Summary: Remy's initiation

Disclaimer: the usual

Warnings: none here, unless I missed something…I hope I didn't

The day of Remy's initiation came up quickly and was soon upon him. The day before the big event, Stephan had dragged his protesting boyfriend out for yet another shopping spree to pick out a new set of dress robes. He finally settled on a set of tastefully cut robes of a deep reddish-purple that almost looked black in dim light, the robes had black trim with silver embroidery on the sleeves and collar. The dark color of the robes contrasted nicely with Stephan's pale complexion to make the perfect picture of a vampire's beloved. As they left the store, Remy had been hit with a brilliant plan. "Stephan," he had said, "why don't we dye your hair to match mine, just for kicks." "Father will have a fit…" the blonde had started to protest, but then his eyes lit up with mischief and he eventually gave in. The boys made a quick dash to the apothecary for the ingredients needed for a temporary hair-dyeing potion before heading home to begin the potion. Stephan had gotten up early to make the potion and when he thought Remy should be getting up, had taken the finished potion to Remy's room. The guards knew by now to admit the blonde on sight and Stephan was let in to find Remy already up, practicing his non-magical combat skills, currently with a wickedly curved short sword in one hand and his wand in the other. Stephan sat back to watch his partner practice, entranced by the other boy's grace of movement and ability. Suddenly Remy stopped mid attack, his back still to Stephan.

"You know Stephan it's not good manners not to announce your presence. Suppose I had thought you were an intruder." Remy then whirled and before the other boy could blink, had pinned Stephan to the wall with a sword pointed at his chest and a wand at his head. Gulping slightly Stephan hesitantly responded, "S-sorry mate, I was just admiring your form, and I brought the hair dyeing potion. I finished it this morning. I rather got the point now, don't you think to could remove your weapon?" Chuckling slightly, the younger boy lowered his wand and tossed the sword away after sheathing it. "I can't wait to see your father's face tonight when I arrive with a strikingly pale, black haired boy rather than his dear blonde look alike." Remy led a smirking Stephan into his personal bathroom and, after putting on a pair of gloves motioned for Stephan to bend his head over the sink so that Remy could work the potion through his boyfriend's hair. Stephan obliged and after the entire bottle of potion had been worked into the Malfoy's hair, the boys sat back for the allotted time for the potion to set in.

10 minutes and a couple of rinses later, there were two dark haired youths admiring their handy work in the bathroom mirror. Stephan was at first startled by the sudden change but eventually got used to it and told himself it would only last for a few days and his fathers' face would be worth it. He and Remy cleaned up the bathroom and practiced their dueling and late afternoon Stephan went to his rooms to rest and Victor came to test Remy on the Occulmency lessons he had been taking from Professor Snape. Remy would never be great at it, but in Victor's mind, Remy had enough skills to protect him from a weak to moderate probe, but it the Dark Lord or anyone else were determined to get inside Remy's mind, Remy would be doomed. "You are showing progress Remy, but you still have a long way to go, You will continue your lessons with Professor Snape at school and add lessons with me, while you are home." Victor then pulled Remy aside and whispered softly, "Your order initiation is also coming up, it looks like it's going to be three days after your Death Eater initiation. Have you decided if you will serve both sides, or just the order yet?" "What if….I choose to serve just the Death Eaters?" Victor's face darkened slightly before responding, "I would be forced to disown you and turn to over to the Order, son or not. Please don' t make me do that." Remy looked ponderous for a moment before saying he hadn't made a decision yet but that he would think on it. Victor then left, only partially reassured and Remy was left alone.

Remy decided to follow his boyfriend's example and take a quick nap. He settled on top of his blankets fully clothed and willed himself to sleep. A few hours later he was woken abruptly after being pounced on by an already dressed and very hyper Stephan. Remy moaned before groggily addressing his boyfriend, "You know darling, you need to find another way to wake people up." Stephan blushed vividly, "Sorry Remy, but its 9:30 and you aren't even dressed yet." Remy sat up with a start and looked quickly around the room for the parcel with his uniform in it. Stephan was already ahead of him and placed the parcel in Remy's lap. Pulling the robes from the box, Stephan helped Remy off with his clothes and into the simple yet billowing black robes. Remy purred at the close contact and leaned into Stephan who gently pushed the younger boy away, "Sorry darling, but we don't have time, I would hate to learn what the punishment for tardiness is." Remy quickly agreed and after grabbing his wrist holster and wand and stepping into his well-worn combat boots he went to the bathroom to do something with is somewhat unruly hair. He eventually decided to keep his familiar ponytail and checking himself in the mirror decided he was ready to go. Still feeling rather unprepared he suddenly remembered his gift from Adel. Hurrying to his wardrobe and pawing through the drawers, a quick search yielded the desired result. He emerge triumphant with the protective amulet and securing it around his neck he and Stephan hurried to the foyer from which they would portkey to Nightshade Castle, preferably early.

