It's Tom

Albus Dumbledore continued, "It's a very evil form of Dark Magic. Unicorns are holy, and drinking their blood can heal wounds, but it will inflict a terrible curse, a feeling worse than death."

He paused for a moment, then added, "Some people might not think that way."

Hagrid looked deeply ashamed. "I'm sorry, Professor." He was just a dropout; he didn't understand!

Albus Dumbledore's deep blue eyes turned to Tom. "Mr. Riddle, could you tell me what you saw?"

Tom launched into a long-winded explanation. "I've recently started feeling a bit lonely, so I'm planning to follow your advice from before the semester started and get a pet."

Albus Dumbledore's lips twitched involuntarily, while the others' eyelids twitched wildly.

"So you've got your eye on the unicorn?" Albus Dumbledore's lips twitched, and Harry and Ron's eyelids twitched wildly as well.

Even if unicorns aren't very aggressive, they are still Magical Creatures with powerful magic, and they don't seem suitable to be pets at all!

"You are truly wise, Professor," Tom flattered.

"Please get to the point," Albus Dumbledore prompted.

Tom shrugged. "Okay, the point is I'm worried about my pet getting hurt by other Fantastic Beasts in the Forbidden Forest, so I left trigger-based warning spells on them."

"I was just about to go to sleep when the magic was triggered. When I rushed over, I saw the hooded man chasing my horse, and then we started fighting."

After saying that, Tom suddenly shut up.

Albus Dumbledore waited a few seconds, then pressed on, "Please continue, Mr. Riddle."

Tom Bear shrugged. "Are you done?"

Albus Dumbledore rubbed his temples. "And what were the specific details of the battle?" Talking to this kid is really a brain drain.

I'm so tired, really tired.

Tom added a few perfunctory words, "I beat the Hooded Man, then the Hooded Man went into overdrive, so I went into overdrive too, and then the Hooded Man lost and ran away."

Albus Dumbledore's eyes gleamed. "Mr. Riddle, are you sure the difference between him before and after is that great?"

"I'm absolutely certain that what I felt before was that I was facing an ordinary wizard, someone I could do whatever I wanted with."

"Then he went crazy, becoming a messenger of death, and I almost died."

Albus Dumbledore, uttering a barely audible murmur, "How daring, Tom."

The Tom mentioned here doesn't sound like the Tom sitting here.

Albus Dumbledore looked at Harry and his two companions. "And you, do you have anything to add?"

Harry shuddered as he recalled the eerie scene at the end.

"Like a snake, Professor, when he escaped, he slithered like a snake, as if all the bones in his body had disappeared."

"Very useful intelligence. After everything that's happened tonight, you must all need a good rest. Please go back to sleep now."

Hagrid said to Albus Dumbledore, "You too," and beckoned Harry and Ron to come with him.

As Tom was about to leave, Albus Dumbledore suddenly called out to him, "Wait a moment, Mr. Riddle. I remember saying at the opening dinner that students are not allowed to enter the Forbidden Forest."

"Clearly, you violated several school rules today."

Tom sighed, feigning a pitiful expression, "Professor, it's an emergency, but my pet is in danger. You should understand, right?"

Albus Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "Of course, I understand that feeling perfectly well, but the position of headmaster doesn't." So Slytherin loses one hundred points. Good night, Mr. Riddle.

After saying that, she hummed a little tune and walked into the bedroom, leaving Tom standing there sulking.

Tom spat before leaving. "Pah! You old bee! You're just saying that Slytherin is way ahead, and even with bonus points Gryffindor can't catch up?"

"What excuses are we making? Let's see who comes out on top in the end, Dumbledore."

The next day, the Slytherin students who came to the Entrance Hall thought they were dreaming.

They were originally leading second-place Ravenclaw by a significant margin, a full 150 points. But overnight, they woke up to find they had lost 100 points, leading by only 50.

Tom stepped forward. "Stop looking. I got caught by the principal for sneaking out at night yesterday, and he deducted my points." Tom chewed on a mint, his tone nonchalant.

The little snakes glared angrily at the speaker, then instantly calmed down.

"Oh, it's Tom. Oh, it's alright then."

Borgin gave an awkward smile. "Just be more careful next time. I know a few paths into the Forbidden Forest; I'll draw you a map later, and I guarantee you won't be discovered."

Harry, who was passing by the Entrance Hall, was stunned by what he saw.

Slytherin is so united! Because he lost a hundred points, he became almost universally hated in Gryffindor.

Even Quidditch players don't call him by his name, they just call him "The Seeker," but they're all so easy to talk to Tom?

For the first time in his life, Harry felt a pang of regret for not heeding the Sorting Hat's advice and Slytherin.

Aside from those few annoying guys, everyone else is pretty friendly.

As Tom walked through the Entrance Hall into the Great Hall, his first glance was at the High Table, and sure enough, Quirrell's seat was empty.

He casually sat down next to Daphne and began to eat breakfast.

Snape's gaze shot over coldly, like a knife, but even Tom didn't care.

Before class started, Snape stopped him abruptly and demanded, "What have you done?"

"A nighttime stroll through the Forbidden Forest, Professor," Tom said innocently.

"You'll be discovered? Unless you deliberately expose yourself."

Tom shrugged. "Blame that hooded man. I already told him last night. Professor, if you want to know anything, just go find Albus Dumbledore."

Snape gave Tom a deep look and really went to find Albus Dumbledore, but unfortunately, he went at the wrong time.

The news of the dragons reached the Ministry of Magic, and several people were questioning Albus Dumbledore.

Albus Dumbledore and Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge are currently in a honeymoon period, Fudge has great respect for Albus Dumbledore, so this inquiry is just a formality.

Besides, the fire dragon has already been sent away, so it won't have any major impact.

After the others left, Snape went into the Headmaster's Office.

Albus Dumbledore looked at a letter in his hand. "Severus, you've come at the right time. Quirinus has resigned."

Snape was shocked. "What! Quirrell resigned?"

"Yes, I just received the letter this morning," Albus Dumbledore said, recounting the events of the previous night.

Snape was certain. "That person is definitely Quirrell."

Albus Dumbledore nodded. "That's our consensus, but he's already resigned and left, he left overnight."

Snape paced back and forth in his office, rubbing his chin and frowning.

"He will come back. That man will never allow Quirrell to desert his post. I know his character, so this might be a trick to mislead you."