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About two weeks ago,
Snape reported to Dumbledore, "I find something suspicious about Miss Weasley."
During the interrogation about the reason for Eugene's withdrawal application, he used Legilimency on him.
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Seeing Ginny's cruel side, he couldn't believe that the Weasley family could produce such a 'brilliant' descendent.
But he couldn't report it too "strongly" to Dumbledore, because Dumbledore was tired of hearing about his complaints towards the Weasley family.
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Given the connection between the Weasley family and Harry, it's possible that it could ultimately involve Harry.
Dumbledore didn't dismiss Snape's warning too lightly, "I will keep an eye on her."
He sighed inwardly, "The Weasley family really like to break the rules."
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Dumbledore had just used his influence to ensure that Arthur wouldn't be fired from the Ministry of Magic due to the flying car incident, but demoted.
The Weasley family's financial situation couldn't get any worse, otherwise, even their newly independent eldest and second sons would be held back.
If this flying car incident had happened fifty years ago, and if the Weasley family had no connection to Harry...
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Dumbledore knew he was too biased in favour of this family, so when the Headmaster of Ilvermorny sent a letter inquiring about why Eugene transferred schools and what happened at Hogwarts, Dumbledore wrote a letter full of kind words.
Saying that Eugene had been a little mistreated at Hogwarts and he hoped they would provide him with a safe haven and offer him the emotional support he needed.
He also instructed the other teachers to keep a close eye on Ginny, not allowing any special treatment so that she could focus on her studies.
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He guessed that Eugene was being so fine in Ilvermorny that he sent him a letter from America, apologizing and saying that Ginny was not to blame.
The other teachers also reported to him that Ginny, aside from being not sociable, doesn't have any major issues and doesn't seek trouble.
That's why Dumbledore wanted to personally meet Ginny, and bring her to Eugene and observe their interaction.
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"Hi, it has been a long time," Eugene greeted first.
Ginny's eyes showed hatred and distance, still hiding behind Dumbledore, unwilling to interact.
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"I know I was wrong..." Eugene said a lot.
Ginny's expression improved, but she remained silent still.
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Dumbledore prompted, "In Slytherin, is it directed at all Gryffindor students or just Ginny?"
Eugene hesitated and glanced at Ginny with fear in his eyes.
"Malfoy heard that Ginny and I were in the same group, that's why..."
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His confession took a lot of courage. It meant that he had no intention of going back to England.
But Dumbledore, on the other hand, thought that this also meant Ginny was scarier than Malfoy in his mind.
Why would he be afraid to such an extent?
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However, even when Eugene said this much, Ginny remained indifferent in her heart.
Her reputation had already been destroyed.
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She couldn't let go of the people who had spoken ill of her and accept them again.
Time couldn't be turned back, just like how a murdered person wouldn't come back to life, and no matter how sorry the killer was, even if the killer is sentenced to death, it wouldn't make a difference.
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Ginny knew that her dream of a wonderful cheerful campus life no longer existed.
This mistake wasn't solely Eugene's, but Eugene was the only one who was kind enough to apologize.
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"Goodbye," was the only word Ginny said to Eugene.
Eugene wasn't forgiven but forgotten.
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Dumbledore felt that this was enough.
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Back at Hogwarts, Ginny let out a sigh of relief.
Dumbledore asked, "How are you feeling?"
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Ginny looked at him gratefully and said, "Thank you, Professor."
Dumbledore said, "Let the past be gone."
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Ginny hesitantly asked, "Professor, there's one more thing about my parents..."
She explained the situation with Percy's view of her.
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Dumbledore hadn't received any letters or withdrawal requests from the Weasley couple.
He speculated that the Weasleys probably couldn't afford to have Ginny go back home.
Ginny's worries were unnecessary, and it was very likely that the Weasleys had already written back to scold Percy.
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"I will talk to your parents, don't worry," Dumbledore reassured her.
He could only comfort Ginny in this way.
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He truly hoped that the Weasley family wouldn't cause any more trouble this year...
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"Ginny, wake up."
Hermione pulled open her bed curtain, and sunlight streamed in.
