During the days Hermione stayed in the hospital wing, Tom finally had the chance to truly relax in his own room.
He secretly wished Hermione would never come back.
"That's way too harsh!" Ginny scolded him after noticing his thoughts.
In truth, Tom had already decided on Hermione as his next target. Harry's progress in uncovering the Chamber of Secrets was agonizingly slow.
Ever since Tom had orchestrated an opportunity for Harry to notice and pick up the diary, Harry hadn’t written a single word in it. Weeks had passed, and Tom couldn’t fathom what was going on in Harry’s head.
Here’s how Harry’s thoughts were described in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 13:
"Even to himself, Harry couldn’t explain why he hadn’t thrown Riddle’s diary away. The fact was, although he knew the diary was blank, he kept taking it out of his bag and turning its pages, as though it was a story he wanted to finish. Harry was sure he had never heard the name T. M. Riddle before, yet it still seemed to mean something to him, almost as though Riddle was a friend he’d had when he was very small and had half-forgotten.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6es6ZyEdCw
But this was absurd. He had never had friends before coming to Hogwarts. The Dursleys wouldn’t have allowed it.”
Tom, through his lingering connection to the diary, could sense that Harry always carried it with him.
However, as Ginny became less active within him, his spiritual link to the diary was growing weaker.
Harry needed to start using the diary—and soon.
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"I can't find a way." A month had passed, and Tom once again came to see Dumbledore.
"He just won’t write anything!" Tom was so frustrated he could scream. A diary’s purpose was to write in, wasn’t it? What was there to hesitate about?
"And now Hermione’s back—I can’t sleep well at all!" Tom was rapidly losing patience with this Chamber of Secrets mission.
Dumbledore listened quietly before responding, "Even if this term ends, you’ll still need to go back to the Weasley family. You’ll need to get used to living in a crowded space. Gryffindor doesn’t have much concept of personal boundaries. Perhaps you could take the initiative—talk to Harry, make friends, or give him a more direct nudge."
Tom rolled his eyes. "Do you think my acting skills are really that good?"
As if orchestrating this entire drama wasn’t exhausting enough, now he was supposed to play the lead female role too?
Dumbledore sighed deeply. "That’s just how adulthood is."
"We all give our everything for the life we want," he said, his voice laced with a sense of resignation, as if recalling the choices that led him and Gellert to part ways for the sake of their ideals.
"Tom, isn’t a warm, complete family what you’ve always wanted?"
What people desire and what they need are often different. They always yearn for what they can’t have.
Ginny wanted recognition and accomplishments at school, and Tom had that. Tom longed for a warm family, and Ginny already had one.
Dumbledore believed Tom was blind to the blessings he currently had and didn’t want him to make the same mistakes he had made.
Tom, however, disagreed. He thought that gaining a family through deceit and suppressing his true self wasn’t fundamentally different from the manipulative actions of his mother.
Dumbledore didn’t understand him, so Tom thought Gellert Grindelwald would have been a far better confidant.
"Fine, I’ll try harder," he said, outwardly agreeing once again.
But deep down, Tom had no intention of convincing anyone. He had always been the kind of person who solved problems in his own way.
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"Ten points deducted from Gryffindor," Snape said with a look of disgust as he glared at the cauldron in front of Tom.
Daisy's head was lowered so much she could hardly lift it.
Since Tom had teamed up with Daisy in Potions class, their points had been dropping faster than Neville Longbottom's in second year.
Daisy truly thought the ingredients in Potions were disgusting.
In this lesson, they were supposed to use a rat's tail, some dried frogs, the tongue of a gecko, and the fingers of a certain humanoid creature…
Tom had already taken care of the cutting, grinding, and weighing tasks himself. Daisy was only supposed to handle stirring and adding ingredients on time.
However, the result was…
Snape was even angrier with them.
Tom felt it was unfair.
When Daisy was teamed up with Colin or Stephanie before, their performance was nearly the same, yet Snape never deducted points from them.
"Miss Weasley, it’s time for you to put your talent for getting people expelled to good use. After all, you always find a way to make excuses, don’t you?"
