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Covered in Crimson	By : ckllsdam Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Hermione Views: 13989 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the Harry Potter Universe and I make no money from this work of fanfiction. The plot, however, is mine.

Chapter List
- 14
- 15
- 16
Four Years and Nine Months Ago

The end of the school year was rapidly approaching and Severus Snape was increasingly alarmed over the fortune of the young man who had once been his favorite student. A recent conversation with the boy�s father had not given him any comfort, indeed quite the opposite. The calendar�s relentless march forward would bring a horrible decision, and a destiny the professor rued for the student he cared for in spite of his ill-advised and dark obsessions.

Sixteen, he thought, so terribly young to be burdened with a fate so bleak. Sadly, the Potions professor was only too familiar with the weight that the Dark Mark placed on one�s heart and soul. He�d been young, foolish, and impressionable once, and he�d succumbed to the lure of power and belonging, regardless of the price he�d had to pay. It was bare months later that he�d come to regret his choice, and he�d spent the rest of his life serving not two, but three masters � the Dark Lord, Albus Dumbledore as his redeemer, and his own conscience � often tugged between one or both of the others. He desperately wished that he could forestall Draco�s desire to join the Dark Lord�s ranks, but it was clear that there was nothing he could do. The die had been cast, and the boy�s marking was planned in an elaborate ceremony scheduled a short two weeks away.

Lucius Malfoy had spoken privately with his long-time friend four weeks earlier, and warned him that the boy had made a formal request to take the Dark Mark, not through his father as was customary, but through his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. As a first-level blood relative, she could � and would, happily � sponsor him for induction. The elder Malfoy had been most distressed. He�d not known that Draco was in communication with his wife�s sister, and it confirmed the fears that Narcissa had expressed with increasing frequency and worry in the last few months. When he�d informed her of Draco�s request and the Dark Lord�s enthusiastic acceptance of him as an inductee, she had asked but one question of her husband: �Will you allow this to happen?� When he�d answered in the affirmative, pleading that there really was no choice to be had in the matter, Narcissa had quickly and silently packed two large trunks � without help from house-elves � and departed Malfoy Manor for an unknown location. Despite numerous efforts to contact her via owl and Patronus, he�d not heard from her since, adding to his own growing list of concerns.

The news of Draco�s planned marking was most unwelcome to Severus, and to Albus Dumbledore, with whom he�d shared the sad tidings immediately after his meeting with Lucius concluded. Both men had felt a crushing sense of failure and sadness for the great potential lost in this bright and curious boy. It was a tragedy of enormous proportions. They had but one week left in the school term to try to influence him in another direction, but both knew at the start that their efforts would be futile. What they hadn�t accomplished in six months of diligence would not change in that short period of time. He�d be lost to them, and they�d begun to believe that they�d never had much of a chance to alter him from the course he�d apparently chosen for himself. Both men, and their colleagues among Hogwarts� professors, would mourn for the loss.

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Narcissa sighed raggedly. This was the ninth owl her husband had sent just today. She�d sent each one back unanswered and charmed to forget where it had been. After his refusal to forbid Draco�s marking, she had retreated to an unplottable Black family property in southern Italy and secured an old friend as a Secret-Keeper to prevent her sister Bellatrix from stumbling upon her location.

Letters to her son, pleading with him to reconsider his decision, had gone as unanswered as Lucius� to her. She�d written to him seven times, each note more desperate than the last. She�d pulled out every trick in a mother�s arsenal, including liberal doses of guilt and shame, all to no avail. She knew he�d read them; each parchment had been charmed to return to her within twenty-four hours if it had gone untouched, and none had come back.

She was at wit�s end with anxiety, and as angry as she was with both Malfoy men, she also missed her husband. This was one transgression in their marriage that she would not easily or quickly forgive, and would never forget, but she had also come to the conclusion that she had no other choice than to rely on him to watch out for Draco once the horrible deed had been done. Narcissa felt as helpless as she�d ever been and as resentful of her sister�s influence on Draco as her husband�s cowardice in refusing to stop this travesty. It had taken her three weeks, but she had finally come to the conclusion that she could not influence events from her refuge away from Wiltshire. She�d wallowed in her grief long enough; it was time to go home.

Before she would reunite with her husband, she had one more letter to send. She hoped her sister would be receptive to her plea.

