Potential
I don't own Harry Potter or any of its characters. It all belongs to the very talented JK Rowling.
Draco's body tensed further at the statement and he tore his eyes away from the devil like gaze, finding it almost impossible to stop staring at the detestable, miscreation before him.
The dark lord noticed this attempt at defiance and it caused a tiny cruel smirk to grow across his mutilated face.
He chuckled, tracing Draco's chin as he removed his pale hand and, turning away from the rigid teenager and his breathless father, began to pace the room.
The whole room, except Draco who kept his glistening gaze firmly on the ground, had the Dark Lord in their full attention. Each and every death eater in that room terrified to what would be done to them if they didn't.
Voldemort spoke loud enough to be heard throughout the entire warehouse, but only addressed Draco.
"I used to be like you, you know"
Draco couldn't hold back the venomous, hate filled response from hissing out his mouth, unintentionally loud enough for Voldemort to hear. "I highly doubt that"
"DRACO!!" Lucius roared, nostrils flaring as he raised his snake cane and brought it swiftly and heavily down on the boys blonde head. The room gasped and flinched, talking fervently in loud whispers amongst themselves at this unheard of impertinence.
Draco sank to the ground as white spots briefly danced in the blackness of his tight shut eyes.
"Lucius, enough!"
The blonde man froze, one hand gripping the back of Draco's shirt, the other ready to strike again as Draco held his head; blinded with pain, struggling to gain his sight again.
Lucius opened and closed his mouth in indignant rage, eyes wide. Unable to get the words out to voice his feelings before, he finally chocked out. "My-my Lord! The disrespect….!"
"He's a child, Lucius, a mere boy"
Lucius could have fainted with the unfairness of this casual disregard of insolence that if spoken from himself, would have had him writhing under the cruciatus curse.
He shook as he wrenched Draco from the ground, the later finally gaining his composure again and finding slight hope in this gesture of mercy.
Voldemort continued to pace, the rooms gaze now on Draco. Some with looks of astonished respect, others disgusted disapproval.
"I like some SPIRIT-!" Voldemort roared the word to the entire room, referring to their lack of vigour, "-in my followers"
All in the room straightened their backs considerably and returned their gaze to Voldemort.
"I used to be like you, if-"he faced Draco, "-you can believe it. I was young, handsome, just as 'pretty', just as…. perfect. Or as everyone around me told me"
"Yes" he looked at Draco long and hard, capturing the boys gaze who now refused to look at the ground. "I can see a lot of my young self in you-", he held his arm out, a look of cool expectancy on his snake like features. Lucius quickly answered the dark wizard's silent request for his son's name. "Draco, my Lord"
"Draco" Voldemort repeated quietly.
"Maybe-" , his voice seemed to grow quieter as it resembled a snake more and more, "-you will become just as great as I have, achieve what I have achieved"
"Achieve what? The blood of countless muggles and muggle-borns on my hands, a bunch of repulsive freaks as followers and a face like some kind of over grown snake?"
The spell was aimed and cast at Draco before he could do anything about it, and before he had even gotten out 'snake' he was writhing on the ground in waves of unbearable torment.
Narcissa led the way, out the manor and down the grounds to the horse paddock. She tried to block out the protests and never ending negative prospects from Snape as she walked, after hearing countless "they'll never get there fast enough", "it's not safe!", "I'm not a good rider", "I'm allergic!" she just began to switch off to stop herself from cursing the potions master all the way back to the manor. She had to save her son, and she knew her plan could work; she'd never sacrifice the prospect of saving her son on a whim.
"We won't get there in time Narcissa!"
Her temper snapped and she turned, eyes flashing on the angry looking man. "Are you afraid of horses, Severus?" she continued to walk backwards as she spoke.
The question caught him off guard, and the mention of the word 'afraid' made him go instantly defensive.
She raised her elegant blonde eye brow, "Hmn? Well?" Miriam smirked looking between one to the other.
"No, I'm not afraid of horses, it's got nothing to do with fear, its practicality Narcissa! Think about it! Horses are not fast enough to get where we want to go in time! This is serious, and I don't feel we're fully comprehending just how serious! Draco could be being forced to take the mark right now!"
