บท 507: Chapter 507: The Dice of Fate Have Been Cast (Edited)
Although they were extremely happy, they didn't show the slightest hint of it. After long hours of practice, both had learned to control their emotions.
Voldemort, with his back to his subordinates, had no idea of the state of the two behind him. He was now extremely weak; any adult man could kill him without him realizing it.
"My lord, there will be a hundred thousand wizards participating in this World Cup, the management is sure to be chaotic. You could take the opportunity to infiltrate the camp, patiently waiting for the right moment to obtain Potter's blood," Barty Crouch Jr. quickly said from behind, with a devoted expression on his face.
Facing Barty Crouch, Voldemort's tone softened: "Barty, you are my smartest subordinate, and your loyalty to me has never wavered. You are my most important card, and I cannot risk losing you. If anything were to happen to you, it would have a considerable negative impact on my plans."
For Voldemort, this was the friendliest way he could speak. When in a vulnerable position, he could control his temper and become charming. Love potion offspring had no emotions, a "bad seed" by nature, doing everything for himself.
Voldemort fell into a long silence, Barty and Peter closed their mouths and patiently waited for his next instructions. They didn't dare to intervene at this moment, fearing they would mess things up and make them even more complicated.
Voldemort's slender, small fingers lightly tapped the armrest of the chair. After some thought, he came to the conclusion that the World Cup final was the best opportunity. If he missed this chance, it would be nearly impossible to obtain Harry Potter's blood.
Dumbledore and Harry's mother had established an infallible protective barrier, and Voldemort's magic, no matter how powerful, couldn't overcome it. He could only wait for the barrier to fade on its own or for Harry to exit it.
In that case, sending Barty to the location of the World Cup final was necessary. If he could infiltrate and succeed, he would win. As for losses, what did the sacrifice of a Barty Crouch Jr. mean compared to the rebirth of the great Voldemort? To achieve victory, any chess piece could be sacrificed, only some were pawns and others were rooks, having different values. Sacrificing a rook for the king was unwise, but if it was for the sake of the king, then the rook could be sacrificed.
Voldemort's silence didn't mean he was reluctant to get rid of Barty Crouch Jr., but rather he was weighing the pros and cons of his success. It was Barty's phrase "There will be a hundred thousand wizards participating in this World Cup" that moved him and made him believe that even if Barty acted, he could probably escape unscathed.
His anger was just a test to see if Barty Crouch Jr. was willing to risk his life for him. He needed Barty Crouch Jr. to volunteer for the task.
In the end, Voldemort separated the benefits of success from the losses of failure. It was Barty's phrase "There will be a hundred thousand wizards participating in this World Cup" that moved him and made him believe that even if Barty Crouch Jr. acted, he could probably escape unscathed.
So why hesitate any longer?
"Barty, you are my most valuable subordinate, in whom I trust the most and in whom I place my faith," Voldemort broke the silence, saying softly, "Are you willing to risk yourself for me?"
Barty knelt without hesitation and with a passionate and sincere tone said, "Of course, my lord! I am willing to serve you and prove my loyalty. This is my dream, my greatest desire."
Peter, next to him, listening to his companion's cheesy words, shuddered inwardly, thankful he didn't have to say those words. He really couldn't say something like that... Fortunately, Peter didn't have to say those words.
"Don't expose yourself too much. That's why Lord Voldemort is willing to make a concession. You only need to bring the boy's blood," Voldemort made an unusual concession.
His perfect plan was to bring Harry in front of him, make him witness his revival, and then use Harry Potter's life as the ultimate gift for his resurgence. But now, Voldemort also had to surrender to reality: taking Harry Potter away from the playing field was too difficult, and Barty Crouch Jr. didn't have the power to do it. However, attacking Harry, drawing his blood, and escaping wasn't as difficult and wouldn't attract the attention of the Aurors.
"Remember, the blood must be 'forcibly' given," he reminded Barty before closing his eyes and saying no more.
Voldemort was now too weak; even traveling would consume much of his energy, leaving him exhausted and longing for sleep and rest with only a few words spoken.
Voldemort knew the die was cast, and now the outcome depended on fate. It was an uncomfortable feeling not to have control over his own destiny... But he, Lord Voldemort, had always been favored by fate, hadn't he? "I will go find Nagini, and later, I will need her venom. Take this opportunity to take good care of the master," Barty ordered Peter authoritatively before leaving.
Voldemort's faithful servant naturally held authority over the less loyal ones. This was something Voldemort allowed, not only in the present but also when he was at the height of his power or when seeking resurgence. Voldemort's team was structured like a pyramid, with Voldemort at the top and everyone else at his mercy. Just below were his loyal Death Eaters, most of whom needed to earn his trust through a visit to Azkaban, but still had absolute power in this group.
Further down were those in the Death Eater group who were not as trustworthy, like Wormtail and the Malfoy family... Although they were under Voldemort's command, they had been marginalized. These people had lost Voldemort's trust for various reasons and had paid a high price to rejoin.
Wormtail had secured his place based on the merit of rescuing Voldemort from the Albanian forest, while Lucius Malfoy had returned by using his keen sense and cunning, finding the opportune moment to return without leaving much evidence of betrayal.
Lucius had managed to clear his reputation through unorthodox methods, but other Death Eaters had done so as well. In the Death Eater group, there was impunity, even though Voldemort was cruel and ruthless, he couldn't punish all his subordinates as soon as he had been resurrected. Therefore, Lucius had successfully returned, even without suffering the Cruciatus Curse.
A negative example was Karkaroff. His way of absolving himself of his crimes was too radical, and after Voldemort's resurrection, he didn't dare to return. Even if he appeared at the meeting that day, it could be taken as an example to intimidate others. In the end, Voldemort pursued him thousands of kilometers and killed him on the plains of Siberia.
Further down the hierarchy were the followers and the common crowd. In Voldemort's social structure, they had no voice or position.
After Barty finished speaking, he turned around and left the room. He had other things to do.
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