Friday night, in the Headmaster's office.
"Good evening, Professor," Tom ascended from the spiral staircase.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoq2QsVKgL2
Dumbledore stared intently at him and asked, "Miss Weasley?"
"It's me, Tom Riddle. Fifty years have passed. Professor, do you still remember me?" Tom said.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXMxNdkmGU
Dumbledore sarcastically replied, "You've returned with a new hostage. I must admit, I'm impressed."
Tom blinked his eyes. "Have I often bothered you?"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjipCIdVQ0g
Dumbledore found him particularly shameless. "What do you want this time? To kill this girl and drive Harry's friends away?"
If Ginny Weasley died under his supervision at Hogwarts, would anyone dare to be Harry's friend anymore?
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHntuwFUxh
Tom stared cautiously at Dumbledore and said, "Harry? I don't understand what relation he has with me."
Dumbledore felt somewhat surprised. Was this another plot?
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsAnWiMHcE
"Then why did you target Ginny instead of someone else?" Dumbledore asked.
Tom said, "Ask Malfoy. He forced me into this girl's cauldron."
"How did he force you?" Dumbledore inquired.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BsBnGzoZH
Tom intended to take out the diary from his pocket, but Dumbledore immediately pointed his wand at him.
"Don't move, raise your hands," he commanded, and Tom reluctantly complied.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEfdoojJ8QP
"There's a diary in my pocket. I've split my soul, and I've resided in it since I was seventeen," Tom said and thought to himself, "It seemed that his future self had caused a lot of resentment."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm1DGAjyTQc
Dumbledore summoned both Ginny's wand and the diary from Tom. He sensed that the dark magic within the diary was indeed complex.
"Now, leave Ginny," he ordered.
Tom sighed, "I came here just to tell you that Basilisk is dead. I thought you'd want to know. Seek revenge for me against myself in the future. Goodbye."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Z8CEl7NgM
Feeling a bit sorrowful, but knowing that his future self had become an outcast, his words seemed superfluous.
He closed his eyes, and Ginny's body collapsed.
Dumbledore levitated and examined her with magic.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTgzjvBOrK
Ultimately, he chose not to modify Ginny's memory because the "threads" of Tom within her mind were too entangled.
If he erased Tom, Ginny wouldn't be able to understand many of her own actions.
Dumbledore didn't want Ginny to panic, but he was just too lazy to think of a fictional story to replace Tom's existence in Ginny's mind.
So, he summoned a house-elf to safely return her to her room with no trace.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGRy0RrV68
--
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbM1Zh4kzF
Saturday morning, Nurmengard Prison.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6JAurV5vq
"What do you think?" Dumbledore handed the diary to the person at the other end of the table.
Grindelwald is no longer the picture of elegance.
With dishevelled hair and pale skin, he picked up the diary and flipped to Tom's name.
"Poor boy," he said with an indifferent tone, but his hands kept turning the pages.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuuauG8UXa
Blank pages, filled with words and intriguing links in the eyes of the most powerful dark wizard. "Do you mind if I borrow it for a few days?" he asked.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXpDdMVClw
Dumbledore pursed his lips. "Was it you who taught him about splitting the soul?" he suspected.
Grindelwald clicked his tongue. "I wish I did. One of me marries you, while the other goes on to rule the world."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxrW3Dz3LZ
Dumbledore rolled his eyes. "So how old is the one inside?"
Grindelwald playfully asked, "Why is that important? Do you have a soft spot for him?"
He saw through Dumbledore's mind.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFHpAMYYG8
Dumbledore coldly replied, "He's useful to me."
Grindelwald said, "To groom your saviour? I've heard about the Philosopher's Stone and such."
"That's none of your business," Dumbledore retorted.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFHYmwoi1N
Grindelwald leaned forward and asked, "Are you angry? Angry at me for corrupting Tom?"
Dumbledore squinted his eyes. "Since when and how?"
Grindelwald shrugged. "Who knows? I have too many followers."
Dumbledore stood up angrily and gestured for him to return the diary.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcq9wFZPxN
Grindelwald raised an eyebrow. "You're too hard on him. If you let him choose, he'd probably prefer to stay with me."
Dumbledore asked, "What do you know about him?"
Grindelwald said, "I know what this kid wants. A real home, a place where he can stay forever."
Dumbledore doubted, "Did you surrender because you knew that he would take your place?"
Grindelwald smiled. "Without Voldemort, there will still be others. This wizarding world is already rotten."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hCrh2eWcp
Dumbledore stood there, staring at him in silence.
