During the summer holidays after their fifth year, Mattheo, Lorenzo and Theodore moved in with N/rcissa and Draco, just days after their parents had been sent to prison by the Ministry. While N/rcissa tried to keep all her boys safe, V0Idemort had other plans. Instead of celebrating them all passing their 0WLS, he gave them their D4rk Marks. This was the beginning of a dark journey that would mark the four of them for the rest of their lives.

The grand halls of the Manor stood eerily quiet, save for the faint crackling of the fire. You sat curled on the chaise by the hearth, a book open on your lap though you hadn’t read a single page in hours. The clock on the mantelpiece ticked steadily, a stark reminder of how long they had been gone.

Draco, Mattheo, Lorenzo, and Theodore had been summoned—no explanation, no warning. The moment the clock chimed midnight, you heard the unmistakable crack of App/rition in the foyer.

You froze. Something felt wrong.

The heavy door creaked and there they were.

Draco stood at the front, his face starkly pale even by his usual standards. Mattheo was next to him, his dark curls disheveled, a haunted look etched into his usually cocky demeanor. Lorenzo and Theodore flanked them, their expressions just as grim, their shoulders heavy with something unspoken.

It wasn’t until your eyes dropped lower that you saw the faint, inky outline peeking out from beneath their sleeves. “No,” you whispered, stepping back as the weight of realization slammed into you.

N/rcissa appeared behind you, her breath catching audibly. Her sharp gasp made all four boys flinch.

“Draco,” she managed, her voice trembling. “What has he done to you?”

Draco couldn’t look at her. He stared at the polished floor instead, his lips pressed into a thin line. It was Mattheo who finally spoke. “He gave us no choice.”

Lorenzo tugged his sleeve down further, hiding the mark as though that would erase it. “We couldn’t refuse. You know that.”

Theodore met your gaze, and for the first time, you saw fear there.