X. New Friends
"A pleasure" said Harry, awkwardly returning the bow that Galdir had given them. He was promptly followed by Hermione, Remus, and Tonks. Aglareth also gave a short bow after her introduction.
"Would you like to come up now dear?" asked Madam Malkin. Galdir smiled at her and allowed himself to be placed in front of the mirrors. "Now these are the standard set of robes that all students have, but I also have them in different materials. Do you have any preferences?" asked Madam Malkin.
"If you have them in silk that would be marvellous. If you do not, then cotton will do just fine", replied Galdir pleasantly. Madam Malkin quickly went to the back to find the requested robes.
"How come your robes don't have a shield? Aren't you old enough to have a house already?" Remus glared at Hermione at the way that she had asked.
"Quite perceptive Hermione. This happens to be my first year at Hogwarts, and as such I have not been sorted yet", replied Galdir.
"Are you transferring from somewhere?" asked Harry.
"No. My mother home schooled me for all these years. However, she decided that perhaps I would benefit from a different instructor, as well as from being with others that are my own age", said Galdir.
"Home schooled? Really? And what did you learn? Have you learned the same things that we did? Did you learn anything different? How are they going to place you? What—"
"Calm down Hermione, let the poor guy at least answer one question before you bombard him with thirty more", said Harry with a smile. Hermione blushed at the comment.
"Let's see if I can answer the questions in order. Yes, I was home schooled. Yes, really. I learned pretty much the same things that you did, though perhaps in a different order. Some things may be different, particularly in the approach, as well as there could be some spells that I know that you do not. As for the placement, I believe that I will have to take exams at the start to ensure that I have all the necessary knowledge to participate and successfully complete it." After taking a quick breath, Galdir counted the questions and the number of answers. "I believe that is all of them. Did I forget anything?" he asked with a smirk. Hermione turned crimson, and nodded shyly.
"What classes are you going to be taking Galdir?" asked Harry.
"Charms, Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Arithmancy, and Runes. I am still debating as to whether I want to take Magical Creatures as well", replied Galdir.
"Well you are going to be in all of our classes!" said Harry with a smile.
"Excellent! At least I will not be alone. It is kind of intimidating to walk into a class and not know anyone in the room", replied Galdir. Aglareth turned from her conversation with Remus after hearing this.
So facing dragons and Heaven knows what else is fine, but facing a bunch of teenagers is terrifying? she thought.
No, but appearances must be kept, replied Galdir with is mind, while giving her a wink. Aglareth shook her head and resumed her conversation with Remus.
"Here we are. Sorry about the delay, but it took me a while to find these in the back", said Madam Malkin as she hustled back.
"That is quite alright Madam. I am in absolutely no hurry", said Galdir. She proceeded to give Galdir his new robes which he tried on immediately. Hermione's jaw went slack with awe. How can somebody look good in these robes? I thought it wasn't possible! She thought. Galdir smiled when he heard it, but made no comment. Though he tried not to hear other people's thoughts, it was difficult, especially when there were so many people that had no training in Occlumency. It is such a racket in here. How can they not know Occlumency? At least with those I can ignore easily. And how come Harry does not have any barriers. One would expect that with all that he has been through, someone would have thought to teach him Occlumency. Well, that is something that we will have to look at later, thought Galdir. After examining himself in the mirror, he nodded and took the robes off. "These will do just fine Madam. Do you have a couple more, along with the rest of the things that I need for school?" he asked. Madam Malkin nodded and summoned the rest of the items.
"So Harry, what can you tell me about Hogwarts? Anyone who I should avoid, other than the pompous prince that was here earlier?" asked Galdir.
"Well, there's Malfoy and his squad of goons: Crabbe and Goyle. There is also Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode who are not at all nice. Other than that, everybody else is alright", said Harry.
"Do these people have anything in common? It sounds like they do", said Galdir.
