Chapter 291: Smashing Voldemort

Under the watchful eyes of Voldemort and a group of Death Eaters, Hermione and Fleur were visibly nervous.

They mustered their courage, cautiously pointing their wands at the dark wizards opposite them, ready to attack at the slightest hint of trouble.

However, Alaric remained calm.

Not to mention Voldemort's recent resurrection, followed by his foolish destruction of one of his own Horcruxes, leaving him weakened by his own machinations.

Even at the peak of his powers, Alaric was confident he could safely escape with the two girls.

He looked at Voldemort mockingly, with a slight smile.

"Hello there, 'defeated underling'. Has it been only three years since we last met? Have you forgotten me so easily?"

Voldemort stared at Alaric for a moment, then his expression turned livid.

"It's you!" His face contorted with rage.

"You are the boy who ruined the Philosopher's Stone, thwarted my plans!"

Indeed, Voldemort recognized Alaric.

Back at Hogwarts, Alaric had left a deep impression on Voldemort when he and his friends, under Professor Quirrell's influence, contested for the Philosopher's Stone.

Voldemort had been defeated twice by Alaric, who was just a first-year student at the time.

"You dare show your face before me again," Voldemort's furious expression suddenly turned into a sinister smile.

"Three years ago, you did impress me, but back then, I was weak.

Now I have regained my strength and returned to my followers.

Yet you dare appear before me again – you are walking into your own demise!"

The Death Eaters gathered around Voldemort, more than a dozen wands pointed directly at Alaric.

"What a splendid twist of fate," Voldemort's hoarse voice rang out like a chant.

"I, the great Dark Lord, after returning from the dead, not only killed Harry Potter but also encountered another enemy, Alaric, as an honored guest at my resurrection party.

Perhaps we should call you a special invitee."

Silence fell.

Then, a Death Eater to the right of Peter Pettigrew stepped forward, and Lucius Malfoy's voice came from under his mask.

"Master, we are eager to know... please tell us... how did you achieve this... this miracle... to return to us..."

"It's a long story, Lucius," Voldemort said.

"When I was deprived of my physical form, I was no better than a ghost, worse than the lowliest of spirits.

Yet I survived. I didn't know what I had become... I, who had walked further than anyone on the path to immortality."

"I remember those endless days and nights, forcing myself to survive second by second... hiding in a remote forest, waiting...

I was sure my loyal Death Eaters would find me, find a way to restore me to my body with magic I couldn't perform myself... but I waited in vain..."

The circle of Death Eaters shivered.

Voldemort escalated the horror in the silence and continued.

"I had only one last bit of magic left, to possess another's body.

But I dared not go where many people were, for fear that Harry was searching for me.

Sometimes, I possessed animals – snakes were my favorite – but their bodies were hardly better for magic than a ghost's.

And my possession shortened their lives; they didn't live long..."

"Then, four years ago, there seemed to be hope for my return.

A young, foolish wizard who was easily deceived wandered into the forest where I was hiding, and I happened upon him.

Oh, it seemed like the chance I had dreamed of, for he was a teacher at Dumbledore's school – easy to manipulate.

He brought me back to this country, where I possessed him, closely monitoring him, directing him to carry out my orders.

But my plan failed. I didn't steal the Philosopher's Stone, couldn't secure my immortality.

I was thwarted, and this time, the boy who thwarted me was him, in front of me, with a fierce fire that burned the magic stone to ashes!"

Another silence followed, not a sound stirring, even the leaves of the redwoods were still.

The Death Eaters remained motionless, their glowing eyes on Voldemort, then on Harry.

"That servant died after I left his body, and I became as weak as before," Voldemort continued.

"I returned to my distant refuge. I don't want to boast to you, saying I wasn't worried about restoring my magic...

Yes, that might have been my darkest time...

I couldn't hope for another wizard to come to me...

And I no longer imagine any Death Eater cares about me..."

At this moment, Voldemort became like a chatterbox, rambling about his series of experiences, including how Peter Pettigrew learned about the Triwizard Tournament.

And planned to steal Harry during the Quidditch World Cup that night, and how he arranged for Barty Crouch Jr. to infiltrate Hogwarts and plan subsequent conspiracies.

Surprisingly, Alaric did not interrupt him.

At this moment, both Alaric and Voldemort knew the other was stalling for time.

Voldemort needed time to recover from his recent weakness, while Alaric waited for Harry to awaken again.

He knew Harry had been hit by Voldemort's killing curse; though not dead, he was temporarily caught between life and death.

His soul would temporarily journey to the other side of the living world, but unlike true death, Harry would eventually return to this world.

During this time, Harry might encounter his parents, and they would have much to say, taking up some time.

Ignoring the law that villains die in too much talk, Voldemort continued his speech as if he wanted to vent all his grievances and regrets over the years.

At this moment, Harry's "body" was completely ignored, but Alaric's sharp eyes saw his fingers move slightly.

Alaric knew he was probably awake now.

Finally, Voldemort finished his long discourse. Now, he stared coldly at Alaric and loudly declared,

"Kill him!"

Like a dozen guns firing simultaneously, including Voldemort himself, all the Death Eaters' wands shot various dark spells – Killing Curses, Cruciatus Curses, Explosive Spells, Splitting Spells, Petrification Spells, and more.

These curses were aimed not only at Alaric but also at the two girls behind him.

Behind Alaric, Fleur and Hermione appeared remarkably calm in the face of this situation.

Fleur cast a barrier spell, while Hermione closed her eyes, concentrating – she was likely preparing to transform into an Animagus.

If she transformed into her dragon form, although still a young dragon, these attacks would only injure her severely but not kill her.

In fact, Alaric could do the same. With his matured dragon form, these attacks would only lightly injure him.

However, Alaric chose not to transform.

He simply waved his wand lightly and uttered a spell unheard of by everyone present.

The next moment, everything except Alaric froze in place.

Voldemort's ferocious expression froze, the Death Eaters' flowing robes immediately stopped moving, and the colorful curses hung suspended in the air.

Time had stopped.

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