章節 264: Chapter 263 "Life Is The Answer"

"Speaking of which, Dark Lord," Skyler glanced pointedly at the wands held by Voldemort and Harry, emitting a disapproving click of his tongue, "Were you preparing to engage in a duel with Potter upon my arrival? A display of your prowess to solidify your standing as the master of Death Eaters?"

Voldemort regarded Skyler with an icy stare, offering no response.

"Truly..." Skyler feigned disdain, "The illustrious Dark Lord, the omnipotent figure feared throughout the British wizarding world, resorting to intimidating an underage wizard to assert dominance—how utterly depraved."

A murmur rippled through the assembly of Death Eaters, sensing the chilling aura that permeated the air even before Voldemort uttered a word.

Despite Skyler being a sworn enemy to many among them, harboring a hatred so deep it seemed insurmountable, they couldn't help but acknowledge—

In this moment, a mere 15-year-old boy stood boldly before Voldemort, articulating his thoughts with eloquence. The composed confidence radiating from his slightly green countenance, coupled with his audacious rhetoric, elicited a begrudging admiration from the onlookers.

"What do you know!" Voldemort's outburst was involuntary. He realized, in that moment, that his carefully crafted facade was crumbling, and he quickly reverted to a cold tone. "There are deeper implications at play here. If you fail to comprehend them, there's no need to feign superiority."

"And what deeper implications could those be?" Skyler's gaze dripped with disdain. "It's evident you fear the blood magic between Potter and his parents. Your sole aim is to demonstrate to your followers that you've vanquished that bond—nothing more."

"Dark Lord," Skyler's smirk deepened, "Who is Potter, truly? Without Dumbledore to bolster him, what claim does he have to stand as your equal adversary?"

Skyler paused, then continued with a sly grin, "Engaging Potter would only tarnish your wand. As a scion of the Malfoy lineage and the offspring of your most trusted lieutenant, Lucius, I propose..." Skyler's smile widened deviously, "Why not let me handle it for you?"

A glint of cunning danced in Skyler's eyes as he turned abruptly to Harry, his voice cutting through the tense air, "Potter, rise! Look at me! Summon your courage and face me in a fair duel like a true wizard!"

When Harry faced Voldemort alone in the past, fear had gripped him so tightly that he could barely stand.

But now, confronting Skyler, a peer who had competed alongside him in the Triwizard Tournament, Harry felt a resurgence of courage. With a deep breath, he rose to his feet, brandishing his wand with steely determination.

As Harry prepared to speak, he caught a glint of peculiar light flickering in Skyler's eyes.

In the span of a heartbeat, Harry felt a momentary dizziness, and Skyler's voice echoed in his mind, devoid of emotion, "Potter, consider yourself fortunate. Tonight was meant to be your demise. However, someone interceded on your behalf. I owe a debt to Professor Snape for sparing your life. Be more cautious in the future, and value the life and everything around you!"

Voldemort, sensing a disturbance, bellowed angrily, "You meddling brat, stay out of my affairs—Avada Kedavra!" A blinding green bolt hurtled towards Harry.

But Skyler was swifter still, offering a smirk as he interjected, "Inept Potter! Your presence irritates me. Begone!"

Unsurprisingly, Skyler had mastered this spell through self-study as early as his first year at Hogwarts. Through relentless practice and refinement over the years, his mastery of magical control and spellcasting techniques had soared to unprecedented heights. The repelling charm he unleashed was as swift as lightning, executed with finesse and effortless grace—

The potency of the repelling charm he unleashed upon Harry was meticulously calculated. And as Harry's slender form was sent hurtling through the air, he soared, he tumbled, until finally, he plummeted to the ground."

Just beneath him lay the glimmering Goblet of Fire, still spewing forth tongues of flame. Without a moment's pause, Harry descended onto its rim, his seat engulfed by the azure flames. With a deafening crack, his trousers ignited in a burst of fire. Harry barely had time to emit a gut-wrenching cry before—

In an instant, both he and the Goblet of Fire transfigured into a swirling vortex, vanishing from sight. Only his agonized screams reverberated through the desolate cemetery.

The Death Eaters, hearing Harry's anguished wails, found the spectacle oddly amusing, though stifling their laughter. But laughter froze on their lips, for—

Voldemort fixed Skyler with a predatory glare, his loathing a palpable force. "You let Potter slip away!" His voice sliced through the air like shattered glass. "You've thwarted my plans... Regardless of the Shadow Dragon's machinations, I care not... Today, I will kill you!" His wand quivered, poised to unleash the Killing Curse.

Skyler's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by steely resolve. As Harry was repelled, his wand slid seamlessly from its concealed sleeve pocket into his grasp. Simultaneously, he unleashed a torrent of magical energy towards the origin of the deadly curse.

A cold, malevolent grin spread across Voldemort's face as he silently jeered, "Fool. Did Dumbledore never warn you that the Killing Curse is unstoppable?"

He could almost envision the moment when the Killing Curse would pierce through Skyler's defenses, sealing Skyler's fate. Students were just students, their theoretical knowledge and magical prowess paling in comparison to his own, the greatest Dark Lord in the world.

Yet, he would soon discover just how mistaken he was.

"Even Hagrid, the giant gamekeeper expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, was given a position by Dumbledore himself. Hagrid, with his imposing stature, abused his authority, leading to numerous injuries among the students in his 'terrifying' lessons"

Potter's survival hinged on the ancient magic triggered by his mother's selfless sacrifice. This magic required a person to willingly choose death when they could otherwise survive, activating a powerful protective enchantment.

Typically, Voldemort's immense magical prowess could easily override such protective enchantments, especially since he had already taken the blood of Potter's mother into himself.

But the crux of the matter lay in Potter's repeated acts of mercy toward her, allowing her to live despite her muggle lineage. Each act of forgiveness fueled the ancient magic, layering protective energies upon Potter.

For Voldemort, Potter's survival wasn't a testament to his resilience or his mother's bravery; it was a stark reminder of his own lapse in judgment. He vowed never to repeat that mistake, determined to eliminate Potter once and for all.

Yet, as he witnessed Potter's defiance against the Killing Curse, Voldemort was consumed by shock. The Killing Curse was his ultimate weapon, feared even by Dumbledore. If Potter could resist it, what other means did he have left that wizards couldn't thwart?

Just as Voldemort grappled with this unthinkable development, an even more astonishing turn of events unfolded before his eyes.