Night had fallen.
Silver moonlight bathed the ancient Hogwarts castle.
Within its walls…
"Professor Dumbledore, it has been a long time."
A flicker of nostalgia crossed Dumbledore's eyes as he gazed at the handsome young man before him, but his gaze quickly hardened. "Tom…"
He didn't believe a single word of the elaborate explanation Tom had just given.
Tom surveyed Dumbledore, with his white beard, and the sizeable group arrayed behind him, realizing things were about to get complicated.
Still, I do have the System and seven years of growth under my belt…
"System, display my attributes."
[Name: Tom Marvolo Riddle]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 18]
[Occupation: Wizard]
[Magic: SS (Legendary Wizard, a level attained by Dumbledore and Grindelwald, among others)]
[Talents (Max level 10)]:
[Charms: 10 (Charms? Mere child's play.)]
[Transfiguration: 9 (Sufficient to turn base metal into gold)]
[Defense Against the Dark Arts: 10 (The greatest white wizard of this century, it seems)]
[Dark Arts: ??? (Compared to you, the Socket is as obedient as a baby)]
[Potions: 8 (You could brew potions as easily as soup)]
[Alchemy: 6 (Extremely Excellent)]
[Prophecy: 9 (Capable of glimpsing the future)]
[Special Talents:]
[Basilisk Eyes (Controllable: Anyone with magical power one level below the caster dies upon being glared at)]
[Serpent's Bloodline (Descendant of Slytherin: Natural ability to communicate with and control snakes)]
[Mastered Spells: Avada Kedavra (Level 10, Max), Imperius Curse (Level 10), Fiendfyre (Level 10), Exorcismus (Level 9)...]
[Item: Yew Wand (Phoenix Tail Feather) - Quality: Excellent]
"Master, should we retreat?"
Nonsense. With my current strength, I could crush them like insects! Damn it! Let's get them!
Since reason is useless, then don't blame me, Professor…
The handsome young man with black hair slightly raised his head, a cold glint flashing in his emerald green, serpentine eyes.
Tom raised his right hand and brandished his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!"
A blinding green bolt of lightning erupted, bathing the entire hall in an eerie, phosphorescent glow.
A terrifying killing intent instantly flooded the chamber.
"Get down! The Killing Curse cannot penetrate solid objects! Take cover!"
Minerva McGonagall shouted to warn the others, simultaneously waving her wand, transforming the floor tiles into makeshift shields against the encroaching green light.
Unexpectedly, Tom's Killing Curse forked, the thick beam splitting into dozens of thinner, yet equally deadly, streams.
Dumbledore responded instantly, waving his wand and employing masterful Transfiguration to raise the entire floor, intercepting the barrage of Killing Curses.
Boom!
Even with its power dispersed and its effect on inanimate objects diminished, the max-level Killing Curse, under Tom's control, utterly annihilated the elevated floor.
Dumbledore waved his wand once more; the suits of armor that had served as decoration sprang to life!
A dozen armored knights, brandishing greatswords, advanced on Tom.
Unperturbed, Tom waved his wand again. "Thunderous Blast!"
Considering the opponent, the professors knew better than to underestimate him. The earlier Avada Kedavra had proven that this young Tom Riddle was just as formidable as he would become as Voldemort.
"Protego!"
The professors chanted in unison, and a shimmering white light enveloped them.
Boom!
A deafening explosion reverberated through the hall, cracking the floor and ceiling. The shockwave shattered the knights' armor and sent the professors flying, protected by their shimmering white Protego (Shield Charm), where they scrambled to regain their footing.
Dumbledore surveyed the wreckage, his heart aching at the sight of his ravaged school. "Tom! Let's settle this elsewhere!"
"Heh…"
Tom chuckled. He knew Dumbledore's intent, but he didn't care. "Old Man! Come along if you dare!"
Tom turned, his body dissolving into a cloud of black mist that soared into the sky.
Screech!
Fawkes, a red and gold phoenix, swooped down toward Dumbledore, its sharp talons seizing his shoulder. Man and bird vanished in a burst of flames.
...
Hogwarts, by the edge of the Black Lake.
A cloud of black mist descended, coalescing into the form of Tom. A flash of fire, and Dumbledore materialized.
Their arrival disturbed the tranquil surface of the lake, a sure sign that peace had been broken.
Knowing Tom's power, Dumbledore didn't hesitate. He immediately attacked, waving the Elder Wand and conjuring towering waves that surged up from the Black Lake.
Dumbledore pointed his wand at Tom, sending a colossal wave crashing toward him.
Tom, wand in hand, pointed to the ground, then flicked it upwards.
Instantly, crimson Fiendfyre erupted before Tom!
The Fiendfyre transformed into a fiery serpent, expanding outwards and rising upwards, coiling around Tom.
Sizzle…
The giant wave crashed against the Fiendfyre, scorching the lake water and sending plumes of white smoke billowing into the air.
Unexpectedly, the Fiendfyre was not extinguished. Fueled by the lake water, it grew ever larger.
The last remnants of the wave were incinerated, and a Fiendfyre hundreds of meters tall coiled around Tom, its fiery eyes fixed on Dumbledore.
Such a massive display of dark magic could not be ignored, and the other professors soon arrived.
"Albus!"
Minerva McGonagall glanced worriedly at Dumbledore, then fixed a narrowed gaze on Tom.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
"Expelliarmus!"
...
A barrage of spells flew towards Tom.
Tom flicked his wand, deflecting the spells in various directions.
The professors weren't surprised; they hadn't expected such ordinary spells to do any real harm to Tom.
Now, they were getting serious.
"Everyone, stand down!"
But then, Dumbledore shouted at the professors, "You are no match for Tom!"
The professors understood Dumbledore's meaning. Though worried about Dumbledore and eager to help, they knew they were outmatched.
With heavy hearts, they stepped aside, preparing to act as backup and ambush Tom if an opportunity presented itself.
"…"
Tom saw through their intentions and nearly rolled his eyes.
"Sigh, Professor, enough. I'm tired of playing."
Tom called out to Dumbledore. He had never wanted to fight; he was just an ordinary person who liked magic. Why was everyone so hostile towards him?
"I am sorry, Tom."
Dumbledore shook his head slightly. "I cannot let you go."
Hearing this, Tom was silent for a moment, then looked up, staring into Dumbledore's eyes.
Tom's emerald green snake eyes contracted!
Dumbledore felt his body suddenly stiffen. Although a glare would not kill him, it was impossible not to be affected.
"Expelliarmus!"
A flash of red light, and Dumbledore was sent flying several meters, the Elder Wand slipping from his grasp.
Tom picked up the Elder Wand, glanced silently at the prone figure of Dumbledore, and then turned and left.
---
I'm incredibly excited to announce that my new project is officially out! I can assure you that this book is truly one of a kind. If you're looking for a story that will make you laugh your stomach out, you've found it.
I've put an immense amount of effort into this one. I'm apologizing in advance for any minor mistakes you might find—though I've been so careful this time that there's a 99% chance it's flawless! Still, I am only human, and a few things might slip through the cracks.
I'm going to push myself to post as many chapters as I possibly can to keep the momentum going. In return, I just need your love, your support, and those Powerstones! Let's take this book to the top of the rankings together!
—MrGrim