"You are indeed guilty."
Looking at Snape kneeling before him, Voldemort's voice sounded mocking, almost derisive.
"When the great Dark Lord called for his servants, you failed to arrive at once."
"For that alone, you deserve to die."
"But the Dark Lord is merciful. He has decided to give you a chance to choose your own fate—"
"Will you live or die? Will you suffer the agony of being burned by Fiendfyre, or enjoy the eternal peace brought by the Killing Curse? The choice is yours."
"Master, please allow me to explain." Snape's voice trembled slightly.
"The reason I was late tonight was that I had to complete the task you assigned me all those years ago."
"Oh? Go on!" Voldemort's face showed interest. "Stand up. I'll allow you to report to me on your feet."
Snape scrambled up from the floor. Without stopping to brush the dust off his clothes, he immediately bowed his head.
"Master, do you remember the order you gave me all those years ago?"
"Under your orders, I disguised myself as a traitor and offered my allegiance to Dumbledore. In reality, I was to infiltrate his circle as a spy."
"For more than a decade, even after you vanished, I continued carrying out that mission diligently, hoping that my efforts would prove useful when you returned one day."
"And now I've succeeded. I've brought you a wealth of information about Dumbledore over the past decade or so..."
Even though the Avada Kedavra Curse could strike him at any moment, Snape remained completely composed.
He recounted his experiences over the years in an orderly fashion, deftly responding to Voldemort's questions.
"...So now, my master, Dumbledore and Fudge have all but fallen out. It should only be a matter of time before they openly break with each