Stranger Beginnings

Annihilation of the Soul

1993 - Malfoy Manor

Flashback

Large stone bricks engulfed in ivy ventured across the dungeon purifying the damp air, puddles acted as mirrors for the spiders' blood moon, illuminating paths. This was the only dungeon the Malfoy's rigorously cleaned, not only being used for initiation but also as a sanctuary for The Dark Lord to do his biddings.

Draco has never been so close to the peculiar dungeon, only once in his third year of Hogwarts while on Christmas break, mischievously curious Draco followed the house-elf, wand tucked firmly under his jacket preparing himself for the ultimate confundo trick.

Following behind the slave, hiding in each dark corner to shield himself while ensuring he was exactly six feet behind, the boy's curiosity grew.

What felt like a thousand left turns and a couple of stairs dipping into the underground, he warily wandered through each corridor unaware of the candlelight dimming, casting rather large figures in the gloom.

Suddenly the elf stopped, standing in front of a door Draco has never seen before. Hiding behind the large passageway Draco watched as the elf entered the unfamiliar metal door, staggering closer, the door bore a symbol he was all too familiar with, tattooed on his father's forearm. "Death eaters," snuffed Draco he also was entitled to go behind the mysterious door.

After all his father was the loyal Lucius Malfoy known for his dominant stance behind the Dark One, placing his balmy fingers on the edge of the door Draco flew back in a split second, wincing from the frostbite which begun to spread towards the middle of his palm similarly to the black spot which Dumbledore suffered from.

After then, upon the discovery of his presence, Draco was warned to never explore that side of his manor again; however, what indeed stopped Draco from visiting the dungeon was the traumatizing threat by his father that no one would be there to help him again if he proceeded to disobey.

• • •

2001 - Malfoy Manor

Present Day

The mysterious door had now been wide open years later, and Draco was about to enter it, feeling almost welcomed by the door that once never welcomed him. Bodies piled the dungeon's entrance, some recognizable faces, some masked faces, hiding one's identity was a preference of The Dark Lord deeming those masked faces as unworthy, too precious for ones eye. The dungeon was motionless, it seemed all eyes were on Draco, his friends Gregory Goyle and Blaise Zabini.

"Draco, my boy," Narcissa whispered as she tended to Draco's side, tucking the black strand of fallen stray hair back into place.

"Head high and shoulders back, you know your responsibility." The mother's weary face frowned from disapproval in the acknowledgement of giving up her son, "Make us proud son." Corners of her red-stained lips perked up slightly, as she muttered her prominent words, not leaving any time for them to turn to its usual dullness.

With all the chaos surrounding tonights event, Narcissa couldn't help but seem overwhelmingly betrayed, it showed and Draco could tell.

He knew his devoted mother all too well just by her body language, little did he know how much she had given up, everything, including her dignity to Snape in order to keep the family alive, especially her only son.