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Draco�s mood had improved markedly in the last couple of weeks, and his friends expressed hope amongst themselves that whatever had been the bee in his bonnet during this school year had finally taken flight. He�d actually been observed with a smirk on his face in recent days � a vast improvement over the ever-present sneers and snarls of previous months. His surprising presence in the Slytherin common room this evening emboldened two of his longest-standing friends to approach him for a chat.

�Malfoy � fancy meeting you here,� the dark-skinned, blue-eyed Zabini intoned.

With a shrug and nod, Draco acknowledged his housemates� greeting. �Zabini, Pansy.�

�We�ve missed you Draco,� Pansy spoke, her eyes meeting his. �It�s nice to see you amongst us peons.�

He snorted in response. �Just figured it would be appropriate to say my goodbyes.�

�Goodbyes? Oh, for the end of term,� Zabini concluded.

�Nope. I�m out of here. Don�t plan to be back next year. I�ve got bigger things to do, come next week,� Draco hinted.

�Okay, I�ll bite. What are you doing as of next week?� Pansy crossed her arms over her chest and met him with a challenging glare.

�Let�s just say, I�ll be doing some service work. It�s the mark of an ambitious and driven man,� he drawled.

�Noooo,� Pansy breathed. �You�re lying,�

�You can�t be serious, Malfoy. That�s some wicked shit,� Zabini gasped.

�I�m completely serious. My aunt Bellatrix is sponsoring me, and the ceremony is a week from Friday. I can�t wait. But listen, you have to keep this to yourselves � nobody else can know,� he warned, his voice in a low whisper.

�Wizard�s oath � I won�t say a word,� Zabini promised, and Pansy agreed with a nod. �What does your mother think about this, Draco?�

�Judging from the seven letters she�s sent me about it, she�s furious. She still thinks I�m twelve years old. My father hasn�t said much, but I think he�s teed off that I didn�t ask him to sponsor me. Thing is, I knew my aunt would do it; I wasn�t so sure he would,� Draco explained. �The bottom line is that the Dark Lord has accepted my petition and the ceremony is scheduled. Whatever my parents think, this is what I want, and it�s going to happen.�

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Narcissa was thrilled beyond measure to receive the response from her sister so quickly. This communication was long overdue, and she wept with joy at the prospect of her requested meeting bringing some success. She would be taking a brief detour before returning to Malfoy Manor; two or three days� delay in reuniting with her husband would not do any harm and might in fact do some real good.

She called for a house-elf and gave instructions. �Prepare four days� wardrobe and toiletries for me and pack everything in one of the smaller trunks in the storage area. Everything else can be packed up and returned to Malfoy Manor. I�ll be leaving in two hours.�

The little house-elf scurried off to do Narcissa�s bidding, and sent along a warning to her cohorts in Wiltshire that Mistress would be returning by week�s end. Master Lucius would be most pleased to hear the news.

When Narcissa appeared on her sister�s doorstep just over two hours later, the two women embraced and tears were shed. Narcissa was welcomed warmly into the home that she�d never before visited.

�I can�t tell you how happy I am to see you, sister,� she said, �and how I regret what has happened between us.�

�I know, Cissy. I too am disappointed that it�s taken so long for us to get to this point.�

�You know that things are changing, and I find that I need my family � maybe more than I need my husband. Are you willing to hear my apologies and lend me your support, Andromeda?�

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The last Potions class of the year prior to sitting for exams was scheduled to be a review of the twelve major ingredients that the fifth-year group had learned to incorporate into various brews this term. Each one had at least four uses, with some having as many as sixteen. The general consensus amongst the gathered students was that this would be a very dry and dull lesson. They were proved right as Professor Snape droned on and on about each element without pause and without allowing questions from the group. Hermione commented to her bench partner for the day � Ron - that it seemed that their teacher was �phoning it in� today. She was rewarded with his puzzled look at her Muggle colloquialism.

When he finally stopped fifty-nine minutes and fifty seconds after he�d begun, the dark-haired professor dismissed the class with the exception of one student. �Mister Malfoy, I require a word with you.�

With a sigh of annoyance, Draco dropped the book bag he�d already hefted to his shoulder back to the floor beside his seat. Snape was waiting for the room to empty before beginning their conversation. It was only a short two minutes, but to Draco, it felt like two hours.

Once they were alone in the room, Snape took his seat behind the desk and cleared his throat before speaking. �Draco, your father has informed me that there will be a momentous occasion occurring one week from tomorrow. I wanted to speak with you about what�s to come.�

Warily, Draco peered at his teacher and nodded once in acknowledgement.