They remained silent for a long time.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VZXQOJVjT
Grindelwald suddenly said, "Tom wants to talk to you."
He held the diary in his hands, closed his eyes, and Tom opened them.
Tom asked, "Professor, so I become the next Dark Lord in the future?"
Dumbledore frowned. "So, are you proud of yourself now?"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYtxoWUE2m3
Tom said, "I just want to add that I'm most likely not the only Horcrux. I think one person can create in a maximum of seven."
Dumbledore asked, "How did you do it?"
Tom said, "I learned it in the Chamber of Secrets."
Dumbledore further asked, "When did you start betraying me?"
Tom answered coldly, "I'm just your student, not your soldier. You don't have the right to command me to do anything I don't want to."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RSGgTAiBl
Dumbledore asked again, "What did Gellert tell you?"
Tom took a deep breath and said, "He said he missed you and asked me to deliver an engagement ring to..."
Dumbledore blinked. "An engagement ring?"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VFRLFb9VX
Tom's face turned red. "Um... Mr. Grindelwald told me to shut up."
Tom closed his eyes, and Grindelwald opened them.
"The boy is lying. I only..." Cough, "... I only discovered that the gem inherited from his mother's family is the Resurrection Stone! So... I... but he got it all wrong, that's all!"
He blushed with embarrassment too.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCfIDnqTi8r
Dumbledore's face blushed as well, "What exactly did you say to him?"
Grindelwald countered, "You're the one who said something! Otherwise, how could he have misunderstood?"
Albus said, "Give me back the diary."
Gellert said, "He said he prefers to stay with me."
Albus said, "I didn't hear that."
Gellert said, "You still have to find six more. Why don't you let me keep this one!"
Albus said, "Stop joking. The Malfoys must be trying to open the Chamber of Secrets. It's the best opportunity for Harry to act!"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMe3PYYPGJ
Grindelwald supported his chin with one hand. 494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OYWHaNtmL
"Tell me more." He was truly interested.
Dumbledore sighed, feeling sympathy for him.
Grindelwald had been imprisoned for too long.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oyOVFgfOr
So they talked about Harry Potter for the rest of the morning.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcOZY9gPdF
---------
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy85iIWTver
"Tom couldn't possibly be 'you know who'," Ginny said to Luna in the library.
They opened the 1945 yearbook and discussed it in a small corner.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQDcLmMCAD1
Luna said, "But 'you know who' was also Parseltongue, a descendant of Slytherin."
Ginny said, "I'm not sure if Tom was joking with me back then. Maybe he was just teasing me? And if he is that person, why would he keep protecting me instead of using my body to assassinate Harry?"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nTHvsuD0D
Ricky said, "Why don't we just go ask Hagrid, Dumbledore, or Professor McGonagall?"
They searched for people they knew in the yearbook.
Luna said, "If Tom is indeeded 'you know who', they would ask how we found out."
Ricky said, "We can just say we were curious."
Ginny said, "They might think we had contact with dark wizards privately."
She was a bit worried if Tom was indeed...
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq09itZ0zaz
Luna said, "Or we can ask of the ghosts, they might know something."
Ricky said, "But ghosts wouldn't know what students do after graduation, right?"
Luna muttered to herself, "Should we ask Bloody Baron from Slytherin or Gray Lady?"
Ginny sighed and said, "Let's go ask Moaning Myrtle. She was the victim of the Chamber of Secrets incident."
She had read about it in the newspaper on Thursday.
Ginny prepared herself for the worst possible truth.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3eIdY7Fid
They went to the second-floor girls' bathroom.
Myrtle was furious as soon as she saw Ginny. "How dare you come again?"
Ginny was perplexed.
Luna spoke directly, "Did you see Tom Riddle yesterday?"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYqQ1eTw6S
Myrtle frowned. "What are you talking about? Why are you constantly targeting me?"
Risky asked, "What did Ginny do to you yesterday?"
Myrtle was angry. "So, it is you who sent her to play an adventure on me? Tell me your name!"
She misunderstood their intentions as confirming Ginny's challenge completion.
Ginny could only say, "I really don't know what I have done yesterday..."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ986nfKTLaR
Upon hearing her "pretending to be ignorant," Myrtle became so angry that she rushed into the toilet, splashing them with water.
Then the toilet turned into a fountain, flooding the floor.
