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Chapter 257: Riddle's Diary
Chapter 257: Riddle's Diary
Upon returning to the Leaky Cauldron, Hagrid suggested they all have a drink before leaving, an idea that everyone agreed with... even Mrs. Weasley, who had been the angriest of them all.
She felt it necessary to explain what had just happened to the Grangers, lest they form a poor impression of the wizarding world.
While the adults chatted, Kyle approached Ginny.
The young girl was quietly sipping on a hot chocolate, the only non-alcoholic option available at the Leaky Cauldron.
Kyle's sudden appearance startled her.
"That was quite a throw you made back there," he commented.
"Y-You saw that?" Ginny asked, her eyes widening.
"I wasn't sure at first..." Kyle shrugged. "But the regular Ginny isn't this quiet. I knew something was up."
"I... I was just so angry," Ginny said, clutching her cup. "How dare he talk about my dad like that!"
But her expression soon changed, and she asked anxiously, "Kyle, do you think they'll dismiss Dad from his position?"
"Don't worry, they won't," Kyle reassured her. "The Ministry of Magic just passed the latest Muggle Protection Act, and Mr. Weasley was the initiator and key enforcer of that law. Dismissing him now would reflect poorly on the Ministry's credibility, and Fudge wouldn't allow that."
Ginny blinked, not quite understanding.
"Okay, let me put it this way," Kyle said with a smile. "Mr. Weasley has a lot of friends, including several heads of departments, deputy heads, and members of the Wizengamot. They'll all stand up for him."
This time, Ginny understood, and she breathed a visible sigh of relief. The tension drained from her body, and she looked much more cheerful.
"Thank you, Kyle!"
"You're welcome, but I'm just stating the facts," Kyle said, waving his hand dismissively. "However, you did aim that crucible pretty well. If it hadn't been filled with so many books, you might have hit Malfoy right on the head. You know, Ginny, you have a real talent for Quidditch."
"It's a shame first-years aren't allowed to join," Ginny said with a hint of disappointment.
"Well, Harry was an exception," Kyle pointed out.
"But I heard Gryffindor doesn't need any more Chasers at the moment," Ginny said.
"That's true," Kyle agreed. "I guess you'll have to wait until next year, then."
"Hey, you just told me to try out!" Ginny protested. "Can't I be an exception like Harry?"
"I was just being polite..." Kyle said calmly. "And honestly, you missed that throw. If it had been me, I wouldn't have missed."
Ginny gritted her teeth, looking like she wanted to throw the crucible at Kyle's face to prove her accuracy. But when she turned to grab it, she found that Kyle had already taken it from her.
"I was actually wondering what to get you as an enrollment gift..." Kyle said as he removed the old books from the crucible. "How about a set of brand-new textbooks?"
Ginny quickly shook her head. "No, no, that's too expensive. I can use second-hand books..."
"Consider it done," Kyle said, not giving her a chance to refuse. "But you'll have to wait a couple of days. I don't think Flourish and Blotts will welcome us with open arms right now."
Ginny couldn't hold back her laughter at the thought. Their little escapade had caused several bookshelves to topple over, spilling books everywhere. If it hadn't been for Hagrid, they might not have gotten off so easily.
...
After finishing their butterbeers, the group had calmed down considerably. The Grangers had also put the earlier incident behind them and were chatting amicably with Mrs. Weasley as they said their goodbyes.
He had plenty of these in his bag, prepared for a certain professor, so giving one away was no issue.
After bidding farewell at the pub, Kyle and the Weasleys made their way to the fireplace, using Floo powder to return to the Burrow.
"At least you didn't mess up the name this time, dear."
Mrs. Weasley stood at the kitchen entrance with a large coat brush, dusting off the soot from their clothes. "Good, everyone's here... Wait, why are there only eight people? Where's Percy!"
Only then did they realize that Percy hadn't returned.
"I remember him reading a book in a second-hand shop," Ron said.
Harry nodded. "It was something like 'How to Achieve Power: A Captain's Guide.'"
Everything in the shop was old and worn, except for that book, which looked brand new.
"Ha, that's so Percy," Fred laughed.
"He wants to be Head Boy..."
"...Or maybe even Minister of Magic!"
Mrs. Weasley ignored Fred and George, setting down the coat brush in her hand.
"Oh dear, Percy must have lost track of time... Didn't you call for him when you left?"
"Who cares about Percy?" Ron muttered. "We thought you called for him..."
Mrs. Weasley remained silent, quietly grabbing a handful of Floo powder and tossing it into the fireplace.
In truth, she had forgotten as well.
...
Mrs. Weasley went back to get Percy.
Kyle declined Fred's invitation to play Quidditch in the woods, quickly making his way home after leaving the Burrow.
He returned to his room, locked the door, and took out Ginny's stack of old textbooks.
Inside the 'Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration', there was a tattered black notebook.
The faded date on the cover indicated it was fifty years old, and it blended right in with the used books.
Even if someone saw it, they would likely assume it was accidentally left there by the second-hand shop owner while sorting through their stock.
Kyle took a deep breath and carefully opened the notebook... On the first page was only a blurred name.
"T.M. Riddle."
Sure enough, Lucius Malfoy had sneaked the diary into Ginny's belongings.
He probably intended this as a form of revenge against the Weasleys.
Kyle tapped the table... Lucius Malfoy likely didn't know the true purpose of the diary, but he surely understood how dangerous Voldemort's possessions could be.
In other words, he simply didn't care about Ginny's life.
Hagrid was right, Lucius Malfoy was truly despicable.
Although he did end up paying a price for it.
After Voldemort's resurrection, he immediately realized that something had happened to his Horcrux hidden at Malfoy Manor.
Lucius Malfoy barely managed to save his own family by offering all his possessions, but Draco was still forcibly assigned to assassinate Dumbledore.
Sending a student who hadn't even graduated yet to kill Dumbledore... It was obvious that Voldemort never intended for him to return alive.
But all that was for the future.
For now, the diary was in his hands, and Ginny should be able to have a normal school year.
Moreover, he had some questions that he wanted to ask young Riddle.
(End of Chapter)
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