That was too much for Narcissa. She gave the man one warning falter of step, then slapped him square on his pale face, leaving a faint pink hand print. Stunned silence followed as Snape placed a hand to his face and looked at Narcissa in surprise.
"Don't you ever question how important my son is too me. He is my only child, and I would give my life for him. I realise that I may just have to do that today! I know the seriousness of the situation thank you Severus, I live with a death eater, and if you had children you'd know just how terrified I am right now! I need to get my son back, I feel incomplete when I know he's not safe! We can't apparate, we can't take the floo, there is no spell we can use or transport we can use to get to this warehouse is that correct?"
Snape merely nodded.
"Then unless you can run faster then a horse, I suggest you swallow your male pride and ride the damn horses!"
She turned on her heels and stormed toward the paddock, Miriam thought she noticed tears sparkling in her mistresses eyes. She turned to the man and glared at him, then followed in step behind Narcissa. Severus looked at the blonde womans retreating figure with awe.
"I know Narcissa. I know".
She stopped, but didn't turn around.
"I'm sorry; I don't think I've seen any mother so devoted and strong as you Narcissa. Without you, I think Draco would have given up a long time ago. I trust you, Narcissa. If you want me to ride a horse I will, if you want me to… to ride a hippogriff I will!"
Narcissa turned back around to face him, tears swimming in her blue eyes. "You know, we could really do with a hippogriff right now"
They all smiled.
Miriam then started to jog. "Come on, we may be running out of time!"
Voldemort allowed the punishment on this occasion, watching as Lucius's eyes rolled back in his head as he kept the wand pointed at the boys back.
His gaze was cool as Draco's body contorted and he hugged his knees on the ground, trying to keep conscious as the intense pain shot through his body in violent tremors. His very bones felt like they were melting and his skin like it was being licked by fire.
The only sounds heard throughout the warehouse were the pitiful gargled noises emitted from the teen on the ground. This went on for an excruciating further three minutes, but for Draco it felt like a life time. Finally Lord Voldemort made the gesture for the torture to stop, and with satisfaction in his blood shot eyes, Lucius lifted the spell.
Draco's body instantly stopped writhing, and he fell completely still, confused for dead if only for the involuntary twitches coursing through his tired body.
Voldemort spoke. "There wasn't any need for that now was there? All I ask is for a little attention when I'm talking, not too much to ask is it?"
Voldemort drew out his wand, pointed it at Draco and noiselessly forced him on his knees. "Is it?" Draco whimpered, shaking his head, regretting the act as his head throbbed. "Good" He released him with a flick of his wand and Draco fell forward, now on his hands and knees, feeling dizzy and degraded.
"Enough talk. I see some potential in you Draco, potential I saw in myself, potential that can be polished, refined"
Draco spoke, his voice cracked and weak. "What 'potential' I haven't done anything!"
The dark wizard smirked, his voice but a hiss. "I see it in your eyes, a want, a need-" he bent low to face Draco and stare him straight in the eyes. "-a lust for power. For blood and-" his red eyes darted briefly to Lucius who was glaring at his son "-revenge"
Draco stared evenly back. "You're confused, my Lord, what you're seeing is revulsion!"
For that he earned another round of the cruciatus curse.
It ended quicker then before, but this time Draco didn't end up on the ground, but rose to his feet, shaking with the after effects.
Voldemorts eyes seem to shine manically with gleeful satisfaction. "Yes, I can see it"
Draco glared furiously, a sudden blinding fury burning from his pale eyes.
"It's time Draco, to embrace your full potential and take the Dark Mark!"
Howls erupted throughout the warehouse, whoops and ceremonious hollers for someone new about to be initiated.
Voldemort roared out to his death eaters, increasing their excitement, like a pack of wild animals. "I accept Draco Malfoy to take the mark, and become one of us!"
Lucius grinned all across his face, Draco's furious gaze faltered as the truth of what was about to happen set in. He was all alone; no where to run, no one to turn to.
Voldemort turned once again to Draco. "Ready boy? Crabbe, Goyle, grab him".
