Second-year life at Hogwarts unfolded amid a subtle tension. The names Tom Riddle and Ares Phoenix gradually became synonymous with "talent," "mystery," and "not to be provoked lightly," both within Slytherin and in the other Houses. The small incident in Potions Class spread like the wind among certain students, causing many potential troublemakers to temporarily rein in their claws.
Tom was quite satisfied with this. He regarded such "awe" as only natural and began using it more systematically. No longer content merely to display his talent in class, he consciously shaped his image in Slughorn's club and during conversations in the Common Room—someone who might not have noble origins, yet was destined, through absolute talent and intelligence, to stand at the pinnacle of the wizarding world.
Ares became an indispensable part of his plans. Whenever Tom used his compelling words to paint a bright future where pure-blood ideals and great power came together, Ares only needed to sit quietly at his side. His calm mismatched eyes and the mysterious markings on his face naturally lent their small group an unfathomable air. He did not need to say much; his very presence was proof enough—didn't the fact that even such a "special" being followed Riddell demonstrate Tom's extraordinary nature?
[Daily Mission Updated: Cornerstone of the Throne (???)] [Mission Requirement: Assist the target individual in attracting at least two first-year students with potential (family background, talent, or special skills) into his core circle within one week.] [Mission Reward: Low-level resource clue (points to an abandoned classroom containing rare magical materials) x1.]
The system's mission happened to align perfectly with Tom's intentions. He began paying attention to first-years who had just arrived, were still lost and uncertain, yet displayed some kind of value. Unlike his dealings with Abraxas, he no longer rushed for quick results, instead employing more refined methods. He would "happen" to lend a hand when a new student encountered difficulties, earning gratitude through precisely timed advice; he would "casually" mention a first-year's surname in the club, expressing "interest" in that family's history; he would even use Ares's unique soothing magic to subtly dispel the unease and resistance of newcomers.
Ares cooperated with his efforts. He was responsible for observing and assessing who was more easily drawn in, and who harbored ambitions or a thirst for power similar to Tom's. Whenever Tom made his "recruitment" attempts, Ares would also employ the casual bewitching influence inherited from Grindelwald's bloodline, making Tom's words sound more convincing and appealing.
Before long, two first-years entered their sight. One was Avery, a quiet boy who displayed astonishing intuition in Charms. The other was Rosier, a girl from a fallen but ancient pure-blood family, whose determination to restore her family exceeded her years.
Like a patient hunter, Tom gradually drew in his net. He shared inconsequential magical techniques that were nevertheless enough to make the first-years feel valued, hinting at more "guidance" and "resources" they might receive in the future. Ares stood nearby, offering silent approval with a gaze that seemed capable of seeing straight into their hearts.
The process was not entirely smooth. Some older pure-blood supremacists, especially those who placed extreme importance on bloodlines, were dissatisfied with Tom's indiscriminate way of gathering people. They believed he was diluting Slytherin's "purity," and some even privately called Ares "that unknown monster at Riddell's side."
These remarks occasionally reached Tom's ears. Each time, his gaze grew colder, but he suppressed the urge to retaliate immediately. He knew it was not yet time. He needed to accumulate power; he needed more "cornerstones" like Avery and Rosier.
Yet external pressure was not the only shadow. One evening, while they were studying that ancient scrying mirror in the Room of Requirement—Tom firmly believed it could help them uncover more of Hogwarts's secrets—the mirror suddenly began shaking violently again. Blue light flickered across its surface, and its direction was no longer pointed at Ares, but at... some deep place within the castle. It continued to emit a low hum, like a warning.
"What is it pointing at?" Tom stared intently at the scrying mirror, excitement and greed glittering in his eyes.
Ares concentrated on sensing it, his brow slightly furrowed. "A... very ancient, very powerful magical trace. It is hidden deeply, but it is filled with... a sense of oppression." He described it carefully. "The scrying mirror seems to be warning us that there is danger there, but at the same time... immense power is concealed within."
The corner of Tom's mouth curved upward. "Danger and opportunity coexist. That is the most valuable kind of secret." Almost immediately, he connected it with the Chamber of Secrets from Slytherin legend, "which only the true heir can open." "We must find it."
It was also at this moment that Ares received Professor Peverell's second letter. This time, its contents were more specific. Professor Peverell mentioned that while examining copies of ancient notes circulating from Godric's Hollow concerning the Dumbledore family—she emphasized that it was merely academic research—she had found a reference to a certain "golden Contract Mark flowing like blood." Its description bore "a startling resemblance" to the markings on Ares's face. She cautiously asked whether Ares's family had ever been connected to Godric's Hollow, or to names such as Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
The letter was like lightning, splitting open a corner of the truth Ares had long tried to conceal. He could almost feel the blood pact growing faintly hot beneath his skin.
He did not tell Tom the full contents of the letter, merely saying casually that Professor Peverell had raised some more conjectures regarding ancient magic. But he knew that this thin layer of concealment could be pierced at any moment. Once Tom connected the keywords "Godric's Hollow," "Dumbledore," and "Grindelwald" to him, the truth would have nowhere left to hide from Tom's sharpness and suspicion.
Tom was engrossed in his grand plans to use the scrying mirror to uncover the castle's secrets and build his own power base, so he did not probe further into Professor Peverell's letter for the moment. Yet the probing undertone in his gaze whenever he looked at Ares had never completely faded.
The Cornerstone of the Throne was being laid piece by piece, but the Whispers in the Shadows were growing clearer. The unknown danger indicated by the scrying mirror, Professor Peverell's increasingly pressing investigation, and Tom's deep-seated unease over the secrets about Ares that he could not fully control were all like landmines buried beneath the surface of prosperity, waiting only for the right opportunity to explode with a thunderous roar. The stage of their second year had already been set with twin backdrops leading toward glory and the abyss.
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