Mark of Honor
By Classic Snarry
Chapter 2:
"Welcome to your rebirth," Malfoy said silkily, bringing a hand around to the small of Harry's back guiding him through the only visable doorway, "I am Lucius Malfoy, formerly the right hand of our Lord and Master. Might I have your name?"
"Edmund Fitzgerald," Harry said quickly, immediately regretting the poor choice. Lucius seemingly took no note of the muggle reference and continued to guide him through the narrow passage into a brightly lit ballroom. There were scattered pieces of furniture around the wide expanse, but all were covered in white sheets, sheets which in turn were covered with a thick layer of dust. Glancing about the room, Harry quickly estimated there to be nearly one hundred other attendants already present. Few faces seemed familiar.
"Please, feel free to get some refreshments and mingle. We'll be starting momentarily." With that Lucius turned away, moving back towards the direction of the apparition point. Harry casually walked deeper into the room, studying faces with feigned disinterest as he made his way to the refreshment table. Only once he reached the center of the room did he make out a familiar form standing alone in an isolated corner, hands held stiffly at his sides. Harry quickly poured two cups of punch and headed towards the black-garbed man.
"Would you care for a drink?" Harry offered lamely, handing Snape one of the cups he'd poured. He admitted to having an alterior motive. He knew, despite their differences, he would have an ally in Snape. Moreover, if there was anything off about the refreshements, the Potions Master would certainly be able to nose it out. Snape studied the drink carefully, passing it discretely beneath his nose, before taking a sip.
"Thank you..." Snape began politely, fishing for an introduction.
"Edmund," Harry replied with a smile, innerly shocked, this being the first time Snape had thanked him for anything. "And you are?" Harry asked as an afterthought, realizing he wasn't supposed to know Snape.
"Severus," replied, looking at Harry levelly in the eye. Harry was overcome by surprise. Apparently he was only allowed to call Snape by his first name if the Professor thought him to be an evil Death Eater. Figures. It was only after a moment that he realized that Snape was probably using Legimancy against him. At least he could trust the man still to be a suspicious bugger, despite the faked guise of politeness he used as to not completely alienate a potential source of information.
Reinforcing occumelency sheilds against his former teacher, he smiled broadly to hide his nervousness. If ever there were a test of his mental shields, this was it. Thankfully his sudden smile, appeared to throw Snape off his mental probing, who gave an obviously forced smile in return.
"Your attention please," Malfory began, his voice filling the large room. Both Snape and Harry turned to face the speaker, who stood in the middle of the ballroom already surrounded by a group of seemingly already loyal sycophants. "Welcome. As many of you know, I am Lucius Malfoy. Upon the untimely death of our Master, Lord Voldemort, I was given charge of his control over the Dark Mark. I was instructed to take his place, to continue on in our struggle to cleanse and purify our great civilization. I have been waiting until the time that the world would be best prepared for our ressurection. That time has come. I realize that you gave allegiance, not to myself, but to our passed Lord, and so I give you now the option of reliving yourself of your obligation." Lucius looked pointedly at his own left arm. "But know now that if you do continue to swear yourself to our cause that we shall be vindicated in the end. Those who are with us, step forward toward our circle."
Harry's heart sped up at the possibility of having the dark mark removed, though rationally, Lucius Malfoy's plan to relieve people of their obligation was most likely to kill them, not to remove the mark, if that was even possible. Harry had left the ministry after two years of working as an auror. He was done pursuing evil, as he was pushed to do since he was a child. He also simply had no desire to take more lives. Though Voldemort's death was necessary, the feel of the unforgivable pulsing through him still could make him ill. This time, however, he would take up the yoke volunterarily, not hunting for evil, but being immersed in it. Hopefully, he could earn their trust to prevent further victims of this same unrelenting hatred.
Harry noticed that Snape had already begun to approach the circle, his mind apparently already made up. Harry realized that Snape had come to this same decision years ago. For him, this was a continuation of the task he had taken on years before.
He quickly caught up with Snape and walked with him towards the circle of Death Eaters; Snape paid him no mind, but continued forward. Soon only a dozen people remained on the fringe. They had made their decision not to continue. Lucius looked at each of them before walking out of the circle and out of the room, back towards the dark stone room which Harry had apparated into. The defectors followed him, single file, into the darkness. The ballroom was quiet, when an explosion rocked the room, clattering dust from crystal chandeliers, and a wall of flame licked its way towards them in the stone hallway, sputtering out before it reached the ballroom. They kept quiet as they watched Malfoy return into the room alone and unsinged.
"Now that we have cleansed our ranks, we must prepare for our declaration of intent. The people must know who we are and what we have in store for our shared future. For now, my friends, take advantage of my hospitality and enjoy yourselves," he gestured to newly summoned tables of food and drink. "You will be called when our plans are ready to put into action." With that Lucius disapparated from the room.