Tonks wanders around her patrolling area in Hogsmeade.
The sun is long hidden beneath the horizon. Which is good.
Tonks has volunteered herself for the night patrolling shifts on purpose.
Service in Hogsmeade is, unfortunately, much more demanding than service on Grimmauld Place. Martial Law has been introduced, and the Aurors' service accommodation in the village is garrisoned. The Hogwarts Protection Squad members have to live in the service quarters, and are forbidden from leaving their posts without permission. They don't have a lot freedom to move around. Tonks' visits at the Malfoy Manor and in the Fenrir's den are therefore severely limited. However, taking night shifts, she has much more opportunities to sneak out.
Seeing Fenrir, even for a few hours once in a while, helps her to cope with the mental stress induced by being constantly surrounded by her enemies. Cuddling his soft fur and listening to his purring (yes, purring!) allows her to relax instantly.
Visiting Malfoy Manor and submitting her reports on the Order's advances is also helpful. Narcissa is ever so caring and compassionate. Bellatrix goes berserker each time she has a chance to see her beloved niece. Both Aunts are also supportive on her new relationship (the genuine one, not the fake one with Lupin).
Draco claims to be almost done with his assingment, which also cheers Tonks up.
Soon, it all is going to be over. She is going to be relieved of her duty in Hogsmeade. She is going to return to the Manor. She is going to be seeing Fenrir as often as she pleases. Moreover, being done with the old coot's reign, also means being able to finally release Uncle Lucius and the others from Azkaban without obstacles.
Suddenly, Tonks feels burning pain in her Dark Mark. Her eyes widen, as she automatically looks up at the castle.
A huge, greenish image of snake within a skull burns in the night sky.
Tonks feels her heart pounding. It has begun. It has fucking begun!
Acting on an impulse, she rushes up the hill.
'TONKS!'
Growling, obnoxious voice. Moody.
'What do you think you're doing?!' Mad-Eye snaps at the girl, appearing out of nowhere on the empty street in her patrolling area.
'Haven't you seen THIS?!' Tonks snarls, extending her arm towards the Dark Mark in the sky.
'Yes, I have, we all have, and it doesn't excuse you from following the procedure, Tonks!'
Oh, right, the fucking Aurors' emergency procedure. Now, Tonks has to get through all this bullshit, while her Auntie Bella is fighting up there. Her Fenrir is fighting up there!
She reluctantly follows her former mentor to the service quarters and waits anxiously for him to gather everyone. She cannot be bothered to listen to Moody's ridiculous instructions. She glances over her shoulders every few seconds, to see the burning Dark Mark.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Running up the hill. The shortest way from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts leads through the Forbidden Forrest.
Tonks sprints several feet ahead of the others, disregarding the formation established by Moody beforehand.
She feels her heart pounding. Fenrir is fighting up there. Bella is fighting up there. Draco is fighting up there.
They reach the heavy front door of the castle and Moody blows it up.
Just like the girl had imagined, a fierce battle is going on inside.
Stepping in the entrance hall, Tonks can smell her mate's blood.
The scent of Fenrir's blood is the most intensive scent she knows.
The Aurors spread out within the hall, going into the thick of the battle. Tonks runs forward, following the familiar fragrance.
There he is - wrestling with the Potter boy. He seems to have pounced on him, and now he lowers his head, moving his sharp fangs close to the boy's neck...
The girl freezes, seeing Potter extending his wand, aiming at her mate. Fenrir doesn't seem to notice it...
Well, I'll blow my fucking cover up. So what?! She thinks, jumping forward to the boy.
'Petrificus...'
Before Potter has a chance to utter his incantation, she steps on his wand-holding hand. Potter yells and lets go of the wand. Fortunately, Fenrir covers the boy's face with his outstretched fingers, he cannot see who has just disarmed him.
Fenrir turns towards Tonks, exposing his sharp teeth in a grin.
'Wotcher, handsome.' the girl whispers quietly enough for Potter not to hear her.
