***** Voldemort's Clichéd Hideout *****
"Malfoy!"
"Yes, my Lord?"
The cloaked and masked man stepped out of the shadows and prostrated himself at the wizard's feet.
"I have a task for your son, Lucius."
"But. . .my Lord. . ."
"Stop gibbering, Malfoy."
There were sniggers from the surrounding circle as Lucius flushed slightly.
"I am aware you have disowned your son. . .quite right, given the circumstances, but if you would stop rattling on like an idiot. . ."
He paused for more sniggers,
"I would explain my plan."
*************************
Harry woke up with a moan. Thinking wasn't pleasant, because his head felt like it was about to split in half. However, seeing as he was obviously in a Slytherin room, and Snape was within 3 metres of his and not deducting house points, something was obviously amiss.
Which meant that Harry had to think.
"Owwunggghuhhh"
Snape arched an eyebrow.
"Back to your usual conversational standards, Potter?"
"Whuhadid?"
"I beg your pardon, Mr Potter, but I am not fluent in Gobbledegook. You will have to indulge my ignorance and speak in English."
"What happened?"
Snape raised both eyebrows, looking slightly concerned.
"Do you not remember?"
"No. . .every time I try to think, I just end up blacking out whatever happened."
Snape's face relaxed.
"Of course - the potion. You will remember when your body is healed. Until then you will be staying with me."
Harry nodded numbly. His last coherent thought was that maybe the vial Snape had just given him was poison. So why had he, with all his wizard instincts, accepted it without question?
**********************
****** V.C.H ******
"As I said before, I have a contact inside Hogwarts. However, this is not completely accurate. Obviously, that fool Dumbledore is not idiot enough to have a spy in his midst. It would be more realistic to say that I have a contact outside Hogwarts who is able to keep inside Dumbledore's inside circle. She must remain nameless."
There was an excited whispering amongst the Death Eaters. Voldemort smiled. Let the idiots whisper. They would never guess who his contact was.
"Rita. . ."
"Prophet Reporter. . ."
"Skeeter. . ."
"Tri-Wizard Correspondent last year. . ."
Again, Voldemort smiled to himself. He had not been Hogwarts chess champion for no reason. His combination of ruthlessness and cunning had allowed him to win every game he played. Those skills had kept him alive in his darkest years. Now they would bring him every reward he desired.
"Arabella Figg!", exclaimed Nott excitedly.
"Crucio. In future, don't make such stupid suggestions."
The Death Eaters continued chattering over the sounds of Nott's screams.
"Madam Malkin. . ."
"Rosmerta from that Hogsmeade Inn. . ."
"That Weasley woman!"
The Death Eaters burst out laughing. It was a terrifying scene, Nott writhing on the damp soil screaming, Voldemort lazily pointing his wand to maintain the curse, and the hooded and masked Death Eaters laughing, the sound echoing through their masks.
************************
McGonagall looked sternly around the Common Room.
"I am very, very disappointed in you."
"Very, very disappointed.", she repeated.
"How could you exclude a member of your House, going so far as to physically abuse him?"
A few people looked awkward and shuffled.
"Harry Potter is in a critical condition because of you all! He had to be rescued by the SLYTHERIN HEAD OF HOUSE!"
Her voice rose to a cracked scream on the last few words, and her hands balled into fists. Only Ron and Hermione had ever seen her so angry, and that had been last year when Barty Crouch had been given the Dementor's Kiss.
"Do you have any idea how serious this?"
Almost every now was looking carefully at cracks on the wall, and looking very embarrassed. Finally Lavender spoke up.
"Where is he, Professor?"
McGonagall glared at her, her lips pressed tightly together.
"He is staying in the SLYTHERIN QUATERS!"
The whole Gryffindor house winced collectively.
"Now, for your punishment. . ."
*************************
****** V.C.H ******
When the Death Eaters had finally stopped sniggering and Nott was partially recovered (Voldemort berated himself. . .he had precious few Death Eaters, and he could not afford to brain-damage any of them.
They were stupid enough anyway.
And none of them had guessed his contact! Honestly, he didn't want them to, but nobody had even come remotely close.
