695,

year. There is no halting
such a spell forever. It will spread eventually, it is the sort of curse that strengthens over
time.”
Dumbledore smiled. The news that he had less than a year to live seemed a matter
of little or no concern to him.
“I am fortunate, extremely fortunate, that I have you, Severus.”
“If you had only summoned me a little earlier, I might have been able to do more,
buy you more time!” said Snape furiously. He looked down at the broken ring and the
sword. “Did you think that breaking the ring would break the curse?”
“Something like that…I was delirious, no doubt…” said Dumbledore. With an
effort he straightened himself in his chair. “Well, really, this makes matters much more
straightforward.”
Snape looked utterly perplexed. Dumbledore smiled.
“I refer to the plan Lord Voldemort is revolving around me. His plan to have the
poor Malfoy boy murder me.”
Snape sat down in the chair Harry had so often occupied, across the desk from
Dumbledore. Harry could tell that he wanted to say more on the subject of Dumbledore’s
cursed hand, but the other held it up in polite refusal to discuss the matter further.
Scowling, Snape said, “The Dark Lord does not expect Draco to succeed. This is merely
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punishment for Lucius’s recent failures. Slow torture for Draco’s parents, while they
watch him fail and pay the price.”
“In short, the boy has had a death sentence pronounced upon him as surely as I
have,” said Dumbledore. “Now, I should have thought the natural successor to the job,
once Draco fails, is yourself?”
There was a short pause.
“That, I think, is the Dark Lord’s plan.”
“Lord Voldemort foresees a moment in the near future when he will not need a
spy at Hogwarts?”
“He believes the school will soon be in his grasp, yes.”