27. The Minister and Wizengamot Meeting

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A/N:

In case you haven't realized, Marvolo would be introduced as Lord Voldemort when he is in that persona and dealing with 'Dark Lord' stuff and will be mentioned as 'He'/'Him' during that time, and when the Knights are thinking/talking about their Lord.

Enjoy!

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Lord Voldemort trod down the last step of the dungeons of His Dark Headquarters and made His way inside with a slide of His foot.

On His way to a cell further down the lower dungeons, His gaze fell on a particular family of two overweight male whales, a female whale, and one horse face hostage all clustered together to share some warmth and sleep, the scene made His lipless mouth curl. If He had a nose, He would have flared it at their sheer audacity of still existing and Heaven forbid breathing. Yes, He is aware that in Skeeter's article, it was mentioned the Dursley family is being imprisoned in a Muggle cell. It had been nothing but just added as a carefully constructed lie and diversion created by none other than Narcissa Malfoy, to buy them more time for the meeting to keep the Potters and Black distracted and keep stumbling around like a fool to find which prison they're in and then finally learn that they broke the cell and escaped just last night.

After all, he can't have Amelia Bones take the case from the Muggle World and investigate it. If they somehow learn the Obliviation charm working on them and order the Unspreakbles to find a way to remove it, they will learn immediately that Harry is not dead, but rather experienced a creature inheritance and so the goblins had rescued him and obliviated them all.

This will plant a Kill On Sight on His son automatically, as Naga is a Class II Dark Creature in magical Britain and has a Kill On Sight order, including every Wizard with creature inheritance, declaring them as an 'abomination', thanks to Dumbledore. No, He can't have that. He would rather let them believe Harry is dead and the Dursleys have escaped imprisonment, kidnapped their son from 'Home' and now they're on the run along with Vernon Dursley's sister Marge.

Not that they will find the 'body', as the police will notify them that Dursleys informed them the child's parents died in a drunken car crash so no one to claim the body, that's why they have already cremated it and the ashes have been scattered on the sea. He knows that Rita has several follow-up articles that are yet to come, she is now planning to publish the news on how 'Harry' died believing he was an orphan whose parents died in a car crash, courtesy to the Dursleys and Potters, and how his body had been cremated and everything, executing to paint bad air towards the Potters, Blacks, and Dumbledore and why they disowned this innocent child without any confirmation and if they should be trusted with raising 'our dear saviour' properly and not killing him on some trivial inconvenience as well as they did with his twin brother.

Lord Voldemort's lips twitched at the reminder of the two equally devious and motivated women working together to destroy the Dursleys', Dumbledore's, Black's, and obviously the Potters' reputations. One was motivated like a mother-dragon to exact revenge on behalf of her Godson, another to get promotion and pay-rise as He promised. (Yes, He finally gave in and involved Narcissa in the secret that who Hadrianus was before, which makes her the fourth person in the whole world to know the secret. Though He has a feeling a fifth person will be added to the list very soon, Severus is nothing if not observant and smart) Yeah, even He doesn't fancy having their combined target on Himself, the Potters and Dumbledore must watch out, they would never know what hit them.

Well, until this day they've exclusively endured positive attention from the public and media. Now they will learn how vicious and malicious they can be. And if the Potters end up on probation and losing the rights of their dear 'saviour' son to the Wizarding Family Service as well, it's nothing they didn't warrant after all. Additionally, the said 'saviour' is well on his way to becoming a miniature whale, no doubt a result of his parents' overcompensation because of their firstborn; maybe the Weasleys will take him - if the Family Service even allows them to have one more mouth. The dear 'saviour' maybe finally learn how to share room and food with several mouths. Shame most of the Weasley clans are already in Hogwarts, their den is probably not as congested as usual. That is unless his beloved parents couldn't claim him back within next summer.

At least, with them occupied with attempting to overcome the ruthless slanders and defamation, he will have enough time to correct most of the legislation without Dumbledore trying to put his crooked nose where it doesn't belong.

