Harry knelt by Ron's side, calling his name over and over. But Ron's body was convulsing violently, foam frothing from his mouth.
This couldn't go on, he'd bite his own tongue if this continued. Harry remembered enough first aid to know that he needed to place something in Ron's mouth to stop that.
Instinctively, Harry reached out his hand, thinking to use his fingers. But as he considered the strength of Ron's jaw, he wisely grabbed his wand instead.
Then he hesitated...
This is my wand... it's a good one, with a phoenix feather core... I can't risk it!
So Harry grabbed Ron's wand instead and stuck it in his mouth.
Twelve and a quarter inches... made of ashwood... flexibility, average.
Well, in Ron's mouth, the wand's durability was definitely "average." A loud crack echoed as Cedric's workshop-crafted wand splintered, leaving behind a terrifying set of cracks.
The slender serpent that had emerged from Ron's chest slithered completely free.
It was no more than a meter long, its body glistening green. On its head was a bright red feather, resembling the comb of a rooster.
Anyone unfamiliar with magical creatures might think it was some strange hybrid of chicken and snake.
Seizing the moment while Harry's attention was focused on Ron, the serpent quietly slithered over and picked up Harry's wand in its mouth. Then, with a sudden burst of speed, it darted across the floor.
The snake climbed up Riddle's leg, coiled around his shoulder, and raised its tiny head proudly, wagging its tail as though seeking praise.
Riddle plucked the wand from the snake's mouth, twirling it playfully in his fingers as he grinned.
"See that, Potter? This is how I controlled Ron.
"It's a very useful magic. By placing a snake inside a wizard's body, I can control them from afar using Parseltongue."
"That's also why all the victims pointed to you."
Harry lifted his head and stared at Riddle with a deadly intensity.
"Don't look at me like that," Riddle said with a mocking smile. "Do you really think I attacked all those wizards just to frame you?
"Besides Ron, I placed five juvenile basilisks into the other victims."
"Harry..." Riddle whispered, savoring every second of Harry's terror.
"Believe me, it's not just Ron's life you need to worry about, your classmates' lives are also at stake... five of them.
"And with a single thought, I can end them all... unless you help me."
Harry's face twisted with panic, his composure unraveling.
"I'm begging you," he murmured, his voice trembling as he looked up, "I'll do whatever you ask..."
"Excellent." Riddle's face lit up with joy.
He placed the diary on the stone table and gently opened it. Each page was covered with intricate ancient magical runes and spell diagrams.
Riddle picked up the juvenile basilisk and calmly placed it on the diary, beginning the resurrection ritual.
On the path to immortality, Voldemort had traveled further than anyone.
When he created his first Horcrux, he had only been sixteen years old, and he already knew several resurrection spells.
But unlike the original Voldemort, Riddle, who was tethered to the diary, was only a fragment of a soul.
Though this fragment was large, being the first division of his soul, it was still a shadow compared to the original.
To manifest a physical form from the diary, he had to absorb life force from others. By luring Ron into sharing his soul, he had gathered enough energy to project himself.
But that was only the first step!
To transform from a spectral soul into an independent physical body, Riddle needed the souls and life force of six people.
The six attacked victims were all part of his grand design, nurtured like seeds to grow his strength.
This was why Dumbledore had refrained from acting recklessly, he knew Riddle would kill them all unless he chose to release the snakes himself.
Now was the moment to reclaim that power.
Riddle raised Harry's wand and pointed it at the basilisk, chanting an incantation.
Almost instantly, the basilisk withered, its body shriveling as its life force flowed invisibly into the diary.
At the same time, the five basilisks inhabiting the bodies of the other victims withered away.
The life force they had absorbed flowed into the diary.
A brilliant green light radiated from Riddle's body. His shoulders, neck, face, and head were covered with the same intricate magical runes and ancient script as the ones in the diary.
On top of Riddle's head was the symbol of six ouroboros, serpents swallowing their own tails.
"The fragments of innocent souls... will make me whole!" Riddle whispered to himself.
His form had shifted from a mere soul projection to a physical body.
"Come, Harry, form the bond with me. You said it yourself, it's entirely voluntary," Riddle said softly.
Harry stood up, dazed, letting Riddle manipulate the situation.
Riddle paced around the room, waving the wand as he softly chanted ancient incantations.
Thick white smoke began to rise, swirling and encircling the room.
The life force of the basilisks wasn't enough to fully resurrect sixteen-year-old Riddle.
To truly return to life,
He needed a powerful sacrifice!
The stronger the hatred, the deeper the connection, and the more potent the sacrifice.
That was why Harry was important, Riddle had chosen him for the final offering.
After completing the preparations for the ritual, Riddle raised his voice and asked:
"Harry Potter, is Tom Riddle your enemy?"
"Yes!"
The white smoke coiled around Harry and Riddle, binding them together before merging into their bodies.
"You promised me," Harry shouted, "let Ron go, let those innocent people go!"
Riddle opened his eyes and smiled.
"Our business isn't finished yet, Potter. There's still one final step."
"You may have noticed, my form is not like that of an ordinary person.
"I'm tethered to this diary. To completely resurrect myself, I need to sacrifice a vessel to release my soul from the diary."
"You brought me here to be the sacrifice?" Harry's voice trembled, "That's the 'mission' you spoke of?"
Riddle chuckled. "Oh, Potter, you really don't understand, do you?"
Just then, music drifted through the air from an unknown source.
Riddle spun around abruptly as the sound grew louder. The melody was ethereal and mysterious, filling the chamber with a strange, exhilarating energy.
A second later, a large bird swooped toward Harry. It dropped a tattered object at Harry's feet before perching heavily on his shoulder.
As the bird folded its massive wings, Harry looked up and saw its long, sharp golden beak and glittering black eyes.
The bird stopped singing. It sat quietly on Harry's shoulder, its warm feathers pressing reassuringly against his cheek, its gaze unwavering as it stared at Riddle.
"A phoenix," Riddle said with a smile, "I had only just drained the power of the basilisks, and already Dumbledore sends his pet to interrupt our ritual... How unfortunate for him, he's too late."
"And that thing—" Riddle's gaze shifted to the ragged object the phoenix had dropped, "Is that... the Sorting Hat from the school?"
Harry grabbed the hat and clumsily shoved it onto his head.
Help me—help me— Harry thought desperately, his eyes squeezed shut beneath the hat. Please... help me.
But the Sorting Hat did not respond.
Instead, the hat tightened around his head, as if an invisible hand was gripping it fiercely.
Clang!
A heavy, solid object fell onto Harry's head, nearly knocking him out.
Harry reached up to pull the hat off but felt something long and hard beneath it.
A gleaming silver sword appeared from inside the hat, its hilt adorned with a massive, dazzling ruby the size of an egg.
"Ah... the Sword of Gryffindor," Riddle murmured, narrowing his eyes.
"I wondered why I couldn't find it, it was hidden by Dumbledore all along."
Fawkes suddenly spread its wings and took flight, flapping powerfully as it circled above Harry and Riddle. Then, something else dropped onto Harry's lap, the diary.
Harry didn't think, he didn't hesitate for even a second. He grabbed the Sword of Gryffindor, raised it high, and prepared to drive it into the diary!
Riddle stood silently, watching with a calm smile on his face.
He had waited so long for this moment.
At last, his grand rebirth was about to unfold.