"Here."
Draco looked down towards his hand, eyebrow raised at the item that his aunt set into it. What did she want now? Was it some kind of cursed trinket that would send him into anaphylactic shock? She would love it. He looked back up at her, recoiling at the carefree look on her features. Her eyes seemed bored, asking why he hadn't moved yet. A bored Bellatrix was roughly as threatening as an irritated one, she would be looking for entertainment soon enough.
"Well, aren't you going to ask?" She teased, checking her nails as Draco lifted the item to eye line to find a messily addressed envelope. His brow only raised further as he read his aunties scruffy writing, it was the ministry address that was scrawled messily over the front. What was she writing to them for? Was she on a mission? Had they found Potter? Maybe she was just writing to the Daily Prophet, planning on meeting up with the old hag Rita Skeeta; they would be the best of friends.
"It's a letter." The boy stated, seeming stupid even to himself. His aunt had a way of doing that to him, she truly scared him; not that he liked to acknowledge it. He knew himself to be an exceptional boy, but she always made him question his own intellect. She made him feel the same as he did at four years old, unimportant to the world. "Addressed to the ministry."
"You don't say?" The witch snickered in response, a sneer present as she looked him in the eyes. He gulped, and there was the playfulness. Oh no. "Aren't you going to post it then?"
"N..."
"I hope you weren't going to refuse." The witch gasped, raising her wand. The tip came into contact with the boy's chin, slowly making its way along his cheekbone. Bellatrix leaned close enough for him to feel her warm breath, the rotten stench that was her personal hygiene rendering him unsteady. "You're such a pretty boy Draco, don't make me do anything I regret now. What would mummy say?"
Draco stood his ground, although his stomach did flips inside. He had no doubt she would hurt him, even if she didn't kill him. But if he backed down opposite his family, what would other Death Eaters think of him? What would they do to him? He wasn't exactly scary to look at, his lean frame unimpressive. He needed to protect himself the only way he could, his intellect and inflexibility.
"Now," Bellatrix snarled, wand digging into his cheek harder now, his pale skin turning whiter somehow. Draco only stared back at her, waiting for the moment she finally lashed out towards him.
"Bella." A loud voice cut off the interaction, arousing an annoyed sigh from the witch in question. They both looked up to see Narcissa strolling towards them, a grimace on her lips. Draco rolled his eyes, his mother saving the day would do him no favours. "I would ask you not to approach my son, he is not your errand boy."
"He is a nobody," Bellatrix disputed, swatting the air indifferently. Draco had the sudden urge to snap his wand hand, and he would have if he was sure he could do so. He didn't want to miss and have her snap his neck, something he had no uncertainty she was trained in. "He's the lowest member of our organisation."
"He is equal," Narcissa said, hand coming to rest on the witch's shoulder with severe pressure. Bella's eyes glimpsed to where her sister's hand made a connection to her, her gaze jumping back just as fast. "Now, find some other footman. Don't make me tell you again Bella."
"Are you threatening me Narcissa?" Bellatrix said, eyes becoming merry once more as she looked up at her sister. No fear, no guilt...just fun. That frightened Draco, at least Lord Voldemort had a grand plan; his aunt was evil for the fun of it. He sometimes queried if the Dark Lord feared her, even if only a little. He wouldn't blame him.
"Never." The older witch reassured, her eyes more comfortable now that she had diverted the situation. "Think it a friendly suggestion."
"Hostility suits you sister." Bellatrix snickered, placing her wand back into her boot before turning and placing two light pats against Draco's cheek. Glancing earthward, she took her letter back with a smirk. "Until next time nephew of mine."
"I look forward to it." The blonde snapped in turn, earning a loud laugh from Bellatrix as she ran towards the next man she could see. He knew she wasn't in the sparsest scared of his warning, but it anyhow made him feel safer.
Narcissa and Draco watched as the sorceress ran away, pulling the man with her. He quite frankly looked horrified, Draco could only guess his regret at joining the Dark side. The boy was young, around the age of 17; the same age as Draco. He was attractive, Draco could only guess his reasoning for being here was due to having family in the inner circle; why else join? As his auntie pulled the man's arms harder, his eyes united with Draco's. The blonde smiled softly, recognised what he was doing, and let his smile harden.
Upon Bellatrix's departure, Draco turned from his mother and carried on in the direction he had been going before his aunt had stopped him. He had to keep walking, he couldn't let himself stop. If he stopped, he'd think. If he thought...
"What do you want, mother?" Draco asked, a slightly impudent tone to his voice.
"No thanks?" Narcissa asked, following the boy as he walked. She crossed her arms, a raised eyebrow. She had a message for him, but his lack of gratitude alarmed her. Was he not glad of her intrusion? What if she hadn't walked along? Bellatrix would have eaten him alive; then used the bones to kill muggles.
