A dozen or so Death Eaters knelt in the middle of the aisle, their masks removed. The highest-ranking among them was the Werewolf Leader, Fenrir Greyback.
Half the other deserters were werewolves who served as his trusted followers.
Shawn gave them a cursory glance and found nothing surprising. Ungrateful beasts who would bite the hand that fed them-the phrase suited these evil werewolves, who had little humanity left.
He surveyed the Death Eaters' reactions again. Plenty remained defiant; they were merely keeping it under wraps for now.
Even more were watching and waiting, presumably for Tom's return.
So even my noble status as a Black and my ability to match Dumbledore aren't enough to keep them in line?
After weighing his options, he decided he could only reveal another of his identities. He addressed the Death Eaters in an indifferent tone.
"A few of you, use Serpensortia. Summon a hundred venomous snakes!"
The new Dark Lord's first order was so bizarre that no one could make sense of it. Was he planning to have the snakes bite those deserters?
Whatever his intentions, plenty were willing to help. Many Death Eaters began casting "Serpensortia!" amid a series of swishing sounds.
It took less than a minute.
Over a hundred venomous snakes in all sorts of colors slithered in a dense mass before the kneeling deserters. Their slick bodies tangled together as they flicked their tongues and hissed incessantly.
Anyone with a fear of snakes or tightly packed clusters really couldn't bear to look at this. (Even the author didn't dare describe it in detail. It was too creepy.)
Sure enough, the sight of what looked like a snake pit frightened many of those kneeling into wetting themselves.
The Death Eaters controlling the snakes watched Shawn excitedly, waiting for the Dark Lord