CHAPTER 45.

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DRACO'S POV:

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"Father... Welcome!" I barely managed to spit out from my mouth without it showing like I had some bad taste lingering.

"Thank you my boy." Lucius said as he continued to scrutinise me.

I got ready for an onslaught of words, legilimency, anything really, because in spite of Lucius spending over 2 months in Azkaban, he didn't look any less formidable. Sure, he had lost some weight and his usually shiny, long silver hair stood out but today it was limp against his scalp. His eyes held a hardness that even his usual evil streak didn't bring. Perhaps, Azkaban does this to one.

Irrespective of that, I didn't want to take any chances. Weak or not, I knew my father well. After his defeat at the Ministry, he must be really vengeful. And I had to be doubly careful.

"I regret I couldn't do anything sooner Father. Aunt Bella and I tried to our fullest capacity to infiltrate the ministry at the earliest." I said, looking apologetic.

"Rubbish! Lucius, Draco is being modest. Such a young boy, only of 16 and he held many meetings to set you free. And here you are now and we have big plans." Bella laughed maniacally. "No one locks up the main supporters of my Dark Lord and gets away with it."

I must have done a really good job of pretending to intimidate and threaten every ministry official alive. Bella was happy with me and my father actually looked at me like he was pleased.

"Is that true son?" Father drawled, his eyes never leaving me. "Then I must express my gratitude in a proper manner."

My heart sank. Proper manner? I don't even know what that meant. But I had stayed with my father enough to know that it wouldn't be good news. Bella taking up residence at Malfoy Manor and Death Eaters openly coming and going was never good. I just wanted to put all this behind me and be at Hogwarts as soon as possible. That was the only place I ever felt safe.

With Hermione. Where I belonged. And I hadn't even had the chance to tell her how I felt. She must be heartbroken. And hurt. I felt so guilty. But there was nothing I could do about it at the moment. I had been lucky that I hadn't been caught in the act. I would have to clear it up with her later. For now it would have to wait.

"Oh yes Lucius!" Bella exclaimed with the ever present crazed glint in her eyes. "We must celebrate today. Why don't you tell Draco dear here about tonight's dinner?"

I turned quizzical eyebrows up and looked at my father. Would I be a horrible person if I was wishing deep down for my father to have never been released from Azkaban? I knew the answer. I would be a terrible son for hoping that but maybe not such a bad person. I knew firsthand the horrible things my father was capable of doing and for that I wish he had never been let free. But it was too late for that now. I had a sinking feeling that things could only go downhill from here.

"In the event of my release, I have kept a gathering of... close acquaintances if you will, and I wish to introduce you formally to each and every one of them." Lucius said. "You have to be present. It's time you start looking into the Malfoy affairs."

No way in hell! Father wanted me to meet his death eater cronies? Why? I was only a boy. Besides, I had heard mum take a promise from him that he would never involve me with his dark work. It had been one of the umpteen issues they fought about. Usually mother was forced into submission but for some reason, she never backed down about this. I could hear them arguing loudly about this through 3 rooms.

What had happened? This wasn't good. Mum wouldn't be happy. But Bella looked like the moon had been offered to her.

"Do you know what this means Draco?" She hissed in anticipation."It's a big step for you boy. Be sure to be dressed well and do arrive at the Ballroom on time."

"Yes Aunt Bella, Father." I managed to nod and choke out. I wanted to run the hell out of there.

Lucius gave me a long look and acknowledged my response with a slight nod of his head and turned and with a great billowing of his robes, exited my room.

Bella stood in her place. "You are the sole heir of the Malfoy and the Black lines son. This is a great honour and a big responsibility to shoulder. I'm sure you shall not disappoint." She smiled and the gap within her black teeth made me cringe.

I nodded stoically and she left with a pleased air about her.

When I was sure my room was empty, I quietly shut the door and sank into my armchair.

This was terrible. Terrible indeed. Lucius was back, Bella made daily appearances into my house and there was a dinner tonight that I was obligated under pressure to attend. I didn't need a bloody seer to know that life as I knew it would never be the same from now on.

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I had been summoned to my Father's library 30 minutes before the guests would start arriving for the dinner. I wasn't surprised. I had been expecting it. It was no secret that my father wasn't particularly fond of Bella. I didn't know the reason and I wasn't sure about how Bella felt about Lucius and frankly I didn't care enough. I knew that there was something he wanted to discuss in private with me. And I knew that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Ah Draco. Good, you're here." Lucius said flatly as an elf served him a goblet of firewhiskey. "I wish to discuss some events with you. I shall explain the nature and purpose of tonight's meeting to you and I wish you to be in full agreement to the part you are supposed to play."

