We Are Friends

"Come on!" Ivan said, gathering himself and locking eyes with Alicia.

"Throat-locking~" Alicia waved her wand, starting with the simplest of the offensive charms.

There was a brief flash of light from the charm, and Ivan, struck, felt his body jerk slightly as a ring-shaped rune embedded in his left glove lit up.

In the next instant, the spell's light rebounded back the way it had come, and Isiah was able to dodge it.

Isiah then gradually increased the strength of the spell, and Ivan resisted it until Isiah used the inverted golden bell, and the gloves began to show signs of damage.

Ivan swayed violently, barely resisting the effects of the inverted golden bell.

"It's a very useful prop, and it seems to have the same effect as the Armor Charm," said Alicia appreciatively.

"No, it's much weaker than that." Ivan shook his head. As one of the developers who had first-hand experience with the effects of the anti-curse gloves, Ivan knew their weaknesses.

Compared to an all-encompassing Shield Charm, the gloves required one to look the wearer in the eye before they could be cast, and they could not defend against Dark Magic that was too strong.

However, the greatest advantage of this magical tool was its suddenness. Just think about it, when two wizards fought, one did not have a defensive spell, but was able to bounce back the spell. If the other did not react in time, they would suffer the consequences and be defeated on the spot!

"It would be perfect if it could be improved…" Ivan rubbed his chin as he considered the improved concentration scheme. He now knew more than forty runes.

Most of them were taught by Professor Alicia, while others were copied from the Horcrux Diary in a variety of combinations.

With another two weeks or so to go before the Ministry of Magic arrived, Yvonne thought she might be able to come up with a few more.

He couldn't just rely on a pair of anti-curse gloves, could he?

…

Due to the success of the anti-curse gloves, Ivan was able to easily convince Alicia to work on a new magical device.

Together with Tom Riddle in the Horcrux, the three of them made rapid progress in the study of the various runes!

Almost every two or three days, a new formula was discovered, and Ivan was so happy that he almost forgot himself.

"Looking for information about the outside world?" Yvonne asked, staring at the diary in silence.

In fact, the fact that Tom Riddle had put up with it so long before making the offer surprised Ivan.

For the past few days, he had been asking questions almost like a madman, and had gained a great deal of knowledge.

The other party only managed to obtain a few magical formulae, as well as a set of magical items such as the Anti-Curse Gloves.

They may be particularly precious to others, but they are useless to Tom Riddle.

[Yes, the Malfoys kept the diary in their trunk after they got it, so I'd like to know more about the outside world.]

Traces of black ink appeared on the paper, lingered for a few seconds, then changed directions.

[Aren't we friends? You'll tell me, won't you?]

[Of course… We're friends. What do you want to ask?]

Ivan wrote in his diary with a quill in frustration that he would never get any information out of Tom Riddle if he refused to answer.

The diary's ink faded as Tom Riddle tried to decide how to proceed with the questioning.

[I'd like to know what's been happening to the wizarding world in recent years… Also, who is the most famous and powerful wizard in the wizarding world?]

Yvonne smiled to herself. Of course Dumbledore is the most famous and powerful wizard in the wizarding world at the moment. Why else would it be you?

On the surface, however, Ivan pretended to be deep in thought as he scribbled away.

[I have not heard much about recent events in the wizarding world, but the most powerful wizard in the wizarding world is Headmaster Albus Dumbledore of Hogwarts!]

Tom Riddle held his tongue for a long time before speaking again.

[What about other than him?]

[That must be the legendary 660-year-old alchemist Nicolas Flamel!]

Yvonne rubbed her chin. Although Nicolas Flamel kept a low profile, she couldn't think of anyone else who would write about Minister for Magic Fudge.

Fudge is not good enough!

[What about the Dark Lord? Have you heard of him?]

The handwriting in the diary was not neat, but rather messy and rushed. Perhaps thinking that it was inappropriate to ask such a question, he quickly added.

[I mean… I heard this name from the Malfoys before they released me, so I was curious and wanted to ask…]

As a sub-soul, Tom could vaguely sense that something was wrong with the primary soul, but it was too far away and he was too weak to know the details, which was why he was anxious to know.

Can't quite hold it in, Tom… Ivan tapped his finger on the table. The fifth year Dark Lord was still too young.

However, it was clear from the book's performance that Lord Voldemort was a proud, arrogant, ambitious, and extremely conceited young man.

[The Dark Lord? He is said to have died… more than ten years ago…]

Yvonne scribbled in the diary, piqued his interest, and then changed the subject.

[Aren't you a diary? Why are you so curious about this? Why don't you just keep working on the formula… I saw one somewhere and I've been trying to figure it out.]

Ivan did not wait for the Horcrux to respond. Instead, he drew a semicircular umbrella-shaped rune on the diary's page, the same one he had seen on the Dementor's case.

[This is one of the many charms that insulate magic from the outside world… it is often used in case-making, to store valuable magical tools.] Tom Riddle replied to Ivan's question automatically. He would have liked to know the rest of the story, but he had no choice but to keep his suspicions to himself.

He couldn't have really died while he was still in Voldemort,

Or perhaps he will become the new Lord Voldemort…

After a brief exchange, Ivan snapped the diary shut and placed it in the deepest part of the cupboard.

"Thanks a lot, Tom…" Ivan muttered to himself as he took a half-completed diary cover from his desk drawer and engraved the insulating runes into the corners.

Hope… there will be no need for it.

(PS: This is the fifth chapter, please subscribe, please vote…)