Chapter 319: Resurrection
Chapter 319: Resurrection
"Master, I have delivered Harry Potter to you", Barty Crouch Jr. said in a tone that mixed humility with fanaticism, bending his waist so deeply that he looked like a shrimp. If Voldemort were standing there, he would have kissed his feet without hesitation.
"Very well. You will receive a reward beyond your wildest dreams", the snake-faced infant hissed, sounding just like a snake. "Take me to him, let me see our guest."
Barty Crouch Jr. took the infant Voldemort without hesitation. A gust of wind blew off the hood of the short wizard, revealing a lecherous face. Indeed, Peter had escaped from Azkaban and sought out Voldemort.
The bundle containing Voldemort was raised in front of Harry, and another hissing sound came from inside.
"What a magnificent catch. We have prepared for this for half a year. Fortunately, our timing was perfect, and we achieved our goal without any unexpected difficulties", Voldemort mused.
Suddenly, Voldemort's voice turned cold. "What are you waiting for now?"
Hearing this, Peter quickly hunched over and left, returning a moment later with a heavy stone cauldron from behind a small mound. The cauldron was brimming with a potion, and the sound of liquid sloshing could be heard as he moved it. The potion, made from a large quantity of expensive ingredients, was as clear and transparent as water. If this cauldron of elixirs were to be ruined, even Voldemort himself would need at least three months to make another, not counting the time spent gathering the materials.
After placing the cauldron in position, Wormtail waved his wand over the bottom. Suddenly, crackling flames sprang up beneath the cauldron. The rare and expensive potion quickly boiled with the help of the flames, its surface bubbling wildly and occasionally spitting sparks as if it were on fire. The surrounding steam grew thicker, blurring Wormtail's figure as he tended to the flames. The sharp, cold voice came through the mist again.
"Now, quickly."
With a serious expression, Barty Crouch Jr. carefully unwrapped the bundle as if it were a relic, revealing the dark red, hairless, deformed creature with a flat, snake-like face and red eyes.
However, Barty Crouch Jr. showed no sign of disgust. He held the creature as if it were the most precious treasure in the world. Then, he gently lifted it and placed it into the boiling, sparking cauldron.
The great drama of Voldemort's resurrection was about to begin.
To be precise, this wasn't a resurrection. In the world of Harry Potter, resurrection was impossible; such a completely unnatural skill could only exist in high-magic realms.
What Voldemort was doing now was more like creating a new body for his fragmented soul. After all, Voldemort, who had created Horcruxes, was not truly dead and thus could not be resurrected.
The two Death Eaters present looked on with astonishment, for even the renowned greatest White Wizard, Dumbledore, had no way to resurrect the dead, leaving him to carry the guilt of his sister's death for the rest of his life. This made Voldemort's return from the dead all the more awe-inspiring to the Death Eaters, with Peter so excited that he could barely stand still.
But Barty Crouch Jr., who was responsible for the ritual, was far more reliable than Peter—his hands did not even tremble as he took a clay jar from a tree stump. He tapped the jar's mouth with his wand. "Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!"
It seemed Voldemort had dug up his father's grave, but this did not cause him any psychological distress. Compared to the act of personally murdering his father's family, grave robbing was nothing.
As he chanted, a small wisp of dust flew out of the jar and gently fell into the cauldron. The diamond-like surface of the liquid shattered, hissing and spitting sparks, turning a vivid blue that suggested it was highly toxic.
Afterward, Barty Crouch Jr. carefully put the jar away. This was not out of respect for Voldemort's Muggle father but because the bone of the father, one of the ingredients, was limited. If Voldemort needed to perform this ritual again, this jar would still be useful. After all, only a small amount of bone ash was used each time, and the jar likely contained enough for Voldemort to use it several more times.
After verifying that this step was correct, Barty Crouch Jr. rolled up his sleeve and extended his hand over the cauldron. With a firm voice, he declared, "Flesh of the servant, willingly given, shall bring your Master back to life!" He then drew a dagger from his leg and slashed it down, causing a gush of blood to pour from the wound. However, Barty Crouch Jr.'s face showed no sign of pain; instead, he looked on with a martyr's ecstasy as his arm fell into the pot.
The blue elixir turned a fiery red, emitting a strong light. Peter Pettigrew was completely entranced by the scene. He knelt down in front of the cauldron, mumbling something incoherently.
At this moment, Barty Crouch Jr. used a spell to seal the wound on his arm. He then approached Harry with the dagger and a crystal vial. Just as he was about to cut Harry, a clay jar flew out of the nearby woods and struck Peter, who was kneeling by the cauldron.
Green flames quickly engulfed Peter, causing him to let out a piercing scream and roll on the ground. The runes on the cauldron, which was brewing Voldemort, formed a barrier to block the approaching flames. However, these runes trembled under the green flames, indicating that the barrier wouldn't hold for long.
"No!" Barty Crouch Jr. roared. Just as he was about to turn back to save the cauldron, a voice from inside it shouted, "Finish the ritual now, quickly!"
Suddenly, a shadow blade struck the rope binding Harry to the tree trunk, causing it to snap. Harry fell to the ground, the impact jolting him awake. Ignoring the collar that had flipped up and covered his mouth and nose, he instinctively kicked Barty Crouch Jr.'s knee as he approached with the dagger.
Barty Crouch Jr. stumbled but, obeying his Master's command, lunged forward and grabbed Harry. He then bit directly into Harry's face through his clothes.
As he bit down, Barty Crouch Jr. felt as if he had broken one of Harry's teeth. A salty-sweet taste filled his mouth.
"Ah!" Just as Barty Crouch Jr. was about to press his advantage and draw Harry's blood, another shadow blade flew toward him. The attacker, possibly fearing they might hit Harry, sliced only his exposed calf, severing his left leg below the knee.
Barty Crouch Jr.'s face twisted with a mix of sorrow and madness. He yanked the fabric away from Harry's face and bit down again, leaving deep wounds.
"Enemy's blood... forcibly given... shall bring your enemy... back to life." With his mouth full of blood, Barty Crouch Jr. finished the spell, lifted his head, and spat a mouthful of blood-red saliva into the cauldron. Under the influence of magic, it flew directly into the cauldron.
At that moment, another shadow blade flew toward them, and Harry saw Barty Crouch Jr.'s head roll to the ground. A few seconds later, he heard a young girl's voice behind him. "You, follow me and run."
As the blood-laden saliva mixed with Harry's blood flowed into the cauldron, the previously flickering flames burst into bright light. The cauldron began to boil, and diamond-like sparks flew in all directions, casting everything in a black velvet hue.
Though this method made the ritual imperfect and somewhat embarrassing, the blood of the final enemy had still been added. Even as several more black shadow blades shot from the woods, they were blocked by the white mist rising from the cauldron.
Finally, a tall, thin, black figure slowly rose from the cauldron, skeletal in appearance.
Voldemort had been resurrected.
(End of Chapter)
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