The Dark Lord.
You-Know-Who.
The Dark Wizard.
He Who Must Not Be Named.
To the wizards of the British wizarding world, Voldemort was a truly unique existence.
Death, terror, darkness. Every negative word imaginable could be used to describe a wizard like Voldemort.
But compared with those impressions...
What truly made every wizard in the British wizarding world fear him was Voldemort's extraordinary power!
Churning black mist.
Deadly green light.
The moment Voldemort made his move, the battlefield, which had only just fallen still, erupted into fierce fighting once again.
But this time was different.
Compared with their earlier, barely sustained resistance, the Hogwarts front line almost collapsed outright after Voldemort joined the battle.
Had Draco not been leading the Centaurs and Hermione's group in aerial strikes against those dark creatures, they might truly have been unable to hold out any longer.
Riding her Broomstick, Hermione blasted away the Death Eaters who had set their sights on them, then shouted toward Draco, "Draco!"
"I know."
Following Hermione's gaze, Draco saw Snape, Professor McGonagall, and Lucius locked in a fierce struggle with Voldemort.
All three of them were powerful wizards with considerable fame and ability in the wizarding world, yet even together, they were fighting Voldemort with obvious strain, each exchange dangerously close to disaster.
That alone made it clear that after his resurrection, even if Voldemort had not fully recovered his strength, he was certainly close to his former peak.
Otherwise, Snape and the others would never have been pushed into such peril.
...
Although he was not holding the Elder Wand,
Voldemort's strange way of moving and terrifying Killing Curse still allowed him to fight with ease.
At times, as he battled Snape and the others, it almost seemed like a snake toying with its prey.
But in reality, even for Voldemort, defeating Snape and the others quickly would be extremely difficult.
"Who is this?"
"....."
"Who wants everyone to see the miserable fate that awaits the defeated?"
"....."
"I am sorry, Severus, and my once most loyal servant... Malfoy."
"....."
"I will kill everyone. Everyone!"
"....."
Voldemort spoke coldly as he attacked them with the Killing Curse, a spell capable of taking a person's life.
His blood-red eyes seemed to be searching Snape and the others for fear, as though he meant to break them by finding even the slightest trace of it.
Unfortunately, the Great Dark Lord was destined to be disappointed.
From beginning to end, neither Snape nor Lucius showed any intention of answering him, as if Voldemort's words could not shake their hearts at all.
...
Because...
Emotions such as protection and love
were the powerful, innate strength people possessed when facing fear.
And because such feelings existed in the hearts of Snape and the others, they were able to stand before the very incarnation of terror.