Voldemort: This Is Impossible, Snape's Loyalty to Me Is as Hard as Steel!

Snape's attack did not work, but it did enrage Nagini. The twelve-foot-long snake hissed and curled up, furiously biting at Snape.

The terrible snake venom was eating away at Snape's body, making his head spin and his reflexes slow, forcing him to roll away from Nagini.

Harry watched anxiously. He did not have a wand and could only look around for a suitable object to help him, but there was nothing in the enclosed basement except a few pieces of dusty furniture.

On the other hand, Snape's condition was deteriorating, and he was feeling even more powerless as none of the spells he had cast had any effect on Nagini.

Seeing that the situation was getting more and more dangerous, Harry did not hesitate to grab a chair and rush forward, intending to sneak up on Nagini from behind to deliver a critical hit. However, Nagini seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, and with a gentle flick of his tail, he shattered the chair that Harry had thrown at him.

Annoyed with Harry's antics, or simply wanting to pick on a pushover, Nagini abandoned Snape and slithered towards Harry, her long tail once again hooking around Harry's ankles, pulling him to the ground and biting him.

Harry tried to move his body backwards, his right hand groping around for a stool leg or something to block the blow, and accidentally caught a heavy iron object.

As Nagini's jaws closed on him, Harry instinctively swung the object in his hand.

Ding ~

The sound of metal on stone was heard again, and Harry's right hand went numb and his thumb and index finger were in pain. He almost dropped the hilt of his sword, but Nagini did not have it easy either and was knocked back.

Harry took a moment to glance at his right hand, and was surprised to find that he was holding an ornate sword engraved with goblin inscriptions. Apparently, it was the Sword of Gryffindor…

Why would it suddenly appear here?

Harry was puzzled at first, then he recalled Ron's words and realised that those who truly had the qualities of a Gryffindor could summon the sword in times of need.

Harry looked over at Nagini, but to his disappointment, the Sword of Gryffindor didn't seem to have any effect on the snake either, as Nagini was knocked back to her feet shortly after.

As Harry hesitated, Snape's weak voice reached him.

"Keep hitting it with your sword. I'll create an opportunity for you…"

Harry hesitated, his sword in his hand, because if the slash didn't work on Nagini, the result would be the same no matter how many times he tried.

However, before Harry could explain himself, Snape attacked, quickly shaking his wand and releasing a cloud of smoke from its tip, which transformed into a black chain that bound the snake tightly.

"Quick! I can't hold on much longer…" Snape shouted at the dazed Harry.

Harry's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately cast his worries aside. He looked at the snake and charged at it.

Nagini sensed the danger and tried to wiggle out of Snape's spell, but to no avail.

His gaze locked with hers, and Harry felt a bone-deep chill run through him, as if he were looking into the eyes of Lord Voldemort himself, but this did not scare him. Instead, it made him rebel, and with a roar, he struck down!

"Go to hell, monster!"

The ornate sword began to glow with a faint fluorescent light, as if some inexplicable force were being infused into the blade through Harry's hands, and Nagini's almost-invulnerable protection was no longer effective, as the sharp blade struck the snake's body and left a deep gash.

Nagini let out a series of pained whinnies as her thrashing managed to break Snape's hold.

Harry did not know where he got his courage from, but instead of retreating, he stepped on the snake and, with the last of his strength, stabbed it over its head!

The silver sword pierced through the snake's head and pinned Nagini to the ground!

The serpent used what remained of its strength to struggle wildly, and with a swing of its body, it sent Harry flying, but its final burst of life did not last long, and Nagini soon lay limp on the ground, his body slowly disintegrating into a pile of grey dust.

It's finally over…

Harry struggled to his feet and let out a sigh of relief. Exhaustion and a stabbing pain in his body made him want to lie down and rest…

"This is not a good time to be happy, Potter. Voldemort must have received the news, and we must return to Hogwarts as soon as possible!" Snape warned, frowning as he leaned against the wall.

Completing the mission did not mean they would be safe. On the contrary, they were in grave danger, and an enraged Lord Voldemort could return at any moment and kill them.

However, Snape was puzzled. They had been fighting Nagini for so long that Voldemort should have sensed them.

Or was Voldemort not as connected to the serpent as he thought?

… .

Three minutes ago, the towering towers of the prison at Nurmengard were the scene of a battle between two powerful Dark Wizards. The walls seemed to have collapsed, and the floor was strewn with signs of magical erosion…

"It's time to end this, Grindelwald… I'm going to give you one last chance to live. Now get out of here, or tell me where the Resurrection Stone is," Voldemort said, looking at Grindelwald with annoyance and impatience as he appeared in the dim blue light of the fire.

Ever since their negotiations collapsed and the war broke out, Voldemort had a vague feeling that his hometown had been stolen!

Someone had opened the basement of Riddle House, presumably after Nagini.

However, as the battle was in full swing, Voldemort dared not allow himself to be distracted, and was only able to make a rough judgement that Snape had betrayed him, or that the Death Eaters who had been notified of his presence were in rebellion.

By contrast, Voldemort was more inclined to believe the latter, as Snape had proved countless times over the past two years that his loyalty to him was as hard as steel!

There is no room for doubt!

Whatever the truth was, he had to get there as soon as possible, regardless of the Resurrection Stone.

However, Grindelwald seemed to have a screw loose, and somehow managed to restrain him, and with Newmongarde unable to use Apparition, Voldemort found himself in a difficult position.

(P.S.: Harry and Neville both drew their swords from the Sorting Hat, but according to the legend in the book, it seems possible to do so without a hat, and so it is set. Also, the Sword of Gryffindor here does not absorb the venom of the Basilisk, so it cannot harm a Horcrux at first.)