https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-216-A-Troublesome-Young-Wizard-Like-You-I-ve-Never-Seen-Before/13441194/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-218-The-Strong-Can-Make-the-Weak-Submit-/13441196/
Chapter 217: Don't Be Deceived by Appearances, Hals!
Chapter 217: Don't Be Deceived by Appearances, Hals!
"Look? How do I look?" Ivan was taken aback for a moment, then he recalled the scene from the original timeline where the Horcrux had sucked Harry into its memories.
Sure enough, the next moment, the diary pages flipped as if blown by a strong wind, automatically turning to the first page, with black ink forming into messy words.
Ivan glanced at it, and it was the beginning of a story. Then a burst of white light appeared, and a force pulled at his body. Ivan instinctively activated Occlumency, and the sensation vanished.
Perhaps sensing the resistance, an endless black fog surged from the diary. Ivan became alert, but the black fog did not approach him; instead, it spread out in all directions.
When everything stabilized, Ivan found himself in a pitch-black space, entirely composed of black fog. The furniture and beds in the dormitory had all disappeared.
Ivan was somewhat flustered. Seeing the black fog, he vaguely remembered the black mist from the previous year when he had faced Voldemort, which could devour life essence and corrode the shadow of a unicorn.
Fortunately, Tom's black fog, as perceived by Ivan, was not as powerful. Breaking through this space of black fog wouldn't be too difficult.
With this thought, Ivan felt much more at ease and waited quietly for Tom Riddle's next move.
He didn't have to wait long. In the pitch-black space, a figure suddenly appeared beside him and spoke.
"Hello, Hals, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Tom Riddle!"
Ivan turned his head and saw a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years old, with handsome features and black hair, wearing the robes of Slytherin House and a shiny Prefect Badge on his chest.
Ivan's pupils constricted, and he was quite surprised. He hadn't expected Tom Riddle, as a Horcrux, to still have the ability to materialize a physical form.
"Hello, Tom. I must say, you're much more handsome than I imagined", Ivan quickly composed himself and said with a teasing tone.
He wondered how Tom would later disfigure himself—was this the price of power?
Ivan kept muttering to himself, while also extending his hand to shake Tom's, to confirm his state.
Tom extended his hand, and they clasped. Ivan felt that he wasn't holding a solid object; it seemed as if he could crush Tom's hand with a little force.
This made Ivan feel a bit more at ease. Based on Tom's performance in the Chamber of Secrets in the original timeline, he should not have the ability to directly harm anyone.
"Tom, where are we, and why did you bring me here?" Ivan asked.
"The person who created me cast a spell on the diary, allowing me to meet you here. This is my world of memories!"
Tom explained, then waved his hand, and the pitch-black space began to change.
The swirling black fog combined black and white to form scenes and figures, and this monochrome world suddenly came to life as if splashed with colorful paint.
Ivan gazed around and found himself in an Orphanage, with a small, black-haired child standing in the center.
Tom Riddle, with a hint of nostalgia, began his story.
"It's a long story. I grew up in a Muggle Orphanage and never met my parents.
In fact, most of the other children there were in similar situations. Once, I got along well with them and was friends. My intelligence even earned the respect of the headmaster."
I had thought that I would continue to live like this, waiting for a family willing to adopt me and start a new life."
As Tom Riddle spoke, the surroundings began to change, visualizing everything he was describing. Ivan silently watched the scenes unfold without a word.
Suddenly, Tom’s tone became more intense.
"You might find it hard to imagine, but even in that small orphanage, there were disputes. There were only so many delicious snacks and toys, and some children would band together to bully others for fun.
And I quickly became the outcast in their eyes! It all started on that day!"
The black mist reformed, transforming into an outdoor scene.
Ivan looked around; this was the yard beside the orphanage.
In the distance, a black-haired boy was having an argument with a few other children his age.
As they pushed and shoved, a long black snake suddenly darted out from the grass, startling all the children, who screamed and ran away. A chubby boy in the crowd tripped and fell to the ground.
The black snake, also startled, became aggressive and pounced on the chubby boy.
At the critical moment, the black-haired boy made a hissing sound, and the snake immediately went limp, but the chubby boy was so scared that he wet his pants.
The scene continued, and because of his ability to communicate with the snake, the black-haired boy felt the other children becoming even more hostile towards him.
But that wasn’t the worst of it!
The black-haired boy soon displayed even more extraordinary abilities, such as shattering cups and teapots when his emotions fluctuated, or moving objects with his mind.
These abilities sometimes inadvertently hurt others.
This led to the black-haired boy being almost completely isolated. However, he wasn’t sad because he had a new playmate—the black snake.
Time passed, and in Tom’s narration, it quickly reached another turning point: a couple came to the orphanage to adopt a child!
Most of the children hoped to be chosen by this couple, as they knew from the orphanage director that being adopted would mean a better life for them!
So when the well-dressed man and his wife arrived at the orphanage, all the children tried their best to please them. Tom was no exception.
Moreover, he was handsome and intelligent, and his speech was very articulate, quickly standing out among the ordinary children. The couple was extremely satisfied with him.
The orphanage director and all the staff also spoke highly of him.
It seemed that everything was about to be finalized when the chubby boy, during a meal, casually mentioned that Tom liked to keep a snake as a companion and often talked to it!
In the scene, the couple’s faces immediately changed, and the director’s expression also turned sour as he scolded the chubby boy for lying.
"See? I saved him, and this is how he repays me", Tom sneered, standing beside Ivan, watching the scene.
"That Fat Boy is really bad", Ivan said, trying to sound like a child. "But your director seems like a good person."
"Good? Kind to me? Are you sure?" Tom Riddle laughed even harder, then his face suddenly turned dark as he muttered, "Don’t be fooled by appearances, Hals!"
(End of Chapter)
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