"In his hubris, he tried on the Gaunt ring. The curse upon it infected his body. I was able to contain it in his hand, but it was only a temporary fix. The curse would eventually spread and kill him; we believed it would take less than a year. It was then that Dumbledore asked me to ensure I was the one to kill him. He did not want to die from the agony of the curse and even less at the hands of a child being forced to slaughter him. I was furious with him; I wanted us to find a way to break the curse, to circumvent Draco. I was determined to change his mind until Narcissa asked me to swear an Unbreakable Vow. By promising to look out for Draco and to complete his task should he fail, I cemented the unwavering trust of the Dark Lord and even Bellatrix Lestrange. Events played out quicker than anticipated, and Dumblebore's death severed my connection with the Order. I retreated into my role as a trusted servant to Voldemort and waited for my opportunity to help bring about his end." Snape looked at Draco, who sighed. 