�How much has your father shared with you about the marking ceremony?�

�Nothing, Professor. We�ve not spoken about it since I received word that my request was accepted by the Dark Lord. I expect we�ll talk about it when I get home the day after tomorrow,� he replied.

Hesitating briefly, Snape posed another question, �Has anyone else shared with you what you can expect?�

With a shake of his head, Draco indicated that he�d not had that conversation with any other person.

�I see,� Snape drawled. �You are not aware, then, of what you�ll be required to do in order to earn the mark.�

�Earn it? I�m a Malfoy. Isn�t that enough?�

�No, Draco, not nearly enough. The Dark Lord will want you to prove that you are loyal to him and capable of being an, uh, effective member of his army. You will need to prove your worth.�

�How do I do that?�

Snape rose from his seat and began to pace the front of the room. He found it difficult to meet the boy�s piercing gray eyes. �You�ll be asked to perform one or more of the Unforgivable curses, Draco. On a person, possibly even someone you know. Are you prepared to do that?�

Snape was stunned to see a smirk cross Draco�s face. There was something immensely unsettling about the young man�s apparent enthusiasm for the task he�d described.

�I�m prepared,� Draco replied.

�Don�t be so sure,� Snape mumbled, but it was loud enough for Draco to hear. �It is not easy to watch people writhe in pain, Draco. It is not easy to take a life. You are still so young. I regret that your innocence will be lost so soon.�

Draco scoffed at his professor�s wistful expression. �Who says I�m so innocent? I�m looking forward to this,� he challenged. �I think you are the one who doesn�t have the stomach for doing what�s necessary. I question your commitment to the Dark Lord�s mission, Professor. You seem to be awfully chummy with Professor Dumbledore these days.�

�You insolent little whelp! How dare you question my loyalty? I am purposely close to Dumbledore to understand what plans and information he has. This is vital to the Dark Lord�s success, and you are in no place to question how he chooses to use me,� Snape growled at the young wizard.

�Whatever you say, Professor. Just know that I don�t trust you,� Draco warned. �I won�t hesitate to destroy you if I find that you are not as loyal as you claim to be.�

With that, Draco lifted his book bag to his shoulder and stormed out of the room, leaving Snape disheartened and concerned for the boy�s future and his own.

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Narcissa arrived at Malfoy Manor on the day before her son was due to return home from Hogwarts. No one was there to greet her save the handful of house-elves who were busily cleaning and tending to their usual chores. She supposed it was better this way; she could settle in and prepare for what she knew would be a heated confrontation with her husband.

She called upon one of the house-elves to take her small trunk to the guest room she�d used off and on as her own retreat when she and Lucius were at odds. Narcissa felt quite sure she�d want to have her own refuge for several days to come, at the least. She settled in and decided that a long soak in a hot tub would soothe her shattered nerves. It was in that slowly cooling water that her husband found her forty minutes later.

�Narcissa,� he growled. �Where have you been? I�ve been worried sick.�

�I needed some time alone to cool off and to do some of my own planning and scheming, Lucius. You may have him now, but someday, my boy will find his way back to me. I�ve learned from the best, dearest, and I can be as devious as any other Slytherin you�ve ever known. Someday, I will reclaim my son from this madness. Now get out, I wish to finish my bath and dress. I�ll see you in the drawing room in an hour,� she dismissed him summarily.

In twenty-three years of marriage, Lucius had learned a thing or two about his wife, and he knew an impasse when he saw one. He�d be getting nowhere if he stayed, so he nodded his goodbye and departed the chamber as she had requested. He had things to do anyway. Draco would be home tomorrow, and there were preparations � as distasteful as some of them were - that needed to be completed for the ceremony next weekend. What troubled him greatly was the mundane and menial nature of the tasks he�d been assigned, such as inviting guests and arranging refreshments. These were not his typical duties and he�d had no luck in learning any other details about what would be happening in one week�s time.

While Lucius tended to �the family business� Narcissa thought about the visit she�d had with her sister Andromeda as she dressed for their rendezvous. It had been emotional and wrenching for both of them. With more than twenty years of estrangement, there came resentment, anger, and misunderstandings. There had also been the heartbreak of life�s milestones missed and the regret of the loss of a once-close sibling relationship. They�d talked for hours, huddled together on a deep, comfy sofa, arms around each other, alternately laughing and crying as they shared their fears, anger, sadness and hopes for a reconciled future. Narcissa had apologized for ostracizing her older sister over the choice she�d made in marrying Ted Tonks, and explained why her feelings and thinking were changing now.

