Chapter 262 "The Meeting of Two Dark Lord"

Even Voldemort's cold, vacant pupils betrayed an array of peculiar emotions.

Rarely had anyone dared to address him in such a manner for an extended period.

Most individuals, upon encountering him, would quiver with fear, their demeanor and tone permeated with a deep-seated dread. Even the Death Eaters in his proximity oscillated between fear and reverence.

Even the elderly man with the white beard, concealed within Hogwarts as its headmaster, couldn't hide his profound trepidation upon encountering Voldemort.

What manner of youth stood before him now? Not only did he lack fear, but he also sported a playful smile. The implication of his last statement was clear—he possessed the audacity to challenge Voldemort himself!

"You mean," Voldemort's voice cut through the air like a knife, cold and unwavering, "the Shadow Dragon believes you capable of confronting me?"

Skyler's countenance remained tranquil, unruffled by honor or disdain. He chuckled softly, "Dark Lord, have you ever pondered how I found myself here?"

"You must realize, I shouldn't have been present at this juncture originally. If my assumptions are correct, your initial scheme involved a less-than-intelligent servant sneaking into Hogwarts to retrieve Harry for you. Though Dumbledore may be aged, he is far from foolish. The inclusion of Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire was a reckless maneuver that I couldn't help but notice. It served only to raise Dumbledore's suspicions—"

"Even I surmised that the issue likely stemmed from the Goblet of Fire. If you believe Dumbledore incapable of deducing as much—" Skyler shook his head, a soft sigh escaping his lips, "then perhaps I've overestimated you."

"Did you speculate that the Goblet of Fire was tampered with?" Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"Of course, it's the Confundus Charm, isn't it?" Skyler maintained his faint smile. "It's not a difficult deduction. Hogwarts meticulously monitors all inter-dimensional magic. If Harry were to be transported here without leaving Hogwarts' grounds, the only plausible method would be to tamper with the portkey spell set within the Goblet of Fire using a confusion curse. It's quite straightforward..."

"You're spouting nonsense!" Voldemort struggled to contain his rising anger. He couldn't bear the insinuation that Dumbledore had thwarted his machinations. It stung his pride to think he'd been outwitted by the old coot once more. "Then why, pray tell, did Dumbledore not intervene? Even if he didn't discern the culprit, he could have prevented the ensuing chaos by nullifying the confusion spell on the Goblet of Fire. Why did he abstain from doing so?"

"Who's to say?" Skyler shrugged, a suggestive smile playing on his lips, a hint of mockery gleaming in his eyes. "Perhaps... Harry's arrival here was part of Dumbledore's scheme?"

"Impossible! You speak nonsense!" Voldemort ground his teeth, his magical energy coiling into a twisted, black serpentine smoke that languidly encircled his form. Enveloped by the mist, his figure became both tangible and ethereal. His expression obscured save for the fiery crimson glare of his eyes.

"Believe it or not—" Skyler continued, "whether Dumbledore uncovered your plot is inconsequential to me. What truly matters is that the machinations of you and your foolish lackey have been laid bare. I've seen through the charade; your imbecilic servant, Barty Crouch Jr., has also met his end by my hand—"

"You claim—" Voldemort's voice regained its calmness, yet an aura of heightened danger emanated from his being, akin to the eerie stillness preceding a tempest. "Crouch Jr. met his demise at your hands?"

"Yes," Skyler replied nonchalantly, "He sought to apprehend me and claim merit from his other master, hence he met his demise by my hand. So, you see, you should now believe that I did indeed discern the anomaly with the Goblet of Fire. Initially, I could have effortlessly dispelled the Confundus Charm and ascended to claim my rightful championship, basking in the glory of my victory—"

"But I refrained," Skyler interjected, "for the Shadow Dragon issued a threat through Crouch Jr. Forced to take care of the problem myself, I find myself here."

"In truth, after making contact with the Goblet of Fire, I hadn't anticipated being teleported to this location at all. I had presumed... but never mind. Since the Shadow Dragon went to such lengths to transport me here, it's evident they did not intend for me to perish, correct?" Skyler smiled wryly. "If they wished to dispose of me, they could have easily directed me into their predetermined snares and perils, exponentially increasing their likelihood of success..."

"Beyond employing me as their instrument to confront you, I can discern no other motive for my presence here." Skyler paused, pondering briefly before adding, "Considering Potter's sudden appearance alongside mine, it's evident those individuals are pulling the strings. Given their role in your resurrection and my dispatch here, one can speculate that they aim to orchestrate a fatal confrontation between us..."

What Skyler left unsaid was his astute comprehension of the sinister machinations of the Shadow Dragon.

The array of powers exhibited by Skyler in the presence of others bordered on the incredulous. Many were arcane arts long forgotten or entirely unprecedented, suggesting an arsenal of hidden trump cards beyond reckoning. Indeed, the extent of his repertoire remained an enigma, known only to himself.

Hence, the Shadow Dragon sought a formidable adversary capable of eliciting and testing Skyler's full potential. The resurrected Voldemort proved an ideal pawn for this purpose.

Regardless of the outcome of the confrontation between Skyler and Voldemort, the Shadow Dragon stood to gain. Indeed, it might even emerge as the ultimate victor.

Should Voldemort suffer defeat, the Shadow could glean invaluable insights by compelling Skyler to reveal his hidden trump cards. Moreover, individuals like Selwyn, who harbored an irreparable animosity towards Voldemort due to the loss of their loved ones, would ensure a perpetuating vendetta against him.

It's not a stretch to anticipate that the remaining Death Eaters will rally under Selwyn's leadership and align themselves with the Shadow Dragon after today's events.

Furthermore, if Skyler were to suffer defeat, it would serve the Shadow Dragon's interests even more profoundly. It would allow them to neutralize a potential threat without expending a single soldier.

Moreover, considering Skyler's formidable abilities, his defeat would undoubtedly bolster the Shadow's strength significantly, further undermining the influence of Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

Even with the recent reorganization of the Death Eaters, their numbers are likely limited, especially without all core members present. Following Skyler's weakening of their forces, the Death Eaters would be rendered ineffectual in comparison to the might of the Shadow Dragon.

Everyone in the Death Eaters started having second thoughts upon hearing what Skyler had to say. Even Voldemort started pondering whether his words held value or were just bravado to let himself escape unscathed from this fated meeting.