One night, Frank awoke to strange noises in the Riddle House and merely assumed his mind was playing tricks, but the noises continued and Frank decided to investigate.

Once he arrived, he climbed the stairs quietly. On the landing, Frank turned right, and saw at once where the intruders were. Frank edged closer and closer, he was able to see a narrow slice of the room beyond. He then stopped moving and listened intently, for a man's voice spoke within the room, it sounded timid and fearful.

"Where is Nagini?" said the cold voice.

"I don't know, My Lord," said the first voice nervously, "she set out to explore the house, I think..."

"You will milk her before we retire, Wormtail," said the second voice, "I will need feeding in the night. The journey has tired me greatly."

"My Lord, may I ask how long we are going to stay here?"

"A week," said the cold voice, "perhaps longer. The place is moderately comfortable, and the plan cannot proceed yet. It would be foolish to act before the Quidditch World Cup is over."

Frank was puzzled, he had heard the word 'Quidditch' which was not a word at all.

"The Quidditch World Cup, My Lord?" said Wormtail. "Forgive me, but I do not understand, why should we wait until the World Cup is over?"

"Because, at this very moment wizards are pouring into the country from all over the world, and every meddler from the Ministry of Magic will be on duty, on the watch for signs of unusual activity, checking and double-checking identities. They will be obsessed with security. So we wait."

"Your Lordship is still determined, then?" Wormtail said quietly.

"Certainly I am determined, Wormtail."

"It could be done without Harry Potter and the other, My Lord."

"Without the two boys?" breathed the second voice. "I see..."

"My Lord, I do not say this out of concern for them!" said Wormtail. "They are nothing to me, nothing at all! It is merely that if we were to use any other wizard the thing could be done so much more quickly!"

"Could this suggestion of abandoning the plan be nothing more than an attempt to desert me?"

"My Lord! I-I have no wish to leave you, none at all-"

"Do not lie to me!" hissed the second voice. "I can always tell, Wormtail! You are regretting that you ever returned to me."

"No! My devotion to Your Lordship-"

"Your devotion is nothing more than cowardice. You would not be here if you had anywhere else to go. How am I to survive without you, when I need feeding every few hours? Who is to milk Nagini?"

"But you seem so much stronger, My Lord-"

"Liar," breathed the second voice, "I am no stronger, and a few days alone would be enough to rob me of the little health I have regained under your clumsy care. Silence!"

There was a pause.

"I have my reasons for using the two boys, as I have already explained to you, and I will use no other. I have waited thirteen years. A few more months will make no difference. As for the protection surrounding them, I believe my plan will be effective. All that is needed is a little courage from you, Wormtail, courage you will find, unless you wish to feel the full extent of Lord Voldermort's wrath-"

"My Lord, I must speak!" said Wormtail, panic in his voice now. "All through our journey I have gone over the plan in my head. My Lord, Bertha Jorkin's disappearance will not go unnoticed for long, and if we proceed, if I murder-"

"If?" whispered the second voice. "If? If you follow the plan, Wormtail, the Ministry need never know that anyone else has died. You will do it quietly and without fuss. I only wish that I could do it myself, but in my present condition. Wormtail, one more death and our path to them is clear. I am not asking you to do it alone. By that time, my faithful servant will have rejoined us-"

"I am a faithful servant," said Wormtail.

"Wormtail, I need somebody with brains, somebody whose loyalty has never wavered, and you, unfortunately, fulfill neither requirement."

"I found you," said Wormtail.

"That is true. I will allow you to perform an essential task for me, one that many of my followers would give their right hands to perform..."

"R-really, My Lord? What-?"

"Ah, Wormtail, you don't want me to spoil the surprise? Your part will come at the very end...but I promise you, you will have the honour of being just as useful as Bertha Jorkins."

Wormtail's voice suddenly sounded hoarse. "You...are going...to kill me too?"

"Wormtail, Wormtail," said the cold voice silkily, "why would I kill you? I killed Bertha because I had to. She was fit for nothing after my questioning, quite useless."

Out in the corridor, Frank suddenly became aware that the hand gripping his walking stick was slippery with sweat. The man with the cold voice had killed a woman. He was talking about it without any kind of remorse. Frank knew what he must do. Now was the time to go to the police. He would creep out of the house and head straight for the telephone box in the village...but the cold voice was speaking again, and Frank remained where he was.

"With my faithful servant at Hogwarts, they are as good as mine, Wormtail. It is decided. There will be no more argument. Be quiet, I think I hear Nagini."

Then the second man's voice changed. He started making noises Frank had never heard before. Frank heard movement behind him in the dark passageway. He turned to look, and found himself paralysed with fright. Something was slithering toward him, as it drew nearer, he realised that it was a gigantic snake. Horrified, Frank stared as its body cut a wide, curving track through the thick dust on the floor, coming closer and closer. The only means of escape was into the room where the two men sat plotting murder, yet if he stayed where he was the snake would surely kill him.

But before he had made his decision, the snake was level with him, and then, incredibly, it was passing. it was following the spitting, hissing noises made by the cold voice beyond the door, and in seconds, it had vanished through the gap.

There was sweat on Frank's forehead now, and the hand on the walking stick was trembling. Inside the room, the cold voice was continuing to hiss, and Frank was visited by an impossible idea, this man could talk to snakes.

As Frank stood there shaking, the cold voice switched abruptly to English again.

"Nagini has interesting news, Wormtail,"

"In-indeed, My Lord?"

"Indeed, yes," said the voice, "according to Nagini, there is an old Muggle standing right outside this room, listening to every word we say."

Frank didn't have a chance to hide himself. There were footsteps and then the door of the room was flung wide open.

"Invite him inside, Wormtail. Where are your manners?"

Wormtail beckoned Frank into the room. Though still deeply shaken, Frank took a firmer grip on his walking stick and limped over.

"You heard everything, Muggle?" said the cold voice.

"What's that you're calling me?" said Frank defiantly, he felt braver.

"I am calling you a Muggle," said the voice coolly, "it means that you are not a wizard."

"I don't know what you mean by wizard," said Frank, his voice growing steadier, "all I know is I've heard enough to interest the police tonight, I have. You've done murder and you're planning more! And I'll tell you this too," he added, on a sudden inspiration, "my wife knows I'm up here, and if I don't come back-"

"You have no wife," said the cold voice, "nobody knows you are here. You told nobody that you were coming. Do not lie to Lord Voldemort, Muggle, for he always knows."

"Is that right?" said Frank roughly. "Lord, is it? Well, I don't think much of your manners, My Lord. Turn around and face me like a man, why don't you?"

"But I am not a man, Muggle," said the cold voice, "I am much, much more than a man. However, why not? I will face you. Wormtail, come turn my chair around."

Slowly, the small man walked forward and began to turn the chair. Then the chair was facing Frank, and he saw what was sitting in it. His walking stick fell to the floor with a clatter. He opened his mouth and let out a scream. The thing in the chair spoke as it raised a wand. There was a flash of green light and Frank Bryce crumpled. He was dead before he hit the floor.

Just then, a boy named Y/N L/N woke up with a gasp.