Wow, three chapters written and I haven't even posted chapter one! I do want to let you all know this hasn't been written in advance so any suggestions are always welcome. I also realized I haven't done a disclaimer, so let's get that out of the way. I do not own any thing from the Harry Potter books or movies! There we go, now that that's out of the way...
I stood dutifully silent next to my father's lavish chair as he cast another cruciatus curse at one of his death eaters. We had discussed doing this in private, but we decided that even if one of the snitches wasn't wanting to talk seeing that all of the followers, including the inner circle, were getting this treatment it would flush them out faster. Of course, my followers would be handled less cruelly and at my own discretion once classes started the following Monday.
I couldn't help but sympathize with the current victim, it was Bellatrix. She had been the one to teach me my first hex, and while not an active teacher me and her got along. Me and Voldemort also knew almost for certain she wasn't a snitch, but we had to be thorough. As if she could sense my discomfort Nagini came up to coil around my legs. Finally Voldemort released the curse and watched solemnly as his most faithful servant tremor. "I swear I haven't told no one! You know I'm loyal!" She begged.
"That's enough wallowing Bella, I believe you." Tom said coolly and motioned for someone to help her out of the room. Two of my followers quickly ran over and picked her up, having to half drag her out of the room. Per my request, anyone who was considered part of my legion was allowed to attend these meetings, but were not active participants. Some of them had already received the mark, others had not, however we all had our own sliver rendition of the classic mask. I'd be getting my mark from my father before I left, he deemed it necessary to communicate with me.
Now it was Snape's turn, he didn't beg, he never did, that was Bella and Lucius's job, not his. "My Lord I swear to you I am loyal." Snape said while kneeling. He hung his head low, as a sign of submission. Without saying a word Voldemort struck him with the curse. It took all of my control not flinch when I saw him struggling and screaming. I could tell that even my father was uncomfortable with this. While he like to inflict pain, he liked to inflict it on those who deserved it, and Severus did not. I bit my tongue until it bled, fighting the urge to make it stop. At this point Nagini was climbing up me to rest on shoulders.
After what felt like an eternity he released the hold. Snape didn't stay anything, but rather went back to a kneeling position and waited for the verdict. "I believe you are a loyal follower Severus." The same two teenagers that took Bella also helped the potions master out the door. He was definitely more prideful than the previous adult who left and demanded that he walked out on his own two feet. Everyone was silent as Snape left the room, finally after going through three of his inner circle a man stepped out from the crowd.
My first instinct was to reach for my wand and kill him right then and there, however I knew that Tom would want to talk to him. "What is it?" The Dark Lord asked with a facade of calm and gentleness. The man, whom I did not know well, crawled across the floor and began kissing Voldemort's robes. "Speak!" My father bellowed his shout echoing across the hall. He had lost his patience.
"I-I swear to you it will never happen again my Lord!" He was trying to explain through his fear and panic, neither were dignifying emotions. I had just about had enough and so desperately wanted to strike him with curcio just to make him talk faster. "The Light had gotten a hold of me, made me a deal, I would be spared from Azkaban!" At this point he was full on sobbing.
"You would choose your own safety over the success of the Dark?" Once again my father was speaking calmly. While most thought he had terrible mood swings, I knew better. It was a show, he either wanted to continuously shout, or was completely calm. When the man opened his mouth to speak my father casually raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra." The man collapsed lifelessly and all of the other Death Eaters looked on uncomfortably. They had all seen my father kill people before, however it wasn't usually one of his ranks. "Someone clean up that mess." He snarled and went billowing out of the room.
Everyone stood stone still looking on at the body. I rolled my eyes and gestured towards the dead wizard. "Goyle! Get rid of it now!" I hissed. The young boy cam running out and cast leviosa on the body taking it out of the building. I shook my head, every single one of them was useless, well almost. "You all are dismissed." I said casually playing with Nagini as she climbed all over my body. When the ranks slowly starting to compose themselves I snapped. "I said leave!" At that every one of them ran off.
Draco walked up beside me as I left the meeting room and went into the rest of the house. While the Great Hall was cold and made of gray and green stone, the rest of the house was much more comfortable. There were dark stained floors and doors, green and gray carpet, and the walls were a light ash color. Pictures and artifacts lined the walls and filled the tables. As large and intricate as the house was you would get lost if you didn't know it. Of course, me and Draco did. "You and your dad were a little harsh in there." The said Slytherin mumbled.
"We won't tolerate any subordinance, Draco." I spat back dryly. It had been an exhausting day. "Father blames me anyways, so I rather he take his anger off on the real culprit not me." I walked into my room and let Draco step in before slamming the door shut with wandless magic. "He says that my uninterest in the young Death Eaters has some influence, he suspects some of our generation are not completely loyal to our cause." The tone of my voice said it all. Draco was close friends with the majority of witches and wizards in my ranks, and I wanted to know his thoughts on the situation.
"I won't say the Dark Lord's wrong about that, but I highly doubt it has to do with you." He said tentatively. I knew he was trying to be nice to me, make me feel like I didn't screw up and wasn't in for some huge shit. However, I was realistic, logical, and logically if I showed to my followers they had to be loyal to me they would. "I wouldn't worry about it, they'll learn eventually."
"No Draco, I have to show them, once classes start and we've all settled in at Hogwarts, I have to prove to them." I flopped down on my bed, and Draco sat down in the chair next to my fire place. We were supposed to be getting packed up to leave and he was supposed to be filling me in on how the school worked. We weren't doing anything though, not after that meeting. Not after I knew that my followers weren't exactly following.
A few minutes later my father walked swiftly into the room. My friend immediately jumped up and knelt, I just lazily turned over. "You two are supposed to be getting Rylah ready for tomorrow." He said narrowing his eyes. "I will not accept laziness!" I felt myself lift up in the air and prepared for what I knew was coming. A fell to wood floor with a thunk and groaned in pain. "Get out of bed, and do what you've been told!" He turned and walked out of the room before I could say anything. He shut the door behind him, and I threw a hex that I knew he would easily block.
"Ugh, I suppose we should probably get started then." I said begrudgingly. Draco just stood up slowly and looked at the closed door uncomfortably. He always hated it when he and I fought. Of course, me and Tom fought very often. That's what happens when you get two people so similar to each other spending all their time together.