Opening the gates of the large paddock, two head collars in hand, Narcissa gave a low whistle and the large beautiful head of Draco's horse rose from grazing and his ears flicked back and forth. Not seeing Draco alarmed the horse and he broke into a trot, still in his winter coat.
Approaching Narcissa, who stroked him between the eyes and patted his neck, Nightwish pushed at her and pawed the ground, then looked around for any signs of his master. He began to panic and let out a high, long neigh. Severus and Miriam stayed behind the fence.
Narcissa whistled again. "No, Nightwish, Draco isn't here right now, we need Jupiter and Glory to do something very important for us, you have to stay here, go on" she slapped his hind quarters which sent him cantering back up the field, stopping to look back for any glimpse of Draco; a dark silhouette against a frosty sky.
At a final whistle two more silhouettes joined the first, and trotted down to meet the one who called them.
At their approach Narcissa slipped the head collars over each head, and removed the winter blankets.
Leading them to the stables, Narcissa motioned for Severus and Miriam to follow. "I think Miriam that you'll need to share my horse, I think Nightwish is a little bit big for you" Miriam rolled her eyes in answer. "Haha" she replied sarcastically with a smirk.
Keeping in high spirits seemed to calm everyone's nerves, but it was with a quicker hand that Narcissa tacked the confused horses then usual.
"Right, all ready Sev? Meet Jupiter, Lucius's horse. I think you'll get along, both equally stubborn"
Snape snorted. "Great, that's all I need, a stubborn horse. I'm not the greatest rider in the world Narcissa, remember that"
She dismissed this statement completely "You'll be fine. Come on, I'll help you mount, it's very simple"
Showing him the appropriate actions needed to mount a horse, she just about managed to get the potions master balanced precariously on the horses back. But in his flustered embarrassed state, he fell right over the edge and landed heavily on the ground causing the horse to dance nervously, hooves dangerously close to the his head.
Narcissa, keeping calm though finding it hard to suppress the amused snort from bursting out, gripped the reins tightly, holding the horse still. "Oh, Sev, try again, we don't have time for this, really do we?"
He rose irritably, flustered and angry at not being in full control of a situation. Miriam stifled the laugh that threatened at seeing the dishevelled state of the usually composed and at times intimidating potions master.
"My point exactly! I can't do this Narcissa, I….." He paused, eyes slowly falling to the ground, unblinking. "How could I have been so stupid…?" He whispered.
Narcissa frowned. "What?"
The wind whipped her blonde hair around her face, the speed of the stunning palomino picking up as the witch cast the Fleetus Incantantus spell unknowingly on the animal. Glory hardly noticed, just seemed to exhilarate in the sudden ability to gallop three times faster then usual. Narcissa, bent over the horse's neck, lost herself in the thrilling speed and power of the wind and the feel at being one with such a powerful animal. Miriam clung on to the horse's cream mane, refusing to look up.
"Are you ok Miriam?!"
"Nooo!!" she screamed, voice carrying on the wind.
"Don't worry! You're perfectly safe!"
She looked behind her briefly. "How about you Severus?!" A sleek, swift black raven shot past her, wings beating powerfully every now and then to keep up with the break neck speed of the galloping horse who stretched out her legs to cover more ground.
Severus Snape in his raven form cawed a reply and swooped upwards twirling in the air and then plunging downwards again leading the way to the warehouse.
I walked outside today and saw a pig fly, a tree catch a bus and a horse buy a newspaper, so I thought it was about time I updated my fanfic. Yes, it's been near a year now since I've updated, but I FINNALY got in the mood to do it and tried to produce a long chapter to make up for the lack of updates. So sorry!!! I think maybe my previous reviewers have left me and I don't blame them but for the people who are still interested here it is!! Chapter 24!!! Yay!!!!! Hope you like it!!! I actually do like this chapter!! Took me a while too, but it still just seemed to write itself, which was great! I was in the zone! lol!! Who knows when my next chapter will be, hopefully soon but I darn't promise anything! I can assure you it won't be a year though! ;
Tell me what you like and what you don't like!
THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH TO EVERYONE WHO HAS REVIEWED IN THE PAST TO THIS FANFIC!! I APPRICIATE IT SOO MUCH!!!
Special thanks to Ladylilymalfoy!!