Emerald (Lazuli Book #2) Harry Potter Fan Fiction (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter Twenty-Seven - The Memories

And yet I found soon enough it was not my own safety I was worried for.

The Dark Lord turned to the crowd, "Regulus" he called in a tone that could almost be mistaken for warmth. The throngs of Death Eaters parted as my stomach sank and what I should have expected happened - my father stepped forward.

Though it could be no more than a year since I had last seen him, he seemed to have aged incredibly. Dark stubble rested on his upper lip and cheekbones - the ghost of a few days without a shave. Dressed all in black rather than the Slytherin robes I had seen him in last time, and without the boyish ignorance on his face, he could easily be mistaken for more than his mere 18 years. On his left hand he wore a golden wedding band faithfully, signifying that he had at this point married my mother.

Regulus confidently stepped out of the crowd and towards the Dark Lord, who almost seemed to be smiling at one of his favourite Death Eaters.

"Regulus, how wonderful of you to join us. Your family are well?"

Regulus nodded confidently as he reached the Dark Lord and the shaking muggle on the floor. "My wife bore us a son on the last full moon - we have named him Perseus."

Lord Voldemort nodded approvingly. "A strong name for a boy who will indubitably join our ranks once he reaches age. But now is the time for your inauguration. You have completed each task we have set you with the utmost aptitude, and so here is your final test. An innocent muggle - a man who has committed no real crime in his life. You have two choices - set him free and he may leave this place unharmed and return safely to his family. Or, kill him and join our ranks as our trusted and honoured brother. The Noble House of Black has long been for the expulsion of muggles - but do you share the beliefs of your ancestors?"

I watched nervously as my father stared down at this innocent man. The muggle stared back up at him pleadingly, tears pouring from his eyes as he implored this strange man whom he had never met before to be merciful.

I knew what was going to happen before it did.

Regulus took a few steps away from the man, turning his back as he withdrew his wand from within his robes. The army of Death Eaters in the room waited in anticipation, craning their necks to see what decision Regulus had made.

Then, my father spun around, pointed his wand at the muggle who had done no wrong but been in the wrong place at the wrong time and shouted the terrible words.

Before the shot of deadly green light made contact however with the victim's body, I was ripped up again, and gratefully so, I didn't have to watch my father murder a helpless man in cold blood.

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This time, I was dropped into a dark corridor, and since I was starting to get used to the sensation of be pulled upwards and dropped at a moment's notice, I landed steadily. I immediately scanned the corridor - which seemed to be in an old house - for signs of my father, and shockingly found him pressed up against the wall with his ear to the door.

I edged up next to him, watching as he didn't even shiver in the close proximity to me, didn't even realise he wasn't alone, and tuned in to what he was listening to. Behind the door was a conversation, the main voice being somebody that I had had the misfortune to meet and never wished to again.

The Dark Lord was speaking to somebody, although the receiver was silent and there was no way of telling whom he was speaking with through the door. Instead I concentrated, as my father seemed to be doing, on Lord Voldemort's voice. This must be an important moment, otherwise he wouldn't have wanted me to see it.