<h4>Chapter 69: Sleeper</h4>


    "Alright, it seems I''ll have to take matters into my own hands after all."


    A handsome young man''s ghostly figure emerged from the ck smoke of Quirrell, his expression cold and stern.


    He extended his hand, and Quirrell''s wand that had fallen to the ground automatically flew into his grasp. He then pointed it at Harry, whoy unconscious on the floor.


    At that moment, a shadow in a long ck cloak stepped through the ck mes at the doorway, blocking Harry.


    "Who are you?" The figure seemed somewhat nervous, and although he had a vague sense of the young man''s true identity, he still found it hard to believe.


    "Severus, it''s been a long time," the handsome young man said with a cryptic smile.


    Meanwhile, his strikingly handsome features began to twist and his ebony hair started to fade away...


    Momentster, a noseless man with glowing red eyes appeared before Snape.


    It was Voldemort, the Dark Lord whose name was too dangerous to even be uttered!


    Snape''s eyes widened in shock, and he bowed deeply.


    As he bent over and his gaze shifted to the ground, he discreetly activated the maximum effect of his mind-sealing charm.


    "Master, I have waited for you for eleven years!" he slowly raised his head, looking at Voldemort with a mix of sorrow, anticipation, and relief. "I never believed you had truly died. I always believed you would return one day to lead us in conquering the world again!"


    Voldemort examined Snape with his crimson snake-like eyes, his expression inscrutable as he pondered the truthfulness of Snape''s words.


    In fact, Voldemort had revealed his true self before fully recovering his former power not out of trust for his former loyal subordinate, but precisely because of mistrust.


    He was unsure which side Snape was truly on, whether Snape harbored any grudge over the death of Lily Potter, and why Snape had earned Dumbledore''s trust.


    Thus, Voldemort wanted to test him further.


    Voldemort knew how formidable Snape was and that he was not as easy to handle as Quirrell. If Snape managed to dy him until Dumbledore or Drac arrived, he might miss his chance at the Philosopher''s Stone.


    Fortunately, it seemed that, at least for now, this former loyal subordinate had notpletely betrayed him.


    But to be safe, Voldemort wanted to probe him further.


    "Waited for me eleven years, have you?" he said with a sinister smile, coldly, "But all I know is that you have been promoted by Dumbledore. Over these eleven years, you never once came to find me?"


    "Master, ever since you left, I have been lurking by Dumbledore''s side, preparing for your return," Snape said with his head lowered and a somber voice. "Under Dumbledore''s watch, it was very difficult to find an opportunity to seek you out."


    "Is that so?" Voldemort said coldly. "But it seems Dumbledore trusts you quite a lot, even giving you the position of Head of Slytherin House."


    "That was only because, when you left, most of the wizards from Slytherin House were being judged by the Ministry of Magic," Snape exined calmly. "Under such circumstances, the reputation of the House was severely damaged, and Hogwarts rarely hired Slytherin professors."


    "But I had already nned to infiltrate Hogwarts and became the only Slytherin professor at that time. After Professor Slughorn retired, I was naturally the only candidate for the position of Head."


    Voldemort stared intently at Snape''s eyes, and Snape held his gaze with a "sincere" expression.


    "Good, very good!" Voldemort suddenlyughed heartily. "I am pleased to have such a loyal subordinate as you, Severus."


    His previously suspicious and probing gaze was reced with one of satisfaction and contentment.


    "Now, Severus, I must tell you the first thing I need you to do after my return—"


    Voldemort extended his hand and pointed at Harry lying on the floor.


    "—Kill him and get the Philosopher''s Stone," he said. "You will be my most trusted servant, above all Death Eaters!"


    Snape''s eyelid twitched slightly, but he did not respond immediately.


    "What''s the matter? Are you reluctant?" Voldemort raised an eyebrow with a cold smile. "Or are you still clinging to Lily Evans after all these years?"


    Snape''s hand, hidden in his sleeve, instinctively clenched his wand.


    He knew that Voldemort did not truly trust him, and the apparent satisfaction and contentment were merely anotheryer of testing.


    "Do it, Severus!" Voldemort urged.


    Snape turned to face Harry, turning his back on Voldemort to hide the pained expression caused by his inner turmoil. His nails dug deeply into the flesh hidden in his sleeve, yet he felt nothing.