"Why would I?" Draco asked, taking random hallways in hopes she would get bored of following. The hope wasn't high, she was a woman. She wouldn't stop till she got what she wanted.
"I saved you from Bella's fury." She pointed out with a tut. "Is that not sufficient to receive some token of appreciation?"
"She's my family mother." Draco sighed, turning to face her with rage in his eyes. Narcissa almost leapt back, he very much mirrored his father. "The most I would have suffered was a third-degree burn."
"You're senseless!" Narcissa rolled her eyes.
"Senseless, mother?" Draco asked, turning and starting on another quick walk. Narcissa followed once more, her son's stomach-churning at the fact. He needed some alone time, before the meeting at the end of the day; just an hour.
"Foolish that you think your aunt gives a damn about family." She replied. "She would kill you, and not even bat an eyelid. She would kill me, and her only regret be she couldn't do it again."
"Maybe she doesn't care about family," Draco admitted, the proof wasn't exactly hidden. He could remember stories from other Death Eaters, stories of Bella's conquests. They were all unmerciful, quite bloody. Some of those included family members. "But blood, she cares about status and I can pass that on."
"You think she wouldn't kill you because of your blood?" Narcissa laughed incredulously. "Do you know who would disagree?"
"Who?"
"Her late husband." The witch hissed at her son's glaring idiocy.
"He was in a brooming collision."
"So she says." Narcissa rolled her eyes, grabbing Draco by the arm to bring him to a standstill. She knew for a fact that her sister's man hadn't died in a brooming accident, not that she was quite sure of the circumstances behind his death. "Look, just be careful. Bellatrix, and...The fucking Dark Lord...just be cautious."
"The Dark Lord seems to anger you mother." Draco snickered, honestly impressed at his mother's courage to insult her leader. Even more impressed she allowed herself to disrespect him in a place so many Death Eaters lingered.
"Have I ever hidden the fact?"
"Not from me perhaps," the boy acknowledged. "I can't say the others would be as happy to find out though."
"You would tell?" Narcissa asked, a smile ascending her cheeks at the meaningless threat. "You would have me executed to prove a point."
"Not killed mother." He reassured, looking toward the ground. Guilt engulfed his heart, suffocating him from the core. "Never killed, but a life long limp maybe. You need to memorise where the lesser sex lays. You have to stop meddling."
"Lesser sex?" Narcissa laughed out loud. Her son had no business speaking about the lesser sex when she knew him better than anyone else. "You sound just like your father."
"Haven't I always? Isn't this what I've always been doomed to become?"
"No." His mother answered honestly. "You have empathy. Compassion your father could never imagine. You may contain it, but it remains within you. You care..."
"Of course I care." Draco snapped, allowing a tear to fall from the corner of his eye and down his cheek. Narcissa watched the droplet continue earthward before falling to the floor. She hated observing her son so upset. It wasn't like she could hug him, make it all go away like she could with the beasts under the bed when he was more naive; with them, she used a potion to stop infestations, which really was just water. "I would have run if I didn't. If I have to perpetrate a couple of crimes to keep us both breathing, keep us both shielded, then so be it."
"Draco..." Narcissa sighed, hand coming to rest on her son's cheek. Her thumb rubbing at the tears that continued to fall. "You don't have to do this for me."
"What other choice do I have?" The boy asked, eyes falling closed to bring the tears to a stop. "Tell me..."
Narcissa looked down to the ground with a heavy heart, she knew he was correct. They had two choices, fight or death. One sounding more appealing than the other.
~~~
Narcissa watched as everyone took a seat at her dining table, waiting for the appearance of their lord. Weirdly, despite their professed love for him, they all seemed pretty afraid. Draco took a seat on one side of her, and her husband the other. Bellatrix sat at the far end, near the throne set up for Voldemort; she was the only one with a large grin on her face.
She side glanced at Draco, he seemed unwell. Worse than she had ever seen him in fact, worse even than the chat they had had an hour beforehand. His normally flawlessly styled hair stood on end in places, and his ordinarily proud lips held a frown. His dull eyes sat sluggishly upon his face, and his skin glistened paler than she had ever seen it before. It was troubling. He was almost a phantom of his former self, and she was sure she would lose him entirely soon.
She went to open her mouth, to offer words of support when the door to their dining hall opened. The heavy wood doors crashing hard with a bang against marble walls. Through them, Voldemort entered. The room fell cold and quiet, as he slithered across the room at a moderate pace. Severus tracked behind him, head held high; the face lay as emotionless as ever. He too, in Narcissa's opinion, looked unhealthy.
