This is just an opportunity to see what's going on inside the Captain's head right about now. It's a much shorter chapter than I thought it was, the next one is longer.

Marked

August 2nd, 1997
Malfoy Manor
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The day following the successful infiltration of the Weasley wedding, Marcus stood before his Dark Lord. They stood in the middle of the Malfoy foyer, surrounded by the Death Eaters. His parents were there, stoic and silent. They had been planning this day for years; it was only right he join their ranks! They had been so angry when Dumbledore had held him back from graduation for "subpar NEWT scores".

Marcus had thus far failed his primary mission: infiltrate the Alliance. But Voldemort was less angry than expected, instead of winding up dead—which Marcus had fully expected—he was being marked today as one of the trusted ones. Such pomp and circumstance.

The Death Eaters stood at attention while their Dark Lord spoke, "A year of world-historical events is ending and an era of great change is approaching! You work and fight today, not only for yourselves, but for the future! You fight for the generations to come, to rid the world of the filth that forces us to hide! Just as great wizards of years long gone built and defended the world, so too must we.

"I have not sought war. On the contrary! I have done everything within my power to avoid such an outcome. But I would forget my responsibility if I were to do nothing despite the realization that conflict had become unavoidable. They have put us down. Many of us have lost our way; they will share in the fate of those who defy us. But despair is for the weak, and where they are weak, we will stand strong! Where they weep we will rejoice, where they bleed we will grow greater! With these daring actions, we will purify the race of Wizards forever!"

Marcus kept his face appropriately blank as Voldemort turned now and addressed him, "You have done well; everything is in place. When tonight's work is done, you will be a mighty ally to me. I know you will not disappoint me and you have served me well thus far; for that, you will be rewarded. You have gained the trust of the Mudblood Seer, and you will lead her and all who follow her to their doom! After tonight, you shall walk the earth and the stars themselves will hide!"

Marcus fought the urge to frown, how exactly had he gained Jo's trust? She was more pissed than ever! If there was any chance of getting out of this alive, she just might kill him herself. And he'd deserve it.

They led Marcus to the dining room where he sat in one plush chair and laid his left arm on the table, his sleeve pushed up to show the bare skin of his forearm. A dirty, bedraggled person was put in the chair across from him. Inks and needles appeared on the table. He could see the Malfoys trying not to squirm at the thought of their dining table being used for this.

As Jo's shoulder blades had been cleaned and shaved, so too was Marcus' arm. He'd wanted to tell her. He'd wanted to tell her for more than a year now, but he was a dirty coward and he hadn't done it. No one had out right threatened her, not in the way expected. They didn't say do this or she dies, no, they dangled her in front of him and said 'you can keep seeing her, it's ok! We want you to, and then we want you to tell us everything she tells you. She thinks she's sneaky, but we know she helps Harry Potter. She loves you, she'll tell you their plans. She'll tell you everything. If you tell us everything, we'll make sure you can keep her when it's over!' Keep her, like a pet. Jocelyn was no one's pet.

The look on her face when he'd gone to her with the mask was everything he'd been afraid of. In breaking her heart, he'd broken his own.

A blue-purple stencil was transferred to his skin and though the artist was terrified, their hand was steady as they touched the needle to the stencil and began to create the tattoo that would set him apart for the rest of his life.

There would be no more weddings with Jocelyn, no more Quidditch and no going back. He was Marked now, a Death Eater forever and always.