HP Bella's Lie

28 - Up-and-coming Riddle

Riddle's words made Abrak very preoccupied, and he played back Riddle's tone, demeanor, and eyes when he spoke over and over again in his mind, trying to deduce his true intentions from them.However, the more he speculated, the more he felt that there was something in his words, and that seemingly persuasive words were more like a secret warning.Warn him not to act rashly with Pierce.

However, the boy's rebellious nature made Abrak hate Pierce even more.

Every time they met, he couldn't help but sarcasm him. Pierce angrily retorted that Abrak didn't pay attention at all, and he cared more about Riddle who always seemed to have nothing to do with him.

Most of the time, Riddle turned a blind eye to Abrak's provocations, allowing him and Pierce to fight each other.But Abrak noticed that as soon as they got a little out of the bickering category, Riddle would interrupt them, give him a meaningful look, and call Pierce back.

After coming down a few times, Abrak became a little annoyed and wanted to show them some color.

During a provocation, he secretly placed two stinky frogs under their seats and waited for them to make a fart-like sound and smell, making Riddle and Pierce embarrassing in public.However, when he heard the cry of the stinky frog as he wished, he found that the sound came from his desk...

The whole class laughed loudly—the sound was so loud that it seemed to have been used loudly.

Abrak glared flushed at Riddle -- he knew he must have done it -- and Riddle only gave him the back of his head indifferently.On the other hand, Pierce's gloating expression was beyond words.

"Damn...what the hell is that Riddle coming from!" Abrak said to himself angrily.

"That's right, Tom Riddle is too hateful!" Crabbe accidentally heard it, and quickly agreed, not forgetting to tug at Goyle, who echoed without thinking: "Hmm! It's too hateful!"

Abrak: "..."

He felt that he was simply unlucky!It's also a friend, why did Pierce, that crybaby, be lucky enough to be handed over to Riddle, but he can only talk to himself here with two mentally retarded?

Abrak felt his future was bleak!

He also resolutely played a few pranks on Riddle and Pierce, but the results were either stillborn or self-defeating.Abrak had no idea how Riddle was aware of it, let alone his ability to reverse the prank on him, he had no idea how he did it.

Before long, it seemed that Riddle's patience had finally run out.Abrak was trapped in a classroom, and Riddle appeared in front of him and said, "You seem to have forgotten what I said at the beginning of school."

As soon as he opened his mouth, Abrak was alerted and looked at him warily.

Riddle said: "You must be very clear about your father. If I am in a bad mood and say something, it will not be good for you or your father. Have I made it clear this time?"

——He, he really knows!

Abrak could no longer escape the most terrifying possibility, and at that moment he was a little overwhelmed.However, his family education since he was a child made him unwilling to show weakness easily. Abrak put on his most threatening expression and stared at Riddle: "How do you know?"

Riddle stared at him silently for a while, then slowly leaned over to his ear: "Give up. Those little tricks of yours are all left over from my play."

After leaving these words, Riddle turned and left.

He believed that Abrak would not act rashly again until he figured out what was going on with him.

To be honest, he was a little annoyed by their pranks.Although the specific methods of wizards and Muggles are different, most of the pranks of children are interlinked. Riddle has experienced many battles in the orphanage, and he is invincible in both pranks and anti-pranks. Malfoy's little He doesn't care about making trouble at all, and it only makes him feel like a waste of time if it happens too often.

Abrak was indeed honest.But he turned to investigate Riddle's origins.

He thought for a long time and couldn't remember which wizard family was named Riddle, and then mobilized Crabbe and Goyle to ask their parents and look up the family tree, but found nothing.Reluctantly, he went to search the wizard genealogy, but also did not find any clues.This seems to indicate that Riddle is a bitch or half-breed.However, before he felt much sense of victory because of this conclusion, Riddle became more and more attractive.

Excellent classroom performance, handsome appearance, advanced knowledge of magic, elegant behavior, charming self-confidence... As his circle of friends expanded step by step, Slytherin students gradually discovered that he was a near-perfect genius.A group of outstanding friends gathered around him. They did not deliberately draw a clear line, but they gradually formed their own group. Many people who aspire to become stronger hope to join this group.And Tom Riddle is the center of this circle.

Whenever he appeared in the common room, although everyone didn't show it, they would secretly pay attention to him.Whether it's out of admiration, jealousy, dissatisfaction...a combination of various complex mentalities and motives, Tom Riddle will always become the focus of everyone's attention.

This made Abrak begin to doubt the results of his investigation - after all, he has no conclusive evidence to prove his life experience, doesn't he?Perhaps he is the descendant of some hidden and mysterious family?

The findings that really made Abrac throw himself away came in third grade.

At that time, Riddle's talent had already been appreciated by all the teachers. His circle of friends almost included the best wizards in the first, second and third grades, and even many powerful wizards in the senior grades were also drawn in by him.Abrak, who has realized Riddle's strength, has completely given up fighting against him.His father taught him that a man who knows current affairs is a good man, but his self-esteem as a young man made him too embarrassed to make friends, so they gradually became strangers.

However, it was good enough to reach his level. More students couldn't suppress their unwillingness and jealousy. They hoped for Riddle's bad luck every day, and finally used the worst means.

They stopped Riddle, who was alone—in fact, although Riddle had a lot of friends, he seemed to enjoy the feeling of being alone more—and cast a curse on him.

A venomous snake spit out a letter descended from the sky and crawled towards Riddle.Immediately afterwards came the second one, and the third one... A total of eight snakes approached eagerly.