�Andy, I�ve come to realize that some of the fervor that Mama and Papa taught us about pureblood supremacy is really just not true. Our numbers are dwindling, and there are more purebloods being born without magic. The birthrate alone is enough to convince me that there are real and natural challenges to what we thought. How many pureblood families do you know who have produced more than one child? Lucius and I tried for years to have another child after Draco was born and I achieved nothing but multiple miscarriages. And nearly a third of the children produced to pureblood couples are squibs. We won�t survive this way, and it�s insane to think that we can consolidate enough power in the few old families left to sustain this way of life for more than another generation. We need to face reality and change the way we live. And that�s not even taking into account that the madman behind all of this is a megalomaniac half-blood himself. The bottom line, Andy, is that my husband is dragging our son into this life and I�m afraid that it will kill him, and for no good or valid reason,� she�d bitterly complained.

Narcissa was grateful for her sister�s receptiveness and her forgiveness for past transgressions, but she was also realistic in recognizing that a relationship that had been so badly damaged would not be repaired with a three-day visit. It would take months for them to rebuild trust between them, but she was willing to do her part. One of her promises had been to keep their reconciliation between them; Lucius did not need to know that his wife and her middle sister had reunited, at least not yet.

Wearing an expression that was just the tiniest bit smug, she descended the grand marble staircase to meet her husband in the drawing room as they�d planned. She was feeling very little positive anticipation about this conversation. While she wasn�t setting up a shouting match, she also didn�t think this would be an exchange of pleasantries and sharing a cup of tea. She pushed open the double doors to find Lucius leaning against the fireplace, ever-present glass of Ogden�s in hand.

She pointedly glanced toward the nearly empty crystal decanter and chided her husband, �Drinking so early in the day, Lucius?�

�I find that I need as much liquid courage as I can consume these days,� he replied without hesitation.

�Too bad you didn�t have more courage months ago, Lucius, or we might not have been placed in such an untenable situation,� she observed.

�Touch�, Narcissa,� he retorted as he lifted his glass to her in a salute. �But sadly, what�s done is done, and we�re set on a course that can�t be changed, at least not for some time and until there are significant developments in other arenas.�

�But in the meantime, Lucius, our son has become someone I don�t know anymore and he�s about to pledge his service and his life to an utter lunatic. You can�t expect that I�d be happy about this, or that I�d allow this to happen without a fight.�

�If you fight it Narcissa, it will be taken out on Draco more than anyone else. You and I will pay a price, to be sure, but he will bear the brunt of the Dark Lord�s anger because he�ll be perceived as not being mature enough to control his family�s reactions to his choices. The last thing he needs now is to be viewed as weak. They will chew him up and spit him out faster than you can say �Merlin�s Beard.��

Pacing back and forth, her arms waving in anger, Narcissa accused her husband, �How did you let this happen, Lucius? I thought that only a parent could sponsor someone under legal age for marking. How did you let her do this?�

He sighed in frustration, hoping to help her understand without angering her still further. �There are always special rules when it comes to Bella. You know how she is � she follows the Dark Lord around like a puppy and gives him the �favors� no one else would dare offer. How her husband tolerates that, I�ll never fathom.� At this, Narcissa snorted in derision. �So as long as there are no insurmountable obstacles, Bella gets her way. And the Dark Lord does not recognize parental disapproval as an impediment when he wants someone in his ranks. For whatever reason, he�s decided he wants Draco, and he wants him now. With Draco apparently making the request himself, the decision was taken from us.�

�Bella has always been a little loose with her marriage vows, and Rodolphus will fuck anything that will let him in, Lucius.� He raised an eyebrow at her crude language, but waved a hand for her to continue. �How she can bear to have that, that� creature touch her is beyond me, but if that�s part of the hold she has on him, there is obviously little that we can do to influence that relationship. Why Draco, though, and why now? Since when has he been in contact with Bella, and why did he ask her to sponsor him? I simply don�t understand.�

�I can�t answer the questions you have about Draco�s contacts and motivation, as he�s not replied to my letters asking him for explanations. We�ll have to deal with that when he arrives home tomorrow. As for the Dark Lord, I asked him at our last meeting three days ago, and he refused to answer. He simply chuckled � a most horrific sound, if I�ve ever heard one � and asked me why I hadn�t offered him up myself. I had to twist the truth and tell him that I didn�t feel that Draco�s skills were ready to be of enough service to him. I�m sad to say that I don�t think he believed me, which unfortunately puts us in a more precarious position. I feel quite certain that he has something in mind for Draco, but as of now, I have no idea what that might be.�

�Well that does us a fat lot of good, Lucius. How are we to handle this situation without any knowledge of what�s motivating whom or who has planned what? We�re operating completely in the dark, and when our son�s life is at stake, that�s simply unacceptable,� she raised her voice, crossing her arms over her chest in anger and frustration.

