The Conspiracy

[voldemort]

Everything is enveloped in pitch black darkness. There is no sign of life at all on the piece of land. Not even a mild breeze or single plant in the desert land, not a beetle, not a lizard, and it seems as if there never was and never will be. The stillness seems strained and somehow a warning of impending doom, a silence more scary than the loudest screams. Suddenly there is the sound of a vicious hiss and a snake appears seemingly out of nowhere. It slithers gracefully on the ground and forms a giant circle, all the time hissing ominously, when suddenly there is a low pop sound and in the middle of the darkness a black figure materialises in the middle of the circle, its outline barely visible in the darkness.

Lord Voldemort has arrived. He throws back his cloak and the stark white colour of his faces glows strangely in the darkness. His eyes glint menacingly as they pass over the desert land, and a smug smile forms slowly on his face. His followers should arrive soon to hear of his plans. They have failed more than once but this time they will not, they cannot, and his plan is foolproof, cunning as always, and more evil than ever. This time he will be them always, for he has regained his full strength now, and there is much that even they do not know about him now he is what he was almost seven years ago. They will be but tools, soldiers of the war who perform the creation of their mastermind. And this time, there is nothing that will stop them from doing so.

He raises his wand in the sky and sends a few red sparks flying into the sky and then brings his wand down in a sudden sweeping movement and a circle of fire forms around him. It changes colour every second, emitting fireballs in every direction at breakneck speed. He enjoys his sense of power. He is the most powerful of all wizards of all time. In a way he is glad that the boy has lived to be seventeen and completed his education. The boy will imagine he has what it takes to face him now, and will come to a pathetic end in what he will think is good fight. He shall watch those he loves tortured slowly to death and then meet his own end, and then he will know that Lord Voldemort is invincible, and that he was but an irksome fly that was lucky enough to meet its end a little later than its time.

[mulciber]

It was time. The mark on his arm burned viciously and Mulciber drowned the goblet of water he had been drinking. IT was good to be out of prison again. He would never let the aurors forget who he was when he made their lives hell. But today he was summoned by the Dark Lord. He needed a clear head or the water would have been replaced by wine.
Pulling on a long black cloak made from velvet Mulciber stopped for a moment to readjust the mask he placed to cover his face. Meetings were always held in secrecy and for a good cause. Traitors would pay a terrible price. But there had been traitors. So Mulciber took as good care as ever to make sure no one could identify him. After Azkaban there was no doubt where his allegiences lay, but that didn’t matter.

Raising his wand Mucliber apparated away. Appearing about half a mile away from the meeting place Mucliber brushed a few sand-grains from his shoulder angrily. Waiting for a moment to be sure he was alone befor making his way over the country-side. The landscape wasn’t very hard to cross and in no time Mulciber was approaching the meeting place. The fire loomed threateningly in front of Mulciber who grimaced. He served the Dark Lord gladly and willingly, yet the Dark Lord was harsh. Mulciber hadn’t really wanted to be the first here. On the other hand it was better he was first than someone who woudl spread useless lies.

„My lord, I have came to your summoning as I always had and always will,“ Mulciber greeted as he approached the dark figure with the snake around him. Bowing extremely deeply Mulciber stayed in bowing position for a few moments before slowly backing up three steps and straightening once again. He knew better than to ask questions or speak before the Dark Lord, but Mulciber couldn’t help but wonder why they were called here today. The previous attack had failed basically. What plan was going to be put to use now? And what would be his part in it?

[Goyle Sr.]

Gregory regarded the mark on his arm sadly. Allegiance to the Dark Lord came with a price, and that price was pain. But he would follow the Dark Lord now, because it was quite clearly to his advantage to do so. No other man, or more than a mere man, as the Dark Lord was now, would ever have the power and strength to suceed in doing what was necessary. And now that the Dark Lord was back in power, stronger than ever, Gregory would follow him, and be a part in that change which was to be brought about. He would make sure to pass that pain which he suffered now from this mark on his arm which summoned him to his Lord on to the unworthy, a thousand times multiplied and with the greatest viciousness he could muster. He was faithful now; he had no where else he could go anyway and that was the most binding fact of all for him.

He finished his meal quickly, rubbing his bulky stomach to comfort it before pulling up the hood of the long, dark robes he was already wearing. He picked up his mask, which glinted in the candlelight which lit the room he was staying in at the moment. A small complex of rooms, in actual fact - the Ministry had not been able to find any excuses to lay their hands on his money or his possessions and he still had access to the capital he needed to live well in hiding, even though he was forced to move on regularly. In darker hours he allowed the fact that his wife and son were still living well to comfort him. The Ministry could not lay anything on them, and his son could prove useful yet, even though he was often a lumbering idiot.

