Legilimens

| Eleven |

6 June, 1998

Everyone sitting at the long wooden table was silent, waiting for the Dark Lord's wrath. All eyes were low, out of fear of their leader. All, except Draco, who sat straight in the chair, his eyes directed at the Lord sitting at the end of the table. He knew that showing fear to the Dark Lord would only fuel his hate, and he needed the Dark Lord's respects and approval. Voldemort's snake, Nagini, was slithering down the long table, hissing menacingly at the Death Eaters, making them flinch in fear of being attacked by the monster. Draco looked around the table and focused his eyes on Voldemort. He was silent, fury oozing off him in waves as he spoke to his snake in a language only they could understand. His snake-like eyes a menacing slit as he slowly looked around the room. Draco slightly curled his lips in anger as he imagined peeling the skin off the snake's back and killing the beast, before quickly shutting off his mind, just in case someone would try and use Legilimency on him at the look of disgust etched on his face anytime he thought of anything related to Voldemort. But everyone was busy avoiding the piercing gaze of the Master to notice Draco's face. His eyes focused back on the wizard at the end of the table, who was now looking intently at him, a small grin slowly appearing on his thin lips.

"Draco, my dear boy." He spoke up suddenly, his voice now calm. "You have proved yourself to the cause many times. Your father was weak, a failure!" He hissed. "But you, Draco, are a true servant."

Standing up, he walked at a leisure pace behind each and every chair his servants were occupying. Some stayed immobile, while others cowered on the stiff chair, earning a deathly glare from the Dark Lord and a hiss from his snake Nagini. Only Draco stayed calm, hiding his urge to flee with false confidence. When he reached his side, the Dark Lord pressed his hand on the stiff shoulder of Draco. Instantly, he softened his posture.

"The Carrows failed to find the Resurrection Stone for me. But you, Draco, will succeed. Find it." He demanded.

"May I request some of the servants' assistance, my lord?"

The Dark Lord nodded before Draco stood up and called out names.

"Rebastan, Bellatrix, Crabbe and Dolohov. Follow me."

Turning towards the Dark Lord, Draco shared a stiff smile.

"Only the best for the cause, my Lord."

Voldemort nodded and left the room, his snake gliding at his side. The group followed and Draco said loudly.

"To find the Stone, we must find the Order." Turning to Dolohov, he added. "Get the prisoners."

***

Draco patiently waited in the drawing room for the Death Eater to come back with the prisoners. Soon enough, the sound of rattling chains could be heard and Dolohov made his way in the room. Katie Bell whimpered at the sight of Bellatrix, and tears pooled in her eyes when the dark witch smiled at her, an evil glint in her eyes. They were yanked to their knees in front of Draco, and Draco masked his surprise when he noticed that two of his fellow classmates had joined the captives. Susan Bones and dear Loony Lovegood. Turning around to face the Death Eaters, Draco asked.

"When did these two got here?"

"Earlier this morning, Malfoy." Answered Crabbe Sr. "Captured them myself." He added proudly.

"Brilliant." He sarcastically said, not bothering to hide his disdain.

It was too late now to use Legilimency on the two young woman, and he couldn't perform a mind lock while some of the top Death Eaters where in the room with him. He just hoped Loony and Bones would keep their mouths shut. Glancing at Bellatrix, Draco said.

"Proceed."

The older witch licked her chapped lips and grinned, approaching the already battered captives. She hit the first in line with the cruciatus curse, and then moved to the second, doing the same. Soon enough, all of them were panting and letting out small, faint whimpers of pain.

"Where is the Order?" She asked them in a calm manner.

When none spoke, her game resumed, more intense now than before. Dolohov joined her and threw a few more spells at them.

"Please, stop." Whispered Dean Thomas.

"Then tell us where we can find the bloody Order!" Yelled Dolohov.

Dean share a glance with Cho Chang before speaking.

"Find Neville Longbottom, and you'll find the order." He spat.

Draco frowned. "What does Longbottom have to do with the Order?"

"When Harry died, the followers of the Order thought that, maybe, Neville was the Chosen One all along. He's the new leader of the war against evil."

Draco laughed humorlessly. If Longbottom was the leader of anything, it was of gits, not of the Order, for Merlin's sake! Him being the Chosen One was the dumbest thing he had ever heard, and he wanted to laugh at the boy's stupidity. Dolohov grinned at Dean Thomas, baring his rotten teeth at the group of frightened young witches and wizard.

"If only you had told us sooner..." He said before pointing his wand at the young man. "Maybe we wouldn't have killed you. Avada Kedavra!"

The curse hit Dean Thomas, whose limp body fell to the floor with a soft thump. Cho Chang was sobbing uncontrollably, and Draco quickly cast a muffling spell her way. Witnessing one death a day was more than enough for him.

"Find the others." Draco said. "Find everything you can about this Longbottom and warn everyone; the snatchers, the giants, the werewolves, everyone. We need to find him." He paused a moment. "ALIVE."

The Death Eaters disapparated, leaving him alone with the prisoners and the corpse of Dean Thomas, who disapparated, probably to be Nagini's meal. Draco lead them to the cellar and removed the chains bounding their wrists. They all cowered away, all but Loony, who stood in front of Draco, a sweet smile on her lips.

"Good morning, Draco." She said in her soft voice.

"Loony." He acknowledged her.

The smile never left her face at the nickname, and Draco asked her.

"Is it true? Is Neville really the new face of the Order?"

"Oh yes." She answered while nodding her head vigorously. "But it won't be the case when the Order find out Harry is alive."

Shocked, Draco asked.

"How do...?"

She cut him off.

"I heard the Nargles whispering. That man took my necklace, so now they're back to bothering me. But it wasn't a bother anymore when they started talking about Harry being rescued."

Draco shook his head at the lunatic witch before resuming.

"Will you let me use Legilimency on you? It's for your own safety."

She agreed, and he wasted no time finding everything about both the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's army, or rather, what was left of the two forces. Slithering out of the witch's head, he silently thanked her before putting several locks on her brain to prevent any of the other Death Eaters to access them, and did the same to Susan Bones, not bothering to ask her permission first. Draco left the room, not noticing the dark shadow that had witnessed the whole exchange on his way out.
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