�I couldn�t agree more, Narcissa, but I also don�t know what to do about it. I�m distressed to admit that I�m at a loss on how to proceed without more intelligence, and that�s in short supply from every source I�ve tried to tap. We may not have a choice but to wait this out and see what develops.�

�When you figure it out, Lucius, let me know. Until then, I have my own informants to contact.� She turned her back on him and retreated to her study, pondering how to get her eldest sister to tell her what she needed to know.

Lucius watched as his wife departed, poured another drink, and sank into the nearest leather armchair, staring at a fireplace that hadn�t been lit in nearly a month.

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Five days had passed. Five days filled with fevered conversations and desperate letters, none of them providing any useful information or insight into what the Dark Lord planned for Draco. Bella had been especially obstinate in her refusal to share anything with her sister about how she and Draco had been in contact and what would happen when the ceremony commenced in just two more days. Narcissa was now frantic with worry and nearly paralyzed with fear.

Draco�s return home had also produced nothing helpful; he�d been quiet and solitary, choosing to spend his time locked in his room when his presence was not required for meals. When Lucius pressed him for details about how he and Bella had come to be in contact, he�d simply replied, �She�s family,� and refused further comment. He�d had one deeper conversation with his father, where Lucius had apparently given him some insights into �typical� marking ceremonies, but there was no doubt that every marking had its own peculiarities. Since Bella had taken control of this one, he could only speculate about what she�d do to either embarrass the family or create her own special sort of spectacle. Draco was eagerly anticipating the event; his father was dreading it.

They had planned a family dinner with all of Draco�s favorite foods for the night before the ceremony, possibly their last night as an intact family. It was conceivable that the Dark Lord would send Draco away somewhere for missions or training. They had no way to know. Just moments before they sat down to eat, the Floo had activated and Bella and her husband had requested that they be allowed to come through. Narcissa really had no choice but to include them in their evening plans. As most of the small group ate in relative silence, the only constant was Bella�s chattering about how glorious the following night would be. Sadly, she was incredibly short on detail and very long on hyperbole about the glory it would bring to the family and the Dark Lord. Narcissa looked as though she might vomit any moment.

When dinner was complete, Bella bent her head to Draco�s ear and whispered, �Make me proud of you tomorrow, Draco,� and slipped him a small package. He thought nothing of the fact that his aunt had given him a present of his favorite truffles. He retired to his room, and being just a little apprehensive about what he�d have to do during the impending ceremony, consoled himself with a generous serving of those incredible chocolate treats. He slept well that night. His parents, tucked into their separate beds, slept not a wink.

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When Narcissa arose the next morning, she was sorely tempted to bind her son with a Petrificus Totalus and kidnap him away to the unplottable property she�d used as a refuge for several weeks. Only her fear that the entire family would be murdered without a second thought stopped her rash thinking. She knew that Lucius was right when he said that they�d forever be hunted if they defied the Dark Lord now.

She was stunned to find that Draco and Lucius were both gone when she arrived in the dining room for breakfast. A note was waiting in a silver tray at her plate.

Dearest Narcissa �

I�m sorry that we�ve left without telling you, but you must understand that we cannot risk any interference or outburst from you during Draco�s induction. It would mean the end for all of us, and I just cannot allow that to happen. We�ll find our way out when the time is right, I promise you. Please do not try to find us. We�ve taken a Portkey and don�t know the exact location of our meeting. Bella and Rodolphus will be meeting us there, so it�s no use to try to contact them either.

I will be back as soon as I can, hopefully with Draco. Until then, please stay at the Manor. I�m afraid that leaving today would be ill-advised. I�ve added wards; please do not try to circumvent them.

