Chapter 1195: Entering the Game
Chapter 1195: Entering the Game
"Damn it, damn them all to hell!"
In the dead of night, a string of angry curses suddenly rang out in the silent Muggle village. Bellatrix, who had just returned, was throwing a tantrum in the hall, wildly waving her wand and shattering everything in sight.
"What's wrong, Bella?"
Only after Bellatrix had calmed down did Narcissa dare to step into the mess of a hall, gazing worriedly at her sister's ferocious face as she asked.
"Our control over Rosmerta has been exposed."
Bellatrix kicked aside a nearby armchair and turned to her sister, her lips quivering as she spoke, "Draco intends to go through with Snape's plan. He actually believes..."
"Severus promised me he would protect Draco, and I believe he is trying to do just that," Narcissa was rather relieved about this. She never cared about what reward Draco would receive after succeeding. She only wished for her son to survive.
For a mother, nothing was more precious.
"Protect Draco? No, Snape is trying to steal the glory that should be Draco's. He even plans to use us as bait. Draco told me everything. Snape intended to use us from the very beginning," Bellatrix roared at her sister. "That cunning man never cared about Draco's life or death. He just wants to use Draco to kill Dumbledore and have us grateful to him."
"I want to believe in Severus. Don't forget that he also made an Unbreakable Vow. I think he's trustworthy. If he truly desires that glory for himself, I don't mind, Bella. I just want Draco to be alive. He's my only child, and I can't lose him," Narcissa pleaded, her eyes filled with entreaty. "Moreover, if Dumbledore is killed, the Dark Lord will surely forgive your and Lucius' mistakes. You must want to regain the Dark Lord's trust, don't you?"
Bellatrix stormed off, eventually convinced by her sister, Narcissa.
For her, regaining the Dark Lord's trust was the most important thing. Everything else had to take a back seat.
As for ditching Snape and going solo, the odds of success were indeed slim, and no Death Eater was willing to join such an endeavor.
They avoided her like the plague, as if her very presence might bring disaster upon them.
However, when they confirmed that Snape was leading this operation, many Death Eaters expressed their willingness to participate. Despite the fact that many despised or disliked Snape, they also had to admit that he was reliable. To have lived under Dumbledore's nose for so long and gained his trust, Snape was undoubtedly successful.
Moreover, this plan to assassinate Dumbledore seemed somewhat plausible. Snape would never risk exposing his identity as a double agent for a plan that wasn't solid, jeopardizing over a decade's worth of effort.
Anyone who thought otherwise would have to be a fool.
This matter also deepened Bellatrix's jealousy towards Snape. If he hadn't promised to leave the opportunity to kill Dumbledore to Draco, she probably wouldn't have been so willing to help.
In Snape's name, she had successfully gathered a group of people who planned to sneak into Borgin and Burkes' shop in Knockturn Alley late at night to carry out the plan Snape had given to Draco.
Undoubtedly, there were plenty of fence-sitters among the Death Eaters, but there was also no shortage of fanatics. For many, they did not want to miss this chance to kill Dumbledore.
With Dumbledore dead, there would be no one left to stop the Dark Lord.
The Death Eaters would no longer have to worry about the Ministry of Magic, and Minister Scrimgeour would pay the price for his actions.
Many Death Eaters loathed Scrimgeour and wished him dead. Since he took office, he had executed countless dark wizards, and the number of Death Eaters who had perished because of him even surpassed the toll of the Wizarding War over a decade ago—a truly appalling number.
The current state of the wizarding world was extremely unfavorable for the Death Eaters. Even though the dark wizards had been causing as much trouble as possible for the Ministry, Scrimgeour remained relentless in his crackdown on Death Eaters and dark wizards alike.
The group quietly arrived at Borgin and Burkes', alerting the owner of the shop.
"Noble guests, how may I be of service?" Borgin, clad in a brown striped sleeping robe, immediately put away his wand and bowed respectfully to the Death Eaters upon realizing who his visitors were.
"Do you have a Vanishing Cabinet here?"
