Chapter #1-- The Infant
The house-light flickered for a moment, than, with a great lurch two gigantic bronze doors opened to reveal a rather spindly robed figure. Bending down, its hood obstructing its face; the creature reached out one of its spider-like hands and pulled the unconscious form inside. Once inside, the tall figure was greeted by an also hooded, slightly smaller one. The smaller figure gazed around until its eyes fell curiously upon the tiny bundle the other was carrying.
"Is this the child?" The smaller, older figure prompted. His hooded face now locked in the other's emerald gaze.
"Yes." Replied the younger man, his fingers moving snake-like over the bundle still safely tucked in his arms. The older man gave a satisfied grin, his amber eyes glinting with something not unlike pride.
"And he is the twelfth?" the elder man continued.
"Yes... and the last." The taller man replied solemnly, unwrapping the bundle from his arms.
"And... w-what if..." The older man stuttered, trying to force out the words. "W-what if h-he..." Still he could not say it. He could not mention the possibility that his master's plan could fail.
"Oh do get over yourself Malfoy!" The younger man hissed, his eyes burning like green coals in their sockets.
"W-what I m-mean is t-that he..." Malfoy tried to speak, but found himself powerless against his master's gaze.
"Get on with it!" The younger man fumed, his wand emitting vibrant red sparks. Concentrating as hard as he could, Malfoy tried to clear his mind and continue.
"W-what if young m-master f... f-fails." Malfoy collapsed.
"Well, let's just hope he doesn't... for his sake." The taller man threatened, the tip of his wand resting gently on the infant's forehead.
Eying his master, dread and fear rose in the older man's chest. Seeing this, the younger man sparked a wide and evil grin.
"You should be worried; after all... it is you who I will hold accountable if he does fail."
Noticing the malice in the face of his master and deciding not to test the younger man further, Malfoy bowed nervously.
"I understand." He said with a shutter as his master continued to gaze at him.
"Very good... death by the Cruciatus curse is never a pleasant event. I've head it's one of the worst ways to go." The younger man beamed in a twisted smirk, his eyes penetrating every inch of Malfoy's soul.
Shaking off the unpleasantness, Malfoy stared at the young infant now opening its eyes; Topaz blue with flecks of crimson red. He's..." Malfoy stuttered, making a long pause unsure of exactly what he was feeling. To him, it felt like he was gazing into the eyes of something dangerous. Something he was unsure he could handle.
"Beautiful!" The younger man bellowed, finishing Malfoy's thoughts. Malfoy nodded silently, unsure of exactly what to make of the crimson-topaz eyed infant now staring at him.
"I assume he will be attending Hogwarts than?" Malfoy questioned, a glint of fear still resting in his eyes and making a permanent home there.
The younger man grimaced as though the mention of the name Hogwarts alone was enough to make him want to spit. "Yes." He responded after some difficulty.
"And what are we to do with him until than?" Malfoy questioned.
"Protect him." The taller figure responded in a serious tone. "Now be silent, the child cannot yet know of who he is; we must await the signs." The younger man finished, giving his servant a warning glance. Nodding silently, Malfoy slinked away into the shadows.
The house-light flickered for a moment, than, with a great lurch two gigantic bronze doors opened to reveal a rather spindly robed figure. Bending down, its hood obstructing its face; the creature reached out one of its spider-like hands and pulled the unconscious form inside. Once inside, the tall figure was greeted by an also hooded, slightly smaller one. The smaller figure gazed around until its eyes fell curiously upon the tiny bundle the other was carrying.
"Is this the child?" The smaller, older figure prompted. His hooded face now locked in the other's emerald gaze.
"Yes." Replied the younger man, his fingers moving snake-like over the bundle still safely tucked in his arms. The older man gave a satisfied grin, his amber eyes glinting with something not unlike pride.
"And he is the twelfth?" the elder man continued.
"Yes... and the last." The taller man replied solemnly, unwrapping the bundle from his arms.
"And... w-what if..." The older man stuttered, trying to force out the words. "W-what if h-he..." Still he could not say it. He could not mention the possibility that his master's plan could fail.
"Oh do get over yourself Malfoy!" The younger man hissed, his eyes burning like green coals in their sockets.
"W-what I m-mean is t-that he..." Malfoy tried to speak, but found himself powerless against his master's gaze.
"Get on with it!" The younger man fumed, his wand emitting vibrant red sparks. Concentrating as hard as he could, Malfoy tried to clear his mind and continue.
"W-what if young m-master f... f-fails." Malfoy collapsed.
"Well, let's just hope he doesn't... for his sake." The taller man threatened, the tip of his wand resting gently on the infant's forehead.
Eying his master, dread and fear rose in the older man's chest. Seeing this, the younger man sparked a wide and evil grin.
"You should be worried; after all... it is you who I will hold accountable if he does fail."
Noticing the malice in the face of his master and deciding not to test the younger man further, Malfoy bowed nervously.
"I understand." He said with a shutter as his master continued to gaze at him.
"Very good... death by the Cruciatus curse is never a pleasant event. I've head it's one of the worst ways to go." The younger man beamed in a twisted smirk, his eyes penetrating every inch of Malfoy's soul.
Shaking off the unpleasantness, Malfoy stared at the young infant now opening its eyes; Topaz blue with flecks of crimson red. He's..." Malfoy stuttered, making a long pause unsure of exactly what he was feeling. To him, it felt like he was gazing into the eyes of something dangerous. Something he was unsure he could handle.
"Beautiful!" The younger man bellowed, finishing Malfoy's thoughts. Malfoy nodded silently, unsure of exactly what to make of the crimson-topaz eyed infant now staring at him.
"I assume he will be attending Hogwarts than?" Malfoy questioned, a glint of fear still resting in his eyes and making a permanent home there.
The younger man grimaced as though the mention of the name Hogwarts alone was enough to make him want to spit. "Yes." He responded after some difficulty.
"And what are we to do with him until than?" Malfoy questioned.
"Protect him." The taller figure responded in a serious tone. "Now be silent, the child cannot yet know of who he is; we must await the signs." The younger man finished, giving his servant a warning glance. Nodding silently, Malfoy slinked away into the shadows.