𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕷𝖎𝖋𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕷𝖎𝖊𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖁𝖊𝖓𝖚𝖘 𝕻𝖔𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰɪꜰᴛᴇᴇɴ - ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴠᴇʏᴀʀᴅ ᴇꜱᴄᴀᴘᴇ

The air was suddenly full of the swishing of cloaks. Between graves, behind the yew tree, in every shadowy space, wizards were Apparating. All of them were hooded and masked. And one by one they moved forward... slowly, cautiously, as though they could hardly believe their eyes, Tom stood in silence, waiting for them. Then one of the Death Eaters fell to his knees, crawled toward Tom and kissed the hem of his black robes.

"Master... Master " he murmured.

The Death Eaters behind him did the same; each of them approaching Tom... No, Voldemort, Tom was now Voldemort... they approached on their knees and kissed his robes, before backing away and standing up, forming a silent circle, which enclosed Tom Riddle Senior's grave, Venus and Voldemort. Yet they left gaps in the circle, as though waiting for more people. Voldemort, however, did not seem to expect more. He looked around at the hooded faces, and though there was no wind rustling seemed to run around the circle, as though it had shivered.

"Welcome, Death Eaters," said Voldemort quietly.

I don't think I could ever call Tom, Voldemort... I will always support him and I'm glad he's alive, but to this extent? This isn't the Tom I knew... and it took my whole being not to break free of the stone trapping me, and just running into his awaiting arms... even though I know he is wearing a mask, a glamour to keep up appearances...

"Thirteen years. . . thirteen years since we last met. Yet you answer my call as though it were yesterday, we are still united under the Dark Mark, then! Or are we?"

He put back his terrible face and sniffed, his slit-like nostrils widening. "I smell guilt," he said. "There is the stench of guilt in the air.

A second shiver ran around the circle, as though each member of it longed, but did not dare to step back from him, even Venus felt a slight pang of fear even though she knew it all to be an act... she knew Voldemort to be ruthless, but she didn't know how much... how could her Tom turn into this soulless being?

"I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact - such prompt appearances! and I ask myself... why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty?"

No one spoke, and for a miniscule second she felt bad for what lady fate had in store for them,

"And I answer myself," whispered Tom.

I will not call him Voldemort,

"they must have believed me broken, they thought I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, and they pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment...

"And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death? They, who had seen proof of the immensity of my power in the times when I was mightier than any wizard living? And I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort... perhaps they now pay allegiance to another... perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore?"

At the mention of Dumblewhore's name, the members of the circle stirred, and some muttered and shook their heads. Tom ignored them, even just his name being mentioned, filled Venus with explicit anger and grief, pain and anguish, yet she couldn't drop her mask or everything would be destroyed.

"It is a disappointment to me ... I confess myself disappointed. . . ."

One of the men suddenly flung himself forward, breaking the circle. Trembling from head to foot, he collapsed at Tom's feet, and Venus knew what was going to happen before it did, and closed her eyes.