e。 〃Skilled wizard though you are； Severus； I do not think you will make much difference now。 We are almost there。。。almost。〃 〃Let me find the boy。 Let me bring you Potter。 I know I can find him； my Lord。 Please。〃 Snape strode past the gap； and Harry drew back a little； keeping his eyes fixed upon Nagini； wondering whether there was any spell that might penetrate the protection surrounding her； but he could not think of anything。 One failed attempt； and he would give away his position。。。 Voldemort stood up。 Harry could see him now； see the red eyes； the flattened； serpentine face； the pallor of him gleaming slightly in the semidarkness。
〃I have a problem； Severus；〃 said Voldemort softly。 〃My Lord？〃 said Snape。 Voldemort raised the Elder Wand； holding it as delicately and precisely as a conductor's baton。 〃Why doesn't it work for me； Severus？〃 In the silence Harry imagined he could hear the snake hissing slightly as it coiled and uncoileda150a150or was it Voldemort's sibilant sigh lingering on the air？ 〃Mya150a150my lord？〃 said Snape blankly。 〃I do not understand。 Youa150a150you have performed extraordinary magic with that wand。〃 〃No；〃 said Voldemort。 〃I have performed my usual magic。 I am extraordinary； but this wand。。。no。 It has not revealed the wonders it has promised。 I feel no difference between this wand and the one I procured from Ollivander all those years ago。〃 Voldemort's tone was musing； calm； but Harry's scar had begun to throb and pulse： Pain was building in his forehead； and he could feel that controlled sense of fury building inside Voldemort。 〃No difference；〃 said Voldemort again。 Snape did not speak。 Harry could not see his face。 He wondered whether Snape sensed danger； was trying to find the right words to reassure his master。 Voldemort started to move around the room： Harry lost sight of him for seconds as he prowled； speaking in that same measured voice； while the pain and fury mounted in Harry。 〃I have thought long and hard； Severus。。。do you know why I have called you back from battle？〃 And for a moment Harry saw Snape's profile。 His eyes were fixed upon the coiling snake in its enchanted cage。 〃No； my Lord； but I beg you will let me return。 Let me find Potter。〃 〃You sound like Lucius。 Neither of you understands Potter as I do。 He does not need finding。 Potter will e to me。 I knew his weakness you see； his one great flaw。 He will hate watching the others struck down around him； knwoing that it is for him that it happens。 He will want to stop it at any cost。 He will e。〃 〃But my Lord； he might be killed accidentally by someone other than yourselfa150a150〃 〃My instructions to the Death Eaters have been perfectly clear。 Capture Potter。 Kill his friendsa150a150the more； the bettera150a150but do not kill him。 〃But it is of you that I wished to speak； Severus； not Harry Potter。 You have been very valuable to me。 Very valuable。〃 〃My Lord knows I seek only to serve him。 Buta150a150let me go and find the boy； my Lord。 Let me bring him to you。 I know I cana150a150〃 〃I have told you； no！〃 said Voldemort； and Harry caught the lgint of red in his eyes as he turned again； and the swishing of his cloak was like the slithering of a snake； and he felt Voldemort's
impatience in his burning scar。 〃My concern at the moment； Severus； is what will happen when I finally meet the boy！〃 〃My Lord； there can be no question； surelya150a150？〃 〃a150a150but there is a question； Severus。 There is。〃 Voldemort halted； and Harry could see him plainly again as he slid the Elder Wand through his white fingers； staring at Snape。 〃Why did both the wands I have used fail when directed at Harry Potter？〃 〃Ia150a150I cannot answer that； my Lord。〃 〃Can't you？〃 The stab of rage felt like a spike driven through Harry's head： he forced his own fist into his mouth to stop himself from crying out in pain。 He closed his eyes； and suddenly he was Voldemort； looking into Snape's pale face。 〃My wand of yew did everything of which I asked it； Severus； except to kill Harry Potter。 Twice it failed。 Ollivander told me under torture of the twin cores； told me to take another's wand。 I did so； but Lucius's wand shattered upon meeting Potter's。〃 〃Ia150a150I have no explanation； my Lord。〃 Snape was not looking at Voldemort now。 His dark eyes were still fixed upon the coiling serpent in its protective sphere。 〃I sought a third wand； Severus。 the Elder Wand； the Wand of Destiny； the Deathstick。 I took it from its previous master。 I took it from the grfave of Albus Dumbledore。〃 And now Snape looked at Voldemort； and Snape's face was like a death mask。 it was marble white and so still that when he spoke； it was a shock to see that anyone lived behind the blank eyes。 〃My Lorda150a150let me go to the boya150a150〃 〃all this long night when I am on the brink of victory； I have sat here；〃 said Voldemort； his voice barely louder than a whisper； 〃wondering； wondering； why the Elder Wand refuses to be what it ought to be； refuses to perform as legend says it must perform for its rightful owner。。。and I think I have the answer。〃 Snape did not speak。 〃Perhaps you already know it？ You are a clever man； after all； Severus。 You have been a good and faithful servant； and I regret what must happen。〃 〃My Lorda150a150〃 〃The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly； Severus； because I am not its true master。 The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner。 You killed Albus Dumbledore。 While you live； Severus； the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine。〃 〃My Lord！〃 Snape protested； raising his wand。 〃It cannot be any other way；〃 said Voldemort。 〃I must master the wand； Severus。 Master the wand； and I master Potter at last。〃 And Voldemort swiped the air with the Elder Wand。 It did nothing to
Sanpe； who for a split second seemed to think he had been reprieved： but then Voldemort's intention became clear。 The snake's cage was rolling through the air； and before Snape could do anything more than yell； it had encased him； head and shoulders； and Voldemort spoke in Parseltongue。 〃Kill。〃 There was a terrible scream。 Harry saw Snape's face losing the little color it had left； it whitened as his black eyes widened； as the snake's fangs pierced his neck； as he failed to push the enchanted cage off himself； as his knees gave way and he fell to the floor。 〃I regret it；〃 said Voldemort coldly。 He turned away； there was no sadness in him； no remorse。 It was time to leave this shack and take charge； with a wand that would now do his full bidding。 He pointed it at the starry cage holding the snake； which drifted upward； off snape； who fell sideways onto the floor； blood gushing from the wounds in his neck。 Voldemort swept from the room without a backward glance； and the great serpent floated after him in its huge protective sphere。 Back in the tunnel and his own mind； Harry opened his eyes； He had drawn blood biting down on his knuckles in an effort not to shout out。 Now he was looking through the tiny crack between crate and wall； watching a foot in a black boot trembling on the floor。 〃Harry！〃 breathed Hermione behind him； but he had already pointed his wand at the crate blocking his view。 It lifted an inch into the air and drifted sideways silently。 As quietly as he could