A/N: MY FIRST FIC!! Note: This is a PROLOGUE, please excuse the brevity of the chapter, I promise that future submissions will be MUCH longer! Please R & R! :o)
Draco Malfoy was frightened beyond words; he was worried for his life, his family's life, and worried because he had heard something he would have done better without knowing.
"You have failed to complete the task, boy," hissed Voldemort in his cold, high-pitched voice.
"M-m-master, h-have mercy, I b-beg you have mercy on me!" Draco sobbed and shuddered.
"ONLY THOSE WHO DESERVE MERCY RECEIVE IT! CRUCIO!"
Unbearable, burning pain was spreading throughout Draco's body, lighting his fingers on fire and leaving them throbbing. It was as if a thousand knives were skinning him alive, and as soon as he healed, the excruciating torture began once more. Malfoy screamed as he twitched and writhed on the cold hard floor of the dank, gloomy cave. Black-hooded Death Eaters jeered and shrieked in mirth.
One voice stood out above the others, Malfoy realized it was his mother, begging for her son's release.
"My Lord, he is my son! My only son! Please free him and take me instead…I'll do anything for him! JUST STOP HURTING HIM!" Narcissa was sobbing hysterically as she screamed, letting her emotions take over.
"You dare raise your voice at your lord?" Voldemort's fury leaked perilously from his treacherously soft hiss.
The pain lifted from Malfoy's body and he was free from the torture long enough to see something that would scar him forever…
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
The words, full of spite and loathing, were nothing compared to the look on Draco's face as he watched his mother's slender body fall into a graceful arc, shock and fear etched onto her face.
The hot fires of revenge burned inside of him as he looked into the face of his mother's murderer, and in the second before he fled, he swore to himself that he would avenge her.
CRACK!
Draco Apparated into the dark, deadly woods behind the caves where the Death Eaters took refuge…he could hear the frighteningly conformed march of the Dark Lord's servants as they hurtled out of their posts to find him.
He began running, the fatal tendrils of the venomous plants reached out to strangle him, the poison tipped thorns scratched his face and arms as he tripped through the forest, creatures of the dark stirred and their wrath was woken as they headed to destroy the boy that had disturbed their peace.
The Death Eaters had spotted him and were blocking his egress.
"MALFOY!" Draco looked with loathing at his old potions professor.
"Get back here, you damn fool!" cried a voice that Draco did not recognize.
Another voice jeered, "Oho! He's not finished with you! Oh no!" And Draco heard him laugh mirthlessly.
Draco looked around for a way out, gasping with pain and fear, but the Death Eaters had enclosed him in a complete circle, and the hags and werewolves were staring at him with unmistakable hunger gleaming in their evil eyes.
He had no where to go…they were coming closer. Cold wooden wands were thrust up against his throat, choking him.
He felt their hot, putrid breath against his skin...
He prepared to meet his end...
Dumbledore had offered him complete and secure protection, he was an idiot not to have accepted it. They reached out and grabbed at him. He had no where to go. He was going to die,in his mind he saw the haven of shelter that he had been so close to accepting;it was getting clearer…
CRACK !
Draco Malfoy looked up into the frightened, shocked face of Hermione Granger before collapsing with a sickening thud onto the dank, dirty floor.
A/N: Please R&R
THANK YOU:
***Little Kitty: MY FANTASTIC BETA!!
***Potterphile12: MY OTHER OUTSTANDING BETA!
Ha ha...alone they are just superb, but when you put them together they are JKResque~!... :o)
Thanks!
Lilly (Mrs.Roonil Wazlib aka Won Won's Lill Lill)