London, a church near the outskirts.
Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting a riot of strange colors across the floor.
"Urgh... ah..."
A massive cross, taken down from beneath the roof, floated in the air inside the church. The priest hung upside down from it, groaning in pain.
Where the pulpit had once stood, there was now only a huge armchair upholstered with red cushions.
Voldemort reclined in the chair, surrounded by several hooded Death Eaters who paid no attention to the cross overhead.
Instead, they prostrated themselves around him in fearful submission:
"Master... do you truly intend to use the base blood of a Muggle for your rebirth?
"That... that would taint your..."
Voldemort lazily opened his eyes a fraction. His scarlet eyes gleamed in the sunlight with a heart-stopping light.
"Bellatrix... do you think so too?"
Bellatrix let out a shrill laugh, staring mockingly at her "companions" sprawled on the floor:
"Master, your power has already transcended all bloodlines... your will is the supreme law. What you use depends solely on your own wishes.
"Even Muggle blood would be ennobled by your choice!"
"Bellatrix... you remain as loyal as ever. I like your answer very much..."
Voldemort smiled in satisfaction. He closed his eyes again, his voice soft yet clearly audible within the unusually shaped chapel:
"Go, my servants... prepare what we need for the ritual."
The Death Eaters backed out of the church with their heads bowed. The heavy wooden doors shuddered as they slammed shut, and sunlight passing through the dust in the air formed distinct shafts of light.
An enormous snake slithered out of the shadows in a corner and coiled around the back of the chair, basking in the warmth of the sunlight with her master.
"Nagini... yes, you smelled that sickening stench