How Lives Change

Chapter 1

Draco Malfoy braced himself as his carriage stopped for a moment at the silver gate that led to the Malfoy Manor. Welded in the silver gate was the Malfoy crest. The crest was the letter "M" with a snake that encircled the letter. Underneath was the inscription, "Notre genre d'honneur et de fierté est ce que nous fait les Malfoys, et le reste du monde pas;" or in other words it meant, "Our kind of honor and pride is what makes us the Malfoys, and the rest of the world not." As the gate opened, the carriage went through; Draco looked out his window up at the manor.

The manor was set upon the highest hill in their plot of land. The paved road wound around the hill up toward the stone manor with its thick chestnu wooden doors. The manor beheld four windows on either side of the manor doors. The windows were covered in thick green curtains.

Draco sighed as he thought of how his summer was going to be. He just finished his fifth year at Hogwarts. He still had Potter's face in his mind. His father was recently thrown in Azkaban with some of his fellow comrades. Draco knew that his father would get out since the dementors were leaving the prison. Draco worried the most about was how his father will be like once he finally escaped from Azkaban.

As the carriage stopped in front of the manor doors, Draco stepped out when the coachman opened the door for him. The setting sun lit everything in an orange glow. His house elves came skidding down the steps to take his things to his room. Draco walked through the manor doors into the vestibule. Staircases led upward on both the right and the left. There was a corridor leading straight toward all of the ground level rooms.

"Lucius! Is that you?" Narcissa called as she strode down the stairs from the left where her and Lucius' bedchambers were located. Draco turned to meet her. Her robes of green and black with silver trim flowed easily behind her like a river. Her expression was full of hope.

"No, Mother, it is just me," Draco stated as he watched his mother's expression change in a blink of an eye when she saw him. She looked at him with a forced loving look on her face.

"Well, Draco dear, go and get washed up. Your father's guests are still coming over. Remember that you don't say anything un-"

"Unless I'm talked to. Mother, I understand those rules fairly well," Draco stated, interrupting her.

"Well, yes, I know that. They'll be arriving at 6:45. So be ready to escort them to the dinning hall, Draco," Narcissa stated clearly and looks up at one of the Grandfather clocks that are stationed around the house. It read 6:00. She quickly looked at her son; "Well, go on! Go get ready and wear your best dress robe!" She quickly turned on her heel and left down the corridor.

Draco shrugged slightly as he proceeded up the staircase on the right. He looked down the corridor slightly as he strode down it to the last door on the right. The rest of the rooms were for company that stayed for a night or sometimes a fortnight at a time.

As he walked up to his bedroom door, there was a crash from within his room. He flew open his door with his wand out to find one of his house elves trying to clean his wardrobe out. The elf stopped and looked at Draco.

"Dinki is sorry, sir!" croaked the young female elf. "Dinki never meant to bother the young Master's belongings! Mistress told me to throw out the old robes! Don't hurt Dinki!" The young elf coward under Draco's gaze; which in turn made her try and put the clothes back in the wardrobe.

Draco's eyes narrowed; "Get out of my sight or I may punish you, elf!" Draco watched as Dinki skidded out of his bedchamber quickly muttering her apology. Draco slammed his door as he stalked over to his now untidy wardrobe. He quickly cleaned up the mess the elf left.

He quickly showered and dressed in a forest green robe. He walked over and looked in the mirror. His hair framed his face slightly as it hung past his ears and his face had the normal Malfoy trademark, the smirk. His robe fell around him well. His robe had a slight billowing effect when he walked to his door ready to escort the guests.

He looked at his watch reading 6:44. Draco quickly ran from his room in a minute flat. Once he reached the front door, there was a hard knock. It sounded as if someone knocked on the door with a metal staff. When Draco opened the door, the dimming light seeped down upon a metal hand.

The hand pushed the door open. Peter Pettigrew stood there wrapped in a lack billowing robe around his plump short body. A dark hood covered his balding head shadowing his face. Pettigrew slipped in shutting the door.

"Our Lord shall be here shortly. Everyone will file in. Best you come with me when the Master appears. He has something important for you my boy," Pettigrew's voice squeaked as he led Draco quickly to the dinning hall.

Narcissa looked over at Draco and Peter when they entered; "Shall your Lord cordially make an appearance to our manor this evening?" Her voice was full of hope that the Dark Lord would want to retrieve Lucius.

"Yes, Madam Malfoy, our Lord will be coming," Pettigrew said plainly, "And I know he'll want you here when everyone arrives. So please go and keep yourself busy until then." Peter quickly took a seat on the right of the head of the table.

Narcissa nodded and quickly left the room knowing Pettigrew had some business with her son Draco. Draco took a seat next to Pettigrew looking at the chair on the right of head seat of the table where his father usually sat.

"Oh no dear boy, you'll be sitting in your father's seat tonight," Pettigrew squeaked as a small 'pop' sounded in the quiet dinning hall. There stood at the front of the table was Lord Voldemort. Draco quickly took his father's seat as Voldemort motioned him to sit there.

