It was a weekend. The sun wasn't brilliant, but a pleasant breeze rustled the grass and whispered through the willow branches. Hogwarts was unusually empty, save for the assembly of Death Eaters preparing for a mission.
Tom, seizing the opportunity of a class-free weekend, had designated this day for veteran Death Eaters to initiate the new recruits into their post-graduation duties. The current directive, issued by Tom Riddle himself, was the extermination of the local goblin population – their inaugural task.
Whoosh!
A swarm of young wizards ascended on their broomsticks, heading towards a wizarding village barely ten kilometers from Hogwarts. Their black robes billowed behind them, a dark, ominous cloud against the sky. After all, this was a "Death Eater team-building exercise"; proper attire was essential.
"So?" Severus Snape, having transfigured his lower body into a smoky black vapor using the Flight Charm, glared at Sirius Black, who rode beside him on a broom. "Why are you here?"
"Hmph! And you have the gall to ask? Weren't you a turncoat to Tom Riddle himself?" Sirius retorted, his voice laced with indignation. "What gives you the right to be here?"
"I didn't betray this Tom Riddle," Snape shot back, unwavering. "Besides, you aren't even a Death Eater."
"Who says I'm not?"
"... " Snape's expression shifted, a mixture of surprise and suspicion clouding his face.
Sirius, visibly uncomfortable under Snape's intense gaze, mumbled, "Sorry, Albus Dumbledore. I didn't have a choice back then, but now I just want Harry not to misunderstand."
For Harry's sake, aligning himself with a Dark Lord he didn't completely despise was a compromise he could make. Besides, becoming a Death Eater might bridge the gap between them, offering common ground for conversation. Or so he hoped.
...
For wizards skilled in flight, a few kilometers vanished in mere moments. Before their brooms touched down, the eager young Death Eaters leapt off, discarding their rides haphazardly. Their plan was set: target the goblins manning the stalls and shops.
Wands drawn, they charged, bellowing their battle cries.
"For the great Tom Riddle!"
"Long live the Death Eaters!"
"I want to be the second-in-command!!!"
"Goblins! Mmm, you smell so good! This is all my achievement!!!"
"... "
Their shouts may have been bizarre, but their collective force was terrifying. Not just the goblins, but the entire village quaked in fear.
A seventh-year Slytherin student kicked open the door of the "Goblin Blacksmith Shop," roaring, "Death Eaters on duty! By order of Tom Riddle! Surrender now!"
A flood of students poured into the shop.
Before the blacksmith could react, two dozen wands were thrust in his face, each chanting the Disarming Charm. The greatsword he had scrambled to grab for defense remained just out of reach. Faced with twenty Expelliarmus spells, any grip would be torn away with the weapon.
Weaponless, the terrified blacksmith attempted resistance, only to be ensnared by an equal number of Full Body Bind curses.
"... " Frozen in place, the goblin felt a surge of despair. Damn it! This is too much!
And you lot! Anyone can carry me, stop pulling! Hands and feet were seized, one even tugging at his head. Wait! Where do you think you're grabbing? My potion!!!
By the time he was hauled outside, he was sobbing uncontrollably, though his voice was trapped in his throat.
At that moment, the blacksmith's mind was devoid of Lanlock's magical commands; his only thought was... Potion, potion, must grab more!
Outside, dozens of Death Eaters surrounded a goblin's stall like a band of thugs, demanding "protection money."
"Oh? You can't pay the 'protection fee'? Then you can pay with something else!"
While they usually avoided goblins with revulsion, today was different. Today was Tom Riddle's inaugural mission, bestowed upon these Death Eaters.
"I don't care about this or that! You're the target! Argue with my wand!"
"Oh? Still resisting? Getting in my way? I think you've eaten too many red beans!"
"... "
Observing from above, Snape and the others reacted in contrasting ways to the scene below.
Bellatrix Lestrange reveled in their adoration of Tom Riddle but disapproved of their messy methods. A clean sweep was essential. Innocence was irrelevant. Anyone who didn't leave should be killed. Yet, these fledgling Death Eaters avoided harming any but the goblins, adhering to their specific target.
"Sigh, back in my school days, there weren't any wizards this violent," Sirius said, with a wistful look like he was reminiscing about the 'good old days'.
"Stop talking nonsense!" Snape snapped, his brow furrowed. "You lot were the most violent!"
As their frequent victim, Snape had every right to say so.
"Sigh, you snot-nosed brat, those are just old stories," Sirius countered dismissively. "You're fine now, aren't you?"
"Heh… You nearly killed me several times. And you call that fine?" Snape sneered. "Don't think you can just dismiss it."
"..." Sirius's face darkened. "As long as you don't make trouble for Harry, I'm always ready."
Unbeknownst to him, Snape was probably the least likely person in the world to harm Harry, especially now that Harry was Harry Snape.
If anyone dared to lay a hand on Harry, Snape would transform into a "Superman," instantly stacking an arsenal of rage buffs and unleashing the "Sword of Despair" without mercy.
Only Snape and a handful of Death Eaters were present to protect Harry and the others. Barty Crouch Jr., Anthony, and others deemed "highly competent" had been assigned to different tasks by Nagini.
The village's goblin population was sparse, and the Death Eaters eliminated them in under twenty minutes, afterwards hastily departing for the next village.
...
Meanwhile, elsewhere, deep within the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts, a goblin cloaked in tattered black robes appeared cautiously.
"Did he follow me?" the goblin muttered. The power disparity was too immense; he couldn't sense Tom Riddle's presence and cautiously came out to test the waters.
Reassured that Tom Riddle had not appeared, he breathed a sigh of relief before venturing deeper into the forest. "I must hurry."
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