From Hogwarts to Strixhaven.

Chapter 343 Flame
"What clear loyalty." Voldemort admired, "There is no confusion in your eyes, my loyal friend, Lucius."

Lucius lowered his head, bowed slightly, and returned to his wife. The couple stood out among the group of masked men.

Voldemort looked around at the Death Eaters kneeling on the ground and said in an emotionless voice: “There are many fewer Death Eaters here. Some have died for me, and some survive by betraying their companions. The traitor Karkaroff has paid the price, and the Lestranges are still imprisoned in Azkaban... They are my loyal servants who would rather be imprisoned than betray me... Dementors are our natural allies. When I break through Azkaban, the Lestranges will get the reward they deserve..."

"But first..." Voldemort moved his gaze to the motionless Harry, "We also have to welcome a special guest, Harry Potter. I think it is not an exaggeration to call him a special guest. Come on, let's give him a round of applause."

The Death Eaters who were kneeling on the ground stood up cautiously and applauded Harry maliciously.

Voldemort admired the twisted expression on Harry's face and lazily walked to Harry's side. When all the Death Eaters stopped clapping and turned their eyes to the two of them, Voldemort smiled evilly: "It has been rumored in the wizarding world for a long time that this boy is my nemesis, right?"

"You all heard that thirteen years ago, the night I failed, when I lost my magic and body... it was because I wanted to kill him. His mother died to save him - this gave him some kind of magical protection, which Dumbledore called 'love magic'... Because of this ridiculous 'love', I can't touch him..."

Voldemort stretched out his pale fingers and pinched Harry's face hard, almost cutting his skin with his nails. Harry tried not to show his fear, but unfortunately it backfired.

Voldemort removed his hand from Harry's cheek and continued speaking to the Death Eaters.

"My friends, I admit that it was a very serious mistake. Because of the sacrifice and magic of that foolish woman, my spell rebounded back on myself. Ah - the pain was beyond everything, my friends. Nothing could resist my killing curse, not even myself... My body was destroyed, and I could only survive in the world in the form of shadow and steam, which was even worse than a ghost or a wandering spirit..."

"But I'm still alive! Although I can't clearly explain my condition at that time, I'm still alive, living tenaciously... because I've gone further than anyone else on the road to immortality! You Death Eaters all know my goal - to conquer death. I was tested thirteen years ago, and it seems that at least one or two of my experiments worked... Although I couldn't help myself, I still survived..."

"I remember those sleepless days and nights... In the dark and distant forest, I waited for my loyal Death Eaters to find me... There must be someone who would use magic that I couldn't cast to give me a body... But I waited in vain!"

The Death Eaters surrounding the cemetery shuddered. Voldemort's eyes intensified the fear that enveloped the space again, and then he continued: "Four years ago... there seemed to be hope for my resurrection... A young, stupid, naive and gullible wizard walked into the forest, and I happened to run into... the cowardly Quirrell, I still remember his name... Dumbledore appointed him as the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I attached myself to him, and entered Hogwarts together... But my plan failed, an ancient wizard named Ivy Doom stopped me... Many of you have heard of his name, a perfect Slytherin... a qualified investment target, just like me when I was still studying at Hogwarts..."

"Quirrel's body was too weak, a real burden! He used ancient magic to easily kill Quirrell, and I failed to achieve my goal of seizing the Philosopher's Stone, and I didn't even get a chance to meet Harry Potter face to face! I became as weak as before and returned to that distant hiding place... I don't want to boast to you that I didn't worry that I would never be able to recover my body... and I no longer fantasized that any Death Eater would care about my condition..."

"But fate favors Voldemort... Just before I gave up hope, Lucius took the opportunity of the trial of Wormtail to replace old Barty as the director of the Department of International Magical Cooperation! This made old Barty, who had completely lost power in the Ministry of Magic, turn to our side... Barty persuaded his father to take him to the forest of Albania, so that I could be liberated!"

Little Barty, who was missing an arm, chuckled and stared at the other Death Eaters present with malicious eyes.