Now masked, a small pop took him to the middle of a sterile wilderness. The air was still, but his arrival in a place usually disturbed all brooding peace. He could feel the sand grains shifting unsatisfyingly underneath his feet as he trudged towards the place they were to be meeting, just as desolate as the place he was in now. He could see his destination for a while before he reached it. A terrifying circle of fire made it stand out from the rest of the inescapable darkness, and as he drew near he could hear the hisses of the giant snake curled around in a great reptilian circle. The Dark Lord was there and he kept his head bowed, careful not to meet his eyes as he greeted him with the utmost respect: "My Lord, I have come on your command as I always will." He bowed as low as he could without falling over before slowly making his distance from the snake and taking his customary position in the circle, of which only one other member was present - Mulciber, it must be from the position he was standing in. He kept his head down, slightly nervous as always when faced with the one he served, and hoping others would arrive soon lest attention linger on him for too long.

[Professor Severus Snape]

Four long and nearly empty tables stretched before them with only a few students still lingering. At the fifth table up on the podium though a number of teachers were still chatted merrily though the meal had ended nearly an hour before. It was all a rather average evening in fact until his left arm began to burn. Severus bit his lip but showed no other outward signs of pain. He nodded at the words being said to him and smiled appreciatively – as much as Snape did smile at least. “Well Poppy it has been lovely speaking to you but I fear I must run off – it’s getting late you know and I really must finish grading those essays. Have a good night.” Snape said to the woman he had been speaking with the last little while. With that he rose from his chair and swept from the Great Hall in a flurry of robes through the side door and into a small side room – the one the first years always waited in before proceeding into the Great Hall on their first night. He scribbled something on a scrap of paper then waved his wand over it – the sheet would be invisible and otherwise unattainable to all except himself and Dumbledore. Another wave of his wand and the scrap vanished – reappearing on a table in the Headmaster’s office.

That task completed Snape walked out the front doors and would have shivered at the sudden bite of the October air – were he one to show such weakness. He was not though and simply continued on as though the frigid air had not assaulted him so. Down the path he walked quickly not bothering to pretend he was out for a casual stroll. It’s not like anybody would ever get answers about where he was off to anyways and the Dark Lord was not one to be kept waiting. He had had quite a time explaining it in 1994 when he had showed up late to the Dark Lord’s call and though he had managed to gain Lord Voldemort’s trust once more he was not about to be late again.

Finally outside the front gates Severus ducked between a clump of trees and apparated away. First he went to his London residence in case anyone had chosen to follow him and went around to the back garden. The gate shut with a snap and Severus wasted no time in apparating away again – this time not far from the meeting place.

The area was nearly deserted – there was a feeling of stagnant emptiness about the area that would have put anyone off. Snape knew where to go though and soon enough he saw the flicker of fire off in the distance. As he got closer he saw it was in a ring around the Dark Lord with a snake that was likely his pet nearby. As well two fellow Death Eaters were there but in the presence of the Dark Lord himself they were hardly important. Snape bowed low as close as he could get to the Dark Lord without being burnt by the fire. He felt the heat pulsate on the top of his head despite the hood and he stood erect. “Master. I am here to do your will”, was all he said before taking a step back. Even still the heat of the flames licked Severus’ covered face and caused a drop of sweat to fall down his face all the way from brow to chin. Snape did not dare move to wipe it away though – all his energy was on staying still and keeping his mind closed.

[Bellatrix Lestrange]

The fool! Belle's patience was wearing thin at the incompetence of this old witch. Belle had clearly described Serephine's Amulet in great detail and she knew for a fact this old witch had it in her possession but was playing stupid. "I'm sorry dear, it'll be another minute I can't remember where I put the amulets" the old hag said as she searched the cabinet by the door. Belle clenched her wand in her robe pocket tightly as she watched in the hag waddle to another chest and search, this would take too long and she had things to do today.

Belle proceeded to walk around the shop counter and pulled open two drawers and shuffled the contents about searching for the golden amulet. "Oh dear, please don't go through my things, I've got my store nicely organized just give me another moment and I'll have what you want" the old hag said while she bent down over another chest. In a flash of rage Belle snapped and her wand was out and aimed directly at the old hag, "Avada Kedavra!" The green light struck the hag in the back and toppled her forward over the drunk, dead.

Now that she was alone and free to navigate the store in peace, Belle send red beams of light throughout the store smashing open chests and sending their contents floating into the air. After several minutes she blasted open a cabinet and there among the items she found Serephine's Amulet. Quickly snatching the golden amulet, she tucked it safely into her pocket then apparated away from the store with a loud *BANG*.

The next moment she was in a desolate place covered with sand. Up ahead a fire drew her attention and it was clear where she was to go. As she approached there were several others already present, including one of the buffoons Goyle or Crabbe. As Belle closed in on the fire she removed her wand and summoned a nearby rock to her as she continued to close in. A few feet away from the circle she slowed her approached and aimed her wand at the sand behind the lug and caused the sand to rise in a hill about a foot high behind the idiot, if he should step back he'd surely topple over and she tossed the rock down to the sand. "I'm here my lord" Belle said as she entered the circle and took her rightful place next to the dark lord. While waiting for more to arrive, she aimed her wand behind her back at the rock and sent it flying at the back of Goyle's head, the dumb ogre would probably not even feel it though.