Chapter 774: You Are Also Dead?!!
"It's you!"
---
Dumbledore and Harry had just spoken of fighting Voldemort—
but before they could act—
Snape had already stepped forward.
---
Face to face.
---
Voldemort turned his head.
His expression unreadable, almost indifferent.
"Severus…"
"It seems you've come here as well."
"I've heard… he carries your blood too."
"Then take him."
"Don't lose him."
He stepped aside—
revealing Darren behind him.
Darren stood there—
expression blank.
Snape's eyes sharpened instantly.
"What did you do to him?"
He pulled Darren toward himself.
Voldemort's expression darkened—
but he only let out a cold laugh.
"How should I know what I did to him?"
"Dumbledore knew he was nothing more than a vessel of bloodline…"
"And still let him die."
"And dying by my hands.
"does improve your chances of victory."
His tone carried a trace of anger.
As if even he found it absurd.
Darren almost laughed.
But held it back.
At that moment—
Dumbledore stepped forward with Harry.
"Tom," he said calmly, "you wrong me."
"Darren simply hates your bloodline too much."
"Perhaps… you should ask yourself why."
Voldemort's gaze snapped to him.
"You too?"
"You're dead as well, Dumbledore?"
There was something almost pleased in his voice.
"Interesting…"
"After death, your emotions seem… fuller."
"The incompleteness of the soul really does affect you."
Dumbledore smiled faintly.
Voldemort's eyes flashed with irritation—
but then, as if remembering something—
he calmed again.
His gaze shifted—
to Harry.
Surprise flickered.
"You as well?
"I didn't kill you…"
"So who did?"
"Bellatrix? Lucius? Greyback?"
Harry didn't answer.
He glanced at Dumbledore—
uncertain.
Dumbledore only chuckled softly.
Ignoring the question entirely.
Instead, he studied Voldemort.
Then—
his expression shifted.
"Ah…"
"So after death… the soul becomes complete."
Voldemort's face went cold.
"Hypocrite."
"You staged your death…"
"Let them destroy my Horcruxes…"
"You wanted me dead."
"I'm sorry, Tom."
Dumbledore's voice was calm.
"If those you killed could return—"
"I would never have made such a choice."
He looked at Darren.
"Watching someone with your blood suffer again and again…"
"…while being unable to intervene—"
"That pain…"
"You should understand it best."
He sounded less like an enemy—
and more like a father speaking.
Voldemort's anger flared.
"But no!"
"That foolish child—"
"I still don't understand!"
"Why did he involve himself in this?"
"Have I not given him enough over the years?"
"I never shouted at him—never—"
"And yet—"
"He did this!"
"After learning he had my blood—"
"If he weren't like this now…"
"I would have killed him myself!"
The words were harsh.
But—
the way he had held Darren earlier—
the way he had searched for a path with him—
none of it matched
Dumbledore smiled faintly.
"Oh, Tom…"
"You know very well why he did this."
"For years, you never revealed his bloodline."
"Was it truly because you feared me?"
A trace of mockery slipped into his tone.
Voldemort froze.
"…I was worried he wouldn't accept it."
"So I never told him."
"And then…"
"…I wasn't paying attention for a moment…"
"…and I killed him myself."
He paused.
"Before you killed me…"
"I thought… even if he died…"
"I could revive him.
"…with the blood he carried."
"…But now…"
He fell silent.
Then waved a hand dismissivel.
"Enough."
"Since we're all here—"
"We may as well find a path forward."
"Dumbledore… perhaps this time—"
"I'll truly defeat you."
He sneered.
Then turned to Snape.
"Come."
"Let's go."
"Stop wasting time with them."
Snape didn't move.
He held Darren tightly.
Voldemort stepped closer.
A faint smile—cold, mocking.
"Severus…"
"You wouldn't betray me now—"
"just because I killed you?"
"I'm afraid…"
Dumbledore's voice cut in softly.
"He has always been on our side."
He stepped closer.
Harry followed.
The three of them—
stood together.
Voldemort watched.
Then—
something clicked.
"…You're not dead."
His voice was unreadable.
"This is the space of the Resurrection Stone," Dumbledore explained.
"I prepared it for Darren."
"If he truly died—"
"his soul would remain here."
"Waiting… to be brought back."
"As for you…"
"I'm not entirely sure why you're here."
"Perhaps… because Darren took a fragment of your soul."
Silence.
Voldemort stood still for a long time.
Then—
he took a step forward.
Harry immediately moved—
blocking Darren.
Voldemort stopped.
A faint, almost bitter smile.
"If he lives…"
"…cut away my blood from him."
"I have no need—"
"for someone like him to carry it."
Harry froze.
On the surface—
it sounded like contempt.
But underneath—
it felt like something else.
As if—
he feared Darren would die because of it.
Harry glanced at Dumbledore.
Even he looked surprised.
Voldemort noticed.
"Do not misunderstand."
"I do as I please."
"I owe no explanations."
"And his nature—"
"is unworthy of my blood."
His gaze never left Darren.
"…Take him."
"I don't wish to see him again."
A pause.
---
Then, almost irritably—
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"Go."
---
"Take that little fool with you."
"And…
"There's a girl over there."
"She's been sleeping."
"If you leave—"
"take her too."
"This is a Resurrection Stone—"
"…how did she even get in?"