What Tom Didn't Know

"Albus, what are you doing here?"

Upon seeing Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall instinctively asked...

"I just came downstairs to get a cup of hot chocolate. What happened here?" Dumbledore asked, noticing immediately the change in Professor McGonagall's expression.

"I heard a strange sound... Oh, and I just spotted Mr. Creevey. He's very likely... petrified." As Professor McGonagall spoke to Dumbledore, she looked up towards the end of the corridor, as if there was something there.

"What have you discovered?" Dumbledore asked, following Professor McGonagall's gaze.

"I think that sound just now... was most likely made by the guy who attacked Mr. Creevey and Argus's cat." Professor McGonagall hesitated for a moment before giving her opinion. "The sound wasn't footsteps; it sounded more like something was dragging on the ground."

"Let's go take a look..."

Dumbledore drew his wand and strode forward, with Professor McGonagall immediately following behind. When they crossed the corridor and stood at the corner, all around was deathly silent, without any strange sounds.

"Hidden?"

Professor McGonagall listened intently, then lowered her voice and said, "But how did he do that? Was it a secret passage?"

"Alright, calm down, Minerva." Dumbledore gazed at the deep darkness at the end of the corridor and said calmly, "Now that the attackers have escaped, I think we'd better get Mr. Creevey to the School Hospital first. Where is he?"

"On the stairs over there."

Professor McGonagall took a deep breath and followed Dumbledore toward the stairwell. The two quickly found the petrified boy.

Dumbledore knelt down to examine the boy and breathed a sigh of relief when he found that he was only petrified. "He's petrified. Let's take him to the School Hospital."

With that, Dumbledore reached out and lifted Colin's shoulders, and Professor McGonagall helped lift Colin's feet. The two of them, one in front and one behind, slowly carried Colin's body up the stairs and headed towards the School Hospital, which was not far from here.

On the other side of the castle, Tom Riddle has successfully summoned the Basilisk.

Professor McGonagall's appearance was somewhat unexpected for him.

Fortunately, the other party did not chase after them immediately, otherwise there would have been a real accident.

After all, as Hogwarts's Transfiguration Professor, Professor McGonagall's abilities should not be underestimated. If the Basilisk fails to kill or petrify it immediately, it will trigger a series of chain reactions.

The aftershocks of the battle could very well wake up all the students in the school, especially since Dumbledore was nearby.

Tom Riddle doesn't want to be exposed yet.

However, the situation is going smoothly.

The Basilisk returned to the Chamber of Secrets, and the two who had chased after it were too late.

Only the Parseltongue can open the Chamber of Secrets.

After losing Basilisk, Dumbledore and McGonagall immediately gave up the search and went to the School Hospital together.

Tom Riddle had already taken Ginny Weasley to the Room of Requirement, intending for Ginny to stay there Weasley the night.

After all, returning to the Gryffindor Common Room in the middle of the night seemed suspicious, and the doorman's portrait would certainly raise doubts.

As for not returning home all night? Tom had already made preparations. Before leaving, he cast a spell on Ginny Weasley's roommates, allowing them to sleep soundly until dawn, so they wouldn't have to worry about waking up in the middle of the night to find Ginny missing from the dorm.

After confirming several times that Dumbledore and McGonagall had gone to the School Hospital, Tom Riddle had already arrived on the Seventh Floor through the secret passage and was standing in front of the Room of Requirement.

"Dumbledore is as annoying as ever."

Tom stared at Dumbledore's footprints on the map, his expression growing increasingly ferocious. "However, you cannot stop me, not fifty years ago, and not now."

After saying that, Tom closed his diary and prepared to enter the Room of Requirement, when he suddenly felt as if someone was watching him.

He suddenly turned his head and looked around, but found no one else. The quiet darkness was thick and terrifying.

Tom opened the Room of Requirement and was about to go in when he suddenly noticed a magical light shining behind him.

Before Tom could react, a spell struck Ginny Weasley from behind, causing her to stagger forward two steps before crashing to the ground.

Who attacked me?

Tom even used the Traces Charm to make sure there was no one else around.

How exactly did they manage to keep it a secret...?

Even though Tom did his best to resist the Stunning Spell, he still lost control of Ginny Weasley's body and didn't know who had attacked him until the very end.

After Ginny Weasley was knocked down by the Stunning Spell, Albert appeared out of nowhere, stepped into the Room of Requirement, and closed the door behind him.

"Things are going more smoothly than we expected."

Albert nudged Ginny Weasley's wand away with his foot and pulled the box Nicolas Flamel had sent him from his Transfiguration Lizard Skin Bag. He began putting on Dragonhide Gloves before taking Tom Riddle's Diary from Ginny and placing it into the box.

"Now let's see how you try to cause me trouble."

Albert hummed with pleasure, deciding to finish the diary properly another day. He waved his wand and cast Disillusionment Charm on Ginny Weasley, temporarily sending her out of the Room of Requirement.

Then, Albert will be sent back to the Room of Requirement's dumpster with the box containing Tom Riddle's diary.

It's kind of funny when you think about it.

Albert had originally devised Horcrux plan to have Dumbledore take away Voldemort's Diadem, and now he has personally hidden Voldemort's Diary Horcrux here.

He needed to buy himself enough time to make thorough preparations and properly craft Tom Riddle's Diary.

Albert firmly believes that, if properly managed, Tom's Horcrux will be a golden goose, providing him with ample mission experience and rewards while minimizing risks, making it even more useful than Quirrell, the tool from the previous semester.

Yes, it can also reduce the impact of the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets on Hogwarts.

I really am a good person.

After leaving the Room of Requirement, Albert immediately took Ginny Weasley back to the Gryffindor Common Room.

The Fat Lady still hadn't returned, but someone had already opened the entrance to the Common Room for her.

As Albert entered the Gryffindor Common Room, that familiar voice suddenly rang out, "You should go now. You'd better go to the restroom, the second to last one."

What will happen to her?

"I'll handle it," the voice said calmly.

"Thank you for your help." Albert walked upstairs, and as soon as he disappeared at the top of the stairs, another Albert appeared out of thin air, looking at the unconscious Ginny Weasley, and murmured, "You should thank me properly."