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Ginny had her arms crossed, holding a diary.
Hermione found it strange, wondering what kind of sleeping habit it was.
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Suddenly, Ginny opened her eyes in panic, gasping for breath, as if she were a fish pulled out of water.
"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Hermione asked, concerned.
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"You came back late last night, so it's no wonder you overslept. I'm going to have breakfast now. Come down soon, OK?" Hermione sighed and left after checking the time.
Ginny's last memory was falling from a height, fracturing her shin, and then succumbing to unconsciousness amidst tremendous fear and pain.
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"Tom?" She looked at the diary in her hands and then checked her perfectly intact body.
Was last night just her imagination? How did she return to the dormitory?
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During breakfast, she kept looking toward the Hufflepuff table but didn't see Ricky.
Ginny felt uneasy and couldn't eat.
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Before the first class started, she pushed open the door to the girls' restroom and opened the diary.
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Ginny: What happened?
Tom didn't play coy this time: I healed you and modified Ricky's memory.
Ginny was astonished: How did you do it?
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Last night, Tom hadn't wanted to intervene.
Ginny was sensitive about trivial things but tended not to overthink when it came to important matters, causing herself great trouble.
However, Tom couldn't remind her to think differently.
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At that time, Hagrid asked Ricky to call Dumbledore.
He was worried that if Dumbledore came, he might notice the diary, so...
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Tom:
I endured the pain and got up while Ricky hadn't gone far. I used a spell to stun him from behind.
Hagrid was surprised and asked me what I was doing.
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I secretly healed your leg while crying. I blamed Ricky for attacking me and hitting the venomous bug on my face.
I said it was definitely a trap, and I couldn't break the rules again because Percy had already badmouthed me in front of my parents.
If Dumbledore found out about my nighttime adventures, I would surely be sent back home.
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After crying for a long time, Hagrid finally believed me.
He let me use the levitation charm to take Ricky back to the castle.
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As soon as I returned to the castle, I modified Ricky's memory.
It became that he slapped you in a panic, and you punched him in the nose, feeling disgusted and angry.
Hagrid heard you two arguing and came over to scold both of you. You pleaded with him not to report it.
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Hagrid sternly warned both of you not to repeat it, and this time, he let it go.
So, on the way back to the castle, you made up with each other again.
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Ginny found it all too incredible.
Tom could control her body, attack others, and even modify someone else's memory?
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Wasn't this dark magic?
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But she didn't have time to dwell on this terrifying thought, she was almost late for her first class: Herbology.
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Ricky showed up, and when he saw her, he touched his nose, which had just been treated by Madam Pomfrey that morning.
Before Ginny could say anything, he apologized again, saying he shouldn't have brought such dangerous bugs and gone to such a dangerous place last night.
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Ginny could only awkwardly indicate that it was nothing.
She touched her face, realizing that Tom had only healed her leg.
There was still a bump on her face, like a mosquito bite, but it still hurt when pressed.
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During dinner, Hagrid proactively came to talk to Ginny, which scared her.
Hagrid said that if she had free time over the weekend, she should come to his hut to chat and not pay attention to those annoying little brats.
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Ginny had no choice but to continue lying and said that she and Ricky had apologized and made amends.
She also mentioned that Eugene had contacted her and apologized with Dumbledore's help.
She genuinely thanked him for that, promised to be more careful in the future, and so on.
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Hagrid didn't sense anything amiss and bid her farewell with kindness, cheering her on.
And so, for now, this incident was temporarily brushed aside.
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After such an eventful day, Ginny lay in bed, thinking before sleep,
"Even if Tom knew dark magic or was a product of dark magic, fortunately, he wasn't a bad person..."
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Fifty years ago,
Tom was in the pitch-black, dripping underground tunnel filled with tiny animal bones, eerie and terrifying, cautiously moving forward.
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"Why did you come?" Basilisk spoke before he got close, and Tom could only see its shadow and tail.
It was in the process of shedding its skin, and Tom couldn't tell how long it had been, but its voice was filled with weariness and pain.
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"I came to apologize," Tom said with a sincere tone.
His voice had changed from a few years ago.
After going through puberty, it became deeper and more pleasant.
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"Hmph," Basilisk didn't take it.
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Tom said, "I understand now how difficult it is for you. Please allow me to help."
He extended his wand and tapped it on the old skin.
The old skin gradually dissolved, and Basilisk felt much better.
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"Have you found my master?" Basilisk asked.
"No, not at all. There are no leads," Tom replied.
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Basilisk asked, "What about your parents? Why has no one from your family ever come to Hogwarts?"
Tom said, "I don't know them. I was abandoned at a Muggle orphanage."
He added, "So when I first started school, I was bullied by the pure-blood students, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry."
Basilisk patted its tail and said, "You, the half-breed, just go away."
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Tom didn't give up. "Perhaps the Slytherin family are just good at abandoning others. Don't you think?"
Basilisk insisted, "My master did not abandon me!"
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Tom said, "Whatever. I just came to tell you. I'll be graduating in two years, and I may not come back. Take care of yourself."
Tom didn't believe that it would want to spend the rest of its life to stay here alone forever.
And he is right, halfway through his walk, Basilisk said, "Wait."
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Tom stopped in his tracks, feeling the Basilisk slithering toward him.
He didn't turn around as the Basilisk's shadow gradually covered him.
"Promise me that you will fulfill my master's vision, and I will give you the Chamber of Secrets," Basilisk said, it keeps its purpose.
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Tom calmly responds, "I'm a half-breed too. Are you trying to make me exclude myself as well?"
Basilisk said, "At the very least, I want the Mudbloods to be expelled."
Tom said, "How am I supposed to know who is a Mudblood?"
Basilisk said, "That's your problem."
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Tom said from a different perspective, "I came with good intentions to apologize to you, hoping that you could have a better life, but you treat me like this?"
Basilisk wasn't foolish either and replied, "You dirty half-breed, you're here only after the master's inheritance!"
Tom sighed inwardly.
He had indeed insulted it too harshly during their previous encounter...
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He vowed to himself that he would never reveal his true self again, no matter who it was, in any circumstance.
At the same time, he kept silently calling out in his mind, "Fawkes!"
But the Fawkes didn't appear.
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Fawkes!
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Basilisk continued to threaten, "What's wrong? If you don't agree, then die here."
Its wet tongue was touching the back of Tom's neck.
Tom shivered and thought to himself for the millionth time, "Curse Dumbledore! And his big, unreliable, stupid bird!"
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"It forced me to make an Unbreakable Vow. I must kill it," Tom said fiercely to Dumbledore upon returning to the surface.
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Dumbledore carefully thought about it and found a flaw in the vow.
"So it doesn't even know who is a Mudblood or a half-blood. It all relies on your judgment?"
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Tom also realized where the flaw was.
"The problem is, I don't really know that many Mudbloods. There aren't any in Slytherin... In the other houses, I can only recall three."
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Blood status is not something people often discuss openly.
It's easier to identify with new students, but when Tom was in his lower years, he was hardly social with anyone talking about these staff.
As he advanced to higher years, there's only fewer people would bring it up, especially in front of Slytherin students.
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Dumbledore said, "So all we need to do is carefully plan three incidents and we can gain access to the Chamber of Secrets."
Tom hesitated and asked, "Three incidents? What kind of incidents?"
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Dumbledore narrowed his eyes and said, "The Basilisk's eyes are too large; it's likely nearsighted, and it has lived underground for years..."
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Therefore, in the Chamber of Secrets incident in 1943, all three victims were only petrified and then sent to the hospital out of Hogwarts for recovery.
Each victim happened to be alone at the time, appearing in secluded and wide areas, conveniently avoiding patrols.
During the incidents, there were always mirrors, reflective surfaces, or crystals nearby, and upon waking up, the victims vaguely mentioned seeing something yellowish and blackish in a flash.
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No one checked Tom's alibi because he was always on his prefect duty during each incident, paired with Dumbledore.
The teachers also never suspected Tom because they knew behind the scenes: he was the only student in the school who came from a Muggle orphanage, most likely the only Mudblood in Slytherin, right?