"You know of your father's incarceration from my organisation of Death Eaters. As you know, you have been with us for a few months now. I think it is time for you to truly show us where your devotion lies, either with me and your fellow Death Eaters or with Potter and his groupies."

"I have decided that since Potter is such good friends with the Weasleys; we just might pay them a visit. From my sources, I have learned that the Weasleys will be at their home, the Burrow, to have some quality time with each other.

"I wish for you to kill each of them that have direct link to Potter," Voldemort instructed quietly, but firmly. Draco nodded toward him thinking of the looks on all the Weasleys' faces before he killed them without mercy. He also started thinking of what his father would think of his accomplishment.

"You also can do what you wish to the females of the Weasley family, Draco," Voldemort stated looking at him with a smirk across his thin pale face. "Just as long as you can kill the rest of them, I'll know where you devotion lies."

Draco nodded slightly, "I'll be able to get the job done, my Lord. When shall I start?" Pettigrew looked at Draco with an amazed expression that Draco was actually asking when he should start. Draco glared at Pettigrew with a smug look on his face and turned back to Voldemort.

"You can start tonight if you wish. They should all be home for the summer holidays," Voldemort confirmed watching them. Draco nodded then quickly looked at the object Voldemort was showing him. "This port key is for you to get there and back. You have an hour and a half. If you are not done by then and back here, I'll have Pettigrew kill them, then grab you, and come back since he is going with you to make sure you do the job. If you do not finish this, your consequences just might fall fatal.

Pettigrew grinned wickedly as he nodded to Voldemort knowing his part in this mission. "I will serve you well my Lord if the boy does not succeed in this mission," Pettigrew drawled glaring at Draco.

"The port key will not activate unless Pettigrew taps it with his wand. Therefore, you must be near him to get back here. I will send four other Death Eaters when they arrive here. They will help you as much as they can," the Dark Lord advised handing the port key to Pettigrew. "Now get out of my sight and don't disappoint me."

Both Pettigrew and Draco nodded standing up and bowed to Voldemort before dismissing themselves from his presence. Pettigrew lead Draco to the vestibule at the front door. Grabbing their cloaks and putting them on, Draco touched the port key as Pettigrew held it out in his metal hand. Pettigrew quickly tapped the port key setting them off to the Weasleys' humble home.

Draco appeared outside the Burrow with Pettigrew in a matter of minutes after using the port key. He looked around the dingy yard to the house that towered over him. The house had at least seven stories with at the most four to five chimneys. In addition, it was obvious that the Weasleys had added on to the house.

Pettigrew quickly took Draco by the arm, pulling him on the ground as Ginny Weasley walked out looking furious. She stood ridged; arms crossed as she looked across the yard.

"Kill her now boy, we can kill each of them one by one..." Pettigrew paused as he glared at the red headed Weasley as three more figures came into view. Both Draco and Pettigrew knew these three. They were the Trio, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter.

"I have a better plan, Pettigrew," muttered Draco as he crouched and sneaked across the yard behind the four talking figures quietly. Pettigrew quickly tried to grab Draco to tell him no, but failed.

Draco walked around the house to one of the windows peering in slightly at the seven red headed figures inside. Fred and George Weasley stood shaking their heads as their mother rampaged about something that they obviously had done. Arthur, Bill, Charlie, and Percy sat conversing with each other quietly glancing every so often at the mother, Molly Weasley.

Pettigrew lurked behind Draco and hissed into his ear: "What are you doing boy?" Draco smirked and looked at him with a supposed modest look. Pettigrew frowned inwardly at himself for the boy quietly moved around the corner without being noticed; Pettigrew quickly followed suit.

"I'm going to kill these seven first...then the other four outside," he hissed back taking out his wand and pulling his hood up shadowing his face more. "Are you going to help or not?" he glanced at him raising an eyebrow. Pettigrew sighed frowning as he began thinking of the uncertainties of what would happen. After a moment of deciding he nodded pulling his good up more and gripped his wand tighter. As soon as Pettigrew pulled his hood up, four Death Eaters appeared with their hoods up around their heads and masks on and wands out. Draco motioned for them to follow him in.

Draco opened the door, and quickly pointed his wand at the nearest person, which was Molly Weasley. "Avada Kedavra!" Draco bellowed, hearing the echo of the same curse being performed on each of the Weasleys. All of them screamed in agony for a minute before they fell to the ground dead.

Draco looked at the seven bodies that were spread out across the floor. Their eyes were wide and blank as they stared up at the ceiling. He could hear the yelling as the other four came running to see what the screaming and yelling was. The smirks on his face only widen more.

The Trio and the tag along, Ginny, ran into the room with a look torn between stupefaction and concern. All four quickly grabbed for their wands, but were quickly knocked out of their hands as the Death Eaters used the disarming spells. Draco's eyes settled upon the four, very alive, peoples' faces. All of their faces showed the mixture between anger, sorrow, and distraught. Tears fell from the women's' eyes, but only swelled up slight in the men's' eyes.