'Wotcher, beautiful.' Fenrir answers, barely moving his lips.
Tonks kicks Potter's wand aside, winks to Greyback, and disappears back in the thick of the ongoing battle, casting a shield charm all over herself.
Hogwarts entrance hall is already reigned by an utter and complete mayhem. The Aurors, part of the faculty and even a couple of students, battle against Alecto, Amycus and a couple of other Death Eaters Tonks whom doesn't recognize.
The Hogwarts' protectors' side has an obvious advantage, but the Death Eaters only need to get through the castle and its common grounds to be able to dissaparate. The Dark Mark burns in the sky, what means, that the assingment had been accomplished.
Tonks looks around, searching for Bella and Draco. She must make sure that they are alright...
'BOMBARDA! DEPULSO! BOMBARDA! AHAHAHAAA!'
The yells and a familiar, wild laughter come from the conjoining room, which is the Great Hall. Explosions, sounds of smashing glass, and the furniture and tableware being knocked down.
Tonks' lips curl up in a smile. Auntie Bella is apparently having some fun, demolishing the Great Hall. It seems that the girl doesn't have to worry about her.
Now, where the fuck is Draco? He had been exposed to the biggest danger of all of the Death Eaters. Basically the whole burden of the assingment was on his shoulders...
Tonks sighs with a relief, briefly catching a glance of Draco, alive and intact.
The blonde-haired boy steps into the entrance hall, being led by Severus Snape by the collar.
Tonks narrows her eyes. Why does Snape lead Draco by the collar...?
'It's over, time to go!' Snape yells.
Tonks needs a while to comprehend; Snape addresses his words to the fighting Death Eaters.
It seems that he has just made his alliegances clear. It seems, that he had somehow helped Draco to fulfill his assingment, and now he is protecting the boy throughout the escape.
Severus runs towards the front door, shielding Draco with his black cloak from the flying spells, like a mother-bat would shield her young.
Tonks wants to run after them, to ask Draco about the events from the Astronomy Tower. However, she notices with a frown, that Alecto, Amycus and a huge, bleached-haired Death Eater have some trouble getting through to the entrance door.
Something seems off about the fighting kids. Tonks recognizes them as the members of the Department of Mysteries strike team from the previous year- ginger-haired Weasley siblings, a bushy-haired Mudblood girl and a chubby boy. However, their fighting style... isn't even comparable with the one from back them. Their moves are graceful and swift, they seem to be always aiming perfectly, and yet any of the curses casted by the Death Eaters cannot reach them for some reason...
It looks like they had been dosed with some performance-enhancing potion. The effects are similar to those of the liquid luck...
Amycus, for example, is forced to step back under a ridiculously powerful cannonade of spells created by the short, ginger-haired Ginny Weasley. Amycus! A fully-grown, well trained Death Eater draws back facing a little girl.
The beached-haired Death Eater is stopped in the door by the heavyset boy, who suddenly isn't clumsy or slow anymore. It seems... fishy.
'PROTEGO!' Tonks yells, jumping inbetween Amycus and the ginger-haired girl. 'I'll take care of him, Ginny!' she yells.
Ginny nods and turns back, stepping in the dust of the battle.
Tonks watches her curiously for a short while as she walks away; the girl clearly has been dosed with liquid luck. She doesn't even use any protection charm, and yet the curses seem to avoid her somehow.
'I know, they're playing dirty.' Amycus whispers, noticing Tonks' confused face.
'Run.' Tonks whispers back to him. 'I've cleared the way out for you.'
'Cannot. Alecto.' Amycus explains, barely moving his lips.
Tonks turns around; Amycus' sister runs from Mcgonagall, dodging the old Witch's hexes.
'PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL, HELP! PLESE, HELP! OVER HERE!' Tonks yells on the top of her lungs, drawing the elderly woman's attention to herself. Macgonagall leaves Alecto and runs towards Tonks.
'Run!' Tonks hisses straight into Amycus' ear.
