Chapter 169: Riddle's Memory

"Hello, Riddle. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info" said the old wizard.

"Professor Duppert, do you want to see me?" Riddle said cautiously, looking a little nervous.

"Sit down. The old wizard motioned for Riddle to sit down first, and continued, "I was just reading the letter you gave me. ”

"Oh. Riddle stood up immediately, then sat down slowly, his hands clasped tightly together, looking nervous.

"Don't be nervous, my dear child. The old wizard kindly said, "I can't let you spend the summer at school, you would be willing to go home for the holidays." ”

"Nope. Riddle immediately refused, saying, "Headmaster, I just want to stay at Hogwarts, I don't want that..."

"Well, you're staying in a Muggle orphanage on vacation, right? The old wizard asked curiously.

"Yes, I live there now. Riddle crossed his fingers, twisted his fingers, and blushed slightly.

"Were you born into a Muggle family?" the old wizard continued.

"My mother was a wizard. Riddle said eagerly, then lowered his voice again, "My father is a Muggle, and I'm half-blood, sir. ”

"Are your parents still alive?" asked the old wizard, a little embarrassed.

"My mother died just after giving birth to me, sir. The people at the orphanage told me that she had only time to give me a name, Tom, and took my father's name. ”

The old wizard smacked his lips sympathetically, "I'm sorry to tell you, Tom." He sighed, "We were going to give you some special arrangements, but the current situation..."

"Sir, are you referring to the current attack?" asked Riddle cautiously.

Harry felt that his heart should be beating faster, and he leaned between the two of them, for fear of missing a word.

"Exactly. "You should understand, child, how foolish and dangerous it would be for you to remain in the castle after the term is over." In the recent tragedy, the poor girl died, and you would be much safer in the orphanage. ”

The old wizard paused, ruthless, "Let me tell you the truth, the Ministry of Magic is already discussing whether to close the Academy, and we have no clue about all the misfortunes that have happened, the cause and root cause of the incident. ”

Riddle felt like someone had been slapped with a stick, and his pale face and eyes were full of incredulity.

"Sir, if that person is caught, can you make everything stop. Riddle asked eagerly, as if grasping at a life-saving straw.

"What do you mean?" the old wizard's voice suddenly sharpened and shrill as he jerked up from his chair, "Riddle, do you have information about these attacks?"

"No, sir. Riddle said in a panic. But Harry was sure that Riddle's "no" was of the same nature as the "no" he said when he rejected Dumbledore, and that he was hiding what he knew.

The old wizard didn't seem to notice this, and he sat back in his chair, looking very disappointed, "You go, Tom..."

Riddle slowly stood up and shuffled out of the room with heavy steps. Harry followed closely behind him.

They descended the spiral staircase and exited the hallway through the darkening monstrous dripping mouth. Riddle stopped suddenly, and Harry also stopped, staring at him silently.

Harry could tell that Riddle was having a hard struggle, he was biting his lip and frowning, his face heavy and stiff. Soon, he seemed to have made up his mind, and immediately quickened his pace, and Harry followed closely.

They didn't run into anyone along the way, and they came to the foyer next to the Great Hall, a tall wizard with long russet hair and a long beard. He greeted Riddle on the marble staircase.

"Tom, you're still hanging out so late, what are you doing?" the tall wizard's stern tone was a little unhappy.

Harry stared at the tall wizard in amazement, this was a very familiar figure, this was Dumbledore, who was fifty years younger.

"I just went to see the principal, sir. Riddle said without being arrogant or humble.

"Hurry up and go to bed. Dumbledore said, staring at Riddle with a gaze that could see through people, as if trying to see through his heart.

"It's best not to wander around the hallways during this time, it's already happening...", he sighed heavily, and didn't continue. He said goodnight to Riddle and strode away.

Riddle didn't go back to the dormitory, he saw that Dumbledore was no longer visible, and immediately quickened his pace, walking down the stone steps in the direction of the underground classroom, Harry following closely behind him.

To Harry's disappointment, Riddle didn't continue to look for the secret passage, the secret tunnel. He took Harry to the underground classroom where Snape was taught. It was dimly lit and the torches were not lit.

Riddle stood motionless at the door of the basement classroom, staring out into the passageway.

Harry waited boredly, counting the hours, and they had been waiting for more than an hour. Harry had gone from standing to sitting, changing several positions. Riddle stood motionless in the doorway, like a statue, quietly peeking out through the crack in the door.

At least that determination was something Harry admired, or was what happened next crucial to him?, Harry guessed wildly.

Finally, just when Harry was almost impatient, he even stood in front of Riddle to take a closer look at the strange and somewhat familiar man. Suddenly, he heard movement outside the door.

Someone was quietly walking down the passage, the man passing through the basement where he and Riddle were hiding. Riddle crept through the crack in the door and followed the figure, hanging silently behind it like a shadow.

In this tense moment, even Harry forgot that he was in a ghostly state, that he would not be discovered, and he crept after on tiptoe.

After about five minutes, the figure they were following stopped. Riddle leaned against the wall, hidden in the darkness, tilting his head sideways, listening to the voices that appeared.

Harry heard a door creak open, and heard someone whisper in a hoarse voice.

"Come here... Come here, come up... Go to the box...", the voice was somewhat familiar to Harry.

Riddle jumped out of the corner, and jumped in front of the man. Harry followed, and he saw that the voice was a big boy. The boy was crouching in front of an open wooden door with a large box in it.

(To be continued.) )