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Chapter 6: Voldemort Schemes

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"My lord, you called?"

A cloaked man with a drawling voice was before Voldemort.

"Yes," said a cold voiced Voldemort. His voice sent chills up the man's back. Voldemort had made a temporary recovery. "You are one of my most faithful servants, and excellent with potions. I wish to thank you for that cure from that disease. Yet, I have another mission for you. I trust you."

"Yes, my lord. Thank you. I will not fail you."

"You better not. You know what will happen if you do."

"Yes, I am quite aware."

"Good. Now, is the potion nearly ready?"

"It will take one more week."

"Excellent. My plan is working so well... I can't have Potter ruining it. He has a nasty habit of ruining good plans," said Voldemort.

"I have experience with that," said the man loathsomely. "Careless with rules, terrible at school, show-off at Quidditch.. he's just like his father," the man spat.

"Yes, Severus. He has the same spirit in him. You will need to keep Potter out of the way for a while, as you know. How do you plan on doing that?"

"I supposed we could lure him away. He feels he needs to be a hero, have all the attention... like his father. I supposed on using the Weasley girl. But of course, there is the problem of retrieving the girl..."

"That's not that hard, Severus. A silly little girl does not pose much of a threat to me. She could be put under the Imperius Curse and brought to me, and I could deal with things from there."

Snape considered. "Yes. But I can't just walk in and take her."

"Then I will send one who can. Her father works at the Ministry. I will get MacNair to use the Imperius Curse on the girl's father, who can fetch his daughter... preferably when she's asleep. Severus, make me a powerful sleeping draught for the occasion. I don't want her waking up in the middle of this and scream."

"Yes, my lord."

"And fetch MacNair."

"Yes, my lord."

"That's all Severus."

Snape bowed and Disapparated.

"Nagini," hissed Voldemort. Nagini came as commanded.

"Oh, Nagini, I have a tassssk for you, a ssssimple tasssk," he hissed in Parseltongue, stroking her, "I want you to keep an eye on Dumbledore for me. Don't get caught, and don't kill him. I have sssssent one to do that already, when the time hasssss come. I promisssse, Nagini, you will have fresh meat ssssoon."

"Yesssss, massster," hissed Nagini. The snake slithered off to do her master's work.

"Harry Potter," Voldemort hissed, "you shall not escape the power of Lord Voldemort much longer, this I guarantee."