The Black Sheep

chapter five

The First Task

Malfoy Manor loomed dark and forbidding in a hazy mist as Bo approached the front door early the next morning. Her heart sank when she caught sight of Cissy, peaking out nervously from behind the door like a mouse shivering behind its hole in the wall. The dark circles under Cissy's eyes gave her the appearance of a shriveled, malnourished raccoon, and though she smiled when she saw Bo, she seemed reluctant to open the door.

"I'm sorry I had to leave so soon yesterday, Aunt Cissy, I had a few things to take care of at home," she said in the foyer, after a brief exchange of greetings.

"Oh, that's all right, Bo," said Cissy as she took Bo's cloak. "I'm sure you have many things to do now that you belong to the Dark Lord."

"Yes," Bo agreed. She hesitated only a moment before adding, "And I'm sure Draco is just as busy."

She thought she saw her aunt blanch, though Cissy was already so pale that it was difficult to tell. When she answered, her voice was a bit higher than it had been and she avoided Bo's eyes.

"Yes, he is. He's been very busy lately. I've hardly seen him at all, it seems."

"I admit; I was surprised when you told me that he was not here at my first visit. Now that I have my own task from the Dark Lord, I was looking forward to talking with Draco about his."

"The next time he is home, I will tell him you would like to speak with him," said Cissy quietly, still avoiding Bo's gaze.

"When do you expect him?" Bo asked, trying desperately to sound casual.

"I can never be sure anymore. It could be days."

Bo gritted her teeth and decided to change her tactics.

"Where is Aunt Bella? Perhaps I should ask her, she must have seen him if he is doing the Dark Lord's bidding."

Cissy whirled around and glared at Bo, her voice quite steady, though her eyes were large and held a slightly crazed look.

"Bella isn't here, and she hasn't seen Draco either. She is busy herself. There would be no point in asking her about Draco, so I advise you not to waste your time."

"Surely Aunt Bella is keeping an eye on her nephew? Even if she hasn't seen him, she must have some idea where he is, don't you think?"

"No, I don't think she does!" said Cissy, her voice growing higher and louder. Bo found it oddly calming, watching her aunt become more and more anxious. It was the confirmation Bo had been hoping for. She took a step closer to Cissy, and adopted a low, soothing tone.

"Aunt Cissy...I know that you know where Draco is."

Cissy shook her head, taking a step back.

"It would be better for you to tell me where he is, Aunt Cissy. If I have to ask Aunt Bella, or--someone else--things would be worse for Draco that way."

Cissy shook her head again, her eyes still wide and wild.

"Think about it, Aunt Cissy. Draco cannot hide from the Dark Lord forever. He will find him, somehow, someday; he always does. It will be so much better for Draco if he comes with me. We can even say it was his idea. Better a moment of pain than death."

At this, Cissy burst into tears. Her shoulders huddled together as she shivered and moaned, her hands covering her face.

"How--do you--know--the--Dark Lord--won't--kill him--anyway?" she asked between heaving sobs.

"I don't, but he definitely will if Draco continues to hide."

"NO!" Cissy sank to her knees, shaking. "He is going to KILL him, I know it!"

Bo walked over to her aunt, grasped her shoulders and shook her roughly.

"Aunt Narcissa! Listen to me! If Draco goes with me of his own free will, that is the only chance he has! If he sits and waits for the Dark Lord to find him, he will be found, and he will be killed. You must tell me where he is, for his own sake!"

Cissy seemed to be beyond the ability to speak. Her eyes were still wide, but unfocused, and her cheeks glistened with tears. She took a slow, shuddering breath and turned her head to look across the foyer into the drawing room. Bo followed her gaze, and was struck by a sudden understanding.

"He's here? In the house?"

When Cissy did not answer, Bo helped her off of the floor and said firmly, "Show me."

Cissy moved slowly but steadily to the drawing room, her hands clenched and her shoulders still quivering. She drew her wand from her robes and waved it in a large arc over the floor. Suddenly, the carpet beneath Bo's feet sprang to life, rolling itself neatly away from them as the floorboards retracted from each other like the wooden teeth of some huge, yawning animal. When the movement stopped, Bo was astonished to see a winding staircase spiraling downward beneath the drawing room floor. Cissy started down the stone steps and Bo followed her closely, marveling at how many times she must have passed over this exact spot, never suspecting what was just beneath her feet. The staircase ended in a small, cramped chamber that was carved roughly out of the rock. A single lamp flickered forlornly in the darkness, and by its light, Bo saw that the meager contents of the room were in stark contrast to the finery above. A single cot sat in the corner, its bedclothes in tangles. A desk and chair rested against the other wall, the remnants of a meal still strewn on its plate. Along the farthest wall was a tall set of shelves lined with bottles and flasks of every shape and size, a number of books, and other assorted items which Bo did not have time to register. For there, sitting in a tall armchair and reading by the lamp's meager light, was her cousin Draco. His face was as drawn and pale as his mother's. When he saw Bo, he dropped his book on the floor, and without pretense, drew his wand from his robes, though he did not raise it.

