His love

⚕️ Chapter 2: Taken by darkness ⚕️

"Mommy, I don't want to go," Daphne cried, her small hands clutching Narcissa's robe with all the strength her tiny body could muster. Her wide, tear-filled eyes gazed up at her mother, pleading for safety, for protection.

Narcissa knelt before her daughter, her heart breaking with every sob that escaped Daphne's lips. The little girl's blonde hair was damp from the tears, her cheeks flushed from crying. Narcissa stroked her daughter's face gently, her own hands trembling as she tried to comfort her, though she was unraveling inside.

"I know, my darling," Narcissa whispered, her voice thick with grief. "I know you don't want to go, but—"

"You will come back to us soon, Daphne," Lucius interrupted, standing rigidly behind them. His voice was cold, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of regret. He wasn't looking at his wife or daughter; his gaze was fixed on the dark figure in the doorway.

Voldemort.

He stood silently, cloaked in shadow, his pale face barely visible beneath the hood of his black robes. His red eyes glowed with a terrifying intensity, piercing the room like a harbinger of doom. His presence filled the Malfoy Manor with an oppressive chill, and Narcissa instinctively held Daphne closer.

"Daphne," Voldemort's voice slithered through the air, cold and lifeless. "Come to me, child."

The little girl whimpered, burying her face into Narcissa's chest, shaking her head violently. "No! No! I don't want to go with him, Mommy! Please!"

Narcissa's heart shattered. She wrapped her arms tightly around Daphne, rocking her gently, whispering soothing words into her hair, though nothing felt like enough. She couldn't stop the inevitable. She had tried, but Voldemort's claim had been made, and now he had come to collect.

"It will be okay, my love," Narcissa whispered, though her words felt hollow. Her breath hitched as she fought back tears. "You are brave, my sweet girl. So, so brave."

"I'm scared," Daphne sobbed, her small hands gripping Narcissa even tighter.

"I know, sweetheart. I know," Narcissa whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of Daphne's head. "But I will always be with you. Always."

Lucius remained silent, his face set in a hard mask. He had accepted this fate, forcing himself to believe it was for the greater good of their family. But as he watched Narcissa cradle their daughter, the guilt gnawed at him.

"Enough," Voldemort said, his voice colder now. He extended a bony hand toward Daphne. "The child belongs to me. She will learn my ways. It is her destiny."

Narcissa rose slowly, her hands still on Daphne's shoulders, as if anchoring the girl to the world she knew. "She's just a child."

"That is why she must come with me," Voldemort hissed, his eyes narrowing. "The younger she is, the more she can learn. I will shape her into something magnificent."

Narcissa felt the weight of his words, knowing what kind of "magnificence" he sought. He would twist Daphne's innocence, mold her into something dark, loyal only to him.

Daphne looked up at her mother, her tear-streaked face full of fear and confusion. "Mommy, don't let him take me."

Narcissa's resolve nearly crumbled, but she knew defiance would only lead to worse consequences. Voldemort had made his claim, and resisting him would be disastrous.

"Go with him, my love," Narcissa whispered, forcing a smile through her tears. "It will be okay. I'll see you soon."

Daphne clung to her mother for a moment longer, trembling, before slowly loosening her grip. She looked up at Voldemort with wide, fearful eyes.

Voldemort reached down and, with a surprisingly gentle gesture, took Daphne's small hand. "Come, child."

Daphne hesitated, casting one last, heart-wrenching glance at her mother. Narcissa gave her a reassuring nod, though it took everything in her not to fall apart.

As they reached the doorway, Daphne's tiny hand trembled in Voldemort's cold grip. She looked back at Narcissa, her tear-filled eyes silently pleading for anything to stop this nightmare.

Voldemort, sensing her hesitation, bent down slightly, his voice slithering through the air. "You hesitate, child. Soon, you will know where your true loyalties lie. Your past will no longer matter."

Daphne blinked up at him, clutching at the last fragments of her life. Voldemort waved his wand, and the room filled with a suffocating darkness.

Narcissa's heart dropped. "No," she whispered, knowing what was about to happen but powerless to stop it.

Dark magic spiraled from Voldemort's wand, coiling around Daphne's small form. The child gasped, reaching out for her mother, but Narcissa could only watch in horror as the magic tore through her daughter's mind.

Daphne's face twisted with confusion and pain as the spell worked its way into her memories. Narcissa saw the light in her daughter's eyes dim, the recognition and love fading away like mist.

"Mommy..." Daphne's voice was a broken whisper, her little fingers outstretched toward Narcissa.

But then, it was over.

Daphne's hand dropped to her side. Her expression went blank, her eyes dull and lifeless.

Voldemort's smile was thin and cruel. "She no longer remembers you, Narcissa."

The little girl looked around, her brow furrowed. "Who?"

Narcissa's world shattered. "Daphne... it's me... your mother..."

But Daphne's gaze slid past her, unseeing. The bond between them was gone, wiped clean.

Voldemort chuckled. "She is no longer yours. Her past is mine to rewrite."

Tears welled in Narcissa's eyes, but she forced herself to stand tall. She refused to break in front of him, even as Lucius remained frozen in the corner, guilt written on his face.

"She's gone, Lucius," Narcissa whispered, her voice trembling. "This is all your fault."

Lucius flinched, his composure shattered. He had always believed he could protect his family while serving Voldemort, but he had been wrong. Now, their daughter was gone, and nothing could change that.

"You've damned our daughter, Lucius," Narcissa hissed, her voice trembling with fury and heartbreak. "You promised me we would find a way. You swore she would be safe. But now—she's gone. And it's your fault."

Lucius flinched, his usual cold composure shattered under the weight of her words. "Narcissa, I—"

"Don't!" she interrupted, her eyes blazing with grief. "You stood by and let him take her. You let him destroy everything she was. Our little girl doesn't even know who we are anymore. She's lost to us. Forever."

Lucius's face paled, the guilt gnawing at him, but he had no defense. The path they had chosen—the deals, the loyalty to Voldemort—had led them here. He knew that. But hearing the words from Narcissa's lips was a pain he hadn't anticipated.

"We had no choice," Lucius whispered, barely able to meet her gaze.

"There's always a choice," Narcissa shot back, her voice shaking. "You just made the wrong one."