Chapter 639: Overconfidence
Chapter 639: Overconfidence
Ever since she had eavesdropped on Albert and Harry's conversation outside the boys' dormitory, Ginny had been living in fear and anxiety.
From their exchange, Ginny could tell that Albert had been secretly investigating the attacks and had figured out what the monster in the Chamber of Secrets was.
A basilisk?
Although Ginny didn't know what a basilisk was, she could deduce from Albert's description that it was some sort of terrifying dark creature.
Anyone who made eye contact with it would likely be petrified, and the students who had been petrified at school were probably attacked by the basilisk.
As for who the culprit was behind the opening of the Chamber and the attacks, Albert didn't say.
But Ginny knew that he suspected her.
However, was she really the one who opened the Chamber?
Ginny wasn't sure herself.
Nevertheless, she too was suspicious, especially since she seemed to have lost a part of her memory. During the time Hermione was attacked, Ginny couldn't even remember where she had been.
What if she really was the one who opened the Chamber? Ginny constantly worried that Albert would go to a professor and report her.
Would Professor McGonagall believe Albert's words? Ginny didn't know, and she didn't want to know.
Albert was too famous at school, and he had most likely already found the entrance to the Chamber, using facts to prove his claims, which would be more convincing than just empty words.
Why had things turned out this way? All she wanted to do was attend Hogwarts.
Why had it come to this? How would Harry see her if he found out she was the culprit? What would her parents say? Would Headmaster Dumbledore expel her from school?
In the end, would she have to watch helplessly as everyone else graduated as witches and wizards while she remained a Muggle?
Worst of all, she might even be arrested by the Ministry of Magic and thrown into the dreadful Azkaban prison, just like Hagrid.
Ginny still remembered the change in her father's expression when he had mentioned Azkaban.
All of this was driving the poor girl crazy, and her fear was slowly eating away at her.
Driven by loneliness, anxiety, and fear, Ginny once again took out Tom Riddle's diary, which she had stolen back from Harry and hidden at the bottom of her bedside table. She couldn't wait to confide in Tom about her inner turmoil and fears.
Unfortunately, Ginny Weasley's actions played right into Tom Riddle's hands.
As Ginny poured her heart out to the diary, Tom Riddle, hidden within its pages, was slowly feeding on her deepest, darkest fears and secrets, growing stronger by the minute.
Tom Riddle was gaining power, and Ginny Weasley, the diary's owner, was completely oblivious to this.
Through his conversations with Ginny, Tom also gained valuable information, and a particular magically-gifted Muggle-born wizard caught his interest.
Albert Anderson.
The smartest student Hogwarts had ever seen? Tom scoffed at the idea, remembering how he himself had once been hailed as the brightest student Hogwarts had ever seen.
Albert Anderson.
Just a Muggle-born wizard.
While Tom may have looked down on Albert in his heart, he had to admit that this Muggle-born wizard had some tricks up his sleeve.
He had figured out that the monster in the Chamber was a basilisk and had even directly accused Ginny Weasley of being the one who opened the Chamber.
It wasn't a suspicion, but a certainty.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have used magic to block Ginny and the others from hearing when he and Harry were discussing crucial matters.
This alone was proof! Tom Riddle had seen right through him.
Was it because Ginny Weasley had revealed too much, or was there another reason why this Muggle-born wizard had figured it out?
"I see, how foolish!" Tom Riddle thought for a moment and soon realized the Muggle-born wizard's motive.
Was that Muggle-born wizard intending to use himself as bait to lure him out? That must have been why he had made it so obvious.
Otherwise, knowing that someone was eavesdropping, he would have certainly used magic to block the conversation entirely, not giving anyone else a chance to overhear.
Hmph, another overconfident fool! Tom Riddle didn't deny that this Muggle-born wizard had some skills, but he had undoubtedly picked the wrong person to provoke.
If he knew that he was provoking the infamous Voldemort, would he still have the courage and confidence he was displaying now?
Tom Riddle didn't take Albert's provocation to heart, as he had already planned to find an opportunity to kill him and prevent him from revealing Ginny's secret, which could hinder his plans.
As for Gilderoy Lockhart, who had played him for a fool, Tom Riddle had no intention of letting him off the hook, especially now that he knew Harry Potter had gained quite a bit of information about the Chamber from that Muggle-born wizard.
Of course, Tom had no plans to let Lockhart die easily. He would inflict the cruelest punishment on him to teach him a lesson about messing with Voldemort.
As for the famous Harry Potter, with his meddlesome nature and the intelligence provided by the Muggle-born wizard, he would undoubtedly find the location of the Chamber. Then, Tom would have enough time to figure out how this 'savior' had managed to defeat Voldemort.
However, the 'brainless' Tom overlooked a few things.
Would a student hailed as the smartest in Hogwarts history be just a slightly clever Muggle-born wizard? Tom Riddle completely underestimated Albert and failed to realize one crucial point: Albert didn't need to defeat the basilisk; he only needed to avoid its attacks and stay alive, and that would be a significant victory.
With the knowledge that the Chamber's monster was a basilisk, evading its attacks wasn't as difficult as one might imagine, especially with ample preparation.
Moreover, Tom Riddle had no idea how long Albert had been preparing for this very moment.
Yes, this was a trap, one that Albert had carefully set for the heir of Slytherin, and anyone with half a brain could see that.
However, the real trap wasn't the trap itself but Tom Riddle's misjudgment of Albert... an opponent who had been severely underestimated.
Albert was ready and determined to put an end to the Chamber of Secrets incident during the Easter holidays.
For this, he had even chosen a specific corridor and planned his escape route.
After all, he didn't have to face the basilisk himself; he only needed to expose the truth, and his mission would be largely accomplished.
As for Tom Riddle's ultimate opponent, whether it turned out to be his arch-nemesis Harry Potter or Professor Dumbledore, it was none of Albert's concern.
All he cared about was that he wouldn't be the one facing the basilisk.
(End of Chapter)
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