It was needless, the way the sent children out to do their dirty work.
.oOo.
Lucius watched the youngest Black; standing amongst the ranks of Death Eaters, black cloak and white mask shielding his identity so that only those who knew him well could recognise him, he had finally achieved everything Lucius knew he had been working so long for. But was this right?
He had no doubts in his beliefs - their cause was clearly the right path - but, in some of their methods, he couldn't help the slightest inkling of uncertainty.
Regulus, while of age, was still at Hogwarts - still a child. The official line was that he had been allowed such early entry because he was an exceptional case; the most popular rumour was that it was because of his name - Bellatrix had pulled special favours, or maybe the Dark Lord needed another Black (a male Black, though no one would say as much if there was even the slightest chance Bellatrix was within earshot) to strengthen his standing.
Lucius knew differently. It wasn't that he was particularly high in the ranks - he was loyal, of course, and his name meant a lot, but he was still relatively new - but he was observant. Quietly watching, listening, remembering things others would easily forget and connecting different moments to view the full picture.
They were building their numbers, strengthening the ranks. The Dark Lord was clearly planning something big, and he needed as much man-power as possible. There had been a dramatic increase in the number of new recruits in recent months - so much so that even the Ministry was starting to thing something might be happening (though, of course, they had no idea of the extent of it).
Anyone who was willing was being accepted; at first Lucius had been sceptical of this policy, but he had kept his mouth shut. He was glad of that now. It had allowed him to continue to observe, unsuspected, and slowly piece together all that he had learnt. These new recruits - mostly fresh out of Hogwarts, though a few were still at school - were destined to be nothing more than cannon fodder for this cause they believed in so strongly.
Lucius saw nothing wrong in their deaths - if they had to die to strengthen their cause, then so be it - but this seemed meaningless, even to him. Surely there were better uses for these children? Surely there was some way that they could be used that would not end in the certainty of their death?
And it all began and ended in Regulus Black, for he knew that boy could do greater things than pave the way for others with his rotting corpse. And if Regulus was capable of doing more, then who was to say that some of the others - the more intelligent ones, obviously; not the likes of Crabbe or Goyle, even if their hearts were clearly in it - could not?
.oOo.
But he knew that nothing would ever change.