The Dawn of Darkness || T. Riddle

Chapter 23: Back to Business

"That's exactly what you'll do," Alden replied. "I'm quite certain your leader would expect you to stick to your vows in his absence. Do you want him to think you'd give up on him because he's been gone for a few days?"

Lestrange begrudgingly shook his head. "Well what would he want us to do? Surely he's told you what his next plans are? Let's start working on them now."

There was a chorus of agreement from around the table, but Alden could feel his patience wearing thin with each mumble that escaped the Death Eaters' lips.

"I know nothing of his next move!" He said impatiently. "Do you think he divulges every little detail of his plans to me? I know about as much as the rest of you do!"

Avery leaned forwards once more, smoothing down his ash-blond hair as he did so. "I think he'd want to target Fawley. He's the one who sent the dementors, and I know for a fact Tom wants him punished."

Alden opened his mouth to object when a voice like silver practically stole the breath from his lungs.

"You're quite right, Avery."

All heads turned to see Tom standing in the centre of the archway, his eyes scanning the room as though he was trying to catch any little detail of something that might have changed. Estela was by his side, and Alden's observed the rips and tears in her dress and the several little cuts that adorned her skin.

Where had they been?

"My Lord," said each Death Eater at the table – all except one. And then Tom's hard gaze landed on Alden who was sitting at the head of the table in his throne-like chair.

"My Lord," Alden eventually said, and Tom made towards him. "Welcome back."

His movements were even and fluid, and intimidating to say the least, and the stiffness of his expression unnerved Alden, but he didn't let it show.

Tom came to a halt by his side, and for some strange reason Alden found it difficult to maintain eye contact. "You're in my chair, Viridian."

Alden bowed his head and got up out of the chair, returning to his usual seat to Tom's right. He glanced over towards Estela as he moved. She was still standing in the doorway, leaning against the thick, wooden frame with crossed arms as she observed everything with a steady coolness. She flashed him a brief grin, but for once he didn't return it.

***

Estela watched the transformation happen right before her eyes. The way the table of muddled, disarrayed Death Eaters' almost instantly changed back into their usual smugly composed selves within a few minutes of Tom's return.

She couldn't help but smile to herself as she watched him sitting there in his obsidian chair, commanding such a natural authority with each word and movement. And as always, she was amazed at the way his followers clung onto his every word.

But she couldn't help but cast a curious glance towards Alden, who seemed more distant than usual. Instead of looking towards his leader and listening to what he way saying, or making witty remarks every now and then like he usually did, his head was slightly bowed, and she was sure she saw him quickly clench his fist under the table.

But Estela was instantly snatched away from her thoughts as soon as Tom mentioned the name:

Ethan Fawley.

Tom still believed it was him who planned the dementor attack. And he could never know that it was actually Cassandra Vablatsky who arranged the whole thing as revenge and also to get to her.

She still didn't know what she was going to do about the Cassandra situation. The seer wanted Estela to turn against Tom completely.

To lie to him. To betray him. To destroy him.