Chapter 575 Death Eater Council

On the morning of early autumn, the fountain dispersed moist mist, and we walked along the gravel road to the door of a very respectable mansion. The diamond-shaped glass of the window reflected the shining light. No one opened the door, and the door automatically opened inwards.

The foyer was large, dimly lit, and very luxuriously decorated. A luxurious carpet almost covered the entire stone floor. When Snape and Narcissa strode past, the pale portraits on the wall followed them with their eyes. Stopping in front of a heavy wooden door, Snape hesitated and turned the bronze handle.

The usual furniture in the room was pushed to the wall indiscriminately. There was a roaring fire burning in the gorgeous marble fireplace, which illuminated the room. Above the fireplace was a gilded mirror. In the center of the living room was a well-decorated round table. A few scattered people sat around the round table.

Snape glanced at them without changing his expression, and a group of familiar faces came into view. He lowered his eyes to hide his subtle smile.

Voldemort is sitting in the main seat, with his back to the fireplace. His hairless face is revealed from the shadows. It is pale and smooth, as if containing a kind of pearl-like light. The vertical pupils of the poisonous snake are scarlet, and the smooth face has two slender lines. nostrils.

Next came Bellatrix and Lucius, with a few empty seats in the middle, followed closely by Alex, Avery, Nott, and two big men, Crabbe and Goyle, who were sitting together. Sitting alone together...

"Severus, sit here." Voldemort pointed to the empty seat to his right, with Bellatrix sitting on his left.

Snape sat down silently, and Narcissa consciously sat next to Lucius, facing his inquiring gaze, shaking her head and forcing out a smile.

At a gathering of acquaintances, there were no extra greetings or pleasantries. Voldemort looked around and asked calmly: "Lucius, Avery, have you found the person in that photo?"

"Sorry, Master, I have no clues here..." Lucius raised his head. Under the firelight, his skin looked sallow and dull, his eyes were sunken, his expression was melancholy, and his voice was hoarse.

"I'm sorry, Master, I... there was an accident in our investigation..." Avery looked like Belucius was panicked. He glanced timidly at Voldemort, who had his back to the fire, and said tremblingly, "The Ministry of Magic has obtained We were investigating the news in Hogsmeade. A senior deputy minister of the Ministry of Magic set a trap to ambush us in the Pig's Head Bar, and we were almost caught... Fortunately, Alex and I reacted quickly."

"Remember what I once said, Avery?" Voldemort cast his gaze over and said softly, "I haven't forgiven you yet. I want you to pay off the debt you have owed for more than ten years. And now, you owe More...it makes me a little doubtful, can you really pay off the debt?"

Avery's body trembled slightly, and the people around the round table looked at Voldemort tremblingly, not even daring to cast a pity look on Avery, as if they were worried that Voldemort would use his life to repay his debt.

Narcissa did not dare to look directly into those terrifying snake eyes. When she looked away, she saw that Snape's expression had not changed much. She took another deep look at him and recalled what Lucius had told her last night.

"No matter what happens, don't panic or lose your composure, Narcissa. Two powerful servants have been lost. He will cherish these only servants even more... Before those people in Azkaban are rescued, any Everyone will be fine..."

"You can't blame me for this, master, maybe Lucius leaked the information through his high-profile investigation..."

Avery was blinded by fear. Before he could further anger Voldemort, Snape cleared his throat and interrupted his defense with a deep voice: "I may have a clue here."

"If I remember correctly, Severus, you did not participate in this investigation." Bellatrix said meaningfully. As Narcissa's cousin, the two have completely different looks, and her skin Dark, with messy hair and puffy eyes, if Narcissa was a noble lady raised in the manor, she was the weird witch in Knockturn Alley.

Snape glanced at her but said nothing, instead looking sideways at Voldemort who was sitting in the main seat.

Voldemort smiled coldly, and hissed like a snake spitting out messages from his lips: "...You can always surprise me, Severus."

Snape nodded and said: "The Senior Undersecretary of the Ministry of Magic, Dolores Umbridge, is currently serving as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. Her ambush was not fruitless. She seemed to have obtained Avery’s remaining portrait…”

Many people turned to look at Avery and Alex, their complicated expressions showing a hint of pity. The two people who were being watched turned pale with fright, burying their heads and not daring to look at the main seats. people on.

Voldemort leaned back slightly and leaned on the leather-stitched chair, showing an interested expression.

Snape briefly explained Umbridge's excuse to investigate Hogwarts, and then talked about what happened in the Divination class:

"She took the photo to Divination Professor Sybill Trelawney and made a prophecy, a prophecy about the clues of the portrait, the content of the prophecy... I know part of it, but it is not complete. The situation at that time was a bit weird, Terry Launi seemed to be unconscious and was only guided by instinct, and only Umbridge could hear her voice clearly. The little wizards who were watching did not hear the prophecy. "

"Sibyl Trelawney..." Voldemort repeated in a low voice, his scarlet snake eyes bursting with bright red light, his gaze like a torch. Several people nearby quickly looked away, as if they were worried that the ferocious gaze would burn them.

