Riddle's Defection

Upon hearing the word uttered by Xiwen, Riddle's expression shifted in an instant, moving from astonishment and disbelief to solemnity, before finally managing to regain his composure.

"I don't understand what you're saying!" he denied vehemently.

"You don't need to deny it, Riddle," Xiwen said with a light laugh. "Actually, I knew all along that you could easily use Professor Slughorn's trust in promising young wizards to obtain a pass to the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library Restricted Section study Dark Magic there at will."

"Coincidentally, I went to the library a while ago and found that the hefty book containing the most Dark Magic elements—<The Secrets of the Darkest Art>—has already been checked out."

"Hypocrite! You lied to everyone that you couldn't use Dark Magic, yet you were concerned about whether someone had borrowed <The Secrets of the Darkest Art>." Riddle didn't respond, instead changing the subject and mocking, "Compared to me, you're the real hypocrite, aren't you, Rozier?"

Xiwen was not offended at all, and too lazy to tell Riddle about his first night at Hogwarts Castle.

He unconsciously recalled the beautiful scene of Helena reading with her head down at the entrance of the library's Restricted Section that night. Several years had passed in the blink of an eye, and he couldn't help but feel a little like it was a lifetime ago.

Not wanting to disturb the tranquil scene, Xiwen slowed down and searched for books that interested him on the other side of the bookshelf. However, his plans were disrupted by a black skull that emerged from "The Secrets of the Darkest Art," which led to their interaction.

It was because of this incident that he developed an interest in that strange book of Dark Magic, and would occasionally flip through it. Even though he didn't intend to learn the Dark Magic in it, it was still very useful to use it to gain a better understanding of his enemies.

It was also because of this book that he learned about Horcrux, these evil things. When Dumbledore got information out of Professor Slughorn that Riddle had inquired about Horcrux, Xiwen immediately thought of the book "The Secrets of the Darkest Art" in the Restricted Section.

As the memories faded from his eyes, Xiwen came back to his senses and looked at Riddle's forced composure.

"I was wondering why you would willingly be controlled by Death to pursue this false immortality," he said to Riddle. "But then I realized that the mark Death can leave is only a constraint on wizarding bloodlines. As long as you use the power of Horcrux to abandon your physical body, you can break free from Death's control at any time!"

Riddle's eyes narrowed, and his tone became nonchalant.

"So what, Rozier?" he said indifferently. "I just killed a bastard who abandoned his wife and children, and then used that carnage to create a Horcrux. My so-called father should be proud of it."

"But I heard you want to divide your soul into seven parts and make six Horcrux?" Xiwen stared intently into Riddle's eyes and asked coldly.

"I did have that idea, but I didn't have time to put it into practice," Riddle said. "I'm afraid I have to thank you for that, Rozier. You disrupted my plans at Hogwarts and brought forward my intention to borrow the power of Death."

"How about that? Did you feel a sense of accomplishment knowing I killed fewer people? Hahahaha..."

Xiwen frowned and said seriously, "Listen, I don't care what wrong things you did before, but this is a critical moment for humanity's survival against the invaders. We need you, Riddle!"

"What do I care about what happens to humans?" Riddle said dismissively.

"It seems you don't remember at all. How about I help you recall?" Xiwen sighed and said softly. "At the Wool's Orphanage, on the very day Dumbledore sent you your admission notice, you learned of the existence of the Wizarding World for the first time. How happy you were then, how much you longed for this new world!"

"Since arriving at Hogwarts, you've experienced the care and attention you receive from the professors as an excellent student, and you've also won the affection of the little witch with your handsome looks. Have you forgotten the warmth of 'home' that Hogwarts has given you?"

Whether you admit it or not, every trace of your life exists in this world; there are so many memories and a past! Perhaps there have been bad times along the way, but there are also emotions that you find hard to let go of.

"Riddle, Dumbledore says you're a product of Amortentia and might not be able to experience 'love'."

"But what about the respect for Professor Slughorn, the sense of belonging to Hogwarts and Slytherin, the friendship with classmates and friends, or the sense of honor when you gain recognition through your strength? Isn't any of these things enough to move you?"

As Riddle listened to Xiwen's words, his expression gradually became somewhat moved.

But he quickly suppressed the slight wavering in his heart and slowly shook his head.

"That's all in the past," he said softly, his eyelids twitching slightly.

Although Riddle's expression returned to normal in an instant, it was still keenly noticed by Xiwen.

He seized the opportunity and pulled out his trump card, adding, "What if I told you... I have a way to allow you to 'Flight from Death' even though you're not under the control of the Death?"

Riddle's pupils dilated suddenly.

"What did you say?!"

"What I mean is, I have a way to preserve the function of the soul through Horcrux, thus making your soul immortal!" Xiwen said, emphasizing each word.

"Only the soul? Can't the body be preserved?" Riddle asked, frowning.

"Death has left its mark deep within your bloodline, and I'm afraid I can't do anything about it," Xiwen shook his head. "Besides, isn't that enough? You're not bound by flesh and blood, yet you maintain your formidable strength."

Seeing the obvious hesitation on Riddle's face, Xiwen continued, "You know what? If you had chosen the right team at this crucial moment, allowing us to achieve final victory, then you would have been a hero in the fight against Death!"

"In that case, the mistake you made before was just an unintentional slip of the tongue by a child eager to avenge his mother," Xiwen coaxed.

Upon hearing this, the hesitant Riddle seemed to finally make up his mind and abruptly turned his gaze to Xiwen.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked through gritted teeth, enunciating each word clearly.

A smile appeared on Xiwen's lips.

"I need the Death's exact location, the distribution and number of his subordinates, his current strength, and the abilities he demonstrated in front of you."

"Furthermore, I look forward to your participation in the final battle!"