"They are all in Slytherin", replied Hermione. Galdir proceeded to pay for his things, and Madam Malkin turned towards the trio. "Oh, Harry needs new robes Madam Malkin. Something more flattering is in order I believe", said Hermione. Harry instantly went crimson, while Galdir and Remus broke in laughter. Madam Malkin and Aglareth smiled sympathetically at him.
"Really? I would have thought that they were in another house, though which one is beyond me. They really do not reflect the teachings of Salazar, that's for sure", said Galdir.
"What do you mean?" asked Harry as Madam Malkin proceeded to take his measurements.
"Well, as far as I understand it, Slytherins are supposed to be very cunning and ambitious. Though this may lead towards the acquisition of greater power, it is not necessarily the case. That ponce did not show any of these attributes at all. Salazar would probably have a fit if he knew that such petulance was in his House", explained Galdir.
"You talk as if you have read a lot about him", said Hermione.
"Well, my ancestors knew the Great Four as they were known, and I have read some of their memoirs, so I guess I have", said Galdir casually. Hermione's eyes bulged at the mention of knowledge that she did not have.
"Your ancestors knew the founders? You are so lucky to have those notes. Do you think I could read them?" asked Hermione like a five year old would ask to have candy. Galdir chuckled.
"I am sorry Hermione, but these are prized family heirlooms that I cannot give. Do not worry. I have also read 'Hogwarts: A History' and their accounts are very similar to the notes that I have. Mine just focus more on the personalities of the founders, as opposed to what they did", replied Galdir. Hermione's face fell a bit at this, but she lightened up when she found that her favourite book contained essentially the same information. Madam Malkin finished fitting Harry and turned around to get Hermione's opinion.
"Much better", she replied. "See Harry? It actually shows off your… attributes", said Hermione. Remus almost hit the floor in laughter, and Galdir made his best effort not to join him. Harry's face almost matched the colour of a certain Weasley, and it would definitely make them proud to see him sporting that particular shade.
After they had paid for the purchases, the group left Madam Malkin's and headed towards Flourish and Blotts to get their books. Along the way, they came across two girls, with their parents in tow. The way they were dressed denoted an aristocratic status, along with the way they walked. The man who Harry assumed was the father was tall, with dark brown hair. His skin was a healthy white, and his eyes shone a vibrant blue. His overall stance and attitude denoted someone of high rank, perhaps a politician of some sort. He was intimidating to say the least, and his scowl told that he was not to be trifled with. His wife wore a similar expression, but it was offset by her beauty, which was enhanced by her blonde hair and her light blue eyes. The two girls were literally copies of one another, save that the younger one had darker hair. The oldest girl had dirty blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Harry was immediately captured by them. Though her face was a mask of complete indifference, her eyes told a different story. There was solitude, as well as sadness. All this drew Harry in, until he caught himself and quickly turned the other way. After the family had passed them, Galdir turned to Hermione.
"Who was that remarkable girl Hermione?" he asked. Of course, he had absolutely no interest in the girl, but having heard Harry's thoughts, he decided to spare him the embarrassment of asking the question himself. Harry gave him a quick nod of gratitude as he was spared from the drama that would have resulted had he asked the same question.
"That is Daphne Greengrass, also known as the Slytherin Ice Queen, and the girl next to her was her sister Astoria", replied Hermione. "Are you interested?" she asked. Galdir shook his head.
"No. I was merely curious. She seemed of age to be at Hogwarts, and I wanted to see if you knew her", said Galdir. Aglareth gave him a curious look, but refrained from asking him anything directly. At the entrance of Flourish and Blotts they encountered the rest of the Weasleys.
"Who is that Harry?" asked Ginny. The second that Ginny had laid eyes on Harry, she immediately returned to the girl that Harry was so familiar with: a very shy little girl that would blush a very bright crimson when she saw him. Galdir arched an eyebrow at her attitude towards him.
It seems that you may have to fend girls off while at Hogwarts Galdir, thought Aglareth.
