Severus Snape felt as though he were seeing Tom Riddle in an entirely new light.
In the past, he had thought Tom a little wild—fearless, in fact. Unlike other students who shrank before professors like mice before cats, Tom had always been far more casual, even bold.
But after today, Snape realized that his earlier assessment had been far too conservative.
This was no ordinary lack of respect. This was utter, unflinching fearlessness.
No, Snape thought grimly, if Riddle managed to get out of this unscathed, he would have to sit the boy down and carefully explain just what kind of man Albus Dumbledore truly was.
And Dumbledore, after being challenged so directly, had only bowed his head, no one knowing what thoughts ran behind his half-moon spectacles.
Tom, meanwhile, took a steadying breath and returned calmly to his seat.
Don't be fooled by his noble words from moments ago, standing tall on behalf of the entire student body to strike against Dumbledore. At the core of it all, he had only been acting for himself.
If Gilderoy Lockhart had merely continued strutting about the school, basking in his fraudulent glory, Tom would not have bothered interfering. After all, no matter who taught Defense Against the Dark Arts, Tom always had his learning space to rely on.
But Lockhart had been foolish enough to seek him out repeatedly, desperate for attention—and worse, he had dared to set his sights on Usagi.
And since Lockhart had already provoked him, Tom would make sure he was crushed, leaving no chance for recovery. Why allow an enemy to linger?
Of course, if judged solely by appearances, Tom's expulsion of Lockhart would indeed be a relief for every student. Even if forced into self-study, that was far better than enduring Lockhart's daily one-man theater in class.
Naturally, Tom himself would gain much more from it.
For in the very moment Lockhart had tried to strike a bargain over Usagi, Tom's system had triggered a task:
[Task detected: An ignorant fraud is attempting to disrupt the host's peaceful academic life. Mission issued.]
[Objective: Expel Gilderoy Lockhart from Hogwarts. Time limit: one month. Completion within one week will grant enhanced rewards. No penalty for failure.]
[Rewards: 500 credits (1000 for early completion), 50 achievement points (100 for early completion), one intermediate lottery draw (advanced for early completion).]
Though the mission carried no punishments, the true penalty lay in failing to claim the rewards—and, far worse, in leaving Lockhart to continue sickening him day after day.
If he could not get rid of Lockhart within a month, then no matter how long the time stretched, the outcome would be the same.
That was why today Tom had abandoned his usual mild tone with Dumbledore and chosen instead to strike with sharp aggression, cutting the matter cleanly at its root.
As for Snape's worries, Tom was blissfully unaware. Even if he had known, he would have dismissed them as needless concern.
After all, there were only two people in this world who truly understood Dumbledore: one was Tom himself. The other… was currently lounging in the learning space, eagerly watching the drama unfold.
Tom's earlier fury and accusations were entirely within the range of what a student might do. Even if he disagreed with Dumbledore, such behavior would never truly anger him. Dumbledore would simply try to gently guide the boy's thoughts into alignment with his own. The Headmaster's pride was not so fragile as to flare at a student's defiance.
At that very moment, however, Grindelwald was busy railing against Dumbledore in the learning space.
"You see it, don't you?" he snarled. "To think that I was defeated by a man like that! Do you know why? Because I still clung to the remnants of our past. Had I steeled myself, I had a hundred ways to bring him down—ambush, assassination, manipulating those dearest to him…"
He leaned forward, eyes gleaming with malice. "Do you believe I could have forged a fake Resurrection Stone, laced with curses, and shattered him with it?"
"I believe it," Andros replied without hesitation, nodding furiously. "But Old Gellert, if you'll forgive me saying so—feelings are nothing but dead weight. You two broke up decades ago, and yet you still couldn't bring yourself to finish him off. Emotions slow the swing of your wand!"
The two had been roommates for nearly a year, and Grindelwald had long since dropped all pretenses, openly sharing the truth of his relationship with Dumbledore.
At first, Andros had been utterly shocked—but not by the fact of their genders.
No, in his time, such things were almost commonplace. Ancient Greece, after all, had its custom of "pederasty"—a bond between an older, learned mentor and a younger student. The mentor provided guidance and resources, while the student offered… well, emotional and physical value. Whatever the mentor desired, the youth was expected to give.
Andros himself had never indulged, being far too consumed by combat and cultivation. Otherwise, he might well have ended up as someone's cherished pupil.
What truly stunned him was that two men standing on such opposing sides could develop that kind of bond at all—and in just two months! Yet Grindelwald still carried the weight of it after a lifetime.
What sort of succubus was this Dumbledore supposed to be?
Andros eyed him in his mind's eye. He didn't look the part.
But enough of those two ancient fools gossiping in the void. Back in the real world, Dumbledore finally broke the tense silence.
"Mr. Riddle," the Headmaster said gravely, "I had not expected you to see through Lockhart in just one week."
His voice carried no anger, only quiet resignation.
"You are correct. He is indeed a seasoned fraud. At least ninety percent of the adventures described in his bestsellers were stolen from others—some of whom, by chance, happen to be my own friends."
"When I visited them over the summer, however, they had no recollection of those events. Not even I could restore what they had lost."
"From that perspective, Lockhart is quite skilled. His ability to win trust and his mastery of Memory Charms are, without exaggeration, at a master's level."
Dumbledore gave a wry smile. "If only he were willing to share his knowledge of Memory Charms, I would gladly be his student."
He sighed. "Yes, I admit it—I allowed him into Hogwarts with the thought that, under the eyes of the students, his deception would eventually reveal itself."
"But there is a greater reason." His tone grew heavier. "Over forty years, we have burned through more than forty Defense Against the Dark Arts professors. Each year, fewer and fewer dare to apply. Lockhart… was the only candidate this time."
"Impossible!" Tom snapped, piercing through Dumbledore's explanation like a blade. "At the very least, there was one other who definitely applied."
The boy's dark eyes slid toward Snape.
Snape straightened immediately, chest swelling with long-suppressed pride.
"Dumbledore," he said, voice dripping with restrained bitterness, "I recall submitting an application every single summer, requesting to change subjects. But your memory seems rather poor—you have never once replied."
"Ah…"
Dumbledore's expression twisted oddly as his gaze flicked between Snape and Tom.
From the way Snape had just defended the boy earlier, the two seemed on good terms. And yet Tom was now practically shoving him headlong into the firepit.
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed, a flicker of suspicion glinting there.
But Tom only sat there, utterly righteous, chin high as though nothing were amiss.