Silence prevailed across the Wizengamot after Antonio's declaration. No one knew how to respond.
Albus Dumbledore, like many others, wore an expression of deep contemplation. He had never been fooled by the Death Eaters' ideology. He was well aware of their fake mask, the truth and what they wanted.
Everything Antonio had just said, Dumbledore had thought about long ago. Knowing that the leader of the movement, Voldemort himself, was a half blood made it even more obvious how hollow and fabricated the ideology truly was. It was nothing more than a mask, an excuse crafted to seize, consolidate, and wield limitless power.
Tom had always lived in illusions, and given the brutality of his childhood, his desire to rule Wizarding Britain with absolute impunity was not surprising. Tom was crooked in his own ways and he had been pushed in complete darkness. There was no compassion or humanity left in that man. He cared for no one, not even for his greatest supporters. Everyone was only meant to serve him. To show servitude before him.
Even so, Albus Dumbledore found himself intrigued. Not because the ideas were new, but because someone else in this hall was willing to speak them aloud. Someone was thinking on the same line as him.
"But their ideology," Antonio continued, his voice steady, "is not the only myth they have managed to spread among our people."
A ripple of attention moved through the chamber.
"In these past few months, they have crafted another myth. One even greater and more important than the lie of their so-called ideology."
He drew in a breath and declared, "The myth of their invincibility. The myth that they cannot be defeated. That they are very powerful and people cannot even stand up to them."
"The myth that they are powerful wizards led by a powerful man," he boomed, his voice powerful, resonant and sharp. "A man they call the Dark Lord."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. The members of the Wizengamot were shifting nervously in their seats. The mere mention of the Dark Lord had made them uncomfortable.
"Are the Death Eaters truly invincible?" he asked. "I think I need not elaborate."
"In the past days alone, that myth has been shattered," he continued. "I killed several of them when they ambushed me in my own home. Lord Bones killed more than half a dozen when they broke into his."
"They are not invincible."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes sweeping across the hall.
"But look at their response. Look at their shamelessness, their cowardice."
"What did they do?" he snapped. "Did they attack the Ministry? Did they strike at powerful leaders? Did they dare confront anyone capable of fighting back? Did they dare to direct their revenge against me?"
"No." His words echoed in the hall. He let the word echo as he paused for a couple of moments.
"They chose the most cowardly path imaginable. Two dozen Death Eaters attacked Hogsmeade. They are trying to proclaim it as a great victory. That it was an attack so close to Hogwarts, under Albus Dumbledore's very nose."
A lot of eyes shifted towards Albus Dumbledore who continued sitting on his seat with hardly any change in the expression on his face.
"But no. What they attacked was not a strategic target. It was not an institution of power. They attacked a place where children had gathered. Children who had not even graduated from Hogwarts."
"Grown men terrorizing children," he thundered, "and they dare call that a victory. They dare to portray it as their invincibility."
"If they were so brave, why did they flee the moment Hogwarts professors arrived? Why did they scatter after mere minutes? Why did they not stop to face the likes of Professor Minerva McGonagall or Professor Filius Flitwick?"
"Because they are cowards. A band of spineless wizards hiding behind masks and shadows."
"That they are invincible," Antonio declared, "is the greatest myth of all."
"I will say once again that they are cowards."
"Now," Antonio sighed, his voice back to calm, "while what I have spoken may sound sufficient, it is not sufficient."
"There is an elephant in the room which must be addressed. We cannot continue to ignore that fat and massive elephant sitting in the room with us."
As Antonio said this, there were little murmurs in the Wizengamot. A feeling of dread spread over them, for they could guess the direction in which Antonio was moving.
"Who am I talking about? Many of you might have guessed, and you have guessed correctly."
"I am talking about the Dark Lord, the person whose name people are afraid even to utter."
"Voldemort," he boomed, and many lords and people sitting in the visitors' gallery felt a chill run down their spines. Sweat appeared on their foreheads, and the hands of many were trembling.
"Why is it so hard to take his name?" he questioned. "Is he a great and powerful wizard? What has he even achieved apart from fooling a bunch of people with his fake ideology?"
"Who is he even? He talks so much about pure bloods. What family does he belong to?" Antonio questioned, and the expression on Dumbledore's face finally changed. There was no way Antonio could know Voldemort's identity.
"Is he a descendant of Slytherin? But from which family? There could be a dozen families who could claim to be descendants of Slytherin. And if he is really the heir of Salazar Slytherin, why has he not claimed the Slytherin lordship?"
"I will not go more into it," he said, and Dumbledore took a sigh of relief. "It is for Voldemort to answer. To show that he really is a descendent of Salazar Slytherin."
"But is he really as powerful as he claims to be?" he said, an expression of disdain crossing his face. "Then what deed of power has he done?"
"Why does he not even dare to show his face in public? Why is he hiding in some run down place? Maybe in a castle, so afraid to come out even for the sunlight."
"Voldemort lives a life of cowardice, a life of being a rat and calls him the most powerful wizard," he said and the Wizengamot was completely silent. No one was even daring to breathe too loud.
Antonio paused, took a deep breath. He let the silence prevail in the hall.
"Voldemort," he said. "If you are really powerful then I challenge you."
The entire council held its breath. Was Lord Olario going to issue a challenge to Voldemort?
"I challenge you to attack Headmaster Albus Dumbledore," he said, shocking the council. Dumbledore's mouth opened wide in shock. Antonio had just issued a challenge in his name. What was Antonio even thinking?
"Defeat Headmaster Dumbledore and let me alone, the entire Wizarding Britain would accept your power."
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