Lucius's fingers trembled slightly at the rim of the teacup. He shakily set it down, and the delicate china clinked softly against the saucer.
His eyes slowly closed, eyelids twitching with unease, as he tried to suppress the turbulence within.
He was still uncertain. He didn't know if this choice would lead himself and his family into utter ruin.
Wes, ever sharp-eyed, watched him with the piercing gaze of a hawk. He knew that at this very moment, a storm was raging deep within Lucius Malfoy's heart.
Wes stepped quietly to Lucius's side. His movements were cautious, as if approaching a frightened animal.
Then he gently placed a hand on Lucius's shoulder.
"Mr. Malfoy, you've made the right choice. Surely, Headmaster Dumbledore is more trustworthy than that lunatic Voldemort."
His voice was low and calm, like someone soothing a wounded soul.
"Lucius, I promise your family will be under my protection," Dumbledore added, this time unusually serious.
As the greatest white wizard of the century, Dumbledore's word carried a credibility that far outshone Voldemort's.
Color gradually returned to Lucius's pale face. The spark of hope had been rekindled in his heart.
"He was once so brilliant, so striking—a perfect leader in my eyes."
Lucius was swept up in a tide of complicated emotions, remembering why he had once chosen to follow Voldemort.
Back then, Voldemort had been powerful and wise, a fearsome figure in the wizarding world. His charisma and strength had drawn many followers, Lucius among them.
They believed Voldemort would lead them to a glorious future—an era where wizards ruled over Muggles and the magical world flourished.
"We dreamed of putting him at the pinnacle of power—from Britain to Europe, and then the world. All wizards would kneel before us."
Lucius's voice held a trace of that dreamlike ambition—but it was swiftly cut off by harsh reality.
"But…" Lucius's lips trembled; his voice quivered.
"His change came too suddenly. He became cruel, paranoid… made everyone live in fear."
"The Voldemort we have now is no longer a revered leader. He's a Dark Lord everyone dreads. And the most ridiculous part? That all-powerful Dark Lord was defeated by a baby."
Lucius's expression twisted with disbelief—he couldn't accept the fall of the leader he once admired.
Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I didn't know the diary was one of his Horcruxes. He only told me that once it returned to Hogwarts, it would cleanse the school of impure blood."
Lucius instinctively touched the Dark Mark on his left arm—the symbol of his former loyalty, now a heavy stone on his conscience.
"When the Dark Mark reappeared last year, I knew he had returned, though still weak. I thought… maybe I could earn some merit before he regained full strength…"
Lucius confessed his plan.
"I meant to slip the diary into the youngest Weasley girl's schoolbooks, but things didn't unfold the way I expected…"
As he spoke, his voice grew lower and his expression filled with regret.
At the mention of "cleansing impure-blood wizards," Dumbledore's anger surged.
To him, the students of Hogwarts were priceless, and any harm toward them was unforgivable.
Lucius staggered back in alarm at Dumbledore's fierce response, as if struck by an invisible force.
"Headmaster, nothing has happened yet. And Mr. Malfoy has already recognized his mistake," Wes quickly interjected, trying to calm the sudden storm.
Although Lucius still felt lingering fear, the strength Dumbledore displayed gave him a bit more reassurance.
[This old man is over a hundred and still this powerful. Add in the unfathomable Elwin, and the odds look pretty good.]
However, when Dumbledore asked how exactly the diary was supposed to "cleanse" Hogwarts, Lucius was completely in the dark.
"He never truly trusted anyone. I had no idea it was one of his Horcruxes," Lucius said with a hint of grievance.
"Perhaps we should just ask our dear alumnus Tom directly," Wes said casually as he opened the diary and muttered an incantation.
Immediately, the soul fragment of Voldemort appeared—the form of sixteen-year-old Tom Riddle manifested before them.
"Master…" Lucius instinctively bowed to Tom, even going so far as to prepare to kiss his feet—until he suddenly remembered his betrayal. His body froze mid-motion, stiff with guilt.
"What exactly are you people trying to do?" Tom didn't even spare Lucius a glance. His eyes were locked onto Dumbledore and Wes with icy fury.
Lucius didn't dare look up. His body trembled slightly, terrified that Tom might turn his gaze toward him.
"No need to be so tense, Tom. I only want to ask a few questions," Wes said calmly.
Tom's face was dark, his glare sharp as a blade, fixated on Wes.
"Looks like you're not willing to cooperate… but I have another method."
Wes drew his wand and murmured, "Legilimens!" The Possession Curse struck Tom squarely.
Dumbledore merely raised an eyebrow at the spell, saying nothing.
Lucius, on the other hand, instinctively took a step back, increasing the distance between himself and Wes.
Tom tried with all his might to resist the spell's intrusion, but he was merely a fragment of Voldemort's soul—no match for Wes's magic.
His will quickly crumbled.
"Tell me, how were you planning to cleanse Hogwarts?"
Under the control of the Possession Curse, Tom revealed his plan without reservation: to possess a student, open the Chamber of Secrets, and unleash the basilisk to eliminate non-pureblood students.
He even confessed to using the basilisk years ago to kill a girl and framing Hagrid for the crime.
With the truth now laid bare, Wes shut the diary, and Tom's image vanished along with it.
"What do you think, Headmaster?" Wes asked.
While polishing his glasses, Dumbledore pondered aloud, "I never imagined the legends were true. So Slytherin really did leave behind a chamber, and Tom actually found it."
"The key issue is the basilisk. That kind of dangerous creature has been lurking in Hogwarts for nearly a thousand years. If it weren't sealed inside, who knows how much destruction it could've caused…"
Dumbledore imagined the creature rampaging through the school, killing students. His thoughts darkened, and he reached for a book from the shelf.
"Basilisks are no easy foes—especially their eyes. Anyone who meets their gaze dies instantly."
"We could use a Blinding Jinx," Wes suggested.
"Good thinking. Basilisks also have incredibly tough skin and high resistance to magic. Ordinary spells won't work," Dumbledore nodded in agreement.
"I believe we're strong enough to take one down," Wes said confidently.
"You plan to fight it yourself?" Dumbledore asked.
Wes nodded. "The whole creature's body is valuable."
They quickly finalized a plan to eliminate the basilisk—and clear Hagrid's name of murder.
Lucius stood off to the side, stunned. He had originally thought they were going after goblins, not a basilisk.
Wes invited him to come along, but Lucius shook his head firmly.
He had no desire to risk his life against a basilisk.
"You won't need to fight. Just watch."
"Seeing our strength for yourself might give you some peace of mind, no?"
Eventually, Lucius agreed.