PERSONALITY 5: THE OVERPROTECTIVE MOTHER COMPLEX

Chapter 17: Draco's Second Task

Lord Voldemort transformed the décor of his parlor with a flick of his wand. It was instantly transformed from frilly pinks (decorations left over from his Death Eater party) into warm, earthy tones. He made sure not to forget to conjure up a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

"Hmm, hmm, hmm…" Voldemort hummed while dusting the furniture in his Death Eater apron. "La de da…" He put down the duster to look at his watch. 9:27 it read.

"Blast! Where is that boy?" he asked himself. Coincidentally, right after Voldemort expressed his concern aloud, the air was pierced with a crack! and Draco appeared alongside the Dark Wizard. The abnormally white-haired lad bowed low at Voldemort's feet.

"My Lord, I have come to tell you that the mission has been completed," Draco said, his face still touching the waxed linoleum floor. Voldemort stared down at him and slapped the top of Draco's head with the duster. The dust released from the cleaning instrument stuck to the gel in Draco's slimy hair.

"Where have you been?" Lord Voldemort demanded, a note of panic in his voice. "I have been terribly worried about you, son!"

Son? Draco thought. What's he playing at? He's been worrying about me?

"Answer me, you brat! Where have you been? It's way past your curfew!" Draco faltered, not sure what Voldemort was doing.

"Um, I have been doing what you asked me to, my lord," Draco responded.

"And what exactly is that, son?"

Son? "The task? Don't you remember?"

"If I remembered, then why would I be asking you?" Voldemort reproached. Then he remembered. "Oh yeah. The task. So, where are they?" Voldemort outstretched one hand toward Draco and put the other one on his hip.

Draco pulled the box of crystallized pineapples out of his robes, and handed them to his master, whose eyes lit up.

"Good, good, honey, thanks so much!"

Honey?

"But honestly, couldn't you have come home earlier? I have been so worried about you!"

"My lord, I don't live here."

"Oh yeah. Well, you should go home to your own mother now. She must be worried sick about you! Skedaddle!" Voldemort swatted Draco's backside with the crystallized pineapple box. Draco stood there frozen in shock.

Did Voldemort just touch my butt?

"Did you hear me, hon? Get on home! I need to use these pineapples to-" Draco looked at him questioningly. "Well, that's none of your business. Before you leave, I must give you your next task. I assume you are acquainted with Harry Potter and his two foolish friends?"

Draco made a disgusted face and nodded.

"Ah, good. Then I want you to track them down, and bring them to me. You are a clever boy, figure out a way to get them to me! And tell no one of this mission! You hear?"

Draco nodded again.

"Good! You can get along now!" Voldemort swatted Draco's derriere again. "How about a cookie for the road, dear?" The dark wizard held up the plate of cookies, and Draco hesitatingly took one.

"Thanks, my lord," Draco said. What's wrong with the dark lord? He's really losing it! Draco thought on his way out.

"Hey, I heard that!" Voldemort called out the window.