So you've begun to act, Tom. Let me see whether the two of you are truly the same person.
Dumbledore set the letter aside and slowly leaned back in his chair.
The phoenix on the table preened its beautiful feathers.
People often said that Albus Dumbledore was the greatest wizard in the world. Yet sometimes, he felt that he might also be the one who carried the greatest sins.
The two most terrifying Dark Wizards of the past century were both closely connected to him.
Of course, it had to be admitted that whether Dark Dumbledore existed or not, Gellert Grindelwald and Voldemort would likely have walked the same path. Without someone to stop them, the world would only have become more tragic.
Grindelwald would have reshaped the order of both the wizarding and Muggle worlds, and war between them would have been inevitable.
And as someone who valued talent above all else, Grindelwald might have recognized the extraordinary potential of the young Tom Riddle and chosen him as his successor.
Or perhaps the two would have become enemies.
Either way, it would have led to bloodshed.
Dumbledore felt a wave of fatigue. His mind replayed everything that had happened over the past two school years.
There were several questions that demanded answers.
The first was whether the resurrected "Tom Riddle" was truly Voldemort. If so, how could two versions of him exist at once? If not, then who exactly was he?
So after Elijah's escape from Azkaban, more precisely, after his "resurrection," Dumbledore had deliberately allowed the news to spread.
All the way to Albania.
Into the ears of the one who existed in a state worse than death.
His second question depended on the assumption that Elijah and Tom Riddle were not the same person. In that case, Dumbledore needed to determine whether Elijah posed a threat.
He had no intention of allowing a third Dark Wizard of that caliber to rise.
The third question, or perhaps expectation, was the most intriguing.
If Voldemort learned that one of his Horcruxes had "resurrected," would he attempt to recover his remaining Horcruxes?
If so, he would almost certainly leave behind a flaw.
"Tom, calling himself Elijah, went to Riddle Manor and the Gaunt shack after his resurrection," Dumbledore murmured. "He would never hide a Horcrux in a Muggle-occupied place like Riddle Manor. That would be beneath him. So it seems he only retrieved the Horcrux hidden at the Gaunt shack."
He paused.
"But the Ministry of Magic… would he hide one there?"
Dumbledore thought it unlikely.
Although the Ministry symbolized power, something Voldemort inherently pursued, Voldemort also held the institution in deep contempt. He believed his own power far surpassed it.
More importantly, the Ministry was a place of constant movement. It was not secure.
"Elijah… who exactly are you?"
—
"John Dolores, who do you think the person meeting that goblin is?"
Another day had passed, and Tonks was already growing tired of waiting in the Hog's Head.
By now, she and Elijah had been staying together for over half a month. The Aurors and Dementors had gradually relaxed their vigilance, while the goblin continued to sit in the tavern every day, waiting for someone who might not even exist.
During this time, Tonks had spent her days transforming into anyone she vaguely remembered, trying to avoid exposing herself. Elijah, on the other hand, used the excuse that he wasn't skilled in Transfiguration to avoid the tedious stakeout work, wandering off whenever he pleased and leaving Tonks grinding her teeth in frustration.
"Whoever it is, or even if they exist at all, it's still work," Elijah said as he slipped away once again.
"You've got the nerve to say that? Who's been sneaking off to the Three Broomsticks every day to see Rosmerta? Be careful, or I'll write to your wife!" Tonks snapped, barely holding back the urge to punch him.
"I'm not going to see the landlady. I just don't feel like eating in a place full of flies," Elijah replied without looking back. "And my wife and I have a very good relationship. I even bought her a Kneazle a few days ago."
He had, of course, bought no such thing.
The "gift" he had given was John Dolores himself.
After transforming John Dolores into a python, the man had escaped. Elijah later tracked him down again, turned him into a cat, and delivered him to his wife.
Elijah had only taken on John Dolores's identity to search for the key to Vault 12, not to ruin someone's family.
Stretching lazily, he left the Hog's Head and avoided the main road, heading instead toward a more secluded area.
The Shrieking Shack.
A haunted house famous throughout the British wizarding world.
A few months ago, Elijah had fought Dumbledore here, lost, and nearly destroyed the building in the process.
Yet now, it had been restored, its exterior unchanged.
Not entirely unchanged, though.
There were faint signs of life within, suggesting that a werewolf had returned. This time, however, no new damage had been inflicted on the already fragile structure.
For a moment, Elijah felt the urge to return to Hogwarts.
But he hesitated.
He wasn't sure whether Dumbledore still had the Marauder's Map. Nor was he certain whether Dumbledore would kill him outright if they met again.
Even if his body no longer contained Voldemort's soul, death was still a terrifying prospect.
He had gone to great lengths to return to life. There was no way he would throw it away so carelessly.
In the end, he turned back.
When he returned to the Hog's Head, he immediately noticed something was wrong.
Tonks was gone.
And so was the goblin who had sat there day after day.
Elijah instantly understood.
The person the goblin had been waiting for had likely appeared, and Tonks had probably followed them on her own.
Aberforth's behavior confirmed it.
Seeing Elijah return, the barman tossed him a folded piece of paper with clear annoyance.
"That girl left this for you," he said. "If you ask me, she's probably already in trouble."
Elijah unfolded the note at once.
John, the person the goblin was waiting for has shown up. It's a wizard. I'm going to follow him. I've left you a trail. See you soon.
"When did this happen?" Elijah asked, his expression turning serious as he carefully folded the note away.
"After lunch. About five hours ago," Aberforth replied casually. "You'd better hurry. That girl's no match for them."
He didn't need the reminder.
Elijah would never allow Tonks to come to harm.
He rushed out of the tavern, nearly tearing the already fragile door from its hinges.
Raising his wand, he cast a spell.
"Homenum Revelio!"
A golden mist spread outward.
Within it, a trail of footprints shimmered into view, stretching into the distance.
...
A few hours earlier...
Tonks sat at a table in the Hog's Head Inn, eating Aberforth's supposedly "clean and hygienic" secret-recipe grilled ribs, all the while cursing Elijah in her heart.
"Damn John Dolores, making me sit here on stakeout again!"
She had never resented her Metamorphmagus ability as much as she did now.
"I want to go out and wander around too. I haven't been to Hogsmeade since graduating."
She angrily cut into the ribs with her knife and fork, then stuffed the pieces into her mouth, chewing with unnecessary force, as if she were carving up Elijah himself.
She had already decided that once she finished eating, she would sneak out for a walk in the afternoon. After all, that goblin sat in the tavern all day and never went anywhere, and Elijah rarely returned before nightfall.
But just as she was thinking this, the door creaked open and another wizard, wrapped tightly in robes, entered the tavern.
Such attire was nothing unusual in the Hog's Head. What drew Tonks's attention was the way the newcomer paused at the entrance, scanning the room before heading straight for the goblin.
Tonks immediately became alert.
The wizard was tall and thin. He sat opposite the goblin, casually ordered a Firewhisky, and said, "Been waiting long?"
"Been waiting long?" the goblin echoed, his voice full of suppressed fury.
"I've been waiting here for over a month! And you ask if I've been waiting long? If you're not planning to cooperate, then get out! But don't think you can toy with us without consequences!"
"Calm yourself," the wizard replied with a faint chuckle. Even with his voice lowered, there was unmistakable arrogance in his tone.
"Working with people of your… standing carries considerable risk. We need time to evaluate it."