That's why Tom was the highest-risk student and needed careful protection instead.
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As for his classmates, they have no reason to suspect him either.
Tom still had to take the N.E.W.T. exams this year, and all his peers were busy studying while awake.
No one wanted to be the unlucky prefect, risking their lives every day for patrols this year.
The pure-blood students even secretly rejoiced, as they finally got the chance to close the gap between them and the top scorer.
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Basilisk also rejoiced inside the plumbing, truly believing that it had killed three people.
It couldn't understand human speech, but it knew the scent and frequency of people's fear.
After centuries of silence, it had finally fulfilled its purpose as a basilisk!
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"Tom, oh Tom!"
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Basilisk, filled with joy, opened the final Chamber of Secrets — the Slytherin's study room for him.
"Now you can continue our master's research and achieve immortality with me!"
Tom smiled on the surface, but inside, he thought, "Finally, I'll be free! Tonight, once I lure it out again, Dumbledore and Newt have set up the final trap..."
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However, unexpectedly, when they emerged from the Chamber that night, they heard a voice from a restroom.
Who could have been here after long bypassing the curfew...
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When Tom turned back and saw Myrtle's lifeless body, he couldn't react at all.
Basilisk simply asked, "So, was she also a Mudblood?"
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Tom forced himself to remain calm and said, "I'll go check. You go back first."
The basilisk sensed something was off with Tom's emotions and asked, "Are you sure you'll come back for me?"
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This question once again invoked the "Unbreakable Vow."
Did Basilisk now suffer from separation anxiety?
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"Um," Tom, with an unsettled state of mind, made another vow lightly.
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"We must frame Rubeus Hagrid for this," Dumbledore said to him.
Tom's face turned pale. "But..."
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Dumbledore continued, "Even if Hagrid graduates normally, he won't find a job in the wizarding world. Besides, he's already violated school rules and compromised the safety of the school by raising that creature."
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Tom shook his head. "No one would believe it. The giant spider doesn't have the power to petrify people, does it?"
Dumbledore said, "That's why you need to let the spider escape. We can't let people determine its true nature."
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Tom furrowed his brow. "What? No one would believe that Hagrid is the heir of Slytherin. It's too far-fetched, isn't it?"
Dumbledore said, "No one is certain that the petrification incidents were caused by the heir of Slytherin. It's just that the three victims all happened to be of Muggle descent."
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Tom remained silent.
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Dumbledore reassured him, "Tom, we all know this was an accident. We could have saved the life of that basilisk, and Newt agreed to keep it a secret. This is the best course of action.
...Look, I will personally ensure that Hagrid finds employment for the rest of his life. You're doing a good thing."
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The adult world is complex.
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In 1943, due to Grindelwald, the Daily Prophet's headlines were filled with reports of people disappearing or dying every day.
Tom was certain that Dumbledore and Newt were busy with something of great importance, so they had no choice but to handle Myrtle and Hagrid this way.
Besides, it was already June, and Tom would soon be on summer break.
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The Muggle world was no different from theirs.
Britain was experiencing the peak of World War II, and the entire country often went without food.
Orphanages were overflowing with children, and the young ones kept crying, crying incessantly.
The sound of air raid sirens echoed constantly, all the time...
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Tom couldn't muster the motivation to look for a summer job, let alone meet anyone from the wizarding world.
Sometimes, when Tom woke up from a dream, he even began to suspect that Dumbledore would kill to silence him, or that the ghost of Myrtle would suddenly recognize his voice or figure...
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Both sides of the war were too extreme, regardless of which world it was.
Tom began to lose sight of what was just and what was evil.
If the truth about the Chamber of Secrets were to be revealed, his future would be ruined, along with Dumbledore and Newt. They might end up in Azkaban, allowing Grindelwald to win.
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Sometimes, for the sake of greater "good," every person involved in history must make some sacrifices... right?
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That summer, in pursuit of inner peace and the answers to life, he decided to put an end to something that also had been weighing on his heart for a long time.
He spent some of his savings and left London, heading to the village of Little Hangleton.
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