Father and Son

~Chapter 17~
Dance of the Death

December 1997

'What... what the hell did you do?' Bellatrix screeched.

David's spell had caused what seemed to be harsh burning wounds on her arms, which she had held in front of her face to protect herself from the unexpected spell.

'How did you do that?' Lucius asked, coming towards the one he believed to be his son with forceful strides.

The blond Death Eater took his own wand from him and Draco's to scrutinize them closely.

'How did you do that?' he repeated, looking at him harshly.

David was shocked for the moment. He had forgotten that everything the Death Eaters would learn from him of the future would help them to change history. His mind raced.

'I...'

'It's easy, Lucius,' Bellatrix screeched, healing her wounds. 'He spoke the one curse and afterwards blocked my spell non-verbally.'

David was relieved that Bellatrix had made up an excuse for him.

'No, Bella. Protegere Incendio... I've never heard of this spell. It's a mixture of two completely different spells.'

He turned to look at David again.

'Inkspell taught you, didn't she?' Bella once again interfered.

Lucius glared at her.

'Yes,' David said, trying to sound proud. His hands were shaking. If he couldn't convince his grandfather, he would pay for his rash actions with his life. 'Inkspell teaches the seventh years a new technique.'

'Tell us,' Bellatrix commanded.

'I can't. Inkspell uses Fidelius. Nobody can teach this technique beside her.'

Lucius cursed. Obviously, he trusted his son not to lie to him in such an important matter.

'I'll inform the Dark Lord of it,' Bellatrix said forcefully. 'We can't afford Inkspell to form an army for Dumbledore. Especially an army which uses new spells.'

'You won't!' Lucius ordered.

'What?' Bellatrix looked at him as if he'd suggested painting the Manor in bright pink.

'He's my son. I will inform him of the new spell.'

'Have you forgotten that the Dark Lord chose me as his tutor?' Bellatrix hissed.

'While I was in prison! Now I can handle his education myself again.'

Bellatrix laughed. 'Do you think the Dark Lord will let you educate his young followers, when you were in prison because you were defeated by a few brats in the Ministry, Lucius?'

'You were also at the Ministry!' Lucius hissed.

David tried to remember the events of the Ministry break-in in 1995, but the only thing he remembered was that his mother had been involved in it somehow.

A house-elf popped in. Lucius and Bellatrix stopped their shouting and glared at the small creature, interrupting them.

'M-missus wishes to see son. She saying she wants talking to him,' the elf stammered.

'Draco. Go see your mother or she'll be chewing my ears off all evening about it.' Lucius rolled his eyes and turned to Bellatrix again.

'Let's talk this over in my office.'

'Let's talk this over with my wand!' Bellatrix suggested, smirking.

David left the dungeons. This time the house-elf led him to his grandmother's parlor. The dark corridors of the Manor seemed to be a labyrinth for him although it was the same House David lived in. His parents must have closed a few corridors. Malfoy Manor was still a labyrinth for strangers in his time, but if you lived there you soon figured out which corridor led to which rooms. Even Sky, Amaris's boyfriend, didn't get lost anymore. But in the old Manor every corridor looked as dark as the other one. All curtains were closed so David couldn't even see what was outside to orientate himself.

He was lost in this time.

When he arrived at his grandmother's door, she opened him instead of letting him in.

'We'll have a walk over the grounds,' Narcissa whispered. 'I don't want your father or Bella to interrupt us again.'

David followed his grandmother. At first he'd thought that she'd obey Lucius and her sister without complaining. But he now realized that she had her own sly ways of getting what she wanted.

Outside he realized the chilling coldness. The house-elves had brought them their winter coats, but he was still freezing. Narcissa, on the other hand, looked like she belonged into the snow-white landscape. Like a white rose she strode elegantly next to him through the snowy blanket that covered the grounds of Malfoy Manor. Her white hair and her pale fragile face made him think of Diana.

For a moment he wondered if his sister would look like her grandmother when she'd reached her age.

Looking at Narcissa again he realized that what made Diana resemble her so much was the bitterness that had shone on his sister's face for a long time now; the same bitterness that Narcissa wore, no matter if she tried to smile at him or not.

'This girl...' Narcissa started.

'I won't discuss her.' David had chosen to be resolute concerning Ginny.

'Are you happy with her?' Her tone was earnest. 'She isn't using you, because she's suspicious you're a Death Eater? Has she seen your mark?'

'No, she hasn't,' David lied. How could he have concealed it of her?

