After the event of the meeting between Voldemort and the Death Eaters, the next night passed quietly.

  On the side of the Order of Phoenix, each was doing their assigned task.

  Hagrid left immediately that night. His goal was to meet up with Madame Maxime in France and, together, try convincing the giants to join their side instead of Voldemort.

  The other members of the Order of Phoenix were either searching for clues about Harry's whereabouts or guarding the Department of Mysteries.

  On Voldemort's side, the other Death Eaters were doing their own thing. Each of them was trying their best to please the dark Lord. Macnair, who was working for the Ministry of Magic as an executioner for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, found an excuse for a dangerous magical beast being found in the capital and largest city in Belarus, Minsk.

  He used that opportunity to go meet the Giants under Lord Voldemort's order. But as he was trying to use the pretext of a dangerous creature, he had to wait for all the paperwork at the Ministry to be done, so he could not leave immediately.

  While behind the scenes, so much was going on, the boy who lived, the supposed main character of the story, was still unconscious in the cellar under Lucius Malfoy's Mansion.

  The next afternoon, after a final visit to the Ministry of Magic, Lucius Malfoy returned home bearing some good news. He had a satisfying look on his face, knowing that he had successfully accomplished the task assigned to him by his Lord.

  Coming inside the drawing room, he found Voldemort sitting at the head of the table, as if he were already aware of Lucius's presence and waiting for him.

  "My Lord, I have brought some news," Lucius began, revealing all the information he had been able to collect during the previous night and the morning.

  "Nicolas Falmel and his wife are still alive. They are currently living in Devon, more specifically in the village of Ottery St Catchpole." Lucius felt incredible seeing the smile on Voldemort's face after Lucius told him about their location.

  Wormtail, who had been at the Mansion since the day of the meeting of the Death Eaters, remembered something on hearing the name of the village and decided to inform the Dark Lord. "Ottery St Catchpole, isn't that where the Weasley, Lovegood, Fawcett, and Diggory families live?"

  Voldemort looked at Wormtail and gave him a nod of approval, confirming his information.

  Voldemort, his crimson eyes gleaming with satisfaction, praised Lucius. "Excellent, Lucius, you have done well."

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  Lucius felt delighted. Slowly but surely, he was starting to gain back his Lord's trust. "Thank you, my Lord. I am honored to be of service."

  But just then, as Voldemort was about to continue talking, a sudden agonizing cry echoed through the mansion, disrupting the conversation between Voldemort and Lucius. The sound seemed to emerge from the depths below, resonating with madness and despair.

  "NO... NOO!" The cry, high-pitched and desperate, filled the air before gradually tapering off into a haunting silence.

  Voldemort, his cold expression unaffected, raised a dismissive hand. "Ignore it," he commanded.

  He noted internally to put a silencing charm the next time he visits the cellar.

  Voldemort then turned his attention to Wormtail, who was still standing nearby. "Wormtail," he commanded, "you will play a crucial role in this task. Go undercover, observe Nicolas Flamel and his wife. Report to me any movements, any changes. I need to know everything about them."

  Wormtail, still affected by the chilling cries, nodded vigorously in the Lord's presence. "Yes, my Lord. I shall do as you command."

  Voldemort's tone turned darker as he issued a warning. "Wormtail, any mistake on your part will be met with severe consequences. I do not tolerate incompetence. You are fortunate to be granted this opportunity, so do not squander it."

  Wormtail gulped, the anxiety visible in his beady eyes. "I-I understand, my Lord. I will not fail you."

  The Dark Lord's thin lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Such a task should be easy for a rat like you. Blend in, observe, and report back to me. You don't need to take any risk. Just observe. Who comes to see him? Is there anything that is routine for him?"

  Wormtail nodded again, his eyes darting nervously between Lucius and Voldemort. He knew that failure was not an option. Since the dark Lord returned, Wormtail has been receiving praise upon praise for his action.

  He needed to make sure to complete this new task as per the requirement of Voldemort to remain on his good side.

  Voldemort, satisfied with his instructions, leaned back in his chair. "Go now, Wormtail."

  Wormtail hurriedly left the room, eager to carry out his assigned task. Voldemort observed him until the latter disappeared from view.

  Now, Voldemort's attention was turned towards the painful cry that was heard previously.

  "Oh, Harry, you are now completely under my control."

  ---

  The morning before Lucius returned, Harry Potter was finally awakened after being brought by Voldemort to the Malfoys' Mansion. It seemed that all the accumulated pain had taken a mental toll on Harry, and his body was naturally trying to combat this by falling into an extended, deep sleep.

  Opening his eyes, Harry found it difficult to see his surroundings. At first, he thought that he was still in the completely dark room that Voldemort was keeping him in, but on closer look, he found that the sight was different.

  There was a lamp near, which was the single source of light in the entire cellar. But still, the light emanating from the lamp was so dim that it struggled to pierce the darkness.

  Struggling to sit up, Harry felt a strange sense of freedom. He realized he was no longer bound by the chains that had restrained him. A glance at his wrists confirmed that he was no longer a captive, at least not physically. Harry continued to look in front, the lamp cast his shadow on the floor, a stark silhouette against the dimly illuminated surroundings.

  Just at the end of his shadow, there lay a newspaper, as if intentionally placed there. The print was barely visible in the dim light, but Harry managed to make out the title of the newspaper.

  "DAILY PROPHET"