It would certainly seem that way. I guess I did not factor the impact that our… physical appearance would have on members of the opposite sex, replied Galdir.
"This is Galdir Aglaron, and his mother Aglareth Algarebel", said Harry. "Did I pronounce your names properly?" he asked them. Galdir nodded with a smile.
"And who might you be young lady?" asked Galdir.
"G-Ginny W-Weasley", she stuttered.
"Ginny… short for Ginevra I believe?" asked Galdir.
"N-Nobody calls me like that…", she mumbled.
"And why would I call you any different? The same case applies to Nymphadora. I will not tarnish the inherent beauty of your names merely because some people are ignorant enough to not fully appreciate it. You both seem to be extraordinary women. Not only that, but you are both beautiful to say the least, and anyone who tried to deny this must be out of their mind", replied Galdir. Try as hard as she could, Tonks could not bring herself to get angry at the young man. She could not even muster a glare.
Throughout her childhood and adolescence, Tonks had been ostracized thanks to her abilities as a metamorphagus. Boys would often harass her, demanding that she changed into some form that amused them. When puberty hit, her name was transformed into an insult. A curse. Although Galdir was correct in saying that the nymphs were considered beings of extreme beauty, they were also associated with sexual frivolity. As a result, she was always thought of as a 'slag' as they called her. She did not have any friends in Hogwarts, and so she elected to dive into her studies, which lead to her being the youngest Auror to enter the Academy. Peaking the interest of Moody, he had taken her as a disciple, and was later inducted into the Order of the Phoenix. Yet, in spite of all her achievements, never had she met someone that would try to approach her with the sole purpose of getting to know the real woman, not the metamorphagus. This held true until she met Remus. Being an outcast just like her, there was an instant connection between them. In time, she found herself falling for him, in spite of the age difference between them. Yes, he also had his own fair share of problems, but he had never judged her, nor had he treated her as anything less than the most precious woman on the face of the earth. Thanks to him, she had slowly begun to get over the demons of her past that haunted her. This young man, who had never met her, who knew nothing more of her than what was commonly known, was the first man to use her name in a good way. Not only that, but he had compared her in beauty to the nymphs after which she was named. As she watched Galdir speak to Ginny, she could only count her blessings, as she had not only found Remus, but she was also surrounded by people who cared for her for who she was. Perhaps it's time to get rid of that habit, she thought.
Ginny's story, albeit different in setting, was remarkably similar to Nymphadora's. She was the youngest of a group of 7 brothers, and she was the only female in the house aside from her mother. From early age, her older brothers had taken upon themselves to care for her as more than just brothers. Added on to this was the mothering style of Mrs Weasley. Although she definitely meant well, she did tend to be overbearing at times, and overprotective. This created a very shy aspect to Ginny, one that was scared of the unknown. Being surrounded by people also gave her a fear of solitude that was directly linked to her fear of not knowing. The constant interaction with her male brothers, especially with the twins and the oldest two, accounted for the tomboyish attitude that she had for the early years of her teens. If we also factor the fact that she was a late bloomer, then we end with her not really thinking of herself as a woman. The only reference that she had was Mrs Weasley, and while she provided her with the idea of what a housewife was, it did not meant that this idea appealed to Ginny in the slightest.
The events of her first year did absolutely nothing to help her confidence. Although she felt almost normal, there were still nights in which she could still hear the whispers of Riddle's charming voice, followed by the cold and horror that she felt as her life was drained away so that the memory of a boy long gone would return. The only thing that kept all of this relatively at bay was her crush on Harry. Or rather, the crush that she had on the Boy Who Lived. She had never made the effort to truly get to know Harry, and conversations with Hermione had eventually led her to the conclusion that she really did not have a crush on Harry the boy, but rather on his legend. After she had made her peace with this, she had begun to overcompensate her shyness by being more forward, the result of this was her being the date of Neville Longbottom for the Yule Ball. This also resulted in the numerous boyfriends that she had since then. But none of them had made her feel special. Not one of them had been interested in getting to know her to a point in which she would even consider condoning the use of her full name. The words that Galdir spoke rang true in her heart, and she began considering that, perhaps, she should consider reassessing her current path.
