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Chapter 7: Six

Harry let his gaze be drawn up to the apex of the ritual room's high, domed ceiling, along stone ribs cast in eerie shadow by the dim ambient light that emanated from the floor. He had immediately noticed that the air was warmer in here than in the other rooms, for some reason. A faint mist rose from the very middle of the room, disappearing just before it reached the ceiling. Were he not already used to the atmosphere of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, Harry thought he might have been intimidated by the vast room before him, with its still, dry air and the doubled echoes of their steps on the stone floor.

"As is the case with most ritual rooms in Britain," the Dark Lord said, "this space predates the rest of Headquarters by nearly a thousand years. It is contemporary with the Chamber of Secrets beneath Hogwarts." Stepping forward, he gestured to the floor, where Harry now noticed a deep groove cut into the stone: an outline of a circle. "The designers enchanted this stonework to change shape in accordance with all manner of styles, shapes, circles and stars. Restoring the room to its full glory has taken my researchers the better part of three years."

The longer Harry stared at the stones that made up the floor, the more he began to discern patterns cut within the outer circle -- a complicated tangle of lines he could barely see, so close together was each individual 'brick'. "I've never seen anything like this," he said quietly, admiring.

Voldemort seemed to preen slightly at the compliment -- as was his due, Harry thought, when he had something this incredible in his possession. When the Dark Lord swept further into the room, stopping just before the edge of the circle, Harry could just make out the pleased expression on his face. "I mentioned earlier that we would be repeating the rituals from my recent video, in this space. In a few minutes, Augustus and Corban, two of my Unspeakables, will arrive to facilitate both tests in an expanded format. While we wait for them, would you like to help place the first layer of salt?"

Hoping he didn't seem too eager, Harry agreed. He was promptly taught a salt-conjuring spell akin to Aguamenti, and began to walk the circle, pouring salt into the groove as evenly as possible. The Dark Lord watched him work, retreating to the doorway; what little Harry could see of his gaze was assessing, and then, quite pleased, as if he had measured up to expectations. Harry finished the circle just as the doors opened to admit two figures with pale half-masks covering their eyes, robes heavily embellished and glittering in distinct patterns. Voldemort waited until Harry was back at his side to address them.

"Corban. Augustus. This is Assistant, my new employee. We will be testing him this afternoon."

Neither wizard spoke; they bowed their heads in sync. "For esoteric reasons, they are mute outside of ritual circumstances," the Dark Lord explained to Harry in an aside. "You may find it productive to read sign language, to best communicate with them."

"They aren't blind, sir?" Harry thought to ask.

"On the contrary," said Voldemort, his voice airy with mysticism, "their masks allow them to see beyond the scope of the naked eye." A considering expression crossed his face. "In fact, remind me after this to have one made for you."

"Yes, sir."

Beneath his mask, Rookwood suspected his eyes had gone very wide. So this was the source of the magical disturbance throughout the basement: an unmarked wizard of substantial power. The concealing hood Assistant wore disguised his exact magical signature -- as any good disguising artifact ought to -- but the subtle churning of the air around the boy, visible to Rookwood through his mask, was clear indication of his latent ability. The Dark Lord must have recruited -- ahem, employed -- Assistant for precisely this reason.

He knelt beside the salt circle for a moment; the conjured salt tasted of the same power, when he brought a grain to his tongue. A look exchanged with Yaxley told Rookwood the other Unspeakable had come to the same conclusion.