(One hour before Charlus received the letter)
Around twenty individuals had gathered in an obscure corner of Wizarding Britain. All of them were dressed in their regal Death Eater robes and their trademark masks which were hiding their faces.
All of them had assembled here at the invitation or at the request of Rodolphus Lestrange, Lord Lestrange.
To convince these men to do what they were about to do had not been an easy thing. Rodolphus had called in almost every favour his family owed and had promised to repay every debt in the future if he was helped in this matter.
Apart from these, there was a small group of individuals who had come purely for the thrill. Those were the ones Rodolphus found most useful.
These were people who were unafraid of consequences, were indifferent to the deaths of eight of their comrades a few nights before, and were even unconcerned for their own lives. What mattered to them most was the rush of adrenaline and the pleasure it brought. These were the true death eaters, the true carrier of death and terror. They were the one who unleashed brutal tortures and terrors without mercy.
"I know," Rodolphus's voice echoed through the darkened hall, "many of you are skeptical of my plan. Afraid of what might happen. Worried that something again may go wrong."
"That feeling is completely justified. After all, we are going into dangerous territory."
"And to be honest, I am a little nervous too," Rodolphus added with a short chuckle. "But that is exactly why we must do this."
"No one would expect it. Not even the Dark Lord would expect us to dare attack Hogsmeade, a place thought to be under the direct protection of Albus Dumbledore. An attack directly under the nose of Albus Dumbledore."
"I realise what happened to my father has terrified many of us. I am terrified as well. I have lost my father," he said with a little downcast tone. "But this time it will be different. The results will be in our favour. This time it will be us who achieve resounding success."
"Bones Manor had wards. Edmund Bones had the advantage of fighting in his own house, which he knew well. That is why the previous attack may have failed…"
"But not this time. Hogsmeade has no wards. No one will be prepared. It will be a swift, decisive, brutal strike and we will have many targets of great importance."
"It would at least be ten minutes before any professor might retaliate," he continued. "Ten minutes is all we need to unleash a terror never seen before in this Wizarding Britain."
"Do not engage the professors," he boomed, giving one final nod. "It is time to depart."
The Death Eaters formed into groups of four, each clutching a small object in hand. These objects were portkeys to Hogsmeade, all of which had been prepared in advance by Rodolphus.
Rodolphus had only a single partner to use the portkey with.
"Lord Lestrange," his partner asked cautiously, "are you sure you want to do this? This could prove to be dangerous."
Rodolphus' partner was not a man to be fooled by a few words of motivation. He knew and understood that attacking Hogsmeade was an extremely dangerous task.
"Lucius," Rodolphus sighed. "I have already explained, this is my best option, and we will be successful. Nothing will stand in our way this time."
Lucius said nothing and offered only a small nod. He had not been keen to join Rodolphus on this mission, but when his father learned of it, he had been compelled to assist.
"Lestrange," Rodolphus whispered, and with a twist of space he vanished. The other groups followed instantly, disappearing from the hall.
.
.
.
Today was a lively day in Hogsmeade, for it was the weekly trip day when Hogwarts students were allowed to visit the village.
Nothing about the day seemed unusual unless one observed closely a particular group of students. Most of them belonged to Slytherin House.
Unlike other weeks, when the Slytherins were the loudest and most energetic, rushing from one shop to another without a care for the coins they spent, today they were unusually quiet. Something was different about them.
Instead of wandering through the streets, they had gathered inside inns and other establishments, spending their time indoors enjoying different varieties of drinks and foods.
If anyone happened to notice this peculiarity, they would have easily attributed it to the recent suspension of several Slytherin students. It was an incident serious enough to sour the mood of the entire house. It was a perfect explanation for their subdued behaviour and there was no doubt about it.
But that was not the real reason.
Earlier that morning, many of them had received letters from home. The students had expected the usual messages and a few extra coins for their Hogsmeade trip. They did get the coins, most probably more than their allowances, but there had been something else in those letters as well. A word of advice. A caution.
Their parents or guardians had warned them not to roam about too much in Hogsmeade and to stay indoors, citing the cold weather and concern for their health. They had been asked to keep themselves near fireplaces and keep them well fed and warm through soups and other warm drinks. And being the obedient children they were, they had followed those instructions to the letter.
But the serene atmosphere in Hogsmeade did not last long. The peaceful buzz of the village was shattered by a sharp, twisting sound of the space as more than twenty figures suddenly appeared in the sky above Hogsmeade.
A few people, mostly students, noticed the disturbance first. And the moment their eyes caught sight of the black robed intruders, their screams tore through the air. The masked faces and dark attire left no room for doubt. Death Eaters.
Panic erupted instantly. Before a single spell had even been cast, chaos had already consumed the streets. Students and villagers alike fled in every direction, their cries echoing through the snowy lanes.
"Move!" Rodolphus Lestrange's voice boomed through the din. "And remember, stay away from the inns and other such establishments!"
The Death Eaters exchanged quick glances and sprang into action. A flurry of spells burst from their wands. A couple of spells exploded on the street below them, sending snow and debris flying high into the air. Another spell struck a nearby bookshop setting it ablaze.
Some Death Eaters began to chase the scattering students, laughter twisted behind their masks.
Rodolphus, however, moved with purpose. His wand was steady, his gaze fixed. He had only one target. A certain red haired girl.
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