Chapter 163
Ten minutes had passed since the strange conversation between Peter the rat and the squirrel.
After learning the location of the dark cave from which that dreadful aura emanated, Peter Pettigrew began to feel movements behind him movements far too silent and deliberate to belong to an animal.
When he turned around, he saw Barty Crouch Jr. slowly walking toward him through the misty undergrowth.
Peter immediately transformed back into his human form.
Barty approached until he was close enough to whisper.
"Peter! Did you manage to speak with any of the creatures here?" he asked eagerly, his voice trembling with anticipation.
Peter nodded gravely. "Yes… yes, I did. And I've found where the Dark Lord is."
The instant those words left Peter's mouth, Barty's entire expression changed his eyes widening, his grin stretching unnaturally wide. His tongue darted out to lick his lips in that eerie habit of his.
He clamped both hands onto Peter's shoulders, nearly shaking him in excitement.
"Where is he?! Tell me, Wormtail! Where?!"
Peter pulled away slightly. "Calm yourself, Junior!"
Realizing his outburst, Barty exhaled sharply, forcing himself to regain composure. "Forgive me… go on."
Peter continued, "Follow me and keep quiet. One of the squirrels told me that there's a dark spirit feeding on unicorns deep within these woods. The other animals are terrified and avoid that place entirely. That must be where the Dark Lord is hiding… inside one of the caves nearby."
As Peter spoke, the two of them moved deeper into the forest.
Before long, they reached a cave whose entrance was wide and shadowy. But what struck them most was the stench a foul, heavy odor of blood and decay, as though the cave itself were breathing death.
Peter gagged, clutching his nose to block the smell.
He turned to speak to Barty only to realize the man was no longer beside him.
Looking ahead, Peter froze.
There, just beyond the cave's threshold, was Barty Crouch Jr., laughing madly as he sprinted forward, shouting at the top of his lungs,
"My Lord! My Lord, I'm coming! You will rise again!"
Without hesitation, Barty charged into the darkness, his laughter echoing off the stone walls.
Peter stood outside, paralyzed with fear. His entire body trembled. The thought of seeing Voldemort again made his heart pound painfully.
But at last, he forced himself to move. Trembling, gasping, he crept into the cave.
Inside, Barty still trembling with manic excitement suddenly froze.
A sound drifted through the darkness: a strange, sickly voice, thick and rasping, as if the speaker were suffering from fever and cold. It was hoarse, dragging, almost whispering through broken breaths.
"...Heh... What… are you doing here… human? Leave… this place… before you end up… like these… rotting corpses…"
The words slithered out from the depths of the cave.
But Barty did not flinch. He didn't even blink.
All he could think about was moving forward finding his master.
He took a single step…
And suddenly a sharp, invisible strike ripped across his chest an advanced Dark curse.
Barty fell hard to the ground, blood spreading across his robes.
Anyone else would have screamed or fled in terror.
But Barty only laughed madly, joyfully.
"Ha… ha ha ha! Only you could wound me like this… my Lord!"
He pushed himself up, still bleeding, clutching his chest to slow the flow.
Behind him, footsteps echoed. Wormtail had finally gathered the courage to enter, his pale face lit by the flickering blue glow inside the cave.
Barty ignored him completely, raising both arms high.
"My Lord Voldemort…! It's me your loyal servant, Barty Crouch Jr.! Do you remember me?!"
A long, dreadful silence followed.
Peter opened his mouth nervously. "Huh? Junior what are you talking about all of a sudden?"
Before he could finish, a chilling, serpentine voice echoed from the darkness weak, yet unmistakably commanding.
"Barty Crouch… Junior…?"
To be continued...