"What a charming young man", commented Mrs Weasley.
"Indeed. It is not often that one meets a person such as yourself", said Mr Weasley.
"Thank you. I do not believe we have been introduced", said Galdir.
"My bad. Galdir, this are Mr and Mrs Weasley, Ginny's parents, and those two are Fred and George. I've honestly given up trying to figure out which one is which", said Harry.
"A pleasure. Now, I believe that we are all here to get our books?" asked Galdir. After he received nods all around, he opened the door with a flourish and motioned them in. The twins said that they were going to check some things in the shop and would meet them for dinner.
As soon as all their purchases were complete, they exited the book store and continued to walk down the Alley.
"Harry, are you ready for your birthday dinner?" asked Remus.
"I believe so Moony. I don't think that I could go to another store without some food", said Harry with a smile. They started heading to the Leaky Cauldron when they ran into Neville.
"Hullo Harry! How are you? How was your summer?" asked Neville.
"Hey Neville. It was pretty good. Yours?" asked Harry.
"It was excellent! My gran built me a greenhouse where I could keep my collection of plants. You have no idea how much some of them have grown!", said Neville.
Hermione was rendered speechless when she saw Neville. He had changed a lot over the summer. It seemed that he was finally losing the baby fat that he had held on to and was finally becoming the man that he was meant to be: strong and powerful, but at the same time shy and gentle. Her entire brain simply descended into a haze when she noticed all of this. Who is this boy and what has he done to Neville? She thought. She shook her head and greeted Neville as well. She felt a slight tingle when their bodies touched, but it was such a brief thing that it might as well never had happened. All of this was not unnoticed by Galdir, who simply smiled, but kept his thoughts to himself.
"Neville, this is Galdir Aglaron and his mother, Aglareth Algarebel. Galdir, Aglareth; Neville Longbottom", said Harry.
"A strong name", said Galdir.
"Indeed. Certainly fits the man that stands before me. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance", said Aglareth with her customary bow. Neville, being versed in the arts of being a pureblood scion, returned the bow immediately.
"I would also like to present my grandmother: Lady Augusta Longbottom", said Neville as he motioned to the older woman that stood behind him.
"Milady. It is an honour to meet the Head of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Longbottom", said Aglareth with a bow. "Allow me to properly introduce myself: Lady Aglareth Algarebel of the House of Algarebel and this is my son: Galdir Aglaron of the House of Aglaron." Several jaws dropped at the mention of their titles.
"I did not know that you were…", said Hermione.
"Of an Ancient House? I generally do not divulge it, and would prefer it to remain that way. I only use the title when the situation demands it", said Galdir.
"A very wise decision, Master Galdir. Yet, if I may, you do not seem to be related", said Augusta.
"Indeed Lady Longbottom. Galdir is my adopted son. He is actually the last son of the House of Aglaron, and so he is the scion of the House until he comes of age", replied Aglareth.
"That certainly explains his manners", commented Mrs Weasley.
"Now forgive my ignorance, but I have never heard of either of your houses", said Arthur Weasley.
"I am not surprised at all Mr Weasley. Our Houses are not native to England, and are very secretive about it. Nowhere but in our own land will you find any record of either of our lines", said Aglareth.
"So Neville, we were just heading to celebrate Harry's birthday. Would you like to come?" asked Hermione.
"I don't think I should…"
"Nonsense Neville. You are my friend, and I what better way of spending my birthday than with the people that I care for?" said Harry. Neville nodded and said quickly whispered a good-bye to his gran. Both Galdir and Aglareth bowed and started to head towards the Apparition point.
"Where are you going Galdir?" asked Harry.
"I could not possibly impose in such a special occasion Harry", said Galdir.
