Chapter 1
“Young Draco.”
Draco froze, hands still on the door to the main drawing room, one foot still in the hallway. A greyish man with no nose stared at him, fingers steadily turning a wand over. Seeing the Dark Lord sitting on a self-made throne in his family’s home wasn’t what he expected to see when he got home after the end of his school year.
He had barely stepped into his family home when he had been greeted by his mother, slightly panicked look on her face. Now he understood why she had reacted like that.
Draco hesitantly took a step further into the drawing room, letting the doors fall closed behind him.
“My Lord,” he greeted, just like his mother had instructed him to.
“Come, kneel.” The Dark Lord gestured to the floor in front of him.
Draco paled, but made his way shakily over to the Dark Lord. He lowered himself to the ground, landing on one knee. After a moment of thought, he bent his head, hoping his show of submission would cover his face and disguise his fear.
“Very good, Draco,” the Dark Lord praised. “You are already showing great potential.”
Draco’s eyebrows came together in confusion.
“Tell me, how is your schooling going?” the snake-like man asked.
“Um….” Draco wasn’t entirely sure what he was expecting to come from the Dark Lord’s mouth, but it wasn’t that. “Well, My Lord. I am second in my class.”
“Very good,” the Dark Lord purred. “From what I understand, you’ve just finished your fifth year.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very good.”
Draco sensed the man standing. The shadows around them moved as he circled Draco, as if he were assessing him.
“You are 16, is that right?” the Dark Lord asked.
“My 16th birthday is this Friday, sir.”
The Dark Lord hummed, directly behind Draco, making him jump in surprise.
“Almost a man.”
Draco gulped audibly but didn’t respond.
The Dark Lord stepped around to stand in front of Draco. He lifted Draco’s chin with a skeletal finger, demanding Draco make eye contact. Draco shivered.
“I trust that you are aware of…recent events involving your father?”
“Yes, My Lord.”
The Dark Lord was quiet for a moment. Finally, he spoke. “Your father has failed me; he must be taught a lesson.”
Draco shivered again. He inhaled deeply, trying to keep himself under control.
The Dark Lord released Draco’s chin. “Do you know how someone who has failed me is punished, Draco?”
“No, My Lord.” A sense of impending doom slowly came over Draco.
“Usually, they are treated to a CRUCIO!”
Draco screamed and crumpled in on himself. The spell only lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like hours.
The spell lifted. “But since your failure of a father is in Azkaban, then his family must be the ones to take the punishment.”
Draco twitched subtlety on the floor.
“Luckily for you, I am merciful.”
Draco highly doubted that, but he didn’t voice his opinion for fear of being subjected to torture again so soon.
“As the new man of the house,” the Dark Lord continued, “you have been granted a chance to prove yourself, taking your father’s place in my ranks.”
“My Lord?” Draco croaked.
“You will receive the honor of joining me and becoming a Death Eater.”
Draco’s blood ran cold. He’d heard stories from his father about his ‘glory days’ of being a Death Eater during the First Wizarding War. The ‘activities’ that his father and associates had participated in did not sound fun. Draco may not like muggles or muggle-born witches and wizards, but he didn’t find excitement in torturing or killing them, no matter how inferior they may be.
Maybe that made him weak.
“Jessa,” The Dark Lord called. A moment later, a house elf popped into existence, shaking so violently she was practically buzzing.
“Y-yes, My Lord?” the house elf asked. She looked to be almost in tears.
“Bring your Mistress here,” he instructed.
The elf popped out of existence. A few seconds later, there was a knock on the drawing room doors and Narcissa Malfoy entered. She saw Draco on the floor and rushed over to him.
The Dark Lord allowed her to check Draco for injuries before speaking. “I was just telling your son, Narcissa, that he will be inducted into my ranks.”
“No! Please, My Lord, he is only a child. What good would he be to you?”
Narcissa helped Draco sit up. He rested against her, his mother’s body supporting his while he still twitched occasionally.
“He is more valuable than you think.” The Dark Lord grinned devilishly. “Draco has something no one else in my ranks has: access to Albus Dumbledore.”
Narcissa gasped. “Dumbledore?”
“Draco is a student, where he has access to that idiotic wizard. Upon his return to Hogwarts for his sixth year, he will eliminate the headmaster.”
A single tear left Narcissa’s eye. “Please, please don’t make him do this!”
“CRCUIO!”
Narcissa fell back from her son and screamed as she writhed.
“Mother!” Draco cried.
After a few more seconds, The Dark Lord lifted the spell, allowing Draco to safely crawl over to his mother.
“Draco will kill Albus Dumbledore, but he will have another task as well.”
Draco didn’t know how his mission could get any worse.
The Dark Lord circled them, bare feet quietly slapping the floor. “In the Room of Lost Things in the 7th floor corridor, there is a cabinet. Its twin is in Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley. You are to fix the one hidden in Hogwarts by the end of the school year. Once successfully restored, some of our number will enter the castle.”
Draco’s head shot up to look at him, eyes wide.
“After Dumbledore is dead and my Death Eaters are in the castle, Hogwarts will be under our control.”
Draco sobbed. Narcissa gasped. The Dark Lord ignored them.
“In preparation for Draco’s mission, two things will happen, one today, and one…” the Dark Lord paused to look down to Draco. “This Friday.”
“Please, My Lord,” Narcissa begged, slowly twisting her body until she was able to kneel on both her knees before their guest. “Please, let me do this in his stead.”
The Dark Lord tutted. “Now now, Narcissa, this is Draco’s chance to prove himself, both as an individual and to atone for Lucius’ failure.” The Dark Lord threw his arms out in a grand display of power to the two Malfoys. “Tonight, Draco will have the honor of receiving my Dark Mark!”
Draco choked on air. Narcissa wailed. The Dark Lord cackled.
“And on Friday, as a birthday gift, Draco will be turned.” The Dark Lord leaned closer to the Malfoys. “ …By Greyback.”