Yay, new chapter- hope you all like it!

Chapter 4: Aunt Bella

“Are we bringing my sweet little nephew to the meeting today? Going to be one of us soon, aren’t we Draco?”

Bellatrix put her hands on either side of his face. Draco’s heart contracted tightly at the mention of exactly what it was he would soon become. “You’ll make us so proud, darling- you will do great things,” she whispered, leaning her forehead against his, her hands still holding his face. With that, she patted his cheek (a little too hard), smiled at him, and walked over to the chaise in the foyer.

He swallowed hard, not wanting to look at her forearm but grimacing as his eyes betrayed him. The Dark Mark seemed more prominent with every passing day.

“Bella! Do you mind?” snapped her sister. Bella was standing on the chaise and casting a spell on the chandelier above, making the crystals vibrate so strongly that some had begun to crack. “You’re no fun at all Cissy,” Bellatrix scowled, leaping off the chaise and pouting. She turned her attention to the elegant fountain across the hall and caused the water to swirl violently, like a liquid tornado. She cackled wildly, her eyes lighting up as water splashed across the oil paintings on the wall. Narcissa closed her eyes, barely controlling her temper. “Just clean it up, Bella.”

Draco did his best to avoid his aunt. He had no cheerful memories of her visits when he was a child. He was always scared of her; he once watched her capture a fox in the backyard, torture the wailing creature, petrify it and drown it in the pond. Just for fun. He had been only seven, but the gleeful dance she did after killing the fox made his blood run cold. And then she caught him watching; he ran for his life but she only laughed and fired a leg-locker jinx at him. He lay there on the ground, terrified, as she towered over him. “Don’t go running to tell Mummy,” she teased, “or you can be my next fox, sweetie.” She gave him a menacing glare and then a wicked smile and walked away, chuckling.

Draco still shuddered at the memory.

Since she was freed from Azkaban, she’d been a hundred times worse; she was now crazy as well as cruel. She was like a ticking time bomb, and no one knew when (or how often) she would blow up. Sometimes, when dark clouds passed over the moon, she would see visions of her captors in prison. She would scream at the moon, cowering in terror, crying “NO! Please, don’t!! Leave my soul alone!!!!” It made the hairs stand up on Draco’s neck.

Lucius appeared in the foyer, took out his wand and instantly stopped the fountain’s wild water show and dried the walls and floor. “Shall we?” he said crisply, and led Draco and Bellatrix out the door.

He grabbed Draco’s arm and they shot up into the air, leaving an ominous trail of black smoke behind them. Draco could feel the air whipping him and could see nothing but the dark wind, swirling around him like a violent tangle of black silk scarves. He felt his stomach drop as they ascended and struggled to breathe. The trip took less than a minute and they arrived at the home of Orin McClellan, another high-ranking Death Eater. Draco closed his eyes and steadied himself against a hedge, his head still spinning.

“Ah, Lucius! You’ve arrived. And you’ve brought the heir to your throne, I see.” McClellan fixed his gaze on Draco, who bowed courteously as he had been taught. Lucius put a hand on Draco’s shoulder. “I have, Orin. After all, my son is nearly of age and I feel that it’s time for him to…shall we say, gain some experience?” McClellan smiled knowingly.

Draco felt his pulse quicken at his father’s cryptic statement. He suddenly felt very uneasy, and had to force himself through the doorway of the McClellan Manor.