"Then it's a good thing that you aren't. Come on, I'm hungry!" said Harry. Galdir smiled and nodded to Aglareth, who just gave him a small smile and disappeared with his purchases.
The birthday dinner was a quiet affair, save of course for the roars of laughter that occurred whenever the twins decided to inject a bit of fun into the celebration. Overall, it was easily one of the best birthdays that Harry had ever had. He had spent it with the people that he considered his family, and he had also met someone with whom he was fast becoming friends. Throughout the festivities, only Galdir noticed the uninterrupted gaze from a blonde girl with piercing blue eyes that was also having dinner with her parents in a nearby booth.
It was the evening of August 1st, and Lord Voldemort paced in the main hall. Behind him, attempting to rein their fear stood nine of the ten Death Eaters that had been personally handpicked by Voldemort himself for the raid to Azkaban. He expected Bedrager to arrive at any second, seeing as how he preferred to show up at night, and the sun had just set behind the hills that surrounded Riddle Manor. He had told the Death Eaters the general idea for the plan, since he did not know more details himself. Even the plan that he had provided Bedrager was a sketch of how he was planning on doing it. Of course, being a powerful and feared wizard had its advantages. He had mostly planned on personally storming Azkaban himself in a massive showcase of supremacy and power. That was until Bedrager informed him that he would lead the attack and that he wanted a team of ten ready to train a week before the attack happened. Though he understood the need for training in order to be more efficient, he also thought that it was a waste of time. A hooded figure drew him from his thoughts as it silently approached the gates of the manor.
At her request, Bellatrix Lestrange stood comfortably waiting for Bedrager's arrival. Ever since his last visit, Bellatrix found herself inexorably drawn to the man. She found his mere presence intoxicating, and the aura of power that he projected was irresistible to her. Not even her current master could make her feel that way. This had not gone unnoticed by her husband and her brother, but they elected to leave her be. They knew how Azkaban had twisted her, and they knew of her lust for power. The way that Rabastan and Rodolphus had it figured, if Bedrager planned to overthrow Voldemort, they could quickly switch alliances along with her. She felt her heart quicken as Bedrager approached the gates of Riddle Manor. Before she could act, he lazily waved his hand and the iron gates creaked open.
"Bellatrix Lestrange. What a pleasure to see you tonight my dear. Might I say that you are looking ravishing this evening?" said Bedrager in a silky tone. Had Bellatrix been paying more attention, she would have noticed that his eyes glinted with malice in the moonlight. This would have happened, had her body not decided to shiver in pleasure.
"Welcome, Lord Bedrager. I am to accompany you to the main hall, where the Dark Lord is waiting for you", responded Bellatrix, her eyes staring hungrily at Bedrager, begging him to remove his cloak. With a small smile, Bedrager decided to tease her a bit more, and simply removed the hood of his cloak. His dark hair cascaded from his head, and his eyes shown even more fiercely.
"I could not have asked for a better escort Bella, if I may call you that?" Bellatrix nodded dumbly.
"Excellent! Let us then go to the main hall. I do not believe it polite to keep Lord Voldemort waiting", he said as he extended his arm towards her. Bellatrix seemed to melt into his side as she clutched his arm tightly. Bedrager smiled and they proceeded to walk towards the manor.
With a simple stare, the doors opened, and Bedrager strolled with Bellatrix in hand to meet Lord Voldemort. Bellatrix reluctantly relinquished her hold on Bedrager's arm and joined the rest.
"Good evening Lord Voldemort", said Bedrager as he bowed. Voldemort returned the bow and gestured towards the Death Eaters behind him.
"Good evening Bedrager. As you requested, ten Death Eaters join us today awaiting your training", said Voldemort. Bedrager casually removed his cloak, which caused Bellatrix to draw breath quickly. He was clad in what appeared to be some form of armour, but it was by far more form fitting than anything that they had ever seen. The metallic surface shone brightly in the light, showing the intricate patterns etched on it. Bedrager's hand casually fell to the pommel of his sword, which hung from his belt. After reorganizing his cloak, he placed it over his shoulders, letting it drop over his back like a cape.
