Pariah: The Other Malfoy

Chapter 53: Pariah

The Sunday Prophet carried the story of what had happened, and McGonagall returned from St Mungos as well. I could hear whispers surrounding me as the story of the Death Eaters being arrested circulated, the name Lucius Malfoy being repeated over and over again.

I wondered how Draco and my mother were taking it. Would they be angry at me? Or would they understand my perspective, understand what my father had done to help me. Would it change what Draco thought of me, or make him hate me more? I was sure I would find out.

Hermione clearly wanted to discuss the events of that night, none of us knew much about the Dark Lord's appearance other than that Dumbledore had fought him, but Ron stopped her every time she tried to bring it up. Harry was affected as badly as, if not worse then, me. He had lost the closest thing to a father for him, and had to face the Dark Lord yet again. It wasn't fair to bring it up.

Harry and I did enjoy one another's company for the last few days of term. We didn't speak, we didn't have to, we just had a mutual understanding of what had happened. He wasn't angry at me because of my father, not like last year, there was just a comfortable silence between us.

When I wasn't with Harry, I was with Tobias. He did most of the talking, avoiding the topics of the last few weeks, mainly using exams as something to talk about. What do you think you got, did your practicals go well, can you remember this question? I appreciated it, it did make it easier to take my mind off things.

But the whispers surrounded me again as soon as I walked into the castle. Tobias was with me every step, holding my hand, likely shooting glares at those talking about me. To be honest, whispers were the least of my worries.

I had to return home soon.

I didn't even get to see my mother. She picked me up, Apparating with my brother and I back to the Manor. Her face was pale, she had dark circles under her eyes and frankly looked terrified. Her husband was gone, her daughter was likely about to be killed - she was a wreck, and I felt awful.

As soon as we got home, Bellatrix whisked her and my brother away, giving me a nasty grin. I swallowed thickly as someone else pushed me forward to the sitting room, I knew what awaited me already.

"So, you were one of the ones who helped Harry Potter," the Dark Lord stared over me as I cowered in fear, "You lost me some of my most faithful followers and lost me the prophecy. No matter, it only delays the inevitable... But that doesn't mean you will not be punished. I do not let such things pass so easily... However, I am willing to show mercy, if you agree to join my Death Eaters."

I gulped in fear. I should have refused to come back.

"It's very unusual, inducting something like you into my inner circle..." he paused, "But I believe I could make an exception, as I believe you would be a strong ally. And someone who knows Harry Potter well is always useful. So, will you accept my offer, or will I have to take action on your... indiscretions. I can make you powerful, more than you could ever imagine. I'm already going to be helping your brother, think what you would be like if you worked together and with me."

"I will never join you," I spat and he let out a cold laugh.

"Pity..." he said, "But I gave you your chance, so now I will have to deal with you. You put your own father in Azkaban, halfbreed, and you broke my prophecy. The one that would tell me how to defeat Harry Potter. I cannot let it pass."

He raised his wand and I screamed in agony.

"Bellatrix," the Dark Lord spoke, "You can deal with your niece now. I don't feel like wasting any more time on her."

"Yes, my lord," Bellatrix grabbed my arm and dragged me across the floor, out of the room. I locked eyes with Snape, his dark eyes considering me, no emotion in them. Why wouldn't he save me?

What she did next to me, I didn't want to consider. My left arm stung, she had targeted where my Dark Mark should have been had I accepted, the words evidence of my defiance.

A month had passed. I was locked in the basement most of the time, only given food and water when my mother managed to sneak some down to me. My father's trial had passed, my brother and mother attended yet I was still a prisoner. He was sent to Azkaban, an unsurprising outcome, yet I still felt sick when I heard. But now I was brought upstairs again, a place I hadn't seen since I had first refused the Dark Lord.

My mother wasn't angry with me, in the short conversations we had managed to have. My father had known I would be there when he left to see if the trap for Harry had worked, warned her that we would likely have to fight. They had told me to stick with my beliefs, and that was all I had done.

Despite this, there was nothing she could do to protect me. The Dark Lord had punishment in store for her and Draco, if she tried to help me, all three of us would only get it worse.

Snape wasn't allowed to give me Wolfsbane either. The three transformations I endured were awful, my body littered with scratches, my wolf mind more agitated than ever before, it hadn't been out to play in a long time. Now it was back, trapped in an unfamiliar room, retaining enough of my own mind to remember what was being done to me.

"Severus, some people in this room have doubts about your allegiance," the Dark Lord said once I was thrown at his feet.

"My lord, you know I am loyal," Snape's voice was low.

"Yes... but they do not. And so you must prove it to them," I knew his gaze had fallen to me, "If you do it, nobody will question you."

"My lord..." I could hear the strain in his voice, "Very well."

"Professor, please," my voice was shaking, you could tell I was terrified, "Please, don't do this... please, please, please."

"Crucio," I screamed in pain, my body writhing. Snape, the person I trusted, was doing this to me, was torturing me. Why?

As soon as it was over, my body slumped on the floor and I started sobbing quietly. Snape, the man I once saw as a father, who had saved me from so much, was now the one who had hurt me. I could feel myself shaking and felt like I was going to be sick, I couldn't bring myself to look up.

I was relieved when I was thrown back to the basement, the door slammed behind me. Would I be left alone now until Hogwarts? The Dark Lord didn't want me to know his plans, he wouldn't want anyone to slip up.

I wasn't safe, but I was as close as I would get.