I do love you, and I am sorry,

Always,

Lucius

The letter burst into flames as soon as she�d finished reading. Her husband had left nothing to chance. She dropped the burning parchment onto the silver tray and dashed out of the room to her bedroom. She curled up on the bed and wept. When she next awoke, it was late afternoon, and neither her husband nor her son had returned, and no further messages had been delivered. She wandered the house, alone and morose, until faintness forced her to seek some sustenance. She picked at her dinner, eating just enough of the fluffy cheese omelet to prevent dire hunger, and retired once again to her bedroom. She curled up on the settee to wait, and drifted off to sleep without hearing anything more from her missing men.

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The ceremony was not scheduled to begin for another eight hours, but Lucius and Draco had agreed that it was best to leave before being subjected to any scene with Narcissa. It was clear to both of them that she�d do anything in her power to prevent the boy�s marking, so they simply removed that possibility from her by vacating the premises.

There were to be nine markings today, and Draco�s would be the last. He would not be allowed to attend those of the inductees prior to him, as was the practice for each successive recruit. His final preparations would get underway in another hour or so, and father and son had been isolated from any other guests to preserve the secrecy and �purity� of the moment, according to Bella�s instructions. Lucius had scoffed at that; there was absolutely nothing pure about a Death Eater induction ceremony. They were typically vulgar, violent, and bloody � unholy in the highest degree. Leave it to Bella to pervert even the language around this whole debacle. They sat in relative silence, the only disturbance having been Draco asking for the time once or twice, and Lucius inquiring as to the state of his nerves.

Finally, Lucius took a last opportunity to share his thoughts with his son. �Draco,� he started, then faltered as he searched for the best-measured thing to say, �I know that this is what you�ve decided to do, and I can�t and won�t stop you. I just want you to know that your mother and I love you very much, and we wish that you had chosen to wait until you completed your education. We�ll respect your judgment, son, but should you change your mind somewhere along the way, we�ll understand and support that too.�

Draco nodded and accepted his father�s hand when it was offered. He said nothing. It was only five minutes later when his aunt Bella entered the room and dismissed Lucius. �We have things to do, and you need to join the group in the meeting area.�

She was carrying a heavy brocade cloak of the deepest blue, so dark that it was barely distinguishable from black. Only the silver accents at the collar and along the edges gave off enough reflection to show the garment�s true color. There was a solid silver clasp in the shape of a great serpent fastened at the neck.

�You�ll be wearing this for the ceremony, Draco,� she instructed.

When he reached for the cloak, she pulled it back away from his grasp.

�No, you misunderstand. You�ll be wearing only this. Remove the rest of your clothing, including your boots,� she smirked.

He seemed a bit surprised, but was not going to question his aunt�s authority in this. She was his sponsor, and had the ultimate decision to recommend or refuse his induction; only the Dark Lord�s own word could overrule hers. He removed each article of clothing and folded them carefully, leaving a pile of fabric, accessories, and jewelry on the chair he�d been using for most of the day. He was a bit embarrassed to be standing there completely naked in front of his aunt, but assumed that this was something that every recruit had to endure. He fought mightily against the urge to cover his genitals with his hands, and stood there waiting for his next instruction.

She grazed her eyes over him in a way that was definitely not appropriate, but refrained from making any comment. She waved her hand to lift a Disillusionment charm from a door that led to a bathing chamber. She directed him into the room with another wave of her hand, this time in invitation. �You must be thoroughly cleansed, Draco. I will help you with that.�

He gulped, he hoped silently, and preceded her into the small room. He stepped into the large copper tub, which was conspicuously empty, and waited for Bella to tell him what to do next.

She gathered several bottles and vials and placed them on the floor near the tub. �Sit,� she ordered, and watched while he folded his tall frame into the relatively short vessel. She began by pouring the contents of two of the bottles into the tub and speaking an incantation in whispered tones, so quietly that he could not hear the words.

As the tub began to fill with more of the ingredients she�d gathered, Draco�s skin began to tingle lightly. It wasn�t unpleasant, but it was unexpected so therefore disconcerting. It seemed that she had no intention of explaining anything she was doing, so he had no choice but to sit and experience it. Once all of the bottles and vials had been emptied into the copper vessel, it was filled to waist height with rose water.

Bella reached into the tub and lifted his right leg, moving her hands to his foot. She began to trace each contour, each muscle while repeating her incantation over and over again, still too softly for him to hear. She worked her way up his calf and shin, over his knee and the front and back of his thigh, putting enough pressure that he was very aware of her touch. When done with his right leg, she slowly placed it back into the tub and repeated the process with his left leg.

