Old Blood at Hogwarts

The diary seemed to be blown by a strong wind, and the paper flipped through the pages, stopping at a certain page in mid-June.Aaron was dumbfounded as a small square appeared on the page marked June [-]th, playing some pictures like a miniature TV screen.With his hands trembling slightly, he raised the diary and put his eyes on the small window.

Before he could realize what was going on, he fell forward.The window began to grow larger, and he felt his body leave the bed and fall headfirst into the gap in the page, entering a swirling circle of colors, light and shadow.

After an unknown amount of time, he felt his feet land on solid ground.He stood tremblingly, and the blurry scene around him suddenly became clear.

Aaron found himself in a large, beautiful circular room.In the center of the room was a huge table with claw-shaped legs.Behind the table sat a frail, shriveled wizard with only a few strands of white hair on his bald head, writing a single letter by candlelight.

Aaron had never seen this person before, and he greeted carefully: "Hello."

But the wizard didn't even raise his head. He continued to read the letter and frowned slightly.

Aaron approached his desk and said again, "Hello. I didn't mean to barge in."

The wizard still ignored him and seemed not to hear him at all.

Aaron thought that the wizard might have bad ears, so he raised his voice and almost shouted: "Sorry to bother you!"

The wizard sighed, folded the letter, stood up, and walked past him as if he hadn't seen Aaron, went straight to the window, and opened the curtains.

Only then did Aaron realize that the wizard seemed to be unable to see or hear him.He walked up to the wizard and carefully reached out to grab the wizard.A wonderful thing happened, Aaron's hand passed through the wizard's body, as if it was an illusion.

[Sure enough, this is Tom Riddle’s memory.Everything here, including the people, is an image of the past. 】

Aaron suddenly understood, and his nervous mood relaxed.

It seemed to be sunset at this moment, and the sky outside the window was filled with red clouds.The wizard returned to the table and sat down, twiddling his thumbs absently and looking at the door.

Aaron looked around the office and saw that the surrounding walls were covered with portraits, both men and women, snoring gently in their respective frames.On a shelf behind the desk, there was a tattered, wrinkled wizard's hat. It was the same magic hat that Aaron sorted for freshmen when he entered school.

At this time, there was a knock on the door outside the office.

"Come in," said the old wizard in a feeble voice.

A boy about 16 years old came in.He was much taller than Aaron, and a prefect's silver badge gleamed on his chest.He took off his pointed hat, revealing a head of glossy black hair.

"Ah, Riddle," said the old wizard.

"You want to see me, Professor Dippet?" Riddle looked a little nervous.

"Sit down," said Dippet. "I have been reading the letter you gave me."

"Oh." Riddle sat down and clasped his hands tightly.

Dippet said kindly: "My dear child, I can't let you stay at school for the summer vacation. Surely you would like to go home for the vacation?"

"No!" Riddle said immediately, "I would rather stay at Hogwarts than go to that...that..."

"You lived in a Muggle orphanage during the holidays, didn't you?" Dippet asked curiously.

"Yes." Riddle's face turned red slightly.

"Are you a muggle?"

"I'm half-blood, sir," Riddle said. "My father is a Muggle and my mother is a witch."

"Both your parents..."

"My mother died just after giving birth to me, sir. They told me in the orphanage that she only had time to give me a name before she died. Tom, after my father; Marvolo, after my grandfather. .”

Dippet smacked his tongue sympathetically.He sighed and said, "Here's the thing, Tom. We originally wanted to make some special arrangements for you, but under the current circumstances..."

"Are you referring to the attacks, sir?" Riddle asked.

Aaron's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and he quickly moved closer for fear of missing a sentence.

"Exactly," Dippet said. "My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be for me to allow you to stay in the castle after the term is over. Especially after the recent tragedy... ...the poor little girl is dead... You'd be much safer in the orphanage. To tell you the truth, the Ministry is even talking about closing the school. The - oh - source of all these unfortunate events, We don’t have a clue yet…”

Riddle's eyes widened and he said, "Sir, if that man is caught...if everything stops..."

"What do you mean?" Dippet immediately stood up from his chair, his voice a little harsh, "Riddle, do you know anything about these attacks?"

"No, sir." Riddle said quickly.

Dippet sat back, looking slightly disappointed.He said listlessly: "You can go, Tom..."

