Tom Riddle climbed up from the ground.
If Sherlock bringing invisible Harry to the Chamber surprised him,
And bringing the tape recorder with rooster calls shocked him,
Then when he saw clearly who had struck him down, he finally felt fear.
Albus Dumbledore!
Riddle had remained completely composed when facing Sherlock, as if everything was under control.
The reason was simple. with the basilisk in hand, he owned the world!
How could a mere underage wizard be its match?
He hadn't expected Sherlock to pre-record rooster calls, causing the basilisk to die from the rooster's crow.
This was indeed beyond his expectations.
But he still wasn't very worried. Even without the basilisk, he remained invincible.
Because standing before him were just three people. Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger—merely three underage wizards.
Even if one was the wizarding world's savior and another was an exceptionally intelligent young lioness.
They simply didn't understand who was really controlling the situation!
But when Dumbledore appeared, everything changed.
Most people believed Dumbledore was the only person Voldemort feared, and one of the few who wouldn't be intimidated by Voldemort.
This view wasn't comprehensive.
Voldemort's feelings toward Dumbledore were never simply "fear."
His emotions toward Dumbledore were very complex.
Because his first major setback in life was caused by Dumbledore.
It was also Dumbledore who helped him recognize his abilities and learn about magic's existence.
But toward this guide, Riddle's attitude was both fearful and hateful.
This wasn't just because Dumbledore often opposed him, but also because of Dumbledore's belief in love.
What nonsense about love and affection—power was the way!
As long as one possessed great power and immortality, nothing could stop them!
Though he didn't know how powerful his fifty-years-later self had become, out of self-confidence, Riddle believed his peak self could definitely fight Dumbledore!
But not now.
His current self was merely a memory fragment from a diary—what could he use to fight him? He looked at Dumbledore with urgent anger.
This old man had already been driven from the school by his design—why had he returned?
Why!
"Children, you can open your eyes now."
Hearing Dumbledore's words, Harry and Hermione opened their eyes, while Sherlock raised his head to look toward the basilisk.
He saw the basilisk's enormous body lying on the ground, eyes closed forever.
Getting Dumbledore's confirmation, Sherlock pressed the stop button.
The rooster's piercing call also disappeared.
"Holmes!"
Riddle looked at Sherlock, his gaze full of viciousness and unwillingness.
"As a Gryffindor, I didn't expect you to be so underhanded!
You clearly said you'd come alone, but you not only brought Harry and a rooster, you even called a teacher for help..."
Harry, removing his Invisibility Cloak. "..."
Something felt off about this?
"Oh my—listen to who's talking about being underhanded?"
Sherlock slowly walked toward Riddle, looking at what had once been handsome face now twisted with malice, shaking his head while saying gleefully.
"A slug that's been moldering in a diary for fifty years dares lecture people living in sunlight?
Tom Riddle, you can't only invoke moral principles when facts don't favor you!
When you were parasitically sneaking around in the shell of Lockhart whom you consider a mudblood, why didn't you discuss moral principles then?
Look at your great pet, it couldn't even withstand fowl calls. Hermione, next time remember to bring a cat toy; His Dark Lordship loves playing with small animals—oh sorry, I forgot he won't have a next time.
So, save your moral performance, you patchwork memory doll!
When you practiced fake smiles in the mirror at the orphanage, did you ever imagine you'd one day be ganged up on by three children?
Speaking of which, the headmaster handled disarming, the savior handled blocking exits, and this one..."
Sherlock held up the tape recorder, "handled your reptile pet's funeral."
"You—!"
"Sherlock, that's enough."
Seeing Tom Riddle pointing at Sherlock, too angry to speak, even Dumbledore felt Sherlock had gone too far.
At this rate, in a few years, even Severus wouldn't be Sherlock's match.
"Alright~"
Sherlock shrugged. Since Dumbledore had entered the scene, he could leave the rest to him.
Dumbledore looked at young Voldemort, his thoughts drifting to that wind-blown summer.
Summer 1938.
Albus Dumbledore, then Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, came to Wool's Orphanage in London.
For children who knew nothing of magic but had been confirmed as Hogwarts students, Hogwarts staff would visit to explain the situation to them and their guardians.
Just as Professor McGonagall had for Sherlock, Dumbledore was the one sent to find Tom Riddle.
Originally this should have been an ordinary meeting, but Dumbledore learned much more from the matron, Mrs. Cole.
