Maybe he’s really worried about Harry breaking the Universe at some point like Quirrel’d been worrying about some chapters earlier, and yet for whatever reason Harry’s too important for his future plans to just kill? Though I can’t decide which idea leaves me less confused, that one, or just “ulterior motives, hidden because able to lie in parseltongue”.
Maybe he’s really worried about Harry breaking the Universe at some point like Quirrel’d been worrying about some chapters earlier, and yet for whatever reason Harry’s too important for his future plans to just kill? Though I can’t decide which idea leaves me less confused, that one, or just “ulterior motives, hidden because able to lie in parseltongue”.