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Title: The Attack on Underton

Contributors:  _crucioqueen_ , seviesnape, lucius_malfoi

Edited by: Carla Lute

Posted: 2005-10-30

Game Date:  July 31st

Disclaimer: No one at Levicorpus owns Harry Potter, the world or its characters.  We just like to play in J.K. Rowling’s world.

 

 

* * * * * * *

 

Lucius had always been good at apparating and within moments of the summons he was standing in an unfamiliar and seemingly empty field. Of course, he knew better and was immediately on his guard, listening closely as the wind rustled ever so slightly through the long grass. Looking around he could only just see smoke rising in the distance and he knew that their proximity to this muggle town could only mean one thing; there would be blood tonight. Either that or the Dark Lord was taking a rather uncanny risk at exposure.

Faintly, Lucius heard a *flash* behind him and he turned, wand at the ready, but immediately relaxed as he watched Snape appear next to him.

"Severus, you always were prompt." Lucius parted his lips in a smile that was well hidden behind his mask. Carefully, Lucius made sure that none of his telltale silver hair were exposed and motioned for Snape to lead the way. They both knew that Voldemort and the other Death Eaters would not be far and from the slow throbbing that was coursing through his forearm, Lucius knew they were close at hand.

Bella ran to her room, and pulled on her cloak and mask. She apparated quickly, and saw Lucius and Severus, along with Fenrir and what looked like Alecto standing in the field. Damn Lucius, now Severus wouldn't touch any of the house-elves food, another lot of leprechaun gold ruined. She joined their ranks and looked around her. They were close to the muggle town...she whispered giddily to herself"ooohhh muggle fun tonight!" Her wand was drawn, and as more and more Death Eaters apparated to the field, she was glad she was one of the first here. They joined thier circles quickly, and awaited the Dark Lords arrival.

Snape walked ahead of Lucius the few feet into the woods where the meeting would be held. The moment they walked through the beginning of the thick brush, they saw the Dark Lord. They walked side by side and knelt one at a time to kiss his hem.

"Master" Snape said.

"My Lord" Said Lucius.

The stepped back into the circle, Severus making sure to stand as far away as possible from Bella.

They waited a few minutes for the rest of the death eaters to arrive before Voldemort finally began his long speech about their upcomming attack on the small muggle village.

Bella kissed the hem of his robes, and walked into the inner circle. She stood next to Lucius and Fenrir, muffling her snigger as Snape made his way to be exactly opposite her.

She listened intentively as the Dark Lord began to speak. His speech was long, and dare she say it, boring, but it was all worth it in the end. No wards to break, free reign of muggles and unless you wanted to be tortured, the usual bring 1 back for later rule.

As soon as he said the word, Bella was off, and to her glee, she got the first scream and murder of the night.

Definite Dark Mark setting up material.

 

 

* * * * * * *

 

 

Draco was walking through a field of jellybeans. The grocer girl walked beside him carrying a small rabbit. "Looks like rain," she said. Draco glanced up at the sky full of thestrals and nodded in agreement. "Sure does. Do you think they'll cancel the match?"

"Not if, Weasley's playing," the girl said.

Pansy stood on the side of the road wearing pink dress robes with white lacey frills and a parasol. "Why hello, Draco," she said as they approached. "Did you know your arm is on fire?"

Draco looked down at his left arm which was indeed incased in flame. "How odd," he said. "Why do you think it's like that?"

"Maybe it means the pomegranits are ready for picking," Pansy said.

"Or it could be a signal," the grocer girl said.

"A signal? That doesn't make sense," Draco said.

"Well, it has to mean something," Pansy said. "Everything means something."

Draco waved his arm, the heat was getting a bit uncomfortable. He frowned with concentration as he tried to puzzle out what it could mean. They had a long circular debate, before it finally hit him.

"OH DAMN!!" he shouted sitting bolt upright in bed. He looked at the vivid tattoo on his arm. How long...? He stumbled out of bed, tripping over his covers, and scrambled to pull his Death Eater cloak and mask on over his night clothes. He took a few deep calming breaths, set his occlumency firmly in place, and disapparated.

 

 

* * * * * * *

 

Draco apparated between a couple of elms. He crept up to the edge of the circle and tried not to breathe to loudly.

Bella ran back to the forest, she had dropped her necklace. The outer circle was stil there, but she dropped into her rank of inner circle. She needed to tell the Dark Lord that she should have the right to fly up the Dark Mark.
He noticed her presence, and curtly nodded his head to her, and she deeply bowed.
Bella heard a slight crack in the back, near the forest where she apparated. She twisted her head, if only for a second, 5 at the most, peering over at what had just apparated there.
"My Lord" Bella bowed down to him and knelt at his feet,"Something is in the Elms, I just heard it now." She got up and raised her wand. Not waiting for any approval to shoot, she cooly walked out of the inner circle, and hiding behind what seemed to be Alecto, and screamed out, viciously
"Crucio!"
Something thumped on the ground, and Bella crept up to up.
"Stupefy!"
She called out again, screaming louder this time. She closely walked out to the person, getting closer and closer with each step. Looking over at the person, she saw a tuft of blonde hair.