“Bati’s magic is good. Although he has lived under old Barty’s Imperius Curse for more than ten years and his body is very weak, he can perfectly carry out my instructions... relying on one or two spells I invented... and a little help from my dear Nagini..." The dark green snake was still circling in the field. Voldemort’s scarlet eyes followed it for a few seconds before moving his gaze away. "The potion made from unicorn blood and Nagini’s venom has given me a body that is no different from that of a human, and I have gained the strength to travel."

Harry thought that Voldemort had completely exaggerated his abilities. The image of the snake-faced baby could not be called that of a human being at all. Compared to Ivy, who could completely resurrect the dead, he was much weaker in many aspects.

Voldemort continued to explain his own mental journey, even including the magical materials for resurrection.

"...the blood of my enemies. There are so many people in the wizarding world who still hate me, such as Moody who was captured by Barty and the retired Auror...but I know very well whose blood I must use...If I want to become stronger than before, I must use the blood of Harry Potter or Ivy Doom! The former has his mother's 'love magic' in his blood, and the latter can use ancient magic that has been lost for hundreds of years. They are both good choices...but I can only use one person's blood to resurrect! That's right...stand up from where you fell...I want Harry Potter's blood! I want the 'love magic' in his blood. The power of his mother to protect him is also protecting me!"

"Lucius proved himself to be still loyal to me. It was he who threw Harry Potter's name into the Goblet of Fire, which gave us many opportunities to get close to him... and now you all see, this boy, the man who was considered my nemesis... here he is!"

Voldemort raised his yew wand and slowly walked towards Harry. "Crucio!"

The severe pain came again, and tears blurred Harry's eyes...Through the mist, Voldemort's scarlet eyes were so hateful...

"I will completely eliminate the misunderstanding in your mind! It was a fluke that Harry Potter escaped from my hands!" Voldemort said, "Now I want to kill him to prove my strength... Without Dumbledore's protection, without his mother's sacrifice, without various unexpected factors... I will give him a fair chance to compete with me, so that you can understand what true strength is!"

"Put him down, Narcissa, and give him his wand back."

Narcissa, who looked young and beautiful and didn't look like a mother at all, had completely regained her composure. She stepped out of the crowd, pulled Harry's wand from her waist, and came in front of him.

As she untied him, Narcissa whispered, "Get ready, boy."

Harry wanted to ask what that meant, but Narcissa had already thrust the wand into his hand without so much as a glance at him and turned back to her husband.

"I heard that you have learned dueling, right? Harry Potter?" Voldemort said slowly, with a twisted smile on his lips, and his snake-like nostrils spewed out two streams of white air in the winter.

duel.

Professor Victor taught him in his first year, Snape taught him in his second year, and Sirius and Snape trained him together in his third year...wasn't it for this moment?

He moved his hands and feet slightly. Footwork is very important in a duel. As long as he doesn't get hit by the opponent's spell, there will be no risk of injury...

“Let us bow to each other, Harry.” Voldemort leaned forward, but his snake face never lowered, still staring at Harry’s every move, “Etiquette must be observed... The professor who taught you duel must want you to behave gracefully... Bow to death, Harry...”

Wrong, they wanted me to survive...

Harry lowered his head so as not to meet Voldemort's gaze, then bent down inch by inch.

The Death Eaters laughed at his performance, and even Voldemort curled his lips. "Very good," Voldemort said softly with a smile, raising his wand, "Look at me, hold your head high like a man... just like when your father died -"

Before Voldemort could finish his words, Harry, who was hunched over, launched a surprise attack: "Expelliarmus!"

A red light flew towards him at an angle that Voldemort had never expected. Voldemort could not help but snort in anger and barely deflected the disarming spell with his wand.

The Death Eater who had been standing behind Voldemort was in trouble. After being hit by Harry's Disarming Curse, he curled up into a ball like a shrimp.

"Crucio!" Voldemort did not say any more harsh words, but decisively chose to fight back with the Cruciatus Curse.

After Harry released the first Disarming Spell, he was ready to dodge at any time. As soon as Voldemort raised his wand, he took a big step back and hid behind a tombstone.

The marble tombstone was pierced, and the flying fragments even scratched Harry's forehead.

