Cracks and Reinforcement

The ripples from the tea party did not dissipate with the hot summer wind. Instead, they settled into an invisible tension within the Serene Residence. Tom became even more silent than usual. He continued to research magic and plan for the new academic year with Ares, but the complete, almost instinctive sense of trust seemed to be shrouded in a shadow. His gaze frequently fell upon the golden markings beneath Ares's left eye, carrying a deep, calculating scrutiny.

Ares could clearly feel this change. He knew that emotional bonds and vague promises alone could not truly dispel Tom's inner doubts. What Tom Riddle needed was control, understanding, and the sense of security that came from bringing all unknowns into his cognitive realm. The secrets of the Blood Pact and the System were precisely what he could not provide.

[Host, Target's Trust Level Fluctuating Down! (╥_╥) Reinforcement Measures Required!]

[Crisis Response Mission Triggered: A Shared Secret]

[Mission Requirements: Discover and jointly keep a new secret relevant to both parties, which carries a certain risk, to divert the target's excessive focus on the host's own secrets.]

[Mission Reward: Small Permanent Increase in Joint Spellcasting Compatibility.]

The System's mission prompt arrived just in time. Ares realized he needed to create a "new" secret, something they would both possess and need to guard together, to re-establish this "accomplice" relationship and divert Tom's attention.

Opportunity arrived on a gloomy afternoon. They donned the Invisibility Cloak once more and ventured deep into the outskirts of Hogsmeade Village, near the Forbidden Forest. In the corner of a ruined stone house, almost completely covered by vines, Tom keenly sensed a faint but exceptionally pure magical fluctuation.

He pushed aside the thick vines and discovered that beneath the decaying floorboards of the stone house lay a narrow, downward staircase. An aroma mixed with moss, ancient metal, and the residue of some powerful magic wafted towards them.

"There's something down there," Tom's dark eyes flashed with the gleam of discovering treasure, his previous gloom temporarily replaced by the excitement of exploration.

The two carefully descended the slippery stone steps into a small, circular basement. In the center of the basement was a broken stone platform, covered with the long-inactivated ancient magic array patterns. However, what captured their attention was in the corner of the platform, covered in dust but still emitting a faint blue glow—a Spyglass.

This was no ordinary spyglass. It was a size larger than those sold in shops, made of a material neither gold nor wood, its surface etched with silver patterns like star trails. It was currently rotating at an extremely slow speed, emitting an almost inaudible hum.

Tom cautiously inspected the surroundings with his wand, confirming there were no traps, before reaching out to pick up the spyglass. The moment his fingers touched it, the spyglass gave a violent shudder, its rotation speed suddenly increased, and the blue light became blinding, pointing towards... Ares.

Tom's gaze snapped to Ares, his eyes instantly sharpening.

Ares was startled, but he quickly calmed himself, realizing this might be the opportunity the System spoke of—the "shared secret." He stepped forward, not avoiding the spyglass pointing at him. Instead, he reached out and gently touched it.

The spyglass's vibration stopped, the blue light softened, and it even transmitted a faint, almost confirming sense of intimacy.

"It... knows you?" Tom's voice held disbelief and a deeper probe.

"Not entirely," Ares thought quickly, combining the System's potential influence with the residual ancient magic of the place to weave a plausible explanation. "The ancient magic array here might retain some... characteristic for identifying the essence of magic power. My magic power might have some... resonance with what it once guarded, or with the magical system that created it." He pointed to the star patterns on the spyglass and then glanced meaningfully at the chain pattern beneath his own eye. "These ancient magical creations can always sense things that ordinary objects cannot."

This explanation was half true and half false, mentioning the uniqueness of Ares's magic power while attributing the cause to the external environment, cleverly avoiding revealing his core secret directly.

Tom stared at the spyglass, which had returned to its calm state as if acknowledging Ares, then looked at Ares's composed face. The scrutiny in his eyes gradually gave way to a new light, a mixture of excitement and possessiveness.

An ancient, powerful magical item that seemed to resonate with Ares's magic power. This was undoubtedly a discovery of immense value. More importantly, it was something they had discovered together. Its existence and properties themselves became a secret that they needed to guard and study together.

"What can it sense?" Tom handed the spyglass to Ares, his tone returning to its usual research-oriented manner, but with less of the previous distance.

Ares took the spyglass and concentrated, sensing. "Not entirely malice... more like a... strong magical intent, or... a hidden truth?" he described the vague feeling. "It seems particularly sensitive to certain specific, powerful magical traces."

Tom pondered. "An ancient truth detector? Interesting." He surveyed the secret basement. "Who did this place belong to? What was it originally used to guard?" Countless questions formed in his mind, and all of them required him and Ares to find the answers together.

They carefully re-concealed the basement and returned to the Serene Residence with the ancient spyglass. This shared discovery acted like a bonding agent, temporarily mending the rift caused by the tea party. Tom's attention was successfully diverted to this new secret, and he began frantically poring over documents, trying to understand the spyglass's origin and the basement's past.

Ares cooperated with his research, while secretly using the System's assistance to gradually "unlock" some of the spyglass's functions (in reality, simulated effects by the System based on the scenario), keeping Tom's interest piqued.

However, Ares knew in his heart that this was merely a temporary solution. Professor Peverell's words were like a thorn, not only stuck in Tom's heart but also reminding Ares that the mysteries surrounding him could attract more dangerous attention at any moment. Tom's temporary satisfaction was based on the premise of "jointly owning" a new secret. Once he was content with it, or if the secret was exhausted, his gaze would inevitably and sharply turn back to Ares's own deeper, unspeakable secrets.

The end of summer approached amidst this fragile balance and new explorations. The Hogwarts Express was about to depart again, and their second year was destined to be more turbulent due to their summer experiences—Slughorn's tea party, the ancient spyglass, and the suspicion and secrets lurking beneath the calm surface. The cracks might have been temporarily reinforced, but the undercurrents beneath the foundation had never stopped surging.