Outside the ancient town of Dover sat a manor. If any muggles walked by the house, they would only see a run-down shack and suddenly have a great urge to leave the area. However, if any witch or wizard passed by, they would be greeted by an enormous stone house and impeccably manicured gardens, swamped in ancient wards. This mansion belonged to the Lestrange family, a pure-blood family of French origins, who were proud of their lineage and their affinity for Dark magic. It was this affinity that made the wizard Tom Riddle, now known to the wizarding world as Lord Voldemort, choose the ancient place for his headquarters.
Upon first entering the manor, one would notice that despite the abundance of natural light, darkness seemed to blanket the entire household. Walking through the house, one would be able to admire the beautiful paintings and tapestries that depicted the superiority of the wizarding race and the monstrous savagery of the muggle one. Soon, the hallway led into a grand ballroom adorned with crystal chandeliers and precious metals. Instead of a ball, the room was dominated by a long table, where witches and wizards, draped in black robes and branded with the mark, sat listening to an intense argument.
"We have werewolves, giants, and inferi! We are ready!, scremend Bellatrix.
The man she was screaming at, Severus, gave a cold smile and leaned back in his seat. "You clearly do not know what Dumbeldore is capable of Bella, we can not be hasty," said Severus.
"How dare you underestimate the Dark Lord!" screeched Bellatrix
"I know caution is not in your vocabulary Bella, but you do well to add it yours," sneered Snape.
"Enough, I will not take criticism from a filthy poor half-blood," said Bellatrix as he reached for her wand.
"Stop," said Voldemort
Though soft, the sudden sound of the cold voice caused the entire room to turn silent as they looked to their leader for guidance.
"Severus is right, Bella. We can not underestimate Dumbeldore and his forces. If we are to be victorious, we must continue to gather allies and whittle down Dumbelldore's allies. Do you all understand," said Voldemort.
"Yes, my Lord," said the assembled Death Eaters.
"Now, back to business. Lucius, how much progress have you made at the Ministry," asked Voldemort.
