When The Devil Falls | Draco Malfoy x Tom Riddle

Chapter 4 | A teen's guide on how to impress the Dark Lord (Part ⅠⅠ)

Previously on When The Devil Falls -
Throughout the walk, the Dark Lord noticed Draco wince with every step he took, as if forcing himself not to limp. After about 20 minutes, they reached the Dark Lord's room. The door, adorned with intricate carvings of serpents, was imposing and carried an air of foreboding. The Dark Lord muttered an incantation, and the door swung open, revealing a room steeped in shadows.

The room itself was a tapestry of darkness, the walls adorned with ancient tapestries depicting scenes of conquest and power. A dimly lit fireplace cast flickering shadows across the room, highlighting the ornate furniture and imposing dark wood cabinets. The air was heavy with the scent of incense, creating an atmosphere that felt both suffocating and mysterious.

The Dark Lord gestured for Draco to sit on the bed, and Draco, his eyes widening, inwardly cursed as he realized he was in the Dark Lord's room. The Dark Lord walked to a cabinet and retrieved a box of vials. He heard the profanity-laden thoughts that Draco had unknowingly projected. Lucius had clearly neglected to inform his son that the Dark Lord was a Legilimens. Amused by the oversight, the Dark Lord decided to keep this ability hidden from Draco, finding the situation rather amusing.

Sitting down next to Draco, the Dark Lord gestured for him to move aside his overcoat. Draco complied, his confusion evident. The Dark Lord cut the cloth around the wound on Draco's thigh in a circle and poured the contents of one of the vials from the box onto the wound. Draco winced silently, and to his astonishment, the wound miraculously disappeared, leaving behind unblemished, milky-white skin. No trace of the injury remained, as if it had never happened.

The Dark Lord meticulously repaired the robes that he had cut off to access Draco's injury. As the fabric seamlessly mended itself, Draco slowly looked up at the Dark Lord, his eyes silently posing the question he was too afraid to voice - "why?". The Dark Lord inquired if Bellatrix was the one responsible for his injury. Draco shook his head, revealing that it was his father, who had inflicted the wound. This revelation left the Dark Lord bewildered and disapproving of Lucius' actions.

Perplexed by Lucius's unusual behaviour, the Dark Lord asked if this kind of mistreatment was a frequent occurrence. Draco nodded in affirmation, and the Dark Lord clenched his jaw, silently vowing to investigate the matter later. Draco, with a whispered admission, revealed that the punishment was a consequence of his speaking out of turn during the meeting.

Intrigued, the Dark Lord pressed further, asking why Draco had requested the 15 minutes of contemplation. Draco explained that he needed time to devise a plan. The Dark Lord, skeptical of the possibility of crafting a worthwhile plan in such a short time, was prepared to ruthlessly humiliate Draco if the plan proved to be futile.

However, Draco surprised him. 

"If I manage to convince Dumbledore that I have no desire to kill him and portray myself as weak and harmless, he'll dismiss me as a mere nuisance and won't bother wasting his time trying to thwart my plans. I'll approach my mother with this task, appearing scared and distressed. A few tears later, she'll seek comfort and advice from Severus, who will inevitably report the entire situation to Dumbledore," explained Draco.

"You know about Severus being a traitor. Not many death eaters have caught onto it yet." pointed out the Dark Lord.

"My lord, forgive me for asking but if you know of Severus's disloyalty then why haven't you punished him yet?" asked Draco, his face unreadable but his eyes betrayed a sliver of hope that was gone before the dark lord could confirm it.