Moreover, you had already begun conversing with Weasley so you would not have heard Him to-night. Our Lord taunted me - somewhat humourously, I think, but nonetheless - regarding His savagery a week ago in selecting me to cast the Cruciatus on Bettina in order to assist His spell. (Not the first time I have been so honoured, to be sure.) He expressed His satisfaction with my role to-night, intimating that He had not been certain I could perform the task to His or your standards (as if I would shirk either of you!) because, as He put it, He was all too cognisant of my reservations when He proposed that young Finnigan should cast the spell or wield the knife.

In the discharge of my duties, then, am glad to have impressed Him, at least, and between last week and this, perhaps, proven once again my fidelity as well as my quality. Still, it means that a threat such as Dominic imagines is not outside the realm of possibility, should He take the notion that I or Draco or any of us require a reminder of His dominion.