` say your prayers |Lucius|

[Lord Voldemort]

It was dark and foggy, and not much could be made out due to the dew setting upon the sleek glass windows of Borgin and Burkes. The shop was dimly lit with a few sparing oil lamps and the dusty, old floorboards creaked with every shift in movement. The edges of the windowsills had begun to freeze due to the constantly dropping temperatures. He could almost feel the cold, night air seeping all around, engulfing him in its animosity and malignance. The Dark Lord closed his eyes, inhaling the harsh, heavy air that permeated Borgin and Burkes. It reeked of old relics and useless antiques. Yet...it seemed to bring a sense of cool tranquility to his lungs.

Suddenly, a wizarding couple walked into the ancient antiquities store. They had not noticed him, so Lord Voldemort studied them carefully. He was disgusted by their happy-go-lucky smiles and jolly strolling throughout the store. These people obviously were not aware of how things worked in Knockturn Alley. Deciding that it was time to greet his guests, Voldemort glided slowly and deliberately out of the shadows. Every step he took made an ominious, haunting creak. Before the man and woman even had time to widen their eyes and scream, the Dark Lord slashed his wand out.

They were both dead on the spot; the last morsel color in their faces draining out with a green tint that came along with the Killing Curse. Lord Voldemort exhaled a sigh in utter satisfaction. This was what he lived for. That sign in the eyes of wizard who knew he was about to die. Subtlely was never one of the Dark Lord's virtues. He was deliberate, decisive and cruel. But couldn't that be blamed upon his lonely upbringing? On the other hand, weren't those the features that made him so unbelievably powerful?

The man once known as Tom Marvolo Riddle couldn't help his sense of nostalgia to indulge in his past. Tom lived his childhood as a mischievous, lonesome child in a Muggle orphanage after being abandoned by his mother and father. He knew he possessed special powers; powers that were often used unwisely against Mugggles, and earned him a notorious, infamous reputation among other children. One day, Riddle was properly introduced to the world of magic and wizards by a man named Albus Dumbledore, a teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Oddly enough, Tom believed the idea quite easily considering the natural talents he had and...the ability to talk to snakes.

At Hogwarts, Tom Marvolo Riddle was sorted into Slytherin and began making his historic impact on the prestigious school from the start. Always impressing his teachers...always at the top of his class. Though he was never one to mingle with students of his own age. Tom considered them inferior, immature and ultimately, not as talented as him. As the years went on the prospect of power and the untaught forms of magic began to interest him even more. It was in his last two years that Tom Marvolo Riddle began to transform into his blood purist alter-ego of Lord Voldemort. Considered a minor uprising, Voldemort gathered followers while in school. After graduating from Hogwarts, he began delving into some of the oldest and dangerous forms of the Dark Arts. He set out to trim the wizarding world of impure bloodlines and rule it, all while pursuing immortality through the creation of Horcruxes. And to think that the illustrious, omnipresent Albus Dumbledore had absolutely no idea. The thought brought a rare smug grin to the Dark Lord's lips.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/font]

[Lucius Malfoy]

.

Darkness. The word meant many different things, but for Lucius it meant two in particular at this very moment. It was the definition for what the nighttime looked like, covering the earth in a black shroud that was only interrupted sparingly by stars and the moon. Tonight even those sparkling objects in the sky were obscured by the clouds that had also made their way to the England area. They had been present all day, dark and grey, almost black, hiding the sun from existence it seemed. Yes, the day had been full of darkness, and now the night just made it that much worse. It was dreary for many reasons, and most people had walked the streets of London quickly, assuming the sky might open up and let a downpour of rain follow right along. Lucius had been observing the wizards and witches in Diagon Alley a good portion of the day. His eyes had watched, but his mind was elsewhere.

And this brings us to the second definition of darkness, the one Lucius had been more concerned with than the first. The evil side of darkness - the side which the Dark Lord controlled. It was a frightening but awe-inspiring thing to know that tonight was the night. The night he became an official member to the Dark Lord's command - to fight along side his father and mother for the purging of their world, and all the despicable beings who currently resided in it. Lucius did not know what it meant to become a member, to be initiated into the ever-growing group of Death Eaters, but he had to go alone. His father and mother would not be there to welcome him in, nor would a single other Death Eater. It would just be he and their master, alone in the veil of darkness that covered Knockturn Alley, and already eery enough place without the night or the events that were soon to transpire.