"And you are thoroughly sure Severus?" Voldermort spoke, his scarily gentle voice permeated the backdrop like the gentle hissing of a snake. The kind of voice that could comfort you one minute, then terrify you the next.
"I am my lord," Snape spoke, a small nod in his direction. "The boy is in no known safe house."
"Weasleys?" The Dark Lord asked.
"Negative."
"His aunt and uncles?"
"Nada."
"Grimmauld Place?" The man with no nose asked.
"Checked it out myself my lord," Snape spoke assuredly, his eyes never leaving the gaze of his masters. "Nothing."
Snape took a seat at the end of the table, next to Bellatrix, as Voldemort proceeded round to his seat. He sat down, a controlled movement.
"Welcome my friends." The Dark Lord spoke, earning a round of cheers from his supporters. Narcissa brought her hands together once, before slumping back against her chair. "I am so glad that you could all join me tonight. I'm sure you all know by now, that our first endeavour on the Potter boy's life has been unsuccessful."
Draco felt himself fall slack against the back of his chair, of course, the man couldn't just let himself be crucified. This war would be over if he had, then maybe he and his mother could have a bit more leeway. If there wasn't a battle, Voldemort wouldn't need so many warriors. The room let out disgruntled groans.
"But no matter, no matter." The snake-like man spoke again, a calm attitude for someone who had succumbed the first round. "We have plenty of more opportunities. I just seem to have run into an unfortunate dilemma, you see the Phoenix feather that dwells at the very core of my wand also resides at the centre of Potters. While we share these commonalities, we can only injure and not kill. I need a new wand."
Everyone stayed quiet, each Death Eater fell back in their place; their wands were an expansion of their own being. Voldemort pushed himself up to his feet with a tut. No one would give up their arm for him?
"Surely...," he spoke, eyes considering the room, "one of you would like the greatness."
Bellatrix stood. Her eyes trained on her lord. Narcissa's eyes widened at her sister's affection, she would really give up her wand?
"Allow me, my lord." She addressed out loud, her regularly fearless voice toned down. Although, it was no less terrifying than accustomed. "I would like to kill the boy."
"I appreciate your bloodlust Bellatrix," Voldemort spoke. "But I must be the one to kill the boy. You must keep your wand, you are my best Death Eater. Anyone else?"
Narcissa watched as the powerful wizard kept roaming down the length of the table. She looked down, her hand coming to rest on Draco's thigh as Voldemort neared them. She felt the boy tense up, but he kept an even face. The Dark Lord came to a stop next to her spouse, a fact she couldn't be less troubled about. Maybe losing his wand would remind him where his duties should lay; the loyalties he married into.
"How about you Lucius?" Voldemort asked.
"My Lord?"
"Your wand Luscious." The Dark Lord spoke, his pale hand held out to collect.
Lucius sighed in defeat, pulling his wand from the top of his cane with a quick pop. He placed the stick into his master's grip; grimacing as the man yanked it from him with particular vigour. Voldemort brought the stick up to his face, eyeing the subtle carving and the Dragon mouthed handle.
"Very nice." The wizard praised, snapping the fixture off with a sharp snap of the wrist. He threw it back towards the man before turning away with the wand in hand; he twirled his wrist lightly as he got a feel for the weight. "Now let's give this wand a whirl shall we?"
With a flick of the wand, an immobilized body drifted into the room from where the dungeons lay. Draco instantly identified her as the muggle studies professor at Hogwarts, she was bloodied and beaten. She looked like she had been tortured for hours, both by spell and hand.
"This is Professor Charity Burbage," Voldemort spoke slowly, and distinctly towards the company. No one looked at him, they all smirked at the Professor. "She is, or should I say was, the muggle studies instructor at Hogwarts. She openly holds the idea that wizards and muggles aren't that dissimilar from each other. Given her way, she would have us mate."
Everyone let out a noise of revulsion, Bellatrix's Ewww being the harshest of them all. Draco had to stifle a roll of his eyes, he could think of more unfavourable things than mating with a muggle.
"Severus..."
Draco's eyes shot up toward the floating body, they enlarged. He remarked the boy his aunt had dragged off earlier was sat on the opposite side of the table from him, he too looked quite astounded by this.
"Severus...we are friends."
His eyes flew towards his godfather, the man's eyes lay unmoving as he looked the woman in the face. Draco didn't know how he did it. He got that the man had been a double instrument, but how could he watch a woman he called a colleague die without a fragment of regret? Voldemort beamed, and with a flick of the wand...she lay lifeless on the table in front of them.
Snake food. It was at that point Draco recognised he had to get out; secure a better world for him and his mother.
Author's Notes
So? This book will follow a similar narrative to Deathly Hallows but will differ in the most peculiar ways.