He sighed, glancing at them, pondering for a moment to separate them and keep each in a different cell but nixed the idea for now. He didn't want them getting sick so soon or heaven forbid dying on Him. He had a lot of plans for them, and killing them is none of them. No, He must focus on more important matters other than now. He will come back to them later and decide what to do with them. Maybe let Nagini have a go as well, she certainly deserves it. Barty is certainly having the time of his life practising Dark Curses on them.

He stepped forward and stood in front of a particular cell and His eyes narrowed in on an ugly toad's huddled and abused form, wedged in the corner of the cell, her pink cloak wrapped around her, sleeping in a sitting position.

"Told you," was Fenrir Greyback's smug tone as he peered inside the cell. After he was contacted about The Darkest Lord's return and the bill they were about to propose, he had taken residence in one of the several outhouses of the Dark Headquarters with his pack. The forest behind their outhouse is delightful and it has been exactly what he required for his pack. And when The Darkest Lord permitted him to do whatever he wants with the Umbridge bitch for the night except killing her, he had been salivating at the prospect. Alas, it wasn't a Full Moon, he wanted the bitch to be the 'monster' she feared the most. But he had taken his sweet revenge and tortured her the whole night for inflicting so much pain on all the Werewolves out there, ruining and killing their lives.

The Dark Lord made a humming noise as He stared at the bleeding and beaten form of Umbridge kept in the prison for the night without food water or anything. Just like what she had perpetrated in so many dark creature's life, including some of His own. He was tempted to keep her and torture her for eternity, but He can't. For one, she is one of the public figures that can't go missing without raising a red flag, and two, He can use her position to make some changes in the Ministry.

"Have you had any success?" All the dark creatures that had been on His side in the past were showing reluctance to join him, due to the fact the last time it had blown up in their faces and made life even more uncomfortable for them. He reluctantly acknowledged it had, He had seen the legislation had that been passed over the past decade and it infuriated Him. But He is now inclined to correct them, the bill they were about to pass in Wizengamot today is one of them. And He is hoping it will sway them to their side.

"Any werewolf worth the title makes sure they aren't easily found, even by me," Fenrir grumbled out, and he respected it despite the annoyance it brought to him. "I need the full moon and extra senses to track the pack down, I got as far as Rutland before I lost their tracks, it's a big pack, not as big as my own, I'm hoping to track them the next full moon. With news of new Lord Slytherin having the same goal as The Darkest Lord reaching each corner of the British Isles hopefully, they will leave clues if they want to be found." Clues that no wizard would see let alone understand. "It would be sooner if they knew both are the same man."

"Good, do not fail me, Fenrir," Lord Voldemort warned, He needed them on His side; they were undeniably one of the best weapons against wizards and they all fall under His care being the dark creatures. "And no, I don't want them to know it unless absolutely necessary, I have too many plans in motion that won't succeed if people know who is Marvolo Slytherin."

Fenrir gave the Dark Lord a curt nod and turned back, it was time to head back to his pack, the full moon was just a little over a week away, and he with his Beta would need to make their way to where they last caught a whiff of the pack. Then begin tracking them again from there, hopefully, they didn't move around a lot. Usually, they never moved unless they had no choice but to leave it behind, whether by wizards or bigger packs fighting for territory. But they will be happy to learn someone is giving them a sanctuary and maybe move in with them, obviously after the pack Alpha comes and checks everything themselves. And the place has too many outhouses in the good distance so they do not step on each other's territory, and the forest is too vast and good enough to hold at least 50 large packs.

Lord Voldemort watched the Alpha Werewolf leave with gleaming eyes, before turning to face the unconscious witch in the cell. In a swift movement, He unlocked the cell and entered, His Yew wand slid into His hand and several curses hit the witch, curving in as runes in body parts hidden from public eyes, namely the back of the tongue. After the Curse of Secrecy is settled in her tongue and Magic, He started to heal all the cuts and bruises and force-fed her a blood replenishment potion. After watching the colour return on her face, He pondered for a moment on how to wake her up, then decided on Crucioing her. He hadn't cast His favourite curse for ages, after all. He needs to keep up the practice and reputation, can't let people think He is going soft now.

A hoarse scream echoed throughout the lowest dungeon and bounded on the walls, startling other prisoners and terrifying them out of their wits, thinking they will be next. Though he knows the sound won't escape the enclosure of the Dungeons.

