Chapter 289: Cat and Mouse Game

Finally, Voldemort finished instructing his followers and began to deal with Harry Potter.

Hermione and Fleur finally recalled what Alaric had said earlier.

"You just said you want that person to kill Harry," Hermione looked at Alaric with confusion.

"Why exactly?"

Fleur also looked at him curiously.

They didn't think Alaric had any grudge against Harry—although Harry did like one of Alaric's girlfriends, Cho Chang, Alaric had never shown any interest in such a harmless opponent.

They believed Alaric must have deeper reasons.

So Alaric finally began to explain to them.

"Do you know what a Horcrux is?" he asked.

Fleur shook her head blankly, but Hermione tried hard to recall.

"I remember... I saw this term in a book about dark magic in the Restricted Section," Hermione furrowed her brows, thinking as she spoke.

"The book said... it's a very evil thing, extremely evil. It refers to an object that contains a fragment of a person's soul."

"But how can a person's soul be hidden in an object?"

Fleur wondered, pointing out, "Is it like becoming a ghost?"

"No, not like a ghost," Hermione shook her head.

"A Horcrux means splitting your soul and hiding a part of it in some external object... and then..."

"And then, even if your body is attacked or destroyed, you won't die because a part of your soul remains intact in the world," Alaric added.

Fleur admired them both and had to admit that compared to these two knowledgeable people in front of her, she, the top student from Beauxbatons, was far behind.

"But very few people would want to do that," Alaric sighed and shook his head.

"It's better to die than to split your soul like that. Remember Professor Quirrell with Voldemort on the back of his head in our first year?

And what we just saw, that baby-like thing. Trust me, no one wants to be in that state except that lunatic."

"So, Voldemort survived and was resurrected by splitting his soul to create Horcruxes?" the two girls suddenly realized.

"Which means, that diary is one of the Horcruxes!" Hermione suddenly realized.

"Yes," Alaric nodded.

In fact, this was Voldemort's biggest secret, known only to Dumbledore in the past besides Alaric.

Because Horcruxes were the foundation of Voldemort's survival, once this secret was known, he would spare no effort to eliminate all who knew it.

For safety reasons, Dumbledore had not revealed this information to anyone else.

Now, a few more people knew about it.

"So, what's the connection between Horcruxes and wanting Voldemort to kill Harry?" the two girls still didn't quite understand.

"Be patient," Alaric continued to explain.

"You must understand, a soul should remain whole and intact.

Splitting it is a defiance of nature, it's unnatural.

And through the most evil act—murder, the most evil act—by committing murder, one splits the soul, and wizards who want to create Horcruxes use this destruction to seal away the fragments of their split soul."

But the girls still didn't understand how this related to Harry.

"Do you know?" Alaric continued to prompt.

"Voldemort is Slytherin's heir, but Harry also has Parseltongue abilities, and he frequently dreams of Voldemort.

His lightning scar hurts because of Voldemort's power... Voldemort was originally killed by the rebounding Killing Curse from Harry."

"Could it be... could Harry also be a Horcrux of Voldemort!?" Hermione suddenly proposed a bold hypothesis.

"Voldemort's soul fragment is in Harry, so... that's why he has a connection with Voldemort and Parseltongue abilities."

"Correct," Alaric snapped his fingers.

"So, you want Voldemort to kill Harry, which means he would destroy one of his own Horcruxes," with Alaric's agreement, Hermione analyzed more smoothly,

"Moreover... due to the existence of the soul fragment, Harry won't truly die.

After all, as you said, the Killing Curse... it affects the soul directly!

With Voldemort's soul fragment as a shield, Harry would survive!"

"Exactly," Alaric nodded, adding.

"Furthermore, the protection magic from Harry's mother will continue until he comes of age—as long as he considers his mother's blood relatives' home as his own.

Before this protective magic expires, Voldemort couldn't harm Harry.

However, last year, I managed to clear Sirius Black's name.

Despite Dumbledore's strong opposition, ultimately, through my efforts, Harry moved to his godfather's house.

This means the protection magic ceased to function, and now Voldemort can harm Harry."

Now everything was clear.

The two girls looked at Alaric with awe and admiration, realizing that this man before them was truly a master strategist who had been laying the groundwork for this a year ago.

Though they didn't understand how Alaric deduced today's situation, they knew Voldemort was clearly reaping what he sowed today: he was about to become the killer of himself.

If Voldemort knew all this, he would surely be infuriated beyond measure.

Now, their gaze towards Voldemort had relaxed considerably.

And now, surrounded by Death Eaters, Voldemort began to play a cat-and-mouse game.

"I suppose you all have seen how foolish it is to think this boy is stronger than me," Voldemort said.

"But I must thoroughly eliminate any misunderstandings. Harry?

Potter escaping from my hands was merely luck.

Now I will kill him to prove my power, right here, right now, in front of all of you, with no Dumbledore to protect him, and no sacrifice from his mother.

I will give him a chance; he can duel with me, so you won't doubt who is stronger.

Release him, Wormtail, give him back his wand."

Peter approached Harry, who desperately tried to reach the ground with his feet before the ropes supporting him were untied.

Wormtail lifted the silver hand on his wrist and removed the rag stuffed in Harry's mouth.

With a wave of his hand, he cut the ropes that bound Harry to the tombstone and roughly placed Harry's wand back into his hand.

"You've learned dueling, haven't you, Harry Potter?" Voldemort asked softly, his red eyes gleaming in the darkness.

Upon hearing this, Harry remembered the dueling club he had briefly attended two years ago.

It felt like a lifetime ago... there he had only learned "Expelliarmus" and such disarming spells... but even if he could disarm Voldemort, what good would it do?

Surrounded by Death Eaters, at least thirty to one against him.

He hadn't learned anything useful here.

Voldemort was right; this time, his mother wasn't here to save him with her sacrifice... he had no protection whatsoever.

"Let's bow to each other, Harry," Voldemort said, bowing slightly, but his snake-like face was always looking at Harry.

"Come on, courtesy must be observed... Dumbledore must want you to show a lot of manners... bow to Death, Harry..."

The Death Eaters laughed again.

Voldemort's mouth, without lips, showed a smile.

Harry didn't bow; he wouldn't let Voldemort play with him before killing him... he wouldn't let him have his way...

"I said, bow," Voldemort raised his wand—Harry felt his spine bend as if an invisible giant hand was mercilessly pressing his back forward

. The Death Eaters laughed even louder.

"Very good," Voldemort said softly, lifting his wand, and the pressure on Harry's back disappeared.

"Now look at me, like a man... head held high, just like when your father died..."

"Now—we duel."

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