war and peace

The days are slowly turning into winter.Harry and Tom's relationship is like the plummeting temperature, not much warmer.Harry was very anxious about this no-progress situation, but he couldn't find a way out.Probes, greetings, and concerns were all blocked by the smirk on his face, and the castle in his heart could be said to be impeccable.

Harry finally understood why Dumbledore said that Voldemort had no friends, because he didn't trust anyone from the bottom of his heart and never gave anyone a chance to prove it.The experience in the orphanage seems to have left a deep shadow on him. He is used to being guarded or hostile or ignored by others, and he has been able to get a kind of pleasure over all living beings from these things. He no longer cares about others. opinion.Harry didn't know if the people in the orphanage had been bullying Tom until he discovered his magic powers, but the results were there.

He had to deal with the childhood shadow that those silly Muggle self-righteousness had brought to Tom!Harry felt dizzy just thinking about it.He carefully recalled the process of his getting acquainted with Voldemort, and found sadly that it was basically Hermione's deliberate wooing at the beginning.He didn't know how Hermione did this, or if Voldemort deliberately approached with the intention of using Hermione at the beginning (although I'm sorry for Hermione, but Harry felt that there was basically no doubt about it), but At least she succeeded later.During the Triwizard Tournament, Voldemort was even willing to put a protective spell on her!

On Halloween, Harry receives an invitation to dinner from Professor Slughorn.After half a semester of classes, Professor Slughorn seems to have finally decided that he is a very gifted magical genius, and probably has an unspeakable background (because Harry changed at least ten different types in Potions class. The crucible, no matter which one is a very thoughtful boutique).After the first Slug Club meeting at the beginning of school, this meeting called him, of course.

At the same time, there were three other Slytherin students who received the invitation, Tom was naturally no problem, and the other two were Nott in the seventh grade and Rozier in the third grade.Malfoy wasn't on the list of invitations, so could it be that Professor Slughorn has seen his flirtatious physique by now?Harry guessed casually, not having the slightest idea that he was also one of the people being targeted.

"Boss, don't you really need our help?" Nott couldn't help asking Tom as they walked together on the way to the potions professor's office.

Even a blind man knew by now that Harry Potter revolved entirely around Tom Riddle.Some people sneered in private, even the stars have time to move away from the sun, but Potter will never forget to follow behind the boss.Of course, it could only be in private, Harry had successfully avoided their traps more than once; when Tom knew about it later, he immediately asked them to stop their provocative behavior.

Tom knew Harry was behind without turning his head.He looked at Nott, who was a little bit aggrieved, "Help? Don't think I don't know what you guys are doing, and don't bring me along if you want to embarrass yourself." They are all low-level things, not to mention that Potter easily avoided them. Now, those small actions let the professors know that it is another trouble, especially Dumbledore.Of course, Potter didn't seem interested in building a good relationship with the professors, and knew to follow him all day long.

"That..." Nott blushed.He just wanted to let the boss notice their existence. Who knew that Potter seemed simple-minded, but he was not easy to deal with.Rozier on Tom's other side didn't say anything, and cursed Harry Potter over and over again in his heart.Making trouble in private is his forte, who knew that Potter could dodge it again and again?Where does this make his proud IQ go...

Besides, Harry, it's not that he doesn't know that some people in Slytherin don't like him, but it's a pity that they respect their status, and they won't play too much, and they won't cause any real harm.It didn't matter to him who had already experienced brutal wars, and his magic skills far surpassed them, so it was also a good choice to use it as an after-school pastime. Harry didn't bother to tell Tom that his subordinates were disobedient.

Although there was a cold wind blowing on the grounds outside, it was as warm as spring in the cellar.The fire is raging in the carved fireplace, reflecting the sumptuous food on the round table next to it.There are very traditional, fried golden crispy cod and chips, sausage coriander mashed potatoes, fragrant Yorkshire pudding with barbecue sauce, a variety of desserts, and low-alcohol drinks.

You can still eat such exquisite food during the war, I have to say that Slughorn is a person who knows how to enjoy.He showed great enthusiasm for Harry and Tom's arrival and asked them many questions.Tom answered methodically, taking no time to make appropriate compliments, and made Professor Slughorn laugh.Only then did he look like he knew Harry well, because he wasn't stupid enough to give the professor a bad impression.

After dinner, some students from other colleges went back first, while the Slytherins were left behind by Professor Slughorn.He was sitting in a large, comfortable armchair with bulging embroidered pillows on the arms and back. "Harry, I don't think I've asked you," he asked, staring at a box of Candied pineapple, with stubby fingers picking and picking in it, shaking the glass with the other hand, the liquid foam inside almost overflowed, "How was your stay at Hogwarts? Are you still used to it?" He asked I finally picked one, and looked up at Tom: "Look at my memory! Tom must have considered all these, I guess I was asking for nothing." He showed a "everyone knows" smile.

The four students had their own thoughts and could only laugh along with him. "Yes, I am very grateful to Tom for helping me, and Nott, the head of the male student body, for taking care of me." Harry finally said these words with a stiff smile, and he learned to express after staying with Slytherin for so long Compared with Tom, his skill is really far behind.

But that was enough, Nott and Rozier stared at him like a ghost when they heard this.Only Tom took up the conversation calmly: "Harry learns everything very quickly, and there's nothing I can do to help!"

"The professors have told me that it is impossible not to give you extra points!" Professor Slughorn's eyes were narrowed with a smile, "It seems that this year's Academy Cup is not ours. No Slytherin!"

