When it’s finally safe for him to give in to the visions of Voldemort’s surroundings, he sees the same light that he saw at the beginning of his sixth year, coming late to school after being attacked on the Hogwarts Express: “Voldemort was at the gates of Hogwarts; Harry could see him standing there, and see too the lamp bobbing in the pre-dawn, coming closer and closer.” (HP/DH, 499) Snape is coming to let Voldemort in. After nearly 500 pages of absence, he reenters the story. Now that Harry has learned Occlumency, now that Voldemort fears contact with Harry’s mind and isn’t aware that Harry
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