The Deceit Of A Lifetime

The alley was extremely dark. So dark, in fact, that Draco couldn’t see his hand in front of his face at a half meter. Draco had followed his father’s instructions, and kept his head down during the attack. He had been enraged, however, when he had discovered that Potter had, unfortunately, survived again.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered under his breath, running his hands up and down his arms in an attempt to warm himself. It was only September, and yet the temperature had seemed to drop considerably in this alleyway in Hogsmeade, behind a row of shops on the main street. Draco had been extra careful slipping away from Hogwarts, as required by the person summoning him, but he was quickly getting tired of waiting.

It was at that moment Draco felt another presence nearby. He turned around quickly, and then back in the other direction, but could see nothing. He muttered to himself again, but his body went rigid as a very cold voice reached his ears. “Hello, Draco,” it said.

“Who are you?” he asked immediately. He had not been told who he was supposed to meet, nor did he recognize the handwriting on the message he had been sent.

“That is of no concern. We have a mutual objective, and I’d like you to undertake a task for me,” replied the disembodied voice.

Draco took a few steps down the alley, but was still unable to see. He sensed familiarity with the voice he was hearing, and knew he had heard it before. Unfortunately, he was completely unable to place it. “Malfoys do not take orders,” he replied angrily, frustrated that he could not see the person he was speaking to. Except from Voldemort, of course, he thought to himself.

“Oh, I don’t think you’ll mind this order,” replied the voice.

“What do you want?” Draco replied, not allowing his voice to waver, despite his nervousness at the present situation.

“First, I want to give you some inside information. Harry Potter will be leaving Hogwarts very soon.” Draco’s ears perked up, not only because of this information, but because of the fact that the voice seemed to be coming from both directions down the alleyway. “And you are going to follow him.”

Draco hissed angrily. He was tired of the games. “And just why would I do that?”

“Because, my dear boy,” said the voice, “you are going to kill him.”

Draco’s eyes brightened, the chance for him to personally avenge himself against Potter temporarily overriding his fears about being ordered around by someone he could not see. “If he’s leaving Hogwarts, how am I going to follow him without suspicion?”

Draco could hear the smile in the voice that was addressing him. “You are going to follow him to America.” Draco gasped in shock, but was interrupted before he could reply. “Your father is sending the papers now for you to be withdrawn from Hogwarts. Under your bed in your dorm, you will find the papers you need to get into the country, as well as the information on Potter’s new school.”

Draco was caught off guard. If his father was in on this, there was only one person the orders could have been coming from. However, Draco had heard the Dark Lord’s voice before, and knew that was not who was speaking now. It must be one of the lackeys, Draco thought to himself. “And how do you expect me to go unnoticed at this ‘new school’,” Draco said derisively, “especially considering how well Potter knows me.”

The voice chuckled. Draco shivered, still unnerved at not being able to see the body the voice belonged to. “You will also find amongst your papers a very powerful glamour charm. It will disguise you more than sufficiently to get close to Potter.”

Draco scoffed. “Get close to him? Why the…?” he trailed off as he was interrupted.

“You will do as you are told, boy,” replied the voice harshly. Draco jumped back a step in surprise. “And you will do so because it will make Potter a much easier target when the time comes to dispose of him.”

Finally, the pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall together for Draco, and he smiled conspiratorially. “I understand,” he replied simply.

“Good,” replied the voice. “Now go!”

The surprising direction caused Draco to turn and run from the alley, out into the street in Hogsmeade. After gently shaking the fearful shiver from his spine and straightening his clothes again, he began the trek back to Hogwarts. You will be mine after all, Potter, was the thought running through his mind as he almost began skipping in joy.