"Hem hem, d-do you know who I am?" Umbridge croaked out at the robed figure in front of her through watery eyes, trying to sound confident and cocky as if her old job could still somehow save her here. "When I get out of here I will make sure all of you are in Azkaban and the wolf is put down for what he did to me!" Her face twisted in victory, ignoring the shiver that went down at the mention of the werewolf, still clinging to the hopes of escape and getting saved.

"Who you are?" Lord Voldemort hissed thoughtfully, His voice sibilant and cruel, "Let me guessss, a half-blood witch, daughter of Orford Umbridge and Ellen Cracknell, younger brother wasss a Ssquib whom you poisssoned with your muggle mother almossst 2 yearsss ago, am I wrong, Doloressss?" He ended the name with an extra hiss.

He watched her inhale sharply, disbelief crossing her face. She couldn't believe this person knew that much about her! Umbridge managed to squeak softly, swallowing thickly; he knew! This unknown person in front of her knew what she'd done! How the hell did he know what she had done? How could he? Nobody else did, yet the evidence was irrefutable. Her heart thumped painfully in her ribcage, worry began to gnaw at her as she tried to contain her fear not wanting him to see her so vulnerable. How could she not be? When this wizard had laid her bare? Threatened her with exposure? She had spent so long climbing up the ministry, aiming to become Undersecretary of Cornelius, hiding her dirty secret ― with one word from this person, it would all crumble to dust.

Who is he? Why is he trying to imitate You-Know-Who's voice? Is he trying to hide his identity and scare her shitless? If so, the tactic is definitely working. But she needs to know who is it.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

The lipless mouth curled into a sardonic smirk before the long hand covered in the midnight dark robe rose, and the pale, long fingers pulled the robes down, revealing the skull-like white as chalk face and a pair of vibrant red eyes.

Is that You-Know-Who? He is alive? She is under You-Know-Who's mercy?

The Head of Improper Use Of Magic fainted dead away.

Lord Voldemort allowed himself to spare a moment to pinch the bridge between his none existence eyebrows at the dramatic faint. What kind of idiot fainted dead away when faced with an enemy? That was just asking for death really! And this is supposed to be the Ministry of Magic bureaucrat and Head of Improper Use of Magic, honestly, can they become any more pathetic? Even Rita Skeeter had more guts after meeting Him and used the last of her wits to ensure her own survival after she got over her initial shock. Which makes her more Slytherin and thus more dangerous than this despicable excuse of a woman ever hopes to be.

He cast another Crucio on her, just because He can, which tore another scream out of the unconscious woman as she woke up.

"Just a nightmare, it's all just a nightmare, a bad dream nothing else!" He heard her muttering under her breath while whimpering in pain from the aftereffects of the double Cruciatus Curse which made Him roll His eyes.

"A nightmare, isss it? Maybe another Cruciatusss will help you to wake up!" He said in a cold dulcet tone before raising His Yew wand for the third time and letting her writhe for ten seconds, before letting go. He wanted to take His sweet time to use various types of other curses, but He is on the clock here, having an appointment with Fudge in two hours and the Wizengamot session in three hours, and He still has some last-minute preparations to take. "Are you awake now?"

A feeble whimper was the answer.

Lord Voldemort hummed before putting His wand away and asking Tit to bring the potion for Cruciatus curse. Lord Voldemort saved the potion in his pocket and started to talk in his usual cold sibilant voice, "Lisssten here, you sssilly imprudent woman, if you tell about me to anyone - alive or dead, in any form - verbal, written or sssignaled, the obssscure and dark curssse I placed on your tongue will activate and your body will start decaying rapidly and painfully, ssstarting with your mouth preventing you from sssaying anything further. You will be dead within ten minutes, long before the people around you underssstand what'sss happening or even try to sssave you. If you try to remove the curssse, it will activate. If you do not obey me or any of my assssociatesss that contact you, which includesss Lord Ssslytherin, Lord Malfoy, or Lord Crouch at the moment, it will activate. If you try to expossse any of them, it will activate. Do not tessst me. Underssstood?"

The wretched witch huddled further into the corner as a pathetic display of contemptible cowardice and nodded, still whimpering.

