The Invisible Crown and the Unrest of Shadows

Tom Riddle's "inner circle" was beginning to take shape, but he gradually realized that Ares Phoenix's very existence was like an invisible crown, exuding a unique appeal. This attraction wasn't due to deliberate effort, but an innate temperament flowing in his blood.

This was first evident in the younger students, especially those who were sensitive or filled with inner turmoil. In Charms class, as Professor Flitwick explained the magic power flow of a complex spell, a first-year Ravenclaw girl's eyes turned red with frustration from repeated failures. Ares happened to be sitting diagonally behind her. He didn't offer verbal guidance, but as she failed again, her magic power dissipating weakly, his fingertips unconsciously traced an extremely simple Ancient Runes symbol for "gathering" on his knee.

The girl didn't see the symbol, but inexplicably felt a gentle yet firm force wash over her heart, calming her anxious emotions. She took a deep breath, waved her wand again, and this time, the spell succeeded! She turned around in surprise, her gaze meeting Ares's calm, heterochromatic eyes. Ares gave her a slight nod, without a word, but the girl's eyes were already filled with gratitude and an indescribable trust.

Similar things happened quietly. In the library, a Hufflepuff boy was dizzy from a complex herbology diagram. Ares simply organized his Ancient Runes notes quietly beside him, and the calm, focused aura emanating from him inexplicably calmed the boy, who eventually found his train of thought. He would even "accidentally" leave some of his neatly organized charts and notes on the table for the boy to reference.

These subtle, unintentional actions were not deliberately done by Ares. They stemmed from the compassion and guidance of Dumbledore in his bloodline, as well as Grindelwald's seductive charm that could easily perceive others' needs and exert influence. He was like a magnet, naturally attracting souls who craved guidance, understanding, or were simply drawn to his contradictory yet harmonious traits.

At first, Tom was pleased. This provided him with more potential options for recruiting "cornerstones." He even used this to have Ares approach students who seemed introverted but might possess special talents.

However, Tom soon found things slipping out of his control.

At one of Slughorn's club gatherings, the conversation incidentally turned to the application of Ancient Runes in alchemy. Ares didn't speak up proactively, but when a senior Ravenclaw student proposed an erroneous theory, he corrected them with just a few concise and precise remarks, quoting a passage from an obscure tome, and then expounded on the magical philosophy contained within. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, and his heterochromatic eyes seemed to hold endless wisdom in the light.

At that moment, not only the corrected Ravenclaw, but also several senior Hufflepuff and Slytherin students who had been observing, cast truly interested glances at Ares. It was no longer the look of "Riddle's mysterious follower," but the gaze directed at an independent individual worthy of attention and interaction.

Tom's hand, holding his mead, tightened imperceptibly. He maintained his perfect smile, joining the conversation at the right moment and steering it towards a direction more to his liking, concerning power structures, attempting to regain the spotlight. He succeeded, but a sense of inexplicable irritation arose in his heart. He enjoyed the added value Ares brought, but he absolutely did not want this "invisible crown" to be worn by anyone other than himself, not even Ares.

What displeased Tom even more was that Ares seemed unaware of, or perhaps indifferent to, his own natural charisma. He reacted calmly to the admiring or probing gazes directed at him, maintaining his quiet and aloof demeanor. But this "indifference," in Tom's eyes, was tantamount to a silent provocation.

The conflict erupted one evening. Tom was talking in low tones with Avery and Rosier in a corner of the common room, consolidating his influence. Ares sat a little further away by the window, watching the giant squid swimming in the depths of the Black Lake. A third-year Slytherin girl, mustering her courage, walked up to Ares, her cheeks slightly flushed, and handed him a letter written in silver ink, seemingly a request for clarification on a Magical Theory question.

"Mr. Phoenix, I... I really admired your insights on Runes at the club last time, I wonder if perhaps..."

Before she could finish, Tom's cold voice cut in, with an undeniable tone, "Sorry, we have important matters to discuss right now." His gaze didn't even fully land on the girl, only on Ares, carrying a veiled warning.

The girl was startled, her face flushing even deeper. She stammered an apology and quickly left.

Ares looked up at Tom, a flicker of confusion in his heterochromatic eyes, but more so, calm. "It was just a question," he stated.

"A question?" Tom stepped closer, his voice lowered, audible only to them, "Ares, you need to distinguish priorities. Our time should not be wasted on such trivial social interactions." His tone carried a hint of possessiveness that he himself didn't notice.

Ares looked at him quietly, not arguing, but also not lowering his head submissively. He simply turned his gaze back to the deep lake outside the window and said softly, "I know what's important, Tom."

This brief conflict didn't escalate, but it became a thorn stuck between them. Tom began to more deliberately draw Ares into his "domain." In public, he was almost inseparable from Ares, silently declaring ownership through his actions. Although Ares complied, the proud bloodline of two legendary wizards within him made him vaguely uncomfortable with this excessive control.

Meanwhile, Professor Peverell's third letter arrived. This time, she didn't beat around the bush, but directly attached a blurry, clearly old, photocopied magical photograph. In the photo, two young men stood under a tree in Godric's Hollow. Although their faces were blurry, the blonde hair and spirited demeanor were recognizably a young Grindelwald, and the red-haired boy beside him... On the back of the photo, a line of small text was written in ancient ink: "...Blood Pact, Light and Dark Coexist..."

The letter landed on the common room table via owl, right between Tom and Ares. Tom's gaze swept over the blurry photo and the writing on the back, then slowly moved to Ares's face, finally settling on the golden chain pattern beneath his left eye, as if echoing the "Blood Pact."

His dark eyes instantly became unfathomably deep.

The invisible crown exuded its allure, and the restlessness in the shadows finally found a clear outlet. Tom's craving for power and his displeasure with Ares's uncontrollable charm, stimulated by Professor Peverell's almost explicit letter, were about to transform into a relentless pursuit of the truth. The secret of Ares's bloodline could no longer be hidden.