73. The demon who earned his horns

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Think you all knew this one was coming, but I've gotta say it; TW; graphic depictions of violence, war, bodily mutilation and death.

4th July

He should have murdered the Malfoy boy a decade ago.

As he Apparated onto the cobbled streets of York, that was all Voldemort could think about.

He'd let this happen! He'd let Draco do this to him! He'd let the Malfoy's ruin him!

The destruction of the Horcruxes and the loss of his army, they were both because of Draco. This state that he was in ... this weakness he felt taking a hold of his body. It was all because he'd let that wretched family get the better of him.

Twice before the Malfoys had betrayed him. He shouldn't have given them the opportunity to do it a third time. He should have followed his instincts and slaughtered all three of them in their manor.

He should have known that family was no good when Lucius had failed to retrieve the prophecy all those years ago, because what greater betrayal was there than to betray your masters trust? Voldemort had trusted him with something so precious and he'd failed him. After that, Voldemort should have washed his hands with the lot of them. It was what they'd deserved, it was what they'd earned and yet, he'd given them another chance.

Narcissa's betrayal should have been the final nail in the Malfoy coffin. Magical blood or not, Sacred 28 or not, he should have wiped them all out when she'd lied to him about Harry being alive but again ... He'd digressed. Against the advice of all his advisors, he'd given them another chance. Thought that if he executed two of the traitors while the third watched, it might bring a new appreciation for him and his mercy. He thought it might make the last remaining Malfoy a little more grateful, a little more ... obedient.

For a time, it'd worked. For a time, the sole remaining Malfoy had been a force to be reckoned with. He'd been cruel and powerful. He'd been the most ruthless and skilled killer in the world because Voldemort had made him that way. Voldemort had made him.

He'd crushed all the weakness out of Malfoy and made him strong. People feared the sight of horn-figured shadows because Voldemort had given him the mask. People feared the mention of Draco's name almost as much as they feared Voldemort's, because Voldemort had made it so.

He'd almost immortalised the boy as much as he had himself -

And this was how he'd chosen to repay him? By betraying him? By tearing down the man who'd made him everything that he was?!

Everything Draco had done for Voldemort during the war, none of it mattered anymore. It didn't matter how instrumental Draco had been in Voldemort's armies. All those battles that'd been won on the end of his wand, all the Order member's that he butchered in Voldemort's name ... none of it mattered anymore. He was nothing to Voldemort now. His slate had been wiped clean. He might as well have been working for the Order all along.

He should have just killed him when he'd had the chance.

Voldemort's feet dragged against the rough stones as he walked the path to the Cathedral -

If he'd just killed Draco when he was a boy, none of this would be happening to him...

He felt weaker, weaker than he'd felt in over a decade. Even breathing felt like it was a task for him -

He should have killed Draco years ago.

His bones ached with every clumsy step he took towards the cathedral -

He should have gutted him.

Metallic-tasting liquid pooled in his mouth -

He should have ignored Narcissa's desperate pleas and sobs for him to spare her only son and just killed him.

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