Shadows Draw Near

In the stillness of night, a sharp crack suddenly rang out. A cloaked figure appeared out of thin air, seemingly carrying something in his arms. He strolled down the path and finally stopped before a large house.

Ding-dong!

The doorbell rang.

"Damn it, who's calling at this hour?"

Having been woken in the middle of the night, Crouch was in a foul mood. The moment he twisted open the door, the astonished expression on his face froze completely. He saw a dead man standing there, holding an ugly infant in his arms. The infant was pointing a wand at him.

"Imperius Curse!"

A hoarse voice sounded beneath the night sky.

Struck by the Imperius Curse, Crouch wiped the expression from his face and stepped aside as though nothing had happened, allowing the people outside to enter as if welcoming long-unseen guests.

Peter quickly found the unconscious Little Barty. He had been hidden in an extremely secluded place, covered by a rather high-quality Invisibility Cloak.

Voldemort raised his wand, waking the still-unconscious man before him and lifting the Imperius Curse from him.

Little Barty opened his eyes and looked suspiciously at the unfamiliar man before him. His gaze fell on his father beside him, startling him, before shifting to the infant in the man's arms. His mind was a complete mess.

"It's me. I've returned."

"Master, you came to save me, to save your most loyal servant." A brilliant smile appeared on Little Barty's face. "I knew you weren't dead. This is wonderful, wonderful."

"All right, Little Barty. Sit down."

Voldemort had Old Barty leave the living room. Looking at his faithful servant, he said hoarsely, "I have not yet fully regained my former strength. I now have a plan, and I need a loyal, dependable servant to carry it out