'So you--'

'I hate to repeat myself, Mother, but that's none of your business!'

'Don't take that tone with me!' Narcissa snapped harshly.

David didn't answer.

This was the first time he was able to speak to his grandmother. And probably the last. He didn't want to snap at her or have a fight over his mother with her. He'd always thought his grandparents would've never accepted a marriage between their son and Ginny Weasley. But speaking to Narcissa made him question this thought.

'She's accepting me as I am. And she's not after my money like all the other Slytherin tarts,' he carefully said.

Narcissa snorted. 'A Weasley?'

'You see, she's learned to live with few things. Most of the Slytherin girls search for someone who'll make them expensive presents and lavish diamonds on them.'

'No girl refuses a diamond!' Narcissa sniffed, obviously in a huff about his characterisation of a sort of women she still belonged to.

'I didn't say so.' David smirked. He wasn't sure, yet, if Diana would like it if he told her to be exactly like her grandmother or not.

'And you should remember, my boy, that every girl you chose will determine the future of our family. Every Malfoy wife...'

'Who said anything about marrying?' David snapped. He was surprised that Narcissa would even consider Ginny a wife worth of a Malfoy.

'You wouldn't be risking to be discovered as a Death Eater just out of a mood. If you wanted to just shag a girl, I'm sure there were easier possibilities!' Narcissa shot back, coldly. 'It's not like you, Draco, to choose such a risky date.'

'Look. I'm safer being with one of Dumbledore's little sidekicks. If I'm supposed to deliver information about Hogwarts to the Dark Lord, I have to make sure I'm not branded as a Death Eater there. And being Ginevra's boyfriend is a perfect cover.'

Narcissa scrutinized him. 'You're lying to me. I'm your mother! Don't you think I can see through such evasions?'

David snorted. But he feared Narcissa would learn from the seriousness of his parents' relationship and try to harm Ginny.

'My sister Andromeda was a disgrace to the Black family. She married a Muggle. My cousin Sirius Black became a Gryffindor who fought on Dumbledore's side. And his brother Regulus ran away from the Dark Lord and was killed for his disloyalty. My poor aunt was so ashamed that she never left the house again after this. Don't do this to me, Draco!' Narcissa said, pressing her lips together. Her face had hardened. 'Lucius fears you've got too much of the Black blood. When he heard that you associate with a Weasley he was raging for days!'

'He didn't say a word to me about it.' David frowned.

'He hopes you're a Malfoy. Bellatrix convinced him that you wouldn't dare to betray your family. I beseech you, my son, my family has seen enough disgraceful children! The Malfoys will put the blame on the Blacks!'

'I don't intend in betraying the Dark Lord! And if there is anyone whose trust I seek not to betray, it's yours, Mother!'

David wondered if Narcissa would ever learn that her only son actually was the next disgrace on the Blacks' family tree. Had his father perhaps even fought his own parents? Had he killed one of them? If he came home, David swore to himself, he would immediately search for answers to this.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In the evening about eight o'clock the guests arrived. If David hadn't known better he'd sworn this was a perfectly normal social evening. There was dancing, polite conversation and not so polite gossiping. Only that every guest claimed to have purer blood than the next one. And some wore the Mark that had started to burn on his own arm. David had just managed to escape Pansy who kept insisting he should dance with her. He strolled through the dark corridors of the Manor after having spent a lot more time on the loo than he actually needed.

Suddenly, he was pinned against the next wall into the shadows. A bat-like wizard with long dark hair and a hooked nose glared down at him.

'Who taught you the Binarius spells?' Severus Snape hissed.

David was too shocked to answer. Snape had probably worked on the Binarius spells for a long time. Even longer than seventeen years! Of course Lucius would have asked Professor Snape if he knew anything about those spells, which his son had allegedly learned from Inkspell.

Snape shook him violently. 'Tell me!' he barked.

'Professor Inkspell has taught them to us in Defence Against the Dark Arts,' David lied once again.

'Liar!' Snape growled, his face contorting in anger. 'Inkspell couldn't produce a hovering charm if she hadn't been tutored by Professor Flitwick himself!'

David kept his face defiant.

'You foolish boy!' Snape looked around if someone could hear them. 'I have been hiding my work on those spells for years now and you just go and put in right under the upheld noses of Bellatrix and Lucius who nearly kill each other to sell it to the Dark Lord for some graceful words!'

'I didn't think...'

'That much is obvious, Draco!' he said through gritted teeth. He let go of David's robes.

