A Tale of Two Brothers

Chapter 9

The Death Eaters were planning something serious, and the news had reached the Order.

Regulus disappeared from time-to-time more frequently, making them worry. This spy, whoever it was, was a high-ranking Death-Eater, one of Voldemort's inner circle. Nobody except Regulus knew of who this spy was, which made many question the reliability of this person. But so far, all the information they'd got from them was accurate. This spy always gave just the right amount of information, and even in the most subtle and discreet manner which wouldn't obviously place a suspicion on them. But the Order was always worried.

One wrong move, and they'll lose the most precious leverage they had against Voldemort.

These frequent meetings made them anxious, but Regulus always said that it was nothing.

From what he had retrieved, Deimos had started some new research in the laboratory of Bristol, and no one knew what it was about. Just that the man seemed way too absorbed in that research, since he stopped attending the meetings Voldemort called, stopped going to raids and executions and was barely seen out of the lab. Whatever it was, it must be too important.

It made their skin crawl, just thinking about what horrors might be brewing in that damned lab.

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"Our spy is trying to get inside the lab, but Deimos has barricaded it. Even the Dark Lord isn't allowed to enter. Merlin knows how that boy got away with that." Regulus mumbled the last part.

"Don't you think that your spy is risking their life a bit too much? I mean, if Voldemort is not allowed, how will they do it? That place must be very protected." His dad said, looking worried.

"I know. But this, this is something big. I can feel it, James. Our spy can feel it. Every Death Eater feels it. Whatever he's doing, it will affect them largely."

"Maybe he's planning to usurp Voldemort?" Jason suggested, feeling uncomfortable with the thought.

Regulus went quiet for a moment and said, "Maybe he is. But he does not need to. The Dark Lord is becoming weak every passing day. Everything within the Death Eaters is managed by Deimos. He's the one commanding the army in the Dark Lord's stead, leading the meetings, the attacks. He is the head of the research lab and the one overseeing the executions. The Dark Lord is just a-- He's just a puppet now. His name is just being used at this point. Deimos controls everything, and the Dark Lord just observes from afar now. He's lucky that the bastard is so loyal to him, otherwise that snake-face would've found himself rotting in some deep pit if it were somebody else." Regulus stopped at the uncomfortable look on their faces.

"Anyways, our spy is very cautious. They knew better than to risk their cover. You guys need to stop worrying about them. And trust me, please."

"Yes." Jason said, thinking about what his uncle had seconds ago.

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Lily, James, Sirius and Regulus froze every portrait in the Headmaster's Office.

Every ward had an access point in here, making it easier to work on multiple of them from a single place. The other access points were scattered all over the castle.

"I am asking this one last time for the sake of it. Are we sure we're doing this?" Sirius asked, looking at the glowing strings of magic in the centre of the office. "Cause I feel like a bloody teenager right now."

"Yes." He got three immediate responses.

"What about the prophecy though?" James asked after a moment of silence.