Draco was starting to get a little worried and embarrassed. He was sixteen, and young men of his age had a tendency to react in particular ways to the touch of a woman, even if that woman was a forbidden partner. He felt part of his anatomy twitch in reaction, and groaned in protest, closing his eyes.

�No, Draco, you must watch the process,� she scolded. �Get up on your hands and knees, inside the tub,� she ordered, causing him to meet her eyes with trepidation. �It�s necessary,� she said in response to his reticence.

When he�d done as she�d commanded, he felt her hands running intimately along his buttocks, dipping into the crevice to lightly stroke his anus and perineum, causing even more reaction in his groin. He cried out in protest when he felt her finger penetrate his sphincter ring.

�Shhh. It�s necessary,� was all she said.

She removed the intrusion and worked her hands up over his back, shoulders and neck, then instructed him to turn back over and resume his seated position. Dipping her hand back into the perfumed and potioned water, she slowly massaged his arms from his fingers back up to his shoulders, up the front of his neck and over his face. She then moved down along his chest and abdomen, reaching his waist and finally grasping his now erect penis firmly in her hand. She gave two firm strokes and reached for his scrotum, watching as his eyes rolled back, warring between pleasure and humiliation. Just when he had reached the point when he didn�t want her to stop what she was doing, she pulled away abruptly.

�Get out of the tub,� she instructed.

He gaped at her, too stunned to speak and too aroused to move without discomfort. �What the fuck?� he challenged her, breathing raggedly.

Smirking at him, she gave a bizarre explanation that he was shocked to hear. �I told you, you had to be ritually cleansed. It�s not my fault if you can�t keep control of your libido.�

He peered deeply in her eyes, disbelief evident in his gaze. He barely controlled his urge to grab her around the throat and squeeze, furious at her taunting and teasing. �Bitch,� he spat under his breath.

She laughed and turned to walk back into the main chamber. �What�s the matter, Draco? Did you want something from me?�

�You are a sick woman sometimes, Aunt Bella, and I don�t appreciate being the target of your depravity,� he seethed.

She just laughed again and instructed him to put on the brocade cloak. She assisted him in fastening it at his neck and draping it to cover his body completely. His anger had, thankfully, contributed to his arousal subsiding quickly.

�Are you ready?� she asked. With a wink, Bella handed him a chocolate truffle, this one laced with an exceptionally powerful potion to remove any inhibitions he might harbor. �To calm you,� she offered.

He nodded sharply and quickly ate the treat, and she opened the door leading to the open area where the final ceremony of the night would take place.

Nightfall had come, and a full moon brightened the gloom through a high, thin cloud cover. Draco was led by Bella into the center of a circle of perhaps seventy Death Eaters. The Dark Lord sat on a large wooden chair, so ornately carved that he�d probably deem a throne. There was a stone slab just to his right, resembling a crude altar. As Draco walked silently through the circle, he noted that all murmuring had stopped, and the only sound was that of his bare feet making contact with the grassy earth. He couldn�t see his father, and everyone else was masked. He stopped three meters in front of the Dark Lord, as had been indicated by the leader�s raised hand. His escort dropped the elbow she�d been clutching and moved away from him a few paces.

In his reedy, breathless voice, the Dark Lord spoke:

�Who appears before me now?�

�It is me, your petitioner, Draco Malfoy, my Lord.�

�And what is your petition this night, Draco Malfoy?�

�To join you as a Death Eater and to be marked tonight, my Lord.�

�Who presents this petitioner?�

�I do, my Lord. I offer my nephew, Draco Malfoy into your service.�

�And why do you do this, Bella?�

�It is his desire and mine that he serve you completely, my Lord.�

�And why should I accept this whelp into my service tonight?�

�He is eager and strong and willing, my Lord, to do your every bidding.�

�How will you prove this to me, Draco Malfoy?�

�In whatever way you choose, my Lord, I am yours to command,�

�Then let us begin your test of worthiness.�

Draco held his breath momentarily, waiting for the Dark Lord to issue an order. He was surprised when someone came up behind him and reached around to undo the clasp at his neck, causing the brocade cloak to fall to the ground at his feet. When he glanced back, he was not terribly surprised to find that it had been his father.

He was not thrilled to be standing naked before so many unknown people, particularly because they knew him and he felt at a distinct disadvantage. He fought, for the second time that night, not to cover his genitals in embarrassment. He resolved to remain stoic and unfazed, no matter what would come.