"What a familiar name. I remember that a prophet made a prediction about me more than ten years ago. At least from a superficial point of view, she was partly right..."

"This is Sybill Trelawney," Snape reminded softly.

This inexplicable sense of déjà vu was so strong that Bellatrix, who knew the inside story, frowned tightly. It's you again, another prophecy, even the same prophet... Other Death Eaters Although the apprentice did not know the inside story of the prophecy more than ten years ago, he was recently assigned to investigate the Prophecy Hall of the Department of Mysteries of the Ministry of Magic. He more or less guessed some information, and his expression was slightly subtle.

"I know what you are thinking..."

Voldemort turned to look at his followers, still with a cold smile on his face, and his voice remained unchanged: "You are hesitant, you are suspicious, you are worried that what happened more than ten years ago will happen again...even if I have Prove that your powers are boundless, even if you witnessed my resurrection from the dead, you witnessed my comeback..."

"I know what you are thinking. You still believe that there is a stronger power that can defeat the Dark Lord... because that person is still alive, the protector of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore... "

The flame in the fireplace trembled slightly, causing the shadows in the room to tremble slightly, but some people's shadows trembled faster and with greater amplitude. It looked like the owner of the shadow was trembling because of fear and anxiety.

Voldemort's gaze forced every Death Eater to lower their heads. After a few minutes, he turned his gaze to the opposite side of the round table. The seat there was empty and he could see nothing. Only an inexplicable red light flickered in his eyes:

"Inviting this Professor Umbridge as a guest, I believe she will make a wise choice, what do you think?"

"This might be a little difficult..."

Alex, who currently works in the Ministry of Magic, said that in the eyes of other Death Eaters, he was incredibly brave, "Umbridge serves as Senior Deputy Minister and usually only appears in major case tribunals and ministerial offices. , there are basically no field activities, and now he is also the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. His whereabouts are unpredictable, and there are even fewer opportunities to show up... let alone sneaking into Hogwarts to kidnap people, this..."

Although he didn't finish what he said, everyone else understood the meaning. From a certain perspective, Hogwarts' protection was tighter than that of the Ministry of Magic.

"Yes, there is no chance to do anything at the Ministry of Magic and the school, and other times I can't find anyone..."

"I can't do anything even if I want to."

"..."

Lucius did not intend to speak at first, but after recalling the recent situation, he still made a sincere suggestion: "Under normal circumstances, there may not be a chance... but I have some understanding of this Ms. Umbridge. She is If a person who desires fame, wealth and power sends out a banquet invitation in the name of the Malfoy family, the more dignitaries present at the banquet, the greater the chance that she will attend. "

Voldemort smiled approvingly: "I know that you have always been very considerate, Lucius, and you can always solve my problems...I noticed that you and your family don't seem to be very happy recently. I thought that I stayed here What's displeasing you to your family, don't you think, Lucius?"

"No...no, Master!"

"So, when does this party start?"

"The most grand banquet is during the Christmas holiday, Master..." Lucius' voice trembled, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"During the Christmas holidays, a grand banquet is suitable to welcome those friends who have regained their freedom, but I can't wait..." Voldemort tilted his head slightly to one side, looking at the expressions of Lucius and Narcissa, "But now There’s no better idea than this, just prepare like this.”

"Yes, Master!"

"..."

Snape silently listened to the discussion without saying a word. When Voldemort dismissed all the Death Eaters, Lucius and Narcissa went out to see off the guests, and only he and Voldemort were left in the living room, he spoke in a low voice: " If you still believe me, maybe I can try..."

Facing Voldemort's viper-like gaze, his expression did not change much, and he said calmly: "There is no one in Hogwarts school who is more hands-on than me. It only takes a few drops of Veritaserum, and she will reveal it." All the secrets buried deep in my heart.”

"I have forgotten, Severus, you are a potions master." Voldemort looked like he was listening carefully, and the red light in his eyes became even brighter. "Of course I am willing to surrender my belief, but we are all Clearly, for some stubborn and arrogant wizards, Veritaserum has limited effect."

"If possible, I will bring her to see you, and you will use your magic to open her brain yourself."

"It is a pleasure to talk to you..." Voldemort made a hissing sound from his mouth, and his scarlet snake eyes stared straight into Snape's black eyes. After a while, he suddenly smiled, "If everything goes well If so, maybe you should start thinking about what to use to make your Horcrux."

Snape's head jerked up, clear joy blooming on his always cold face.