At the utterance of these tidbits concerning Walburga Black's death, Snape felt Narcissa stiffen. He was surprised at this because she would have already known about the death of her aunt and that the Ministry was classifying it as a suicide. Curious as he was, Snape could not afford to lose his focus on the matter at hand. Perhaps he could subtly probe Narcissa for information later.
"Has the Ministry no suspects?" Voldemort asked.
"None, milord."
Voldemort turned to face Snape. "Do you have any… insight?"
Snape knew that Voldemort was really asking whether the Order had made any discoveries but actually expected Snape to reply as if he also had information about the Ministry. The Dark Lord used this strategy to encourage his followers to be diligent lest they be found negligent in their efforts. The strategy also ensured that if the Ministry captured and interrogated anyone who had heard the report, the spy who had penetrated the more exclusive organization would not be exposed or even specifically identified.
"There is much confusion, milord," Snape said to Voldemort. "It has been theorized that Madame Black was slain by one of your followers." The second sentence was a risk. While Voldemort would appreciate knowing of the Order's theory, the other Death Eaters would not appreciate Severus for sowing yet another seed of distrust.
"That is interesting," Voldemort said, turning back to the original informant. "Could it have been a Death Eater who killed Mrs. Black?"
"I do not know, milord," the Death Eater replied, suddenly sounding very nervous.
Snape would have been scared if he were the informant. The Dark Lord had multiple Ministry spies. The Dark Lord could have already known that Severus would imply that a fellow Death Eater had killed Walburga Black. The Dark Lord could be intimating that the informant himself had killed Walburga.
Voldemort deigned to hold his audience in suspense for a few moments. Eventually, he moved on, causing those in the circle to let out quiet sighs of relief. "It so happens that Madame Black's death is very inconvenient," Voldemort informed his Death Eaters. He focused on the Ministry spy. "Inform me when the Ministry investigation moves away from the Grimmauld house."
"I will," the informant breathed.
"I have nothing more to say to you," Voldemort told the group. "You may all now depart, but you two will stay," he said, pointing to Snape and Narcissa.
Dread welled up from Snape's chest, but he shoved it down as he watched his fellow Death Eaters depart from Malfoy Manor, leaving him and Narcissa alone with Lord Voldemort. Aside from the usual double-agent situation, Snape had done nothing that would rouse Voldemort's ire, and it was unlikely that Snape had been exposed. Dumbledore was very careful about that. Perhaps the Dark Lord had observed Narcissa's shocked reaction to the details of her aunt's death. Eventually, save for any house elves, the Dark Lord, Snape, and Narcissa were the only living souls in the Manor.
"Unmask yourselves," Voldemort commanded.
Snape and Narcissa promptly removed their masks as Voldemort glided to an ornate chair. As he did so, the light in the room increased, causing Snape and Narcissa to wince as the increased light hit their eyes, which had acclimatized to the darkness in the room during the meeting.
Once their eyes had adjusted to the light, Snape and Narcissa were confronted with Voldemort's appearance. The Dark Lord's face was hideously scarred-a consequence of a battle once fought against him from within the very room in which he now sat so comfortably. Snape privately theorized that the Dark Lord's purpose in making Malfoy Manor his usual meeting location was to gloat in his victory. After the dust settled, Voldemort had been maimed, but Cygnus Black and Romulus Malfoy were dead. Even Ashworth had eventually been killed.
Though Minister Prewitt had vigorously pursued the effort against Voldemort, he had only truly been able to strike and bloody the Death Eaters themselves. Voldemort had not had reason to feel personally threatened, as the Blacks patriarchs had once made him feel, for a long while. Albus Dumbledore did not seem inclined to seek Voldemort out, and as years passed, the Dark Lord lost faith in the validity of the prophecy that in the vaguest terms suggested another Black might rise and take up the sword of Orion and Cygnus.
"Tell me, Narcissa, what news does your son send? Has any sign of Pettigrew been discovered?"
"N-no, milord," Narcissa replied, clearly on the verge of losing her composure.
Snape watched the exchange, a neutral expression on his face despite emotional turmoil deep inside. It was in fact Lucius Malfoy, accompanied by his son Draco, who Voldemort had sent in advance to trail Pettigrew. Voldemort knew that Narcissa had ceased caring for Lucius long ago, and so he inquired after Draco, reminding Narcissa that he held Draco's life in his hands. It also served to remind Snape that failures on his part would not bode well for Narcissa's beloved son.
Voldemort watched them in silence for several moments before eventually issuing a round of instructions to Snape and Narcissa. The instructions were not new. They were repeats of past directions. He then departed.
As soon as the Dark Lord was gone, Narcissa burst into tears. Quietly, Snape led her to a chair-not the one Voldemort had sat in. Snape watched her, not sure what to say. He moved toward a couch and sat down, leaning forward to signify that he was ready to listen to anything she wanted to say. He knew that Professor Dumbledore would want to know why she had stiffened when hearing the details of Madame Black's death. It could be important.
"You have been so kind, Severus," Narcissa said as her sobs subsided. "I'm sorry about all of this."
Snape nodded. "I am always prepared to help you wherever I can," he said.
"I know," Narcissa said, "and I am grateful. It is so hard to having him constantly hang my son's life on everything. I don't know how you can keep your emotions in check so well when he's around. I wish I was that strong."
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