'It doesn't matter that they know. I told them I couldn't teach anyone how to do it, because Inkspell's the secret keeper,' David said, defiantly.

'The Dark Lord is a Legilimens and you know it. To lie to him would be foolish. If he asks you himself... on the other hand, if you're lucky, he'll think you're too unimportant to ask you. Or he thinks the spells are utter rubbish.'

'But they aren't! You know that'

'Yes, I know them. But the Dark Lord doesn't know why they are much more useful than to fire two curses right after the other. And they have the disadvantage that they don't work non-verbally.'

'They do!' David said, frowning.

Snape stared at him, his eyes widening. 'You... you know how to use them non-verbally? I've never figured out... how do you know?' he hissed.

A flash appeared in front of David's eyes and he felt Snape penetrate his thoughts. He knew the Potions Master was able to read thoughts. But David and Diana hadn't yet learned how to block him.

Before David's eyes the Malfoy dungeons appeared and he was fighting against Diana. It was the fight that had caused the dent in his wand. She pointed her wand at him while he was still stumbling from her last blow. She squeezed her eyes together and two spells shot at him, without her muttering a spell.

The older Professor Snape clapped in his hands two times.

'Very well, Diana.'

David stood up again furiously, looking at his scratched wand.

The scene disappeared and he was looking again at the Snape who stood in the dark Manor corridor with him.

'Who are you?' he hissed. 'You are not from this time! Who are you?

David sighed. He knew he could trust the Professor. After all he was not only his and Diana's teacher, he'd also been his father's mentor during Draco's time as a Death Eater spy. But he feared to meddle with the time even more. It didn't matter. He was already deeply caught in the dangerous web of time. And if he wanted the Binarius spells to be safe of Voldemort he needed someone who knew the Dark Lord.

'I'm Draco Malfoy's son. I accidently swapped places with him. My father's probably in the year 2015 and I'm in his body now.'

Snape's eyes were blazing now with rage.

'Stupid boy! How's that happened? This is most dangerous! If you change history'

'I'm here now! I can't change it. I would be home already if I could. Or do you think it's fun for me to discover what my father had to go through in his teens? To experience war and Voldemort and...'

'Stop this instant!' Snape barked. 'You can't tell me anymore, do you understand?'

David nodded.

Snape sighed. 'Why didn't you come to me in first place? Who noticed you're not Draco?'

'Hermione,' David admitted. 'She noticed right from the start. And I didn't want anyone else to know. It was already dangerous enough,' David explained. Snape nodded. 'The Weasley girl didn't notice anything?'

'Not yet.'

Snape frowned. 'This is not the place to talk about this. We'll meet at Hogwarts, alright?' He snorted. 'At least now I know why Draco needs help from Miss Granger to brew a simple potion, all of a sudden!'

'I'm only starting my sixth year in September,' David told him. 'At my time.'

Snape nodded.

'You better go back to the ball,' he suggested.

David looked at his teacher for one last time. Then he turned and walked away.

'Wait!'

When David turned, Snape was still looking at the point were the blond had stood.

'Yes?' he asked.

'Why did you confide in me now?'

David frowned. 'I know I can trust you,' he said slowly.

'I thought so much.'

'I shouldn't have said that,' David said, regretting his loose tongue.

'No...no it's all right,' Snape assured him.

David nodded, although the Potions Master couldn't have seen that, since he was still not looking at him.

'Thanks,' Snape suddenly said.

'What for?' David was taken aback.

'For giving me hope that I will be able to do what I have to do.'

David looked at the bat-like shadow in the dark.

After a few minutes he bowed shortly, before leaving the dark corridor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Trying to make his way back to the ball, David noticed his grandparents leaving with Bellatrix Lestrange and two other wizards he didn't know.

'Draco, darling! I've been waiting to dance with you all night and you just vanish for hours!' Pansy snapped, her voice changing from honey-sweet to caustic within seconds. She dragged him onto the dance floor and David followed her, resigned to his fate.

He swore to himself to pay everything back to Diana's godmother as soon as he was back in his time. Diana would be delighted to hear the rumours about Pansy's past were true.

But rescue wasn't far away: Blaise came striding towards them along with Goyle.

'Bloody hell, Pansy! Find someone that wants to fuck you!' He pointed at Goyle who grinned broadly.

Pansy glared at Blaise, but he only smirked.

'Have a nice evening, Pans.' Blaise took David's arm and yanked him away from her.

