Reasons, Part Two

Tom Riddle may have been more gentle than the physical being known as Voldemort, but he was not a completely good person either.

While Dumbledore is alive, he may temporarily obey because of the chains around his neck, but as long as Dumbledore does not prolong his life, he will reveal his true nature after Dumbledore's death.

He might not do what Voldemort did, creating Pure-blood monsters and slaughtering Muggle.

However, his belief in the supremacy of power will be promoted and spread to the next generation of wizards in his courses.

Nicolas Flamel is a friend of Dumbledore. Is he planning to extend his lifespan through the Elixir of Life so that he can control the greatest wizard— Voldemort?

"Dumbledore, even after you pass away, I will still dutifully be my teacher at Hogwarts."

"But don't expect me to destroy my Horcrux and shake the foundation of my immortality."

"At most, I can help you eliminate the threat we both face—what you call my entity," Riddle warned.

"Tom, you are indeed naive in your youth. How could I possibly place my hopes of destroying your main body on you?"

"It's not that I don't trust you. I know what kind of wizard you are, still so young, but I don't need your help in this regard," Dumbledore chuckled. To many, young Tom's power might be no different from Voldemort's, but to Dumbledore, he was like a harmless kitten.

When you are too weak, even your fierce words will be seen by others as nothing more than whining.

"Now I'll tell you my second reason for letting you be independent."

"That is Harry's existence. He is your Horcrux," Dumbledore said softly. He had originally planned to tell Harry this secret in person until the very end.

"Are you crazy? How dare you say this to me?"

"That guy who used my identity to wreak havoc in the Wizarding World is ridiculous. From your words, I can tell that he knows nothing at all."

"It seems that too many Horcrux have made him a little insensitive," Riddle said with a self-deprecating laugh. With Dumbledore's people on both sides, what could he possibly use to fight Dumbledore?

"I put a lock on this secret in the ritual that revealed you long ago. Once you hear it, you can't tell anyone else."

"You can't know your main link either, and you are now considered a main link yourself. The lone ghost lurking in the Albanian Black Forest with the name Voldemort can't control you either."

"That's why I dare to tell you so directly," Dumbledore said calmly, yet with a strong, unquestionable confidence.

"If I don't let you be independent, then in the end I will have to sacrifice Harry to completely eliminate you."

"With your independence, I don't have to sacrifice Harry."

"Moreover, because of Harry's existence, even if the other Horcrux are destroyed, you will not lose the immortality you care about."

"This is a win-win solution."

"You have taken over the position of the main body. If he fails again, he will lose his status as the main body. You can even use the magic of the Horcrux to turn him into Horcrux and then destroy him in the end."

"After I die, Harry, who is stronger and Wisdom than me, will keep an eye on you for the rest of your almost infinite lifespan," Dumbledore sighed.

"You're really something."

"It seems that the Horcrux has not only made that guy, known as the main body, immortal but also stronger."

"But he also seems to have lost his caution and Wisdom."

"I'm beginning to understand why he failed. Even without Lily Potter's sacrifice, with you by his side, he would have met the same fate." Riddle finally managed a hint of admiration. "What's the third reason?"

"The third one? That's the student I hope will lead you back to the right path. I personally brought him into the wizarding world," Dumbledore remarked.

For the first time, Riddle felt what embarrassment was; he wanted to laugh, but couldn't.

Although he was still evil, Voldemort's conscience made him purer in another sense.

If he were seventeen, still whole, he wouldn't be reacting this way upon hearing this; he would likely be more inclined to laugh at Dumbledore's foolishness. But he can't do that now.

Why Harry Potter?

"Dumbledore, you're Nicolas Flamel's friend, aren't you? Why don't you use the Philosopher's Stone to extend your lifespan and personally monitor me?"

"With you and your contract, I won't go in a direction you don't expect," Riddle couldn't help but say.

"Expectations? The arrogance of adults is always thinking they are right."

"Tom, I had the same ideas as you when I was young, like the wizard's interests were above all else."

"Later I felt something was wrong, but recent events have made me start to doubt whether I am right. Maybe Gellert is on the right track, but he is just too radical and there is no one to keep him in check."

"Now, I want to leave everything to you young people. You and Harry both grew up in the Muggle world, so you will decide the future." Dumbledore sighed again.

"There are many ways to extend lifespan. I don't want my future to be without you as my rival; that would be so boring."

"You should reconsider the Philosopher's Stone," Riddle advised, suddenly finding himself somewhat ridiculous. Dumbledore wanted to die, while he— Voldemort —begged his rival, his thorn in the side, not to die.

"The Philosopher's Stone is long gone," Dumbledore said. Riddle's eyes widened in disbelief, but before he could ask, Dumbledore continued, "I used the Philosopher's Stone as bait to lure you, but it attracted another uninvited guest—a wizard from the moon who calls himself Magician."

"He took the Philosopher's Stone using methods beyond our imagination. We speculate that he came from America, the only country that landed on the moon and has wizards of sufficient skill." Dumbledore took out the red stone, and the image of the Magician played in front of him and Riddle.

"The moon? Why would you think he's from the moon just because of his talking to himself?"

"America wizards landed on the moon? Their magic level has reached that level? I remember the being I call the Subject went there before." Riddle was also impressed by the Magician's skill, but he was full of doubt.

"Ah, I almost forgot that the first America Muggle landing on the moon was in 1969. You were in your fifties then, looking down on Muggle, so how would you know about this?" Dumbledore sighed again, this time for Tom's ignorance.

"Was landing on the moon really that impressive? I think that guy who called himself Magician was the one with the most impressive magic skills."

"If Muggle can go to the moon, then it must not be a problem for wizards either," Riddle asked, puzzled.