Abraxas had looked Lucius over carefully again and again. His mother had fixed his hair more than necessary, her hands shaking and her voice timid as she tried to assure him that the night would go very well and things would be over soon enough. Lucius was nervous, but he kept his words calm and steady as he told his parents that he was fine, and more than ready to join them. As a seventh year, he would be graduating this year, and therefore he would be joining the wizarding world in more of a way than ever before. It was important that he could gain entrance into the group of Death Eaters before then so that the Dark Lord might use him in any way he deemed necessary during the remainder of his school years, and his parents knew this. Perhaps this would also help boost his ranks within the following, and he could earn more respect for his family and the name of the Malfoys.

It was time. Late, very late. It was frightening to even roam the streets of Knockturn Alley in broad daylight, let alone now. Lucius did not light his wand, as per the instructions he was given before he had left. He did, however, keep it handy, in case he was confronted by a crazed witch or wizard that might be lurking in the shadows. He gulped as he heard noises in some of the side alleys, but nothing had jumped out at him. Borgin and Burkes was just up ahead, he could see the sign for it through the mist that surrounded everything at this hour. There was a noise, and it wasn't going away as the sounds in the side alleys had, and Lucius ducked behind the entrance to the store he was meeting the Dark Lord in. Peering out from behind the wall, he saw a happy couple, holding hands and giggling enter the store. Poor souls, he thought, as they opened the door and walked in, completely unsuspecting of what was sure to come next.

And then there was a green light that lit up the little shop. It vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and Lucius knew that the Dark Lord had taken care of them. He took another hard swallow and adjusted his tie before making his way into the cold dark shop. Obviously his soon-to-be master wasn't in a cheerful mood, and that made Lucius even more nervous about tonight's scenario. Though there was probably never a time when the Dark Lord really considered another human being as something to appreciate, the fact that he had witnessed the man murder to innocent people just made it that much more obvious to him. Do not speak unless spoken to, and even then use your words sparingly, his father's voice repeated the words in his head as he looked around for the bodies or any sign of the Dark Lord. Silence and absolutely no evidence of his existence greeted Lucius coldly.

[/font]

[Lord Voldemort]

Darkness. A rather odd word in Lord Voldemort's opinion. How could something so mesmerizing and materalistic as the night sky be interlaced with something so foribidden and malevolent? People really were naive and misinformed. Then again that single, meaningless word was also associated with none other than the Dark Lord. Some believed that he himself should coin the term. Again, wizarding kind was sadly deceived. They blindly believed his deeds were "evil", if such an obsolete word meant anything. In reality, Lord Voldemort strived to purify wizarding blood. His intentions were noble and true; his determination and means, stronger than most. But those characteristics changed what used to be a weak Tom Riddle into Lord Voldemort. Those characteristics placed him here today as possibly the most powerful wizard of all time.

In Lord Voldemort's mind, he felt he was a revolutionary. Performing great feats of magic and delving into realms that even the most courageous of wizards shyed away from. In Muggle terms: a scientific genius. His mind drifted back to his sixth and sevent years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Obviously at the top of his class, Tom Marvolo Riddle began making a name for himself. His closest group of friends were his Death Eaters, a group of magically gifted students who wanted to conquer and abolish death for their desires. At its heart lay the future Lord Voldemort, the man who would terrorize the wizarding world like no one before. Professors such as Headmaster Armando Dippet and Horace Slughorn were always fascinated with Tom and knew nothing but praise for him. Of course, there was the exception: Albus Dumbledore. Known then as the Deputy Headmaster, Dumbledore had always suspected treachery out of Riddle, but was kept shut by Headmaster Dippet.

Professor Slughorn, on the other hand, was a completely singular case. He always insisted on Tom's company whenever he had a gathering of his brightest students, conventionally known as the Slug Club. It was Slughorn's pleasurable hobby to collect students under him who were of promise to the wizarding world. Tom Marvolo Riddle of course, was his crowing jewel. Lord Voldemort was perplexed at how such a noble and true Slytherin such as Horace Slughorn withstood from the ranks of the Death Eaters. There was no question that his pool of knowledge and vast potion making skills were valuable. But it was all in vain, as he refused to join the Dark Lord.

