differ." He smiled for the last time at his best friend which Severus returned before both their masks fell back into place.

They grabbed the quill and the familiar, yet sickening, pull of the portkey whisked them to Malfoy Manor. Both of them landed, unsurprised when Cassius and Aren, Severus' father, were present.

"On time. Good."

"Yes, sir." They replied in unison, the ritual replies drilled into each of their heads.

"Follow." Aren commanded as he and Cassius led them through the manor. They ended up in the far West wing; the white room. It was a room that Lucius had been banned from ever entering. In fact, as far as he knew, it had been sealed shut. "You are to enter behind us and bow before are Lord. You will make us proud." His tone left no room for argument.

Lord Voldemort was seated on a high stone chair, almost looking like a medieval throne. He watched silently as all four men entered. His two most loyal followers bowed, kissing his robes, and backed into position.

The two teens remained impassive as they followed their father's actions but remained bowing, waiting for the questioning to commence.

"Luciusss, Sseverusss. You pleassse me. Your fathersss have told me of your willingness to follow me. Is thisss true?"

"Yes milord." They replied together, drawing silent strength from the other.

"I sssee." The creature grinned, his face twisting into a sickening shape. "Ssstep forward and hold out your arm." They followed his command instantly. "Mosmordre."

With that final word, they were bound to him unto death; be it theirs or his. Lucius inwardly hoped it was over now but that thought was killed when Voldemort started to speak again.

"Aren and Cassius. You please me greatly by offering your sons but they need to learn obedience. Their minds defy their words. I trust you shall deal with them. Now."

Both Adults were spurred into action at the unveiled command. In that moment, they became Death Eaters before Fathers.

Before he knew what had happened, Lucius was bound and lying naked on the floor. His father hovered above him. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Severus in the same predicament. All he knew was that the dirty feeling and the cold laughter would not leave him. He was surrounded.

End Of FLASHBACK

When Lucius finally ended his tale, he had tears falling from his eyes in remembrance of the shame; the pain. His head now rested on Des' shoulder and she, too, was silently crying. "I'm sorry I could not be there for you love. I was not strong enough to save you."

Lucius looked up, his eyes watery and full of love. "It will never be your fault. It was my destiny and nothing could change that." He brought his hand to her cheek, watching as she leaned into his touch. With a gentleness most would never see, she placed his lips upon hers. The kiss was soft and slow, but full of everything. He pulled back with a pained smile and pulled from himself from her arms.

Finally, he stood and whispered one final declaration to her. "I love you Desereigh. May one day you forgive me." With that, he turned and walked from her, his heart shattering with every reluctant step he took. It was the only way.

It took a moment for Desereigh to realize he had just left her. She murmured "I Love You" at his retreating back, sorrowed that he would never hear the words come from her. She put her face in her hands and sobbed, screaming into the vacant night. "Forever."