This resurrection ritual had been far too rushed, so Tom Riddle did not have enough time to prepare.
Therefore, when Albus Dumbledore appeared before him, the former Dark Lord, who had just been resurrected and was about to make his grand debut, was embarrassed.
Holding Middler's wand, Tom cast one final spell on himself.
His body floated upward like a gust of wind, landing atop the Slytherin statue as he looked down indifferently at Dumbledore and the others below.
Harry Potter and Hermione Granger ran toward Dumbledore, surrounding him with visible excitement.
"How did you two get here?"
Just as they were about to explain, a voice colder than ice interrupted them.
Turning his head, Harry immediately recognized it, because such a cold and unpleasant tone could only belong to Severus Snape.
Facing Snape's icy expression, Harry felt a brief flicker of fear, but it was quickly replaced by a surge of anger rising uncontrollably within him.
"It seems we do not need to explain why we are here, Professor."
The anger came suddenly and disappeared just as quickly after he spoke.
Dumbledore glanced upward at Tom standing on the Slytherin statue, and Tom, as if sensing it, gave him a slight nod.
"Potter, do you know where this is? This is not where you should be."
The words carried a trace of concern, but when spoken by Snape, they sounded sharp and sarcastic.
"You do not need to concern yourself with that, Professor."
"That is my own business."
Since the events of that day, their relationship had not improved and had only grown worse.
Hermione watched from the side, slightly stunned by the exchange.
Filius Flitwick and Minerva McGonagall moved Gilderoy Lockhart, who had been turned into a statue, to a safer location to avoid him being accidentally damaged in the coming battle.
Because they were farther away, they could not hear the heated conversation taking place.
"No one controls you, Potter, and your dead father certainly will not, because you no longer have family."
"Shut up, Snape."
Harry raised his wand and pointed it at Snape. His gun had fallen earlier, and he had not picked it up.
"Enough."
As the tension escalated, Dumbledore, who had been watching Tom, finally spoke.
For the first time, his voice carried a stern tone as he cast a cold glance at both of them.
However, after turning away, a trace of cunning flashed in his eyes.
He was not as angry as he appeared.
Still, his words had the intended effect. Harry and Snape continued glaring at each other, but neither spoke again.
Harry already felt a hint of regret. He did not understand why he had acted so impulsively, suddenly arguing with Snape.
Admitting he was wrong was one thing, but his pride would not allow him to back down.
Just as Snape would always protect Harry but never bow to him, the same applied in return.
They were naturally in conflict, but not to the point of complete irreconcilability.
However, they were not the focus of this night.
As Dumbledore raised his wand, Tom, standing atop the statue, activated the contingency plan he had left within the Chamber of Secrets.
This night was destined to be sleepless, with many matters yet to be handled.
It was not yet time for them to clash.
For Tom, there was a trace of regret.
After confronting his true feelings, he understood that while he despised Dumbledore, he also longed to become the next Dumbledore.
"Farewell, Professor."
"Farewell, Hogwarts."
Indeed, he had not been fully prepared. Even his resurrection had been rushed.
However, that did not mean he had not prepared beforehand within Chamber of Secrets.
After the [Live Broadcast Q&A System] exposed parts of his secrets, he had begun making preparations.
Even though the Chamber of Secrets was his most hidden and trusted base, there was no guarantee Dumbledore would not find it.
So Tom modified the alchemical runes within the Slytherin statue once he obtained a wand.
He altered the continuous transmission array so that it would only function one final time.
Just before his resurrection, he poured excess magic into the runes, completing their final charge.
Now, only one step remained.
By activating the runes, he would be able to leave Hogwarts using their power.
As Dumbledore waved his wand and flames rose to surround the area, Tom understood that it was time to leave.
Even so, he wanted one last look at Dumbledore.
As the flames moved toward him, astonishing everyone present, Tom quietly thought to himself.
"It is time to go."
A green light flashed and vanished.
As the flames engulfed the statue and obscured everyone's vision, Tom disappeared from the Chamber of Secrets as though he had never been there.
When the flames faded, only the empty Slytherin statue remained.
The fire erased all traces Tom had left behind, along with countless hidden secrets.
Harry believed that Dumbledore had defeated him, and his joy was obvious.
Snape stared at the empty statue for a few seconds before shifting his gaze toward Dumbledore and studying him closely.
Sensing the look, Dumbledore turned and gave him a subtle wink.
Then he faced Harry again with his usual gentle smile, like an elderly man looking at his grandchildren.
"It is over, Harry."
"At least for now. That person will not return to Hogwarts, perhaps not forever, but at least not for now."
The first sentence was meant for Harry, while the second was clearly directed at Snape and a still uncertain Hermione.
Hermione felt uneasy, but her trust in Dumbledore stopped her from questioning it further.
"Let us go. Bring Gilderoy back, and you two should retrieve your wands and that weapon."
"When the Mandrakes mature, Severus, I will need you to brew the potion for them."
"Hmph."
Snape responded with a cold snort, clearly dissatisfied.
Dumbledore smiled faintly.
What he had done was not entirely hidden. Whether someone as perceptive as Snape could piece it together was another matter.
At least, tonight had gone smoothly.
Too smoothly.
So smoothly that it felt unreal.
Especially for Harry, who felt as though everything that had happened was a dream.
But was it really over?
...
📢 Author's Note
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