Each of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes possessed a seductive power.
Those who came close to one would inexplicably hear whispers and seductive murmurs, like the voices of demons.
Emotions would descend into chaotic turmoil, turning into corrosive hatred.
A Horcrux was adept at drawing negative emotions such as greed and vanity from the hearts of others. It could influence those around it, causing such thoughts to arise from nothing or grow and intensify under subtle guidance.
People with weak wills could not withstand wave after wave of negative emotions. Their emotions would become uncontrollable and irritable, escalating and worsening over time.
The darker sides hidden within their hearts would be exposed without restraint.
Malfoy had only slightly relaxed his constantly tense mental defenses. As he approached Nagini, he immediately felt an evil presence invading his mind.
That confirmed beyond doubt that Nagini was a Horcrux.
However, compared with the few inanimate objects that had previously served as Horcruxes and were carefully hidden away, this one was far more difficult to destroy.
The slippery scales covering Nagini's long body could deflect most weaker spells while also reducing the power of stronger ones.
More importantly, Nagini was almost inseparable from her master, Lord Voldemort.
Lord Voldemort rarely had any reason to send Nagini into battle alongside him. Most of the time, no one even knew where he kept her hidden.
Nagini usually only appeared when she had an overwhelming advantage, or when the Dark Lord wanted to punish subordinates who had performed poorly.
Killing her would most likely mean confronting Lord Voldemort head-on.
The risk was simply too great.
Just as Malfoy began pondering the matter, the Dark Lord's words brought him back to reality.
"Draco? What reward do you need?" Lord Voldemort suddenly asked, raising an eyebrow.
All the Death Eaters immediately stopped eating. It seemed that the Dark Lord had another announcement to make.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot. You still haven't received the Dark Mark. As my most loyal subordinate, how could you possibly miss this most important step?"
Lord Voldemort seemed particularly interested. He looked at the boy before him as though bestowing the Dark Mark upon him were itself a reward.
Malfoy felt a slight resistance toward it, but he had mentally prepared himself for this step.
Going undercover was unlikely to come without sacrifices. Compared with his life, this was insignificant.
But this was, after all, Lord Voldemort's magic, and there could be side effects. Besides, that skull-like mark was both sinister and hideous. It could not simply be removed with a little cleaning magic.
It would remain with him for the rest of his life.
However, Malfoy concealed his true feelings perfectly. He even put an expression of fanatical excitement on his face.
He rushed toward the raised platform at once, moving with remarkable speed, looking delighted as his black robes rustled behind him.
As for Lucius and Narcissa standing to the side, their expressions changed as well.
Narcissa took a step forward, as though she wanted to say something, but Lucius immediately seized her wrist tightly.
"Draco just got back. Why can't the Dark Lord be more understanding? Our child isn't even an adult yet! Don't let him get involved in this mess! Being a Death Eater isn't easy!" Narcissa whispered anxiously into her husband's ear, barely suppressing the worry on her delicate face.
Lucius's expression was grim as he slowly shook his head.
His pale, thin face looked troubled, but he knew that Lord Voldemort was not someone who could easily be defied.
The Dark Lord was capricious.
Pleading for leniency would only make things worse.
At least for now, this wasn't necessarily a bad outcome. Giving Draco a more important position was better than pushing him to the margins of power.
At that moment, Malfoy eagerly extended his left arm and rolled up his sleeve.
He looked like a devout believer about to receive baptism from his god.
His arm trembled with excitement.
Since I can't refuse, I certainly can't let myself make this sacrifice for nothing.
He had to conceal his true feelings and ensure that Lord Voldemort noticed nothing unusual.
"Today, all of you here will witness his unwavering loyalty."
Lord Voldemort waved his hand, causing his black robes to flutter.
The fiery serpent hanging from the centre of the ceiling, which served as the room's light source, suddenly expanded. In an instant, the previously dim room was illuminated completely.
"Awooo!"
The Werewolf present took the lead and began howling. He knew that this was the moment to loudly respond to Lord Voldemort's actions.
Seeing this, Lucius instinctively revealed a look of disgust.
These beasts were far too crude and unruly, provoking an instinctive sense of aversion.
Lord Voldemort observed the reactions of his followers and nodded in satisfaction.
He raised his withered arm and waved his wand, summoning a deep-red flame that radiated gentle heat and shimmered faintly in mid-air.
It was slightly dimmer than an ordinary flame, yet slightly brighter than Fiendfyre.
The eerie flames drifted through the air before gradually gathering into the shape of an extremely sharp carving knife.
The flames flickered faintly, radiating a chillingly sinister aura.
Narcissa stared at the flames in horror.
Soon, her son, whom she had finally managed to bring home, would once again have to endure immense suffering.
Just as the fiery blade was about to descend and carve itself into Malfoy's arm, piercing the skin to create the Dark Mark that symbolized evil, Narcissa turned her head, closed her eyes, and tightly gripped her husband's arm.
She did not dare look any longer.
However, to everyone's surprise, the faint crimson glow suddenly went out.
Lord Voldemort's crimson eyes narrowed sharply, his blood-red pupils contracting into thin slits.
Malfoy's heart pounded violently, as though it had been struck by a hammer. His blood seemed to rush backward, and a chilling wind swept across his back, leaving it drenched in cold sweat.
His delicate eyebrows twitched slightly in surprise, and his eyelids blinked rapidly several times.
This sudden and abnormal turn of events caused countless thoughts to flash through his mind.
Could Lord Voldemort have discovered my secret?
His right hand instinctively wanted to clench around the wand hidden inside his sleeve, but he forcibly restrained himself and made himself relax.
A perfectly measured expression of doubt appeared in his grey eyes as he looked at the Dark Lord before him.
That wary expression only deepened Lord Voldemort's suspicions.
Things haven't reached the worst possible point yet. I mustn't panic.
Then he saw a smug smile spread across Lord Voldemort's pale face.
"I've come up with a very interesting plan, Draco."
The deep, soothing voice reached his ears.
Lord Voldemort gently lowered his wand, a trace of excitement flickering across his pale face.
His nostrils twitched, his scarlet tongue slid over his dry, bloodless lips, and his snake-like eyes narrowed.
Then, in a hoarse voice, he spoke slowly, excitement evident in every word.
"Do you still want to go back to school, Draco?"