"Move it!" A woman hissed, poking a man in the back with her wand.
The man quickly continued walking with his hands bound and Silenced, his body trembling in poorly hidden fear.
The two quickly walked up a small mountain, their only light source being the half-filled moon that occasionally hid behind the clouds. The woman didn't even bother using a Lumos.
The man stumbled as they reached the top of the mountain, and the woman gave a disgusted flick of her wand, floating him behind her into the forest before them.
"My lord…" The woman whispered as she entered deep into the forest. "I have returned."
"Mhmp!" A man cried, his mouth bound by thick ropes, and his body tied to a tree.
The man began struggling as the woman approached, and the woman's eyes glinted with malice.
"Ill show you how much of an honor you're about to receive," The woman hissed, raising her wand.
"Enough!" A high-pitched voice came from between the trees.
The woman gasped and dropped to her knees, black curls curtaining her face as she dropped her head to the ground.
"My Lord!" The woman exclaimed fearfully. "My apologies, my Lord. I didn't see you."
A large snake slithered out of the darkness and wrapped around the tree binding the man.
Cold red eyes shone under what little light entered, and an aura of deep evil rose from the serpent.
"Hurry and finish the ritual, Bellatrix," The snake hissed. "I am getting… impatient."
"Yes, my Lord!" Bellatrix Lestrange, one of the most dangerous magical criminals alive, cried out.
Bellatrix stood quickly and tapped a nearby tree with her wand in an intricate pattern, causing a section of it to open up.
A diadem sat on a velvet cushion, with a bottle filled with a black potion beside it. The potion sat onto a folded set of dark silk robes.
"Hurry," The serpent, otherwise known as Lord Voldemort, snapped. "Or I shall make you."
Bellatrix nodded and quickly, yet gingerly, took the potion and cushion with the diadem, being carefully not to actually touch the piece of jewelry, lest she summon her Lord's wrath.
"And here…" She whispered as she reached the man. "Shall be your glorious future."
Bellatrix floated the diadem onto the bound man's forehead, making his eyes go wide.
"Good…" Voldemort hissed before biting the man's neck.
"RRAAAAAGH!" The man screamed, the pain making him bite through the ropes, cracking his jaw.
The man screamed and thrashed, trying to desperately throw off the diadem, which had begun to grow red hot.
Bellatrix quickly uncorked the potion and forced the man to drink it, rubbing his throat to force him to swallow.
The man screamed for what felt like hours, but eventually, his eyes went white and rolled back.
The body slumped forward, twitching slightly, but an air of fear filled the forest, making what little animals remained after the screaming to flee for their lives.
"Release me," The man hissed in a high, unnatural voice.
Bellatrix quickly unbound Voldemort, being careful to use her hands and not her wand, despite her annoyance at having to use a muggle knife.
The ropes fell after a few seconds, and the man's body stepped forward with a sickening crack.
The body seemed to grow, the spine bulging out and the bones cracking and snapping in a manner eerily similar to a werewolf transformation.
After several long seconds, the snapping stopped, and Voldemort stood with his full height, robes torn from his impromptu growth spurt.
"Robe me," Voldemort hissed softly.
Bellatrix ran over to the open tree and took out the robes before running back.
Her eyes shone as she stripped Voldemort, and her sight trailed on a body that would be considered disgusting by most, but Bellatrix considered to be the pinnacle of wizardy.
With a longer look towards his bottom half than strictly necessary, she robed Voldemort and stepped back, falling to her knees again in adoration.
Voldemort flicked his wrist lazily, and a thin yew wand floated from his robe pocket into his hand.
"This shall do," He whispered in a voice so low even Bellatrix struggled to hear it.
He turned to the second man, who was staring in unrestrained fear and wide eyes, his mouth open in a silent scream.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
A blinding flash of green light shot out, sending the man flying back like a ragdoll.
A high-pitched, cold laugh rang out, able to chill the bones of even the most terrifying soldier.
"Ah… how I missed this…"
Voldemort took a deep breath as magic flowed through him, stealing the second man's magical core and adding it to his own, along with the core of the diadem and the first man.
"Yes… this is perfect…" Voldemort whispered, savoring the feeling immensely.
Long and spidery hands stroked a yew wand, unnatural in every sense of the word.
The color had drained from the fingertips, only leaving a bone-like shade in their wake, and the color was slowly fading from the rest of the hand.
"My Lord… you look wonderful, my Lord," Bellatrix's voice trembled, seemingly in awe.
Voldemort looked down at her, mild disgust entering him as he saw her tattered and dirty robes.
"Let's dress you in something more fitting your stature," Voldemort stated coldly. "You were, after all, quite… faithful…"
"O-Of course, my Lord!" Bellatrix stammered. "I would never be anything less! I prefer to die!"
The yew wand gave a lazy wave, and her tattered excuse for robes turned into a flowing and elegant cloth, one that made her look much more sinister than she already was.
"Oh, thank you, my Lord!" Bellatrix cried, nearly kissing his feet. "I will make sure I'm worthy of you using your magic on me!"
"Stand…" The voice hissed. "Bellatrix… do not dirty the robes I gave you."