For the first moment in a long time, Lucius did not care about the ongoing bloodbath and instead simply wanted to find and embrace his son. When he had been unable to spot his son in the group of Death Eaters he had followed Bellatrix back towards the Dark Lord in hopes that she would know something He watched as she suddenly turned and cursed a spot in the forest. It was then that he noticed his son standing there watching him just before he fell to the ground.

The Malfoy temper was infamous and striking a fellow Malfoy would ensure that that temper went off in your general direction and if you survived the encounter, you were lucky. This is what happened now, the curses flying from Lucius and before Bella could possibly know that he was standing there she as a writhing mass on the ground. Lucius' breath was coming quickly as he went and quickly cast the counter-curse on his son to allow him to rise.

Draco blinked and raised himself up. He felt rather stunned and confused and sore...very sore. One of the other Death Eaters was lying on the ground. Draco glanced about him. Had they been discovered by Aurors?

"What happened?" he murmured.

Snape was furious that Draco would still have to rise and kiss the masters hem as though nothing had happened. It was a shame to get the boy involved in such a mess. It was only a matter of time before the aurors would strike against them. The thought scared him, he'd made some powerfull enemies lately and wasn't to keen on being in a position for them to harm him.

Lucius watched his son sit up and almost crouched down to help him, the way he had when Draco had been a boy and had been injured while playing. This time he resisted that paternal urge and instead used the toe of his boot to nudge Bellatrix out of Draco's way.

"Your dunce of an aunt mistook you for an Auror." He smirked beneath his mask, finally giving in and reaching a hand towards his son to help him up.

"Aunt Bella?" Draco said, allowing his father to pull him up and looking at the prone form. Draco started to ask what had happened to her, but his thoughts recovered enough that he was able to figure that out.

A few seconds later, it hit him that his father had pulled him up. "Father?!" he said in a breathy whisper. "You're out! When?!" His second hand fell on his father's arm. It wasn't exactly an embrace but...

Feeling Draco's arms in their semi-embrace was almost more than Lucius could stand and he was quiet for a moment, while his logical mind was screaming at him to speak, to answer his son.

"It wasn't hard with the Dementors gone. Crabbe and Goyle . . . senior are partially to thank as well." As hard as it was to give those families credit, there it was, perhaps the first instance ever of them having accomplished something worthwhile. Lucius released his son arms and stepped back, looking his son from toes to head as parents often do to note any changes. Not that he could see much through the mask and robe, but the few extra inches which Malfoy had added to his already considerable height showed well.

Draco felt a small smile swim up. It was a different Crabbe and Goyle he knew, but it was...good..hearing those name together, protecting Malfoy. It was right somehow. And his father was here...that was right too.

"Draco... I believe you owe our Master a greeting of some sort?" Snape said. Their little meeting was keeping the rest of them waiting. They'd have time for bonding once the evening was over.

He watched as father and son stood side by side and walked back to Voldemort.

Draco started. He had completely forgotten about Voldemort. His eyes found the Dark Lord who seemed to be trying to decide whether he was angry or amused. "I-I'm sorry, my Lord," he said falling to the ground. "I was..." his voice dropped til it was very quiet. "soundly asleep, it took me a bit to wake."

Lucius watched Draco approach their Master with pride. Of course he had heard about Draco's half success in Dumbledore's death and although he would never let on to anyone, he was proud of the important role which Draco had had in it. It did concern him that he had been unable to take the final step and use the unforgivable when it was needed, but Dumbledore's influence was not to be underestimated. As little as he would like to admit it, Lucius remembered a time when that damned twinkle had even worked on him.

"Get up, Bella," the Dark Lord said and lifted his wand to release her various curses. "You would do well to show a little more patience.

"Lucius, it was one thing to make a mistake, another to knowingly attack one under my protection. Curb your temper, or you will wish you were back in Azkaban."

The Dark Lord swept his glance across the remaining Death Eaters and without another word disapparated.

Draco stood and brushed the dirt from his knees.

Bella stood, and shook the dirt off her robes. She stood, and glared evilly at Lucius, although he couldn't see her doing it. She apparated to the village, and giggled under her breath
"Let the fun begin!"

Snape watched Bella leave and turned towards Lucius and Draco. "Shall we?" he drawled.

Having reunited with Draco, Lucius got to work with the other Death Eaters, hunting down the remaining Muggles and doing his best to ensure they each suffered a slow and painful death. By the end, his mask and black cloak were stained with blood and he could think of nothing else than returning home and getting clean. He still hadn't prepared Malfoy Manor for his return and couldn't be sure that Narcissa had done so, so instead he set his course towards the Riddle Estate, knowing there would be a bedroom which he could use somewhere on its grounds. Before leaving, he quickly found Draco and informed him that they would be having dinner that evening. A moment later, Lucius had disappeared from the town which now had Bella's Darkmark blazing above it.

Snape saw Lucius leaving Draco alone. He noticed the boy looked a tad dumbfounded and took it upon himself to fill in what he'd missed at the meeting.

"Draco." Snape said sharply coming up behind him.

Draco turned sharply on his heel to face him.

