Marauders In Time part 2

A handsome manor house grew out of the darkness at the end of the straight drive, lights glinting in the diamond-paned downstairs windows. Somewhere in the dark garden beyond the hedge, a fountain was playing. Severus Snape and Corban Yaxley sped towards the front door and into the large manor. The hallway was large, dimly lit and sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering most of the stone floor. The two men halted at a heavy wooden door leading into the next room, hesitated for the space of a heartbeat, then Snape turned the bronze handle. The drawing room was full of silent people, sitting at a long and ornate table.  Snape and Yaxley lingered for a moment on the threshold. 

'Yaxley. Snape,' said a high, clear voice from the head of the table. 'You are very nearly late. We have saved you seats.'

The speaker was seated directly in front of the fireplace at the end of the table, so his face reflected the light of the fire. He was hairless with slits for nostrils and gleaming red eyes whose pupils were vertical. He was so pale that he seemed to emit a pearly glow. All eyes followed the two men who took their places at empty seats around the table. Snape sat two seats away from Voldemort while Yaxley took a place in the middle of the stretched table. As Voldemort was eyeing Snape closely, he spoke first.

"My Lord," he started in a cold voice. "The Order intends to move Harry Potter from his current place on Saturday next at nightfall."

"My intel is different," Yaxley interrupted, although he paused for a moment in case Voldemort decided to speak. "Dawlish, the Auror, let slip that the boy will be moved the night before he turns seventeen."

Snape sneered, "As it so happens, this is a false claim. The Ministry will play no further part in the protection of Harry Potter. The Order believe that we have infiltrated the Ministry."

Voldemort seemed to gaze into nowhere, his eyes not directed at anything or anyone. No one at the table spoke; most avoided his gaze. Snape's mouth twitched slightly but no one noticed.

Voldemort started, "I shall attend to the boy in person. I must be the one to kill Harry Potter."

He paused again.

"However, I seem to have come upon a realization."

Those around the table gave quick and awkward glances at Voldemort, who was in deep thought and appear to have a conversation with himself. 

"Over a year ago, I was thwarted of the chance to kill Harry Potter again. And it was by his wretched father and his friends along with his Mudblood mother that stopped me. If it weren't for them and the eventual help of Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter would have been finished. But how is it that the boy's parents could have been there when I killed them 15 years ago?"

No one answered.

"I do not know the answer. But a thought has dawned on me. I realized there is another way to kill Harry Potter. If his parents are able to travel forward in time, that means I can travel back. Is it possible?"

He directed his attention to Yaxley, who was a member of the Ministry. Yaxley seemed shocked and unable to answer the question, but nevertheless, he attempted to please his master.

"My Lord..." he said slowly. "I have heard things in the Ministry. Although I dared not to believe it. But if it is true, then the possibilities..."

Voldemort narrowed his gaze on him which made Yaxley stiffen.

"I-I have heard a rumour in a department about the possibility of time travel. In the Department of Mysteries. The Unspeakables. They speak to none but themselves and nothing of their work. But rumours, I have heard rumours, of their work being attempting to time travel. I do not know if it is successful or not. But it is all I have heard, my Lord."

Voldemort didn't blink. He kept his eyes on Yaxley, who was petrified. He then turned to another pale, blonde man who was keeping his eyes on the table.

"Lucius," Voldemort started. "I have a job for you. And pray you do not fail me again as you have before."

Lucius looked up at Voldemort, clearly scared out of his wits, "Any-Anything, my Lord."

"I require you to travel back in time, to the year 1995. The year of the Triwizard Tournament. I need you to fix something for me."

"Of course, my Lord."

"My most faithful servant..." Voldemort drawled. "Bring him back to me."

He then turned to two men seated next to each other, both avoiding his gaze but aware of his attention directed towards them.

"Jugson, Rabastan," he started. "I want you to follow Lucius. But I have a separate job for you. One that would earn you one of the highest honours in my ranks."

They both turned to him eagerly, "Yes, my Lord?"

"I want you to go back in time, to the year 1981, when I had lost my powers. I want you to visit the home of Harry Potter. And I want you to kill his parents. They were the cause of my downfall, especially his mother. She is your priority. But kill both if you have to. If it weren't for their intervention, my reign would have continued and I would be even stronger than I already am. I have learnt from my mistakes, and I want you to fix what I could not. If you succeed, you will return with the greatest amount of recognition. If not, know that I will not forget nor forgive."

They both nodded furiously. Rabastan's lip curled while Jugson blinked furiously. Again nobody noticed, but Snape had begun to clench his fists, forcing him to hide his hands underneath the table.

Voldemort continued, this time talking to himself, "The time will come when I will take over the world and rule everyone. But to do so, I must fulfill my destiny. I must kill Harry Potter."

Snape didn't look at Voldemort. He sat there staring at the fireplace. He knew what was about to happen. And he needed to make a move. Things have gotten a lot harder and Voldemort had a plan. It was a matter of whether the Order did as well.