Did Riddle Transfer Schools?

"Of course not," Sean replied immediately. "I've only heard that the Chamber of Secrets was opened once fifty years ago—don't look at me like that, Hagrid. I don't believe it was you at all. I just feel there might be some connection."

Seeing his sincere expression, Hagrid finally chose to believe Sean. He squatted down somewhat regretfully and then told Sean what had happened back then.

"When I was in Hogwarts, I was obviously an unpopular student..." Hagrid recalled.

As he listened, even Sean lowered his head silently, afraid that Hagrid would notice his strange expression.

He gets into trouble every week, raising Werewolf cubs under his bed in the dorm, going to the Forbidden Forest to fight Troll, and starting in his third year, he goes into Knockturn Alley on his own to buy rare Magical Creatures brought by smugglers...

"Hagrid, it's really strange that you're so likable..." Sean thought to himself.

However, Hagrid didn't notice Sean's somewhat unnatural movements; he was lost in unpleasant memories.

"The headmaster at the time was Mr. Armando Dippet, and he, he obviously never liked me very much..." Hagrid muttered. "In my fifth year, the Chamber of Secrets was opened, and the situation was just like it is now, no, even worse. A girl lost her life because of it— Hogwarts was facing closure, and Mr. Dippet found out that I had been raising Aragog without permission."

"Aragog is an Acromantula," he explained, "But it's very intelligent, and I can assure you, it has never done anything to harm anyone!"

Hagrid roared, brandishing his massive fist, but quickly deflated. "But Mr. Dippet seemed to think I did it. I was expelled from Hogwarts and my wand was broken... It wasn't until the following year that the generous and wise Professor Dumbledore persuaded others to let me return to Hogwarts and become the game keeper. He always believed I didn't do it. What a good man."

Hagrid pulled out a dark handkerchief, blew his nose, and vigorously wiped the corner of his eye.

"Hagrid, I also don't think you did it," Sean said softly, trying to comfort him.

"Oh, Sean, thank you," Hagrid said, looking touched, then sighed. "But the Ministry of Magic still has a record of me—I even think they'll come to the school and arrest me soon."

He gave a wry smile.

"As long as the truth can be found out, that's enough, Hagrid. I need you to tell me, was the girl who died back then Moaning Myrtle?" Sean asked.

Hagrid looked at him in surprise. "How did you know? Yes, the Moaning Myrtle was that poor girl, but she can't prove anything. Dumbledore has tried to clear my name, but Moaning Myrtle doesn't know who the murderer is—and the Ministry of Magic isn't willing to believe a ghost's testimony, especially a ghost from Hogwarts. You know, they always think Dumbledore can control everything at Hogwarts, including getting a ghost to give false testimony."

"Do you know Tom Riddle?" Sean asked another question.

"Oh, yes..." Hagrid seemed a little embarrassed to know Riddle, his expression was not good. "In fact, he came to see me last year, although we weren't very familiar with each other when we were in school—but I didn't expect that he had become a Dark Wizard."

"Then, is it possible that Riddle framed you?" Sean asked coaxingly.

"Riddle?" Hagrid looked puzzled. "Although he went astray later, there's no reason for him to frame me when we were in school."

"Why not? He might discover your secret or something..."

Hagrid touched his forehead. "He does seem like the kind of person who would do something like that... but it's impossible."

"Why?" This time it was Sean's turn to be confused.

"The Chamber of Secrets was opened when I was in my third year, and Riddle entered school two years earlier than me. If he was still at Hogwarts at the time, he would have been in his fifth year. However," Hagrid paused, "He transferred to Newmontgard at the end of his fourth year."

Transfer schools? Sean stood there, stunned.

"It caused quite a stir at the school, because he was very popular with the students back then, and Mr. Dippet even publicly expressed his regret..."

Hagrid was still talking to himself, but Sean was no longer paying attention to what he was saying next.

Tom Riddle transferred to Newmontgard at the end of fourth grade?!

So, who opened the Chamber of Secrets back then?!

A chill ran from the soles of Sean's feet straight to the top of his head. He had originally thought that this Chamber of Secrets might be the work of someone else, but he never expected that the Chamber of Secrets back then was not opened by Riddle either!

Sean seemed to see an invisible black hand, a hand that had been there for fifty years!

No, if Riddle didn't open the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago, then why would someone else close Chamber of Secrets and not cause trouble during those fifty years?

In the original storyline, Tom's reason for closing the Chamber of Secrets of Secrets was simple: Hogwarts was closing down. This ruthless Dark Wizard's only obsession back then was Hogwarts.

No matter how terrifying he might become in the future, at least back then, Riddle's feelings for Hogwarts were real and intense. It ended Riddle's relatively mediocre and lonely orphanage life—which was also the main reason why he didn't want Hogwarts to close down.

But would the other person think the same way?

So why would that person open the Chamber of Secrets fifty years later?

Who is that person? Does Salazar Slytherin have other descendants?

A whole host of questions flooded Sean's mind.

Fifty years ago, what happened fifty years ago... Sean shuddered, and he quickly looked at Hagrid: "Hagrid, do you know when Newmontgard was founded?"

"When Riddle transferred, Newmontgard had just been established," Hagrid shrugged. "In fact, Riddle was among the first students at Newmontgard, or rather, he was the only senior student at the time."

Fifty years ago, Newmontgard was founded... Sean thought of Dumbledore's memories, that Prophecy spanning a thousand years. Before that, Grindelwald already had the idea of building a school!

Is the Chamber of Secrets related to the founding of Newmontgard School? Or is it related to Prophecy?

Sean also recalled that in that memory, the kidnapped Seer Cassandra Val was in a very abnormal state; Grindelwald said she was possessed by some kind of mystery.

Sean had a hunch that the 'mystery' was related to Prophecy and the opening of the Chamber of Secrets!

In a couple of days, it'll come around midnight, I've been feeling pretty bad these past few days...