As the Dark Lord approached the last Death Eater in the circle, he couldn't resist a mocking smile.
"Severus, my once-loyal servant," Voldemort sneered, "You've become quite the obedient puppy for Dumbledore, haven't you? You, who once swore allegiance to me, have become a lapdog for the old fool?"
The other knew Snape was in trouble.
Unlike them, Snape has completely changed sides and even become a close ally of Dumbledore. Just thinking about the fury that Voldemort was going to unleash upon Snape caused them to cower in fear. At the moment, a few of them swear to never ever even think about betraying the dark Lord. However, unlike them, Snape remained calm and met the dark Lord's gaze.
"My Lord, I did what was necessary in your absence. Dumbledore believed me to be his faithful ally, and it allowed me to move freely, to gather information for the cause."
A low murmur erupted from the Death Eaters. Some who believe Snape to be lying could not believe the audacity of him. Others were amazed by his cunning. Voldemort, his expression unreadable, motioned for Snape to elaborate.
"After your disappearance," Snape explained, "I saw an opportunity. To gain their trust, to learn their plans, and to be in a position where I could offer valuable information to you. Dumbledore, in his arrogance, believed he had me under his control."
Voldemort's lip curled into a wicked smile. "So, you've played the role of a pawn, deceiving Dumbledore and his precious Order?"
Snape nodded, seeing that change in Voldemort's behaviour as the latter was starting to believe him. "Yes, my Lord. I've fed them information, ensured their trust in me, and manipulated events to our advantage. Dumbledore has no inkling of my true allegiance."
The Dark Lord circled Snape like a predator assessing its prey. The Death Eaters watched in tense silence as Voldemort absorbed the information. Then, with a sudden, chilling laugh, he addressed the gathered followers.
"Severus Snape, the puppet master, pulling strings in Dumbledore's puppet show. How amusing! You have done well. Your loyalty has been rewarded, and your cunning has proven useful. I knew that you couldn't have turned away from me. After all, you were the one who brought me part of the Prophecy."
Snape, feeling that he was able to convince Voldemort, offered a respectful bow. "I am at your disposal, my Lord. My loyalty remains unwavering."
Internally, Voldemort was disappointed in himself. "How foolish could I have been to believe such nonsense. If not for these memories, I would have completely believed this half-blood. I will make sure you have one of the most painful endings, Snape."
Then Lord Voldemort darted his eyes toward Lucius Malfoy. The latter immediately understood his task.
Lucius Malfoy spoke from under the mask.
"Master, we crave to know... we beg you to tell us... How you have achieved this... this miracle... how you managed to return to us..."
"Ah, what a story it is, Lucius," said Voldemort.
Suddenly, all the Death Eaters present could feel a change in the mood of their Lord.
"You know, of course, that they have called the boy Harry Potter my downfall?" Voldemort said softly, his red eyes glowing with a cold madness.
"You all know that on the night when I tried to kill him, how I lost my powers and my body. His mother died in the attempt to save him… and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen... I could not touch the boy. His mother left upon him the traces of her sacrifice... This is old magic, I should have remembered it, I was foolish to overlook it... But no matter."
Lord Voldemort looked upward toward the sky as if he were reliving that very moment again. Then he continued addressing his servants.
"I miscalculated, my servants, I admit it. My curse was deflected by the woman's foolish sacrifice, and it rebounded upon me. Aaah... pain beyond pain; nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost... but still, I was alive. What I was, even I do not know... I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality.
You know my goal... to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked... for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was as powerless as the weakest creature alive, and without the means to help myself... for I had no body, and every spell that might have helped me required the use of a wand...
I remember only forcing myself, sleeplessly, endlessly, second by second, to exist... I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited... Surely, one of my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me ... one of them would come and perform the magic I could not, to restore me to a body... but I waited in vain..."
The shiver ran once more around the circle of listening Death Eaters. Voldemort let the silence spiral horribly before continuing.
"Only one power remained to me. I could possess the bodies of others. But I dared not go where other humans were plentiful, for I knew that the Aurors were still abroad and searching for me. I sometimes inhabited animals... snakes, of course, being my preference... but I was little better off inside them than as a pure spirit, for their bodies were ill-adapted to perform magic ... and my possession of them shortened their lives; none of them lasted long...
Then... four years ago... the means for my return seemed assured. A wizard... young, foolish, and gullible... wandered across my path in the forest I had made my home. Oh, he seemed the very chance I had been dreaming of ... for he was a teacher at Dumbledore's school ... he was easy to bend to my will... he brought me back to this country, and after a while, I took possession of his body, to supervise him closely as he carried out my orders. But my plan failed. I did not manage to steal the Philosopher's Stone. I was not to be assured of immortal life. I was opposed... opposed, once again, by Harry Potter..."
Silence once more; nothing was stirring, not even the leaves on the tree nearby. The Death Eaters were quite motionless, the glittering eyes in their masks fixed upon Voldemort.
"The servant died when I left his body, and I was left as weak as ever I had been," Voldemort continued. "I returned to my hiding place far away, and I will not pretend to you that I didn't then fear that I might never regain my powers... Yes, that was perhaps my darkest hour... I could not hope that I would be sent another wizard to possess... and I had given up hope, now, that any of my Death Eaters cared what had become of me..."
One or two of the masked wizards in the circle moved uncomfortably, but Voldemort did not care.