When Wormtail finally dared to raise his head, he could have sworn he saw a grotesque smile twist across the snake's face.
Voldemort's rasping voice echoed once more:
"I am the great heir of Salazar Slytherin, the leader of the Death Eaters, the Dark Lord, Voldemort, the Mysterious One, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the Undying, the most dangerous Dark wizard in history...
In this world, no one but myself can kill me. Even that so-called guardian angel—Albus Dumbledore—in my prime, could only retreat before my power.
And yet, ten years ago, with the help of my dear old friend, Peter Pettigrew…"
At this, Wormtail panicked, thinking Voldemort was about to settle old scores. He threw himself facedown on the ground, his body quivering as he stammered:
"Master, Master, I swear I never knew Lily would harm you! You're the great Dark Lord—I am your most loyal—"
Voldemort seized the moment, quickly abandoning his current serpent host for another—his excitement had nearly drained the last one.
"Oh, my dear friend, you're not to blame. It was my own carelessness. I overlooked the sacrificial magic Lily Potter unleashed before her death, causing the Killing Curse to rebound upon myself. No one can withstand the spells of the great Voldemort—not even me.
Because of my carelessness, I was stripped of my body, left as nothing but shadow and vapor—less than a ghost, even more wretched than the humblest spirit.
But I survived. I endured!
Just as my goal has always been to conquer death, I have walked further down the path of immortality than anyone.
You know my ambition—to master death itself.
Now, I have been tested, and it seems at least one or two of my experiments have succeeded...
For I did not die, even though the curse should have been fatal. Yet I became as helpless as the weakest creature, unable to help myself...
I have no body, and every spell that could help me requires a wand…"
Wormtail's voice trembled as he interrupted:
"Master, my great master, I... I am willing—"
But Voldemort's tone turned almost gentle, laced with a chilling amusement:
"No, I don't need that. You are my friend. I could never bear to see my friend harmed for my sake."
Wormtail began to sob, his voice thick with tears.
Voldemort continued, his voice slow and heavy:
"I remember those sleepless nights, forcing myself to endure, second by second, just to stay alive...
I hid in this pitch-black forest, waiting for my faithful Death Eaters. Surely, I thought, they would find a way to reach me.
Surely, someone would come, wielding the magic I could not, to restore me to a body...
But I waited in vain…"
Wormtail shuddered, his sobs echoing in the darkness:
"Master, great master, you did not wait in vain—I came. I escaped from Hogwarts, I heard of your plight, and I came here just for you…"
Voldemort fell silent for a moment, regarding his former servant with a flicker of surprise:
"You escaped from Hogwarts? You heard about my situation?"
Wormtail hurriedly recounted how he had faked his death to avoid trial, endured years of hardship hiding in the magical world, always searching for news of the Dark Lord. He explained how he'd gone undercover beside Harry Potter, biding his time to capture the boy as an offering to his master. Then came his desperate flight from the Aurors, his relentless search for information, and finally, how he'd pinpointed the Dark Lord's location and come to offer his service.
He made sure to emphasize that by the time he escaped, the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Douglas Holmes, had already secured a second term in the post.
A cold smirk curled across Voldemort's serpentine features:
"So I've grown this feeble—or perhaps this man truly has some skill. I laid a curse on that post as Slytherin's heir, and after all these years, he's the first to break it. How...interesting."
Watching Wormtail still trembling and groveling, a flicker of disgust passed through Voldemort's eyes, but his voice remained smooth, coaxing:
"My dear old friend, you've done well. To escape a pack of Aurors and find your way here—that's more than I managed, back in the day."
At these words, Wormtail nearly buried his face in the dirt.
Voldemort quietly slipped into another serpent host, his tone reflective:
"In those days, I could only drift from place to place, clinging to the last shreds of my magic, barely able to possess another creature. But I dared not go anywhere crowded—the Aurors were always hunting me.
Pitiful and wretched as I was, I survived by possessing animals. As you see, snakes are my favorite, but even their bodies are ill-suited for magic. My presence shortens their lives, and if I speak, they die even faster...
Ten years passed—through the Forest of Landes in France, the Bohemian Forest in the Czech Republic, Galloway Forest in Scotland, Białowieża Forest in Belarus... until, at last, I found my old friend Nagini here in Albania.
With Nagini's help, I raised a brood of snakes I could possess at will, allowing me to cling to life...
Later, I met a young, foolish, easily deceived wizard who stumbled upon my lair—yes, as you know, that was Quirinus Quirrell. Sadly, that plan failed, and I was left as weak as before, forced to hide here once more.
My friend, you cannot imagine how much your arrival means to me. I won't pretend I never worried about regaining my strength.
Yes, in my darkest hour, you came to me... My old friend, you are the only one who still cares. You gave me hope."
He paused, then confided:
"I won't deceive you—before this, I encountered several other wizards. With Nagini's help, I captured them. Unfortunately, they were all fugitives wanted by the Aurors. Had I possessed them, I'd still be hunted.
I used a few tricks to make them vanish from this world, hoping rumors would spread and lure more wizards for me to choose from.
Just as, years ago, I preyed on lost Muggles, hoping to attract that foolish wizard…
But I never imagined I'd be reunited with an old friend. Can you help me, my friend? Help one so weak he can't even hold a wand…"
"Hissss... Wormtail, are you falling asleep? Do you need me to help you sleep... forever?"
A shrill, rasping voice tore through the empty cave, snapping Wormtail out of his memories.
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