They had no choice but to leave temporarily.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8k6nONrGJG
As first-year students, they hadn't learned the Drying Charm yet, and they knew that Myrtle's toilet water wasn't dirty because no one would go there at all.
So they decided to go back outside, take off their wet clothes and socks, and let them be sundry.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqJuOy773l
"Oh, you guys are disgusting!" Stephanie said.
It was her, along with Daisy, Ken, and Colin who happened to "pass by."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBwy8RXQ4b
The weather was sunny today, and many people came out for picnics by the lake.
Ginny and her friends had already walked to a more secluded corner.
Stephanie saw them looking dishevelled and embarrassed from a distance, so she intentionally approached.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCVYLJOyau
Ken sarcastically said, "Don't do such things at school, okay?"
He looked at their bare feet and Ricky, who had half of his shirt undone, implied something.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFSYLpzAH6
Even the usually timid Colin had a change of heart. "Hey! Stop saying things like that."
When he first started school, he was just jealous of Ginny for her relationship with Harry Potter.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDyTyU7TVyQ
Daisy also gathered her courage and said, "Let's leave, Stephanie. This isn't funny."
She felt that Ginny was indeed arrogant because she always kept things to herself and went on her own way. But...
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOiH6gosIlG
Ken continued, "It doesn't matter if these pure-blood families have more 'interactions.' They're all relatives anyway."
Ricky rushed up and punched him.
Ginny and Luna also pulled out their wands.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYOOXs38Dl
Stephanie cursed Luna first, but Ginny blocked the curse, and it rebounded, hitting Daisy instead.
"Daisy!" Colin nervously shouted as Daisy fainted.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQxFfmQAUC
Ken and Ricky were still fighting each other, with Ricky being at a disadvantage.
Luna said, "I'll go call the teachers!"
She ran off because she didn't like facing violence.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5JaC25lS3k
Ginny blocked the path for Luna to escape and confronted Stephanie.
Ginny asked, "Why did you target me from the beginning?" She was certain it wasn't her imagination.
Stephanie said, "It's because you looked down on us from the start."
Ginny asked, "Why aren't you in Slytherin? Are your parents both Muggle-born?"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMHWKQ2NkN
Stephanie was angry and said with a horrible expression, "You scum pure blood that can rely on connections to get away when breaking rules. Who can compete with you guys on a fairground?"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP83gKJaH7s
Everyone says that Hufflepuff takes in the worst students, but Ginny doesn't agree.
If a person has no brain, nor virtue but "courage," what distinguishes them from a thug?
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYSWZc36ftA
Ginny initially didn't plan to attack. She only wanted to defend herself.
But Ricky was being beaten so badly, and the sound indicated that even his bones were broken. Ken kept pressing and hitting him.
So Ginny couldn't help but point her wand at Ken and said, "Stupefy!"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSlp0XzhDo
Ken was blasted away and fell unconscious on the grass.
Stephanie took the opportunity and pushed Ginny with her hands.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6064rV7PG3
Ginny fell backward, hitting the back of her head on a sharp rock.
Colin saw blood flowing from her head, staining the grass with a vivid red colour.
He couldn't help but scream in fear, "Y...you killed her!"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5mtl1GtTb
Stephanie also retreated in fear, saying, "She fell on her own."
She continued to lie to herself.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Nwy9di1Nz
--------
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZM9E26dQeo
Meanwhile, in Hagrid's cabin.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lyJxgabdF
"Your sister...she doesn't seem to fit in well," Hagrid mentioned to Ron.
He had promised not to reveal the incident that night, but he still worried about her.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbziToqezq
Hermione added, "The first-year students have been talking behind her back."
Harry didn't interject, but his expression showed concern.
They all looked at Ron.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxXYjG8mTj
Ron shrugged and said, "She told us not to interfere. What else can I do?"
Harry asked, "What exactly are the first-year students saying about her?"
Ron replied, "Percy said she had an arrogant attitude and that we should advise her to change."
He rolled his eyes, "Then Fred said to him, 'Not until you learn to change it yourself'?"
Hermione and Harry laughed.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSIOzqAKgf
Hagrid still frowned, "It seems like she's trying too hard to have some friends, you know? Might be those troublemaking kids could encourage her to do something bad."
It sounded like he was speaking from experience.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasR2QvfT5m
Ron retorted, "Are you saying we've led Hermione astray? It is you who raised a dragon last year!"
Hagrid loudly coughed and tried to change the subject.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡls9R7ZyMOq
Harry gently said, "I don't think she's arrogant."