I gulped. No! My mind screamed out loud but my lips remained fixed in the pseudo confident sneer I had mastered. Father interpreted my look as attention and continued to address me.

"Draco, you must have realised by now what a difficult spot I was in. Since you took almost two months to get me out." He spat out with malice instead of gratitude.

The spot you were in was created by you itself, you fanatic! I wanted to scream out at him. But I was a Slytherin was a reason. Preservation was far more important than petty retorts.

"I shall not beat around the bush. With great pride I must say that our esteemed Dark Lord ... is indeed back."

My breath caught in my stomach and for a minute I thought I was going to vomit. I don't know how my father expected me to take this news, but I was dying to drop the mask and let the horror show. I knew of course that he was back. I believed Hermione who believed Potter. But to hear it for certain from one of his oldest followers was something else. It was a horrible confirmation of sorts.

I tried to play the part of the obedient son and except for a twitch of acknowledgement, I kept quiet. I didn't quite trust myself to speak now.

"I don't know if you know the events that transpired at the Department of Mysteries that led to my capture, but suffice to say that I destroyed a coveted object of the Dark Lord and he was not very happy with me." Lucuis's eyes burned of annoyance and betrayal. "He... He.. Has now decided that I am not suitable for my duties as his follower since I am on the radar."

I was surprised to hear my father say that out load. To admit to his son that the Dark Lord considered him inefficient was an unheard of thing. But I could sense some resentment too. I decided to stay quiet and let him continue.

"So.. He has ordered me to find a successor who will carry on my duties and tasks to perfection. I do not have a choice in the matter. And because of the nature of the task, it is only fit that I choose you." Lucius said carefully.

Now I let my mask drop and my face showed pure repulsion. I couldn't help myself. "You ... You ... Want me to be .. a death eater?" I all but yelled, hoping I was assuming too much.

His eyes flashed with anger at my raised tone but he chose to ignore it. "Yes. And you shall do as I say."

I was vehemently shaking my head by now. This was preposterous. Wasn't it enough that my father and the whole Malfoy and Black families were deeply ingratiated in the Dark arts and were the followers of He who must not be named? I refused to be a part of it.

"No!" I yelled out. "I shall not. You can't make me. I am just a student. I would never..."

"In case you were misled to believe I was asking your opinion, let me make it abundantly clear. This is not an option. I am not asking of you ... I am merely informing you. Judging by your outburst, I figured it would be better to let you know about this in advance where you could get such unseemly reactions out of your system. Then when you are presented with the honour in front of all the people outside, you shall graciously accept the position as if it has been your life's goal."

"You ... You must be joking." I fumed.

"You should know by now that I do no such thing. And I do not want to cajole you into doing this. I am not giving you a choice. Even though the Dark lord has given me a choice. Either you join and complete your task successfully or he kills you and your mother and I, thereby effectively ending the Malfoy line." He said.

I gasped. No.. That wasn't a choice. It was coercion.

"You're lying!" I said out loud. My verbal filter seemed out of control.

"The Lord sees this as fitting punishment for my folly. And although I myself would wish for you to eventually join us, I had promised your mother that I would not force you. But this changes things. Think of this as an opportunity. You should be proud to serve the lord! He is working to restore the honour of the Purebloods and it is our duty to do so." Lucius said fanatically.

I gaped at him. Here he was, still singing the praises of a madman, who was openly punishing him by putting himself and his family in danger. And all he could do was tell his son how great an honour it was to be asked to join the ranks. If I had disliked my father until now, I positively hated him at this point. He had gotten what he wanted.

It didn't seem like I had a choice. It was either this or the end of my mother's and my life. My father could go to hell for all I cared.

"I need some time to think." I said finally, hatred echoing in my words.

"There's nothing to think about." Lucius said. "You have to do it."

"I know that Father!" I sneered while using his name. Some father. "But it's not been a lifelong ambition to be a masked, prejudiced hater and murderer. If you're not giving me a choice, the least you can do is give me some time to process it all." I barked.

Lucius looked at me like I had slapped him. I was shocked by my words myself. Never had I gathered enough gall to ever speak up against him. I feared that now I may have gone too far. But I couldn't regret it. He was making me do something that I was absolutely loathe to and he needed to know my thoughts about it.

It looked like he was going to ignore my outburst. "Very well then. You have until dinner to get used to it. After that you shall behave in a manner befitting the Malfoy heir."

I glared at him. "What is the task that I am supposed to perform?"

Lucius faltered at my sudden query. His hardened eyes of steel held some trepidation for one tenth of a second before he spoke.

"You have to kill Dumbledore."

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