"Very well. Let us see what we have to work with. You are to stand in line and display your wands. NOW!" he barked. The Death Eaters immediately organized themselves as instructed and took out their wands.
Bedrager carefully inspected each one of them, taking note of their physical appearance, stance, and wand. Once he was done, he turned to face Voldemort, who stood anxiously waiting for his verdict. "Not what I expected, but not as bad as it could have been. They will definitely need some work before we are to proceed, but it is doable. Now, is there a place where we can train?" asked Bedrager. Voldemort nodded and beckoned Bedrager to follow him. He showed him a spacious room that he had prepared for training. After surveying it carefully, Bedrager nodded satisfactorily.
"Excellent choice of charms to protect the room, Voldemort. Yes, this will do fine", he said. Voldemort nodded softly. "Well, there is much to be done, and we only have six days to prepare. Death Eaters, FRONT AND CENTRE!" The ten shuffled quickly and assembled themselves before Bedrager. "One more thing Voldemort. Your Potions Master, Severus Snape, is he available?"
"I will summon him here for you", replied Voldemort. He rolled his sleeve to display his Dark Mark and pressed it with the tip of his wand. Snape immediately appeared next to him.
"You called, my Lord?" he asked in a silky voice.
"Yes, Severus. You are to do everything that Bedrager requires you to do, and you are to address him with the same respect as you would address me. Cross him in any way and you will quickly find that I am a more merciful Lord. Understood?" Snape nodded.
"Thank you Voldemort. I will take it from here", said Bedrager. With a flick of his wrist, the door closed, leaving him alone with the eleven Death Eaters. Out of all of them, the only one that seemed to be at ease was Bellatrix. Rabastan and Rodolphus were more scared than she was, but by far more relaxed than the rest of them. "Before I reveal my plan, I have to ensure that you can execute it. That is what we will be doing for the next four to five days. On the sixth day, we will rest and do any last minute preparations. Severus, you are to prepare the potions on this list and in the specified quantities. Some of them you may need to brew more than once, depending on the demand. Any questions?"
"If I may, Be—"
"I was not aware that I gave any of you permission to be familiar with me. Only Voldemort may call be Bedrager. It is Lord Bedrager to the rest of you. Make that mistake again and you will regret ever opening your mouths are we clear?" he spat venomously. All Death Eaters shrank in fear under his gaze.
"My apologies my Lord. I was just wondering what kind of preparations you will have us do?" asked the Death Eater.
"What is your name?" asked Bedrager as he walked in front of the man.
"Amycus Carrow my Lord", he replied.
"Very well, Amycus. Crucio." The room was filled with screams of pain as Amycus collapsed into a heap and started convulsing. After a minute had passed, Bedrager lifted the spell. "Severus, do you have a Strength Potion?" asked Bedrager. Severus nodded and immediately moved to administer the draught. "Does anyone else have any questions?" Everyone shook their head. "Excellent. Let us begin then." He gave Snape the list of potions and excused him, while he began to wave his hands and started to conjure all manner of objects designed for training or torturing, depending on your point of view.
Over the next five days, the Death Eaters realized that they had severely misjudged Voldemort's previous training regime. That was easy compared to what Bedrager had in store for them. He drove them to the point of physical, mental, and magical exhaustion every single session. They would have all probably died, had it not been for Snape's potions and Bedrager's healing spells. Every time that they did something incorrectly, they were tortured by some new spell that made the Cruciatus seem like a Tickle Charm. Although Bedrager was merciless in his training, they also found that he was by far kinder with his rewards, and actually gave them what he promised. They also quickly noticed that he did not treat them with disdain, like they were disposable pieces of meat. Of course, none of them doubted his position of authority and power, but they were treated fairly. His rules were perfectly clear, though many times they were unspoken, since he assumed a minimal level of logic from them. If they broke the rules, they suffered, but if they abided by them, no harm ever came and they were at times rewarded. They were little things: a new wand holster with Anti-Summoning Charms, a new cloak with Disillusionment Charms woven in, or new handles for their wands made of dragon hide or similar materials. They also received daily doses of a spell similar to Voldemort's that drastically increased their stamina and power. By the end of their regime, though they were fairly tired, they all harboured an intense respect and sense of admiration for the man, accompanied with a deep hatred for Voldemort.