Tom bit his tongue and refrained from retorting, but Daisy couldn’t hold back her tears. She mumbled, "I’m sorry…"
Then, Tom kicked the cauldron, spilling the potion all over the floor.
With an innocent look, he said, "Sorry, I slipped. There are no ingredients left, so it looks like we’ll be finishing early. Daisy, let’s go."
He reached out to Daisy, and everyone in the classroom was stunned.
Tom gently said again, "I saw you were hurt, Daisy. Let’s go to the Infirmary."
Tom was always treated with favoritism in his classes at Hogwarts. He had never encountered a teacher as rude as Snape.
Hogwarts’ educational standards had plummeted, and he thought he might as well go back to the Weasley house to adapt to "family life" early.
He had lost patience with his mission anyway and could easily come up with an excuse to quit.
If he still wanted to go to school, he would eventually find a way to attend another magic school, get a scholarship, and escape Dumbledore's control.
Daisy glanced at Snape’s expression now. She was too scared to leave and felt her legs give way.
She apologized to Tom with a look, not wanting to leave Hogwarts, wishing to stay in the magical world.
This was the difference between those with choice and those without.
Snape angrily said, "Very well, you’re sentenced to detention. Tomorrow at 9 AM, my office."
Tom merely looked at him coldly, patted his robes, and left the classroom.
Tom didn’t go to Professor Dumbledore, nor did he write to Grindelwald.
He borrowed a broom from the school and quietly flew above the Black Lake.
Right now, he really wanted to leave Hogwarts.
Though he had once desperately hoped to stay at this school forever.
"I think you did well," Ginny said in his mind.
Tom sighed, "Ginny, sometimes I feel like you’re just an illusion."
Ginny spoke to him less and less, only a few times a day.
Tom couldn’t even tell when Ginny was awake or asleep anymore.
When he called for Ginny in his mind, eight times out of ten, she didn’t respond.
Ginny also gradually stopped telling him when she was awake.
Ginny said, "I wish I were you, Tom. You’re so brave."
Tom felt an overwhelming loneliness. He wished Ginny were a real person.
Now, he understood how Ginny had felt toward him before.
"You just want to say nice things to me, just like I used to do for you. Because there’s no other way to survive, right?"
Tom thought life was bitter and awful. No matter how it developed, it felt like a fishbone stuck in his throat, and he couldn’t swallow. The "smooth" life he wanted didn’t exist in this world.
Ginny also admitted her dark side, saying, "I think you’re scary.
Even when I’m not around, you’ve perfectly copied my tone and actions.
People are slowly accepting the changes you’ve made to ‘me.’ You’ve made new friends, and you’re starting a new life.
I can’t find a reason to exist. I’m jealous of you, Tom."
Tom quietly looked out at the frozen lake and the snow-covered mountains.
After a long while, he said, "I don’t know how to live beyond doing missions and getting top marks.
Back in Slytherin, every move I made was a performance. Because everyone was concerned about ‘rankings,’ and I didn’t want to fail against some inexplicable standard.
But now, I just want to be you, but ‘you’ have no standard to follow.
I no longer know what I should be doing, and the mission is making no progress.
I feel like I’ve lost my worth."
Ginny thought for a moment and said, "I allow you to just be yourself. After all, the mission might not succeed.
No matter how hard you try, the Dark Lord might still not be defeated. My family might not like you anyway, yet they’ll never find evidence that you’re not me. So, just do what you want to do.
If anyone exposes us, maybe I’ll be even happier to get that person’s attention. And no one will take your ‘perfection’ for granted anymore."
Tom thoughtfully said, "You want me to live only by my own standards, but wasn’t you before who always tried to get along with in Potions class?"
Ginny admitted, "I was wrong. I should’ve given up on Eugene. He wasn’t good to me. The first time he stood me up, I should’ve turned my back on him. Or I should’ve never asked him out in the first place. Maybe I wouldn’t have died then."
Tom smiled slightly, even though nothing had been solved.
But he felt like maybe it was okay to just go along with things without planning too much.
He sighed, "I’ll take you to the Chamber of Secrets. If we get expelled, we won’t get another chance." He wanted to show Ginny to Basilisk.
From the bottom of his heart, Tom now admitted that Ginny was his friend.