Imbeciles.
"Malfoy, I repeat, I have a job for your son. You must send him an innocent looking letter containing this substance."
Voldemort held out a vial of thick yellow potion, and Malfoy accepted it with a bow.
"Thank you, my Lord."
"I would advise you to be writing the letter from someone other than yourself. . ."
"My Lord. . .might I ask, how this plan will work?"
He was smarter than most of them, Lucius. Voldemort watched him closely at all times. He was a valuable ally, but could be a problematic enemy.
"Yes, you may. You will all be aware that this looks like bubotuber pus? A clever invention, brought to me by Severus. Before he betrayed me. It is, in fact, a liquid version of the Imperius. . .with some adjustments. For whoever sends it can make themselves known inside the person's mind. Now, Lucius, what I want you to do is this.
I want you to write a hate-latter to your son, from any anonymous supporter of Voldemort. Your son will believe the contents of the envelope to be Bubotuber pus. The ingrained potion will seep in through his skin, and allow you full access to his mind. You must treat yourself with half of the potion, and a link will be established. You will have full control of him. He, meanwhile, will believe to be fully recovered from the effects of the potion."
Voldemort sat back and smirked. He had thought about this plan long and hard.
"And, my lord, how do you wish me to lure the Potter boy out of school?"
"You, being so ignorant, are probably not aware of your son's friendship with Potter. He will tell Potter that some Gryffindors are coming to attack him. He will lead Harry out of the school using Potter's invisibility cloak, and into the forest. You, Lucius, will be returning from an urgent meeting with Dumbledore about the running of the school. I believe you are constantly pressing Fudge to have Dumbledore removed? You will pick up Potter in the forest and apparate with him. Your son will then return to the school, having no idea where Potter is.
However, this must be completed with as much haste as possible. The effects of the potion will only last for 10 days. After that, your son will again be lost from your control."
All the Death Eaters, Malfoy included, gaped.
The plan was bold, sneaky, risky, foolproof, and possibly historic. And if it failed, Malfoy would be dead meat.
Several Death Eaters smirked to themselves underneath their hoods.
****************************
"Malfoy!"
"Yes, my Lord?"
The cloaked and masked man stepped out of the shadows and prostrated himself at the wizard's feet.
"I have a task for your son, Lucius."
"But. . .my Lord. . ."
"Stop gibbering, Malfoy."
There were sniggers from the surrounding circle as Lucius flushed slightly.
"I am aware you have disowned your son. . .quite right, given the circumstances, but if you would stop rattling on like an idiot. . ."
He paused for more sniggers,
"I would explain my plan."
*************************
Harry woke up with a moan. Thinking wasn't pleasant, because his head felt like it was about to split in half. However, seeing as he was obviously in a Slytherin room, and Snape was within 3 metres of his and not deducting house points, something was obviously amiss.
Which meant that Harry had to think.
"Owwunggghuhhh"
Snape arched an eyebrow.
"Back to your usual conversational standards, Potter?"
"Whuhadid?"
"I beg your pardon, Mr Potter, but I am not fluent in Gobbledegook. You will have to indulge my ignorance and speak in English."
"What happened?"
Snape raised both eyebrows, looking slightly concerned.
"Do you not remember?"
"No. . .every time I try to think, I just end up blacking out whatever happened."
Snape's face relaxed.
"Of course - the potion. You will remember when your body is healed. Until then you will be staying with me."
Harry nodded numbly. His last coherent thought was that maybe the vial Snape had just given him was poison. So why had he, with all his wizard instincts, accepted it without question?
**********************
****** V.C.H ******
"As I said before, I have a contact inside Hogwarts. However, this is not completely accurate. Obviously, that fool Dumbledore is not idiot enough to have a spy in his midst. It would be more realistic to say that I have a contact outside Hogwarts who is able to keep inside Dumbledore's inside circle. She must remain nameless."
There was an excited whispering amongst the Death Eaters. Voldemort smiled. Let the idiots whisper. They would never guess who his contact was.
"Rita. . ."
"Prophet Reporter. . ."
"Skeeter. . ."
"Tri-Wizard Correspondent last year. . ."
