Chapter 4
Showing Up For Verret
Strosslink Apparated down the road from Verret's hideout. This was way outside of the denser Muggle housing districts, rather, a rural area surrounded by open farmland. Verret's hideout was the only building in sight. Strosslink preferred it out here, there wasn't any people, wizards or otherwise, bustling about incessantly, trying to do whatever pointless task they had turned themselves to.
The building was known to the local members as "Verret's hideout", even though many other Death Eaters frequently passed through there. Verret apparently also owned some other houses in and around major Muggle towns, using his apparently large inheritance from his Muggle father to keep close to his birth-people. Obviously the Dark Lord did not know about that.
Strosslink considered reporting him to one of his superiors, but immediately decided against it. That would be classed as a vendetta within the Death Eaters, and Strosslink did not know what that would cause. Perhaps a duel between the two wizards, which would cost Strosslink his imminent promotion.
Strosslink had no doubt that he could defeat Verret in a duel, as he, heir to the Strosslink family, was far more noble and powerful than his Mudblood counterpart. Verret would be a far weaker dueller, being of impure, common lineage.
Strosslink walked down towards Verret's hideout. No tattletale report to his superiors. No formal duel. He could wait. He was proven to be very patient. And when that promotion finally came through and Strosslink made himself one of the most trusted lieutenants and confidants of the Dark Lord, as he intended to be, then, without any hint of prejudice or vendetta, he would deal with Verret, perfectly legitimately. The half-Muggle should have known full well how foolish it was to disrespect someone that was far superior to his bloodline.
Verret's hideout was almost a dive, small, rickety-looking. Strosslink tapped on the front door of the house. Verret's voice called out for whomever it was that was visiting to let themselves in. Strosslink waited until the other wizard actually came and opened the door for him. He wasn't about to be friendly to Verret.
'Ah-hah, I see you've recovered,' Verret smirked. Verret had an unconscious habit of smirking almost all of the time. It was infuriating for Strosslink to be smirked at by a such a lowly, ignoble wizard. The man simply did not know his place in society, especially in the Death Eaters.
'I'm free of that Muggle-infested pit,' replied Strosslink, 'even with the minimal amount of assistance possible given to me by you.'
'Hey, I gave you that potion, didn't I?' Verret snapped back. 'And you were the one careless enough to get yourself arrested in the first place!'
Strosslink shrugged theatrically. 'It was an accident. It wasn't my fault.'
Verret shook his head at Strosslink. 'Temery and I thought otherwise,' he said, after a pause.
'Temery?' Strosslink asked. 'What's Temery got to do with this?'
He glared at Verret.
'More importantly, why did you think that you could leave me chained up in that room? Where was your sense of duty to other Death Eaters?'
Verret stepped back two paces, holding his hands up in the air, palms forward.
'Hey, that wasn't my decision. That came from people superior to me.'
Every true wizard is superior to you, thought Strosslink, it's just that you don't realise it.
'That was the order,' continued Verret quickly. 'It was a disciplinary action. I mean, it took months to find out where Edwina Yolk lived. She was a valuable source, the Dark Lord really could have used any of her information…'
These words shocked Strosslink. A disciplinary action? His superiors had ordered that he should be punished?
'And that Invisibility Cloak, completely turned into ashes, those things aren't common, you know…'
But who gave the order? Was it Temery? Temery, after all, is Verret's superior. And Temery's never appreciated the Strosslink name either.
'Not to mention all the fluster you caused among the Muggles when you got arrested. Luckily I don't think you're enough to make them suspicious, but I myself had to do all the work, getting you out of that hospital without making too much fuss! I hope that you didn't do anything extreme after I went?'
Verret had changed feet and rounded on Strosslink.
'Did you do something on your way out of the hospital?' he demanded.
'Was it Temery that gave you the order?' asked Strosslink quietly.
'Yes, but-' Verret began to speak, but Strosslink interrupted him.
'And I bet you were all to happy to carry them out, weren't you?' Strosslink screamed at Verret. 'I bet that you were there, advising Temery, when he gave the order, too! You would have been there, making sure that I looked bad, you sneaky, slimy little Mudblood!'
Verret gasped and stepped backwards, incredulous.
'Yes, I know what you are, Verret,' continued Strosslink, seeing that he had the upper hand. 'Even if Temery doesn't. But, I suppose, one letter and that all could change…'
Verret didn't accept the threat. His gaping mouth clamped shut.
'And what do you presume would happen then, Aeneas?' he asked peevishly. 'A scandal? I'd be demoted? Or maybe even forced to leave the Death Eaters?'
Strosslink was astounded by Verret's response, but didn't let it show. He didn't reply. He didn't even breathe.
'Well,' Verret continued, 'I think not. Temery wouldn't do anything. In fact, he already knows. He always says that I'm a far greater wizard than you, even with my Muggle mother. That's why he recommended me for promotion, Aeneas, rather than you.'
Strosslink still didn't breathe.
'And oh, weren't you important enough to know?' Verret mocked, with a cocky smirk, 'Even the Dark Lord himself has Muggle blood.'
Strosslink took one deep breath. The expression on his face told Verret that his last comment was a very big mistake.
'Crucio!' screamed Strosslink.
The spell launched at Verret, tearing through the other wizard's Protection Spell, and hit him with full force. Verret tumbled over a bookcase and across, the floor, in too much pain to even make a sound. His body twitched all and his mouth was stretched open in a soundless scream. His arms and legs jerked about uselessly.
Strosslink sidestepped to get a better wand angle at Verret, as he lay there on the floor, his back arching out.
'How dare you spread vicious rumours about the Dark Lord? Crucio!'
Strosslink stopped the curse and walked around the bookcase to stand over Verret. He was ever so smug, but he was obviously no match for a true wizard like Strosslink.
'Is it to make yourself look good? Further your own goals? Is that what it is?' he asked Verret, not expecting an answer.
Instead, he moved. It was more than a twitch. Strosslink realised that Verret was still clutching his wand. He moved as well.
'Protecto!' said Verret.
'Crucio!' shouted Strosslink.
The Protection Spell was again too weak to block Strosslink's well-practised Cruciatus Curse. Verret felt the full force of it again. He dropped the wand.
Strosslink stopped the curse and expertly kicked it away.
'How did… how did you?' asked Verret.
'Skill at curses, Verret, can break a flimsy Protection Spell.'
Strosslink was about to use the Cruciatus Curse again when he heard heavy fists and frantic shouting at the door of Verret's hideout.
Those were the Death Eaters. Now was the time to run.