Carrow sprints towards the door.
Macgonagall reaches the girl with her eyes wide.
'What is it, Nymphadora, are you hurt?!' she asks anxiously.
'Fuck!' Tonks exclaims, looking at Amycus' vanishing silhouette.
'Language!' Macgonagall says with a reproach. Tonks smirks internally; even in the middle of a deadly battle Macgonagall is able to scold somebody for language.
'I was being cornered by this bastard.' Tonks tells her hastily made-up story, indicating Amycus. 'But now he runs away... Look, his sister follows him... I'll catch them!'
Not waiting for the elderly woman's reaction, Tonks passes her and runs through the entrance hall towards the door. On her way out, she catches a glance of Fenrir wrestling with a ginger-haired young man (presumably another Weasley).
Greyback spots Tonks heading outside, and swings his hand backwards, pulling his sharp claws out. He drags his claws across the ginger's cheek and tosses him aside, joining the girl.
'Did everybody manage to get outside?' Tonks asks him mid-run.
'I s'ppose.' Fenrir answers. 'There was such a mayhem, that I couldn't track everybody, but I think nobody stayed behind.'
Tonks spots silhouettes of Draco, Snape, Bella, Alecto and Amycus from afar. She speeds up her pace to overtake them, Fenrir follows her, running on his all fours...
'IMPEDIMENTA!' Tonks hears a yell from behind and falls on the ground under the impact of the spell.
Fenrir stops by her side and looks back in shock. Snape, Bella and the others also turn their heads back towards them.
'PETRIFICUS...'
'NO!' Bella, Fenrir and Snape exclaim in unison.
Bella jumps forward and together with Fenrir knocks the huge, blonde-haired Death Eater down to the ground.
'She's on our side, Thorfinn, you fucking dim-wit!' Fenrir yells at the man.
Tonks overcomes the pain left by the spell and turns her head towards Thorfinn. His eyes widen in embarrassment.
'Is she...? I mean, I thought she is one of those Aurors who have been stationing in Hogsmeade...' he mutters awkwardly.
'I am!' Tonks snarls. 'I spy on them, you huge idiot!'
'Finite!' Fenrir casts a spell which nullifies the painful effects of Impedimenta. The girl picks herself up, and instantly approaches her baby cousin.
Draco is very pale. He looks... shattered.
'Draco?' Tonks asks softly. 'How do you feel? How did it go?'
Draco lifts his shaking arm, indicating Snape.
'Professor did it... I tried, but... I couldn't...' he whispers.
Tonks' eyes widen.
'S-Severus...?' she asks in disbelief.
'The old coot used his usual, hoodwinking, manipulative small-talk.' Snape explains. 'He started playing on Draco's emotions, talking about his Parents... and made Draco's hand shake. I had to step in and help .'
Tonks feels, that a huge weight is being lifted from her. Snape has assassinated Dumbledore, and that is an irrefutable proof of his true alliegances. It turns out, that Auntie Bella had been mistaken, suspecting him of being Dumbledore's pawn.
'Severus!' Tonks sighs with a relief, looking at him with boundless gratitude.
Snape moves anxiously.
'You shouldn't be here with us, Nymphadora. You're not supposed to risk your cover.'
'Nobody is around.' Tonks notices. 'They stayed behind in the castle, probably bemoaning Dumbledore.'
Unfortunately, as soon as Tonks utters those words, two silhouettes appear, running towards their group through the common grounds.
One of the silhouettes is huge and clumsy - the half-giant gamekeeper, who had probably noticed the Death Eaters from his cottage's windows.
The other one is small and fast-moving. Tonks notices raven, unruly hair.
'Potter!' Bella snaps. 'He can't see you with us, Nymphie...'
'Fuck.' Tonks mutters. 'Auntie Bella, please stun me.'
'What...?! But...'
'STUN ME! NOW! THAT WILL SAVE MY COVER!'
Bella takes quick glance at incoming Potter and draws her wand, aiming at her niece.