�You are a fine specimen, Draco Malfoy, young and strong,� the Dark Lord spoke. �How would you use your body in my service?�

Draco swallowed, a bit confused by the question. He decided that his best course was to follow the path he�d already walked. �In whatever way you choose, my Lord. I am yours to command,� he repeated his earlier refrain.

Voldemort nodded once, apparently a signal for Bella. She stepped out from behind his throne and produced Draco�s hawthorn wand, handing it to him with an amused smirk.

At the same time, another hooded and masked Death Eater was escorting a young woman into the circle. She was magically bound at the wrists and blinded by a simple hex. It appeared that she might have been Imperiused or under the influence of a potion, as she was relatively docile, considering the circumstances. Dressed in only a thin cotton sheath, it seemed that she wasn�t aware that she would not be likely to leave this place alive.

�This girl, Draco, is a Mudblood who was captured trying to use magic in the presence of her betters. What punishment do you propose?�

Draco�s head spun with indecision. He was baffled that he had been asked to make such a choice. He thought about the one clue that his Head of House had given him - he would be expected to successfully use at least one Unforgivable curse in order to earn his mark. He raised his wand and pointed it at the helpless girl, causing her escort to step away from the line of fire. With as much venom and hatred as he could muster, he spoke the curse, �Crucio!� and held the wand trained on her as she began to writhe and twist with the pain.

At the same time, his perverse and twisted aunt, unnoticed for the attention diverted to Draco�s spell-casting, raised her own wand and pointed it at Draco, murmuring a spell that was typically reserved for the privacy of the bedroom. �Felliato,� she whispered.

He felt an odd stirring in his groin for the second time tonight. This was more pronounced and insistent though. He wondered in shock, am I really getting aroused by torturing this Mudblood? The evidence seemed clear; the longer and stronger he held the curse, the more aroused he became. It felt like his penis was being flicked by a dozen tongues, over and over again.

He glanced around to gauge the reactions of the Dark Lord and his followers. They were goading him on, urging him to take the curse to a higher level. They seemed to be focused on the girl and how she was screaming in pain, and not on Draco�s personal predicament. He renewed his efforts to take the curse to another level, while his unseen aunt did the same with the spell she�d directed at him. As blood began to appear in a trickle at the girl�s mouth and she passed into oblivion, Draco roared, dropping to his own knees and grasping his penis tightly. It was erupting in an intense orgasm, thick white pulses of semen arcing into the air. It was something that could not be hidden from anyone present.

A hush fell over the gathering, then a loud cheer arose. Draco had no idea whether their ovation was for his success in casting the Cruciatus Curse or in mocking his erotic reaction. Regardless, he was mortified, and hung his head awaiting the Dark Lord�s pronouncement.

�It appears, my friends, that we have before us a young man who has found his calling,� Voldemort announced. �Rise, young Draco, and accept our congratulations.�

The crowd once again cheered their approval, his aunt applauding wildly, and Draco wondered if it was a deep perversion for him to have had an orgasm while torturing someone to the brink of death. Their reaction seemed to indicate that it was not abnormal; he was vaguely unsettled by the thought. Maybe they were all as sick as his crazy aunt. He pushed that thought away, remembering that this is what he�d wanted for so long, and it was about to come to fruition.

�Come closer, Draco Malfoy. You have been accepted to our fold with your display of skill and, uh, enthusiasm,� he chuckled. �As you have petitioned, you will be marked tonight and become one of us for all of your natural life. Do you accept your charge?�

�I do, my Lord. I am ready to serve.�

�Kneel at my feet, young Draco, and receive your mark,� Voldemort reached for the young wizard�s left arm and pointed his wand, beginning to speak his incantation in a language that Draco did not understand. The spell would bind him, body and soul, to this man until death. The tip of the Dark Lord�s wand touched Draco�s skin and began to burn the skull and snake into his pale and tender flesh; the young man was certain he could smell it charring. The pain became so intense that he passed out just as he heard the Dark Lord shout �Morsmordre!�

When Draco next awoke, he was still at the feet of the Dark Lord, but had been covered by his brocade cloak. �Welcome back, young man, Are you ready to receive your first assignment?�

�Yes, my Lord. What will you have me do?�

�You will go back to Hogwarts for one more year, during which you will have three missions to complete.�

Desperately hoping to keep his disappointment at having to return to school out of his voice, Draco accepted his fate. �Yes, my Lord. What are my missions?�

�You will kill Severus Snape and replace him as my eyes inside Hogwarts, and you will kill Hermione Granger, Harry Potter�s Mudblood companion.�
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