Riddle got up from the chair and walked out of the room with heavy steps.Aaron followed.They walked down a spiral staircase that moved up and down, passed through a secret door behind an ugly gargoyle statue, and came into a darkening corridor.

Suddenly, Riddle stopped.Aaron also stopped and stared at him.

Riddle was seen biting his lip and frowning, as if he was thinking seriously.Then, he seemed to have made up his mind and started walking in a hurry again.Aaron quickly followed him.

Along the way, they saw no one.

Finally, they came to the foyer.A tall wizard with long flowing auburn hair and a long beard greeted Riddle on the marble stairs: "What are you doing, Tom? Why are you still wandering around so late?"

Aaron stared at the wizard dumbfounded.That's Dumbledore 50 years younger.

"I just went to see the principal, sir," Riddle said.

"Okay, go to bed quickly." Dumbledore said, staring at Riddle with a very penetrating gaze.

"It's best not to wander in the corridors during this period. After all..."

Dumbledore sighed heavily, said good night to Riddle, and strode away.Riddle watched him walk out of sight, then quickly walked towards the stairs leading to the underground classroom.Aaron chased after him.However, to Aaron's disappointment, Riddle did not take him to a secret room or secret passage, but to the underground classroom where the Potions class was held.

Since the torches in the corridor were not lit, when Riddle almost pushed the door shut, Aaron could only see Riddle standing at the door, peeping out through the crack in the door.

Aaron thought they had been there for at least an hour.During this process, Riddle stood motionless at the door, staring at the passage outside through the crack of the door, like a statue.Just when Aaron stopped feeling nervous and anticipatory, and began to want to return to reality, he heard movement outside the door.

Someone was walking in the passage outside.Aaron heard the man walking past the underground classroom where he and Riddle were hiding.

Like a shadow, Riddle sidled through the crack in the door and followed him silently.Aaron followed behind on tiptoes without making the slightest sound.The tension made him forget that he wouldn't be heard.

They followed that footsteps for about 5 minutes.

Suddenly, Riddle stopped.He tilted his head, listening to the sound that had just appeared.

Aaron heard the door creak, and then someone whispered in a hoarse voice: "Come... come out, come here... come... come to the box..."

Aaron felt that this person's voice seemed a bit familiar, but he couldn't remember who it was for the moment.

At this time, Riddle suddenly jumped and turned around the corner.Aaron jumped out after him.He saw a large boy squatting in front of an open door. There was a large box beside the door.

"Good evening, Rubeus," Riddle said sternly.

The boy slammed the door, stood up, and said in a panic: "What are you doing here, Tom?"

Riddle took a few steps closer and said, "It's time to end. I have to report you, Rubeus. They are discussing closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop."

The big boy didn't react and said in confusion: "What did you say..."

Riddle interrupted him and said: "I know you didn't mean to kill. But monsters are not ideal pets. I guess you just let it out and move around, so..."

The big boy finally understood what Riddle meant and shouted loudly: "It didn't kill anyone!"

As he spoke, he took a few steps back and leaned against the closed door.

Aaron could hear a strange rustling and clicking sound coming from behind the door.

"Come on, Rubeus." Riddle said, moving closer. "The dead girl's parents may be here tomorrow. Hogwarts can at least ensure that the guy who killed their daughter is brought to justice." Kill..."

"It's not it!" the boy yelled, his voice echoing in the dim passage, "It won't! Never!"

"Get out of the way."

Riddle said, pulling out his wand.A sudden burst of fire emanated from his wand, illuminating the entire corridor.

The door behind the large boy flew open, sending him flying against the opposite wall with such force.A furry monster jumped out of the door.

It has a huge, hairy low body, black legs knotted together, many shining eyes, and a pair of claws as sharp as knives... That is a big spider!

Aaron looked at the monster and almost screamed.

Riddle raised his wand again, but it was too late.The monster jumped over, knocked him to the ground, and then ran quickly through the corridor and fled in a hurry.

Riddle stumbled to his feet, looked at its back, and raised his wand again.

"Do not--!"

The big boy yelled and rushed over, grabbed Riddle's wand, and knocked him to the ground.

Then, the world began to spin, and the surroundings became pitch black.Aaron felt himself falling, and with a final "thud", he fell onto the four-poster bed in the Gryffindor dormitory.Riddle's diary lay open on his stomach.