Bellatrix stood sharply, throwing her hair out of her face with her suddenness.
Her dark eyes shone with malice and barely restrained sadism, accentuated by a sunken face and sharp cheekbones, something that might have gotten her called beautiful in a time.
But now, all the beauty had washed away under morbid insanity like a rock on the shore, and quite like her little-remaining sanity had during her stay at Azkaban.
The moon came out from behind the clouds, and under the pale light, had one been so crazy as to try, they would see the face of the most dangerous dark wizard in history.
Lord Voldemort had risen again.
"Now… let's see… let's see how many answer," Voldemort stated, holding out his hand.
Bellatrix quickly pulled up her sleeve to show a black Dark Mark and offered out her arm.
Voldemort touched the Mark with his wand, and Bellatrix's knees buckled a little under the pain, but she refused to show weakness to her Lord, even for a moment.
Voldemort removed his wand a moment later, making Bellatrix silently sigh in relief and step back.
Voldemort flicked his wand, and a silver Death Eater mask appeared mid air before Bellatrix, who took it gleefully and put it on.
The cracks and pops of Apparation sounded after a few seconds, followed by the rustling of black robes.
The Death Eaters appeared in a circle, leaving Voldemort in the center. Though, there were several gaps in the line, as if waiting for others who didn't show.
Bellatrix stepped back to her spot, silently judging each Death Eater who appeared. None of them had helped her Lord, none of them had looked for him– had served him as she had– none of them deserved the mask they wore.
The Death Eaters stopped and stared at the unknown face, wondering if someone was pranking them.
But one look at the cruel red eyes on said face made them fall to their knees and crawl forward, kissing the hem of Voldemort's robes with a muttered 'My Lord.'
Voldemort turned slowly and looked around at them all, eyes cold and calculating.
"Twelve years ago," He hissed, his voice sending shivers through most of them.
"Twelve years ago… I was proclaimed defeated– dead– by the hand of a Half-blood child!"
The Death Eaters gulped nervously, feeling his rage despite his emotionless tone.
"All but one of you stands here because you believed the lies," Voldemort continued softly. "Because you sold yourself out like Mudbloods to those in power."
"B-But, my L-Lord–" A random Death Eater tried to speak up.
"CRUCIO!"
The Death Eater fell with a scream, thrashing on the ground in a way similar to the man Voldemort had stolen the body of.
Voldemort lifted the curse after a few seconds, letting the Death Eater stand impassively.
"You said you were brainwashed," He whispered, voice flat yet dripping with venom. "You said you were bought… said you were threatened… all of you here are traitors."
The Death Eaters, minus Bellatrix, shifted nervously, but not one dared to move, fearing he'd do much worse than a few seconds of torture.
"The faithful… my faithful, are in Azkaban," Voldemort continued, lazily walking around. "All except one."
He made a silent gesture, and Bellatrix stepped forward, removing her mask.
Every other Death Eater felt their eyes widen in shock and fear. Bellatrix Lestrange?! Free?!
"Dear Bella here," Voldemort hissed. "Broke out of Azkaban after concentrating on her wandless magic and choking a guard. She took his wand and transfigured his body into hers and vice versa, allowing her to escape, as the guards have an amulet that protects them from the dementors. To much of the world, Bellatrix Lestrange is dead, much like they think me."
Bellatrix's chest rose in pride, her eyes shining in happiness at his recognition.
"She quickly found me through rumors and whispers in shady alleys," Voldemort stated. "I was weak, a wraith. Alive, but powerless. She let me possess her for some time, allowing me to implant my plan in her mind."
Bellatrix shivered as she remembered the memory, not in disgust or fear, but rather a deranged sense of pleasure.
Voldemort made another gesture, and Bellatrix stepped back, putting her mask back on.
"She was quite important to my return," Voldemort stated. "Yet none of you dared to do the same, despite you being free to do so as you wished."
He stared around at them, pinning them in place with his gaze.
"Or is it… that my so-called faithful Death Eaters truly believed in my defeat?" Voldemort asked softly, making them shiver. "Did you truly not believe I was above death? You all thought a simple child could defeat the greatest wizard to ever live?"
He lazily waved his wand, and every Death Eater but Bellatrix collapsed in pain from the Cruciatus.
Voldemort lifted the curse after several seconds, his eyes gleaming with sadism.
"You should thank me that I'm feeling merciful," He whispered as the Death Eaters stood shakily. "Had it not been for my best still being locked inside that rock, I would've killed you all without a second thought."
The Death Eaters gulped simultaneously. Their numbers were thin as was, Voldemort wouldn't actually kill them, would he? Right?
"But onto other more important matters," Voldemort said lazily. "Reliable sources have told me Dumbledore is gone. Lucius, is that correct?"
Lucius Malfoy nodded shakily and stepped forward before he kneeled.
"I-It is, my Lord," He stated as firmly as he could. "H-He isn't dead last I heard, but his fight with the detective Thanatos Marime left him gravely injured after his crimes were exposed. He hasn't been seen since Potter's death."
"Harry Potter is dead?" Voldemort asked softly, stroking his wand.
