Chapter Thirty Four – The Dark Lord

"Crucio!"

A scream echoed through the chamber.

"Where is your husband?" a voice asked from the darkness.

"I s-swear My L-lord, I-I do n-not know," came the answer.

"Crucio!"

Another scream.

"Where is Lucius?"

"Master p-please," Narcissa Malfoy said a panting voice. "I d-don't know. He dis-disappeared. He told, he t-told me n-nothing."

"I set a task for him last night," came the voice. A muggle paper landed floor in front of Narcissa. Through the tears in her eyes she could make out a headline about a missing woman. "A task he seems to have completed," the voice said again. "Where is he my dear? What part do you play in his betrayal?"

"I know, I know n-nothing M-master," Narcissa replied. "L-Lucius n-never spoke of be-betrayal. We serve, we serve faithfully."

"And that is why you denied me for thirteen years," the voice said. "Why you hid your allegiances. Why neither of you sought for me. Yes, your loyalty and faithfulness is touching. Crucio!"

Another scream.

"Where would Lucius hide?"

"I d-don't, don't know," Narcissa was lying on the ground, barely able to move. "M-master I swear. Lucius n-never t-told, never t-told me he plan-planned betrayal. I am lo-loyal to you. I will hunt d-down my b-bastard husband, hu-hunt him d-down and, and k-kill him."

"Will you now," Voldemort came out of the shadows. "That would be a worthy gesture. But that is not what I require from you my dear."

"Anything M-my L-lord," she whimpered. "I ... I will ... do ... anything."

"Remove her," Voldemort motioned to two masked men. "I will tell her what I require of her later."

The men picked up Narcissa Malfoy and dragged her out of the room. A third man remained.

"What of the others My Lord?" he asked.

"Leave them for now," Voldemort answered. "Go. I will summon you when I require something."

"Yes Master," the man bowed and left the chamber, leaving Voldemort alone with his thoughts.

Lucius has betrayed me, he thought. Somehow he has managed to hide himself as well. It did not matter. Sooner or later he would be forced to come out of hiding and Voldemort would kill him, painfully. It was a shame to lose Wormtail. The sniveling worm had his uses. Lucius almost certainly killed him. He might have been able to turn the others. But not Wormtail; he was tied to Voldemort too tightly. In the end he would always crawl back to his Master.

It seems his fears about the loyalty of his Death Eaters were well founded. He must move up his plans. Others also needed to be informed. He turned and walked back into the shadows. He came to the wall. He reached out with his wand and tapped a series of bricks in a very precise pattern.

The bricks began to separate and a passage opened in the wall. No one else knew the passage was here. He entered and passage and began making his way down the hallway. Behind him the wall closed back up.

After a few moments he entered a large circular chamber. The floor was covered with an ancient symbol. A circle, within a large serpent like dragon dominated, flanked by two twin snakes, both striking in their similarity to the Slytherin House symbol. Voldemort walked to the center of the circle and held up his wand. The torches around the chamber wall flared into life.

"Why have you summoned me?" a voice echoed from the shadows.

"My servants failed to return," Voldemort responded. "It seems they believe they can challenge their Lord."

"Your Death Eaters' loyalty and effectiveness has always been in question," the voice said in menacing tones.

"It merely means a slight acceleration of my plans," Voldemort said. "I will free those whose loyalties can never be questioned. It is sooner than I planned. But it changes nothing."

"See that it does not," the voice grew stronger. "Slytherin made many promises to me. Promises I have waited over a thousand years to see fulfilled. As Slytherin's heir you inherit his responsibilities."

"Your patience shall be rewarded," Voldemort smiled. "Soon I will purge my people's blood of the filth that infests it. And once we are pure, we shall conquer all. Remaking the world into a paradise fit for the strong."

"You make many promises Voldemort, like your predecessor. But you are tainted with impurity."

"I burned the impurity out of my blood," Voldemort smiled. "I removed the filth that spawned me. I am pure. As all should be."

"Yes, your drive is not to be questioned," the voice responded. "But your servants. That is another matter. I will provide you with some of my servants. Their loyalty cannot be questioned. They will do what needs to be done. I have granted you power beyond that of your kind. I will make certain it is used properly."

"I thank you for your generosity," Voldemort said. "I will provide you with a feast such as you have never experienced before."

"Yes the promise must be fulfilled. My servants will arrive shortly. Keep them hidden for now. Do not draw attention to them or yourself."

"I have taken steps to make certain my return has gone unnoticed," Voldemort replied. "The muggle-loving fool Dumbledore is trapped by his school. Discredited by men who do not even know they are my servants. His Order of the Phoenix chases after shadows of my choosing. And this betrayal provides opportunities. A way to keep my enemies on the defensive. The final battle will be fought on my terms."

"Be wary, Dumbledore is not the only power in this world," the voice replied. "Keep your servants in check. Their activities outside may draw unwanted attention."

"The muggles are no threat," Voldemort sneered. "And the others cannot see into this world. We will take them by surprise. You shall feast. And I shall burn this world until all is pure. Until only paradise remains. The promise of Slytherin shall be fulfilled."

"See that it is," the voice replied. "Or I will withdraw the power I have granted you and you will suffer the same fate as your predecessor."

"I have passed through death," Voldemort replied. "I shall not fail in this."