As long as someone was human, they were bound to have a weakness of their own.
Even if that person was a villain who committed every evil imaginable, there would surely still be a part of their heart that others could not touch, hidden somewhere deep within.
The first Dark Lord had a weakness in Dumbledore.
As the second Dark Lord, Voldemort also had something he cared about.
And that existence was none other than Nagini.
"Nagini!"
Panic.
Fear.
Rage.
Despair.
It was clearly only three syllables, yet Draco felt as though he could sense so many complex emotions from Voldemort's heart within them.
It was hard to imagine that with his soul so broken, Voldemort still possessed the rich emotions only ordinary people should have.
Perhaps that was the last bit of goodness Voldemort had left.
Only, the Dark Lord's final piece of tenderness had now been shattered on this battlefield by Lockhart's actions.
All because of Nagini, who was no longer whole.
...
No longer whole.
As the words suggested, it meant she could no longer be put back together.
Following their line of sight, there was the spray of blood, and half a snake's body flying into the night sky.
Glaring and terrifying.
Voldemort's long, stiff, corpse-like face gradually twisted. His already hoarse voice now sounded as if it carried a suppressed madness. "So... your blood is red too, Nagini."
Deep and dark.
Rather than calling it a remark about something ordinary, it felt more like the calm before a storm, the madness before dawn.
And the most provoking thing was probably what the snake-killer Lockhart did afterward.
Facing Voldemort's gaze, Lockhart not only showed no fear, he deliberately stepped on the half of the snake's body that had fallen to the ground, then lightly waved the wand in his hand.
As if he were repeatedly telling Voldemort that he was the true culprit who had killed Nagini, and that Voldemort must not mistake his target.
Not only that, Lockhart even let out a soft laugh and provoked him further. "I hope you're satisfied with this meeting gift, esteemed Dark Lord~"
"....."
Draco twitched the corner of his mouth.
This had not been part of his original plan.
But to be honest, Lockhart's behavior did not surprise him. On the contrary, it felt like exactly the sort of thing Lockhart would do.
Naturally, with Lockhart's nerve, even without killing Nagini, he would sooner or later have clashed head-on with Voldemort.
The only difference was that Voldemort began with something big.
...
Three consecutive Killing Curses.
The three Killing Curses came fast and fierce, directly sealing off every route Lockhart might have used to dodge.
That move alone was not something an ordinary wizard could react to.
And it also made them understand something.
Compared with his earlier battles against Snape and Lucius, and even his clashes with Draco, Voldemort had not truly been serious at all.
It was only after Nagini's death that Voldemort truly lost his final restraint.
Deep.
Oppressive.
Terrifying.
It was a pressure they had clearly begun to grow used to, yet now they felt it all over again.
Voldemort flung aside the unknown wand.
What he now held was that Deathly Hallow, the legendary strongest wand of all.
The Elder Wand.
Perhaps, from this moment on, this was the true Dark Lord.