Late at night, the oak doors of Hogwarts Castle suddenly flew open. A dark figure glided out of the castle like a giant bat, utterly unconcerned by the torrential rain overhead, and headed down the path toward the gates of Hogwarts.
"Master!"
Snape, cloaked in robes, bowed slightly toward the figure approaching through the rain, respectfully welcoming Voldemort's arrival.
"You have done well."
Voldemort drifted past Snape's side and crossed the muddy grounds toward the Black Lake. He did not bother concealing what he intended to do from Snape, for Death Eaters already knew the purpose of this visit. There was no point in keeping it secret.
The two walked around the lake through the darkness. The black waters showed signs of overflowing, and the air around them was dark and cold.
They came to a stop, one behind the other. A white marble tomb appeared before them. Voldemort raised the yew wand he had used for many years, a pleased smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
When the wand slashed down through the air, Dumbledore's tomb split open from top to bottom.
Voldemort stepped forward and looked at Dumbledore's nearly perfectly preserved body, suddenly finding it rather amusing.
You are dead, and I am still alive.
Now, your wand belongs to me as well.
Voldemort reached for the wand clasped between Dumbledore's hands over his chest and pulled it free.
Snape stood to one side, watching silently as Voldemort elegantly raised the wand and gave it a light flick, as though he were holding a conductor's baton.
A spell suddenly shot from the wand's tip and vanished into the heavy storm clouds overhead. Countless bolts of lightning raced through the black clouds before converging into a dazzling thunderbolt that struck down, illuminating the pitch-black night.
Voldemort, who