Chapter 76: The Whisper of the Demon
"Bingo. Well done," Riddle replied evenly. "Of course, at first, she had no idea what she was doing. It was quite amusing. I wish you could've read her recent diary entries... 'Dear Tom...'. The things she wrote were becoming so entertaining."
"Impossible! Ginny would never willingly do those things. It had to be you—manipulating her! Ginny was just deceived by you, you demon!" Ron shouted, his face livid with fury.
"Heh. Why don't you hear it straight from the diary of this sweet little girl herself?" Riddle said, ignoring Ron entirely. Fixing his gaze on Harry's increasingly alarmed expression, he began to recite:
"I feel like I'm losing my memory. My robes are covered in feathers, and I don't know how they got there. Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on Halloween, but a cat was attacked, and my chest was stained with paint. Dear Tom, Percy keeps saying I look unwell and act strangely. I think he suspects something... Another attack happened today, and I can't recall where I was at the time. Tom, what should I do? I feel like I'm going mad... I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!"
Harry's fists clenched tightly, his nails digging into his palms as anger and helplessness warred within him.
"Toying with people's hearts and mocking their sincerity—is that what gives you pleasure?" Loki asked coldly, his voice laced with rare anger.
"To someone like him, people like Ginny are mere playthings. If they help him achieve his goals, all the better," Augustus remarked. His tone was heavy, his silver eyes reflecting a faint sorrow. "I must admit, people like him do live carefree lives—since concepts like sincerity, loyalty, and responsibility mean nothing to them. To them, human relationships boil down to naked self-interest."
"Haha! Well analyzed," Riddle sneered. "If Ginny had even a fraction of your intelligence, she wouldn't have been so easy to manipulate for so long. That naive girl—she thought kind, understanding Tom Riddle was her most loyal friend. Should I thank fate that such a childish person found the diary?" He laughed arrogantly, his eyes gleaming with disdain.
"It took her a long, long time to finally lose trust in her diary," Riddle continued. "She grew suspicious and tried to throw it away. That's when you came into the picture, Harry. I couldn't have been happier. Out of everyone, you were the one to find the diary. You're the person I've been most eager to meet."
"Why do you want to see me?" Harry asked, his voice tight with suppressed anger.
"For Voldemort, meeting the one who brought him down at his peak—who defeated him face-to-face—is irresistible," Augustus interjected calmly, his gaze steady on Riddle. "You're the one who ended his reign and liberated countless witches and wizards oppressed by him. Such a feat would tempt anyone. Especially Voldemort himself."
Riddle chuckled dismissively. "It seems you know me well. But meeting Harry Potter in person has been... underwhelming. The famous Harry Potter turns out to be a timid, powerless, ordinary boy. Even compared to these two Slytherins by your side, you're far inferior. I can't understand—how did an infant, without any exceptional magic, defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did you survive unscathed, left only with a scar, while Voldemort's power was destroyed?"
"You're not," Harry said, his voice steady yet laced with hatred.
"Not what?" Riddle snapped sharply.
"Not the greatest wizard in the world," Harry shot back, his breath quickening. "Sorry to disappoint you, but the greatest wizard in the world is Albus Dumbledore. Everyone says so. Even at your height of power, you never dared to take over Hogwarts. Dumbledore saw through you when you were just a student, and even now, he terrifies you—no matter where you've been hiding."
"Riddle, you really shouldn't be so confident," Loki added with a sly smile, his amber eyes glinting mischievously. "Right now, you're nothing but a memory. Even your true self couldn't defeat Lord Augustus. Where does your confidence come from, standing before us with only a fragment of yourself?"
"Augustus?" Riddle's gaze flicked to him. "I heard about you in Harry's diary. So, it was you who defeated my real self? Fascinating. To possess such strength at your age—truly a blessing for Slytherin."
"Your abilities aren't bad either," Augustus remarked, his tone indifferent. "At your age, I was no better. Judging by your current magical resonance, fewer than ten students at Hogwarts could surpass you. For Slytherin to have two such remarkable individuals is indeed fortunate."
Riddle smiled faintly, seemingly genuine in his congratulations toward Augustus and Loki.
Loki opened his mouth to speak but suddenly froze.
From somewhere came the sound of music.
Riddle spun around, his expression darkening, scanning the empty Chamber. The music grew louder—ethereal and otherworldly, stirring a strange exhilaration. Harry felt his hair stand on end, his chest swelling as though it had doubled in size. The music rose to a crescendo, vibrating through his very being.
Suddenly, flames burst from the top of the nearest pillar.
A crimson bird descended from above. It was the size of a crane, its tail shimmering gold like that of a peacock, its claws glinting as they gripped a tattered bundle.
"Seems Dumbledore has been keeping a close eye on Hogwarts," Augustus murmured, his silver eyes narrowing, his lips curling into a curious smile. "His so-called resignation was merely a pretense. For a legend of his caliber, the school board is nothing but a joke. This Headmaster truly lives up to his reputation."
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