Chapter 386 - Dubious Honor (1/2)

Hours later in a dark moldy house on the edge of the marshland, Lord Voldemort put several of his Death Eaters under the Cruciatus Curse. The men and women lay withering in agony as their body twitched on their own from the pain. The smell of fear and sweat could be smelt heavily in the room as he paced back and forth across the creaky wood boards.

”I want to know, who was responsible for the attack?!” Lord Voldemort roared as no one dared to speak.

However, the doors swing open to reveal the tall, thin figure of a dark-haired man with ice-cold eyes. ”My apologies, Dark Lord for my tardiness,” Rodolphus Lestrange said. ”I was acquiring news so to speak as instructed.”

”How utterly convenient,” S.R. Wilkes interjected as his uncle at his side glared at his nephew for being so brazen. ”And just where were you, Lestrange, during the attack?”

”He was at my side, Wilkes,” Voldemort coldly hissed. ”It is not your place to question my own! Remember your place!”

”My apologies, Dark Lord,” S. R. Wilkes sincerely said as he bowed. ”I presumed otherwise.” Though notably, Wilkes did not apologize to Lestrange.

”Dark Lord, if I may speak?” Rodolphus Lestrange asked again.

”Speak!” Voldemort hissed in fury as he whirled around to face him again.

”It is my understanding that the culprit for tonight's attack was solely compromised of Alphard Black,” Rodolphus calmly explained. ”My contacts in the ministry confirmed that he was the one responsible for the fire at the manor-.”

”I want him found!” Voldemort interrupted. ”I will kill him myself!”

”That may be impossible, Milord,” Rodolphus said earning himself a dangerous look from Voldemort. ”What I mean to say, Dark Lord is that I was given to understand that Alphard Black was killed by one of us.”

”What?!” Voldemort shouted in utter surprise.

”Indeed, Milord,” Rodolphus said with a bit of dark amusement visible in his dark eyes. ”He was found dead killed by the killing curse, his wand snapped, and the dark mark cast overhead. Though I do not know to whom that glorious honor belongs too.”

”Who did it?!” Voldemort snapped as no one dared to claim the glory that wasn't there's, to begin with.

”It was me,” a cold haughty voice said. The death eaters all whirled around including Voldemort to see the vicious cold-hearted face of Antonin Dolohov.

”I killed him,” Antonin lied with a straight face. ”It was easy, while everyone was fleeing I merely apparated behind him and killed him after he'd said the counter curse.”

”Crucio!” Voldemort snarled as Antonin Dolohov feel withering to the floor. ”That was not your honor to be had, Dolohov!”

The crowd of Death Eaters is deadly silent as those were starting to get second thoughts, really had them now. If the Dark Lord was willing to curse an old friend. What's to say, something worse wouldn't happen to them?

But it was too late for those that had already been marked. However, those yet unmarked could still flee and beg sanctuary from the Prince's. Surely, the old Prince would happily receive the news of their betrayal! But more importantly, they'd be safe! Yet the biggest question remained, how?Voldemort whirled about leaving Dolohov gasping harshly on the ground. However, a cold bloodthirst glint could be seen in Dolohov's eyes. The type of glint where a famous Roman Emperor had once in utter disbelief uttered, ”Et Tu, Brute?”

*

It was only an hour before dawn when a plumb raccoon makes its way out of the forest. Far away enough from the burned down manor and the Auror's, the raccoon transforms into a round fellow with a bushy beard and bowler hat to hide his baldness. Gittins hastily apparated away to the outskirts of a dark alley and scurries into the pub called the Monarch.Gittins fidgets as he nervously removes his hat to reveal his gleaming bald head. Clutching his bowler hat tightly in his hand he ignores the festive mood of the pub. Plenty of drunks where merry-making and singing carols. A couple even had wenches off the streets on their laps. The woman didn't seem to mind the public fondling very much as they'd be in for a very generous tip given the holiday.