Another of Lord Voldemort's goals was to obtain immortality. Obviously this was the original desire for the Death Eaters, but they were sidetracked by a vastly greater initiative. Yet it was always a concept set firm in the Dark Lord's mind. There were various rumors and connections to possible ways to achieve this endeavour. Even while at school, Tom Riddle was fascinated by the prospect of avoiding death, forever making his mark on wizarding society. His mind wrapped around solutions such as the Sorceror's Stone and the creation of Horcruxes. Only the Nicolas Flamel's creation would suffice to attain immortality, but for now...the Horcruxes would have to make do. Lord Voldemort looked down at Nagini, petting her hissing softly in Parseltongue. "We mustn't deny you of fresh meat, should we Nagini?" he said, gesturing to the two dead bodies on the floor of Borgin and Burkes.

As the large python slithered ominously toward the bodies in the corner the Dark Lord heard the old, wooden door of Borgin and Burkes creak open, accompanied by the jingle of a bell. A shadowy figure appeared in the doorway. The street lights in Knockturn Alley hardly sufficed to reveal the character. For a moment, all Voldemort could make out was the outling of a school boy. He stood with a stiff posture, tilting his head as if he was looking for something...or someone. The name of the boy dawned on him suddenly. Lucius Malfoy. Lord Voldemort couldn't deny that he had been thinking about this moment. After all, he patiently waited here for a reason.

Abraxas Malfoy was the closest thing the Dark Lord could call a friend. They had created the Death Eaters while in school along with the likes of Rosier, Dolohov and Lestrange. They had all raised their children properly. Raised them into Death Eater proteges. But none of these families were valued as highly to him as the Malfoys. Always loyal, always pure of blood and always reliable. He couldn't pretend that he was not somewhat amused and happy to have Lucius join his ranks. Lucius was a gifted wizard, there was no denying it, and lived his life by the code of Death Eater. And today...he was to be rewarded. Rewarded by becoming one.

Nagini slithered past Lucius' feet, as Lord Voldemort watched his reaction with seeming interest. As if that was not enough to send a shiver down the boy's spine, Riddle finally spoke up. "Luciussss..." the Dark Lord hissed in his high pitched, ominous voice. "You are nearly...late." The words seemed to echo malignantly off the walls of Borgin and Burkes, enveloping the shop with a singular, powerful voice. Lord Voldemort did not tolerate tardiness very much, nor did he enjoy being interrupted before a set time. Luckily for Lucius Malfoy, he was right on time.

[/font][/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Lucius Malfoy]

.

There was still absolute silence in the old shop, aside from the bell that sounded too high and welcoming to be one for this tragic location. Each and every step made the floor boards creak with an uneasiness that could describe Lucius' feelings in his new environment. He had been to this shop many times before with his father, but somehow it seemed a lot darker during the nighttime, not even considering the quality of light now surrounding him. The place was always less that appealing, but in the darkness it seemed like a place used in a scary story to frighten kids around a campfire. Any minute now, a monster unlike any other would jump out and engulf Lucius in one single bite, or swallow rather.

His eyes narrowed as he tried to see passed the blackness surrounding him. He squinted as if it might develop his vision better and cause him to see some figure, any figure. Lucius had seen the Dark Lord before, but only occasionally and when he was fully robed. Abraxas had described the man to him this evening, before he stood before him, face-to-face. He had said that their master was an abysmal sight to the ones who did not understand the power that the man possessed... but Lucius took the warning with a grain of salt. He was skeptical that anyone could look as little like a man as he had been described. Lucius wasn't even given an explanation as to why this man supposedly looked the way he did, which was part of the reason he felt so unsure that it was true.

He stood still now, keeping a statuesque appearance in order to let his eyes adjust better and also to hear anything that might be moving in the little shop. There was movement, but it seemed non-human and surely was not the Dark Lord. Nagini, he remembered his father telling him, is his pet... a snake that feeds on his victims, so considering proportions, it's quite large. Lucius had never seen the snake during the meetings he had been allowed to attend before this night. He had searched for it, making no movements as his eyes scoped it out, many times, but to no avail. Now he stood so close to her that he wanted to run, but he kept still, awaiting the voice of his master he had heard time and time again.

"Luciussss... you are nearly... late," the voice uttered in its biting, snakelike manner. He almost jumped when he heard it, not realising just how close he had been to the man it belonged to. He swallowed hard again and considered how to respond. He nearly went to pull out his pocket watch to check the time, but in a lucky fit of quick-thinking, he decided it was best not to do such a thing. He was nervous. His palms were sweating, though on the surface he appeared calm. It was too bad that the Dark Lord would be able to sense his feelings, read his thoughts... if he couldn't do these things, Lucius would appear very well off for this meeting. He was very good at faking his way through uncomfortable situations such as this one. If only...

