" Old Voldy," Draco teased, "I've sealed you in that jar for two years, and you're already spouting so much nonsense as soon as you're resurrected."
"I can understand a Hogwarts first-year student being a bit talkative, but why are you, the Dark Lord, talking like a clueless first-year student after your resurrection?"
The moment those words were spoken, the entire cemetery fell into a deathly silence.
Even the wind seemed to have stopped.
Hermione, as if stunned, abruptly turned to look at Draco. She hadn't expected him to have the leisure to joke at a time like this; did he really have the confidence to deal with Voldemort?
Not only Hermione, Peter Pettigrew also stiffened, his silver hands clenching tightly, and he lowered his head even further.
He glanced at the Dark Lord's profile and felt as if his blood had frozen, hoping he wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.
Because in all his years, Peter had never seen anyone dare to call him " Old Voldy " in such a frivolous way, or to mention the humiliating thing of being sealed in a jar.
Voldemort, needless to say, his originally scarlet eyes instantly darkened, and the smugness and arrogance of his recent resurrection were instantly replaced by a thick, impenetrable layer of sinister malice.
However, he remained unusually quiet, with only the wand at his fingertips trembling slightly. The aura of Dark Magic around him suddenly tightened, and a chilling killing intent enveloped Draco.
Anger could not fully express his feelings; it was the ultimate humiliation and the utter absurdity of being struck where his sore spot had been completely hit.
He was the Dark Lord, feared by all. Even as a remnant soul, he never tolerated anyone's disrespect or humiliation, let alone being sealed in a small jar for two years by a mere Malfoy family, and then being ridiculed in public.
"What did you say?" Voldemort finally spoke.
His voice held disbelief, " Malfoy family brat, how dare you talk to me like that? How dare you bring up that matter?"
"You mean sealing it?" Draco seemed oblivious to his murderous intent. "It's a disgrace to you, but isn't it a victory for me?"
Draco repeatedly whipped his corpse.
Voldemort froze, staring at him in silence for a full two seconds before letting out a short laugh.
He was so angry he laughed!
That was laughter utterly absurd.
At this moment, Voldemort said with a playful tone, "I should have annihilated you immediately, but I'd like to hear how much more courage you have to continue to disrespect me."
"Times have changed, Old Voldy." Draco's tone was full of undisguised sarcasm, and his next words tore away the Dark Lord's last shred of dignity. "What do you have to be proud of?"
"In terms of talent, no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to defeat Dumbledore, and you will live in his shadow your whole life."
"In terms of bloodline, you admire Pure-blood and despise Muggle-born, but you're just Half-blood with a Muggle father and a witch mother. How are you any different from my wife Hermione?"
"As for your subordinates, your Death Eaters are either dead or crippled, and most of them have been thrown into Azkaban for life imprisonment."
"And those Horcrux you cherish as your lifeblood, you probably have very few left now. You think you can achieve immortality through the evil art of splitting souls? You're just deceiving yourself!"
These words were like sharp daggers, piercing Voldemort's most vulnerable and painful spot.
Hermione, standing beside Draco, was stunned.
Unexpectedly, he dared to so ruthlessly expose all the truths in front of the newly resurrected Voldemort.
However, she did not interrupt Draco. Instead, her gaze became even more determined, and she subtly adjusted the way she held her wand, ready to fight alongside him at any moment.
Peter Pettigrew, standing beside Voldemort, was already paralyzed with fear, his silver hands gripping the soil tightly, his whole body trembling like a leaf, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, and he didn't even dare to breathe.
He was both terrified of Voldemort's madness when he was fully enraged and astonished by Draco's audacity.
Fearing the wrath of Voldemort, Peter both hoped that Voldemort would kill Draco to quell his anger and secretly feared that the battle would affect him, so he huddled timidly to the side.
But Voldemort's surging Dark Magic suddenly stopped.
Just moments before, he was on the verge of rage, but suddenly his pupils contracted, and for the first time, the ferocity on his face turned into a blank stare due to shock.
Horcrux
That was the ultimate secret that only he himself fully understood.
Even the most loyal Death Eaters were completely unaware.
Now, these words came so casually from the mouth of a sixteen-year-old Malfoy boy; how could he not be shocked?
Voldemort abruptly raised his staff, its tip blazing with green light, but he didn't immediately fire it. "How do you know about Horcrux?!"
"What makes you think I have very few Horcrux left?!"
These two consecutive questions go beyond mere anger.
It is fear.
Draco saw the fleeting panic in Voldemort's eyes and a chilling smile curled at the corner of his lips.
He dropped a bombshell:
" Horcrux? Of course I know about them."
He stretched out his fingers and slowly counted them one by one.
"The diary, Hufflepuff's Cup, Ravenclaw's Diadem, Slytherin's Locket, and that ring— Dumbledore."
Are you still so smug now?
Deathly silence descended once more.
This time, it's more thorough than ever before.
Voldemort's body trembled violently.
His prized secret of immortality, his meticulously crafted protective charm, was silently uprooted by Dumbledore without his knowledge?
His face turned deathly pale instantly, then bluish-green, and his scarlet eyes churned with a madness that threatened to destroy everything. He wanted to scream, to roar, but he forcibly held back in an instant.
The next second, Voldemort suddenly laughed.
The laughter was shrill and insane, echoing among the tombstones, carrying a kind of reckless, despairing stubbornness.
Hahahaha... Hahaha!
He abruptly stopped laughing, pointed his Yew Wand at Draco, and said confidently, "You think you've beaten me? Malfoy family boy, you're too naive!"
Horcrux? I can make as many as I want!
" Dumbledore destroy what I hide, but he can't destroy what I can create at any time!" Voldemort said, then turned to attack the other three points Draco had just hit.
"And the Death Eaters you mentioned?"
"You think Azkaban is an impregnable fortress? My loyal Champion have long since broken free and returned!"
"I am the Heir of Slytherin, my blood is more noble than any so-called Pure-blood families! My talent is innate, I am the master of dark magic!"
However, when Voldemort said that he had already broken free of his cage and returned, Hermione's face turned deathly pale.
Death Eaters escape from prison?
What does that mean?
This means that Voldemort's resurrection is not a solitary act; he once again holds blood-stained knives in his hands!
The balance of the Wizarding World was instantly shattered.
A catastrophe is imminent.
Hermione nearly dropped her wand.
My heart, which had just relaxed slightly, tightened instantly.
It's over.
Things were much worse than they had imagined.
They not only have to face the resurrected Dark Lord, but also the vicious Death Eaters.