Although Harry's words were unpleasant to hear, there was nothing he could do about it.He was thinking about Voldemort and that weird ring, and it was impossible to hide it from Tom if he didn't try his best, so he didn't bother to hide his magical level.So he accompanied everyone and laughed a few more times.

Then Professor Slughorn took Harry and Tom to discuss under what circumstances the patron saints of the two would be the same.The most arcane conclusion is that Harry and Tom must have been related in their ancestry (well, Harry thought, it's true, and it's well known in the wizarding world, even though none of them knew that the Periver brothers were their respective ancestors), and the least convincing conclusion is that Harry and Tom are inseparable (Harry suspects that Professor Slughorn must know something).

"Well, it's getting late, you should go back. Be careful on the road and don't disturb other people." Professor Slughorn didn't let them leave until the clock pointed to eleven o'clock.

Tom sent Nott and Rozier away first as soon as they went out.There is no portrait of Slytherin. As long as you know the password, no one will find it no matter how late you go back.And this time is the best time, there is no one in the middle of the night, as long as he avoids the professor on duty, he can go to the girls' bathroom smoothly.He had searched all over Hogwarts, except for this kind of place.And for a dignified Slytherin prefect, doing such things during the day would be criticized.

But Tom certainly didn't want to check out the places where there was a good chance of finding the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, with a little tail at his heels.He glanced at Harry, should he deliberately ask him to go back to the dormitory together?Then he immediately dismissed this idea. They have been respecting each other for so long, and suddenly they are so abnormal, isn't it just to tell Potter that something is abnormal?Tom made up his mind that he would go back to the dormitory first, and then come out after Potter fell asleep.

Tom thought so, and he did so.But what he didn't know was that Harry had already guarded against his Stunning Charm, which made him feel that the foolproof plan had gone wrong.Harry sprang into action as he went out, casting the Invisibility Charm and following him.

Hogwarts at night was extraordinarily quiet, with darkness everywhere.Occasionally, there was a clattering sound of armor, so it was probably Peeves who was making trouble.Harry could see Tom was quite pleased with this, as it would successfully distract Filch and Professor Night Watch, making him less likely to be spotted.He started searching from the first floor, and apparently determined that the most likely place for the Chamber of Secrets was the underground of Hogwarts.

Of course, one layer gets nothing.Next is the girls' bathroom on the second floor.Harry watched as Tom scrutinized the row of doors and the scratches on them, but found nothing.Next came the mirror, the washbasin, and no sign of the existence of the Chamber of Secrets.Finally, he shifted his gaze to the faucets and touched them one by one.

"Here it is!" Tom murmured excitedly.His voice echoed in the space, appearing a bit eerie.Then Tom noticed right away that he was overjoyed and relaxed a lot.He started prodding the faucet with his wand, casting spells, banging, all to no avail.He was worried for a while, and finally realized suddenly.The sign is a snake, and the way to open it should be related to the snake—snake language!

"Open it," Tom hissed softly.

The sink, which seemed to be a solid piece of marble, was split from the middle and slid silently to the two sides, revealing a huge black hole in the middle. A cold and damp wind was blowing from it, and there was obviously an exit below.

"Close it." Those stones spontaneously synthesized into an eight-petal flower-shaped sink.

Harry had thought that Tom might jump in excitement, but this only proved that he was a real Gryffindor.And the young Voldemort, worthy of his title as the successor of Slytherin, carefully verified the opening and closing conditions of this mechanism.

Tom's face lit up when he found that he could completely control the entrance.He looked at the sky outside the window to make sure it was at least four hours before everyone woke up.Then he checked the tightly-covered door again, thinking that no one would notice that he had entered, so he opened the mechanism again, and did not forget to close it again after jumping in.

Harry didn't take shape until after he went down.It didn't occur to him that he had to close the door and the entrance at the beginning, which led Lockhart to discover the secret room.Tom was so careful that it was no wonder not even Dumbledore had noticed what he was doing.He stared at the faucet with the little snake carved on it for a while, and finally decided that this should be a good time.I don't know how long it will take Tom to summon the basilisk... Harry took out a bottle of Mandrake potion that he had brought in advance from his arms, and drank it all with a swish of his neck.This is the work of Voldemort, it can be given to basilisks or people to drink, and it has the effect of preventing death.Nowadays, only Voldemort can make this kind of thing. After all, he is the only wizard with high mana and a basilisk as a pet.

"Open," Harry hissed, and then jumped down, and quickly added: "Close." It's fine for him to follow in. If Dumbledore is also attracted, making peace with Tom is simply a matter of time. impossible!

The tunnel was as cold, dark and damp as ever.Harry said the Warming Charm and Lumos to himself, and walked along the route he remembered.It was very still all around, and there was no sound of any animal-there was a basilisk, and there might be other living things there!There is black stagnant water on the ground, from time to time some white vole skeletons can be seen, and the air is full of rotten smell.Suppressing the feeling of nausea, Harry walked to the gate at the end of the sewer.

The circular gate is ajar, and there are also two snakes carved on it.Harry took a deep breath, then reached out and pulled it away, slipping inside.I have to say that Salazar Slytherin's mechanism is well set up, and there has been no noise for almost 1000 years.

Tom Riddle was standing in the middle of the vast hall, wand in hand, obviously shocked by what he saw.Harry walked along the slippery ground, not hiding the sound of his footsteps.The voice brought Tom back to his senses, and he turned his face with surprise and understanding: "You really didn't fall asleep. You already knew about the Chamber of Secrets, didn't you?"