Away from the Malfoy Manner
After the events in the ministry of Magic, a lot had gone down the ministry finally admitted that You Know Who was back. And for failing to take the prophecy and failing to kill Harry Potter and Dumbledore, the Lord Voldemort had taken his anger out on his death eaters. One of the worst to suffer this fate was Lucius Malfoy. He was sent to Azkaban for 2 years for his role in the Ministry. Voldemort and his Death Eaters have already reconvened and have started their Reign of Terror.
“Draco, you must”, whispered Narcissa.
“I can’t mother. Please. Please. Forgive me but I can’t take the dark mark. I can’t kill Dumbledore. He is the most powerful wizard ever - ”
“Draco!”, exclaimed Bellatrix.
“Please, mother. Don’t punish me for father’s mistakes. Please. Dumbledore is really powerful. I won’t be able to. You know it. Auntie Bella knows it. And the Dark Lord knows it. Why can’t you see that I won’t be able to do it”, whimpered Draco.
“But you won’t be alone. Snape will always be there, right alongside you. You have to trust your godfather on this”, said Rodolphus.
“But how, Sissi? Where was he when the dark lord called upon all of us? Where was he while we were rotting in Azkaban?”, replied Bellatrix scathingly.
“No, I can’t. Please. I can’t”
“Then leave”, replied Bellatrix.
“Leave?”, said Draco, rubbing on his bleary, red eyes.
“Leave? Why should he leave? This is his home. You are no one to decide this, Bella. This is my house, the Malfoy Manner. I have just welcomed you as guests. Don’t try to be the mistress of this house.”
“I am not trying to be. But the Dark Lord will know, he surely will. And then? What of him then? You and I both know that he Dark Lord does not forgive disloyalty and he won’t forgive Draco for his cowardice”, screeched Bellatrix.
“He is a child. He is just a child. You have to understand, Bella”, cried Narcissa.
“Fine then. I won’t say anything. Lets just leave him to the mercy of the dark lord”, scoffed Bellatrix.
“Mum?”, came a quiet voice.
“Later Draco. Lets talk about this later. Right. And you two, Bella and Rodolphus, please let us grieve the absence of Lucius in peace. Leave us be in our own home”, requested Narcissa.
Later that night in the Malfoy Manner, at dinner Narcissa brings it up again.
“Draco, please listen to me.”
“No mother. I told you I can’t. Everybody knows I can’t. Its Dumbledore you are asking me to kill. Even the Dark Lord failed to kill him, at the battle of the Ministry.”, said Draco, a tone of finality seeping into his voice.
“Okay, then what are you going to do when the Dark Lord comes here. He is going to be here the day after tomorrow. This meeting will also be your initiation. What will you do when he asks this of you?”
“Can’t I just refuse?”
“You think he will listen? He has no place for anyone in circle for cowardice - ”
“I AM NOT A COWARD! I am not a coward. Please - ”
“Okay, then what are you? Because you refusing to do this will bring down the honourable Malfoy name. It will bring down the honourable Black name.”
“What if I fail?”, whimpered Draco at last.
“Oh, darling, you will not fail. Severus will always be there for you, you must trust your godfather. And once you repair the Vanishing Cabinet, we all can enter Hogwarts and you won’t be doing this alone. ”
Draco was silent at this, still thinking about it. He was frightened, scared out of his mind. His family were asking him to kill the most powerful wizard of all time. How was it even possible? Dumbledore would overpower him within seconds. Then he would also be thrown alongside his father in Azkaban.
Silence persisted in the room, and as Draco looked around, his mother had gone to be. He also went upstairs and three corridors to the left to his own room.
It was midnight as Draco was still unable to sleep, and suddenly a thought occurred to him. What if he ran away? As he began imagining it, he imagined a life out of the shadows of his father, out of the controlling tendencies of his mother. He liked the idea more and more, not out of some teenage fantasy for adventure, but solely for saving life life from the dark lord.
He suddenly lurched up and began rummaging through his things for his trunk. He grabbed his wand and started packing the rest of his things hastily, he knew that he had very little time, if he had to pack up nd run, and also find a shelter for the night. He had money in his bank account, thanks to the sum his father transferred before going to Azkaban, but he would need to find some sort of job soon or he would be on streets quickly.
As his trunk snapped shut, he got thinking again. Should he leave his mother in the middle of all this? If he left, his mother would have to face the wrath of the Dark Lord. And if the dark lord wasn’t gonna show him, an underage child, any mercy, why would he show any to his mother, whom he also considered traitor?
Suddenly he fell to his knees, sobbing his heart out. He had no idea what to do, he had no idea who to go to. He was scared out of his mind.
As a few minutes passed, suddenly the door opened and Draco looked up. Standing in the doorway was his mother with tears shining in her eyes, she was clutching another trunk I her hands. She came into the room and silently handed him the drink, tears now making tracks down her face.
“But, mother - ”
“Go if you must, but promise me, you will hide away. When the times comes for school to start, disguise yourself and then go on to Hogwarts Express. They won’t be able to find you and hurt you there.”
“But what about you? What if the Dark Lord finds out?”
“I’m a legilimens, a strong one at that.”, she said, a slight smirk on her face. “He won’t know anything. But you must pack and leave quickly if you want to get a head start.”
“But, where will I go from here?”, asked Draco, scared.
“You will have to figure out your own path, son.”
Draco nodded, frantically packing more of his things in the other trunk. As soon as he is done packing, he starts to contemplate his decision again.
“Draco! You must leave. It’s going to be light soon.”
“Yes, mother”, said Draco, levitating his trunks in the air alongside him and then tying them to his broom.
“Please, please take care of yourself. I won’t be able to live with myself if something happens to you because of me”, said Draco with tears shining in his eyes.
“I won’t, my dear son. I love you, always remember that.”
“I will. I’ll miss you, you know.”
“I know. Be good, don’t find yourself in trouble.”
They were both delaying the inevitable but with all the goodbyes finally done, all that was left was for Draco to leave.
They went into the yard and Draco climbed onto his broom. With one last look at his mother and at his home, he took off.