–Crucio,†Bellatrix Lestrange shrieked.
Draco Malfoy twitched and writhed in pain screaming in agony. The sight encouraged a smirk to grace his tormentor’s lips as she punished her nephew for his horrendous failure.
As soon as she lifted the spell, Narcissa Malfoy ran forward and cradled her son’s head in her lap. She then looked up at her sister with watering eyes and mouthed, –Bella. Please. He’s just a boy.â€
–No Cissy. He deserves this,†Bellatrix replied in a cold, menacing tone, –Don’t you know how much the Dark Lord has been disappointed by his pathetic debacle? I don’t want it to happen again. I want him to be well acquainted with the consequences that await him if he even dares to bungle up this new assignment.â€
Narcissa didn’t reply. She just sat there caressing her now unconscious son’s forehead. She blocked out the image of her fuming sister from her mind reflecting upon all the good times her family used to have. Lucius and Draco were her world. They were the perfect epitome of a happy family.
But all of it changed the day of the finals of the Triwizard Tournament.
She and Lucius were having a quiet dinner when suddenly he clutched his left forearm and his spoon fell off his hand.
–What happened?†she had asked.
He had looked up to her with eyes laced with fear, –The Mark.â€
And he was gone. When he returned, he looked terrified. Looking deep in her eyes, he said, –He’s back.â€
The realization of what he meant hit her like an oncoming Firebolt. She could see her precious world drifting away from her.
The Dark Lord had been vanquished by Harry Potter when Draco was barely a year old. Both Lucius and herself had been relieved and had done everything in their power to keep Draco in the dark regarding his father’s former associations. But after his return, she was filled with a sense of foreboding. She hadn’t allowed Draco to come home during Christmas and his session breaks were spent at the Zabinis who weren’t Death Eaters.
However, on Draco’s sixteenth birthday, the Malfoys’ quiet celebrations were interrupted by an unexpected visitor.
Voldemort took Draco to an empty bedroom and locked her and her husband out. Those hours were like a living hell for her. Lucius paced the room before her like a caged lion. But even she knew that he was powerless to act against the wishes of You-Know-Who. When Draco emerged after his discussions with him, his joyous expression was enough for her to know that she had lost him. She had later crept up to his room and while he was asleep had seen his branded arm. That night itself, she had gone to Snape with her reluctant sister and made him perform the Unbreakable Vow.
Suddenly, she was snapped out of her reverie by a sudden pop. She looked around and froze. In the doorway stood Fenrir Greyback.
Without looking at her he addressed her sister, –The Dark Lord expects the lad to move. Now.â€
Narcissa’s eyes widened with fear. She had been dreading this moment since the day Voldemort had given Draco a new task. She knew that this task was dangerous. One slip and her son could land up in Azkaban or be killed. But she knew better than to disobey the Dark Lord’s orders. In a way, she was thankful to him for giving her son one more chance. So pulling herself together she pointed her wand at Draco and murmured, –Ennervate.â€
Draco opened his eyes and sat up. He looked at his mother whose expression was enough for him to understand that the time had come for him to start working on his mission. Giving her a reassuring nod, he stood up, albeit rather groggily. But before he could regain his balance totally, Bellatrix held him by the scruff of his neck and marched him towards the door and his new identity.
Harry Potter and the Sinister Plot by weasley-malfoy-aficionado
Story Notes:
The AU warning has been given because Dumbledore is not dead and Snape is still at school. The events that took place on the Astronomy Tower at the end of book 6 have been altered. The modified version will be subsequently revealed in the upcoming chapters. But the rest of the events of book 6 are totally relevant to my story. Also, Draco Malfoy has not returned to complete his seventh year at school.
Chapter Notes:DISCLAIMER: Very sad to say, but I don’t own any of the characters. They are all products of JKR’s brilliant mind.
Thanks to my sister, Nikki, for her valuable beta-work. Also thanks to potter-maniac for checking my punctuation errors. This is for you. Love you.
Chapter Endnotes: This is my first fan-fic. Please read and review.