"Good girl," He praised in a patronizing voice which was designed to make the listener feel useless and insignificant, which they are, "Now, obviousssly, there are sssome marksss that will increassse your pitiful excussse of a life ssspan, however temporary, would you like to hear them?" He said in a mocking slow voice as if talking to a particularly slow child in a playground.

Dolores Umbridge let out another whimper and nodded.

"All you have to do, isss lisssten to me or my assssociatessss like a good little girl and not make a peep. Do you underssstand?"

The witch nodded again, so she was hit with mild cruciatus as a reprimand. After all, his mercy has a limit, "Ussse your voice, however horrid and disssstateful they are."

"Y-yes, M-my Lord."

"Good, now tell me, what you will do if I tell you to vote in the favour of the Bill Luciusss isss going to presssent?"

"I-I will v-vote in favor," She squeaked, "M-my Lord," she added hurriedly.

"Try again," Lord Voldemort shook his head, looking down at her with his glowing eyes in disappointment and impatience.

Umbridge thought fast, then replied in the same sickening squeaky voice, "I-I will vote in favor and encourage others to do the same?"

Lord Voldemort stared at her, His face showing none of the amusement, "Are you telling me, or asssking?"

"T-telling you, My Lord."

"Hmm, you're learning fassster than I expected that toad brain to work," Lord Voldemort pulled the potion from his pocket, "Asss your prize, you can have thisss." He raised his hand forward and dropped the vial without warning. His lips twitched when the toad crawled faster than he thought she could and caught the falling vial before it can connect to the ground and shatter.

"Remember, behave." He called for Tat who popped away with the toad.

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"Ah, Lucius and Lord Slytherin! Come in, come in!" Fudge stood and welcomed Marvolo and Lucius into his office with a beaming smile. Marvolo took his hand and smiled through the man's disgustingly sweaty hand that he felt beyond his winter gloves.

"Minister," He nodded. His countenance was stern but polite.

"Cornelius," Lucius nodded as well.

"Ah no none of that, please call me Cornelius. Any friend of my dear friend Lucius is a friend of mine," Fudge waved his hand around, giving them another beaming smile.

"Then I insist you call me Marvolo, Cornelius."

"Of course, of course," Fudge signalled them to take a seat, "Tea, coffee?"

"Tea will be fine, thank you."

Fudge snapped his finger and a trey arrived, he made himself prepare a cup of tea as per his guest's taste as he babbled, "I must say, Marvolo, this has been a pleasant surprise, to say the least, that some of our old Pure-blood lines are not dead yet. Who would have guessed that the Slytherin line was active in Germany?"

"And Peverell," Marvolo smiled pleasantly as he accepted his cup of tea, nonverbally and wandlessly checking for anything before taking a sip.

"Pardon?" Fudge glanced up surprised from serving Lucius another cup.

"My son's bearer was the last member of Peverell branch, and she named him her Heir before her death. Which makes him the Heir of Peverell, and me acting Lord until he reaches majority." 

Fudge looked momentarily stunned for a minute, before recovering and giving another beaming smile, "This is an excellent piece of news."

"Thank you, Cornelius. May I pay you a compliment on the recent legislation that you supported regarding the usage of the Ministry Budget? It was a quite clever one. I completely agree with opening a fundraiser for the acceptance of donations from all the willing families. Merlin knows Ministry needs every help it could get to make sure Magical Britain is working smoothly, after all."

Fudge seemed surprised that Lord Slytherin was aware of it at all, as it hadn't been very publicly covered in any of the newspapers, including the Prophet and Wizarding Times of Britain. It has been passed rather quietly but given he is talking with a friend of Lucius Malfoy, obviously he will be aware of it. Fudge smiled, accepting the compliment, and relaxed in his seat more. The hint with the donation meant some of it will be donated to his cause, after all.

"Ah, thank you, thank you. So, Lucius was telling me you have some petitions and new ideas for Hogwarts? What I can do for you, Marvolo?"

Marvolo pulled a rolled parchment by his gloved hand from his new stylish and expensive plum-coloured Wizengamot robe pocket and gave it to Fudge who accepted it, untying the ribbon and unrolling it, then spread it in front of him, reading it. Marvolo glanced at his clock, and waited for ten

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