Traitor: A Draco Malfoy Story

interlude

"You've failed me, Lucius," the Dark Lord hissed as he circled the trembling man in his home.

"I-it was an accident, My Lord, heat of the battle, quite unavoidable," he stammered. 

Draco stood in the corner of the mansion's dining room, his mother's hand intertwined with his own. He watched as his father was slapped across the face, clutching his cheek. Lucius looked at Voldemort with pure guilt and self-loathing in his eyes.

"I'm s-sorry, My Lord."

"I bet you are," Voldemort spat. "I'd hoped I could walk away from the Ministry with at least one of two, but here we are, with nothing. We might as well not even have wasted our time, and it's entirely your fault."

No one dared mention that he let the girl slip through his fingers like the orb had fallen through Lucius's.

The others who had been there during the battle with the children tried their hardest to avoid eye contact with their master as well. To acknowledge that they failed because of a group of teenagers was embarrassing, almost laughable, and no one stepped up to take the blame. Bellatrix stood by the fireplace next to Narcissa, swaying back and forth in anticipation of possible torture. She enjoyed the screams.

"I've thought long and hard about you and the predicament you've now put us in, Lucius." 

The blond man gulped as Voldemort continued.

"I've used your influence at the Ministry to help in our efforts." The pale, bald man paced the length of the room. "We're all outcasts, outlaws, some may even say criminals, but you, Lucius, you are well respected. Well-liked in the community. You had power in your job. It was a nice asset."

He walked up to meet the fear in Lucius's eyes. "I had big plans for you, my friend. Would you like to hear them?" He tilted his head to the side, awaiting Lucius' answer, which came only in the form of a slight nod.

A small smile darted across Voldemort's lips. "Good."

He turned to address the room. "There is only one man who I despise more than Harry Potter and that is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Not only does he think that he can defeat me, not only does he continually patronize me during our confrontations, but he stole the very thing I was after right under my nose, just to have it. He's greedy, he's vile, he's calculating and manipulative. I mean, please." he placed his hand on his hips. "He wiped the memories of that poor girl's family just so he would have to keep her with him. They didn't know who she was when we went looking for her, and it only took a small round of the Cruciatus Curse before I realized what had happened."

Lucius's eyes darted around the room, anxious to see where this was heading.

"Long story short," Voldemort clasped his hands in front of him. "I hate him, and I want him dead." He whirled around to face the blond man once again. "Now, I'd planned for you to do that, Lucius. But I can't trust you. So I'm sending the next best thing to do my bidding: your son. Come here, Draco."

Draco froze, his eyes darting around the room like a cornered animal. He looked at his mother, whose eyes were filled with the same fear, but she nudged him toward the embodiment of evil that stood before them.

"Do you think you can do that for me, my boy?" Voldemort asked, placing a hand on Draco's shoulder. "Do you think you can kill that despicable old man for me?"

"Please," Lucius begged. "He's just a boy. I swear on my life I'll do better."

"I really don't care what you swear on, Lucius," said Voldemort calmly. "Now come, Draco, we have to make your involvement official."

The man took him to the middle of the room.

"What if I don't want to do this, My Lord?" Draco asked, his voice quiet.

"Then I kill your mother and father slowly, in front of you, and then you," Voldemort laughed. "But come now, you wouldn't defy me. That's why you should have no fear that anything will happen to them or you. Now hold our your left arm, boy."

With shaking fingers, Draco rolled up the sleeve of his black button-down, exposing the pale flesh, a blank canvas for the Dark Lord to pollute.

"This might will only hurt a lot," grinned the evil wizard. "Bracchiomordre!"

A searing pain spread through the boy's arm as the Dark Mark was embedded in his skin. He grimaced, doing his best to not make a sound, scared for his fear to show. He knew that this was a punishment, but chose to pretend it was a great honor. He would tell himself this until he believed it himself.

"Well done, Draco," Voldemort patted him on the back. "Well done."

Narcissa watched in horror as her master conducted the swearing-in process. She knew what was coming, she'd watched Lucius do the same thing all those years ago.

"Chose one, Draco," Voldemort whispered, peering over the boy's shoulder, his lips near his ear. Corban Yaxley brought a line of three Muggles into the room, the other Death Eaters immediately making disgusting sounds. "Which one do you like best?"

They were all about Draco's age, one a blonde girl, one short brunette boy, and one a dopey-looking raven-haired boy.

He chose the last one. "Now kill him," hissed the Dark Lord. "Kill him, and you're one of us."

Draco's wand faltered as he raised it. He struggled to keep it steady.

"Show me you're capable," Voldemort said. "Show me what I already know about you."

Draco took a raggedy breath, preparing himself. Voldemort couldn't see it, but as Draco took aim, he closed his eyes. He didn't want to see the life leave the poor boy's body. "Avada Kedavra." The body hit the floor with a thud.

"Excellent job," Voldemort beamed, embracing Draco in a stiff hug. "You're one of us!"

Without a second thought or even uttering a word, Voldemort snapped the neck of the remaining two Muggles with a nonverbal incantation. The cruelty of the action was not lost on the Death Eaters in the room, especially when he could have easily used the Killing Curse.

"Clean that up," he gestured to the throng of Death Eaters. "I don't want the stench of Muggle meat stinking up the Malfoy's beautiful home."

A/N: welcome to year 6! 

also, i made up the spell "bracciomordre" out of the latin words for "arm" and "death". i thought it was fitting given what it was!