---
Chapter 719: The Blood of the Dark Lord!!
Darren's strategy worked.
For the first day or two, he neither ate nor attended classes, and no one really paid attention to him.
At most, someone kicked his door a few times and shouted for him to come out and eat.
Then they left him alone again.
The Death Eaters clearly believed that once Darren got hungry enough, he would eventually come out on his own.
But by the third day—
Then the fourth—
They began to panic.
If they hadn't been able to confirm through surveillance that Darren was still alive, they probably would have broken down the door and force-fed him already.
By the fifth day, Voldemort finally remembered him and asked about him casually.
When he learned that Darren had not eaten for five days—though still alive—the Dark Lord's expression darkened immediately.
He severely punished the Death Eaters responsible for watching him.
Snape stood quietly to one side and added in a calm voice,
"I had intended to report it earlier, my Lord.
But the Carrow siblings seemed to believe that if Potter starved to death, they would conveniently solve the problem for you."
"We didn't!"
"Master, we are loyal!"
The Carrow siblings screamed.
At that moment they were already writhing under the Crucio Curse.
When Voldemort finally ended the torture, he spoke coldly.
"Use whatever methods you must.
Darren Potter must return to normal life."
His red eyes glowed dangerously.
"If he dies—and ruins the Dark Lord's plans—then all of you will die as well.
Get out."
The Carrow siblings scrambled away.
Only Snape and Bellatrix remained.
Bellatrix looked uneasy.
During the past few days, Snape had not yet found the chance to report what she had done.
And she couldn't very well confess it herself.
So she had managed to remain safe.
But now Voldemort was here.
Bellatrix kept glancing nervously at Snape, silently hoping he would simply forget.
Unfortunately, Snape showed no sign of doing so.
However, he didn't accuse her directly.
Instead, he looked at Voldemort and asked calmly,
"My Lord, I must admit I do not understand something.
Why does Darren Potter receive such preferential treatment?"
"You know as well as I do that he is already beyond persuasion.
Dumbledore filled his head with the idea of defeating you."
Voldemort raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Severus.
You are honest.
More honest than the rest of my Death Eaters."
He smiled faintly.
"Many of them have wondered the same thing.
But only you dared to ask."
Snape immediately showed an expression of gratitude.
A hint of pride flashed across his face.
"I merely did what a loyal servant should do."
"Exactly," Voldemort said approvingly.
"That is what a truly good servant does."
Bellatrix felt jealousy stab through her.
If she had known that would earn praise, she might have asked directly as well.
Voldemort ignored her completely.
He stepped closer to Snape, his eyes gleaming like a snake's.
"Darren Potter… is the Dark Lord's mistake."
Snape looked stunned.
"The Dark Lord made an error," Voldemort continued.
"One that he regrets slightly.
The Dark Lord… spoiled his mother."
His voice remained calm.
"The blood of the great Slytherin was stained with the filth of a Muggle."
Snape's expression twisted with horror.
Bellatrix's face turned pale with disbelief.
"But these things," Voldemort said smoothly, "can be corrected."
"As long as the Dark Lord kills Harry Potter…
Darren Potter's blood will be purified.
The impure mixture will be erased.
And his bloodline will belong solely to Slytherin."
Snape looked both horrified and shaken.
Bellatrix whispered in disbelief,
"My Lord… are you certain?"
Voldemort turned his red gaze toward her.
Even Bellatrix shivered under it.
"Bella.
Are you questioning the Dark Lord?"
"Bella would never dare!" she said hurriedly.
Voldemort watched her for several seconds before speaking again.
"Go and apologize to him.
You offended him once before.
The Dark Lord will forgive that mistake."
Bellatrix immediately dropped to her knees.
"Thank you for your mercy, my Lord!"
Voldemort then turned back to Snape.
"Severus.
Do you still have any objections?"
Snape quickly shook his head.
"I was merely shocked by the news.
I never imagined Darren Potter possessed such a… noble bloodline."
Voldemort laughed loudly.
"Even the Dark Lord did not expect it.
But Merlin clearly favors me.
He has granted the Dark Lord an heir."
His expression grew thoughtful.
"Before, the Dark Lord never understood Dumbledore's obsession with love.
But now…
I understand it slightly."
He smiled coldly.
"And someday Dumbledore will understand that the Dark Lord was stronger than him all along."
"May you achieve your great ambition, my Lord," Snape said loudly.
Voldemort laughed again.
"Of course.
But this matter is not to be spread.
Those loose-tongued fools are unworthy of knowing.
The Dark Lord's blood currently stands among the Order of the Phoenix.
For now, the world does not need to know."
His gaze sharpened.
"The Carrow siblings will also learn this truth.
Although they have already humiliated the Dark Lord's blood.
Still…
The Dark Lord will allow them the chance to serve their future young master."
"Yes, my Lord."
"Understood."
Snape and Bellatrix both bowed.
---
Meanwhile—
Harry and the others continued their life on the run.
Their situation grew worse each day.
They were hungry.
They constantly had to move.
Death Eaters seemed to find them everywhere.
More than once they nearly ran straight into a patrol.
Hermione, however, was holding up fairly well.
Knowing Darren was still alive had steadied her greatly.
She kept saying Darren would find a way out.
And she repeated his words often.
"As long as we're alive, there's hope."
Harry was managing too.
Growing up with the Dursleys had prepared him for hunger and cold looks.
Though he had never been hungry for this long before, he could endure it.
Ron, however, struggled.
Despite their family's lack of wealth, Mrs. Weasley had always taken good care of him.
He was used to warm meals three times a day.
Used to great cooking.
The miserable food Hermione managed to prepare was barely edible to him.
And when Ron had to wear the Horcrux—
While already hungry—
His temper grew even worse.
He began repeating the same complaints.
"Where exactly are we going?"
"Do we even have a plan?"
"What are we actually supposed to do?"