Hermione then told him that Marvolo Gaunt’s ring was destroyed by Voldemort when they were in their sixth year. Dumbledore had been wearing the Horcrux on his finger, and it made the poison spread from his hand to his whole body until eventually it would’ve killed him if Snape hadn’t done it first. Malfoy’s eyes slid to the emerald ring on her finger. He stated he knew all this, although he found that out only a few years later. Hermione wondered if he had been carrying the guilt of almost killing Dumbledore when he was only sixteen, but she knew she shouldn’t feel all that sorry – the man in front of her now had done a lot more terrifying things to others.