The Handsome Dark Lord[Comprehensive]

Dumbledore showed a moderately surprised expression.

"Really? I didn't know that the Hogwarts faculty could still be appointed and dismissed by—" he seemed to be looking for a suitable title, "unrelated people. Or, before I knew it, the headmaster had changed? "

"Poor sense of humour," commented Voldemort. "Even if you were still holding on to retirement, it would make no difference. You have no choice in front of me."

He stood up, the table and chair between the two of them automatically deformed and moved away, and the yew wand pointed at Dumbledore without hindrance.

The portraits were all highly tense, some had escaped from the frame, some were tremblingly hugging each other, and some were hiding at the edge to spy.

A knotted wand appeared in Dumbledore's hand, blocking Voldemort's Transfiguration Curse for his chair.

"You're too impatient, Tom, I've only had one sip of my tea," he said disapprovingly.

Voldemort was sure to win and provoked: "You who have already stepped into the coffin with half a foot, how many tricks can you catch me?"

Dumbledore sighed: "Why is this so, Tom? If you wanted to kill me, you wouldn't talk to me so much—you're here to negotiate today."

"That's too embarrassing for you, Dumbledore," Voldemort said disdainfully, "Now you, what qualifications do you have to be equal to me?"

Dumbledore tapped the tables and chairs that were deformed and shrunk to the corner with his wand, and they returned to their original state, even the steaming cup of black tea returned to him intact.

This shrinking and zooming are all super-level deformation techniques.

"As I said, death is not terrible. Threats of violence that you are good at don't work on me, Tom." Dumbledore said calmly, "As long as I don't die, I will fight you to the end."

"Let me remind you, great you, when you die, you lose everything."

Dumbledore smiled: "You are wrong. Even if I die, countless people with conscience will stand up and continue to fight against you. Unlike you, I have never taken myself so seriously. Resisting evil and Tyranny/government is the eternal natural will in the human heart, and any individual individual is insignificant—even you and me.”

"Are you trying to say that the kind of Dumbledore who huddled himself in the dark, shabby pub in Hogsmeade is more useful?" Voldemort twisted, "Then I have to agree. He did spit out a lot of interesting information .”

The smile on Dumbledore's face disappeared, he stared heavily at Voldemort, and said after a while, "I feel ashamed and blamed for what happened to Aberforth, but even if I use him to threaten me, I will not compromise."

"Really?" said Voldemort indifferently. "To me, it's just a trivial matter of dealing with prisoners. Since you don't care, let him die more painfully."

Dumbledore's eyes flashed, and the azure blue became a little grayer, "I care. But I can't let my care become your accomplice. Hogwarts has the future and hope of the wizarding world, and I can't put the innocent of students are exposed to your threats."

"It sounds like you think I'm planning a massacre? Even so, Dumbledore, do you think it's useful to refuse me to teach?" Voldemort asked rhetorically, "I can come in alone today, and tomorrow I can bring more People come in. It is only a matter of time before Voldemort wants to attack Hogwarts. I thought you should at least have this awareness—the reason why Hogwarts is safe and sound is not because you gave it a strong guarantee , but because I haven't made up my mind yet."

"Perhaps it is to a large extent." Dumbledore did not shy away from his own weakness, but his tone was filled with a powerful calmness, "but I can guarantee that you cannot invade Hogwarts without hindrance. You need help , requires delicate planning and takes time. Just to delay the time for the students to escape safely, the struggle of my partners and I is meaningful."

Voldemort smiled lowly.He couldn't help thinking that if Harry heard this, he might be moved to tears.

"Unfortunately, the audience is only my enemy." Voldemort commented with regret, "However, how long can your struggle last? You know, if I am not happy, the curse may be aggravated. If you die next month , Hogwarts will only be ruined more cruelly by me."

Dumbledore's eyes were transparent again, and the blue color was like the sea water through which the sun passed.

"...you don't want to do that, Tom," he said softly. "I know, and you like it here. You don't want to ruin her beauty...I always knew."

Voldemort stared silently at the tip of the yew wand, and said noncommittally, "You don't think such a reason can stop me."

Not even Harry, he thought, was so innocent.

Dumbledore showed a vast sadness on his face: "It really can't." He sighed almost inaudibly, "Then, my task is to resist you for one more month."

Voldemort sneered. "It's pathetic, Dumbledore. You say death is nothing to be afraid of, and that's what death with nothing to fear brings you." He asked almost gently, "Are you happy?"

"...I don't understand," said Dumbledore calmly. "Tom, what do you want to say? We both know that mere arguing cannot change each other's minds."

"Oh..." said Voldemort viciously, "it's only you who think it's an argument, Dumbledore. Facts speak louder than words. I don't mind wasting a little more time trying to make you understand that this is just one-sided taunting."

"Old people are always more stubborn. I'm afraid you're out of luck," said Dumbledore. "If there's nothing else, our talk can come to an end."

"It's not up to you," said Voldemort. "Before we're about to work together, you need to understand this new rule—I won't be an employee under your control."

"You will not be an employee of Hogwarts." Dumbledore emphasized, "I made it very clear."

"So, you don't plan to keep Hogwarts alive after you die, do you?" Voldemort asked maliciously.

"I can only do what I can," Dumbledore replied unemotionally.

"So, what if I give you a chance?" Voldemort looked up, his eyes shining with menacing sharpness. "What if I, out of mercy, decide to let you live longer?"

Dumbledore's gaze froze and stayed motionless on him.

