The Pureblood Coup

Sheherazade: I don't think I'll be showing Voldemort's reaction to the ripped robes. I'm sure he wouldn't go crazy with anger over that, but he's want to get to the bottom if it, right?


Lilith: Thanks for your review. Hope the chapter below isn't boring.


Continuation of….


Chapter Twelve: Astronomy Domine


Twenty-two of the twenty-five Death Eaters were in a line, each spaced about two yards between each other. All of them systematically tipped their wands at their throats, and muttered the same incantation at once and then slipped their wands back into their front pockets. They all seemed to be waiting for instruction. And then they felt it burn, burning into their left forearms. It was their Dark Marks of course.

Another few seconds went by uneventfully, until music was playing in the ballroom-theater at the end of the cathedral-sized hall. But the Death Eaters did not move. They simply raised their arms at ninety-degree angles and raised their masked heads, as if transfixed by the display above: the artificial spell lights flashing in the ceiling. Lengthy reverberations of a flute-like mournful trill mixed with the consistent beat of a warrior drumming was echoing from somewhere in the ballroom-theater and traveling to be heard throughout the manor.

There was a moment of introduction for the music, as it seemed to rise. And then the most eerie sound issued of all, voices coming through the uniquely masked Death Eaters:


“‘Nox noctis of Resurrectio!’ Night of Resurrection!
‘Sentio! Atrum Vestigiums ardeo!’ Feel! The Dark Marks burn!”


It was the most somber mood, rising to join the music in a hollow wave, every syllable drifting slowly out of their mouths’ with deliberation. And it was spoken in the ancient langauge of Latin, something the Death Eaters knew, as magic-folk in Great Britain are familiar with it. This is for the reason that incantations originate in the Latin language, and at Hogwarts many texts are written in Latin, giving the exceptional student an opportunity to learn the ancient words. The words themselves seemed magical now as if they themselves could be some kind of brainwashing spell.


“’Quaero amo igneus flammas,’” Sear like fiery flames,
“’Ardens nostrum tergum et cruorem,’” Burning our skin and blood,
“’Quam vestrum citatios ero dedecus nobis!’” How your summons shall confound us!


To many of them it all felt very nostalgic. Since the early days, even before the first Wizarding War with Voldemort, Death Eaters had met around the stone circle of Avebury with the Dark Lord for meetings. This location, which is also called Stonehenge is only a few miles from Malfoy Manor, both located in Wiltshire. Latin chants had promoted group solidarity amongst Death Eaters, especially in the earlier days and it stirred very powerful memories for them to hear it now and sing praises in honor of their master. ‘Nox Noctis of Resurrectio’ (Night of the Resurrection) was one of the newly written and memorized ones.

And now the Death Eaters started moving, their footsteps ringing and tramping down in a measured march, heading into a mirage, a mirage as it only appeared to be a sloping floor.

They continued to sing as they moved very rigidly with the sonorous charms on their throats, their voice’s magically amplified into one. The hundreds of guests in the ballroom-theater could certainly hear their voices boom:


“’Oh quid beatus formidino nos estis reddo!’ Oh what blessed fear we are rendered!
‘Ut ex magus plurimus miror’ When from magic moste mysterious,
‘Atrum Dominus orior in altus,’ The Dark Lord ascendeth on high,
‘In suus vox nostrum vita pendeo.’ On his word our lives dependeth.”


The Death Eaters paused for a couple of seconds as they do at the end of every stanza whenever they chant for a formal occasion. They could see the symbol of Salazar Slytherin with the snake Coat of Arms conjured by Voldemort for his speech before. It was still residing high above, above where he had given his speech on the balcony.

And then the beautiful chant was flowing into everyone’s eardrums again:


“’Miror sentio, Vestigiums operor exuro,’ Wondrous feel, the Marks do burn,
‘Per nostrum potens of cruorem id ardeo.’ Through our potency of blood it burneth.”


And of course to this, the Death Eaters were telling of their Pure-blood mania.


“’Mortis eram evinco, et natura vinco.’ Death was defeated, and nature mastered.
“’Meum dominus’s adeptio suus maiestas,’ My lord’s achievement of his greatness.”


And though none of the Death Eaters knew of Voldemort’s horcruxes, except Snape’s educated inference, they had heard him say in the graveyard of Little Hangleton at his rebirthing ceremony, regarding magic and immortality “I who had gone further than any….”

And furthermore, Voldemort had promised those like Macnair new and better victims in the graveyard as well as to reward the Crouches and Lestranges, as in his words, “….beyond their dreams,” once they were free from Azkaban.


