https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-867-The-Snake-Den-and-the-World-of-Life-and-Death/13454791/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-869-Dumbledore-I-m-Waiting-for-Someone-Here-/13454795/
Chapter 868: Boundary Between Life and Death
Chapter 868: Boundary Between Life and Death
Listening to Dumbledore's words, Harry was completely stunned. The green eyes behind his glasses widened, and a chill ran down his spine.
"You mean... Snape brought me to Voldemort on your orders... You wanted Voldemort to kill me?" Harry couldn't help but take a few steps back, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear.
"No, no one wants you to die, Harry", Dumbledore reassured him. "In fact, all the plans were designed to avoid that as much as possible!"
"But I'm already dead, aren't I?" Harry glared at Dumbledore, who merely blinked at him and said in a light tone, "Not necessarily..."
Harry was thoroughly confused. He couldn't understand what Dumbledore meant. He remembered clearly being hit by Voldemort's Killing Curse, and without a wand, he hadn't even had time to resist...
"I remember, I should have explained the reason to you, why Voldemort couldn't harm you", Dumbledore said with a smile.
"The Protective Charm?" Harry immediately thought of it, but his confusion didn't lessen. According to his understanding, the Protective Charm should have completely worn off when Voldemort was resurrected last year.
To confirm this, Voldemort had even tried touching his body, and nothing had happened.
Harry looked at Dumbledore in surprise, waiting for his answer.
"Ah, how should I explain this to you? Voldemort, in his cleverness, added your blood when he was resurrected, thinking it would break the spell. What he didn't know was that it actually strengthened the Protective Charm, deepening the connection between you two", Dumbledore said in a light tone.
"But why did you have Snape bring me to Voldemort?" Harry was still puzzled and continued to press the question.
Dumbledore fell silent for a long time, seemingly hesitating over how to answer.
Harry didn't rush him but waited quietly. After what felt like an eternity, Dumbledore finally regained his composure.
"Have you ever wondered why you can enter Voldemort's mind?" Dumbledore asked slowly, and then, before Harry could respond, pointed to the dark-skinned, wrinkled child in front of them. "Look at him. What do you think?"
"He looks a bit like... Voldemort?" Harry examined the child closely, recalling the infant-like Dark Lord he had seen last year. They were eerily similar.
"That is a part of Voldemort's soul", Dumbledore said bluntly, looking at Harry.
"On the night you were born, when Voldemort tried to kill you, the Protective Charm caused his Killing Curse to rebound, and his soul was severely damaged. A part of it separated from the main soul and attached itself to the only living person in the room."
"His Horcrux attached to me... So I am also a Horcrux of Voldemort?" Harry's mind went blank. He found it hard to believe, but his rational side told him that Dumbledore was right. Only this could explain why he could sense Voldemort's thoughts.
"More accurately, it used to be! But now your soul is whole, Harry, and it belongs entirely to you!" Dumbledore said with evident joy.
"Voldemort couldn't kill me, so the Killing Curse was directed at that part of my soul?" Harry guessed.
"Exactly!" Dumbledore nodded.
"Then am I still alive?" Harry asked urgently.
"Of course!" Dumbledore affirmed. "However, if you have no lingering attachments to that world, you can choose to move on..."
As he spoke, Dumbledore's gaze shifted to a distant point.
Harry followed Dumbledore's gaze but saw nothing but a white mist, obscuring everything.
Though curious, Harry ultimately restrained himself. He had little interest in death and no intention of embracing it just yet.
What he really wanted to know was why Snape had been willing to take such a huge risk to help him rid himself of the Horcrux.
Dumbledore had no intention of keeping it a secret, so he recounted the entire story, including the longstanding grievances between Snape, Lily, and James from over a decade ago, as well as how Snape had overheard the Prophecy and relayed it to Voldemort.
"He agreed to protect you, I think, partly out of love for your mother and partly out of guilt... It was Snape who told Voldemort the Prophecy he had overheard, leading to the tragedy. That was not the outcome he wanted—he had inadvertently killed the woman he loved."
Dumbledore spoke with a touch of melancholy, understanding Snape's guilt. After all, he had made mistakes in his youth and had turned a blind eye to many deaths, which was one of the reasons he trusted Snape.
Harry fell silent for a long time, his emotions complex. Logically, he should have hated Snape deeply. Without Snape's betrayal, he might have grown up with his parents, enjoying a happy childhood.
But considering the immense risks Snape had taken over the years, infiltrating Voldemort's inner circle and going to great lengths to keep him alive, even daring to outmaneuver Voldemort, Harry's hatred began to wane.
Moreover, the deaths of James and Lily were not solely Snape's fault. The terror Voldemort had unleashed was the root of all evil, and as members of the Order of the Phoenix, they were always in danger.
There was also Peter Pettigrew. Without his betrayal, Voldemort would never have found the location of the safe house.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I had to keep these things from you", Dumbledore said apologetically.
"You were right, Professor..." Harry shook his head. As Voldemort's Horcrux, the information he possessed could very well be known to Voldemort.
If the news leaked, it would put Snape, the double agent, in grave danger...
So although he was furious at being manipulated, Harry ultimately chose to understand.
Seeing that Harry could empathize with his intentions, Dumbledore's face broke into a slight smile. But in the next moment, he seemed to sense something and looked behind Harry, saying,
"It seems you need to return quickly, Harry. Severus is in trouble and might need your help."
(End of Chapter)
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