Diffraction Patterns (I Don't Know How to Forget You)

Chapter 4: Collapse

"You won't hurt me," Draco said at once. "You could never hurt me."

There was a tense pause as Harry blinked at him. Draco was so certain that he would refuse that he almost didn't believe it when Harry sighed, holding up his wand. "Fine. Give me your arm."

"You're angry," Draco said.

"I'm not angry. Just...just worried."

"Don't be."

Silently, Harry reached out and pulled Draco's arm onto his lap. "Are you ready?"

Draco nodded.

"Right then. Three...two...one..."

Draco was never called home from school. Never. He wavered in the foyer, unsure whether to head upstairs to his mother's room or to check the study, but the decision was made for him when Severus appeared in the hall.

"Draco," he said. "Come."

The silence was ominous. Usually, the Manor was filled with all sorts of noise during the day: the Death Eaters could be counted on to fight regularly enough, and there was ordinarily a flurry of activity as people came and went. But now, Draco heard nothing but the sound of his footsteps as he crossed the marble floor and slipped into the study. Severus was tense. He stood next to the armchair the Dark Lord usually occupied, gripping the back so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Sit," he said, indicating the suede sofa. By the look on his face, Draco knew it wasn't prudent to disobey. He sank down slowly, heart pounding as he wondered what, exactly, was going on.

"Where is everyone?" he asked.

"There's been a problem at the Ministry." Severus' dark eyes shone in the dim light. "Your father's incompetence has surpassed anything I could have imagined."

"Meaning what?" Draco said hotly. Even though they were at odds, he couldn't help the familiar urge to defend his father.

"Meaning he is currently on his way to Azkaban," Severus hissed. "Along with nearly a dozen others."

"What?" Draco jumped to his feet. "And where's my mother?"

"Upstairs, tending to her sister. She's hysterical." When Draco stared at him blankly, Severus' lip curled. "Oh, yes, your aunt Bellatrix managed to escape, thanks to the Dark Lord."

"He was there?" Draco whispered. "But I don't understand—how—"

"Listen to me." Severus came around to the front of the chair. "The Dark Lord will be here at any moment. He is furious. I've never seen him so angry."

"But what happened? What was my father supposed to do at the Ministry?"

Severus continued as though he had not interrupted. "The Dark Lord will be looking for someone to punish. You and your mother will be at the top of his list. I have a sense of what he is going to ask—and for once in your life, you need to be prudent, to proceed with caution."

"What's he going to do?" Draco asked, terrified. "Crucio?"

"Unforgivable Curses will be the least of your worries," Severus said. "He is going to want you to join the Death Eaters, to take the Mark. And you need to put him off for as long as you can."

Just then, there came a series of loud bangs and a high-pitched shriek. Severus drew away, and Draco felt as though he was going to be sick—he wasn't even of age, he was still a student, there was no way the Dark Lord could expect him to join...He couldn't, he wouldn't survive it...