“’Lo! Vox of Meum dominus:’ Lo! The word of My lord:
‘Quatenus quo ominis fueram existo fidelis,’ Wherein all hast been loyal,
‘Inde continuo mos existo praemium.’ Thenceforth shall be rewarded.”


And now the front of the procession was coming close to approaching the entrance. The door being a great statue of a naked witch and wizard standing with a snake entwined at their torsos'. Meanwhile, moon rays strayed in from the stain-glass gothic windows in the sides of the hall, shimmering on the floor. Accompanying this was the flashes of artificial spells, sparkling in the windows. The procession continued, seemingly going down into a tunnel. Yet it was actually an optical illusion. This optical illusion in the floor makes it appear like it is curving downward. For the checker black-and-white floor has magic distortion placed on it.

And at the next stanza, they rang with deliberate force to every utterance, as if a holy hymn:


“’Atrum Dominus eros suus vires,’” The Dark Lord shall attaineth
‘Apex of suus vires.’ The zenith of his might.
‘Cunctus occultus facinaoris arrain,’ All hidden deeds arraigneth,
‘Nihilum inultus subsido moror commoror.’ Nothing unavenged remaineith.”


For this deliberate force of wording was necessary because it had finally come true with the Dark Lord’s coup, and thus the greatest peak of his might ever reached.


“’Ad vestrum vocos nunc, nos memoria tunc.’ At your summons now, we remember then.
’Oh nox of noctis of Meum dominus’s resurrectio!’ Oh night of My lord’s resurrection!
‘Meum dominus’s orior: sacer doxa.’ My lord’s ascension: sacred glory.”


Each remained spaced a few yards away from the next as they went slowly like a funeral march, sedate in ceremonial robes. Their uniforms clad them in cloaks of darkness, thus camouflaging them into the surreal darkness of the gorgeous gothic setting of Malfoy Manor. Their homage like monks, satanic monks, singing praises to Lord Voldemort in time to warrior drums sounds issuing the beat. Dark Marks exposed from their open sleeves set at salute, whilst they had been carrying lit torches in their left hands all along, and wearing their tall pointed hats.

The music continued to rise up with an eerie flute-like trilling sound:


“’Nos fluctus nostrum virgas’ prout fidelis proeliators,’ We wave our wands as faithful warriors,
‘Obviam immundus, futurus pulsatus mortuus!’ Against the impure, to be struck dead!
‘Et Dedecus quislibet insultos ad vestrum regno,’ And shame all revilers to your reign,
‘Estis sicut tamen pulvis prisquam ventus.’ They are but dust before the wind.
‘Illud ero decido et existo iaco in ios sepulchrums’, They shall fall and be laid in their graves’,
‘Ios bones eros putesco insideo terra!’ Their bones shall rot inside the earth!”


The music flowed like the wind, creating timeless wonder.

Just as Regulus Black had believed, so do other Death Eaters: that Voldemort could be the one to get the Wizarding population out of an existence in secrecy, it was said:


“’Atrum Dominus of presencia, grandis et atrox,’ The Dark Lord of power, great and terrible,
‘Quem ero liberum nobis ex velieris,’ Whom shall free us from hiding,
‘Per suus misericordia, Meum dominus faveo nos.’ With his mercy, My lord befriendeth us.”


At the conclusion of the stanza above most of the Death Eaters were inside the ballroom-theater by now. Upon entering the ballroom-theater the stage is about ten feet above the floor, so it is a shock once you do turn around and see the full immensity of the room.

As their eyes grew accustomed to the dim lighting of the gigantic oval-shaped, windowless room, they saw guests gradually rising from the rowed seats. All except one was to rise. Lord Voldemort was at the front of the rows decked out on a throne in the very center of the aisle.

The first floor was meant only for dancing, but the Snatchers had conjured comfortable chairs earlier. These Snatchers served as sentinel henchmen standing as security guards during the party, in which there was about fifty of them dispersed throughout the room now. Their job was also to do rote magic like conjure chairs when ordered to and they had broken up the guests' dancing before.

Scabior, the Chief Snatcher who was supposed to be overseeing and commanding the rest of the Snatchers, was instead watching the other Death Eaters in the procession, clad in his magnificent golden Chief Snatcher robes, holding a look of fascinated interest.