    He looked at Harry lying on the floor, staring at the face that resembled James Potter—one he loathed and detested.


    But he also knew that beneath that face were eyes of bright green, identical to Lily''s...


    He could not let Lily''s son die here!


    Could it be that his infiltration mission was over before it even began?


    Snape slowly raised his wand.


    His hand was steady, but his heart was trembling, preparing to turn the wand against Voldemort at any moment!


    ...


    "Do what you must, and leave the rest to me," a deep voice suddenly whispered in his ear.


    ...


    Snape''s eyes flickered. He easily recognized the owner of the unique voice.


    It was Drac''s voice!


    He gritted his teeth and no longer hesitated.


    "Avada Kedavra!"


    A chilling green beam shot directly at Harry. Voldemort, on the other hand, showed a truly relieved expression behind Snape.


    ...


    "Boom—"


    A heavy thud echoed through the room.


    A thick ck wooden board mmed into the ground, creating arge dent and blocking Snape''s deadly curse.


    A silver-haired figure emerged from behind the board, with a curious smile on his face.


    "Quite lively in here!" He took a long-awaited blood-vored lollipop from his pocket and popped it into his mouth, leaning casually against his coffin lid. "Let''s see, hmm, it seems I arrived just in time!"


    Voldemort''s previously relieved expression froze on his face.


    "You again, Drac!" he said through gritted teeth, secretly pointing his wand at Snape.


    Snape''s expression instantly turned wooden and rigid.


    Seeing Snape''s sudden stiff demeanor, Drac paused for a moment beforeughing even more intriguingly.


    "Professor Snape, how did you end up in such a state after not seeing you for a while?" he said with a smirk, "A Headmaster controlled by the Imperius Curse? I feel embarrassed for you."


    Nearby, Voldemort sighed with relief, believing his n had gone perfectly.


    At thest moment, he had used the Imperius Curse on Snape, pretending that Snape had cast the Killing Curse on Harry under its control, allowing him to maintain Dumbledore''s trust and possibly continue infiltrating Hogwarts.


    This way, even if he did not obtain the Philosopher''s Stone this time, Snape could still provide him with ongoing information from within the enemy''s camp, giving him more opportunities to steal it.


    Of course, Voldemort did not know that Drac had actually witnessed the casting of the Imperius Curse and Snape''s deliberate cooperation, even observing the entire process of Voldemort testing Snape. Drac had simply chosen not to expose him...


    But Voldemort was unaware.


    So he nodded to himself, directing Snape to attack Drac.


    On the other side, Drac looked at Snape raising his wand at him andughed gleefully.


    "Bang!"


    The next moment, Snape''s figure was imprinted on the wall behind the Mirror of Erised, leaving a human-shaped mark...


    "Now it''s your turn."


    Having dealt with the troublesome Snape, Drac turned his attention to the infamous Dark Lord whose name could not even be spoken.


    "You are Voldemort, the mysterious one whose name cannot be mentioned, right?" Drac''s eyes shone with intense heat.


    Since Dumbledore was unwilling to confront him, he would have to find some amusement in battling this equally top-tier dark wizard.


    The eerie wooden wand was quietly held in Drac''s hand.


    Seeing this, Voldemort''s face grew serious as he raised Quirrell''s wand.


    "Thunderbolt Explosion (go)!"


    Voldemort cast the spell first.


    However, his wand suddenly changed direction, not directing the explosive curse at Drac but rather smashing into the wall behind him.


    The solid wall was instantly sted open, creating arge hole.


    "With such a close range and still missing, are you sure you''re the Dark Lord and not just an undergrad pretending?" Drac sneered.


    Voldemort, listening to the mockery, felt his anger boil. If he had a nose, it would have been bent out of shape from rage.


    When had the Dark Lord ever been so humiliated?


    "You will pay for your arrogance, Drac," he said, enraged.


    Voldemort knew that in his current state as a soul fragment, he was no match for Drac. So he did not cast the explosive curse at Drac but directed it at the room''s walls.


    The spell shattered the abandoned pipes hidden behind the walls—


    A massive snake head emerged from therge hole in the wall.


    Drac turned curiously to see therge, frightening yellow eyes.


    The next moment, he felt his body bing weightless, as if he were about to be swept away by the wind...


    Seeing Drac face to face with the giant