Remy had been to Nightshade Castle before and so had Stephan, it was one of the Dark Lord's main strongholds, capable of housing the entirety of the Death Eater forces as well as a sizeable amount of prisoners in its spacious dungeons. Remy and Stephan handed their outer cloaks to the servant at the door who bowed to them as they entered. The boys followed the noises of party to the great hall decked out in silk hangings of green and black with the dark mark on them in silver. Many adults stood around in tight circles, sipping wine or other drinks and everyone was in full ceremonial dress robes. It didn't take long for Remy to find his father and he hurried over to the senior vampire, dragging Stephan behind him. Victor was engaged in conversation with none other than one Professor Snape and two Malfoys. As they arrived, Victor noticed them first but as he turned, Draco, Blaise, Lucius, and Snape followed his gaze, Narcissa Malfoy was nowhere to be seen. Victor welcomed Remy with a small smile but eyed Stephan curiously. Draco then spoke, "Ah, good evening Lord Remy, and who is this, have you tired of Stephan already, and if you have where is he, I haven't seen him this evening yet, and a Malfoy is never late." Remy snickered to looks of displeasure from all the adults and then responded, "With all due respect sir, perhaps you aren't looking close enough, he may have changed slightly in the past few weeks."

Draco turned his gaze again to the other boy next to Remy and after a minutes close speculation the famously pale Malfoy complexion seemed to pale even more, "Stephan Malfoy, what have you done to you hair? That had better be temporary young man." Then a smirking Blaise came to Stephan's aid, "Now now Draco, You used to experiment just as much. I seem to remember a time when your hair was a rather fetching pink for a few weeks. Stephan's hair is hardly more drastic." Blaise turned to the openmouthed boys and winked conspiratorially at them. "Father, is Dad serious, you with pink hair?" Draco simpered a bit before tersely responding, "I was drunk, that was all there is to it." "So you admit to it?" a smirking Stephan quipped and Draco looked about to explode but a restraining arm across his shoulders by Blaise calmed him down. Blaise then turned to the two teenagers. "Remy, you should probably be getting to the front of the room, the initiation will start soon and I think the Dark Lord wants to speak with the initiates before the ceremony. Stephan, you stay here, you and I will work on your father, get him to calm down and have some fun telling stories of him when he was younger."

Remy grudgingly followed the brown haired adult's advice and Stephan gave Remy's hand a light squeeze as Remy broke away from the group to move towards the large dais set up at the head of the room. As he arrived he saw a handful of other individuals identified as other initiates by their simple black robes that stood in stark contrast to the ornateness of the room and the other guests robes. Remy milled around with these people and was about to engage in small talk but was cut off by the Dark Lords entrance. The man who held most of the wizarding world in his sway entered the room through a pair of side doors flanked by a few guards who opened the doors before him with a loud bang that effectively announced his presence to his gathered followers. Everyone quickly dropped to their knees in obeisance. "Rise my faithful followers," said the Dark Lord, "Tonight we welcome six new members into our ranks, one of which is the young Lord Sagoicci. He is one of the youngest Death Eaters ever, I expect great things from him and any rudeness to him because of age will be seen as a personal insult to me. Now, would the initiates please step forward onto the dais, and let the initiation begin." The small group on initiates formed a single file line and one by one filed across the dais in various states of apprehension. They each paused in front of the Dark Lord before kneeling and swearing loyalty to him. Then they bared their left forearm and the Dark Lord muttered a spell. Soon after the initiate showed various signs of great pain from barely muffled whimpers to all out screams that made Remy seriously wonder what he'd gotten himself into. Soon it was his turn and with decidedly firm stride he made his way across the dais to the Dark Lord and knelt before him. "I Remy Sagoicci do swear this day my loyalty to you for as long as I live." Said Remy nervously as he raised the left sleeve of his robe to bare his forearm to the Dark Lord. Remy shivered as the cold, slightly clammy and surprisingly long fingered hand of the Dark Lord closed around his arm. Remy was noting with a bizarre interest how perfectly manicured the Dark Lord's hands were when a burning pain shot through his consciousness, pulsating harshly from his left arm which still lay in the Dark Lord's grasp. It felt as though red-hot knives were flaying the very skin off his body as a blowtorch was being applied to the then raw flesh.

