The Huge Magical Snake Problem

Redeemed Part 1

Draco was stunned. Never before, would he have thought that those words would be uttered from his father's mouth. His sly, cunning, Slytherin-to-the-core father. He couldn't be sure if this was some kind of ruse to turn him in to the Dark Lord, or not.

Draco chose to be suspicious. "How can I believe you?" he asked, edging away.

Lucius actually looked pleased. "I'm glad to know that you are not going to be gullible. That is good." He glanced at the door. "Draco, I will allow you to see Potter, just to show you my sincerity."

However doubtful he was, he was morbidly curious to see what condition he was in. Still looking suspicious, he nodded.

Lucius returned the gesture and stood up from the bed. He was still in his dark colored Death Eater robe. Draco followed him awkwardly, still in his pyjamas. "Where did they take him?" he whispered. He didn't know why he was using a low voice, it just seemed appropriate as they were about to go see someone recently tortured.

"He's in the dungeons," Lucius replied, voice low as well.

Draco had never liked the dungeons that much. It had always reminded him of the things that must have took place down there, back a long time ago.

They passed the dining room, which was back to normal. They walked down a long hallway, torches lighting up as they passed. They then started the descent down to the deepest part of Malfoy Manor. For some reason, maybe magic was involved, the lighting in the dungeons was always a sickly blue-green.

Lucius turned a corner, and took out his wand. There was a cell door in front of them, and the elder Malfoy tapped the lock, whispering, "Alohomora." The door swung inwards, designed so that if the prisoner was trying to escape by standing next to the door, the idea was that he or she would get hit and smacked backwards.

They tiptoed into the room. It smelled awful... like blood. Draco wrinkled his nose, breathing through his mouth. It was darker in here, and in a corner at the back of the room, there Potter was, shackled to the wall, slumped over. Draco hoped he was just unconscious.

Lucius carefully walked over. He held his wand in a slightly shaky hand, kneeling down beside Potter. Draco heard him breathe out a tremulous sigh. He had never seen his father like this before.

"Are you sure you want to see the damage?" Lucius asked quietly, glancing back at Draco, who was still standing in the doorway.

Draco resolved himself. "Yes," he said firmly, walking forward. His father put a hand on the top of Potter's head, and pushed it up. Draco nearly gagged at the sight presented to him.

Potter's entire face was covered in angry, surprisingly symmetrical slash marks that were still bleeding. Well, some of them. The ones that had obviously been burnt onto his face had been cauterized at the moment of impact. The only spot on his face that wasn't criss-crossed with cuts was over his famous scar- but that area was severely burnt.

Slowly, and with much trepidation, he looked downwards. Past his bloodstained clothes, past his ragged form. His eyes focused on Potter's right foot. When he saw what was down there, he did gag. He nearly lost his dinner in that moment.

The severed toe was cut off all the way, just like his father had told him. He could see the white bone peeking out of his foot... it was absolutely horrible how it was still trickling a small amount of blood.

"Father... is there any way we can help him?" Draco asked, voice hoarse once more.

His father looked closer at his foot. "I think the only thing we could do is try to disinfect things. We can't do any more, since that would cause suspicion amongst the ranks of my Lord's followers."