𝐀 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 [Draco×OC]

45: MASSACRE AT MALFOY MANOR ⏃

The Malfoy Manor felt strangely alive that night, though the air was thick with tension. I peeked into the main hall, where several Death Eaters had already gathered. I sat next to Draco, taking advantage of the fact that Bellatrix was near the head of the table where Voldemort always sat. After what had happened after Harry's escape, I was terrified and didn't want to be far from Draco. The murmur of voices stopped immediately as Voldemort appeared with Nagini, as usual. His figure loomed at the entrance, and the atmosphere became as heavy as a storm about to break. He took his seat at the head, with Nagini by his side.

"I suppose everyone is aware of the good news, aren't they?" he asked, his voice tinged with a subtle threat. "It seems the Deathly Hallows are no myth; they're very real..."

Without warning, he extended his hand and revealed an object that took my breath away: the fabled Elder Wand. He held it with such reverence that I could feel the dark aura emanating from it, an ancient and lethal power. Murmurs of admiration and fear began to ripple through the crowd. So, if the wand was real, did that mean the Invisibility Cloak and Resurrection Stone were too? Where were they, then? And where had Voldemort found this wand?

"The Elder Wand!" Bellatrix exclaimed, her eyes shining. "My lord, what you'll be able to do with it will be incredible."

The other Death Eaters looked at her in astonishment and disbelief, but I felt completely lost. It was just a wand, a piece of wood, and while everyone revered it, I couldn't grasp its true significance. They said it was the most powerful wand of all... If Voldemort had obtained something like that, defeating him would be even harder than it already was.

Damn.

"So... Potter escaped, didn't he, Lucius?" Voldemort asked, mocking Mr. Malfoy as he always did. "And can you tell me where he is now?"

"My lord," Bellatrix interrupted, "with all due respect, I wouldn't worry so much about that, but about the fact that they stole Godric Gryffindor's sword from my vault at Gringotts... If they go back there, they could find it..."

"A robbery, you say?" Voldemort's voice was a whisper. "Or perhaps it's a betrayal? Who dares to endanger our cause? Who could know that Godric Gryffindor's sword was there?" His voice rose with each word. "What if Potter discovers the rest of it?!"

As he spoke, his penetrating gaze swept over the group, and panic settled over everyone. There was something I didn't understand, and I didn't dare ask: Voldemort and Bellatrix were talking about something, something beyond Gryffindor's sword. Bellatrix said Harry and his friends "could find it," and Voldemort said Harry could "discover the rest." Could it be the other Hallows? Why wouldn't Bellatrix give them to him if that were the case? Betrayal?

"What we need is revenge! We need to bring those treacherous goblins before me!" Bellatrix shouted.

"Perhaps what we should do is investigate before jumping to conclusions, Lestrange," a Death Eater with a deep voice interjected. "We can't let emotion lead us to rash actions; we must act calmly. If our lord has the wand, Harry doesn't stand a chance. We should find the rest of the Hallows and then deal with Gringotts."

"And what do you know of emotion, Avery?" Bellatrix replied, her tone mocking and filled with contempt. "You're only here because fear has kept you safe. If we don't fight, we're lost."

"We're not here to argue, Bellatrix," Voldemort interrupted. "But a bit of caution is never a bad thing. We need more than raw fury. Strategy is what will lead us to victory. Potter will surely head to Hogwarts, and as far as I know, Hogwarts is now a fortress."

"And what do you suggest, my lord?" Bellatrix asked, lowering her tone.

"What I propose is that we speak with those goblins and make an assessment," he replied, "and for that... I believe Lucius and his family will be very useful, don't you think?" he said, looking at the Malfoys. "And that includes you, Rasmüssen. The rest, search for Potter and cover all the areas you can, from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts."