nd permitted me to kill them for you！〃
〃You won't be killing anyone else tonight；〃 said Harry as they circled； and stared into each other's eyes； green into red。 〃You won't be able to kill any of them ever again。 Don't you get it？ I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people … 〃
〃But you did not！〃
〃 … I meant to； and that's what did it。 I've done what my mother did。 They're protected from you。 Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding？ You can't torture them。 You can't touch them。 You don't learn from your mistakes； Riddle； do you？〃
〃iYou dare …i〃
〃Yes； I dare；〃 said Harry。 〃I know things you don't know； Tom Riddle。 I know lots of important things that you don't。 Want to hear some； before you make another big mistake？〃
Voldemort did not speak； but powled in a circle； and Harry knew that he kept him temporarily mesmerized at bay； held back by the faintest possibility that Harry might indeed know a final secret。 。 。 。
〃Is it love again？〃 said Voldemort； his snake's face jeering。 〃Dumbledore favorite solution； ilovei； which he claimed conqered death； though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like and old waxwork？ iLove；i which did not prevent me stamping out your Modblood mother like a cockroack； Potter … and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse。 So what will stop you dying now when I strike？〃
〃Just one thing；〃 said Harry； and still they circled each other； wrapped in each other； held apart by nothing but the last secret。
〃If it is not love that will save you this time；〃 said Voldemort； 〃you must believe that you have magic that i do not； or else a weapon more powerful than mine？〃
〃I believe both；〃 said Harry； and he saw shock flit across the snakelike face； though it was instantly dispelled； Voldemort began to laugh； and the sound was more frightening than his screams； humorles and insane； it echoed around the silent Hall。
〃You think iyoui know more magic than I do？〃 he said。 〃Than iIi； than Lord Voldemort； who has performed magic that Dumbledore himself never dreamed of？〃
〃Oh he dreamed of it；〃 said Harry； 〃but he knew more than you； knew enough not to do what you've done。〃
〃You mean he was weak！〃 screamed Voldemort。 〃Too weak to dare； too weak to take what might have been his； what will be mine！〃
〃No； he was cleverer than you；〃 said Harry； 〃a better wizard； a better man。〃
〃I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore！〃
〃You thought you did；〃 said Harry； 〃but you were wrong。〃
For the frist time； the watching crowd stirred as the hundreds of people around the walls drew breath as one。
〃iDumbledore is dead！i〃 Voldemort hurled the words at Harry as in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle； I have seen it； Potter； and he will not return！〃
〃Yes； Dumbledore is dead；〃 said Harry calmly； 〃but you didn't have him killed。 He chose his own manner of dying； chose it months before he died； arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant。〃
〃What chldish dream is this？〃 said Voldemort； but still he did not strike； and his red eyes did not waver from Harry's。
〃Severus Snape wasn't yours；〃 said Harry。 〃Snape was Dumbledore's。 Dumbledore's from the moment you starting hunting down my mother。 And you never realized it； because of the thing you can't understand。 You never saw Snape cast a Patronus； did you； Riddle？〃
Voldemort did not answer。 They continued to circle each other like wolves about to tear each other apart。
〃Snape's Patronus was a doe；〃 said Harry； 〃the same as my mother's； because he loved her for nearly all of his life； from the time when they were children。 You should have realized；〃 he said as he saw Voldemort's nostrils flare； 〃he asked you to spare her life； didn't he？〃 〃He desired her； that was all；〃 sneered Voldemort； 〃but when she had gone； he agreed that there were other women； and of purer blood； worhier of him … 〃
〃Of course he told you that；〃 said Harry； 〃but he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her； and he's been working against you ever since！ Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him！〃
〃It matters not！〃 shrieked Voldemort； who had followed every word with rapt attention； but now let out a cackle of mad laughter。 〃It matters not whether Snape was mine or Dumbledore's； or what petty obstacles they tried to put in my path！ I crushed them as I crushed your mother； Snape's supposed great ilovei！ Oh； but it all makes sense； Potter； and in ways that you do not understand！
〃Dumbledore was trying to keep the Elder Wand from me！ He intended that Snape should be the true master of the wand！ But I got there ahead of you； little boy … I reached the wand before you could get your hands on it； I understood the truth before you caught up。 I killed Severus Snape three hours ago； and the Elder Wand； the Deathstick； the Wand of Destiny is truly mine！ Dumbledore's last plan went wrong； Harry Potter！〃
〃Yeah； it did。〃 said Harry。 〃You're right。 But before you try to kill me； I'd advise you think what you've done 。 。 。 。 Think； and try for some remorse； Riddle。 。 。 。〃
〃What is this？〃
Of all the things that Harry had said to him； beyond any revelation or taunt； nothing had socked Voldemort like this。 Harry saw is pupils contract to thin slits； saw the skin around his eyes whiten。
〃It's your one last chance；〃 said Harry； 〃it's all you've got left。 。 。 。 I've seen what you'll be otherwise。 。 。 。 Be a man。 。 。 try。 。 。 Try for some remorse。 。 。 。〃
〃You dare a150a150 ？〃 said Voldemort again。
〃Yes； I dare；〃 said Harry； 〃because Dumbledore's last plan hasn't backfired on me at all。 It's backfired on you； Riddle。〃
Voldemort's hand was trembling on the Elder Wand； and Harry gripped Draco's very tightly。 The moment； he knew； was seconds away。
〃That wand still isn't working properly for you because you murdered the wrong person。 Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder Wand。 He never defeated Dumbledore。〃
〃He killed a150a150 〃
〃Aren't you listening？ iSnape never beat Dumbledore！i Dumbledore's death was planned between them！ Dumbledore instended to die； undefeated； the wand's last true master！ If all had gone as planned； the wand's power would have died with him； because it had never been won from him！〃
〃But then； Potter； Dumbledore as good as gave me the wand！〃 Voldemort's voice shook with malicious pleasure。 〃I stole the wand from its last master's tomb！ I removed it against the last master's wishes！ Its power is mine！〃
〃You still don't get it； Riddle； do you？ Possessing the wand isn't enough！ Holding it； using it； doesn't make it really yours。 Didn't you listen to Ollivander？ iThe wand chooses the wizardi 。 。 。 The Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died； someone who never even laid a hand on it。 The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will； never realizing exactly what he had done； or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance 。 。 。〃
Voldemort's chest rose and fell rapidly； and Harry could feel the curse ing； feel it building inside the wand pointed at his face。
〃The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy。〃
Blank shock showed in Voldemort's face for a mome