He didn't bother to wipe the blood off his forehead, but jumped out from his hiding place and chanted loudly again: "Faint!"

Voldemort was also ready, and shouted: "Avada Kedavra!"

The red light emitted by the holly wand collided with the green light emitted by the yew wand, and the cores of the brother wands that came from the same phoenix resonated.

A thin golden thread connected the two wands, and the hands holding them were shaking violently.

Then something unexpected happened, Harry and Voldemort's feet left the ground and rose into the air. But in just a few breaths, the Death Eaters below were completely at a loss, some drew their wands, and others hoped to get instructions from their master.

Suddenly, the golden thread connecting the two wands began to become unstable, and then split into countless arcs of light, which intertwined together to form a large golden net, a cage made of golden light.

“Don’t move!” Voldemort shouted orders to the Death Eaters, with astonishment flashing in his scarlet eyes. He didn’t understand how this happened.

However, some people still disobeyed his orders.

Lucius threw his white gloves to the ground, revealing the black flame tattoo on the back of his hand that seemed to be jumping and burning, and aimed it at the dark green snake that was swimming anxiously under Voldemort.

No one noticed his action until the inky black flames gushed out and completely enveloped Nagini. The scorched smell of the burning snake's flesh enveloped the entire place in an instant, and all the Death Eaters didn't understand what Lucius was doing.

There is only one exception.

Little Barty jumped up from the ground and shouted, "Lucius! He is a traitor! I knew it a long time ago! Capture him!"

The Death Eaters who escaped legal punishment were all born into pure-blood families. Years of pampering had almost made these people lose their fighting consciousness. Except for Barty Sr. who was controlled by Barty Jr.'s Imperius Curse, no one could understand what was going on.

"Crucio..." Old Barty was halfway through reciting the spell when Lucius pointed the back of his hand that was spewing out fierce fire at him. Like a puff of green smoke, the son commanded his father to die, and then he followed in his footsteps.

The Death Eaters who saw this scene fled in all directions. No one wanted to be touched by the terrible Fiendfyre, but they were also unwilling to stay too far away from Voldemort. If there was anyone who could control Fiendfyre with his own power, then apart from Lucius who was given the Fiendfyre tattoo by Ivy, it could only be Voldemort who had superb attainments in the dark magic.

"Channel of 'All Curses End'! You fools!" After noticing Nagini tumbling in the fierce flames below, Voldemort became even more furious. He cursed loudly, but he could do nothing except give advice to his servants.

Nagini, who had been rolling in the Fiery Flame for a while, had now stopped. A thick black smoke erupted, making the already fiercely burning Fiery Flame even more violent. Even though sparse chants of "All Curses Are Ended" were heard in the cemetery, the raging Fiery Flame could not be reduced in the slightest.

Harry in the air only now understood what Narcissa had said in his ear. The fear had quietly disappeared from his heart. He laughed and said to Voldemort: "You miscalculated! Voldemort! You can't kill me here!"

The Fiendfyre tattoo on the back of Lucius's hand had disappeared. He and his wife were standing in a place that had not yet been affected by the Fiendfyre. After using the Shield Charm to block several spells shot by the Death Eaters, the couple took out a phoenix feather from their arms.

Unexpectedly, the phoenix's tail feathers ignited golden flames in the wind, burning the two people and quickly letting go of their hands. Before Lucius and Narcissa had time to regret, the golden flames spread from their feet, assimilating the surrounding black fire and turning it into clear and bright golden flames.

Almost in the blink of an eye, golden flames replaced the black fire. It seemed to have life and automatically formed a circular rune circle. The Death Eaters screamed and wanted to jump out of it, but no one could do it.

Then the fire grew brighter and everyone in the Little Hangleton village cemetery was engulfed by the golden flames.

The link between Voldemort and Harry's wands was broken, and both of them fell to the ground.

Voldemort stood up in embarrassment, but heard a smiling voice saying loudly: "It's been a long time, Tom. You are really embarrassing the Dark Lord, aren't you?"

　New year, new atmosphere, tomorrow’s ten thousand words will kill Voldemort!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)