He found that what he had always wanted was someone who could truly understand his position, care for him, and accept his imperfections.
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"Where have you been?!" Tom had skipped all his classes and only appeared in the hall at dinnertime on that day.
As soon as he entered, Percy grabbed hold of him.
Tom glared at him coldly and said, "Ginny’s dead, and now I’m about to starve, don’t touch me."
He shrugged off Percy’s hand.
Percy was startled by Tom’s gaze, and Fred blew a whistle.
But Tom gave them a cold stare as well, signaling that he wasn’t amused.
Daisy quickly stepped in to mediate, "I told them what happened in class. Ginny, it’s alright. I spoke to Professor McGonagall, and she told me you just need to check in with her tomorrow morning. You don’t have to go to Snape’s office. Professor McGonagall will speak with Professor Snape."
Percy said, "You should be grateful that none of the professors are questioning your skipping class. Don’t you realize how irresponsible that is?"
Tom shot him another icy look, "I don’t have the ‘responsibility’ to be ‘abused,’ and you should be careful how you speak to me. Because you’re not the only one who can go running to mummy with complaints."
Tom’s sharp, pretentious tone turned Percy’s face as red as his hair. "You... you...!"
When Percy found out that Ginny had gone missing, he’d been very worried about her safety, asking everyone, every portrait…
Hermione, who was on better terms with Percy, came out and said, "Alright, alright, Ginny, let’s just eat."
She grabbed Tom’s hand and led him to the dinner table.
Tom obediently lowered his head and ate, ignoring the whispers around him.
He noticed that both Snape and Dumbledore were staring at him from the teacher’s table, but he didn’t return their gaze.
He wore an indifferent expression, as if nothing in the world mattered more than the hot soup in his hands.
Ron, sitting across from him, suddenly grasped his hand and said, "It’s alright, Dumbledore won’t let them expel you."
Tom just winked at him, showing his appreciation for the comfort. Ron, who was easily reassured, pulled his hand back and began eating heartily, just like everyone else.
Tom noticed that Harry was also looking at him, but Harry couldn’t think of anything to say.
So, Harry also lowered his head to eat.
Later, back in their room.
Hermione said, "You can’t give up on your studies because of Snape. Harry has always been targeted by him in class, but once he’s out of the classroom, he’s just put that behind him. Do you understand?"
Tom lay on his bed, not starting his homework as usual.
Daisy handed him the assignments for the day, but he threw them onto his desk without looking at them.
After taking a hot shower, Tom decided to go straight to bed, but Hermione couldn’t stand it.
Tom responded directly, "I don’t want to go to school anymore. Percy’s right. I’ll be better off studying at home."
"I also hate sharing a room with you. You’re always looking for something to do, never stopping for a second."
"Every time I talk to you, you always have to be the most ‘correct and detailed’ person. Every day, it’s like if you haven’t finished reading a book or writing a perfect essay, you won’t turn off the lights.
I think your nervousness has infected me. Today is Friday, and if I start the homework tomorrow, I could still probably finish it. But you just can’t stand me."
Tom didn’t feel the need to mimic Ginny anymore, so he didn’t need to try so hard on homework, moreover, he could live a crazy life like Luna’s.
However, Hermione started crying, "Why do you hurt everyone who cares about you, Ginny? I want ‘perfection’ because the magical world is dangerous!
If it wasn’t for me paying attention in class and learning about Devil’s Snare last year, we might all have died! Life isn’t a game that you can restart! You don’t need to be a horrible person like Snape just because he hurt you!"
Tom just stared at her cry coldly, offering no comfort.
He said, "If I leave, you can room with Daisy. I’m sure she’d be more than happy to." Then he drew the bed curtains and went to sleep.
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Becoming yourself inevitably means hurting others' expectations.
He has expectations for others too.
If the two sides can't get along, it’s better to part ways early.
Although he wants to seek revenge on his future self for Basilisk,
His future self has already ended up in a terrible situation.
In Dumbledore’s plan, whether he’s involved or not, it should still be able to be completed. Probably.
Because Dumbledore never foresaw that he would come...
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The next morning, Tom woke up according to his biological clock.
With nothing to do, he had breakfast and then went to find Professor McGonagall.
