Draco
Malfoy Manor
Early July 1997
All but one seat was occupied at a long marble table that was positioned in the center of the Malfoy Manor drawing room. A room normally bathed in sunlight due to its floor to ceiling windows across every wall, was now shrouded in darkness; each window shuttered and covered in dark drapes. The only light that remained was the dim glean of candlelight throughout the room.
Draco's seat was directly to the left of the empty chair that was positioned at the head of the table, indicating the importance of the figure who would soon sit there. Only his Aunt Bellatrix appeared to outrank Draco in seating preference, who took the seat to the right of the empty chair, the proverbial "right hand" of the master.
It had been a few months since Draco had left Hogwarts, likely for the last time. Since leaving the hallowed halls of his former school, Draco had fully committed himself to the Dark Lord. Even though his time among the Death Eaters had so far been brief, Draco was practiced at appearances and conducted himself well. His attire was fine, and on that particular occasion he wore rich black robes with black matte satin trim. His posture was stoic, yet relaxed; as demonstrated by one elbow propping itself on the arm of his chair elegantly, as if he was holding an invisible drink and this gathering was nothing more than a quaint cocktail hour.
Draco's eyes surveyed the other death eaters in attendance that day. Most of the faces were familiar to him by that point.
His eyes had almost completed the lap around the permitterer of the table when they landed on the black beady eyes of Severus Snape, who sat just to the left of his aunt, and was staring back at him. Snape had a similar posture to Draco's; stoic yet indifferent, however his robes were much more drab, and where Draco leaned back, Snape leaned forward, with both of his forearms gently at the edge of the table.
Very little conversation had taken place between Draco and Snape since they both left Hogwarts. It didn't feel as if anything more needed to be said since that fateful night on the astronomy tower.
Snape held Draco's stare longer than he expected. Draco did not stray immediately, to which Snape angled his head down, part nod, part question. Draco responded with a curt nod back.
"Ah my faithful servants!" cried Voldemort with jubilation, emerging from an ornate set of french doors located at the front of the room. Draco spotted the massive snake, Nagini, slither in ahead of the Dark Lord, bounding immediately for the table top to observe each guest.
Everyone rose, of course, and turned to greet the one they were all there for. The one worth dying for, Draco thought mirthlessly.
Voldemort glided over the black and white tiled floor to the cream marble table. The Dark Lord made no sound when he walked. Draco could never be sure if the Dark Lord was merely stepping lightly or truly floating across the tiles.
As Voldemort approached his seat he first addressed Bellatrix who looked about ready to burst with excitement and yearning for her master. He took her hand in his skeletal like grip, and brought it to his face tenderly.
Voldemort then turned and nodded appreciatively at Snape. Snape continue to be one of the Dark Lord's most trusted and proven advisors.
Finally, Voldemort moved his attention to Draco.
"You are fitting in so well young Draco," Voldemort mused, observing Draco's prim disposition among men and women more than twice his age.
"You are kind to say my Lord," Draco replied coolly, bowing slightly with a ghost of a smirk across his lips.
"It is good that you are able to give back some dignity to the Malfoy name," Voldemort scoffed, which was a cue for everyone else at the table to respond in kind. Humorless laughter followed as a weak Lucius bowed his head in apparent shame. Narcassia stared blankly out ahead.
Voldemort took his seat and lowered his hands to bring everyone else to down as well.
"Rowle, you have word on Potter's movements?" Voldemort asked pointedly.
"Yes. I have it on good authority that Potter will move on his birthday once his traces have lifted," Rowle relayed, his voice going in and out at sounding confident. He took a breath and continued. "Once the wards fall, that is when he will move. If we position ourselves to his known whereabouts that night, perhaps place anti-apparition enchantments in the area, well it is likely we can catch him My Lord."
Voldemort leaned back in his seat thoughtfully, bringing both hands together to rest below his chin. He seemed to consider it.
Snape cleared his throat and all eyes turned to his as he lazily turned his attention to Voldemort.
"Yes Severus?" Voldemort prompted, slightly amused.
"While I can confirm that was the plan, it is no longer remains the plan," Snape told Voldemort flatly. Draco found himself studying the way Snape addressed the room. The confident indifference seemed to play well into the Dark Lord's sensibilities.
"Well do go on…" Voldemort gestured with his hand.
"Sir…" Rowle began, but was instantly silenced from a vicious look from Voldemort. Smoothly, Voldemort turned back to Snape.
"The order knows we know their plan to move Potter on the 31st of July," Snape explained, giving Rowle a casual nod. "Now, they plan to depart one week prior to his birthday, at midnight. Many high ranking Order members will be present"
"You are certain?" Voldemort asked. Snape nodded. "Then adjust our plans to match theirs. And you will all do well to not expose ourselves yet again," Voldemort said with casual malice, and then scowled at Rowle who shrunk into his body. "Well done Severus"
Severus nodded again, perfecting the body language of a dutiful servant and solider. Draco found himself fixated on Snape's behavior; he felt a desperation to understand the root of Snape's motivations to serve the Dark Lord.
"Now!" Voldemort rejoiced, standing. As his followers went to do the same, he ushered them back down. "We have a guest!"
Floating through the ajar french doors was the silhouette of a woman, completely horizontal gliding in as if she was on an enchanted stretcher.
