"Fools, all of them, fools!"
The opulent hall remained unchanged, a long table flanked by wizards dressed in black hoods, all silent with their heads bowed, fearing the moment they might meet those frighteningly cold red eyes.
"Why aren't you speaking?" Voldemort approached someone and asked condescendingly, "Antonin, how did you promise me, is this your answer?"
"Lost a leg, fled like a worthless bug, and you dare ask for my forgiveness?"
"Master, I swear I tried my best, master!" Antonin Dolohov crashed to the floor, attempting to kiss Voldemort's robes trailing on the ground, but Voldemort disdainfully evaded him.
This gesture heightened Antonin Dolohov's fear. As an old Death Eater following Voldemort for over a decade, he knew well what it meant when the Dark Lord no longer accepted such gestures of flattery from a servant.
This meant, in Voldemort's eyes, this servant had lost all utility... like a broken shoe thrown aside.
"It's Malfoy, it's Draco Malfoy!" Antonin Dolohov cried sharply, "If he could have killed Dumbledore earlier, we would have completed the mission!"
At the far end of the table, Draco Malfoy felt a gaze sweep over him, leaving him icy cold, his face drained of color, as pale as death.
"Lies, you despicable coward!" Lucius Malfoy suddenly lifted his head, glaring with bloodshot eyes at Antonin Dolohov, who used to be somewhat of a... colleague.
"Draco achieved what none of you could!"
In that moment, Lucius forgot his fear, yelling, "Draco found a secret path into Hogwarts for the master! His accomplishments are obvious to all. Can any of you claim the same? No one!"
Everyone in attendance raised their heads to look at Lucius Malfoy.
Truthfully, his indiscriminate attacks basically insulted everyone present, and in front of Voldemort no less, accusing them of incompetence.
In that moment, the Death Eaters wanted him dead more than ever, but they dared not do anything, not even to argue.
Because Lucius spoke the truth.
Before this, they truly had no means to smoothly enter Hogwarts. No, it was near impossible for them to approach Hogsmeade, given the school's vicinity was filled with Order of Phoenix's sentinels.
In a sense, Draco Malfoy's discovery of the Vanishing Cabinet surpassed everyone's expectations.
At Lucius' words, Voldemort withdrew his gaze, returning his focus to Antonin Dolohov on the ground, seeming to await his explanation.
Meanwhile, a rustling noise emerged from the shadows untouched by the light, as if something was sliding across the ground, growing ever clearer.
Dolohov was truly frightened, sweat droplets struggled down his forehead onto the ground.
He wanted deeply to say he obeyed Voldemort's command, ensuring Draco Malfoy personally killed Dumbledore, thus delaying action.
But Dolohov dared not; he was certain, if he spoke that, he'd die instantly.
So now he could only hope someone would step in on his behalf, yet regrettably, among the Death Eaters, there was no tradition of aiding comrades.
Voldemort slowly raised his wand.
"I beg you, master, please forgive..."
"Crucio!"
The intense pain made Dolohov's whole body curl up, struggling silently, but inwardly he felt relief.
Yes, Dolohov was relieved because Voldemort used the Crucio Curse, not the Killing Curse... the proud Dark Lord never bothered to punish his servants twice, meaning he would not die.
The sliding sound in the darkness slowly faded away,
Five minutes later, Voldemort lowered his wand, and Dolohov lay limp on the ground, trembling, his mouth opening with difficulty.
"Thank... thank you for your mercy... master..."
Voldemort remained silent. If it weren't for the dwindling number of readily usable followers, he wouldn't have let Antonin Dolohov off so easily.
The other Death Eaters saw this, each showing different expressions, heads lowered, some relieved, others disappointed.
But Lucius looked terrified, watching Voldemort point his wand at the end of the table, at Draco.
"Crucio!"
Another Crucio Curse, Draco Malfoy, like Dolohov, writhed in agony on the ground.
"This is a lesson for you." Voldemort said calmly, "My order was for you to kill Dumbledore, why didn't you act?"
Draco Malfoy wanted to defend himself, but the pain from the Crucio Curse rendered him voiceless.
"Master..." Lucius lay on the ground, trying to plead, "Draco is only sixteen, he..."
"I was not speaking to you, Lucius." Voldemort raised a finger, motioning for silence.
"That Kael, at sixteen, had thwarted me multiple times. He managed, why can't Draco?
"Or do you think the Dark Lord's followers can't compare to Dumbledore's students?"
Lucius Malfoy instantly shut his mouth, and the other Death Eaters around also hung their heads, not daring to breathe.