"What's she doing here, Mother?" he asked tremulously.

"Draco, your cousin Boadicea is here to speak to you," Cissy said faintly with her hands still clenched tightly into fists.

"What do you want?" Draco asked Bo, the knuckles on his wand-hand growing white. Bo spoke softly, wary of his wand and the desperation in his face.

"Draco, your mother and I have discussed it, and we feel that your only chance is to come with me to face the Dark Lord."

Draco's eyes flickered to his mother, and then back to Bo.

"What do you know about it? You're not a Death Eater."

Bo drew the sleeve of her robes from her left arm and showed him the Dark Mark there, still quite fresh and red.

"But I am."

Draco looked at the mark, and then back at Bo's face, his eyes widening as his mother's had earlier and his hand clenching his wand even more tightly.

"Draco, please listen to me. I know you are frightened, but you must know that if the Dark Lord wishes to find you, it is only a matter of time. It will be better if you go with me. We can tell the Dark Lord that you came to me; that you wanted to go to him, to beg his forgiveness. Aunt Bella is confident that he will forgive you for failing in your task. It was not a complete disaster after all. You had a hand in the success of that night, the Dark Lord knows that. You are a pureblood. You are a Malfoy. You have value and so much time to redeem yourself. If you wait here, trying to hide, you will be found. Nothing you can say will save you from your fate then. But if you come with me now; if you face the Dark Lord with courage and humility, that is your only chance. Please, for your mother's sake and your own, please come with me."

Draco regarded her silently, his hand still clutching his wand and his eyes still wide. His lips had gone white, or perhaps it was a trick of the lamplight. There was no sound or movement for a few tense moments that seemed to last a lifetime to Bo. And then, without warning, Draco jumped from the chair, pointed his wand at Bo and screamed,

"Cru--!"

Bo had drawn her wand and aimed her disarming spell at Draco before his feet touched the floor. His wand flew from his hand, soaring to the far corner of the room as Cissy cried "No!" and ran to stand between her son and her niece. She held her own wand tightly in her fist, and Draco cowered behind her, peering at Bo from over his mother's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Bo. He doesn't want to go and we can't force him. He's nearly of age, and he must make his own decisions. I'm afraid I must ask you to leave!" Her voice trembled violently as she spoke.

Bo looked into her aunt's eyes and felt a sudden pang of regret. They were like two wounded animals that she had backed into a corner. They were also her family, and the only ones who had ever made her feel as if she truly belonged. But Draco was not the only one whose life was in danger. With the reflexes that only years of dueling training could provide, she took aim at Cissy and shouted,

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Cissy's mouth had opened in a silent scream and her eyes were wide in horror as she fell back. Draco whimpered pitifully as he dodged her falling body. He made a desperate lunge toward his own wand, but Bo had already moved to block his path with her wand pointed directly at his chest.

"I'm sorry, Draco," she said softly, frowning. "I don't have a choice. But I really do think this is best for both of us. You'll see." She raised her wand, and drew a breath.

"Imperio!"

Immediately, Draco's face and body went completely slack and his eyes became oddly glazed. Bo watched him for a moment, and when she was satisfied that he was not fighting her curse, she retrieved his wand and pocketed it. Then she went over to Cissy's frozen form and placed the pillow from the cot under her head.

"I'm sorry about this, Aunt Cissy, I really am. I will do everything I can to make sure that Draco comes to no lasting harm. I honestly do feel that it's his best chance. I hope you both can forgive me, someday."

Directing Draco to ascend the staircase ahead of her, Bo followed him up to the drawing room and closed the entrance to the compartment below. Foregoing their cloaks, Bo led Draco through the foyer and out the front door. As they stood on the step, she turned to look at him. The thick grey haze of mist still hung heavily over everything. In the dull light, Draco's pale skin almost glowed, and the deep circles under his eyes looked even darker. She told Draco where they were going and watched him as he drew his wand and turned on the spot, Disapparating like he'd done it a million times before. With another fierce pang of regret, she drew her own wand again and followed him.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The door to the Death Eater's retreat swung open after Bo had knocked, and once more she was greeted by Amycus Carrow's lopsided grin and small, shrewd eyes. He stood aside just far enough to let Bo and Draco squeeze past and closed the door behind them, carelessly waving his wand at the locks as he hurried to follow them into the main room. When they entered the large room at the end of the hallway, Bo noted two or three unfamiliar faces along with the one she'd hoped to miss. Bellatrix leapt from her seat when she spied her niece and nephew, a smile looking woefully misplaced as it curled her lips. She hurried over to them and exclaimed in a hushed voice,

"Draco! Finally you've returned! It must be thanks to you, Bo, well done. The Dark Lord will be pleased, I'm sure."

