Tom couldn't help but feel a headache when he heard the Centaur say, "You did it."
Tom always felt like something was wrong with his transmigration, perhaps he had transmigrated into some female-oriented novel, or maybe someone nearby had a protagonist's halo that made people lose their intelligence, and now someone else had asked such a foolish question.
Thinking of this, Tom quietly moved a little, slightly distancing himself from Cassandra.
"?"
Ignoring Cassandra's confused expression, Tom explained, "We are just three first-year little Wizards who accidentally wandered into the Forbidden Forest."
"You might want to check carefully; that Unicorn was drained of its blood and died. You know, drinking Unicorn blood brings a curse, but there's no trace of a curse on us."
"We just happened to run into a Dark Wizard here."
After listening to Tom's explanation, the Centaur examined the Unicorn's corpse again and found that he had not lied. He apologized to Tom awkwardly, "I'm sorry, I overreacted just now. Let's reintroduce ourselves; my name is Firenze."
Seeing Firenze apologize, Tom didn't mind showing goodwill, "Hello, Firenze, I'm Tom Riddle. Those two are Cassandra Voley and Draco Malfoy. We're lost, and we don't know..."
"Firenze, what are you doing?" Just as Tom was about to have a good talk with Firenze, a reprimand interrupted them, and two more Centaurs rushed out of the forest.
"Ronan, and Bane, these three little Wizards are lost, and I plan to take them out of the Forbidden Forest first."
After listening to Firenze's explanation, the Centaur named Bane looked down at Tom with arrogance, "Little Wizards of humankind? You've trespassed into our territory. If you want to leave, then let me teach you a lesson first."
"Bane! This is..."
"Firenze, shut up!"
Firenze was about to speak up for the three of them, but he was interrupted by Ronan, who was at his side. Clearly, he also agreed with Bane's idea.
Unfortunately, Tom wouldn't indulge their bad temper.
"Tongue-Tying Curse!"
"Vanishment Charm!"
Looking at the two who were hanging upside down and unable to speak, Tom said with a look of disdain, "If you can't speak, then don't speak. This is just a small punishment. If there's a next time, I won't be so polite."
Firenze looked at Tom, then at Ronan and Bane, who were hanging, and hesitated, finally letting out a helpless sigh. He said to Tom, "Forget it, they were in the wrong first this time. I apologize to you on their behalf. I'll take you out of the Forbidden Forest first."
Tom now looked at Firenze in a new light, "Heh, you really are a bleeding heart, quite different from ordinary Centaurs. Don't worry, the spell will wear off after a while and won't harm them."
"Thank you." Firenze thanked him in a low voice, then disregarded Ronan and Bane behind him, and led the three of them away.
"Alright, we've reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The Castle is just ahead."
With Firenze's help, the three quickly left the Forbidden Forest.
Just as they were about to part ways, Firenze stared intently at Tom for a while before slowly speaking.
"The trajectory of destiny has deviated. Good luck to you."
Leaving behind a mystical remark, Firenze turned and disappeared into the Forbidden Forest.
"The trajectory of destiny has deviated."
Professor Dumbledore, who had rarely gone to see his old lover, Grindelwald, had intended to discuss Tom's matter, but what he received was such a baffling prophecy.
At this moment, sleepless, he was strolling around the Castle.
Tom and the other two, having left the Forbidden Forest, unexpectedly ran into Dumbledore without any warning.
"He really is an NPC that respawns whenever an event occurs."
Tom secretly grumbled, then put on a smile and went to greet him.
"Good evening, Professor Dumbledore."
Dumbledore clearly hadn't expected to meet Tom here. The moment he saw Tom, he suddenly felt a premonition that what Grindelwald had said must be related to him.
However, Dumbledore buried this thought deep in his heart and greeted the three with a smile, "Good evening, Tom, and Miss Warre and Mr. Malfoy."
"It's so late, and you haven't returned to your dormitories? And judging by your appearance, it seems you've just come out of the Forbidden Forest."
At Dumbledore's question, Cassandra and Draco both looked at Tom.
"I saw that person."
Tom's words made Dumbledore's expression change slightly.
"Miss Warre and Mr. Malfoy, please return to your dormitories first."
"Tom, would you mind accompanying an old man like me for a walk tonight?"
After Cassandra and Malfoy had left, Dumbledore's expression turned serious as he faced Tom, "Now, can you tell me what happened?"
For Tom, neither the Chamber of Secrets nor Lord Voldemort were things he couldn't tell Dumbledore. At most, it would revive some of his long-forgotten memories, but what did that have to do with Tom?
Therefore, he recounted everything to Dumbledore: finding the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets today, then entering the Forbidden Forest after leaving the Chamber of Secrets, encountering Lord Voldemort, and then being led out by the Centaur Firenze.
It wasn't until Tom mentioned Firenze's parting words, "The trajectory of destiny has deviated," that Dumbledore's expression changed again.
After a moment of silent thought, Dumbledore suddenly said to Tom, "Today, I went to see Gellert, and he also said, 'The trajectory of destiny has deviated.' What do you think?"
"..."
"Indeed, all mystics are from the same family. If they set up street stalls, business should be very good."
Tom chuckled and then gave Dumbledore a meaningful look, kindly reminding him, "Professor, at your age, you need to exercise restraint."
Those words made Dumbledore almost grind his back teeth. He suddenly felt that Lord Voldemort during his student days was much more lovable.
Dumbledore quickly waved his hand to dismiss Tom, "It's very late today, Tom. You've had a busy day. Go back to your dormitory and rest early."
Just as Tom was about to leave, Dumbledore added, "Oh, by the way, would you mind accompanying me to see the Slytherin Chamber of Secrets tomorrow?"
Tom thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
The next morning, Dumbledore was waiting at the entrance of the Slytherin dormitory.
When Tom opened the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets in the washroom using Parseltongue, Dumbledore's expression didn't change at all.
Indeed, Dumbledore was well aware of Tom's ability to speak Parseltongue.
Tom, for his part, wasn't surprised in the slightest.
When Dumbledore saw the Basilisk skin in the tunnel, he was a little surprised, "A Basilisk? I didn't expect Slytherin to keep a Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. However, Severus would surely like this Basilisk skin."
As Tom led Dumbledore back into the Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore couldn't help but exclaim, "Indeed, even I, the Principal, cannot fully know the secrets of Hogwarts. I never expected the legendary Slytherin Chamber of Secrets to look like this."
"However, Tom, could you show me that thousand-year-old Basilisk?"
Dumbledore's gaze fell upon the bracelet on Tom's right wrist.