Jenna and Amycus Carrow walked down the long lane which was bordered by wild brambles, their long black cloaks flapping around their ankles as they marched through.
"Let's hope we're not late," Amycus grumbled, and even though he was trying to keep his voice firm and stern, Jenna could still sense the fear in his tone.
As they passed the enormous iron gates, Jenna drew out her wand automatically as she heard a sudden rustle somewhere ahead. But she lowered her arm again when she saw that it was just a pure-white peacock, strutting majestically along the top of the hedge.
She quickly put her wand back in her cloak, throwing a sideway glance at Amycus to check if he had notice her strange behavior and her shocked reaction. But thankfully, he seemed too lost in his thoughts while he walked, never breaking his step as he breathed in and out heavily.
Jenna could tell that he was scared to be in the presence of the Dark Lord, and truth to be told, so was she. She had never seen him up-close, but had seen him in Alecto's memories in Dumbledore's Pensieve. Jenna only had gotten a small glance of Voldemort, because Alecto always had her gaze down, avoiding looking up at him.
Perhaps Alecto had been scared that Voldemort might've tried to look into her eyes and use Legilimency against her. But Jenna didn't have to worry about that part, having mastered Occlumency in the past.
As they carried on down the lane, their vision was obscured by the fog sure surrounding them, though the handsome manor house stood clear at the end of the straight drive, lights glinting in the diamond-paned downstairs windows through the darkness of the night.
Once they approached the large front doors into the Malfoy Manor, the doors swung open magically at their sight and as soon as they walked inside, they closed shut behind them.
Jenna glanced around the large and dimly lit hallway which was sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering most of the stone floor. As they passed, the pale eyes of the people inside the portraits on the walls followed the two down the hall.
Jenna didn't know where she was going, so she just followed Amycus side-by-side, until they came to a halt at a heavy wooden door leading into the next room.
Amycus took a deep breath before turning the bronze doorknob and opening the door, revealing a room full of luxurious furniture, where a circular table was set with ten chairs around it, yet only six people were sitting behind it.
At their entrance, the six Death Eaters suddenly fell silent and looked up at the doorway sharply, but when they saw Alecto and Amycus Carrow, they looked slightly more relieved.
Although, there was only one person who looked disappointed that it wasn't the Dark Lord who had arrived. Jenna immediately recognized her as Sirius's cousin whose wanted poster was all over the Daily Prophet.
Bellatrix Lestrange.
The two lingered for a moment on the threshold so their eyes could get used to the room's lack of light, until a man with pale face and blond hair around the table said, "Amycus, Alecto. Finally... Please, do join us."
Jenna realized that he was none other than Lucius Malfoy, who had also married into the house of Black. So the brother and sister waled in as Malfoy gestured them politely at two empty seats behind the round table.
As they took their seats and joined the rest of the Death Eaters, Jenna silently took a quick glance around to see who was present.
Other than Lucius and Bellatrix, there was Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange, Avery, and Travers. Jenna had already met Avery at school, on numerous occasions in which they had duels in the corridors.
She remembered the beginning of her fifth year, how him and Rosier had cornered her in the dungeons. But Sirius had somehow showed up and Stunned the two Slytherins, landing them both in detention. Jenna wanted to smile at the memory, but held herself back and just let her mind wondered freely for a few moments longer.
There was now two more empty seats left around the table, one than Jenna assumed belonged to Voldemort and the other, probably another one of his loyal Death Eaters.
"Wouldn't the others be joining us?" Jenna asked casually in Alecto's cold voice, trying to get more names of the Death Eaters.
"What do you mean?" Amycus snarled. "It's always only us."
"I know," Jenna said sharply, trying to regain herself, "I'm just asking why he never allows the rest to join the meetings."
"Isn't it obvious?" said Trevors with a sneer. "He doesn't trust them enough."
"Well, he doesn't trust us enough either," said Rabastan bitterly as he grimaced.
"What do you mean?" Jenna asked coldly.
"He doesn't even tell us who the other Death Eaters are or what's he planning on doing," Rabastan continued.
Jenna took aback at the first half of what he had said. So no one knew specifically who the Death Eaters were?
"Well, he's got a good reason to, so shut your filthy mouth!" Bellatrix snapped defensively. "It's smart to keep the Death Eaters' identifies from one another. So unlike in the Order, if we have a snitch, they wouldn't be able to betray all of us; only a few unfortunate ones that they know of."
But just then, they all abruptly fell silent as the doors to the room swung open. They all looked relieved at the new arrival, but Jenna's eyes widened as she saw Severus Snape walking in.
She knew Snape must've become a Death Eater after school, because of his fascination of the Dark Arts. But she never thought he would be in Voldemort's inner circle. Snape had seen Jenna before on many occasions. What if he recognized her wand? What if he figured out who she really was?
"Severus." Lucius Malfoy nodded at him. "You're late."
"I've got here before the Dark Lord," said Snape in his cold voice as he took his usual seat. "Therefore I am not late."
They all fell silent again, glancing at the clock in the room every once in a while anxiously, awaiting their master's arrival.
But a feeling of cold swooped in the room as the door swung open at last and a dark figure walked inside, his eyes red and his face pale and deadly.