Meet Mr. Riddle?
Ginny froze.
A voice in her subconscious warned her: Don't do it! Trusting a magical object is foolish and dangerous!
But her curiosity had been teased awake like a cat's.
What would the real Mr. Riddle be like?
I've never really understood Mr. Riddle, and now there's a chance right in front of me-
"But how do I do it?" The longing in Ginny's heart overwhelmed all her caution. Of course, that also had something to do with the trust Cyrus had already built up in the little girl. It barely occurred to her that "Mr. Riddle" might hurt her.
Seeing Ginny agree, Cyrus was delighted too.
If Voldemort had anything worth praising besides his magical talent, it was probably this handsome face, which Rowling herself had declared the most beautiful in the entire series. Before Tom Riddle began transforming himself with dark magic, he had used it to deceive quite a few women. Even now, the soul of one of his victims still drifted through Ravenclaw Tower at Hogwarts!
She was a descendant of Ravenclaw, the wisest of the Four Founders, yet she had turned out to be a fool blinded by love.
"All you need to do is press your face into the book, and I'll take you into my memories."
The Diary's pages fluttered as though caught in a strong wind, then stopped on a particular page.
Ginny stared at the Diary's page in astonishment. It seemed to have turned into a miniature television screen. Her hands trembled slightly as she raised the book and pressed her eyes to the little window. Before she could understand what was happening, her body pitched forward. The window was growing larger, and Ginny felt herself leave the chair and plunge headfirst through the opening in the page, into a swirling dance of colors, light, and shadow.
It was a gray, hazy space, surrounded by silver mist that flowed like morning fog, looking at once weightless and heavy.
A little nervous, she looked around for any figure who might be "Mr. Riddle."
Cyrus wasn't playing hide-and-seek with her. He stood a short distance away, holding the phantom image of a wand that belonged to no one, his head tilted as he watched her with a gentle smile.
"Mr. Riddle?"
Ginny called to him tentatively.
"Hello, Ginny." Cyrus's reply immediately turned her nervousness into delight.
She jogged over to Cyrus and studied him in surprise. The little girl had probably never imagined that the "Mr. Riddle" who had been talking to her all this time would be so handsome.
"Are you really Mr. Riddle?"
"Strictly speaking, this is only his memory," Cyrus said cleverly. He tried to make sure his words weren't lies, though they amounted to much the same thing. "I'm guessing you must be surprised. You probably never imagined I was a Slytherin student, did you?"
He pointed at his robes as he spoke.
"I really didn't. You're always encouraging me to break school rules, Mr. Riddle," Ginny muttered. Apparently, she didn't think there was anything wrong with Slytherin.
Ever since she had entered, her gaze hadn't left Cyrus's face.
"What is it?"
"I think you-look a little like Harry, Mr. Riddle," Ginny said hesitantly, then quickly added, "Only a little, of course."
"Coincidences like that do happen," Cyrus said with a smile. Naturally, he knew why. In fact, the blood relationship between Riddle and Harry could be traced all the way back to the time of the Three Brothers.
"More importantly, Ginny, you're even more adorable than I imagined," Cyrus said without hesitation.
Ginny immediately became too embarrassed to speak,
and hurriedly looked away. Dealing with an eleven-year-old girl was almost absurdly easy for Cyrus.
"Have you been staying somewhere like this for the past fifty years, Mr. Riddle?" As soon as Ginny turned her attention to this "space," sadness appeared on her face.
There was nothing here. It was pitch-black, like an empty, desolate forest in winter. The silver mist was cold, and merely looking at it felt suffocating. She couldn't imagine how anyone could spend fifty whole years here. If it were her, she probably wouldn't last a single day.
Poor Mr. Riddle...
He only wanted to see the real world. What was wrong with that?
He even took the time to help me finish my homework!
Ginny desperately wanted to hug Mr. Riddle now, but when she reached toward Cyrus, her small, delicate hand passed straight through his body.
"It's no use, Ginny. I'm only a memory," Cyrus said. "I can see and hear, but I can't touch or feel anything-on the day I so shamelessly took control of your body, I truly felt alive! The blue sky, the wind, the warm sunshine on my skin... being alive is extraordinary, don't you think? Of course, I didn't forget to enjoy a good meal in the dining hall, either."
The expression on his face grew more and more contented, making Ginny feel even worse. She almost burst into tears.
"Enough!" Cyrus's tone suddenly turned stern. "That's enough, Ginny!"
His sharp words made Ginny recoil, leaving her frightened for a moment. Then Cyrus spoke gently again. "You should go back-"
"But..."
"Go on. It isn't good to spend too long with a dead thing like me, something that doesn't even count as a ghost. Once you're back, destroy the Diary. If you don't have enough magic, give it to someone else. It's time for us to say goodbye. It was lovely meeting you, Ginny." Cyrus made a show of saying farewell, his figure slowly becoming transparent and insubstantial as it faded into the silver memories.
"No-" Ginny bit her lip, great tears streaming down in an unbroken line as she shook her head frantically.
"Be good, Ginny. Perhaps destruction is the only fitting end for a memory like me."
"No!" Ginny shook her head resolutely. "You're my friend, Mr. Riddle. I'll never kill you!"
"You'll have new friends. Real friends," Cyrus emphasized.
"That's different!"
"But..."
"Are you planning to hurt me, Mr. Riddle? Are you going to kill me?" Ginny hurriedly asked in return.
"Of course not," Cyrus vehemently denied.
That, at least, was the truth.
"Then why should I kill you, Mr. Riddle?" Ginny had made up her mind, and now she became exceptionally brave. Wiping away her tears, she said firmly, "You want to experience the real world. I can help!"
"I think-letting you borrow my body once in a while wouldn't be a big deal, would it, Mr. Riddle?"
The adorable little girl spoke earnestly.
For a moment, Cyrus felt that he truly deserved to die... but he still wanted to live.
"Thank you, Ginny."
Before you continue