'STUPEFY!' she yells.
Tonks flies a few feet backwards and lands on the wet grass, plunging into unconsciousness.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lucius Malfoy is a fortunate man.
He has three women from the Black family to literally nurse him back to health after his release from Azkaban.
Malnourishment, muscle weakness, low body temperature and huge mental trauma are always the effects of spending an extended period of time under Dementors' guard.
After returning to the Manor, Lucius had slept for forty-eight hours continuously. Over the next couple of days, Narcissa, Bella and Tonks started taking turns by his side, making sure he eats plenty, takes his potions and sleeps enough. They were checking his body temperature once in every couple of hours, making sure it increases and stabilizes.
Tonks is happy to be relieved of her service in Hogsmeade, and to leave the Aurors' garrisoned quarters.
She appreciates having a chance to help in her Uncle's recovery.
Now, it is finally the day, in which Lucius is able to leave his bed, get dressed and walk around, having recovered enough of his strength.
Tonks stumbles into him on the corridor and beams.
'Uncle!' she exclaims. 'How...how are you feeling?'
Lucius lets out a weak smile. He's still very pale, but looks incomparably better than a few days ago.
'I feel amazing, Nymphie. I appreciate your contribute to my recovery.' he says.
Suddenly, a soft "pop" of Apparition can be heard and somebody appears down the stairs, in the entrance hall.
Tonks' smile turns wider; it's Fenrir who's just arrived. She leans over the balustrade to greet him.
'Wotcher, my Nymphet Princess.' he says, exposing his fangs in a grin.
'Wotcher, my Wolf of Loki.' she answers with a smile.
Fenrir climbs up the stairs, skipping steps.
'I know that the meeting starts only in an hour, but I figured I'd come a little bit earlier and... oh, Lord Malfoy! Forgive me, I haven't noticed you.' the Werewolf says and bows low in front of Lucius.
This is another amazing thing about Fenrir. He may be ridiculously powerful and unbelievably dangerous, but he knows the hierarchy and always obeys it.
Just like in a real pack of wolves.
Tonks consider this feature of his the most admirable of all.
Fenrir, insecure about Lucius' reaction, timidly embraces the girl. Tonks looks at her Uncle sheepishly; she hasn't mentioned being Greyback's mate to him before.
Lucius' bright silver eyes at first widen in shock, but after a couple of seconds - much to Tonks' relief- Uncle gives her a small smile and nods in approval.
'Lord Malfoy.' Fenrir speaks, clearly appreciating Lucius' reaction. 'Are you going to participate in the meeting?'
'Yes, Fenrir.' Uncle answers. 'I feel good enough to go back to my normal routine.'
'Let's go to the dining hall together, Uncle.' Tonks suggests, taking softly Malfoy's hand. 'Judging by the noises, the majority is already gathered there.'
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
According to Tonks, relocating the Death Eaters' Headquarters to the Malfoy Manor was a brilliant idea.
Before establishing the new Headquarters, there used to be a fair number of unfortunate Death Eaters without a place they could call "home".
Most of those people are outcasts, and disowned children of Blood-Traitors Parents- just like Tonks. Thanks to the size and spatiality of the Malfoy Manor, every single one of them has received a proper accommodation. Additionally, with multiple bathrooms, laundry rooms and bedrooms, the Manor is able to accommodate them easily, without a feeling of congestion. There is enough room for everybody, and people are not bumping into each other on the corridors (what couldn't have been said about the Grimmauld Place).
Gathering for the meetings is basically the only occasion, when all of the Death Eaters residing in the Manor see each other as an entire group.
Tonks, Fenrir and Lucius step into the dining hall. A fair number of Death Eaters is already seated at the long table, waiting anxiously for the meeting to start.
'Wotcher, everyone!' Tonks says eagerly.
Alecto and Amycus have already taken their places. They nod curtly at Tonks.
Thorfinn Rowle -the bleached-haired Death Eater who had once mistaken Tonks for an enemy- is also already present. He blushes slightly seeing the girl, apparently still embarrassed for attacking her.
