Somewhere deep in the Forbidden Forest, three black-cloaked figures appeared out of thin air. They began walking as a slow procession, striding over the ground, making scarcely any noise as they traversed the sprawling web of roots that covered the forest floor. It was a dark, moonless night. A single, faint star hung in the black sky, and fog roiled over the ground in serpentine tendrils.
The figures walked with purpose and gravity. Each step they took through the fog carried a hush that verged almost on holy reverence. Though it was impossible to distinguish their faces beneath the complete darkness of their hoods, their distinct shapes melded out of the shadows of the trunks and branches like ghostly apparitions in the night.
The first figure walked in front of the other two, leading the cavalcade, moving so fluidly it might have been gliding rather than walking. It was a tall, skeletally thin, ominous shape, graceful but terrible as it cut through the forest. The very air around it seemed to grow colder and more lifeless, as if the thing was death itself, come to reap the living from the earth.
Behind this figure, a second shadow moved, not with the same eerie grace of the first, but with excitement, determination. A few dark coils of hair that spilled from the inside of its hood identified it as a woman, a proud woman with her head held high. Her hem rustled as it snaked over the leafy ground. An almost palpable atmosphere of fervor emanated from her being.
At her side, the third cloaked figure was stiff and silent, utterly impenetrable, following the first figure's ritualistic pace with nothing but unspoken obedience.
While they walked, no stray animals dared venture upon their path. It was as if all the woodland creatures had vanished, or as if they had never existed at all.
The figures traveled for a time more, wordlessly, presumably walking towards something that lay ahead in the tangle of trees. Then, out of the inky blackness in front of them, a great silver shape became visible.
The first figure stopped suddenly. It turned its shrouded head from side to side as if it was breathing in the night scent of moss and damp earth.
"Here," it said in a man's high, cold voice.
The other two stopped behind him. The silver shape in front of them had resolved into a great, flat stone table, comprised of three ancient slabs of rock, surrounded by a clearing. Strange markings and runes had been carved into the table's face. The surrounding trees were like columns, unspeakably old and so tall and close together that they obscured all but a narrow pool of dark sky above. The ground was bare, as if it had not seen sunlight in a very long time. The ruin looked like it could have been waiting for these visitors for a thousand years.
"Here, my Lord?"
It was the third figure who had spoken, in a thick, expressionless voice. He was examining the stone table, decidedly not looking at his leader or his companion.
"This is the spot," Lord Voldemort hissed with a faint note of satisfaction.
"But…we are in the Forbidden Forest, are we not?"
"And quite far from everything of concern, Rodolphus. Do you doubt the Dark Lord's understanding of these matters?"
"I do not doubt, my Lord," he murmured.
"This is a spot of considerable old magic. It is a spot worthy of my flesh and blood, and it will do."
The man, Rodolphus, remained silent, ducking his head in admonishment. At his side, the woman had removed her hood, and in the odd, murky light of the clearing, the haughty, heavy-lidded face of Bellatrix Lestrange was discernible. Just now, it was arranged in a look of wild jubilation. Her chest rose and fell as she turned to address her master.
"Say when to begin, My Lord."
Lord Voldemort drew back his hood with a long, pale finger. Against the black night, his skin gleamed white as a skull. A hint of a cruel smile curled his thin mouth.
"Patience, Bella," he breathed. He spun suddenly to face the other figure. "Rodolphus."
Rodolphus stiffened at the sound of his name.
"Yes, My Lord?"
"Secure the area. Prepare the spells."
Rodolphus obeyed, flicking his wand in front of him the way one would unsheathe a sword. Jabbing the wand into the mist, he muttered under his breath, and a stream of orange sparks began to fly from the wand's tail.
Bellatrix's stare had never waved from her master. Voldemort acknowledged his devotee with a cold incline of the head.
"Ready yourself, Bellatrix. It is time."
Her head swung up and down; a mere nod could not demonstrate her utmost readiness.
"Yes, yes, My Lord." She paused, daring to speak more, and her dark eyes shone with a gloss of joyful tears. "This—is an honor, My Lord—unspeakable. I will try to be deserving—I cannot express my gratitude—"
"That will do," Lord Voldemort said coolly, and Bellatrix fell silent at once.
Voldemort turned from her and watched Rodolphus finish the first gesture of the required enchantment. Orange sparks drifted freely and abundantly now, forming a ring around the stone and flitting through the air like embers from a flame. Rodolphus lowered his wand and waited for further instruction.