Pettigrew squeaked as Potter recognized Pettigrew's metal right hand. Pettigrew quickly backed up behind Draco and the other Death Eaters. Potter's eyes were frozen upon Pettigrew's retreating form.

"Pettigrew! How dare you show your rat like face here!" Potter hissed dangerously. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny stood there, their eyes widening slightly at what Harry said. Ron glared at Pettigrew angrily. "I promise you Pettigrew that you'll be caught and thrown into Azkaban once I get my hands around your fat neck!"

Pettigrew squeaked slightly. Draco laughed and looked at Potter. "You won't be touching him Potter. Not when you have five Death Eaters here that will be willing to kill all of you just by a flick of my wrist," Draco muttered darkly and deeper making it hard for anyone to know who he might be.

"You...you wouldn't dare!" Ginny shrieked glaring at Draco's cloaked form. Draco smirked widely as he looked at Ginny's shaky form. Remembering that he could do what he wished with the female Weasleys. "Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic will get you for what you have done!"

"Not if any of you are able to live after this," Draco said again in the same deep voice. Draco raised his wand pointing it at Hermione. "Avada Kedavra!" he bellowed loudly over the screams of not a woman, but of a man. After the quick thud on the floor, Draco looked and saw that Hermione did not die, but Ron had sacrificed himself to save her. "Oh so very noble of the Weasley," Draco motioned for one of the Death Eaters to move forward and stand next to him.

"YOU! YOU! Evil! Hideous! Killing murderer!" Ginny flung herself against Draco hitting him repeatedly against his chest screaming with tears down her face. Hermione mourned over Ron's dead body, as it lay motionless and blank in front of her. Harry stood glaring at Draco with pure loathing.

Draco quickly took a hold of Ginny by the arms twisting them and tying them behind her back with a simple spell. Harry continued to glare at Draco, but cautiously; and Hermione went quite quickly as she stared up at Ginny and Draco. Draco smirked looking at them and then turned Ginny around in his arms looking at her.

"Such repulsive words for such a pristine girl. Maybe I should teach you a lesson and have your friends watch incapable to help you as your screams echo through this 'supposed' modest home," Draco's voice was low and profound almost a murmur to even Ginny's ears, but loud enough for the others to hear.

Hermione gasped as well did Harry and Ginny, but only Hermione was the one to break the small silence that had befallen them. "She's filled with sadness and worry! Please! Please just leave her alone! She's delusional! Just let her go!" her voice was weary and upset almost loosing its strength.

Draco smirked and shook his head, "No, I shall have some fun Miss Granger; and none of you will be here to stop me." He was half way through motioning for the rest to continue the killing, but Pettigrew grabbed his shoulder and hissed that they must be leaving. Draco looked at Harry and Hermione closely; "Looks like you get off this time, but not with out a 'minor' adjustment." Draco quickly pointed his wand at Harry and muttered 'Obliviate'; and then did the same to Hermione.

Draco, Pettigrew, Ginny, and the rest of the Death Eaters quickly left the house to be hidden in the dead of night. Ginny struggled to get away kicking Draco's shins as hard as she could. "Let me go! You can't do this! Please!" Ginny shrieked upsettingly as Draco dragged her along.

Pettigrew walked up to Draco holding the port key out looking slightly pleased with their work and very distracted at Ginny's presence. Draco held onto Ginny putting her finger on the port key as well as his. The other Death Eaters quickly apparated as Draco, Ginny, and Pettigrew disappeared using the port key.

Minutes later all three of them appeared in the vestibule, Ginny's screams echoed through the manor as Draco dragged her up the stairs toward his room. Ginny struggled as much as she could, but to no avail did she escape. Ginny continued to struggle as Draco quickly opened his bedroom door.

He tossed her in his room onto the floor. He shut the door behind him, locking it, pulling his hood off. Ginny's screams suddenly halted as she glared at him hissing his name angrily. Draco smirked at her as he pulled his wand out casting a few spells to keep her within his room.

"You bastard! You snake of a man! Wait till I tell the Minister! You'll be thrown in Azkaban for life you filthy bastard!" Ginny screamed at him as he walked over pulling her up from the floor. Ginny struggled again screaming at him.

"Weasley, why bother calling me filthy names and say that you'll get away? I just might kill you or give you to my Lord," Draco said calmly in an aristocratic way. He pulled her over so she was sitting in a chair near the window. "I'll be back soon and we'll continue this little spat when I return. And don't try to get away, I have the entire room under spells you won't be able to get out of since..." he pulled her wand out of his pocket. "I have this."

He sneered as he left the room hearing her screaming raged words echo through the stones walls. Locking the door behind him, he walked down the stairs pocketing Ginny's wand again. "Shall we continue back to the dining hall Pettigrew?"