Wes first cast a Silencing Charm to isolate their voices, then conjured an illusion so that anyone watching would only see two drunkards drinking heavily.
"You told me the Dark Lord was already dead, didn't you?" Lucius demanded angrily.
"They came to you?" Wes asked. By "they," he meant the Death Eaters who had escaped from Azkaban.
Lucius rolled up his sleeve, revealing the Dark Mark on his forearm. "Three days ago…"
Wes understood immediately. It must have been Barty Crouch Jr. who promised the Dementors something, causing them to betray the Ministry. No doubt this was also tied to how, after Dumbledore had chastised them, the Ministry had neither offered an explanation nor relief, but instead tightened control over them even further.
Lucius glanced around nervously, tugging his sleeve back down in a hurry, terrified of being seen. "That lunatic is trying to resurrect the Dark Lord. I only managed to contact you while I was out buying supplies."
"You weren't exposed, were you?"
Lucius shook his head uneasily. "On the day of the Triwizard Tournament, I was at the scene, surrounded by Ministry officials. I used that as my excuse for why I didn't answer the Dark Lord's summons. Barty Jr. saw it himself, so for now they don't suspect me."
"Who else is there?" Wes pressed.
"Bellatrix Lestrange, Alecto Carrow, Amycus Carrow, Antonin Dolohov…" Lucius hesitated, glanced at Wes, then finally added, "Severus Snape… and Peter Pettigrew."
The rest did not surprise Wes, but hearing Pettigrew's name again made him sigh. The rat had a way of surviving, slipping past danger again and again.
"What should I do now?" Lucius asked in a panic. If those maniacs discovered he was a traitor, he and his family would surely be doomed.
"Don't panic," Wes said, casting a calming charm to steady him. "Keep the ring I gave you on. It will protect you. Whatever they tell you to do, agree for now. If things get dangerous, activate the Portkey—I'll come immediately."
Lucius finally calmed down, taking a deep breath before revealing the Death Eaters' latest plans.
"They're trying to unite werewolves, giants, and vampires—creatures of the dark."
Wes sneered. "If those things were truly effective, they wouldn't have been reduced to ingredients for alchemy and potions."
"The most important thing is Voldemort's hiding place. Can you find out?"
Lucius shook his head quickly, like a rattle drum. "Barty doesn't trust me. He only believes in Bellatrix and the others who've just escaped Azkaban. My job is only to provide supplies and information."
He handed Wes a shopping list.
At first glance, it was filled with common household goods, nothing remarkable.
But further down were rare herbs, dragon blood, phoenix feathers—items so scarce they would take considerable effort to acquire.
"Without Voldemort, they're nothing but a rabble."
The quiet confidence in Wes's tone seemed to infect Lucius, who no longer looked as tense as before. Wes patted his shoulder. "Don't be afraid. Everything is within our control."
When Wes returned to the Black family manor, he found Dumbledore already waiting. The old wizard sat in a worn armchair, calmly holding a cup of tea.
"I have something to discuss with you."
Dumbledore smiled. "As it happens, I also have something to tell you. I think we're probably talking about the same matter."
Wes nodded, signaling for Dumbledore to go first.
"Recently, the Ministry of Magic's situation has grown increasingly complicated. Fudge's hostility toward me has become outright. Not only did he try to pin the deaths of Karkaroff and Barty Crouch on me at the hearing, but he's also stationed his own people inside Hogwarts to carry out investigations. On top of that, the mass breakout from Azkaban has placed enormous pressure on the Ministry."
Wes listened carefully, then shared the intelligence Lucius had given him. "Lucius just provided some important information regarding the Death Eaters. Barty Crouch Jr. and other escaped Death Eaters are planning a series of actions, including uniting with werewolves, giants, and vampires. They've also drawn up a materials list—rare herbs, dragon blood, phoenix feathers, and other precious items."
Dumbledore set down his teacup and stretched lazily. "It seems we've underestimated young Barty. His mind and cunning are not to be dismissed."
"Can Professor Snape get close to Voldemort?" Wes asked.
"Of course he can, but not until the very last moment," Dumbledore replied. "They'll need Severus to brew the potion for Voldemort."
"That means the initiative lies in our hands. Until we destroy all the Horcruxes, the potion can't be properly brewed."
"Exactly. And let me tell you, the potion to restore Voldemort's body is no easy matter," Dumbledore added with a wink.
"How is the Horcrux hunt progressing?"
The moment Wes asked, Dumbledore's expression grew serious. He drew a golden ring from his robes, set with a black gem etched with the Peverell crest.
Wes's eyes were immediately drawn to the black stone.
This was not only Marvolo Gaunt's heirloom but also one of the fabled Deathly Hallows—the Resurrection Stone. It was said to bring back the dead, a treasure countless wizards longed for.
As the holder of the Elder Wand, Dumbledore of course recognized the Resurrection Stone.
But now, embedded in the ring, removing it recklessly would likely trigger Voldemort's curse. Unlike in the original tale, Dumbledore wasn't impatient here; he intended to find a safer way to destroy the Horcrux.
"I have good news for you," Wes said. "Slytherin's locket is here."
"Truly?" Dumbledore was surprised but did not doubt him.
"Right here." Wes pointed at the floor.
"You mean Slytherin's locket is in this very house?"
Wes stopped holding back. "I saw it in the hands of the Black family's house-elf, Kreacher. But Kreacher went into hiding."
Hadn't Voldemort hidden Slytherin's locket in a cave deep within the cliffs? Hadn't he laid down deadly enchantments so that only those willing to drink a lethal poison could reach the ancient treasure?
And yet, unexpectedly, this dark relic had ended up in the hands of the Black family's house-elf.
Wes didn't bother explaining further, but he was certain he hadn't been mistaken—the locket was indeed with Kreacher.
°°°
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