Another to read that morning's Daily Prophet was, of course, Riddle.
He found the interview article almost uproariously funny. That Black had lost the Potter fortune was what almost made it so. That he knew it would drive Dumbledore insane made it doubly so. No, the only reason he didn't laugh out loud was due to his Occlumency. No funny article in the Prophet was going to break through that. They were a joke, but a different kind of joke from a funny joke.
It didn't stop him from having a quiet chuckle to himself, though; when no one was in the room with him.
However, he knew he would have to―
"My Lord," called a Death Eater, hurrying forward before dropping to his knees the 'proper' seven feet short of his dais on which his throne sat. "I bring important news."
With a mental sigh, Riddle cast the Cruciatus Curse at the man and held it for all of two seconds.
Releasing it, he said, "You have news, yes. However it is I, Lord Voldemort, who will determine if it is important or not."
After initially collapsing because of the Cruciatus, the wizard quickly scrambled back to his knees and gasped, "Y-yes, my Lord." "Well?" said Riddle. "What is this news you believe is important?"
"My Lord," gasped the wizard. "I believe you will find that the way to find the Peverell Lord is to find the Lovegood chit. My spies in the Alley have informed me the Peverell Lord has been seen in Madam Malkin's with her and been seen entering or leaving Gringotts in her company.
"The only time he is not seen in her company was when he was seen leaving Gringotts while the muggle-loving fool Dumbledore was waiting to confront him. However, after he drove off the muggle fool she was soon at his side again.
"Both were also spotted in the Leaky Cauldron, using the floo together. When I pressed for further information on your behalf, I was also informed it is believed they also arrived by floo together." 'The Lovegood girl, eh?' he thought. 'Interesting.'
Snapping out of musings, he looked down at the wizard and said, "You have done well. I, Lord Voldemort, am pleased with you. Tell Severus I have authorised a dose of the Anti-Cruciatus Potion to aid in your recovery."
"Thank you, My Lord," said the clearly grateful flunky.
Recognising the dismissal for what it was, the minion gingerly climbed to his feet and hurried from the room.
Back on the surface and in the Gringotts Bank banking hall, Harry and Luna were heading for the doors when Luna suddenly stopped. "Oh, dear!" she quietly exclaimed.
Harry stopped, turned back and looked about for what danger she must have seen. The expression of worry on her face showed such existed, somewhere. Stepping in close, he quietly asked, "What is it, Luna?"
She was a moment, seemingly staring out through the double set of double entrance doors, before she just as quietly replied, "There's about to be another confrontation between you, Dumbledore and some idiot members of his Order."
Frowning in anger, Harry was about to storm over to one of the Tellers when she said, "It is not the goblins who are responsible for him being alerted this time, Love."
"Who?" he asked.
"The sales assistant in Madam Malkin's." With Harry being annoyed she explained, "I believe she was likely compulsed to do so, Love."
He nodded and said, "I suppose he's currently laying in ambush again?" "In a way," she replied. "He's actually using the excuse of talking to others, while standing in the Alley, to be where he is."
"Can you tell me how many there are?" he asked.
"Dumbledore and seven others, including Longbottom."
He nodded and said, "I guess I'm going to have to go out there and give him a very public magical spanking again."
"Yes," she nodded. "However, be aware that he is likely to go somewhat dark with his magics, this time. And, this time, those watching need to see him doing it."
"So, you don't want me to take him out, first," he said.
"No," she nodded. "Everyone else is a fair target, though."
"Understood," he nodded. "This time, he's instructed his people to wait until you've stepped off the bottom step before making a move."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, Luna. I think I can use that."
When Harry stepped out of the bank a couple minutes later, he was alone. Luna had returned to one of the Tellers to have them let Ragnok know that a similar situation to two days earlier was about to occur outside the steps of Gringotts with, near enough, the same main players involved.
The Teller looked at her in shock for a moment when, without even bothering to send a note through the magical slot on his counter, he spun away, hopped off his stool and bolted for the doors at the back.
A little amused, Luna put his 'Closed' notice up for him from where it sat aside on the counter between them, before then walking back to the entrance doors.
She made it there just as Harry looked around, looking for threats, before he stepped off the bottom step.
As Harry stepped out through the outer doors of the bank and onto the small portico 'porch' he almost immediately saw Dumbledore standing off to one side of the Alley about thirty yards up and facing in his direction with two others; one he recognised from the back as Daedalus Diggle, somewhat 'shielding' him from being seen by Harry. Already having been alerted to Dumbledore's presence, it didn't work.
He also saw Neville Longbottom standing with him, but turned away and looking in through the window of the shop they were standing near. From the body language, it was apparent Longbottom did not want to be seen as being with the old man. Inwardly, Harry smirked, 'So, what I said a couple of days ago has rung true with 'overly-passive little Neville', has it?'
A quick eye-scan also identified for him a few others of those who were at the ambush a couple of days ago. Two were to his immediate left while another pair were to his immediate right. The two on his right were Remus and Tonks, while the two on his left were Ron and Ginny.
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