"I know you like to say good-sounding words—if it is true, it would be more convenient—I will give you this chance. For the future and hope of the wizarding world, continue to linger on and lead the group of vulnerable little phoenixes, Guard Hogwarts."

Dumbledore opened his eyes slightly, as if he couldn't believe his ears, "If I understand correctly - you seem to intend to -"

"If anyone is really capable of stopping me from killing people, it's you," said Voldemort. "If I have to come anyway, at least the students will be safer when you're around, won't they?"

"...I don't know, you have no premeditation to kill me." Dumbledore said softly, "You can even refuse the temptation to kill me sooner."

"Now there is something more valuable than your death." Voldemort said, "Yes, I did have my own purpose in entering Hogwarts, and it is beyond your knowledge."

Dumbledore said cautiously: "Then, I'm afraid I still can't agree."

"I can help you relieve the curse on a regular basis, and guarantee that you will live until I leave Hogwarts." Voldemort raised the corners of his mouth and slowly put on a heavy weight, "You don't have to care about death, Deng Bullido, but the Order of the Phoenix with no leadership and a bare castle can't stop me. Maybe you can arrange their defense tactics before you die, but it will take time. Die calmly and sacrifice calmly, really The most difficult thing is to live with ease. Even if you cheat the world and be reviled by thousands of people, you know that only a living person can exert his greatest value."

Dumbledore was silent, and his meticulous brain was obviously thinking about Voldemort's intentions behind it.

"In addition...during my tenure, I can give you a small promise: I will not do anything to Hogwarts students."

Dumbledore blinked slowly, "What guarantee?"

"You promise," said Voldemort. "It's not my duty, Dumbledore. You're the one who needs to make sure they don't get hurt by offending me. If I have to, I promise you to live."

He spread his hands and said with a half-smile: "Nothing is safer than this, is it?"

Dumbledore fell into a new silence.

"You're lucky, Dumbledore. I'm much more patient now, and I'm willing to waste some time waiting for you to figure it out. But it's best not to take too long, the kindness of a Dark Lord is always rare."

Voldemort tapped his wand on his fingertips.

"Perhaps you would rather I put the Dark Mark out now, and wait until tomorrow all the newspapers are full of conspiracy theories that you and the escaped Death Eaters colluded to create panic, and you were kicked out amidst the panic and anger of the students' parents and the board of directors, and then used Do your best to arrange a way out for your savior and little phoenixes, die under my curse cleanly, and end your glorious and great life."

He laughed mockingly: "Think about that scene, although it makes me sick as always, but if you don't cooperate, I can only help you achieve it."

Dumbledore realized that he had really come prepared, and that he was bound to win.

Death is not important.The important thing is that even in death, it takes time to lay out a plan to defeat Voldemort.And the more the merrier.

He didn't agree with what Voldemort said. Living is not the only time when people can exert value. Sometimes death can have a huge effect beyond imagination.

But that also requires the right timing.

Voldemort's willingness to delay his death was completely beyond Dumbledore's expectations, which was by no means in line with his usual style: to give the enemy a chance.

He certainly understands that this opportunity is not for nothing: once Voldemort enters Hogwarts, he will have to devote a lot of energy to guard against his close-range hazards, and the sharply increased contact opportunities will put his plan at risk of being exposed .It can be said that this is an invisible containment strategy.

But in turn, he can also use this to observe Voldemort's plans and secrets, especially the clues about the number and whereabouts of Horcruxes-since Slughorn does not believe that Voldemort has returned, he has refused to disclose any information to him so far. Dumbledore's investigation had been at an impasse for some time.

He watched Voldemort from behind the half-moon glasses, already thinking about it.

"One more question." Dumbledore said, "Although I will do my best to ensure the safety of every student, I still hope that you will take the initiative to keep a distance from Harry."

Voldemort smiled softly: "What do you 'hope' for, Dumbledore?"

Dumbledore took the ugly gold ring from his charred finger, his knuckles trembling slightly with pain, but his expression was calm.

The ease on Voldemort's face disappeared.He knew that Dumbledore would not provoke him at this juncture, but still examined the ring indifferently.

"This ring...although you are familiar with it, I don't think you know its true meaning." Dumbledore said, "Stay away from Harry, let Aberforth go, and I can tell you the secret of the ring. "

"Two conditions, one secret." Voldemort sarcastically said, "Do you think I will agree?"

Dumbledore said softly: "We know very well that you are not as hostile to Harry as before; Aberforth has been interrogated for a long time, and all the questions that can be asked have been asked. These two conditions are very important to you. It’s actually innocuous. But you have never known the value of the ring that the Gaunt family has passed down to this day, and this secret is what you should care about.”

Voldemort said flatly: "I still have many ways to get it back from you and study it myself."

Dumbledore just said, "You're right, after I die."

They looked at each other calmly for a moment, and the office was silent.The portraits that had escaped sneaked back, each snooping on the edge of the frame.Everyone dared not take a breath, as if they would break the calm before the storm at any time.

"I can release Aberforth, and ensure that his life is restored to peace." Voldemort said softly, "I can also hide my identity and minimize the panic that may be caused to Hogwarts. But how to treat Harry? Potter, it's only up to me."

He paused, and then said: "As for the ring, you must return it, because it will be used to alleviate the curse. In addition, my diary must also be handed over. Don't pretend that we can still negotiate on an equal footing, Dumbledore Lido, the moment you put on the ring, you already lost the ability to confront me head-on."