Rising above in thin drifts like cirrus clouds of summer, was the incense of sage exuding from somewhere, from where the Death Eaters did not know. The sage was symbolizing the testament to the wisdom of the faithful followers. Furthermore, the oval room had twisted torches against the walls surrounding it, lit by Gabruithian Fire, or eternal fire. This was where Bellatrix had actually gotten the fire for the cauldron in the shrine she had constructed. And on the wooden walls of the ballroom theater was a silver silk coating of an illuminated tapestry with ornate paneling. The Malfoy lineage was depicted along with their Coat of Arms located all over it as a pattern. The illumination of the tapestry in the currently dimly lit room, made the tapestry covering the entire walls glow.

And here in the chant was the Death Eaters’ justification for being Crucioed at times, just like they had been punished during his resurrection:


“’Crimen nam preteritus mendum, nos profiteor,’ Guilt for past mistakes, we confess,
‘Dulcis acerbitas, parco nos,’ Sweet anguish, spare us,
‘Nam illos mereror increpo.’ For those deserved rebukes.”


But now, heads were turning, most eyes watching with mixtures of reverence for the Death Eater in his mask and tall pointed hat at the very head of the procession. This Death Eater was the only one carrying a crescent-curved scythe as if it were the holy staff of the Death Eaters. The black scythe or the Grim-reaper’s tool was being hoisted by none other than the highest-ranking Death Eater: Severus Snape. He held it loftily and with a slant, and he still exposed his Dark Mark, the colour red visible from the recent burning of a summoning. The slant he held it in drew a line between his mask, as if there are two sides to his face, it was like it represented the fact he was playing on both sides. Snape felt his darkest as he carried the archetype of death, the others simply raising lit torches. He was despondent knowing his death would come, bearing the burden of being a double-agent for Dumbledore.


“’Dissolutus et defessus, Meum dominus est quaero pro.’ Weak and weary, My lord is sought.
‘Ferens: gravis of mortalitas.’ The bearings the burden of death.
‘Ero talis infirmitas existo nostrum damnum?’ Shall such weakness be our loss?
‘Nunquam! Nam potissimus est Meum dominus!’ Never! For principled is My lord!
‘Quidnam largiors bravium pro fidelis,’ Who bestows rewards for the faithful,
‘Prius, nox noctis of resurrectio….’ Ere, the night of resurrection….”


And behind Snape, second in line was the surprisingly bold and beautiful soprano of Bellatrix Lestrange trilling. She may not share her sister’s proclivity for dance, but it was now obvious to all that she could certainly sing. Bellatrix approached going down the aisle, her eyes through her mask clasped firmly onto her Lord. Perhaps in this moment she fantasized longingly that she was his bride.


“’Beatus formidine nos palpito ut testimonium:’ Blessed fear we tremble to witness:
‘Secundus adveho of Atrum Dominus.’ The second coming of the Dark Lord.
‘Testimonium exsequor abs oraculum’s praeconor.’ Seen fulfilled by prophecy’s proclamation.”


Although nearly all the Death Eaters did not know any of the contents of the prophecy, they had certainly all heard it existed, and some believed the prophecy would say of Voldemort's second coming, however mistaken they are. But there was indeed a prophecy that Pettigrew would rejoin his master, and would therefore make the Dark Lord rise again.


“’Ad voco iam, Meum dominus, nos memoria tunc.’ At summoning now, My lord, we remember then.
‘Unde vos orior, revenio ad viscus,’ How you rose, returning to flesh,
‘Instar astrums of sadum caelum’. Like stars of the celestial sky.
‘Nos summisses praeconor vestrum laureola…vestrum potentias’. We humbly proclaim your triumphs…your powers.
‘Vos, O, Atrum of caliga, revenio ad sceptrum cum mors mortis.’ You, O, Lord of darkness, rose to rule with death.”


Every last of the twenty-two Death Eaters participating was filed into the ballroom-theater by now, with Snape at the helm coming closer and closer to Voldemort. Their footsteps no longer tramped for they were on a different type of floor now. The floor was Unbreakable glass, with foggy shadows somehow cast by each person standing on it, making it similar to foe glass. The tread of their pomp and circumstance was silent, subduing them in their offerings ever more.


“‘Nequam nostrum invocatio,’ Worthless our invocations,
‘Nam nostrum avidus, Meum dominus,’ Yet for our eager worship, My lord,
‘Ad vostrum dextram laudatio nobis,’ To thy right hand praise us,
‘Prout vostrum summisses vasallus.’ As your humble servants.”


The somber mood pervaded in the music and then the plainsong’s lengthy reverberation of syllables and the resonant mode of the acoustically balanced room created harmony for the music itself.


“’Sino iugis caliga fulsi inesse nobis in vostrum animositas.’ Let perpetual darkness shine within us upon your wrath.
‘Pro eo nos palpito ad vostrum muneris donec mors mortis.’ For we tremble in your service unto death.”