'Hey, mate, just tell her to piss off! What's going to happen? She won't go whining to your mum, you know. She's not four anymore.'

'I know!' David snapped back. Why was everybody trying to tell him what to do and what not? His grandparents, Bellatrix, Snape, Pansy and now even Blaise. Sure, he was a bit insecure in this time, but he was still able to make his own decisions!

'Did you see my grand I mean, my parents vanish with Bellatrix?'

'Yes. Do you feel it, too?'

'What?' David asked, puzzled.

'Your mark! Mine has been prickling for an hour now,' Blaise whispered.

Now that Blaise mentioned it, David realized the faint prickle on his left arm.

'Voldemort is here,' Blaise said, gloomily. 'I bet Aunt Bella and Lucius were called to a private audience,' he mocked.

'They were five,' David remarked, implying the question of who was with them.

'I know. Your mother, Bellatrix, her husband and her brother-in-law accompanied them.'

'A Black family meeting,' David pointed out.

Blaise nodded.

They halted in front of the door that would later belong to Draco's study. Now, David guessed, it was probably Lucius' study. Blaise took out a pale skin-coloured string. David looked at him, astonished.

Blaise smirked. 'Got it from your girlfriend.'

He rolled out the Extendable Ear. David smirked. The Extendable Ear had long been replaced by a new invention of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. 'Don't they use an Impertubable Charm?' David asked.

'They don't know anything about Extendable Ears, I guess. Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes are not something pure-bloods are interested in. You know their arrogance and belief to be superior.'

David put the Extendable Ear into his and listened.

'My Lord, I am glad to serve you in this way, although I used to prefer serving you more actively, this is a far greater honour for me and my family!' David heard Bellatrix's excited voice.

'I hope your family will prove to deserve this honour. Lucius and Rabastan, I want you to do everything in your power to protect your sister-in-law now.' Voldemort's cold voice made David shudder.

'Of course, my Lord!' Lucius silky voice said.

'Lucius, my old friend. Should anything happen to Bella I hope you and your wife will continue this task. If the child is born, my spells can't protect it anymore.'

David and Blaise stared at each other.

But... Bellatrix Lestrange had no children! David thought. The child would be born in September at the latest. He tried to remember sharply, when Bellatrix Lestrange had died, but he couldn't remember a date.

'But it will be a Lestrange!' a voice David didn't know said. It must have been either Bellatrix's husband or her brother-in-law. 'My brother and I have every right to continue your work and raise the child!' the wizard protested.

'It is not of your blood Rabastan!' Voldemort told him sharply.

'But... I thought...' the wizard stuttered, confused.

'Seems like Rabastan thought it was Rodolphus' child,' Blaise whispered.

'The Lestranges are not pure enough to deserve the honour of this child,' Voldemort hissed. 'I chose Bellatrix as a Black. And the Malfoys are just as noble as the Blacks are. They will be able to raise the child as it has to be raised.'

'Yes, my Lord,' Rabastan said, servile.

'This child is part of my plan. Nearly everything depends on it. I trust you, as Bellatrix's family not to tell a soul about it.'

'Yes, my Lord,' everybody chorused.

'Let's go!' Blaise hissed and they snuck back to the ballroom.

On their way back David felt a sharp pain in his left arm. He let out a scream of pain. Blaise at his side also had his face contorted in pain.

'He calls,' Blaise just said. Snape came walking towards them. 'You two shouldn't be sneaking around in the dark corridors!' he hissed.

'We were just trying to avoid Miss Parkinson,' Blaise said, smirking at his Professor.

Snape snorted and David could have sworn his mouth twitched a bit.

'Severus.' Lucius voice sounded from behind.

Blaise and David whirled around.

'The Dark Lord is awaiting the inner circle in the mansard of the Manor, Draco, you know the way.'

David nodded. He hoped desperately the way to the mansard was still the same in his time as in this.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

'My dear Lucius,' Voldemort welcomed the blond wizard as he closed the door of the mansard behind him. The room was furnished with nothing but a large old carpet, an armchair in which Voldemort had taken seat like on a throne, and a few curtains in front of the windows. 'I hope I'm not disturbing your Christmas Ball too much.'

'Not in the least. Your presence is always an honour, my Lord!' Lucius bowed deeply. He took place next to his wife who glanced shortly at him and then looked back at her master.