“I thought you wouldn’t come, Miss Weasley,” Professor McGonagall said, still in her robe. “Come in, have you eaten breakfast?”
But Tom replied, “Can I leave then, if you didn’t want me to come?”
They stood by the door like that.
Professor McGonagall said, “I don’t blame you. Standing up for a friend is a good thing. I just wanted to talk to you, to find the best educational method for you.”
Her softened attitude made Tom willing to come into her office. Professor McGonagall used magic to brew him some hot tea, and the warm cup warmed his hands.
“When you came to me for help last time, I ignored your request. Now I won't let you down. Yes, perhaps you should study at home, since a student as smart as you might not fit well with the ordinary rules of the school, I hope you now fully understand that Hogwarts may not always be the best option, and don't blame too much on yourself.”
Tom responded, “I understand.” Before, he had no way out, but now everything has changed.
Professor McGonagall noticed what he left unspoken.
She said, “Snape was once my student. I can be sure that he never wanted to return here to teach. But for various reasons, Dumbledore hoped he would stay to heal the wounds that studying here had caused him. And I don’t often speak ill of my colleagues. I hope you understand that too.”
Tom said, “Yes, and I came here to study, not to volunteer. So, If I would like to transfer schools in the future, I hope you can write me a recommendation letter, ensuring that I don’t have personality disorders. And I’d really appreciate that.”
He wasn’t about to indulge in sympathy for people who were just making excuses for bullying.
McGonagall said, “I think all of us, including your classmates, will miss you. You always helped us take care of Luna and Daisy.”
Tom replied, “They’ll be fine without me. Luna practically wants to be expelled, and Daisy is good at accepting reality and surviving.”
McGonagall disagreed, “Luna can’t live in her own fantasy world forever. Daisy is like Harry, always sticking to your brother Ron and adapting to whatever Ron thinks is reasonable. If Harry didn’t have Ron with him in Potions class, I think he’d have given up on the subject completely. Yet, Potions is crucial for every wizard or witch.”
Tom refocused, “Alright, even if they wouldn’t do well without me, that’s not my responsibility, right?” Why should he take responsibility for the impact of bullies?
Professor McGonagall sighed, “You’re right, but don’t you want them to do better in their studies? The point of school is for everyone to live together in harmony. Yes, maybe you can live well on your own, but teamwork will always have a bigger impact.
For example, when you look for a job in the future, connections will help you find the right place. Look at your brothers Bill and Charlie. They both found their jobs before graduation. Their adult lives are seamlessly connected with their interests and talents. And what about you? Have you seriously thought about what you want to become in the future?”
Tom didn’t have an answer. He had once considered becoming a teacher, but he didn’t actually have any interest in teaching others.
Professor McGonagall said, “I think that’ll be all for today. You’re welcome to come back and talk to me anytime. No matter what answer you find, you’re a good person. Tom, don’t take Snape’s words too seriously, okay?”
She escorted Tom to the door.
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At the same time,
Dumbledore arrived at Snape’s office and knocked on the door.
When Snape opened it, he snorted, "Well, look who it is—our esteemed Headmaster here to clean up the little princess’s mess."
Dumbledore, ever patient, replied, "You’re not a mess, Severus."
Snape rolled his eyes, thinking: So, you admit she’s a little princess, or are you here to clean up?
Dumbledore stepped into the office and noticed that Snape had prepared a large cauldron and some ingredients, seemingly intending to make Ginny brew the potion again on her own. With a wave of Snape’s wand, the tools cleaned themselves and put themselves away.
"You’re always so biased toward those Gryffindors," Snape sneered. "That little princess’s grades are only going to sink further under your coddling."
Dumbledore said calmly, "I only want her to live happily at Hogwarts. Grades have never been my top priority." He sat down on the couch.
Snape took the seat opposite him, frowning. "I’m starting to think you care more about that Weasley girl than Potter. Have you finally succumbed to senility?"
Their shared goal, after all, was the destruction of Voldemort. The Weasleys needed to be both capable and loyal. Snape regretted not having paid more attention to training Ginny’s brothers earlier. If only he’d known from the start that Harry Potter would become instant friends with Ron Weasley...
