Just as the battle between Draco and Barty Crouch Jr. reached its climax, the battlefield on the other side also seemed to be nearing its conclusion.
To be precise, Snape and the others were gradually becoming unable to withstand the Dark Lord's fury.
Boom!
"Cough, cough, cough!"
"How is it, Severus?"
"Not good."
"....."
It was hard to imagine those words coming from the ever-proud Snape.
But when the one standing opposite him was Voldemort, it was easy enough to understand why Snape would be so frank.
After all, this was the mighty second Dark Lord.
In fact, if Voldemort had not wanted to torture Snape and Lucius, these two traitors, with the Cruciatus Curse, the battle might have ended long ago.
Let alone leaving them with the strength to speak.
Even so, it was plain to see that Snape's already pale face had turned frighteningly white.
The hand gripping his wand was trembling uncontrollably.
That was the terrifying effect of the Cruciatus Curse.
Even a wizard as strong-willed as Snape had nearly been tortured to the point of collapse by Voldemort's Cruciatus Curse.
Snape quickly took out a potion and poured it into his mouth. A sickly flush rose on his face as he lifted his head and looked at Voldemort, who was being desperately held back by Minerva McGonagall. "Cough, cough, cough! What about you? How much longer can you hold on?"
"....."
"I see..."
Lucius's silence told Snape everything.
...
Boom!
At that moment, the sound of stone shattering suddenly rang through the air.
It turned out that Minerva McGonagall, who had just bought the two of them a little time, had retreated to their side with a pale face. The explosion just now had been the sound of the stone giant she had transformed being destroyed by magic.
It was clear that, with her magic nearly exhausted, Minerva McGonagall had no choice but to withdraw reluctantly.
"Minerva?!"
"Huff, huff... I'm fine... I've just used too much magic."
If this had not been a battlefield, and if they had not had the potions Snape had personally made, Minerva McGonagall might have collapsed on the spot from overtaxing her magic.
But even so, there was no way Minerva McGonagall could continue the fight.
Just then, before Minerva McGonagall could even catch her breath, that terrifying voice reached their ears.
"Coincidence, luck. None of it is worth mentioning before true strength. Don't you agree, my once most loyal subordinates?"
"....."
"....."
Rolling black mist descended onto the ground.
As Voldemort sneered, his red eyes widened, making him look like a venomous snake poised to strike.
Compared with Snape and the others, who were battered and disheveled, Voldemort was calm and unruffled. There was no sign that he felt any pressure at all.
Facing Voldemort, who seemed not to have been worn down in the slightest, Snape and Lucius tensed again and exchanged a glance.
Clearly, they both knew that if this battle continued, they might truly die here.