"You really must be more aware of what is going on around you if you are going to survive in this world. Do try to be more careful in the future to avoid such late commings. The Dread Lord does not take kindly to late comers, seeing as how we are his loyal followers we are expected to put him higher up on our list of priorities." he sneered.

"You're lucky tonight was a slow one."

Bella cast her Dark Mark high, and dragged off one of the teenage muggles. She waltzed into the forest and apparated back to Riddle House. She threw the muggle into the dungeons, cast some wards and returned to her chambers. After a while, and once she was clean again, she cooly walked down to the main hall and slumped on one of the couches next to Lucius and Fenrir

Having been filled in, Draco apparated to the village with Snape.

 

 

* * * * * * *

 

Draco appeared just outside the village with Professor Snape.  He felt a little dizzy and placed his hand on a nearby tree to steady himself.  "I think I need a moment," he said.  "You go on."

Snape's masked face turned towards him, Draco could imagine the assessing look underneath.  After a moment he nodded and walked towards the village.  Draco stood there for several minutes, listening to the clatters and clangs, the spells and the screams.  He felt absurd.

As his thoughts settled, he became aware that he was still dressed in his night clothes under his robes.  Snape had briefed him on the situation, but Draco was still unsure exactly what he was supposed to be doing.  His father was out, which brought to him a great deal of relief, but also a fresh set of concerns.  The rules of the game had changed again.  The Dark Lord had not even taken the trouble to rebuke him, perhaps he felt Bella had done enough, but Draco still was not sure what to make of that.  He had tried so hard to get to the meeting, and no valid excuse for laziness.

A crack like thunder interrupted Draco's thoughts, two figures were running towards him.  Draco had no idea who they were, but their clothing marked them as non-Death Eaters.  Draco continued to lean against the tree, unmoving as the figures approached.  They were looking over their shoulders, not paying attention to him.  He wondered if he could ignore them.  He did not feel like doing anything other than going back to his bed and hiding under it.  But then, they might be followed...he might be seen letting them pass.  And that would be bad.  Draco raised his wand and the figures skidded to a hault.

It was a boy, about Draco's age and build.  Scaring people could be funny, but there was nothing amusing about the hopeless terror on the boy's features.  The boy's hand was gripping that of a nine year old girl's, who seemed more uncertain than afraid.  The boy's head was shaking gently as though telling Draco "no".

But I have to, Draco thought.  I have to.  Still he said nothing, cast no spell.  The trance that had held the boys gazes was broken and the Muggle turned to run again, putting his body between Draco and the girl has he did so.

"Stupefy!" Draco cast forcefully.  "Stupefy!"  The red beams hit the fleeing children in the backs, and they fell.  "Okay, okay," Draco whispered.  "Stay down, stay quiet."

Draco walked stiltedly towards the village.  Feeling surreal as the cries and screams rose from mouths he could not yet see and smelled the fire.  He told himself he was just dazed from being Stupefied earlier.  He would be enjoying himself like the others if his head would just stop swimming.  He spotted an open cottage and steered himself towards the door.  Maybe he could find a place to sit for a moment, somewhere a little quieter.  He could just stun anyone inside.

His wand held aloft he pushed the door open.  It was neat little kitchen, with a teapot on a warm stove.  Draco took a clean looking cup off the counter and poured some tea.  He pushed his mask back so he could take a sip and looked about him.  It was shabby by his standards, but someone had done what they could with it.  There was a dried flower arrangement in an small cream pitcher on the table.  He took another sip of tea and notice the hand lying in the door way.

Draco put the cup down and stepped towards the door.  The hand was attached to an arm and the arm to a body, the Muggle woman was still and almost peaceful looking.  Draco stepped passed her.  He took no notice of the bullet hole in the wall behind him but followed a short hall to the next set of rooms.  What had once been a man, was now several bloody bits, a few of them still recognizable as particular parts.  Draco felt the tea bubble up in his stomach.  The metallic smell of blood hit him, and he fell against the door as he gave a dry heave.

Draco wiped his mouth and pulled his mask back on.  He hurried out of the cottage.  As he came outside, another man fell at his feet and vomited up some worms.  Draco jumped out of his way to avoid the splatter.  What the bloody hell was supposed to be fun about this?!

He forced himself to keep moving.  He Stupefied the Muggles he came across.  Made sure to kick the bodies if there were any other Death Eaters in the area.  He set fire to a water trough for good measure.

"There you are!" Draco heard his father's voice come from behind another mask.  Draco was not sure how he recognized him, Draco had not been able to recognize anyone except Aunt Bella until they spoke, and Draco was keeping silent.  He was even casting his spells nonverbally.

"Father?"

Lucius sounded slightly out of breath but exhilarated.  "Let's have dinner this evening.  You and I.  I want to hear about what you've been up to this past year."

"Sure," Draco said with more enthusiasm than he thought himself capable.  "That sounds great."

There was a loud crashing noise.  "This evening then," Lucius said and then hurried off in the direction of the sound.  Draco watched his father leave and decided he had enough.  He apparated back to his room in the Riddle House and pulled off his robes.  He put them away and fell back on his bed with his hands clasped behind his head and stared at the ceiling.