Her body floated around Voldemort, then towards the center of the table, coming to a stop just below eye level for the participants who were all seated.
"Severus, you must know Ms. Charity Burbage, the former Muggle Studies teacher at Hogwarts," Voldemort hummed which caused a few jeers around the table at the mention of the word 'muggle'. "Oh and Draco, you must remember her too!"
Charity Burbage was in a full body bind, but thankfully for Draco, her likely terrified eyes were facing opposite to where he sat. Draco managed a tight nod in response to Voldemort's address, but otherwise, could hardly move his body out of the absolute dread he felt coursing through his limbs. He was about to see his former teacher murdered in cold blood, right in front of him.
"I do," was all Severus said back to Voldemort.
Voldemort smirked, delighted at the sickness of this moment. "Nagini, dinner".
The meeting had concluded and most of the attendants decided to meander about the Malfoy study to take advantage of their fine collection of wines, brandys and cigars.
Draco however had other intentions as he carefully watched the bodies glide about the room. After observing Snape that evening, Draco knew he had to seek him out; needed to talk to him.
Following the meeting, Voldemort pulled Bellatrix and Snape aside to have a more private discussion about strategy. Normally, Snape was out the door the moment a meeting concluded, but with Snape sequestered with Voldemort, Draco reasoned, he would have time to intercept him before he made his departure.
The private room door lurched open. Bellatrix sauntered out, basking in an after glow that she often bore after getting her fix of direct attention from Voldemort. Draco eyed the door, expecting Snape to follow sulkily behind. Voldemort wouldn't emerge. Voldemort never lingered, and today would be no different.
After a moment with no sign of Snape, Draco concluded that he must have gone another way to escape any form of socialization.
"Excuse me," Draco bowed his head to whoever he was standing in a circle with, excusing himself from whatever conversation he was just trudging through.
Other than Malfoys by blood, marriage, and the one exception of Lord Voldemort, the only way out of the Manor was from an apparition point that fell just outside the gates of the estate. If Snape was just in the private room off the study moments ago, Draco reasoned he could beat Snape to the apparition point if he cut through the kitchens.
Walking with poise, Draco exited the study, but when he was clear of watchful eyes, he broke into a hurried run down the hallwa and through the kitchen.
Past the kitchen he slid into the grand entryway when Draco saw the ornately carved front door secure itself shut just as he rounded the corner. Severus was just ahead of him.
Draco sent the door open with only a touch to his wand, and he bounded out through the doorway and onto the gravel drive lined with perfectly manicured, waist high shrubs.
It was twilight. The sun had likely set 30 or so minutes ago. What was left of the daylight lingered at the edges of the sky, devoid of all warmness, presenting only blue and grey hues. If it weren't for the faint trace of light left in the day, one might not even be able to make out the all back figure which was Severus Snape.
"Snape," Draco called out, sounding slightly winded.
Snape's quick pace slowed, and then stopped, but he did not turn. It took Draco only a moment longer until he caught up to him. Finally, Snape turned to face him.
Nothing had changed about his former professor's appearance, Draco thought. How different must Draco look to him, though? The two wizards were nearly the same height now. Not to mention Draco carried a persistent tinge of purple with him under his eyes.
"I suppose if I'm no longer your professor you should call me Severus," he drawled. Draco shook his head impatiently.
"How did you get that information," Draco asked, "About them moving Potter"
Snape gave Draco a careful look, then responded. "I have sources"
"Introduce me to them," Draco demanded. It wasn't framed as a request.
"That's not how this works. That would compromise the source," Snape replied, knowing full well that Draco would know that too.
Draco's face grew small with frustration. As practiced as he was at controlling his disposition, being around Snape brought back an almost childlike urge for outburst. "Working alone is a foolish thing to do," Draco argued. "You need a second in case something happens to you."
Snape took a moment to consider what Draco was telling him. "You are already sitting to the left of the Dark Lord. Are you looking to dethrone Bella to be his number two?"
"You know my seating arrangement is primarily designed to mock my father; my family," Draco responded in a rare display of letting down his guard. Snape lifted a brow at his candor.
"The Dark Lord considers you beyond a tool to embarrass Lucius," Snape contended.
Draco was impatient. He didn't care about the politics of being a Death Eater. He shook his head and returned to the question at hand. "Will you bring me in?"
"No," Snape said flatly, maintaining a steady focus on Draco.
Draco's skin itched with frustration and anger. He knew he had not gone about this request in the most elegant way, but again, he found himself less guarded around Snape and thought approaching it directly could get him somewhere.
"What is it you hope to gain…" Snape questioned, gesturing between the two, "by getting an in, an informant?"
Draco's lips went thin. "I fear I do not have anything to offer the Dark Lord at this point. I need an advantage"
Snape let his prying stare linger on Draco's piercing eyes a second longer before responding.
"As that may be, I can't expose my source" Snape finally said, softening his look. Without another word, Snape turned to walk away.
"Why did you choose this side?" the question leapt forth from Draco's mouth before he could stop it. Luckily, it left his mouth barely above a whisper. Not even the nearby birds would have heard it.
But Snape did.
Snape paused, then looked back. Draco had a distinct feeling that Snape was trying to communicate something directly into his mind, but he felt nothing magical come through and understood even less.
Turning back to the path, Snape took four more strides before he was outside the wards, and apparated away.