“’Nos ceptum donum vostrum eternus regno, Meum dominus.’ We receive the gift of your eternal reign, My lord.
’Ad vostrum citatios nos summisses profiteor.’ At your summoning we humbly profess.
‘Mugio, nos supplex ad obsequium prae vos.’ Low, we kneel in submission before you.”


There was a drawn-out pause in the singing, but the magical organ music did not cease. Snape stopped before Voldemort’s throne, which had not existed in there before, but had been conjured specially by the Snatchers at Voldemort’s insistent demand.

They were mystified by what happened next: Snape knelt before his master, his left knee on the bottom step of the platform leading to Voldemort’s seat, and his right foot resting on the top step of the raised platform. It was exactly like Voldemort were a king receiving Snape.


“‘Extollo ad maiestas sessio of vox:’ Exalted at the majestic throne:
‘Aspicio! Aspicio! Atrum Dominus!’ Behold! Behold! The Dark Lord!”

And then Snape pressed the skythe or the Grim-reaper’s tool against his forehead tenderly as if a totem, holding it vertically in his fists. By this point, Voldemort was exalted beyond reason, and could easily be thought of as the king to an outsider. But was more accurately, being treated exactly like an exalted god of war.

With a final ghostly echo of notes, the ancient-like song ended. The organ pipes on the stage above, from which the Death Eaters had entered from under the stage, stopped playing. The fragrance stopped issuing from under the pipes, in which there was clear liquid-filled cymbals filled with incenses.

There was a startling silence in the huge room, than can seat up to ten thousand people on the higher levels, not to mention the ballroom floor, with the stage above the floor.

Meanwhile, Snape waited kneeling, for all the Death Eaters to halt. Once they were done lining up, the Death Eaters faced the crowd, thus away from the stage, standing before front-row seats, nearby Voldemort’s throne in the aisle, facing Voldemort’s face. On the immediate left, next to the aisle, Lucius Malfoy and his son, Draco were already seated close to Voldemort. Yet because they were not clad in the uniform, they had an excuse to abstain, but neither had seemed to care whether or not Voldemort complained about their missing involvement in the respects. Voldemort had already disrespected and wrecked their own property quite enough.

And then, intentionally Snape looked up imploringly as if towards the heavens, his black eyes roving straight up, in line with the scythe, yet there was a pained expression on his face. The Death Eaters copied Snape, throwing their heads back like they did at the start of the chant, gazing towards the heavens. Everyone eventually followed suit looking up at the ceiling, even Voldemort. Above them was a miraculous sight, a rotating annual constellation map of the celestial sky, all lit up. It was meant to represent a twilight darkness of the afterlife. The wizards in a night time afterlife with Taurus, Aries, and everything else mapped up there. Like Wizards could control the heavens themselves when they were died.

Snape finished the supplication, after a short moment, turning his eyes away from beauty, and bowing his head to death. Then Snape, laid down the scythe, upon his right knee, and then lowered it to the floor, keeping his head bowed respectfully. Voldemort couldn’t help by this point, but have a crease of pleasure at the corners of his mouth.

And then Snape mumured, now that his potential “weapon” was laid to rest, “Hail the Dark Lord.”

And then they were all looking back at Voldemort, and the Death Eaters at once chanted, “Hail the Dark Lord,” as they looked in Voldemort’s direction, and almost immediately most of the crowd, all standing mimicked them.

And Voldemort, not showing any obvious delight at all for this treatment, merely nodded curtly to Snape’s bowed head, and poked his wand over him, vanishing the crescent-curved scythe. It had taken over a quarter of an hour to finish the ritual that resembled a Cult at Black Mass, the Death Eater’s traditional ceremonial procession.

Snape rose slowly from his submissive posture and then calmly walked to Voldemort’s immediate right, in which the seat was feet away from Voldemort’s throne. Once Snape sat down, the Death Eaters finally sat, as the guests returned to their seats.

Three hundred well-connected witches and wizards had remained out of the original number of over four hundred. Plus there were also twenty-five Death Eaters, and fifty of the Snatchers and of course, Lord Voldemort. The multiple, elevated rows were filled with Snatchers standing as guards, inside mist-like, shadowy, arched alcoves. Hawk-like they stood looking down upon the scene below.


Note: I am not a Latin scholar or whatever....I spent hours working the translation...it is not exactly right, unfortunately. I have to figure out the correct grammar and tense and plurals for it later. The chant idea partially came from Gregorian Chant, called Dies Irae, which is "Judgement Day."
The next scenes are even more exciting and details remain awesome!