Again, Voldemort smiled to himself. He had not been Hogwarts chess champion for no reason. His combination of ruthlessness and cunning had allowed him to win every game he played. Those skills had kept him alive in his darkest years. Now they would bring him every reward he desired.
"Arabella Figg!", exclaimed Nott excitedly.
"Crucio. In future, don't make such stupid suggestions."
The Death Eaters continued chattering over the sounds of Nott's screams.
"Madam Malkin. . ."
"Rosmerta from that Hogsmeade Inn. . ."
"That Weasley woman!"
The Death Eaters burst out laughing. It was a terrifying scene, Nott writhing on the damp soil screaming, Voldemort lazily pointing his wand to maintain the curse, and the hooded and masked Death Eaters laughing, the sound echoing through their masks.
************************
McGonagall looked sternly around the Common Room.
"I am very, very disappointed in you."
"Very, very disappointed.", she repeated.
"How could you exclude a member of your House, going so far as to physically abuse him?"
A few people looked awkward and shuffled.
"Harry Potter is in a critical condition because of you all! He had to be rescued by the SLYTHERIN HEAD OF HOUSE!"
Her voice rose to a cracked scream on the last few words, and her hands balled into fists. Only Ron and Hermione had ever seen her so angry, and that had been last year when Barty Crouch had been given the Dementor's Kiss.
"Do you have any idea how serious this?"
Almost every now was looking carefully at cracks on the wall, and looking very embarrassed. Finally Lavender spoke up.
"Where is he, Professor?"
McGonagall glared at her, her lips pressed tightly together.
"He is staying in the SLYTHERIN QUATERS!"
The whole Gryffindor house winced collectively.
"Now, for your punishment. . ."
*************************
****** V.C.H ******
When the Death Eaters had finally stopped sniggering and Nott was partially recovered (Voldemort berated himself. . .he had precious few Death Eaters, and he could not afford to brain-damage any of them.
They were stupid enough anyway.
And none of them had guessed his contact! Honestly, he didn't want them to, but nobody had even come remotely close.
Imbeciles.
"Malfoy, I repeat, I have a job for your son. You must send him an innocent looking letter containing this substance."
Voldemort held out a vial of thick yellow potion, and Malfoy accepted it with a bow.
"Thank you, my Lord."
"I would advise you to be writing the letter from someone other than yourself. . ."
"My Lord. . .might I ask, how this plan will work?"
He was smarter than most of them, Lucius. Voldemort watched him closely at all times. He was a valuable ally, but could be a problematic enemy.
"Yes, you may. You will all be aware that this looks like bubotuber pus? A clever invention, brought to me by Severus. Before he betrayed me. It is, in fact, a liquid version of the Imperius. . .with some adjustments. For whoever sends it can make themselves known inside the person's mind. Now, Lucius, what I want you to do is this.
I want you to write a hate-latter to your son, from any anonymous supporter of Voldemort. Your son will believe the contents of the envelope to be Bubotuber pus. The ingrained potion will seep in through his skin, and allow you full access to his mind. You must treat yourself with half of the potion, and a link will be established. You will have full control of him. He, meanwhile, will believe to be fully recovered from the effects of the potion."
Voldemort sat back and smirked. He had thought about this plan long and hard.
"And, my lord, how do you wish me to lure the Potter boy out of school?"
"You, being so ignorant, are probably not aware of your son's friendship with Potter. He will tell Potter that some Gryffindors are coming to attack him. He will lead Harry out of the school using Potter's invisibility cloak, and into the forest. You, Lucius, will be returning from an urgent meeting with Dumbledore about the running of the school. I believe you are constantly pressing Fudge to have Dumbledore removed? You will pick up Potter in the forest and apparate with him. Your son will then return to the school, having no idea where Potter is.
However, this must be completed with as much haste as possible. The effects of the potion will only last for 10 days. After that, your son will again be lost from your control."
All the Death Eaters, Malfoy included, gaped.
The plan was bold, sneaky, risky, foolproof, and possibly historic. And if it failed, Malfoy would be dead meat.
Several Death Eaters smirked to themselves underneath their hoods.
****************************