"Excellent. You have all done marvellously over the last couple of days", said Bedrager. "Though we had some minor setbacks, all of you have performed admirably, and for that I commend you. It has now been five days since we started training, and the group that is standing before me is more than capable of doing anything that I say, unlike the ones that stood before me not five days ago. You may all take the rest of the day off to recover and rest. Tomorrow morning I shall detail my plan, and we will execute it after sunset. Are we clear?" Everyone nodded. "Very well. Off you go." Only Bellatrix remained after the group had left.
"And what can I do for you Bella?" asked Bedrager with a smile. "Nothing my Lord. I just wished to thank you for what you have done for me. I definitely would not be where I am now were it not for you", said Bellatrix. Throughout the training regime, she had barely been able to take her eyes off Bedrager. She marvelled at the way his muscles flexed through his armour whenever he demonstrated a new move, or at the wonderful magic that he produced. She awed at the cries of pain of his victims, and she shivered at the memory of the punishments that he had given her. Granted, in her own twisted mind, the more pain the better, but she had quickly found that Bedrager's curses produced more pain than even her could manage. This had only increased her admiration and hunger for him. Bedrager smiled at her and nodded, dismissing her.
Shortly after Bellatrix had left, Voldemort entered the training room, his cloak billowing in his wake.
"I hear you are quite the trainer, Bedrager. The rest of my Death Eaters had nightmares all week from the screams of pain that came from this room." Bedrager chuckled at the comment.
"Did they? Well, hopefully things will go smoother next time. I must say I am very pleased with the results attained by this group. I have high hopes for them", said Bedrager as he walked towards a nearby window. "They definitely feel stronger than they were before they entered the room", commented Voldemort.
"A side-effect of training. I would not worry too much about it Voldemort. You are still more powerful than they are", assured Bedrager. Satisfied with his answer, Voldemort left the room. What a fool, thought Bedrager. He noticed the temperature of the room drop noticeably, and his breath fogged the window.
"Best not forget that he is a useful fool", said a cold voice from the shadows. Bedrager turned around and quickly dropped to his knees, his head bowed.
"You honour me with your presence Master. What can I do for you?" he asked.
"You are doing enough. All is going according to my plan, is it not?" asked the voice.
"Yes. The seeds have been sown. It may take a while for them to yield their fruit, but I am confident that we will see results by the end of this stage, if not sooner", said Bedrager.
"Excellent. Once stage one is complete, we can move on to more… interesting things. Keep an eye on the one called Snape. I do not trust him, and neither should you", replied the voice. Bedrager nodded.
"You believe your guess to be true then?"
"I am almost positive of it. Make sure to never reveal anything of importance in his presence until I command you to. He is far more valuable like this now."
"I will make sure of it my Master."
"Good. And what of that woman? She seems infatuated by you."
"It is my façade. She is drawn to power, and so she is drawn to me. I believe that she will play a key part in your plans Master", explained Bedrager.
"Make sure you do not lose sight of your objective. Your last slip almost cost me dearly", said the voice cruelly. Bedrager shivered in fear as he remembered the punishment.
"I have not forgotten Master. I can assure you it will not happen again."
"It better not. Things are in motion that are not easily stopped, and any failure will cost you more than it will cost me", said the voice.
"I understand Master", replied Bedrager.
"Good. Continue as planned. I shall expect to see you after the success of your mission."
"I will, my Master." The room immediately became warmer, and Bedrager rose from his kneeling position and returned to the window.