Voldemort addressed both the Lestranges as one, his icy voice shrill and commanding.
"I am going to prepare," he said. "When I return, I expect the proceedings to go as planned. If you prove yourselves unworthy of this honor, the consequences will be…dire."
Rodolphus and Bellatrix bowed deeply, the latter so deeply her nose brushed the ground and her face was hidden by her thicket of black hair.
"My Lord," she whispered from her crouch, but Voldemort was already moving away.
Shadow-like, he glided out of the clearing and back into the deep forest, until he was invisible to his followers, and he was alone.
This part of the forest was dark, dangerous to mortal men, and filled with secrets only he could understand. The trees seemed to whisper to each other, stretching their gaunt fingers into the velvet night. He inhaled deeply, his eyes fluttering back into his head and his neck twisting sinuously. He exhaled, and his eyes snapped open, burning like red hot coals in the night, the slit-like pupils focused straight ahead.
Lord Voldemort did not need to mutter like weak Rodolphus to spawn magic; No, he merely needed to feel it gathering all around, feel it burning within him, feel the rich flow of it rushing under his skin. As if cradling a child, Lord Voldemort removed his wand from the inner folds of his cloak. The instrument seemed to come alive at his touch and his touch alone, humming and eager for use. He obliged it, casting a spell that would ensure conception. The first part of the incantation was complete. His own power astonished him. His own cleverness, his foresight, astonished him too.
In his reverie, Lord Voldemort congratulated himself for the masterful step he took tonight. The new prophecy would be realized because he willed it so, because none but the Lestranges, his most loyal servants, and he himself, knew of its creation. Foolish Dumbledore had thought he could tell the boy everything, had thought he could train the little puppet to best him, but he—Lord Voldemort—was clever enough to do the one thing they would never suspect, the one thing that would assure his immortality.
The plan was without flaw. Ensure the secrecy and protection of his Horcruxes…kill the boy…and plant his heir into the body of his best lieutenant, so his own flesh and blood would thrive like an extension of himself, the most valuable tool yet. It would carry out the oracle's work and could be easily disposed of should it ever seek to rival or usurp him, though the thought was ridiculous…None could rival him.
Yes, it was a human act, a mere animalistic impulse for those who had not mastered his control. But necessary. Lord Voldemort acknowledged the necessity with diplomatic wisdom. It had been necessary twice before, to manipulate and win favor when all other tactics had failed. It was necessary this time again, but with different reason. Though base, the measure he took, the act involved, was not unwelcome to him at present…in fact, he admitted to himself, it was welcome, indeed…And the benefits to his plan were great. With the completion of the mortal act, his tool would be set in place, and he would ascend once and for all from the realm of man.
It was time. With deathly precision, he rose from the gnarled trees and moved back into the clearing.
The orange sparks of the spell had lit the area in a fiery glow. The stone table gleamed. On it, Bellatrix was lying flat on her back, unclothed, her robe flung in a heap at the foot of the table.
"Ashaligca…hoth'igah...rox al'um hox," Rodolphus was chanting. His face looked mask-like and his eyes unseeing.
He lifted his wand into the air once more. This time, black vapor spewed from the tip and dispersed over the clearing. Rodolphus looked as though he were about to continue the enchantment, but then, as if hesitating, he stopped speaking and lowered his wand, a flicker of doubt visible in his surly face.
"Why do you stop?" asked Voldemort, his voice dangerously smooth.
"I—" faltered Rodolphus.
"Ah…your thoughts, Rodolphus, they betray you," Voldemort interrupted, tracing his wand threateningly with one of his long, curved nails. "Even a man skilled at concealment cannot fool me…you are honored as you should be, yes, but you find this part of the process…demeaning." Voldemort's mouth curled around the word like a caress. Rodolphus swallowed visibly.
"My Lord—"
"You wonder why we do not use magic to achieve the same end."
A shadow passed over Rodolphus's face, as if he was startled by the accuracy of his master's conjecture.
"Ah." Voldemort's eyes gleamed cat-like in the darkness. "I see I am right."
"My concern is entirely for you, My Lord," implored Rodolphus bluntly, thrusting forth his hands as if to demonstrate earnestness. "Forgive me. Your word is my command, I trust your judgement as law—but, couldn't a magical…conception… make the heir stronger? Could it be beneficial?"
Voldemort took a step toward his servant, who shivered with fear and averted his gaze.
"Lies, Rodolphus," he purred. "You feel yourself threatened by the prospect of this union. Why, it is almost amusing! Do you fear I have come to steal your wife?" He laughed. The high, merciless sound reverberated around the clearing. It was an inhuman cry, more unnerving that a shout.
