"What is it, Yaxley? I told you not to come to me unless it's important."
The forest-green Magic Flame had just faded. Standing by the fireplace, Snape glared darkly at his colleague, clearly displeased that Yaxley had summoned him again.
"I never meant to order you around, Severus."
Yaxley gestured for Snape to sit, motioning toward a chair. "I merely wish to relay the Dark Lord's words."
"What does the Dark Lord need me to do?"
Snape frowned slightly as he looked at his high-spirited colleague seated in the armchair.
He knew the Dark Lord had recently been abroad, searching for someone's whereabouts, and apparently with little success.
"The Dark Lord needs you to find Dumbledore's wand." Yaxley conveyed Voldemort's instruction to Snape.
"Dumbledore's wand?"
Snape was utterly baffled by Voldemort's order.
What did Voldemort want with Dumbledore's wand? "Yes. The Dark Lord seems dissatisfied with his own wand. Perhaps he wants to acquire a more powerful one," Yaxley said in a lowered voice, "to deal with that damned Mudblood."
"I won't deny that Albert Anderson deserves caution, but surely he hasn't become important enough for the Dark Lord to take him this seriously?" Snape found it deeply perplexing.
He knew the Dark Lord was wary of Anderson. That man's strength had far surpassed that of an ordinary wizard and was drawing infinitely close to the Dumbledore of old.
The Dark Lord certainly did not want another wizard as powerful as Dumbledore to emerge. Yet pinning his hopes of eliminating Anderson on a powerful wand seemed exceedingly strange, since there had to be better methods.
"I heard the Dark Lord is looking for the Deathstick."
Yaxley deliberately revealed part of the information to Snape.
"What is that?" Snape looked astonished.
Yaxley spread his hands. "I merely act on the Dark