Dolohov, a black-haired skinny Wizard, sits next to Thorfinn.
Macnair is also ready for the meeting; he smiles, seeing Tonks.
'Almost everybody has already arrived.' Lucius notices. 'I'll better go and bring Narcissa, Draco and Bellatrix.'
Lucius leaves the room and gets past another Death Eater in the doorway.
Wormtail is a short and almost bald Animagus Wizard, who used to be one of the homeless, ambulatory Death Eaters before settling down in the Manor. He steps in, carrying an unconscious woman.
'Who's that, Fenrir?' Tonks asks, frowning.
The Werewolf sniffles the air.
'A Blood Traitor.' he answers. 'I sense it.'
Wormtail, having noticed their glances, casts Levicorpus at the woman, hanging her mid-air beneath the ceiling. He comes forward to the couple.
'This is Charity Burbage, a Muggle Studies Professor at Hogwarts.' he explains in his high-pitched voice. 'Well... a former one.' he adds, glancing at the unconscious woman.
'Burbage?' Tonks repeats. 'I remember her from Hogwarts, although I didn't attend her classes.'
'Burbage.' Fenrir drawls. 'I recognize the name, not from the school though. There was this article in the Prophet last week. Have you read it, Nymphie?'
'No, I haven't.'
'Burbage's written an article,' Fenrir explains, 'expressing her extraordinarily high opinion on Muggles and Mudbloods. She claims their equality to Pure-Blooded Wizards and Witches, and encourages mating with them.'
'Encourages mating with Muggles?' Tonks mutters, narrowing her eyes at Charity floating above the table. 'In a newspaper? And during her classes, as well?'
'Yes.' Wormtail answers. 'That was the thing that infuriated the Dark Lord beyond measure. He ordered me to track her down and capture.'
'Shouldn't people be simply educated in Blood Purity Science, to prevent them from claiming such ridiculous nonsense?' Tonks asks.
'They should.' Alecto Carrow says solemnly, joining in the discussion. 'That's why Burbage is no longer going to be a Muggle Studies Professor. From now on, I'm taking up this post .'
'For real, Alecto?!' Tonks asks, surprised. It seems like Hogwarts is going to undergo drastic changes within the following term.
'Yup, for real. And that's not all. Amycus' going to teach Dark Arts.' Alecto says with a pride in her voice, what causes her brother to grin.
'Wow, that's amazing!' Tonks exclaims. If the Death Eaters are already being introduced into the Hogwarts faculty, that indicates Victory being closer than ever.
They cut their discussion off, seeing Lucius, Narcissa, Bella and Draco stepping into the room.
'We'll catch up later, Alecto, Amycus.' Tonks nods curtly at the siblings. 'I'll go rejoin my family. Come, Fenrir.'
Lucius anxiously indicates everybody their seats.
'Snape and Yaxley are still not here.' he mutters.
'They'll come.' Narcissa whispers soothingly. 'Let's be seated already, Lucius. You are not fully recovered yet, you should rest as much as possible.'
Lucius takes a seat between Draco and Narcissa, while Tonks sits between Draco and Fenrir.
'Wormtail!' Lucius snarls at the short Wizard. 'What's that supposed to mean?!' he indicates Professor Burbage, floating beneath the ceiling.
'That's the Dark Lord's orders.' Wormtail snaps.
Lucius opens his mouth, presumably to tell Wormtail to keep his "Dark Lord's orders" in some dark corner or locked up in the dungeons, instead of floating them above the dining table, but at this very moment Lord Voldemort steps into the room. His familiar Nagini accompanies him.
The conversations are cut off instantly. Everybody in the hall stands up from the table and falls on their knees.
'Rise, my friends. Be seated.' the Dark Lord says softly, and the seats at the table are being taken again.
'Is everybody present?' he asks and eyes the gathered Death Eaters. 'Severus and Yaxley haven't made it, I see?'
