The first day of a perfect holiday.
A small café in Diagon Alley had been booked out entirely by Lucius Malfoy, specifically to receive Tom.
Why here?
Lucius absolutely did not dare give Tom the address of Malfoy Manor. That would be no different from handing over his own weakness.
He came alone, without Narcissa or Draco. Sitting restlessly at the table, Lucius kept running through possible responses in his head.
The moment Tom mentioned the diary yesterday, he knew he was exposed. But how much did Dumbledore know?
And what exactly was Tom's purpose in deliberately arranging this meeting?
Just as Lucius was still thinking, the bell above the door rang crisply. The door opened, and Tom walked in.
Lucius rose instinctively. Only after Tom sat down opposite him did he realize how low his posture had been. He quickly forced himself to appear calm and gave a stiff nod.
"Mr. Riddle."
The moment their eyes met, Lucius felt a surge of guilt and lowered his gaze again. Those eyes seemed able to see through everything. There was no hostility in them, yet they still made him instinctively fearful.
This kid is seriously weird.
Lucius cursed inwardly.
For Tom, Hogwarts was more like a seal. The relaxed, cheerful atmosphere, surrounded by foolishly adorable students, softened his temperament considerably. But once he stepped outside the school, it was as if the seal had been lifted. He no longer needed to hide or suppress anything.
Overwhelming strength and an endless stream of hidden cards silently amplified his presence. Merlin's magic perception made anyone who met his gaze feel as though they had nowhere to hide.
"Mr. Malfoy, let's keep this brief. I have other matters to attend to."
Tom glanced at the watch on his wrist and spoke casually.
"The diary that once belonged to Voldemort is now in Dumbledore's hands. He's been studying it for quite some time. And… Ginny Weasley has already confessed everything."
"Honestly, Mr. Malfoy, what you did was far too crude. I can't believe you thought it was a good idea to act personally."
"Don't make baseless accusations," Lucius snapped stiffly. "I have no idea what diary you're talking about, or who Ginny Weasley is. What does that impoverished family have to do with me?"
"Playing dumb won't solve anything."
Tom's fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop. In an instant, the noise of the street outside seemed to be muted, unable to penetrate the café at all.
"You can make as many excuses as you want here. It won't matter. If Dumbledore says it was you, then it was you. Understood?"
It felt as if someone had clamped a hand around Lucius's throat. He couldn't force out a single word. His long-held aristocratic pride finally collapsed, and he could only say weakly,
"Mr. Riddle… state your terms."
"If you were truly on Dumbledore's side, there'd be no need to meet me in private."
"Since you chose to speak with me, that proves you want something too. And that you're not the same as Dumbledore."
Worthy of being the textbook fence-sitter.
Lucius Malfoy was terrified, but survival sharpened his mind.
"Dealing with smart people really does save time and effort." Tom smiled faintly. "To be honest, Dumbledore doesn't intend to kill you either. You know him. He always operates within the rules. At most, he'll drag you into endless trouble and leave you overwhelmed."
Lucius nodded and sneered. "That's exactly why we feel safe around Dumbledore. We dislike him, but we're not afraid of him."
Not like you.
He added that silently.
"Before leaving school, I spoke with Dumbledore."
Tom leaned forward slightly.
"Hand over your seat on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, and this matter ends here."
"The Board seat?" Lucius hissed. "Riddle, that's asking too much."
Being a school governor didn't earn him a single Knut. In fact, it cost him a great deal each year. But it was a symbol of status and legacy, a badge of honor he flaunted among pureblood families.
Tom had expected this reaction. People never turned back until they hit a wall.
"If you hand it to me, you can at least keep some dignity. If not, Dumbledore can contact the other eleven governors and force you out of the Board."
"How dare he!" Lucius slammed the table and stood up.
"Blame yourself for giving Dumbledore that opportunity. Calm down, Mr. Malfoy."
Tom pressed down lightly with one hand. Lucius's face went pale as he collapsed back into his chair.
"Our discussion isn't over yet. Losing your temper now would be premature."
Lucius thought Tom was about to switch from persuasion to force. Panicking, he hurriedly explained,
"I need time to think, Riddle. I can't make such a decision based on your word alone."
"Tomorrow. I'll give you an answer tomorrow, alright?"
"That's fine."
Tom nodded slightly and took a sip of coffee.
"Then let's talk about the diary."
Lucius felt Tom's appetite was outrageous. "One Board seat isn't enough? What more do you want?"
Tom smiled, pity in his eyes.
"Mr. Malfoy, you don't understand how much trouble you've brought upon yourself."
"What we discussed just now only dealt with Dumbledore's anger. But what about Voldemort?"
At the name, Lucius's body trembled.
"What… do you mean?"
Tom finished his coffee in one gulp.
"Go back and look it up. With the Malfoy family's foundation, there should be records about 'Horcruxes'. Once you've read them, you'll understand why I'm saying this."
With that, Tom turned and left the café.
The noise of the outside world flooded back into Lucius's ears. He sat there in a daze for a long time before finally coming to his senses. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he rushed home and dove straight into the family library, frantically searching through records.
"Riddle kid, this place really is better than anywhere else."
Sunlight filled the garden as Tom returned to the Riddle estate. The gargoyle noticed him and sighed with satisfaction.