Bo tried to speak, but found that she simply did not have anything to say. Bella looked from Bo to Draco, and then back to Bo, the horrible smile fading mercifully fast from her face. She drew closer to her younger relations and whispered fiercely to Bo.

"What have you done?"

But before Bo could answer, the room fell unnaturally silent and Bo felt a sudden chill sweep over her. She turned slowly, already knowing the reason for the revered hush. She bowed before the tall figure of Lord Voldemort, who was standing just behind her. She steadied her heart and steeled her nerves as she rose from her bow, daring to gaze into the burning red eyes that were fixed squarely on her.

"You are successful in your first task, Boadicea. Congratulations," Voldemort hissed softly and without feeling. He moved past her to look down at Draco with the air of a chef appraising a particularly tender cut of meat. After a moment's consideration, he turned back to Bo.

"You may release him now."

She did not dare hesitate. She lifted the Imperius Curse from her cousin at once and joined the other Death Eaters as they watched Voldemort peering at Draco with an awful mix of disdain and amusement stretching the contorted features of his serpent-like face. It was like watching a horrible accident in slow motion. Draco shuddered as the curse was lifted, his head bowing as though a large weight had been thrust onto his shoulders. He shook his head slightly, blinked, and froze when he spied the hem of Voldemort's robes. Slowly, he lifted his head, his eyes wide in panic. When his mortified gaze finally reached Voldemort's face, his mouth fell open and he made a sound that was like a simultaneous gasp and sob.

"Welcome back, Draco," said Voldemort softly, every word dripping with malice.

Draco did not reply, except to make the same odd sound. His knees seemed to give way and he sank to the floor before Voldemort, his entire body quivering violently.

"I would like you to explain to me, boy," said Voldemort, his lip curled in explicit contempt, "why you think I should not kill you right here and now."

A loud sob escaped Draco's lips, and his shivering grew to the point that he had to use his hands to keep himself from falling completely prostrate on the floor. It was the most pathetic sight Bo had ever seen. Beside her, Bella looked as though she was restraining herself from speaking. Voldemort seemed to notice as well.

"You wish to say something, Bella?"

"My Lord," she stammered, tearing her eyes from the crumpled form of her nephew, "he did succeed in some things, did he not?"

"Why yes, I believe he did, thank you, Bella." There was no mistaking the wrath in his voice and the hatred that seemed to pulse behind his red eyes.

"He did succeed, in fixing a cabinet. Very clever. I only wonder how one so cunning and talented as to be able to fix a magical cabinet could fail to kill an ailing, defenseless old man? Tell us, Draco. What insidious charm did that Muggle-loving old fool unleash upon you to stay your hand? Which nefarious curse did he use to befuddle your brain and deter you from your task?" Voldemort circled around behind Draco as he spoke, glaring scornfully at the petrified young man. Draco tried to speak, and his first attempt sounded like a small animal being strangled to death.

"What was that?" Voldemort asked, leaning slightly forward. "Could you repeat that for us, Draco?"

Draco sobbed, and when he turned his head, Bo could see that his eyes were squeezed shut and his face was shining with tears. He took several gasping breaths and finally managed a shuddering whisper.

"Please," he said, sobbing again. "Please..."

Even as he the words left his lips, Bo knew it was the wrong thing to say. Her heart fluttered sickeningly in her chest as Voldemort stood erect, the young man's plea for mercy seeming to infuriate him beyond reason.

"I'll ask you again," he hissed, his voice dangerously low. "Why should I not kill you now, after failing to complete the task I appointed to you?"

A voice from directly behind Bo made her jump, and she turned to see Snape pulling off a cloak and surveying the scene with a deep frown.

"I'm afraid that it was my mistake, my Lord," said Snape calmly. "And for that, I must beg your forgiveness. I did not give the boy a chance. When I arrived on the Tower, I saw my opportunity to take advantage and I took it. A hasty decision on my part, I freely admit. I accept whatever punishment you feel my haste deserves."

Voldemort looked over at Snape and there was a tense moment of silence as they regarded each other, Voldemort's features still twisted in rage while Snape's face remained totally impassive.

"So it seems your true crime is that of cowardice, then," said Voldemort, turning back to Draco, his voice slightly more harsh but less dangerous. "So now you must learn an important lesson, boy. No member of my chosen family shall ever behave like a coward. Yes. You must be taught this lesson." Voldemort turned to look at Bo, his mouth stretching once again in a grotesque smile.

"Your second task, Boadicea. Teach your cousin his lesson about cowardice. Make sure he learns it well."