'They shall come, my Lord.' Lucius says soothingly.
As soon as he utters those words, Snape and Yaxley storm hastily into the room. They are both almost out of breath.
'Yaxley, Snape.' The Dark Lord greets them. 'You are nearly late.'
He indicates them their seats.
'So?' Voldemort asks, looking at Severus.
'My Lord, the Order of the Phoenix intends to move Harry Potter from his current place of safety on Saturday next, at nightfall.' Snape answers.
Tonks smiles internally. Ever since Severus had proven his loyalty towards the Dark Lord, she has been feeling much less uptight and much less stressed about her job as a spy. Awareness of being an only Death Eaters' spy on the Order, used to put much pressure and great responsibility on her shoulders, causing her to be constantly mentally exhausted. Now, being aware of having Severus at the same boat... Even a heaviest burden seems much lighter, being equally distributed amongst two people.
'Saturday, at nightfall.' Lord Voldemort repeats Snape's words. 'What you have to say, Nymphadora?'
'I've heard exactly the same thing as Severus, my Lord.' Tonks answers. 'I have also found out the idea they'd came up with to safely relocate the boy. It is one of the creative and innovative ideas of my former mentor, Alastor Moody.'
The Dark Lord's crimson eyes widen; he seems interested.
'Go on.' he says gently.
'Well, it's an endeavor called "The Seven Potters".' she explains. ' And, err, my Lord, I won't be surprised if you will find this plan simply ridiculous, but this is exactly Mad-Eye's way of handling things... Basically, Moody wants to use usurpers to fool us. He plans on gathering fourteen Order's members, and having half of them drink Polyjuice Potion to disguise themselves as Potters. Then, they are supposed to pair up, one fake Potter and one undisguised person together. They will be provided with broomsticks and those nasty, ridiculous creatures... err...'
'Thestrals.' Fenrir helps.
'Exactly, Thestrals.' Tonks repeats gratefully. 'And... they are going to fly from Little Whining to the safehouse in the Burrow. Some on broomsticks, and some on those ...thestrals.'
Almost all of the gathered Death Eaters burst into laughter.
Even Voldemort's thin lips curl up in a smile.
'This is ridiculous!' Alecto exclaims, barely catching her breath from laughter.
Tonks flushes. She feels awkward.
'You... you don't believe me?!' she asks, slightly outraged. 'I swear by my magic that I'm telling the truth!'
She turns towards Voldemort and desperately finds his glittering, crimson eyes.
'My Lord, please! Look into my memories! I'll lower my shields for you!' she pleads.
'I've already seen them, Nymphadora.' he says calmly.
Tonks feels even more awkward than before. Well, of course Lord Voldemort has already checked the truthfulness of her words by searching through her memories. Her mental shields were probably no much for a most powerful master Legillimens in the world.
'We are not laughing because we don't believe you, Nymphie!' Auntie Bellatrix reassures her. 'We are laughing off the ridiculousness of this idea!'
'Exactly.' Voldemort says calmly. 'Mad-Eye is known from his paranoia and mild mental instability, but I would have never thought that he could come up with such a... plan.'
'My Lord, knowing Moody, I'm actually surprised he didn't come up with travelling on armored unicorns!' Macnair says. The entire hall burst into laughter again.
Tonks is relieved; she smiles as well, catching amused eyes of Bellatrix.
'That will do.' Voldemort cuts off the laughs, and the room goes silent. 'Nymphadora, are you also expected to partake in this endeavor?'
'Yes, my Lord. Moody wants to pair me up with one of the Weasley scions. Weasley will be the one under the Polyjuice.' Tonks answers.
Voldemorts nods, seeming to be lost in thoughts.
'Thank you for your comprehensive description of the Order's... plan. ' he says finally. 'I must give it a deeper thought to figure out how to handle it. Yaxley, it is your turn to shine. Tell me about the Ministry.'
