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"We have located the whereabouts of the Orb, my Lord. It is ready for collection whenever you desire." A dark hooded figure informed as knelt on one knee at the foot of a throne.
"And what of the Key?"
The figure raised his head slightly. Two silver eyes glinted cruelly in the dawn light as it trickled through the large stained, circular window beyond the throne before him. "I am delighted to report to my Master that I have also uncovered the object vital to unlock the Orb."
The Dark Lord straightened in his seat. His face was silhouetted by the colourful rays from the window. His searing eyes analysed the man before him for the slightest trace of lies and dishonesty. He found none, as he expected, for Lucius was one of his most sincerely devoted followers. "Go on."
"Last night when I was visiting Knockturn Alley, I was fortunate enough to witness a duel between the last member of the Harem of the Orb and another woman by the name of Miss Zirconia. The latter is the one who is of greatest importance to us. She possesses the Key; it is as a necklace, and could only have been given to her by her mother when she returned from deepest Africa, the origin of the Orb itself. Her mother was Lady Sophia Cadaver."
"How did you acquire this information? I trust it is reliable?" The Dark Lord quietly expressed his doubts before committing himself to this splendid news.
"I heard it from her very lips, my Lord." The red-eyed man raised an eyebrow to Lucius' tone. "We were. briefly acquainted some time ago." Voldemort sensed a ripple of concealed humiliation sweep through the emotions of the man before him. Perhaps they should have a 'talk' sometime, he considered. Legilimancy happened to be a common occurrence, however, in such events. After a pause, the man's eyes began to glow with a wicked radiance. It made his corpse-like face seem almost alive.
"Well done. This confirms the Legends, then," His voice was suddenly breathless and strained with unexpected excitement, "and hence heightens the importance of Severus' report to us." The Dark Lord gripped the arms of the chair until it seemed his bones would break. His intense eyes connected with his subject's. The next second, his commanding voice shattered the fragile silence. "You have my prior instructions Lucius, and now you have my command."
He turned his gaze to three, solitary entities lurking in the shadows by the large doorway at the end of the Hall. Each black, cloaked figure moved forward immediately into the brilliant circle of light before him, as if they had patiently awaited his summons.
"You all know what to do. Bring me the Key, but as importantly, I now also want the woman very much alive. Take time to organize yourselves. There should be no rash decision-making." His fiery eyes lit on the slender creature to the left, whose full lips caught in the light before they bowed to his gaze. "Use any methods necessary to succeed. Kill as you wish, as I know you will, and torture the rest. But save the woman for me. That is an order, Flint. I know I do not need to remind you all that I do not accept failure from anyone. Now go." The three figures swept off quietly down the Hall and melted into the lingering darkness of the corridor. Voldemort continued to address the remaining individual at his feet, but his sharp voice was now much quieter.
"Lucius, I did not reveal this, but the woman's necklace has more deadly powers as a Dark Object than I suspect even she is unaware of. You know not to touch the necklace, but the others do not. Be prudent, Lucius, in this advantage. Do not be tempted either. I have lost many skilled Death Eaters to stupid mistakes."
"I understand completely, my Lord."
"And also keep an eye on Severus. He will provide all the necessary information for your mission, however, he must not know of these recent developments. He has an alarmingly sharp mind so be over wary. I know it will be a challenge for you to better our dear Snape in a matter of intellect, but remember; my punishments for failure will hurt more than merely losing your pride to a comrade." The derisive warning in the final comment was unmistakable. And Lucius wouldn't forget it. Insulting his pride was dangerous enough to those who wished to ever have children, but comparing him to that greasy, ungrateful, two-faced mastermind? That sunk in deep.
"You are dismissed." With a wave of Voldemort's bony hand, Malfoy was gone.
Silence. The meeting was over; the board was set, but the pieces were yet to move. He knew not what the outcome would be, but it was the only card he had left to play. Silence. How ironic, he thought, he was planning to slaughter millions from the inside of a derelict cathedral, a place of peace and security. He turned and looked at the stained-glass window that had caught the eyes of many of his followers that meeting. There were two men, both with yellow haloes, and a distressed woman. One man stood gazing remotely at the scene below while the other lay broken upon the earth, a calm expression of agony etched into his visage, his bleeding vessel supported by the woman. Silence. Voldemort angrily lifted a finger and pointed it at the remote man. There was something he didn't like about this man, something so virtuous, so superior, so. so Albus Dumbledore. The glass figure shattered violently into a thousand tiny pieces, tinkling harmoniously on the marble floor beneath, but chorused by the demonic wails of the Dark Lord.
"If only it was that easy! I'll destroy you before this is over! Mark my words your days are numbered Dumbledore! So proclaimeth Lord Voldemort!"
When Wormtail scuttled furiously into the Hall with his wand in hand, the sight that lay before him stopped him in his tracks and made him scuttle right back out again. His Master was clearly beyond furious. He was even beyond murderous. He was alternating between paroxysms of explosive fury and unbearable, pitiful laughter. He was bent over the limestone alter, his forehead pinned against it, banging his clenched fists on the stone, screaming threats beyond comprehension. One thing was clear though, with Voldemort's new, mysterious Dark toy, Albus Dumbledore was one helluva dead man walking.