Lucius cleared his throat but remained stationary. "I'm sorry, ma'lord," he said, bowing his head and closing his eyes. He needed time to compose himself before their exchange moved forward. He should have taken this time out front... the lives of the couple the Dark Lord had taken could have surely bought him a little time, though he was apparently late even with his rush to enter the shop afterward. He wanted to look up, to light his wand and see the man's face he had been told so much about... the man he had been raised to follow since day one. It was so very tempting, but he tried to push the thought from his mind. Tonight was about impressing his soon-to-be master, not to concern himself with a visual image of the man.

[/font]

[Lord Voldemort]

A cold wave of autumn air sweeped though the antiquities store as the wooden door squeaked open. The shop bell clanged a few times but then... Silence. That was all that greeted Lucius Malfoy as he entered the dark domain known as Borgin and Burkes. Lord Voldemort waited patiently in the shadows. It wasn't as if there was any rush, and he certainly enjoying indulging in his little mind games. The floor creaked often indicating the boy was quite anxious; quite possibly dying of nerves. The air seemed to thicken with the prescence of two people in the small area. The Dark Lord kept his breath steady and controlled. His nostrils inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly. Each time enveloping him in a bit of a warm sensation. Lord Voldemort's hands came together behind his back as he shivered just the slightest. His skin was cold and clammy, unlike he had ever noticed before. What had be become? For power, he had sacraficed a strong, healthy body. He was now ridden with diseases of forbidden magic. So Dark was that magic that it had permeated him, causing him to become just a fraction of what he used to look like. But Lord Voldemort never had any regrets...especially in regards to power.

Those slit-like eyes skated quickly and critically over the features of Lucius Malfoy. He was tall; somewhat skinny, but his body was toned. It seemed to him that the boy had a strength about himself. He held himself with high regard and stood with a prideful posture. Of course, that was the royalty with which the Malfoys considered themselves. As a pureblood family there was nothing wrong about that. In fact, he as Lord Voldemort, encouraged it. Lucius's eyes strained and roamed in search of him. It was rather interesting to let the suspense and anxiety of the boy's situation build. At least it was for Voldemort. He could almost hear his breathing, steadily rising in pace; almost able to feel Lucius's heart beat. Thump thump.

Lucius Malfoy was much like his father Abraxas. Very proud and strong on the surface, but Riddle was always able to see right through him. Voldemort's mind drifted off to the deep valley of his past, a part of him he had learned to bury almost at will. Abraxas Malfoy worshipped Tom Riddle. You could say they were friends, but he preferred to think of it as a business partnership...with himself leading the way. And in their sixth year, the Death Eaters were formed. Abraxas was always a little bit of a worrywart; the sensible, cautious right-hand man to Lord Voldemort. But he was loyal and a gifted wizard. That was exactly what he hoped Lucius Malfoy would take up.

Lord Voldemort had had enough of this play. He was getting wearisome of his own game. "I'm sorry, ma'lord." As he stepped out of the shadows, the Dark Lord disregarded Lucius's apology. A shroud of darkness stood to outline his own figure. The moon glistened against his pale, deformed face. His eyes glistened with a hint of red as the moonlight did wonders to accentuate his features. There was no doubt that Lucius Malfoy would be appalled to see what kind of thing his Dark Lord was. But if he knew what was good for him, he would keep his mouth silent and do his duty.

Nagini slithered between Lucius's legs toward her master. Come here and greet our guest, Nagini. The air seemed to drop in temperature as Voldemort slithered menacingly in Parseltongue. The large python hissed at Lucius, seeming to peer up at him with an interest almost to eat him. Lord Voldemort kept her at bay, though the thought that crossed the snake's mind caused the ends of his lips to curve up into a wicked smile. For another time. The soft, but malignant hisses of Parseltongue bounced off the walls, no doubt echoing in Lucius Malfoy's ears. His attention shifted to the boy standing directly in front of him. "You see what I've become, Lucius? Almost a mere ghost on the face of this Earth." whispered Lord Voldemort, softly grazing his fingernails against his own profile. He paused for a moment, almost as if he were having second thoughts about all his actions. Riddle shook the thoughts from his mind and met Lucius's eyes with such intensity. "But you should not let a man's appearance fool you. You have been raised to know the magical feats that I can and have performed. The ultimate failure is death. The ultimate victory is that over death. And that can only be achieved through boundless power. You know that is what you want." He had not necessarily practiced that; rather, it was an oratory that came natural to him. Simply because...he believed in it and believed in his cause. That was all it took.

[/blockquote][/blockquote][/font]