"He was, my Lord," Lucius replied. "The spell Marime used killed him for a moment, until Marime's wife, an Unspeakable from Greece, brought him back to life."
Voldemort mused for a moment, going over the information.
Dumbledore being gone was excellent information, as he wouldn't be an issue anymore, but something disturbed him.
Lucius mentioned Thanatos Marime as the one who had apparently fought Dumbledore and gravely injured him, even temporarily killing Potter. That meant Marime was powerful, and detectives were always a nuisance to deal with. He didn't want anyone knowing of his return before he was ready.
"You mentioned Dumbledore's… crimes?" Voldemort questioned, moving on.
Lucius nodded again. "Yes, my Lord. Dumbledore was exposed by Marime and Amelia Bones as being involved with the Potters' deaths, Sirius Black's imprisonment and lack of trial, Harry Potter's abuse at the hand of muggle relatives, and even the killing of Marime's wife's child, along with many others."
Voldemort gave a high-pitched laugh that sent chills down the Death Eaters spines and rooted them to the ground.
"Well, it seems as if the great Albus Dumbledore isn't as pure as he claimed," Voldemort exclaimed, raising his arms.
The other Death Eaters gave forced laughs, still fearful he'd change their mind about not killing them, but Bellatrix gave a loud cackle, clapping her hands like a schoolgirl.
"Continue," Voldemort stated softly.
"Er– uhh, S-Severus and Pettigrew are dead," Lucius said quickly. "Severus died during his trial for attacking Marime, he was also guilty of several crimes. Pettigrew was found alive at Black's trial, given to him by Marime and Bones, and then Kissed by dementors shortly after Black was freed."
Voldemort tilted his head in thought. Severus was his best potioneer by a longshot, so him being dead was quite regretful. Pettigrew was useless for combat, but his Animagus form allowed him to gather intel like no other, also a subsequent loss given his low amount of forces at the moment.
"M-McGonagall became the headmistress in Dumbledore's place," Lucius continued. "And bogus stories of the Potter brat's adventures filled the papers for days."
"Stories?" Voldemort asked softly. "What stories?"
Lucius gulped. "T-that he'd killed a professor for the Sorceror's Stone in his first year, a-and killed a Basilisk underneath Hogwarts in his second. He's also accredited for helping capture Pettigrew."
"The first is true," Voldemort hissed. "It was one of my many plans to regain my body. I abandoned Quirrill's body, of course, when I found the Stone inadequate to my purposes. However, if he killed the Basilisk…"
"I-It's true?!" Lucius partially exclaimed. "T-There's a Basilisk at Hogwarts?"
"Of course there is," Voldemort hissed, making Lucius cower back. "I used it to make my first step to immortality… the diary I entrusted to you, Lucius. I trust you'll return it to me as soon as you can."
Lucius paled under his mask, his body shaking as he remembered what he'd done with the diary. Despite his good mood, Lucius knew Voldemort would kill him if he so much as suspected that the diary was gone.
"O-Of course, my Lord!" Lucius replied, voice oddly high-pitched. "I-It's just under some heavy wards I'll have to disable."
That wasn't technically a lie, as the diary was still in Dumbledore's old desk at Hogwarts, and therefore under Hogwarts wards.
Voldemort let Lucius return to his position in the circle, satisfied with the information thus far.
He sent his Death Eaters away after getting as much information from them as he could, telling them to prepare, as he would be enacting plans soon.
Every Death Eater left except Bellatrix, and Voldemort soon sent her away to the nearby town at the bottom of the mountain under a glamour for supplies.
After Bellatrix left, Voldemort stood between the trees, staring at the hidden moon as he formed plans.
Thanatos Marime would be an issue, Voldemort mused. Almost all the info he'd gotten had connected to him in some way, so the man definitely wasn't incompetent.
He couldn't have that; a competent and skilled detective would sniff out his plan from his weaker followers easily, and he didn't wish to have the Aurors on him at the moment.
Oh, he would take the Ministry eventually, but the issue was his imprisoned Death Eaters. There was no doubt that at the sign of his return, that Thanatos individual would execute them all, and put tight restrictions on anyone who was formerly accused.
The Potter brat being brought back was also annoying, but nothing to worry about. The prophecy still irked Voldemort, but he was confident in his ability to take Hogwarts and kill the boy, especially without Dumbledore there to protect him.
That brought the question, which to invade first? The Ministry, or Hogwarts? One would surely lock down after the other fell, but taking the Ministry would take power, but taking Hogwarts would take their hope. Both were quite appetizing to entertain.
But that was for later, Voldemort mused. He needed to contact the werewolves, giants, dementors, and vampires again. His Death Eaters were low in number, and until he could rebuild them, the other species would do well as cannonfodder.
He also needed to complete the other ritual he'd been planning to use to return his body.
It was quite complex, requiring his father's bones, flesh of a willing servant, and blood of an enemy, along with a complicated potion. But if done well, it'd add his former power onto the one he had currently, boosting him to even greater heights.
Throughout the night, Voldemort planned. Even as Bellatrix returned early in the morning with several ingredients, Voldemort continued planning.
The world would regret thinking him for dead, they'd regret thinking death could beat Lord Voldemort.