The Eagle and The Snake: A Tragic Love Story

55. Who's Mission

To the girls delight, Voldemort did not order them to kill Umbridge, before they returned to school.
He did however, summon them to a meeting on Luna's last day at the Manor.
"Since this is the last time you will both see me for several months, I thought we should all talk" announced Voldemort.
"Are you not going to summon us to the Shrieking Shack this year, my lord?" Asked Carly.
"It seems unlikely, as I don't have a mission for you this year" answered Voldemort.
Luna frowned, "You don't?".
"No, I do not" replied Voldemort.

"Would this be because you've given Draco a mission instead?" Quizzed Carly, unable to hide the jealousy in her voice.
"I wasn't aware that you knew about that" said Voldemort coldly.
"Bella and Cissy mentioned that Draco had been given a mission, but they didn't tell us what it was" replied Carly quickly.
"Well, you are quite right, Draco has been given a mission. In fact, he has been given two missions. But it is of no concern of yours what he gets up to, so I do not want you talking to him about his tasks"
"Yes, my lord".

"However, if and when Draco fails, I shall be giving you his mission to finish off" revealed Voldemort.
"If you are expecting Draco to fail, then why not give the mission straight to us?" Asked Carly.
"Because I want Draco to try first. The more worried he gets about not completing his mission, the more pain Narcissa and Lucius will be in" explained Voldemort.
"You're giving him this mission to punish his parents?"
"Yes. You see, even though you managed to recite the prophecy to me, it was Lucius's task to retrieve it, for he was in charge of that mission. Not only did he fail to bring it to me, but he got himself and a group of my death eaters captured. Which is why I am punishing him by putting his son in danger".

"Is Draco's mission very dangerous then?" Questioned Luna.
"It is certainly not easy. And it's something I have failed to accomplish for quite some time. I have also told Draco that I will kill him and all those that he cares about, if he fails me. As threats are a good way to motivate people in following your orders" answered Voldemort.
"Will you really kill him if he fails you?" Asked Carly nervously.
"I don't have enough death eaters to spare, which is why I cannot afford to kill them off, every time they disappoint me. So no, I don't intend on actually killing your cousin" informed Voldemort.
"Thank you, my lord" mumbled Carly.

"If you don't have a mission for us, then what are our instructions from you this year?" Quizzed Luna.
"Keep your death eater status and your dark marks hidden, but that should go without saying. And keep tabs on those that you think might join me in the future. It would also be wise to stay out of detention this year, as I don't want you spending too much time with your teachers, in case they get suspicious of where your allegiances lie" instructed Voldemort.

"Do I need to get close to my brother again?" Questioned Carly, who prayed that the answer was no.
"I would like you to keep an eye on his movements, in case he tries to come up with another ridiculous scheme to kill me. But I do not need you to be as close to him as you were last year. In fact, the more time you spend with him, the more likely he is to figure out that you are serving me" admitted Voldemort.
"Understood, my lord" replied Carly.

"If you could also keep an eye on Dumbledore for me, that would be useful, in case you notice anything that Snape doesn't. If you wish to contact me this term, get a message to Snape, and he will pass it on to me. I will do the same, if I need to get word to you" announced Voldemort.
"So, in short, keep our heads down, and our ears up. And pass all of our OWLs with flying colours" replied Luna.
"That is exactly what I want you to do. And with your perfect track record, I know you girls will not fail me... I will make sure your pet in the basement stays alive, while you're away. So that Bella can teach you more dark magic on her, when you come home for the holidays. But until then, good luck, and I will see you when you get back".

****

Once Luna had gone home that evening, Carly made her way towards Draco's room, to talk to him before they returned to Hogwarts the following day.
She knocked on his door, and waited for permission to enter, before going inside.
"Carly, this is a suprise. I thought you were going to be my mother" admitted Draco.
He was sat up in bed, reading a book by candle light, while wearing his silk green pyjamas.
"Sorry to disappoint you" mumbled Carly, as she closed the door behind her, before heading further into the room.

"No, it's not a disappointment. In fact, I'm kind of glad that you're not my mother, as the last thing I need right now is a lecture from her... So, how can I help you?" Asked Draco, as he placed his book onto the nightstand.
"Actually, I was wondering how I could help you" revealed Carly.
"You want to help me?" Questioned Draco.
"Of course, we are cousins afterall"
"We're only like third cousins. But I guess there's no need to get so technical... What do you think you can help me with?"
"Well, I've been a death eater for a lot longer than you. So, if you ever wanted any advice or support, you could always come to me"
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm fine".

Carly sighed, and sat down on the end of Draco's bed.
"You might think that now, but you might not in a few months time. I know from experience how it feels to have been given such an important job by the dark lord. And how it weighs on your mind and consumes your every thought. So, I understand what you're going through, and how you are feeling. Which is why I want you to know, that I'm here for you" informed Carly.
"I don't need help from anyone, especially from someone younger than me" insisted Draco.

"You're only a year older than me. Besides, everyone needs help and support from time to time. I wouldn't have been able to get through my mission, without Luna by my side. And since you don't have a partner, you're all alone in this. Which means you might think that you have no one to talk to about death eater stuff. But you're wrong, because you have me. Whenever you want to rant or vent about your mission, you can come to me, and I will be there for you" promised Carly.

"I know what you're trying to do. You want me to open up about my mission, and tell you all my plans, so that you can get in there first and do a better job than me. But that is not going to happen. The dark lord gave this job to me, not you, because he trusts me, and he wants me to prove myself to him. Which is why I will not let you take this mission from me!" Announced Draco.
Carly frowned and stood to her feet as she crossed her arms, "I was only trying to be friendly, and give you the chance to split your burden".
"No, you want to take the credit for my mission, once I've completed it. Which I will not allow. You've already completed a task for the dark lord, and gained his favour. And this is my chance to prove to myself to him. Which is why I will not have you getting in my way" informed Draco.

"I just thought you would like to share your jobs, since the dark lord has given you two missions, and I thought that maybe you would want to give one to me and Luna" admitted Carly.
"Well, you thought wrong. I will complete my tasks all by myself" replied Draco.
"Don't be thick, Draco. If the dark lord really wanted this mission done properly, he would've given it to Luna and me, since we have more experience than you do at things like this. He even admitted to us, that he expects us to take over from you, when you fail. He only gave this mission to you first, because he wants to see you fail, as that will hurt your parents, who he is currently not very happy with" revealed Carly.

"You're lying!" Snapped Draco.
"Am not! But if you're so insistent on doing this by yourself, then by all means, do it alone. I was only trying to give you support and look out for you. I know how lonely being a young death eater can be, and I have a girlfriend, so Merlin knows how you will cope on your own. You won't be able to talk about this to anyone else at school, as it's top secret. And you will begin to feel very isolated and alone... So, once you've deflated your ego, and realised that you can't do it all by yourself, you know where to come and find me. I won't turn my back on you, no matter how your treat me. For we are on the same side, and we share the same master. So, when you need me, I'll be there" announced Carly, before turning her back on Draco, and walking away.