Destined for Darkness (A Draco Malfoy Fic)

Branded

"Let us begin the Ceremony."

My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach at Voldemort's words.

I silently begged Merlin to let me be wrong about what I thought this "Ceremony" would be, but I had a sinking feeling that I knew exactly what was about to happen to me, Draco, and Theo.

And I couldn't see a way out of it that didn't end in our deaths.

"As I look around this room, I see witches and wizards who believe in the future of our world the way it is meant to be. Over the years, each of you found your way to me and have proven yourselves to be faithful servants; even a few of you remain from those earliest days when you were known as the Knights of Walpurgis."

There was a self-satisfied sort of grunt of agreement that I heard somewhere to my right that I was pretty sure came from Theo's father.

"I have gathered you all here this evening for a special occasion. Generational loyalty is what you see before you," Voldemort continued, waving a hand towards us. "Born with allegiance running through their veins, tonight we welcome in the second generation of Death Eaters. And let them be the first of many," he said with finality.

I chanced a sideways glance up at Draco, and his face was expressionless as his gaze was fixed somewhere on the far wall. I must have caught his attention because his eyes drifted towards me, and for a split second, they flashed with so much pain and regret before turning to stone once more.

If his wall was up, then I knew that I needed to shut everything out too. I sucked in a silent breath, sealing off the door in my mind with surprising ease, and the air escaped my lips almost as a sigh of relief when the grip my emotions had on me suddenly released.

Voldemort's gaze swept over us as he strode towards Theo and out of my field of vision. I couldn't see past Draco in my periphery, and I didn't dare turn my head to see what was happening, but I heard a rustle of fabric, and then Voldemort spoke again.

"Theodore Tiberius Nott, I bestow my mark upon you."

A series of hissing sounds began pouring out of Voldemort's mouth, and I quickly realized he must have been speaking in Parseltongue.

Theo sucked in a sharp breath just as I felt the tingle of magic in the air, but instead of feeling light and airy, this magic was heavy, dark. And something inside me stirred as it spread through the room.

Voldemort continued speaking words I couldn't understand, and I could hear Theo grunting like he was using every bit of his strength until he suddenly let out a pained yell. A moment later, something hit the floor, and I heard Theo panting as I assumed he had collapsed to his hands and knees.

A flash of red entered my vision as Voldemort glided over, and his inhuman eyes locked on Draco. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I watched as he grabbed Draco's left arm and raised it, slicing open the fabric of his suit jacket and shirt with a flick of his wand to reveal the bare skin of his inner forearm beneath.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, I bestow my mark upon you."

Voldemort pressed the tip of his wand to Draco's arm and began speaking in Parseltongue again, but Draco stayed as still and silent as the countless statues of his ancestors that lined the halls of Malfoy Manor.

Magic brushed against my skin, more potent now that it was closer, and it made my chest tighten. The air around me was so thick with it that I was convinced if I drew in a breath, I would surely choke.

I could see the muscles in Draco's jaw tighten as he endured whatever spell or curse was being poured into his body as Voldemort continued hissing the words. His eyes snapped shut, and his lips peeled back to reveal his teeth clenched together. He seemed to hold back for as long as he could until a growl tore from his throat, and he dropped to his knees but managed to stay upright.