Mrs. Longbottom stepped forward. "Oh, Dumbledore, please sit down. It would be terribly rude of us not to look after our guest."
"Augusta, you're always so gracious. I hardly deserve it." Dumbledore sat down and sighed. "I failed Frank and Alice."
"Professor, it wasn't your fault," Frank said, shaking his head. Alice added, "No one could have predicted what the Death Eaters would do. They're all mad."
Malfoy Manor.
Lucius strode past the flowerbeds with a grave expression and entered the doorway leading to the Hidden Chamber where Voldemort waited. Draco, following behind him, looked terribly nervous.
Lucius stopped to straighten his son's clothes. "Draco, as a member of the Malfoy family, you mustn't lose your composure like this."
Draco took several deep breaths and nodded, but he still looked pale. Of course he was nervous. He was a spy in the truest sense.
And if anyone discovered that, whatever happened to him would be the least of his worries. His parents might suffer for it, and that was the last thing he wanted.
His father, Lucius, knew nothing about any of this, so naturally he dared bring Draco before Voldemort. How could he know what his son was facing?
A few minutes later, Lucius pushed open the door to the Hidden Chamber and dropped to one knee the moment he entered. "Master, your loyal servant awaits your orders."
Behind him, Draco followed suit, kneeling on one knee and lowering his head.
The place looked much as it had before. Piles of books rose into hills and towers, dividing up the chamber. Voldemort sat at the far end, with several open books spread across the table before him.
A few odd-looking little objects also sat beside the books. It was hard to tell what they were.
How Voldemort managed