The second bite of the apple | Dramoine

Looking through the glass {part 2}

"Draco Malfoy," Voldemort said, "the time has come for you to prove your allegiance to me." Every head at the table turned towards Draco.

Draco started slightly, then turned his gaze toward Voldemort. Draco's left sleeve was partially rolled up and Hermione could see his Dark Mark glowing against his pale skin, his fist clenched.

"I have a special task for you," Voldemort said.

Draco swallowed and nodded. "I'm ready, my Lord. How can I serve you?"

"You must kill Albus Dumbledore." Voldemort paused, placing a gentle hand under Nagini's chin. There were several jealous whispers and excited outbursts around the table from the other Death Eaters.

Draco blinked several times and licked his lips. "Yes, my Lord," he said in a hoarse voice.

"It will be ideal." Voldemort smiled, slowly turning his attention toward Draco again. "As a student, you will not arouse suspicion, but you will have easy access to Dumbledore. You must also find a way to grant your fellow Death Eaters entrance into Hogwarts." He waved his hand. "Now . . . I'm sure I needn't remind you that everyone's hourglass runs out of sand at some point. You will have until the end of your sixth year to accomplish these tasks for me. If you fail, you will pay with your life . . . and that of your mother's. Tell me, Draco, can you do what I ask of you?"

"Yes, my Lord," Draco said again, his voice breaking slightly. Several of the Death Eaters laughed. Hermione noticed Antonin Dolohov whisper something to the Death Eater next to him, an evil gleam in his eye.

"Good," Voldemort said. "Perhaps in time, you will prove yourself to be more useful than your father."

As the memory blurred and faded, Hermione glanced at Draco to see how he was feeling reliving what were, no doubt, the worst moments of his life. His expression gave away very little, reminding her of the emotionless young man in the first memory.

"How are you doing with this?" she asked gently.

"I just want to get it over with," he said, not meeting her stare.

Hermione nodded and then observed the new memory before her. The Astronomy Tower at Hogwarts. As she watched Draco's remembrances of Dumbledore's death unfold, Hermione took careful notes on important things she noticed, things she would check against Harry's memory if he let her.

The Draco in this memory seemed truly distraught to be facing the reality of murder. The desperation in his voice was apparent, and the more Dumbledore talked with him, the more he seemed to come undone.

Hermione released a short breath when she saw him lowering his wand, just as Harry had told her, before the other Death Eaters showed up and Severus Snape ultimately killed the headmaster.

Hermione had to fight back tears upon seeing the green light of the Killing Curse take the kind old wizard's life. Although Harry had relayed that horrible night for her in detail, there was something much different about watching it for herself. She had seen many terrible things in the memories of Death Eaters, but watching someone she knew and loved be murdered struck her very core.

As the memory faded away, she was relieved to see it go. She glanced at Draco beside her and saw that he also seemed to be struggling to control his emotions.

The scene switched, and once again, she was back in the room that haunted her nightmares. Her heart sped up and her breathing faltered.

You can do this, she told herself. She felt just as terrified as the time she reviewed the scene in Narcissa Malfoy's memories, only this time Hermione took small comfort in the fact that she wasn't alone. She glanced at Draco again. He looked composed once more and was watching her carefully.