"Riddle, I heard that you have a pet snake that is banned in the school. Since the professors don't care about it, we think it would be good for you to keep a few more." The fat man in the lead said in a strange way, "Are you right? Haha..." He A few attendants behind him gloated and laughed, and many passing students were attracted by their laughter and stopped to watch.

Riddle swept over their faces watching the show, and finally his eyes fell on the Eight Snakes.The funny thing is that these summoned snakes are of different sizes. Some of them are too small because the summoner's spell is not good enough, and some of them are crawling and deviated from the target due to insufficient magic power...

Riddle, who had been thinking about seventeen kinds of magic to repel snakes, suddenly felt that he was too serious.

He spoke slowly, thinking it was about time.

[All go back. 】

A cold, hissing language came out of his mouth.

It was brief, but the group of snakes stopped immediately after hearing it.

— Parseltongue.

At this time, not all wizards who witnessed this scene understood the meaning of this language.But they deeply remembered the chilling voice, the group of snakes that stopped together, and Tom Riddle's contemptuous and arrogant eyes in the center of the encirclement.

That was probably the first time he showed his true colors in front of everyone.

Rumors are spreading like a virus through Hogwarts.The students of Slytherin gradually understood what that language represented, and the statement of the descendants of Slytherin was recognized by most people, and another unparalleled glory was added to the dazzling halo on Riddle's head. He had become without a doubt the pride of Slytherin House, and was known throughout Hogwarts.

Although he didn't want to admit it, Abrak was a little excited when he heard the news about the descendants of Slytherin. The talent of Slytherin, which had disappeared for so long, reappeared in the wizarding world, and its holder is still so perfect A genius, almost in line with all people's fantasies about a legend.Even Abrak had to admit that he was attracted to him.

After a fierce battle between humans and gods, Abrak decided not to worry about those boring festivals anymore, and took the initiative to find Riddle to reconcile—

With his father's guidance, he believes that their holidays will not become an obstacle, but will quickly deepen their friendship.

He felt it was time for him to learn how to be a mature Malfoy.

The reconciliation with Abrak was expected by Riddle. Bella's own sister was Abrak's daughter-in-law, and Riddle never intended to have an actual quarrel with him.

So far, his plans have been going smoothly, and his relatively low-key behavior and euphemistic and thoughtful strategies have kept his ambitions little known.Most of his circle of friends are attracted by his own talent and personality, which is the first step in selecting elites; then subtly influence their reading content, gradually assimilate their value orientation, and eliminate diehards with different ideas , this step is still in progress and cannot be rushed.He has been discreet and concealed enough to hide from almost all the teachers and students—almost.

Only one person didn't seem to be fascinated by him.

Riddle stood in front of Dumbledore's office door and knocked.Soon, Dumbledore opened the door: "Come in, Tom." His tone was still gentle.

Not hypocritical mildness.

This made Riddle a little confused.He was sure that Dumbledore could see some of his hidden intentions.He thought he would hate him for being like this.

"Recently, I've heard about it." Dumbledore said straight to the point, "I don't understand, boy. Why did you reveal your Parseltongue? You have been hiding it until now, and I believe you not only had this way to solve the problem.”

Riddle looked into his blue eyes inquiringly: "You really don't know, Professor?"

Dumbledore and him looked at each other for a while, and smiled emotionally: "It really looks like it. It's so similar." He peeled off a honey candy and handed it to Riddle, "Try it? Oh...don't be such a pity, this It's my favorite flavor."

"Like who?" Riddle asked.

"Well... Before I say this, you don't mind listening to my advice to you? You have to understand the mood of a professor who is eagerly looking forward to your growth." Dumbledore said with a chuckle, "When we first met, I I know you will be an excellent student. Actually, I would have preferred you to come to Gryffindor when we were sorting, but who knew you had Slytherin blood? Although you went to Slytherin, my expectations for you have not diminished , you are the child I personally guided into the school, and I always have to pay an extra responsibility for your growth. I believe that you will eventually be able to maintain your true heart in the face of fame and honor, but people always get carried away by reputation Time. I went through this period when I was young and did things that I regret for the rest of my life. So, I hope that you who are in this stage can recognize what is the most important... I have to say, you and you My friends have been acting a little aggressive recently. Of course, there is only a small sign, but I always hope that you will avoid some detours."

Riddle smirked, "Thanks, Professor. I think I know what's most important—better than anyone."

"If that's the case..." Dumbledore looked deeply into his eyes, "...that would be great."

They fell silent.

After a while, Dumbledore broke the deadlock: "Recently, you are more and more like an old friend of mine. He is also talented and ambitious. We used to be congenial and fought for our ideals together, but...he is too obsessed with ideals Yes, I'm going down a dark road. Tom, I want you to know that career, ideal, reputation, these things are very important. But they are not the most important. There are things in a person's life that are more important than the sum of these things. do you know?"

Riddle faded his hypocritical smile: "I know, professor. Just because I know."

——For the most important person, for the most important things in his life, career, ideal, reputation, these things, he must get them one by one.

He said goodbye to Dumbledore and left the office.

Dumbledore watched him leave without trying to ask.

He has the most important things.Dumbledore was sure of that.

He hadn't spoken to Riddle since then.

Although Riddle gradually slid towards the direction Dumbledore least wanted to see, he didn't try to stop it.

Because he knows that once a person realizes what is really important to him, he will unswervingly walk in the direction of it, and no one can stop him.

Like him and... Grindelwald.