The Death Eaters gathered at Malfoy Manor, their cloaks swirling in the dimly lit hall. In their hands were the bags of galleons looted from various vaults in Gringotts. Voldemort's red eyes scanned the piles as he counted the coins.
"Four hundred million galleons," Voldemort murmured, nodding with approval. "Not bad."
He paused, then turned to his subordinates. "And the Veylorn family's vault? Where is it?"
The Death Eaters opened the bag they had stolen from the Veylorn vault and dumped its contents onto the floor. Nothing. The bag was completely empty. Their expressions froze in shock.
One by one, they rushed to check the other vaults they had looted. They found the contents intact for most families—but Malfoy, Carrow, Yaxley, Nott, Parkinson, and the Valvas vaults were all empty.
The room erupted in whispers. Voldemort's face darkened. "Who… who stole the galleons? And the Veylorn and Valvas money?"
The Death Eaters exchanged uneasy glances. They reported, "My Lord, no one is missing. Everyone returned to their places. The looted vaults were emptied without anyone being caught."
Voldemort's anger surged. "Impossible. Someone came, took the money, and left without leaving a trace?"
The Death Eaters nodded. "We investigated, My Lord. After tracking the movements, the trail leads to Knockturn Alley."
Voldemort's serpentine eyes narrowed, and his mind raced. "Knockturn Alley… someone anticipated my move. Someone clever… someone bold."
He paused, his memory scanning for potential culprits. Then his lips curled in a dangerous sneer. "It must be Cassian Veylorn. He anticipated the looting and seized the money before we could claim it."
The Death Eaters bowed slightly. "Yes, my Lord. That is the only possible suspect."
Voldemort's voice dripped with venom. "Then find him. I want that money… and I want answers. Whoever did this will pay dearly."
The room fell silent. The realization settled over them: someone had outmaneuvered Voldemort himself, and the mastermind's identity was still unknown to them.