Wicked

Chapter Twenty-Six: Seeing More Than Double

. . . . WITH VOLDEMORT AND THE DEATH EATERS. . . . .

"Severus" Lord Voldemort said as cheerily as his cold calculating tone of voice could muster, a hint of sarcasm in there for good measure "I was beginning to worry you had lost your way, come, we've saved you a seat." Severus enters, slowly as he sits in the seat at the dark lords right handsome. "You bring news, I trust?" the s's in his words sounding like snake hisses. 

"It will happen Saturday next, at nightfall" Severus says matter of fact.

"I've heard differently, my Lord, Dawlish, the Auror, has let slip that the Potter boy, will not be moved until the 30th of this month. The day before he turns 17."

"This is a false trail." Severus interrupts quickly "The Auror Office no longer plays any part in the protection of Harry Potter. Those closest to him believe we have infiltrated the Ministry" The others at the end of the table begin to laugh. 

"Well, they got that right, haven't they?" they jeer at a prominent minister member sat at the bottom of the table whom the Dark Lord now addresses. 

"What say you, Pius?"

"One hears many things, my Lord." He says uncomfortably eyeing the snake beside him "Whether the truth is among them is not clear."

"Heh. Spoken like a true politician." Voldemort laughs "You will, I think, prove most useful, Pius. Where will he be taken, the boy?" He then turns back to Severus. 

"To a safe house. Most likely the home of someone in the Order. I'm told it's been given every manner of protection possible. Once there, it will be impractical to attack him."

"Ahem. My Lord. I'd like to volunteer myself for this task" Bellatrix gives a sadistic whisper from the centre of the table. "I want to kill the boy" a noise interrupts Bellatrix from continuing.

"Wormtail!" Voldermort shouts to the vermin of a man stood beside a pillar. "Have I not spoken to you about keeping our guests quiet?" 

"Yes, my Lord. Right away, my Lord" He scurries off to keep the prisoners quiet. Voldemort turns to Bellatrix. 

"As inspiring as I find your bloodlust, Bellatrix, I must be the one to kill Harry Potter. You can of course have his sister" she nods pleased with this outcome, before backing herself away into the chair. "But I face an unfortunate complication. That my wand and Potter's share the same core." he stands gliding his way around the table as he speaks "they are, in some ways, twins, we can wound, but not fatally harm one another. If I am to kill him, I must do it with another's wand." The table is silent, Draco frightened stiff. "Come, surely one of you would like the honour? Mm? What about you, Lucius?"

"My Lord?" Lucius looks up at Voldemort looking disheveled and drained of life. 

"My Lord?" Voldemort mocks before reaching out a long, cold grey hand "I require your wand." Lucius takes it from its casing and hands it over to Voldemort with a bow. 

"Do I detect elm?" Voldemort plays with the wand before snapping the fancy end off leaving just the wand itself. 

"Yes, my Lord." Lucius winces at the sound of the crack. 

"And the core?"

"Dragon. . ." he can barely get his words out "Ahem . . . dragon heartstring, my Lord."

"Dragon heartstring." He rolls his eyes, the quivering death eater being noting like a dragon. "Mm" Voldemort looks up at the sound of a whimper "oh yes, I almost forgot" he uses Lucisus wand to glide the woman, beaten and bruised into the table, her body stiff and not her own as she floats, her head not able to move. "To those of you who do not know, we are joined tonight by Miss Charity Burbage, who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Draco looks at his teacher, his heart shattering inside but not allowing anyone to see it. "Her specialty was Muggle Studies." Voldemort in forms his followers who all begin laughing around the grand table in Malfoy Manor. "It is Miss Burbage's belief that Muggles are not so different from us. She would, given her way" he lingers on the words as he sits down "have us mate with them." He earns a few eww noises. "It is, unfortunate her beliefs are so strong, that she will not give up there whereabouts of former colleague "Y/N, Y/L/N" who is said to be protecting Harry, her dear brother on his move" Severus almost flinched but hid it well.