In a feeble attempt to look brave Remy only allowed himself a wince and a small gasp to show his discomfort while inwardly his consciousness was screaming like a banshee with PMS. The pain ended as quickly as it had started but a dull ache still possessed every fiber of Remy's consciousness as the Dark Lord released his arm to reveal his signature, branded into Remy's now slightly red and swollen arm. Remy struggled to his feet and moved on after a slight nod from the Dark Lord. As he descended the steps on the other side of the dais he was handed his white Death Eater Mask, fashioned to look like a skull. He was also given a velvet bag containing what he saw to be his patches of rank. He moved off to the side, out of the way of the ceremony and loosened the drawstring on the bag to peer inside. Sure enough inside were the red stripes that would mark him as a vampire Death Eater, a force to be reckoned with, a patch bearing the black asp of his squadron and his rank as commander, and what looked to be an ornate ring.

Remy opened the bag to pull the ring out and stepped back in surprise as the patched flew out of the bag and magically affixed themselves to his robes. After a muttered "wicked!" Remy reached into the now empty bag to retrieve the ring. It was made of some silvery metal, thankfully not silver itself painfully harmful to his kind, and had a rather large dark stone set in the middle carved to look like a skull. Placing it on the index finger of his right hand, Remy admired the new bauble. "Very intimidating," he told himself as he crumpled up the bag to put in his pocket, only to hear the distinct crunch of parchment as he did so. Puzzled he reached into the bag a third time to retrieve a small slip of parchment with a moderately neat yet tiny scrawl on both sides. One side read,

The ring signifies that you are in my favor, show it to the guards at my quarters at any time for immediate admittance. Never remove it, it is very valuable and irreplaceable if lost.

Remy then flipped the slip over to continue reading

I wish to see you following the party in my quarters, just go through the doors I entered from, down the hallway and to the right. My quarters are the third to last doors on your left, thought I'd hope the guards would mark them rather obviously for you.

Remy pocketed the slip and the bag before eagerly reentering the throng just in time to see the last initiate leave the dais after receiving the Dark Mark. When the man had left the dais, the Dark Lord then addressed the gathered guests, "Welcome to our newest members, and may you exceed all expectations put upon you, for failure is not an option and strictly dealt with. But now, on with the party!" There were cheers from the Death Eaters and their families in the audience and talk and laughter soon permeated the atmosphere. Slaves bearing trays of drinks and delicacies soon entered and they made their rounds through the gathered chatting witches and wizards. Remy saw a few familiar faces among the tray bearers and, discarding decorum, managed to corner one of his old friends before he disappeared to refill his tray. Remy stepped in front of the boy and with a small smirk said, "Excuse me?"

The tawny haired boy looked up and for a moment a pair of clear blue eyes met Remy's vampiric red eyes before the boy gasped and almost lost his tray in his haste to lower his eyes in respect. "I-I'm sorry milord, I didn't see you there, please forgive me." Remy tutted and said with another smirk, "Now, now, Edward, Have I really changed all that much, it can't have been more than a year since we last saw each other, at the Lestrange's I believe. Poor Betsy spilt red wine all over herself when she inadvertently walked in on what I understood to be a very heated snogging session between you and Rachel. I don't think the poor girl will ever be able to see either one of you without blushing ever again." As Remy finished his recollection, the slaves eyes shot up, "Remy, is it really you? A Death Eater, wow! I heard the name Remy Sagoicci announced but I didn't think it could really be you. How is Lord Sagoicci treating you, and I thought slaves couldn't become Death Eaters. What's going on?" Remy chuckled at the barrage of questions but calmly answered, "Victor, Lord Sagoicci, is treating me very well, infact he freed me and adopted me as his heir, so that solves you slaves as Death Eaters dilemma. Unfortunately my new status has removed me from opportunities to speak with old friends like you. In some ways I miss the old days when we would help each other out at parties and such. Now that I am in the spotlight it is just like one big long and boring play with lots and lots of rules that no one really follows anyway. I can't afford to be seen talking long with a slave or my newly gained reputation will be ruined, I don't want to seem haughty but I can't talk with you anymore right now but I will try to find some way later. Be safe and don't let Master Nott find too many reasons to be displeased." The other boy looked wistful for a moment before bowing deeply to Remy and saying "Thank you for you kindness to me milord and I will always remember your friendship" before exiting to the kitchens to refill his long neglected tray. Remy then went off to find his boyfriend.

Remy found Stephan, after some searching, chatting with a few boys around his age off in one corner. Remy stealthily approached Stephan from behind, making eye contact with the other boys and putting his finger to his lips for silence as he got closer and closer to his temporarily dark haired obsession. As he drew up directly behind the slightly taller boy he, for lack of a better word, pounced on him and threw his arms around his neck. Stephan squeaked in a quite un-Malfoy manner but then relaxed slightly when he saw who it was, "Damn it Remy, you almost gave me a heart attack, you and your bloody vampire abilities. You gave me absolutely no warning at all!" then Stephan turned his tirade to his friends, "And you lot, you could have at least given me some idea as to the vicious beast about to pounce." At this Remy laughed and affectionately nibbled on Stephan's ear. "Now Stephan darling, was that beast bit really necessary, I know I can be vicious, but I am not a beast, I am quite civilized…. most of the time." Remy said in a low, husky voice that made the older boy shiver.

