"So, you just abandoned Hogwarts and fled back on your own?"
Voldemort stared at the bowed Snape, a dangerous gleam flickering in his scarlet eyes. Fortunately, he was not foolish enough to seize the opportunity to fly into a rage and kill Snape on the spot.
"Master, the Order of the Phoenix and the Defence Association had long planned their raid on Hogwarts. Our people were caught completely off guard and could not hold them back. I was driven into a corner and only escaped by smashing through a window and jumping out." Snape lowered his head even further, displaying enough humility and respect toward Voldemort to keep him from killing him outright over the wand.
There was no denying that Snape was shifting some of the blame, but his words still left the Death Eaters waiting at headquarters with a sense of foreboding. It was not because Hogwarts had fallen into the hands of the Order of the Phoenix, but because they all understood perfectly well what the Order and the Defence Association's sudden large-scale operation meant.
After a round of hushed whispers, the Meeting Room fell into an eerie silence.
Snape secretly raised his head. Seeing that Voldemort said nothing, he waited a little longer before voicing some of his guesses. "I think today is probably what they mentioned in the broadcast some time ago..."
"Enough!" Voldemort interrupted impatiently.
He truly wanted to find an excuse to kill Snape now. Something major was clearly about to happen tonight, and he needed the Deathstick's power. Yet Voldemort also knew that it would be best not to do so in front of the other Death Eaters, or matters would only become worse.
Just then, someone knocked on the Meeting Room door. Alecto Carro entered from outside. After giving Voldemort, seated