HP: The Duelist of Hogwarts - 476

Chapter 476: Forcing the Issue

Yaxley was used to Bellatrix’s attitude.

In truth, Bellatrix looked down on almost everyone under Voldemort. Apart from Barty Crouch Jr, who enjoyed favour almost equal to her own, and her husband and brother-in-law, the Lestrange brothers, only the Malfoys barely counted as people she could tolerate. Everyone else was beneath her.

Yaxley flicked a glance at Bellatrix and felt nothing but contempt.

What right did she have to look down on him? Yes, he had failed his mission, but had she not once lost something important of Voldemort’s and spent ages on her knees begging forgiveness? She had thought locking it away in Gringotts would keep it safe, and in the end it had still been stolen, along with everything in the Lestrange vault.

Yaxley found a corner and sat down. He glanced towards another corner not far away, where Avery was seated. Their eyes met briefly, a quick, subtle exchange, and then they both lowered their gaze and waited in silence.

Yaxley looked calm, but inside his thoughts were in chaos. The main reason he followed Sean was that he was controlled, and only after that came Sean’s power and the rest of it. As for Avery, he was a hopeless worshipper, not worth using as a yardstick.

While Yaxley and Avery waited, Snape emerged from the concealed chamber and sat down at the central table. Barty Crouch Junior soon followed, taking his seat. Then came Lucius Malfoy, and after him Bellatrix and the Lestrange brothers, as Voldemort’s core Death Eaters gathered and sat.

Death Eaters like Yaxley and Avery were only second-tier. They were older and ranked above the newly recruited, but that was all. They did not have the right to sit at the central long table.

Not long after, Voldemort walked out from within the concealed chamber. He looked around without speaking, gave the slightest nod, and seated himself in the main chair.

In the next moment, three house-elves Apparated in one after another, set out tea and pastries for those at the table, and vanished just as quickly. Hidden, silent, and formless, Sean saw Kreacher among them, and the corner of his mouth lifted. The plan had worked. Even if he took Snape away tonight, Kreacher would remain at Voldemort’s side to gather information for him.

“This meeting concerns several matters,” Voldemort said.

“First, at the Ministry, some of our people fell into the hands of the Order of the Phoenix and the Ministry itself. They are now imprisoned in Azkaban, and the Ministry has strengthened its guard. But they have not fully driven out the Dementors. That is our chance. It is time for Azkaban to disappear completely.”

The Death Eaters burst into laughter and cheered.

Voldemort watched them and nodded slowly before continuing.

“Second, it’s time to gather the dark wizards from across the world. We’ve rested long enough. Now, we recruit, build our strength, and then crush the wizarding world in one decisive strike. We’ll take Hogwarts and remake this world into a pure-blood society. Muggles and Mudbloods—those who are lucky might earn the honor of serving us. If they refuse, they’ll have no place in this world.”

The Death Eaters clapped and shouted their approval.

Then Voldemort’s tone sharpened.

“However, no matter how fine our plan is, there are always those who interfere. Dumbledore. The Ministry. And…”

His voice turned cold as ice.

“Sean Bulstrode.”

Voldemort’s gaze shifted to Snape, seated second on his left. Following that gaze, every Death Eater at the table turned to look at Snape as well.

“Severus,” Voldemort said, “you have always been the one who pleased me most, the one who caused me the least trouble. You even saved Barty from Sean Bulstrode. I have been generous with you. Yet you have disappointed me. I gave you ample time, and you still have not completed your task.

“If it were only because Sean Bulstrode is powerful and you had no opportunity, that would be one thing. But I heard you spent more than two months in a laboratory with him, conducting research. As a top Potions Master, are you telling me you had not even a single chance?”

Snape had expected this, so he answered at once.

“Master, Hogwarts is Dumbledore’s territory, and Sean Bulstrode has been wary of me all along, so I…”

“Lies, Severus. Lies.”

Voldemort’s expression turned deadly.

“Perhaps I have been too kind to you in the past. I will give you one final chance. Ten days. Within ten days, I want to see concrete action. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to punish you.”

By all logic, Snape should have agreed immediately. Yet for some reason, the words caught in his throat. He knew he could lie. He knew he only needed to say what Voldemort wanted to hear. And still, he could not force out even a single sentence that confirmed he would harm Sean.

“Master, I…”

Snape’s hesitation made Voldemort’s eyes go completely cold. Voldemort rose slowly, looming over him.

“Severus,” he said, “you have disappointed me beyond measure.”

In that instant, a suffocating sense of danger exploded in Snape’s chest. He clenched his teeth until his jaw ached, trying to speak, but nothing came.

Just as Snape seemed about to resign himself, Voldemort’s hand drifting towards his wand, a voice no one present expected suddenly sounded beside every ear, accompanied by a soft chuckle.

“Tom, if you want me dead so badly, why don’t you do it yourself?”

Voldemort’s eyes flashed. Without the slightest hesitation, he drew his wand and fired a murky green beam towards the voice.

“Avada Kedavra!”

The Killing Curse burst from Voldemort’s wand.

At the same moment, a figure appeared at the far side of the long table, directly behind Lucius. He raised his wand, and its tip blazed with the same killing green as Voldemort’s curse. The two dark green beams collided head-on.

“Avada Kedavra!”