Bellatrix's voice, cold as ice, emanated from behind her mask, causing Borgin, who was only in his sleepwear, to shiver.
The Death Eaters wasted no time in getting straight to the point, wanting to finish their business and leave as soon as possible to avoid attracting unnecessary trouble.
"A Vanishing Cabinet?"
Borgin thought for a moment, then walked over to a cabinet and introduced it to the Death Eaters, "This object was quite popular among wizards during the last Wizarding War. It allows one to appear in another location without the use of a Disapparition, a Portkey, or the Floo Network."
The Death Eaters exchanged glances, and upon hearing Borgin and Burke's explanation, they confirmed the feasibility of Snape's plan.
They all looked exceptionally excited.
Yes, nothing could be more thrilling than the prospect of Dumbledore's death.
If Snape's plan succeeded, they would be part of an extraordinarily glorious mission: to kill Dumbledore.
"Do you have a Vanishing Cabinet here? I need to know how to fix it." Bella leaned forward, her eyes narrowing as she demanded, "I'm sure you have a solution."
"It's hard to say. I'll need to see the actual object to make a judgment."
Borgin and Burke dared not guarantee that he could definitely fix it, lest he incur the wrath of the Death Eaters and end up facing an Avada Kedavra.
"Do you think we would bring it here for you to repair?" Bella narrowed her dangerous eyes, coldly continuing, "It needs to stay where it is. I just need to know how to fix it, and you must cooperate fully. You'll be well compensated for your trouble."
"Oh, of course, as you wish. I will do my best to cooperate."
"I'll be checking in from time to time to ensure you're focusing on solving this issue." Fenrir Greyback removed his mask, revealing a malicious grin directed at Borgin and Burke, as if threatening to turn him into a werewolf if he failed.
Borgin's face twitched, and he bowed slightly to the group. "Fixing a broken Vanishing Cabinet is no easy task. I suggest you find a highly skilled wizard; otherwise, it will be difficult to repair it in a short time."
"That's not your concern. Just do what you're told."
After leaving Knockturn Alley, the group successfully obtained the instructions for repairing the Vanishing Cabinet from Borgin and Burke.
The next step was to inform Snape and wait for the cabinet to be fixed. They believed that with Snape's expertise, it wouldn't take long to completely repair the Vanishing Cabinet.
Finally, it would be time to execute the plan to hunt down Dumbledore.
After Bella, through Narcissa's two-way mirror, communicated with Snape and informed him of the method to repair the Vanishing Cabinet, the other Death Eaters exchanged glances, intending to voice their doubts about the plan.
"Although I don't want to question the feasibility of your plan, our target is Dumbledore, and we intend to kill him at Hogwarts... Even if we can infiltrate Hogwarts unnoticed, do we really have what it takes to kill Dumbledore?"
"If the plan fails, are you aware of the consequences?"
Alecto Carrow stepped forward to the two-way mirror, voicing her doubts about the plan first. Having been deceived too many times, she knew that caution was essential, or she wouldn't be standing here talking with the others.
"If you're afraid, you don't have to force yourself," Snape said coldly. "If there's nothing else, we'll end it here."
"I think Alecto makes a valid point," said Avery, immediately echoing her sentiment. He, too, had been on the receiving end of deception one too many times.
"Dumbledore is severely injured and has lost much of his strength. He's gradually growing weaker, and even if we do nothing, he doesn't have many years left," Snape stated confidently, and truthfully, as Dumbledore indeed didn't have long to live.
However, the other Death Eaters still had their doubts about the credibility of his words, especially since it concerned Dumbledore.
Even though they knew Snape to be a cautious man and that this plan seemed to have been long in the making, they didn't want to blindly step into a trap.
The current wizarding world was not a friendly place for Death Eaters. Many sought to bring them down, and there was also the presence of Albert Anderson, the seer who could predict the future. That Muggle-born was their arch-nemesis.
No one wanted to meticulously plan only to discover they had walked into someone else's trap, especially when the target was Dumbledore.
However, Snape didn't seem inclined to reveal more information to them.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