Yaxley explains, how did he manage to put Pius Thickensse under an Imperius Curse, and how does he plan on dealing with the leader of the Aurors' Office, Rufus Scrimgeour. Tonks is already familiar with those plans, and she listens to Yaxley with half an ear. She's too cheesed of with the Ministry business on a daily basis, to eagerly listen about it during a Death Eater's meeting.
Finally, Voldemort reveals his plan on dealing with Harry Potter.
He is the one destined to kill the boy, therefore, he decides to partake in the manhunt for "the Seven Potters" personally.
He explains the issue of his wand, which holds the same core as Potter's, and consequently- is not able to support its owner properly during a duel between those two. Tonks recalls her Uncle reporting the events from the Graveyard, when the Dark Lord's wand had failed him during the battle with Potter.
'I shall need, for instance, to borrow a wand from one of you before I go to kill Potter.' Voldemort says, concluding his explanations.
Uncle Lucius stands up from his seat instantly. Tonks watches him pulling his wand with a silver, snake head-shaped handle from his cane-holster.
'My Lord.' he says in a confident voice. 'Please, take mine.'
He extends his wand towards Voldemort. The Dark Lord's crimson eyes briefly widen in a surprise, but after a short while he stands up and accepts Lucius' wand.
'Elm and dragon's heartstring, my Lord.' Lucius explains.
'Well, Lucius, I must say you have impressed me.' Voldemort says in a surprised voice. 'Not only have you managed to successfully lead the assingment in the Department of Mysteries. You have also accommodated our less fortunate comrades-in-arms in your household, and now, you are offering me your wand without any sign of hesitations. I must admit, that I am pleasantly surprised.'
Uncle Lucius lifts his silver eyes. Tonks watches him looking straight into the Dark Lord's intimidating crimson eyes, exposing himself to a Legilimency penetration. Lucius seems to be letting his Lord inside his of mind, apparently desperate prove himself being absolutely honest and genuine.
'My Lord,' he says firmly. 'I want to redeem myself. I want you to see for yourself how difficult all those years of surviving at cost of lying about my true alliegances have been for me. I want to make up for my greatest mistake, which was recklessly mishandling your property, the diary you had entrusted me with. I want you to know, that despite of all my awful errors... our Cause is still all I believe in.'
The two pairs of eyes get close to each other.
Lucius' bright silverness with bluish rings within each iris, and the Dark Lord's deep crimson intermingled with venous-bloody scarlet.
'That will do, Lucius.' Voldemort says finally in a quiet, approving voice.
Lucius sits down with an obvious expression of relief on his pale face. Narcissa puts her hand gently on his shoulder, Bellatrix beams at him in acknowledgement and approval.
Voldemort waves Lucius' wand, summoning the floating Charity Burbage closer to himself.
Nagini lifts her small head above the table.
'Time to address our guest, I think.' he says. 'How many of you recognize her?'
Severus, Fenrir, Alecto, Amycus and Tonks lift their hands.
For the benefit of others, Voldemort explains comprehensively Burbage's style of teaching at Hogwarts and her article in the Prophet raising the issue of Muggles' emancipation.
A murmur of outrage runs amongst the Death Eaters.
'Avada Kedavra.' the Dark Lord mutters, extending the Lucius' wand towards the floating woman.
As soon as her dead body falls on the table, Nagini instantly climbs up on it and pounces on the corpse.
'I sometimes find it fortunate, that such individual as Miss Burbage are still tainting our Wizarding society.' Voldemort says, watching the giant serpent. 'Nagini needs a substantial amount of food once in every couple of weeks. After our final victory, when the Wizarding kind is cleansed, she will have to switch over to large animals again.'
A soft laughter runs across the table.
'Very well.' the Dark Lord mutters, as Nagini is done swallowing Burbage's body as whole. 'I believe our meeting comes to its end. I will contact those of you, who are going to participate in the mission to hunt Potter down during his relocation to the safehouse. '
He stands up, which causes everybody to leave their seats. Nagini, ovoid and sluggish from her huge dinner, follows her master to the door.