Just like when the Dursleys or Snape insulted him for that, he never took it to his heart.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMP918o6djF
--
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUaHbEE8iB
That afternoon, Dumbledore returned and quickly made his way to the hospital wing after hearing Professor McGonagall's calling.
"How is she?" he asked Madam Pomfrey as he pushed open the door.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgYEMYWGx4G
Madam Pomfrey shook her head.
Daisy's injuries were the least severe, and Ricky's injuries were okay, only Ginny had no chance to recover.
Her nerves were damaged, and she had become a vegetable.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7s4f5YjoCj
Dumbledore examined her brain and saw that her consciousness was still active but unable to connect with her body.
In the magical world, for injuries like this, it would be up to the family to decide whether to euthanize or not.
They needed to inform the Weasley couple...
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDlivXAQnv
Dumbledore closed his eyes and said, "May I try a surgical procedure? It's an experimental magic."
Everyone gained a bit of confidence upon hearing Dumbledore's words and followed his instructions to leave the room.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhh55eZ4K4m
"Ginny, I know you can hear me," Dumbledore said.
The light orb representing Ginny's consciousness flickered.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGf85yeEP4
Dumbledore continued, "I took away your diary without realizing how severe your social situation was."
The orb representing her consciousness flickered twice.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCccCRbrE6
Dumbledore asked, "Tom's magic can control your body and communicate with your consciousness. Do you trust him?"
He didn't have a more sophisticated method to connect her nerves.
The orb of light slowly flickered.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kHjEfgd9p
Dumbledore said, "If you refuse euthanasia, your parents won't be able to afford the hospital fees. You'll have to stay home and be cared for the rest of your life. Do you understand?"
The orb flickered once.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiSQUOvgn9
Dumbledore said, "If there are any new methods in the future that can restore control of your body to you, I promise I'll bring you back."
This time, the orb flickered with a clear affirmation.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFEQtBxJFtn
--
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmc7aQsplqt
When the Weasley couple rushed in, they saw Ginny sitting up and softly answering Madam Pomfrey's questions.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsx3rzcMiV4
"Oh, Ginny!" Molly gave Tom the biggest hug of his life.
Arthur stood behind, wiping away tears, and said, "Merlin! Ginny, let's go home right away. Are you feeling alright? I'm sorry I didn't listen to Percy's words. I should have known!"
Ginny retorted in Tom's mind, "Percy? Fuck Percy! I don't want to go home!"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76VNC00Ev9
Tom glanced at Dumbledore discreetly and told the Weasleys, "I'm fine. They have been suspended, and other students witnessed it this time. No one will bully me anymore."
Molly frowned and immediately placed her hand on Ginny's forehead, "Are you not well?"
Their daughter seemed strange, but they couldn't quite put a finger on why.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMW6CFTPyvm
Arthur added, "Daddy will find a way to support you. Don't worry, alright?"
He feared that his responsible daughter was pushing herself too hard.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUb7dZD4SeX
Tom hesitated and lowered his eyes, "I...I have many friends here. Truly, I don't want to go home."
In his heart, he thought, "If I go home with them now, I will exposed at once!"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbwedvqg4R
Dumbledore had seen enough of Tom's predicament, and said, "Ginny has bravely protected two classmates in the conflict. We all see how brave and capable she is now."
Molly shook her head, "Ginny isn't that strong."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfZvKeUyxq
Professor McGonagall, who was standing nearby, also chimed in, "Ginny has always been top of the class."
Under the persuasion of everyone, the Weasley couple returned home peacefully.
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4blmFKtAF
Professor McGonagall intended to inform Ginny's brothers to come and visit.
But Tom said, "Really, there's no need. I'm tired. Thank you, Professor McGonagall."
Madam Pomfrey also said, "I think she can be discharged tomorrow. It's truly miraculous."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpNTfZ7nPS
She wanted to discuss this advanced magical healing technique with Dumbledore, so he led her back to his office.
Professor McGonagall felt a bit apologetic and said to Tom, "I'll believe in you fully from now on."
Tom lowered his head and replied again, "Thank you, Professor."
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuB8l0uSOWs
After everyone was gone, Ginny asked Tom in her mind, "Where have you been?"494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1VjHDPn3y
Tom replied in his mind, "Dumbledore took me to visit Grindelwald."
Ginny exclaimed, "What? Don't lie or hide to me again!"
494Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHzBiD0itf
Tom sighed and told Ginny everything about himself.
