A Pig Waiting to Be Slaughtered

After hearing Snape's words, Dumbledore fell silent and thought for a long while. At last, he shook his head bitterly and refused. "In my current condition, trying to spend three years healing is unrealistic. I have already prepared myself to die."

Snape looked as if he were forcing down his anger. He kept trying to persuade him. "Damn it, can't you leave this to someone else? Things aren't that bad right now! The Ministry of Magic is doing well under the Harrises. We don't need you to 'nobly' sacrifice yourself to protect others!"

"But the Harrises will not deal with Tom in the short term, even though I suspect Allen gained that ability during this wondrous adventure—a dragon-slaying Champion will eventually become an evil dragon. They have taken a very hard line toward our still-powerful native pure-blood families in Britain. From what I have observed, they are currently focusing their energy mainly on protection rather than offense, so they are probably intending to let Tom live for a very long time, using him as an external threat to make the wizarding world compromise with their expansion and their strength." After speaking, Dumbledore shook his head, as if he had made up his mind. "But you experienced the First Wizarding War too. Even if they can protect the British wizarding world, if Tom is driven into a corner, I know him—he will strike at wizards and Muggles in other countries. So I cannot allow this new wizarding war to turn into a drawn-out struggle. We must end it as quickly as possible and set things back on the proper course. Once Tom is dealt with, the Harrises will compromise with those pure-blood families again. That would be a good thing for everyone."

Snape abruptly rose from his seat, mockery on his