Dumbledore spoke, interrupting his thoughts. "Every student and teacher at Hogwarts is important. You are important, Severus. I care about you."
Snape scoffed, and Dumbledore chose not to press further.
"I consulted Professor Flitwick," Dumbledore continued, "and he also believes that pairing Luna with Ginny for Potions would be safer. If you agree, I’ll arrange for Ginny to use a Time-Turner so she can attend a different Potions class."
Snape frowned. "I fail to see the point of this."
Dumbledore explained, "This will help Daisy overcome her over-reliance on others, and you won’t have to worry about Luna blowing up your classroom."
Snape countered, "This will only drag down Ginny’s performance further. She’ll have no chance to properly practice brewing a potion on her own. And a first-year using a Time-Turner? Really?"
Dumbledore asserted, "She can handle it. Besides, she can take some of the burden off your shoulders during class. Let her learn to care for others. Don’t worry about her grades or her proficiency."
Snape narrowed his eyes. "Are you being sexist? Just because she’s a girl, she’s supposed to play the role of a decorative flower vase, silently held back by those around her, while selflessly accepting that her efforts will go unacknowledged?"
Dumbledore gave him a curious look. "You seem more concerned about Ginny than I am. Why do you care so much about her performance?"
Snape was momentarily at a loss for words. Dumbledore silently wondered if it was because Ginny bore a slight resemblance to Lily. Softening his tone, he said:
"Think of Ginny as an exception. She’s not an ordinary student. Just follow my instructions and avoid clashing with her. I need her to stay at Hogwarts."
Snape pressed further, "She’s not an ordinary student? What do you mean by that?"
Dumbledore didn’t answer. He simply gave a mysterious smile.
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With the Time-Turner, Tom found himself with much more freedom to move around.
Dumbledore hadn’t lectured him about this time, which surprised him greatly.
During Potions class, Luna finally managed to focus.
She didn’t want to drag Tom down, for Ginny’s sake.
“So, how’s your progress?” Luna whispered to Tom as they worked on their potion.
Since the start of the new year, nothing significant has happened.
Tom stirred the cauldron and replied, “Stuck, thanks to a certain irresponsible saviour.”
Luna handed him the chopped roots and said, “Aren’t you sharing a room with Hermione? Just bring it up with her.”
Tom took the roots, saying, “I know.” But he and Hermione were currently in a cold war.
He added the ingredients, watching the smoke rise and the potion change colour.
“The purpose of the training,” he said, lowering his voice, “is that the saviour has to take the initiative to be brave, do something heroic, and be rewarded for it.
Last year, the saviour's friendships solidified, but now his dependence on his companions has become a big problem to overcome.”
He was sure no one was eavesdropping. In fact, Snape and the rest of the class act like they haven't been here at all.
Dumbledore’s favouritism toward Ginny had become an unspoken truth. And this fact, instead of drawing others to her, Ginny’s “victory over Snape” had turned her into another “landmine” that was even bigger than Snape himself.
No one wanted to step on her, get themselves dirty, or end up as Snape’s next target to bully.
Luna, seemingly oblivious, said, “Oh, really?” without offering further commentary. “Good luck, then.”
She simply wanted to have a conversation with Tom to keep herself focused.
But Tom continued, “He suggested I befriend Harry to push things forward. What do you think?”
He wasn’t sure if altering Ginny’s shy demeanour toward Harry would break her character. But he really couldn't find another solution.
Luna thought for a moment and said, “I don’t think that’ll work. I mean, Ginny is really shy on this staff. Unless, of course, you get yourself a boyfriend to prove you’re completely over Harry? That might make it feel more natural.”
Her advice, based purely on her experience reading novels, struck a chord with Tom, who also has no idea of what love is. “Thanks,” he said. “That puts me at ease.”
Luna added, “But don’t blame me if the plan fails.”
Tom replied, “If it fails, it fails.”
Luna then asked, “Is Ginny... gone?”
She was remarkably perceptive.
Usually, for such questions, Tom would go to Ginny herself, not her.
Tom thought: As expected, Luna really is sharp.
He sighed, “I don’t know. What do you think?”
They locked eyes, but neither spoke further.
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