Whispers in the Shadows and the Cornerstone of the Throne

Hogwarts' second year unfolded slowly, steeped in a subtle tension. The names Tom Riddle and Ares Phoenix, within Slytherin and even across other houses, had gradually become synonymous with "talent," "mystery," and "not to be trifled with." The minor incident in Potions class spread like wildfire among a segment of the student body, causing many potential provocateurs to temporarily sheath their claws.

Tom was highly satisfied with this. He took this "awe" for granted and began to utilize it more systematically. No longer content with merely showcasing his talent in class, he consciously shaped his image within Slughorn's club and in the idle chatter of the common room—a leader destined to stand at the pinnacle of the wizarding world, not through noble birth, but through absolute talent and wisdom.

Ares, meanwhile, became an indispensable part of his plan. When Tom painted a beautiful future with his infectious rhetoric, combining pure-blood ideals with immense power, Ares merely had to sit quietly beside him. Those calm, heterochromatic eyes and the mysterious markings on his face naturally imbued their small group with an unfathomable aura. He didn't need to say much; his very presence was a testament—didn't the fact that even such a "special" being followed Riddle prove his extraordinary nature?

[Daily Quest Update: Cornerstone of the Throne (???)]

[Quest Requirement: Assist the target individual in recruiting at least two first-year newcomers with potential (family background, talent, or special skills) into their inner circle within one week.]

[Quest Reward: Low-level resource clue (pointing to an abandoned classroom containing rare magical materials) x1.]

The System's quest coincided perfectly with Tom's thoughts. Tom began to pay attention to those newly enrolled students who were still lost but showed certain value. He was no longer as impatient as he had been with Abraxas, adopting a more refined approach. He would "accidentally" offer help when a new student encountered difficulties, earning gratitude with perfectly timed guidance; he would "casually" mention a new student's surname in the club, expressing "interest" in their family history; he would even subtly alleviate the unease and resistance of newcomers through Ares's unique calming magic.

Ares cooperated with his actions. He was responsible for observing and assessing who was more easily swayed, and who harbored ambitions or a thirst for power similar to Tom's. When Tom made his "recruitment" attempts, Ares would also use his inadvertent charm, stemming from his Grindelwald bloodline, to make Tom's words sound more credible and appealing.

Soon, two first-year students caught their attention. One was a boy, Avery, who was taciturn but displayed astonishing intuition in Charms. The other was a girl, Rosier, from a declining but historically significant pure-blood family, who had an obsession with family revival that belied her age.

Tom, like a patient hunter, gradually tightened his net. He shared some trivial magical techniques that were enough to make the new students feel valued, hinting at the greater "guidance" and "resources" they might receive in the future. Ares, beside him, offered silent approval with his gaze that seemed to see through people's hearts.

This process was not without its bumps. Some older pure-blood supremacists, especially those who placed extreme importance on bloodlines, were displeased with Tom's "unconventional" method of recruiting. They believed Tom was diluting Slytherin's "purity," with some even privately referring to Ares as "that unknown monster by Riddle's side."

These remarks occasionally reached Tom's ears. Each time, his gaze would turn a bit colder, but he suppressed the urge for immediate retaliation. He knew it wasn't time yet. He needed to accumulate strength, to gather more "cornerstones" like Avery and Rosier.

However, external pressure was not the only shadow. One evening, as they were studying the ancient Spyglass in the Room of Requirement (Tom firmly believed it could help them uncover more of Hogwarts' secrets), the Spyglass suddenly vibrated violently again, its blue light flashing. The direction it pointed was no longer at Ares, but... deep within the castle, emitting a continuous, low, seemingly warning hum.

"What is it pointing at?" Tom stared intently at the Spyglass, his eyes flashing with excitement and greed.

Ares concentrated his senses, his brow furrowing. "A... very ancient, very powerful magical trace. Hidden very deep, but filled with... oppression." He described, "The Spyglass seems to be warning of danger there, but at the same time... it also holds immense power."

A curve formed on Tom's lips. "Danger and opportunity coexist. That's the most valuable secret." He immediately connected this to the legend of Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, "which only the true heir can open." "We must find it."

It was at this very moment that Ares received a second letter from Professor Peverell. This time, the content was more specific. Professor Peverell mentioned that while examining copies of ancient notes from Godric's Hollow concerning the Dumbledore family (she emphasized it was purely academic research), she discovered a mention of a "golden, blood-like flowing contract mark," the description of which bore a "striking resemblance" to the markings on Ares's face. She cautiously inquired if Ares's family had any connections to Godric's Hollow, or to names like Dumbledore and Grindelwald.

This letter was like lightning, striking and revealing a corner of the truth Ares had been trying to conceal. He could almost feel the Blood Pact burning faintly beneath his skin.

He didn't tell Tom the full content of the letter, merely saying casually that Professor Peverell had proposed some further conjectures about ancient magic. But he knew this veil could be pierced at any moment. Once Tom connected the keywords "Godric's Hollow," "Dumbledore," and "Grindelwald" to him, with Tom's sharpness and suspicion, the truth would have nowhere to hide.

Tom was engrossed in using the Spyglass to search for the castle's secrets and in building his own power base, temporarily not delving deeper into Professor Peverell's letter. However, the probing look in his eyes when he glanced at Ares never completely faded.

The cornerstones of the throne were being laid, but the whispers in the shadows grew louder. The unknown danger pointed to by the Spyglass, Professor Peverell's increasingly pressing inquiries, and Tom's underlying unease about the secrets he couldn't fully control in Ares, all lay like landmines beneath the surface of prosperity, waiting for the right moment to detonate. The stage of the second year had already been set with a dual backdrop of glory and the abyss.