Things had not gone as well as he had expected during his last meeting with those selected few in the forbidden forest of Hogwarts. By this time, he was sure Dumbledore would know of his plan to get inside the castle, even if the reason why still eluded the grand manipulator. While the dark wizard had been furious with young Silas in his lapse of judgement to call a meeting with the Headmaster for curiosity's sake, Tom saw advantage in killing the boy just yet. So he had allowed him to live, and removed him from the plan entirely before he could cause further damage.

The boy's cousins were another problem altogether. They had become untouchable that very same night, and he had walked into that trap himself. He was not sure if he felt more pride or anger because of the fact that his niece had managed to outplay him that night in the forest, even with all the crucios he had made her endure out of pure spite. The man had his sanity, but he also still had his anger. She was protected by their original agreement, and she managed to back him into a corner with that. Now they were at an agreement where those who answered to her and Potter were also protected from sudden death, as well as from being marked. Needless to say, Tom was sure he was justified in a few well aimed crucios after that had sunk in.

Still. Rumors reached his ears, and the Dark Lord was not sure which ones he found the most disturbing. It could be bet upon however that he would get the truth. Once he was inside the castle and had things prepared he would get the truth one way or the other and find a way to get his niece under control and bend to his will. He had a few ideas on how to accomplish that but each seemed more drastic than Tom would care to admit. He was still considering these things as he prepared to finally enter the castle via the secret passage the young Malfoy and one of the Lestrange twins had managed to create with the help of the room Tom knew from his own days at school.

He apparrated to the shrieking shack, along with 5 of his death eaters. He had already stressed to them beforehand that this was not an attack, and they were only along for help with wandwork. He led the way in and through the passage, and like he had been since regaining his grip on sanity, Tom was cloaked in a glamour that hid his true form and replaced it with the man he would be. What was more was that in an effort to blend in the dark wizard had opted for a tuxedo suit with a long black cape and a white half-mask on his face. The Phantom of the Opera was one of the few things muggle he liked and it made a good costume that suited his needs. His death eaters were in their black robes and masks under his orders. It was Halloween, after all.

The plan worked as well as was expected for once and he led the way through the castle considering rewards for the boys who had pulled through on their mission so well. He was headed toward a certain bathroom along with his faithful servants to get them started on the project when screams of terror reached echoed up the staircase that he knew for a fact led to the entrance hall of the castle. He moved forward toward the stairs and down them and paused to grasp the situation. Massive spiders were scurrying everywhere, pouring into the great hall where the actual students no doubt were if the screaming and flashes of spells was anything to go by.

"Change of plans. We deal with this first. Kill the acromantulas. Do not harm a single student unless you are ready to give up your life." Tom hissed out directions, frustrated to have to change his plan. This was Dumedore's doing, he knew. The man was up to something big. An army of giant spiders was too big a distraction for any small plan. "Find those we're here for and keep them safe. Signal me if you find my niece before I do." Tom led his death eaters into the attack, blasting the mass of spiders that blocked the way into the great hall so that they could enter. Once inside, he began throwing killing curses with precision at the spiders, jets of bright green light spitting from his wand as he aimed it at the spiders in full attack. There would be no dead students on his hands tonight.