Voldemort rose from his throne-like armchair and moved around the dimly-lit room. David had never seen something more revolting than this creature. The darkest wizard of the last century was as un-human as he could be. And David could feel the fear and tension he aroused even among his most fervent followers. He swallowed hardly, when the red eyes rested on his face for a few second and then moved on to the next Death Eater. His feet, David noticed, were bare and the skin, which was pulled tightly around the bones everywhere, was so translucent that the blue veins beneath it were visible.

'I have summoned the inner circle to let you all be witness of the execution that will be done tonight as a symbol for our purification of the superior Wizarding race. The impure blood was shed tonight.' He waved his wand towards the curtains that flew open and revealed the sight of a burning village in the darkness. The little town that lay near the Manor, at the foot of the hill on which the Malfoy residence was built, looked like a huge bonfire in the dark night. The sounds of the roaring and rustling fire and the cracking of wood were carried to the Manor as well as the screams of the villagers.

Between the flames, David could recognize the white creatures that he hoped to never meet. Dementors swooped around the fire and an army of pale white Inferi wandered through the flames.

'There will be no Muggle in this region by dawn,' Voldemort announced, his eyes gleaming of the fire that was mirrored there.

And now David realized the other little red dots on the hills behind the village. He looked around in the room. There were faces like Voldemort's that watched excited and gloating as the fire grew higher and higher. Bellatrix Lestrange seemed to burst of excitement. Her pale face flushed and her eyes were glinting madly. But there were also faces like Snape who remained serious and impassive. Lucius Malfoy wore a self-satisfied smile and Narcissa looked as pleased as her husband.

David felt again deeply ashamed to be part of this family. How could he be the offspring of such a cruel and cold-blooded family?

Voldemort took place in his armchair again.

'Snape,' he addressed the Potions Master. Everybody's attention moved from the fires outside to the dark wizard again. 'Is our plan to overthrow Hogwarts ready? Did you find a way to break the protection?'

'Yes, my Lord. After your last assault on the protection charms I was entrusted along with McGonagall and Dumbledore to set up the wards again. I know every spell that was performed upon this school for its protection.'

'Very well.' Voldemort nodded.

David was stunned. Hogwarts was going to be attacked? And Snape was helping Voldemort to get inside of the protections? Did the Headmaster know this?

'And what about Slytherin House?' Voldemort continued. 'I want to have forces inside the walls of Hogwarts, too. It doesn't matter if we can get onto the grounds. The castle's protected by its own magic. We need the Slytherins to open the doors for us.'

'They will follow your command,' Snape said.

'No,' David said, thinking very fast.

All eyes darted to him. David swallowed. He stepped out of the crowd of Death Eaters and bowed down deeply, one knee on the ground.

'My Lord,' he said, his voice trembling with disgust and fear. 'Slytherin House is split. There are loyal followers who will die for you. But there are others who could betray us and give the plan away. My Lord, not everybody has bound himself to you with this mark.' He rolled up his sleeve to show his mark.

'Snape, do you agree with the boy?' Voldemort hissed. 'Is there the chance of betrayal within your House?'

'No, my Lord. It's in the nature of the Slytherins not to give away their House mates. Even if they don't collaborate they won't turn against their own House.'

Voldemort frowned.

'That is not true. Professor Snape doesn't know the House from within as I and Blaise know it.' David looked at Blaise, hoping that he would agree with him.

Snape glared at David.

'Zabini!' Voldemort hissed. 'Do you agree that Slytherin House is treacherous?'

'As a snake, my Lord,' Blaise agreed.

'My Lord, I don't think it will stop your loyal followers if the rest of the house fights on Dumbledore's side,' Snape pointed out.

'My loyal followers...' Voldemort repeated, petting a big snake that wound itself from under the armchair to his master.

David shuddered.

'Aren't most of my followers' children in Slytherin House?' Voldemort asked.

'Everyone, my Lord,' Snape asserted.

'And what about those students, who are not loyal to me as the boys claim?'

'My Lord,' David again interjected, as Voldemort had clearly addressed Snape. 'Not every child follows the path of his or her parents!' He said this with so much seriousness and conviction that Voldemort stared furiously at the other Death Eaters.

'Every one of you has to make sure their children will not bring shame over their family!' he ordered.

No one inside the room had doubts about their master's raging wrath that would come down on their family should their child turn traitor.

'You two!' Voldemort's red eyes shot towards David and Blaise. 'You two will fight with Professor Snape on Dumbledore's side, should some of the Slytherins fight on their side. I don't want Dumbledore to know who's on my side and who isn't. But don't forget where your true loyalty lies.'

I won't! David thought defiantly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~