"You better be carefully Remy and stop giving me reason to ravish you right here in front of all these people." Stephan joked. Smiling Remy moved to take his customary position in front of Stephan and leaned up against his boyfriend as the talk among the group picked up again. A few minutes later, a tray-bearing slave passed by and Stephan grabbed drinks for Remy and himself as the tray passed. Remy saw the slave's receding figure and froze. "Is something wrong Remy?" asked a worried Stephan. Remy could only respond, "It's him, that boy pushed me down at the last party I ever went to as a slave, I couldn't do anything to him then, but now…" Remy let the threat trail off as he went off in pursuit. He followed the tray as it bobbed and weaved among the gathered people. Stephan weakly mumbled an apology before handing the drinks off and going off to follow Remy, worried at what his tempestuous boyfriend may do. Stephan caught up to Remy just as the other boy moved around to face the familiar slave. "Hey, you there" Remy called, "remember me? You pushed me at a party, thought you were somehow better than I was. Lucky for me, no one saw but I could have gotten in a lot of trouble, doubtless that was your intent." The slave looked up at Remy and his eyes widened, fear evident on his face. Remy was tempted to shove the boy in a mirror to the action performed almost a year ago, but was saved from it by the arrival of a stern faced man with angular features and short dark brown hair combed neatly back away from his face. He had the robes of a low ranking Death Eater, and bowed slightly to Remy as he approached before addressing Remy, "Is something the matter between you and my slave?" The man had a harshly chilling voice that made the slave wince and Remy almost pitied the slave…almost. "Not presently, but in the past this boy here shamed me at a party and I was trying to illicit an apology of some sort." "Ah, I see," replied the man with a withering glare at the slave boy who whimpered under the accusing eye of his master. "In that case, he's yours to do with as you please, consider it, a congratulatory present on your initiation." Remy didn't really want a slave of his own and tried desperately to look for a way out of it, but found none and reluctantly accepted. "Thank you, Mr.…. I'm sorry I don't believe I know your name." "Smithe, Aloysius Smithe. I'll have him and his few belongings sent to your castle tomorrow along with the papers. Good Day Lord Remy, glad to have met you and congratulations." The man then blended in with the crowd leaving a terrified slave and a slightly uncomfortable Remy behind.

Just then, Stephan came up to Remy. "What did I miss, who was that man, and what did you do the slave, it looks like he's trying to catch fly's with his mouth." The poor slave shut his mouth quickly and hurried off to continue his rounds with the tray with a few fearful glances back at Remy. "No doubt the poor boy thinks I am going to eat him or something. To answer your question, I did nothing to him, his master came by and saw our confrontation, if you can call it that, and offered the boy to me as a gift and penance to the potential humiliation the slave caused at a party once." "Let me get this straight, the ex-slave gets a slave before he has even been free one year. He also become a vampire and heir to the largest and most powerful Vampire clan, has caught the eye of the Dark Lord himself and managed to gain several powerful positions, all before he reaches legal age. What next Remykins, will you seek godship?" Inquired the smirking Stephan. "I do not desire godship Stephan darling, and if you ever call me Remykins again I will make you wish you didn't have a mouth to say it with." Threatened a not-so-amused Remy. "Oh come now Remy, everyone has to have nicknames sometimes, a rather cute example of one for you just happens to be Remykins." Remy blushed and his eyes sparked with anger but the clock in the hall striking twelve cut off his retort. "Your retort will have to wait Remy, your father wanted us back at the castle by 12:30 at the latest. If we leave now, we will just make it, and we will have to floo." Remy gasped as he suddenly remembered his meeting with the Dark Lord, "You go on ahead of me, the Dark Lord wanted to see me after the party, just give father my apologies and don't wait up for me, I don't know how long I'll be." Remy then hurried off to meet the Dark Lord leaving his slightly shocked boyfriend to fend for himself against what would prove to be a very annoyed Victor when Stephan got to the castle.

A decidedly more plot driven chapter, this one brings to mind Nine Inch Nails lyrics, "Bow down before the one you serve, you're going to get what you deserve…" Ah revenge certainly is sweet for Remy, though he doesn't really like the form in which it is enacted. My muse when bonkers on this chapter and some random things I don't even remember typing. I can only type at night because my parents don't appreciate Harry Potter, or fanfiction for that matter. Soooo, right now it is two in the morning, which most assuredly contributes to the oddity of some of my junk. Thank all that is holy for caffeine and coffee! R&R and tell me all your complaints and such all feedback is much appreciated.

Ciao,

subsandwich