Bellatrix perched forward on the stone, apparently unabashed by her state of undress. She glared at her husband.
Voldemort's laughter stopped abruptly. His serpentine eyes narrowed. He took another step towards Rodolphus. The man's forehead was beaded with sweat. Voldemort was now so close he could have touched the man with one of his bone-white fingers.
"Though weak, you are right to ponder, Rodolphus. Because Lord Voldemort values those who are clever as well as loyal, I will tell you my reasons. I considered such a thing myself. Yes, there are certain…benefits to a magical conception," admitted Voldemort silkily.
"However," he continued, his cloak swishing as he broke from Rodolphus and strolled around the clearing, "The sort of spell to which you allude would be powerful…a spell which I could easily produce, of course, but such spells leave…inevitable traces. And unlike treasures and trinkets, flesh cannot be magically guarded to conceal these signs. Powerful wizards…unlike yourself…notice such traces, Rodolphus."
At last, the man's dull face registered understanding. From her perch on the stone, Bellatrix had listened raptly to every word from her master's lips, but upon his last explanation, her brow had perhaps lowered a fraction of an inch, as if she had wished a less clinical reason for the proceedings.
Voldemort continued, "As you know, this is a…delicate instance. The plan relies on utmost secrecy. Should even one other person know of the heir, it becomes utterly worthless. Do you now understand? The necessity of what must be done? We are left with one option."
Suddenly, Bellatrix raised her voice entreatingly and cried,
"Do not listen to him, My Lord! He knows what must be done and will aid the plan willingly."
Voldemort regarded her with some interest.
Bellatrix's mouth turned in a vicious sneer as she regarded her husband.
"How dare you!" she hissed at him. "You have no right—asking questions as if you doubt our Lord's judgement, offering your witless suggestions! You have no right, none, you foolish—It is an honor…an honor, and us, so underserving…" She trailed off, appearing overcome by emotion.
"Thank you, Bella," said Voldemort in an icy whisper. "I know, in you, I have a follower I can trust." She gazed up at him, adoration apparent on her haughty face, but he ignored her. "Finish the spell."
At this command, Rodolphus muttered in the strange tongue again and raised his wand.
At the final syllables of his incantation, the air of the clearing became completely still. The trees ceased shaking in the wind, clumps of fog floated as if frozen, and the gently spinning orange sparks hung eerily in mid-air.
"Now," Voldemort ordered. "Leave us."
Rodolphus stood dumbly.
"Do you ignore the word of the Dark Lord? Leave us!"
Rodolphus moved, but not quickly enough.
"Crucio," said Voldemort with a gentle twitch of his wrist. At once, Rodolphus fell to the ground, writhing and screaming soundlessly. He flailed like a beetle flipped on its back, contorting, limbs twisting grotesquely. Bellatrix observed the scene but did not move from her position on the table. She looked bored as her husband choked in pain. Voldemort felt a sinister pleasure, seeing the man entirely under his control...even the most loyal followers must be punished, reprimanded…the fool would suffer for his impudence…
Voldemort lifted the spell lazily. Rodolphus rose, panting, from the ground, his face split with agony.
"You pay the price for your continued insolence, Rodolphus."
"Yes, my lord," he winced.
Lord Voldemort studied the vestiges of pain in Rodolphus's face. Ah, yes.
"You will return to the Manor and speak of nothing. Guard your thoughts carefully."
With an unsteady bow, Rodolphus departed, his role in the process completed. Bellatrix smirked haughtily as she watched the shape of him limping into the trees. Rodolphus was indistinguishable, and then he was gone.
In his absence, all fell silent. Lord Voldemort regarded the scene before him…But all in good time.
He could sense the lust washing over Bellatrix. Her mind he normally perceived as dagger-like: sharp, dangerous, and willing to elicit pain, but it appeared different when laden with her desire…her current thoughts were flushed, insistent, and full of…what? Full of eagerness at the prospect of copulation? Full of love? Voldemort repressed a smile. Of all human idiocies, this was paramount: every man's foolishness when tempted with the possibility of a mate…Skilled, useful Bellatrix may be, but even his most dangerous servant could be rendered weak by emotion.
Of course, he, Lord Voldemort, was above such weakness…was above emotion…but not, perhaps, above all sensation that a body could experience…He had one now, after all, waiting to be put to use…
"Do you wish to continue?" he asked the woman in front of him.