First was the new student's origins. on New Year's Eve 1926, during a snowy night, Tom Riddle's young mother came to the orphanage.
She was in very poor condition, dying in childbirth shortly after delivering the child.
Before her death, she named her son Tom after his father, gave him the middle name Marvolo after her own father, and told Mrs. Cole his surname was Riddle.
Her final hope was that the child would grow to look like his father.
As Tom Marvolo Riddle grew up, his mother's hope became reality.
He grew to be very handsome. However, beneath this excellent appearance was a record of misdeeds.
Hanging another child's rabbit, taking others' belongings as his own, luring two children into seaside caves...
More frustratingly, the orphanage couldn't find evidence.
To put it dramatically, this was a demon with an angel's face.
But for Dumbledore, this wasn't a problem. After meeting 11-year-old Tom Riddle in person, he easily confirmed these acts were indeed his doing.
At that time, Dumbledore harbored the greatest goodwill, hoping to lead Tom back to the right path.
He used a burning wardrobe to force Tom to confess and told him he could attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
After that, Riddle declined Dumbledore's accompaniment, choosing to go to Diagon Alley and Platform 9¾ alone.
Thus, Tom first entered the wizarding world.
The images from memory slowly merged with the Tom before his eyes. This boy was still as handsome, still as... evil.
"Tom," Dumbledore said softly, "don't you have anything to say to me?"
"Call me Voldemort!"
"Whatever others call you, in my eyes, you'll always be Tom—Tom Riddle."
Dumbledore's gaze grew complex. "Honestly, I didn't expect we'd meet under these circumstances."
"Neither did I," Riddle looked coldly at Dumbledore. "Why are you here? I already drove you from the school!"
Sherlock watched the confrontation between Dumbledore and Tom with great interest. With his observational skills, he naturally saw much more in both of them.
"Interesting."
"Because that was fake!"
Unable to restrain himself, Harry strode forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Sherlock.
"Sherlock and Dumbledore saw through you long ago. If not for completely catching you, they would have already..."
"So? How exactly did you escape death back then?"
Riddle looked at the agitated Harry, his voice carrying a hint of temptation. "Was it like just now, always hiding behind your friend?"
"No! No one knows why you suddenly lost your powers when you tried to kill me."
Looking at this young Voldemort who was completely different from last year, Harry said stiffly.
"I don't know either, but I know why you couldn't kill me, because..."
"Why should we tell you?"
Before Harry could finish, Sherlock interrupted, looking coldly at Riddle.
"Take this question with you and go back where you belong!"
Harry looked at Sherlock in surprise.
He had intended to tell about his mother dying to save him. But hearing Sherlock's words, he knew there must be a reason for the interruption.
So, he simply remained silent. This made Riddle frantic.
He wasn't last year's fool. Seeing Harry's silence, he knew he wouldn't get the truth from him, so he changed tactics.
Riddle suddenly turned to Harry, eyes glittering with vicious intent, not at all like a 16-year-old.
"Don't you want me dead, Harry?"
He walked toward Harry step by step, tempting as he went.
"Come on, kill me. I killed your parents. As long as you kill me, you can avenge them!
You're only 13 this year—three years earlier than my first kill. What promising material!"
Hearing this, Harry couldn't help but freeze.
Seeing Harry's reaction, Riddle grew more pleased.
"Come on, kill me!"
He spread his arms toward Harry, then turned to Dumbledore.
"And you, Dumbledore. You wouldn't want your most prized student doing such cruel things, would you?"
"We all know there are other ways to destroy a person, Tom," Dumbledore said calmly. "I admit, merely taking your life wouldn't satisfy me."
"Nothing is worse than death, Dumbledore!" Riddle said viciously.
"There are many things worse than death, Tom. Unfortunately, even years later, you still fail to recognize this."
"Really? But until now, I haven't completely died, have I?"
Riddle looked contemptuously at Dumbledore, then turned his gaze to the three.
"These are the successors you've trained? Nothing special!
Harry, what are you waiting for? Act! Face me directly!"
Think of your parents—how they begged before me, hoping I would..."
"Shut up!"
Sherlock interrupted Riddle's roar once again.
"Just a fragment of memory, yet you dare bark here?"
Without giving Riddle a chance to retort, he pointed his wand toward the Slytherin statue. "Accio diary!"
The long-ignored diary flew into Sherlock's hands.
You can read more than 40 chapters on:
patreon.com/MikeyMuse