https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-863-Harry-You-Won-t-Fool-Me-Again-/13454786/
Chapter 864: Seeking Life in Death
Chapter 864: Seeking Life in Death
Seeing Voldemort suddenly collapse into unconsciousness, Snape was momentarily stunned, completely unprepared for such a situation.
Could it be that Voldemort, having personally destroyed a Horcrux, was affected far more than usual?
Snape's expression flickered, and he lightly grasped his wand at his waist. However, he quickly withdrew his hand when Voldemort, lying on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes.
"Master... Are you alright, Master?" Snape immediately pushed aside his concerns and hurried to Voldemort's side, helping him to his feet.
"I'm fine..." Voldemort stood up, holding his forehead, utterly perplexed as to why he had suffered such a severe backlash while attacking Harry.
Vaguely, Voldemort recalled the strange connection between himself and Harry Potter. A thought crossed his mind, and he quickly guessed what had happened.
However, he did not regret attempting to kill Harry Potter, for he still had other Horcruxes, and this nemesis needed to be dealt with sooner or later.
Voldemort dusted off his robes and then glanced at Harry, who lay motionless on the ground. He casually asked, "Is Harry Potter dead?"
"Dead, with no sign of life..." Snape said expressionlessly, though he was inwardly uneasy. He knew his words were flawed; normally, after the Dark Lord suddenly collapsed, he would not have had the presence of mind to check the status of a dead body.
Fortunately, Voldemort, still dazed, did not suspect anything. He was certain that his Killing Curse had hit its target, and no one else would have been willing to sacrifice their life to deflect his spell.
Seeing that Voldemort did not press further, Snape quickly changed the subject. "Master, should we begin the second phase of the plan now, or do you want to rest first?"
Voldemort waved his hand dismissively. "I'm fine, no need to rest! And don't forget, time is limited. When Potter was brought here, he must have used the Magic Mark to notify Ivan Hals. We need to find the last Deathly Hallow as quickly as possible."
"Should we go to Nurmengard now?" Snape asked hesitantly.
"No, I will go alone this time!" Voldemort shook his head. Besides wanting to learn the location of the Resurrection Stone from Grindelwald, he also intended to uncover more secrets about the Deathly Hallows from the old wizard.
He did not want Snape to hear these confidential details.
"Before I return, you are to guard Harry Potter's body and summon Fenrir and the others. I want to see how many will make the wrong decision..." Voldemort's red eyes flashed with a cruel glint.
Since the defeat in Knockturn Alley, he had keenly sensed that his Death Eaters were harboring some unsettling thoughts. This was why recent gatherings had been held in secret with only himself and Snape, to prevent any leaks of their plans.
Thinking about this, Voldemort felt a surge of frustration. When had he, the Dark Lord, been reduced to holding meetings in secret, hiding from his own followers?
Still, it was somewhat comforting that he had already found two of the Deathly Hallows. Once he obtained the Resurrection Stone, he would conquer death completely!
By then, he could proudly declare to the entire Wizarding World that the Dark Lord, who once struck fear into the hearts of everyone in Britain, had returned!
And Harry Potter's body would be the best proof!
Snape naturally dared not defy Voldemort's orders. He immediately ceased mentioning the journey to Nurmengard and instead respectfully replied, "Master, I will arrange everything before your return!"
Voldemort nodded. Snape had always been reliable, and after giving a few brief instructions, he vanished on the spot with a wave of Apparition.
Watching the Dark Lord leave, Snape let out a slow breath, his back drenched in sweat. However, he had no time to linger. He quickly ran to Harry, crouched down, and gently checked for a pulse at Harry's nose.
"Thank goodness, he's still breathing. He didn't lie to me... This method really works." Feeling the faint breath, Snape finally put his last worry to rest, mumbling to himself as memories flooded his mind.
...
Four months ago, in the Headmaster's Office at Hogwarts, Snape, summoned by the Phoenix, hurried over as soon as he received the message.
The moment he saw Dumbledore, his anger was barely contained.
"I haven't seen you in over half a year. I thought you had died in some corner somewhere", Snape said sarcastically.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Severus. I might be able to hold on for a few more days", Dumbledore shrugged, pouring a cold drink with his relatively unharmed left hand and offering it to Snape to calm his temper.
Seeing Dumbledore's nonchalant demeanor, Snape felt both anger and helplessness. The man had vanished without a word for six months, not even leaving a means of contact.
Before receiving Fawkes' message, he had no way of confirming whether Dumbledore was even alive.
Yet, both Ivan Hals and Voldemort insisted that Snape knew Dumbledore's whereabouts, interrogating him relentlessly to find out where Dumbledore was.
But he truly knew nothing!
After a moment of inward grumbling, Snape managed to suppress his urge to curse and directly asked, "You've probably heard about the Dark Lord leading the Death Eaters to attack the Ministry of Magic, right? I met with Voldemort yesterday, but this has nothing to do with him. It's likely Ivan Hals' doing."
At this point, Snape remembered the conversation Dumbledore had with him during the summer and couldn't help but ask, "You saw all of this coming?"
"You're giving me too much credit, Severus", Dumbledore shook his head and replied slowly. "I did make some preparations, but not as you think. In fact, Hals' actions have completely surpassed my expectations."
"He easily defeated the Dark Lord and now controls the entire Ministry of Magic. Even the Daily Prophet is on his side. I think your plan is no longer necessary." Snape saw clearly that Voldemort's downfall was only a matter of time, which meant he no longer had to play the stressful role of a double agent.
"No, I believe the situation is not as optimistic as you think. There is one crucial matter that Hals cannot resolve!" Dumbledore said with great seriousness.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