"Yes," replied Bellatrix fervently. Her mind echoed her answer.
"And you, My Lord?" she breathed. "May I?"
Lord Voldemort allowed himself a smile, which curved his thin, lipless mouth.
"As I command."
The woman shifted forward on the cold stone, her hair dark as sable against its silver surface, and gazed up at her master...
And, just like that, the final step of the incantation had begun.
Now, Lord Voldemort allowed his mind to splinter into two pieces. One fraction noted the proceedings at hand, coolly and with satisfaction. The larger portion occupied itself by plotting the mechanisms that must be set in place: the training his heir must receive to be worthy of the title; the fear and respect and control that must be instilled in it without a moment to waste; the plan to move Potter, in which the Boy would die at long last; and the locations and enchantments that concealed his Horcruxes, which would undoubtedly render his current measure merely precautionary. But Lord Voldemort was thorough where his own life was concerned.
Abruptly, his planning was interrupted. So vivid and ecstatic were Bellatrix's present thoughts, they intruded onto his without any effort on his part. He detected the longing, the devotion, the saccharine notions of romance filling her mind…but, despite the distraction of her senseless mental sentiment, Lord Voldemort could not deny that there was a certain…gratification in the proceedings…and in seeing something so bent to his will, so under his power…
It was strange to remember, mere years ago, he had been nothing but a phantom, and the concept of a body had been a forgone luxury. He had briefly considered that, perhaps, his new form was already evolved to the point that it would prove incapable of debasing itself thus. But the body he had made for himself was without flaw, and it executed each required task.
Had an outsider been able to see through the concealment charms surrounding the clearing, they would have seen two shapes, both simultaneously ghostly pale and frighteningly dark, intertwined like serpents. They would have seen the figures draw apart. One stood over the other, who knelt on the ground and kissed the hem of its robe.
The work was complete.
"Go back to the Manor," Voldemort hissed as Bellatrix rose to her feet, covered in her cloak once more. "Tell them you have been torturing the Mudblood teacher for me. Speak of this to no one. Tell no one of what you carry inside you."
The air had begun to move again, and thick mist curled around her form.
The dark woman nodded. "But what of the Malfoys, my Lord? My sister? Will they not realize soon enough that—" she hesitated, and then breathed like it was a holy thing she spoke, "that I am with your child?"
"Rodolphus has just returned from Azkaban, has he not? Your newly re-instated husband should provide a convenient excuse," smirked Voldemort. "You may tell your sister and Lucius of your condition so long as they believe it to be Rodolphus's doing. Do not tell their son even that. You are bringing a new weapon into the world for me, just the same. That is all you tell them."
"Yes, my Lord." A flush of anger rose suddenly in the woman's face. "Would you still have me fight, my Lord? For the first months. The child of my filthy blood traitor sister—I would like to see her killed by my own hand, to spatter her dirty blood myself. Let me fight so I may kill her at last," she pleaded.
"To deny you that privilege seems a cruelty. There may soon be an opportunity for you to do so…we will discuss it when Severus returns next month."
"Thank you, my Lord."
Then Voldemort paused, considering her.
"Bella." The witch's head snapped up eagerly.
His red eyes gleamed in the murky light of the clearing.
"I know how you like to be boastful. I see it in your mind even now. Ah, yes. You would endanger the plan merely to brag about what I have entrusted you with."
Bellatrix paled. This had not been what she had expected to hear; she had been hoping for praise or even, deludedly, affection, but her master continued.
"No one, no one must know of my role in your condition or the forthcoming child. No one must know." Voldemort's voice was soft and dangerous as death. "If you speak of this to anyone, I will not hesitate to cut the thing from you and kill you both. Do not assume you are safe from the wrath of Lord Voldemort."
"No, never, I shall tell no one," she swore, and her voice shook, betraying a hint of her fear.
A soft wind whistled through the trees.
"Tell Lucius and Narcissa that you and Rodolphus expect a happy new addition. I would not have you tell the other Death Eaters even that." His lip curled. "It would make you seem…weak. In time, I will tell those that must know that you and Rodolphus expect a child. We will find a way to conceal what is growing within you from others."
"Yes, my Lord."
"Now go," he commanded.
She did, moving from the clearing with one last glance over her shoulder, and then she had vanished. Voldemort waved his wand once over the clearing, removing all traces that anyone had been there. He put all thoughts of the night from his mind. Bellatrix could be counted on, and he…he had more important things to accomplish.
With a gentle turning of the fog, he lifted into the air and was gone.