Two and a half hours later…
The world blurred, the scenery twisting in a dizzying kaleidoscope.
The ancient castle dissolved into a vibrant, green forest. Above, the familiar candlelight and vaulted ceilings surrendered to verdant canopies interwoven with the azure sky.
The gentle splash of a stream against pebbles mingled with the rustling of wind-swept pines, the scurrying of squirrels through the treetops, and the melodious chirping of birds—a symphony unique to the forest.
He inhaled deeply, savoring the sweet scent of grass and wildflowers, the moist aroma of earth and humus.
So much wonder unfolded before Harry's eyes.
Only that morning, he'd been anticipating a glorious day, eager to try out the Nimbus 2000 his godfather had gifted him.
A Nimbus 2000! The fastest, most powerful broomstick on the market!
He could afford it, but a large portion of his parents' legacy was earmarked for developing the Death Eaters. So, even though the Nimbus 2000 had been available for some time, he'd resisted the urge to buy it.
He'd been utterly astonished when the owl delivered the package, and upon opening it, he could only marvel at Sirius's staggering generosity.
It's worth noting that Malfoy had been right beside him. They had been engaged in a vital discussion in the Great Hall: "What to do during the holidays after the term is over."
But with the Nimbus 2000's arrival, what was there to discuss? Showing off to Malfoy was now of paramount importance!
Malfoy's face, upon witnessing Harry's smug expression, had darkened like that of a Quidditch commentator after a bad foul.
How long that dark expression lingered was unclear, but when Nagini found them, his face remained thunderous.
Nagini, however, was unconcerned and simply stated that Tom Riddle required their presence immediately.
Faced with Tom Riddle's "need," Harry unhesitatingly abandoned his beloved Nimbus 2000.
Sirius the Younger must be weeping in the lavatory right now.
When Harry and Nagini arrived at Tom Riddle's office, they discovered that Cassandra and Hermione were already there.
Clearly, they too had been summoned by Tom Riddle.
However, this was irrelevant. What truly mattered was that they had arrived before them!
Damn it! For the Dark Lord's right-hand men, this is utterly negligent! A disgrace!
Seeing everyone assembled, Tom Riddle nodded in satisfaction.
Truthfully, he had initially considered inviting Luna Lovegood, but the "Curved-Horned Snorkack" had already been bred and returned to the Lovegood family in Ottery St. Catchpole, and with the term just ended, Luna had vanished without a trace.
Let the child spend time with her beloved pet, cherished for so many years.
Then came the scene from the beginning: Tom Riddle initiated a mission through the System, transporting everyone to the "world of dark fairy tales."
...
Gentle sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating a stunning Tyndall effect in the forest.
Footsteps crunched on fallen leaves as the group traversed the shady woods.
"Fairy tales? I know those like the back of my hand!"
Harry perked up immediately at Tom Riddle's rough explanation.
Who among them knew Muggle fairy tales better than he, a Muggle until eleven?
Well, except for Hermione Granger.
But when it came to fairy tales alone, even the brilliant Hermione couldn't compete with Harry. This wasn't some strange, esoteric knowledge.
Tom Riddle, significantly, chose not to conceal anything about this so-called "fairy tale world." Why else bring Harry and the others here?
And how could Harry possibly believe that these fairy tales were real? That such people truly existed in this world? That such things truly happened? Absolutely ridiculous!
The only explanation was that the great Tom Riddle had used unimaginable, extraordinary magic to replicate this miraculous scene somewhere in the world!
Harry still believed that the dizzying sensation they experienced was from Tom Riddle using a Portkey or something similar to transport them.
And why had Tom Riddle brought them here? Why go to the trouble of creating this so-called "fairytale world?"
There was only one possibility: To train these budding Death Eaters!
There was no other explanation!
Harry would entertain no alternative!
"Sir, you are truly amazing! I certainly will not let you down!"
Harry, having mentally manipulated himself, was consumed by emotion, excitement, and boundless admiration for Tom Riddle. Unfortunately, Harry lacked refinement and could only express his feelings through shouting.
"That's right! Me too! I, Draco Malfoy, will absolutely not allow all of the miracles performed by the Master to go to waste!"
It seems the pony's knowledge base isn't that extensive.
However, Cassandra and Hermione, being academic geniuses, were different. Their words and expressions exuded a refined elegance utterly unlike Harry's—a level of sophistication that even a being from beyond the world would struggle to perfectly replicate.
After flattering Tom Riddle for about half an hour…
"So, the task you have set for us is to find five items of special significance from the stories, is that correct?"
Cassandra's eyes flashed with thought. She wasn't particularly familiar with Muggle fairy tales, but she had read The Tales of Beedle the Bard quite a few times.
Therefore, to avoid disappointing Tom Riddle and to acquire more special items, Cassandra decided to cooperate with Hermione.
It's worth noting that Harry and his friends had secretly begun competing after learning that Tom Riddle wanted them to find five quest items.
Though they were traveling together, these items would be individual, and one of them would inevitably be the first to obtain them.
Nagini remained indifferent to the undercurrent of competition among the four; her mind was solely on Tom Riddle.
Tom Riddle, on the other hand, was delighted. This was precisely why he had summoned Harry and the others.
As expected of the host of this System, sending Harry and the others to find quest items while he does nothing to complete the mission—how despicable!
"..."
Tom Riddle could sense that the System approved of his approach, though the way it expressed itself was… unconventional.
But it made sense. After all, a System capable of stealing things from its juniors would likely be the type to skip classes if it had a "System school."
This realization left Tom Riddle, a top student, feeling somewhat frustrated. In less than a day, he had discovered three illiterate people around him, and another residing inside his own body.
---
Don't be a silent reader; I read every comment you post and they truly mean the world to me.
Take a few minutes to Review the story and smash that Powerstone button now.
Your support is the only way we hit the Top 10
let's get it done!