How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
[Voldemort] had reached the largest gap of all, and he stood surveying it with his blank, red eyes, as though he could see people standing there.
"And here we have six missing Death Eaters ... three dead in my service. One, too cowardly to return ... he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever ... he will be killed, of course ... and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already reentered my service." (33.70-1)
As Voldemort wanders around the graveyard, with poor Harry tied up at his feet, he cannot seem to stop yakking. Not only is this classic Evil Villain behavior when the villain is feeling smug, but it's also useful to build suspense for the reader. Here, we have an intriguing hint of what's to come. Obviously, the mystery of Voldemort's "most faithful servant" is going to be solved by the end of the novel. And the "one, too cowardly to return," we guess is probably Karkaroff. But is the "one, who [Voldemort believes] has left [him] forever" – is that Snape? Or is Snape still among the Death Eaters? This little speech frightens and intrigues the Death Eaters – but it also frightens and intrigues the reader.