The Magically Modified Journey to the West

Tom knew that to maximize Ariana's approval rating...

We need to help her resolve her inner conflicts and face her own strength and Obscurus.

This little girl seems well-behaved, but her emotions become extremely volatile when she has an episode. She's not yet widely accepted, so we can only proceed slowly.

After all, time reveals true character, and Tom Riddle is certainly skilled at charming people.

By the time Tom returned to Hogwarts, it was already afternoon.

I stopped a classmate to ask, and that's how I found out Daphne was in the central garden.

As soon as he entered, he saw Daphne, Astoria, and a group of little witches including Bodesi, Larry, Susan, Hannah, and Padma.

Apart from Gryffindor, all three house girls are now present.

As they approached, Tom's expression instantly turned strange, just as Daphne was enthusiastically telling her sisters about her drastically altered version of "Journey to the West."

Everyone else listened intently, even more so than in a History of Magic class.

Tom! You're back!

Astoria was the first to spot him, jumping up and down, which prompted Daphne to stop telling her story.

The two sisters moved to the middle to make room for Tom.

Seeing the desserts and snacks on the table, Tom waved his hand and said, "You guys continue. I haven't had lunch yet, so I'll just have something to eat first."

"Huh? You didn't go to the Three Broomsticks to mooch some food?" Daphne asked curiously.

"I went to Hog's Head Inn, but that old man only opens in the afternoon, and I didn't even get a sip of cold water."

Tom grabbed a macaron and stuffed it into his mouth. He usually disliked sweets, but he was so hungry that he would swallow anything.

"Eat up, eat up!" Daphne said with a pained expression, pushing the entire dessert tower in front of him.

"Parla!" Astoria summoned her House-elf. "Could you please prepare some lunch for Tom, something very filling?"

"Yes, miss, I'll go right away."

The other little witches looked at each other, their eyes filled with envy. This treatment was just too good!

They longed for that idyllic life, where food was served to them, clothes were put on their hands, and House-elf were at their beck and call.

Tom, oblivious to the girls' envy, continued eating in silence. Daphne cleared her throat and continued her story.

"Daphne, Tathagata Buddha's Transfiguration really that amazing? He can turn his fingers into mountains?"

"Can he really turn Muggle into wizards? Is he Pure-blood or Half-blood? He's not mixed with wizard blood, is he?"

"I think it's a new variety!"

"Does that big wand really increase power? Should I get a new wand too?"

Tom secretly chuckled as he watched the group of little witches earnestly discussing their modified version of Journey to the West.

Luckily, they hadn't heard the original version, otherwise he would have been utterly humiliated.

"Pfft... cough cough..."

A muffled laugh suddenly came from behind him. Tom turned around, his face instantly freezing. Oh no! What I feared most had come to pass!

There stood a girl with cascading black hair that shone like silk in the sunlight.

Her features weren't as sharp as Westerners'; they were soft and delicate, and her eyes curved into crescents, hiding an irrepressible smile.

In the entire Hogwarts, who else besides Cho Chang has such distinctly Eastern features?

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop." Qiu Zhang covered her mouth, her shoulders still trembling.

"So, when you hear Sun Wukong and Erlang Shen, are you talking about 'Journey to the West'?"

She couldn't hold back any longer; this magical version of Journey to the West was too outrageous! Erlang Shen had actually been changed into Animagus!

"You're Cho Chang from Ravenclaw, right? You've heard of Journey to the West too?" Daphne's eyes lit up as she looked her up and down.

Qiu Zhang nodded, smiled, and said, "Yes, I'm Asian. I heard my parents tell me this story when I was little; it's originally from our country."

She paused, then looked at Daphne: "Where did you hear this version from?"

The little witch pointed at Tom without hesitation. "Tom told me!"

Tom just wanted to use the Earth-Splitting Curse to dig a hole for himself, crawl inside, and never come out again. Even death couldn't be this tragic!

Qiu Zhang looked at him with a hint of amusement and amusement in his eyes, probably because he hadn't expected that the genius who drastically modified Journey to the West would be him.

"I haven't heard this story in a long time, and I've forgotten many of the details," Qiu Zhang said with a ladylike smile. "Greengrass, can I join you?"

"Of course!" Daphne agreed immediately.

"Cough cough cough!" Tom coughed a few times suddenly, quickly changing the subject.

"Daphne! Didn't you say yesterday you were going to challenge Megatron? It's almost dark, and it'll be even harder after dark. If we don't go now, it'll be too late!"

If Daphne continues, his social scene will expand to three colleges, so he has to make a quick getaway!

Daphne was indeed stumped, glancing at Cho Chang and then at Tom.

Before she could speak, Qiu Zhang kindly said, "It's alright, it's alright, we can make it another time."

"Actually, I'm also very interested in Megatron. It's a pity I didn't get to see the real thing last time."

"That's great! Let's go together! I'll go get Hermione!" Daphne's eyes lit up, and she turned and ran towards the library.

Tom led Astoria, Cho Chang, and the others toward the meadow.

Astoria stayed close to him like a little bodyguard, and Qiu Zhang hesitated to ask her questions several times.

However, when Megatron appeared before him, Cho Chang was instantly drawn to him.

Megatron looks much cooler than he did two weeks ago; Tom has given him a special magic coating.

Not only does it reduce magical attacks, but it also gleams with a cold, imposing light, making it look even more powerful.

When the students nearby saw Megatron, they quickly gathered around.

Many people missed their chance to experience the game last time because Lockhart interrupted them, and they've been waiting for this day for a long time.

"Riddle, Megatron has become so cool!" A young wizard's eyes lit up; even wizards couldn't resist the allure of metal machinery.

"We made some minor improvements; it's more defensive and more energy-efficient," Tom said casually.

A seventh-grade Ravenclaw boy standing nearby exclaimed, "Your alchemy is absolutely outrageous!"

"I also took alchemy as an elective, and my grades weren't bad, but with your drastic modifications, I can't even understand the principles behind them."

Someone previously asked alchemy professor Leo Verlandall how to create their own Megatron.

Professor Wielandall gave a wry smile for a long time before saying, "Children, the worst thing you can do in scholarship is to aim too high."

"Riddle's Megatron is beyond your current comprehension. Even I don't understand its magical runes and power transmission during Transfiguration."

"You should focus on building a solid foundation first, instead of always thinking about achieving instant success."

From then on, the news spread that "the professor admits his alchemy is inferior to Riddle's."

Tom simply smiled at the boy's exclamation and offered no further explanation.

It's still a matter of circles; some people know that he studied under Nicolas Flamel, while others aren't qualified to know.