Persuasive

thirty-two

At the Malfoy Manor

Draco and I hesitantly trudged over to the front of the steps, glaring at the lavish decorations on the front door radiating wealthy energy. Of course we, the Malfoys, have to glorify the fact that we're filthy rich.

My chest was tightening harder and harder the closer we walked up to our front door. Draco was scared shitless, and I honestly didn't know how to feel. Seeing father again after a year felt strange, it's almost like I haven't seen him in forever.

"Open the door." Draco muttered to me as he stood by the door, fidgeting with his robe.

I proceeded to move closer to the door, reaching my trembling hand out to unlock the door with our key. The door creaked open, and the entrance was empty.

We heard distant laughter, coming from the main living room. They were familiar voices, mother and father. Draco trailed behind me, our footsteps were slow and steady as we moved closer to their laughter.

Then, I saw the back of father's head on the satin, pine colored couches as he continued laughing with mother.

Mother shot her head up towards us, glaring at us with sunken eyes. She promptly stood up, fixing her collar as she cleared her throat.

"Hello children." she addressed lightly as she kept her eyes on us.

Father swiftly stood up after her, hesitating to turn around to face us.

I could practically feel my heartbeat pounding in my head. My body was starting to heat up just looking at him, and my chest felt like it was about to explode.

He turned around, with a slight smile on his face, hiding the pain in his eyes from seeing us. His lip was quivering, like he was trying to say something but no words could properly come out.

His face was unrecognizable, unshaven beard and bloodshot eyes. He slightly gained a bit of weight, and had an uptight look on his face, like he's been stressed.

"Avalon." he whispered as he inched closer to me, holding his arms out to hug me, but I backed away.

"What are you doing back?" I trembled, keeping my eyes glued to his. I tried to hold back my tears, but I could feel my throat tightening.

He turned his head towards Draco, holding his arms out to him but Draco also backed away.

"Something really must've happened to you then because you never try to hug me." Draco quavered.

Father sighed and rested his arms down to his sides, looking down at the ground, ashamed.

"Fine, don't hug me then. But there's news I need to share with you two." he stated as he refused to make eye contact with us.

"Maybe now is not the time." my mother whispered as she grabbed his arm.

His face was tense, and he turned towards mother with a stiff voice. "It has to be told."

Draco shot his head towards me with a puzzled look, his eyes were covered in a glassy layer of tears. I could tell he's been trying to hold back his tears as well. Draco and I were very different, but similar in many ways. We rarely ever open up to anyone and never let anyone see us weak, or in tears.

"Tell us the news so we can go." Draco muttered as he quickly wiped the tear rolling down his cheek.

Father sighed, and started grinding his teeth as he continued looking down at the floor. He went back over to the couches, signaling for us to follow as he sat himself down on one of them, and we seated ourselves across from him.

"I didn't want to tell you the real reason why I left last year because I felt as if you were too young to understand." father stated as he pressed his hands together.

Draco scoffed, and I sat there glaring at father with fury.

"Do you understand what you've done to this family?" I bellowed as I pointed my finger towards him. "You don't just get to up and leave, then join us again like it's nothing." I hissed on the verge of crying.

"I know Avalon, and I'm sorry." he replied with a soft spoken voice.

"You think a fucking apology is going to fix this?" Draco snarled as he fixed his posture.

"Language, Draco." mother hissed as she sat next to father.

Draco slumped back into the couch and crossed his arms, muttering to himself.

"I've been working for somebody. Somebody who has promised to grant our family great power in the world he is building." father shared.

Mother pressed her lips together and started fidgeting with her fingers, holding herself back from saying something.

"Working for somebody?" I muttered as I pressed my eyebrows together. Draco and I both sat ourselves up and made sure to pay attention to what father was telling us.

Father slowly lifted his sleeve up, revealing a tattoo embedded on his forearm. It was a snake wrapped around a huge skull.

So what, he got a tattoo?

"You got a tattoo? Congratulations you're badass and young again." I muttered sarcastically.

"It's not a tattoo, Avalon." he sighed as he rolled his sleeve back down.

"Then what is it?" Draco and I both questioned at the same time.

"It's a dark mark, I've received it last year when I left to go join lord voldemort- well he's not lord voldemort yet- but he will be soon." father announced.

Lord Voldemort.. that name rings a bell. It's like I've heard of it somewhere but I'm not sure where.

"We're all getting our dark marks, because our lord has made a promise to us and we must return it." father stated as he glared at both of us.

"Our lord?" I scoffed as I shot my head into the palms of my hand. "You've really gone crazy over the year-"

"SILENCE!!!" he thundered as his face became tight and infuriated. "This is not up for discussion. Next summer you will get your dark marks, and that's that." he bellowed as he continued grinding his teeth.

Mother didn't look shocked in the slightest bit, like she knew about all of this already.

"You knew about all of this?" I questioned mother as I kept my gaze on her, studying her face in case she lies. I can always tell when mother is lying.

"I-yes." she sighed as she bit her lip anxiously.

"Wait, you made us think he was never going to come back. You made us question where he was every single day." Draco fumed as he stood up from the couch and balled his fists up.

Mother swiftly stood up, glaring up at Draco as she squinted her eyes at him. "You do not raise your voice at me. I didn't know if he was going to ever come back or not."

"You're both pathetic. You've failed as parents." Draco spat as he roamed his eyes back and fourth between mother and father. "And no i'm not getting a damn dark mark-"

Slap.

The next thing I saw in front of me was Draco with his hand on his face, and father towering over him.

"Do not speak to us that way. You're an utter disappoint, always have been and always will. The least thing you could do to make us proud is get the dark mark." father spat through his teeth.

Draco stormed off not looking back, and rushed to his room.

I instantly stood up from the couch and followed behind him.