"We have located the whereabouts of the Orb, my Lord. It is ready for collection whenever you desire." A dark hooded figure informed as knelt on one knee at the foot of a throne.
"And what of the Key?"
The figure raised his head slightly. Two silver eyes glinted cruelly in the dawn light as it trickled through the large stained, circular window beyond the throne before him. "I am delighted to report to my Master that I have also uncovered the object vital to unlock the Orb."
The Dark Lord straightened in his seat. His face was silhouetted by the colourful rays from the window. His searing eyes analysed the man before him for the slightest trace of lies and dishonesty. He found none, as he expected, for Lucius was one of his most sincerely devoted followers. "Go on."
"Last night when I was visiting Knockturn Alley, I was fortunate enough to witness a duel between the last member of the Harem of the Orb and another woman by the name of Miss Zirconia. The latter is the one who is of greatest importance to us. She possesses the Key; it is as a necklace, and could only have been given to her by her mother when she returned from deepest Africa, the origin of the Orb itself. Her mother was Lady Sophia Cadaver."
"How did you acquire this information? I trust it is reliable?" The Dark Lord quietly expressed his doubts before committing himself to this splendid news.
"I heard it from her very lips, my Lord." The red-eyed man raised an eyebrow to Lucius' tone. "We were. briefly acquainted some time ago." Voldemort sensed a ripple of concealed humiliation sweep through the emotions of the man before him. Perhaps they should have a 'talk' sometime, he considered. Legilimancy happened to be a common occurrence, however, in such events. After a pause, the man's eyes began to glow with a wicked radiance. It made his corpse-like face seem almost alive.
"Well done. This confirms the Legends, then," His voice was suddenly breathless and strained with unexpected excitement, "and hence heightens the importance of Severus' report to us." The Dark Lord gripped the arms of the chair until it seemed his bones would break. His intense eyes connected with his subject's. The next second, his commanding voice shattered the fragile silence. "You have my prior instructions Lucius, and now you have my command."
He turned his gaze to three, solitary entities lurking in the shadows by the large doorway at the end of the Hall. Each black, cloaked figure moved forward immediately into the brilliant circle of light before him, as if they had patiently awaited his summons.
"You all know what to do. Bring me the Key, but as importantly, I now also want the woman very much alive. Take time to organize yourselves. There should be no rash decision-making." His fiery eyes lit on the slender creature to the left, whose full lips caught in the light before they bowed to his gaze. "Use any methods necessary to succeed. Kill as you wish, as I know you will, and torture the rest. But save the woman for me. That is an order, Flint. I know I do not need to remind you all that I do not accept failure from anyone. Now go." The three figures swept off quietly down the Hall and melted into the lingering darkness of the corridor. Voldemort continued to address the remaining individual at his feet, but his sharp voice was now much quieter.
"Lucius, I did not reveal this, but the woman's necklace has more deadly powers as a Dark Object than I suspect even she is unaware of. You know not to touch the necklace, but the others do not. Be prudent, Lucius, in this advantage. Do not be tempted either. I have lost many skilled Death Eaters to stupid mistakes."
"I understand completely, my Lord."
"And also keep an eye on Severus. He will provide all the necessary information for your mission, however, he must not know of these recent developments. He has an alarmingly sharp mind so be over wary. I know it will be a challenge for you to better our dear Snape in a matter of intellect, but remember; my punishments for failure will hurt more than merely losing your pride to a comrade." The derisive warning in the final comment was unmistakable. And Lucius wouldn't forget it. Insulting his pride was dangerous enough to those who wished to ever have children, but comparing him to that greasy, ungrateful, two-faced mastermind? That sunk in deep.
"You are dismissed." With a wave of Voldemort's bony hand, Malfoy was gone.
Silence. The meeting was over; the board was set, but the pieces were yet to move. He knew not what the outcome would be, but it was the only card he had left to play. Silence. How ironic, he thought, he was planning to slaughter millions from the inside of a derelict cathedral, a place of peace and security. He turned and looked at the stained-glass window that had caught the eyes of many of his followers that meeting. There were two men, both with yellow haloes, and a distressed woman. One man stood gazing remotely at the scene below while the other lay broken upon the earth, a calm expression of agony etched into his visage, his bleeding vessel supported by the woman. Silence. Voldemort angrily lifted a finger and pointed it at the remote man. There was something he didn't like about this man, something so virtuous, so superior, so. so Albus Dumbledore. The glass figure shattered violently into a thousand tiny pieces, tinkling harmoniously on the marble floor beneath, but chorused by the demonic wails of the Dark Lord.
"If only it was that easy! I'll destroy you before this is over! Mark my words your days are numbered Dumbledore! So proclaimeth Lord Voldemort!"
When Wormtail scuttled furiously into the Hall with his wand in hand, the sight that lay before him stopped him in his tracks and made him scuttle right back out again. His Master was clearly beyond furious. He was even beyond murderous. He was alternating between paroxysms of explosive fury and unbearable, pitiful laughter. He was bent over the limestone alter, his forehead pinned against it, banging his clenched fists on the stone, screaming threats beyond comprehension. One thing was clear though, with Voldemort's new, mysterious Dark toy, Albus Dumbledore was one helluva dead man walking.
