Chapter 222: Special Contribution Award to the School, Professor, I'm Afraid Your Hands Are Dirty.
Although Malfoy did not know the existence of the diary, he knew that his father, Lucius Malfoy, had done some shameful things and reminded him during the holidays not to get involved in any matters concerning the heir.
Did Dumbledore look at him just now?
Did he find out what his father did?
Malfoy lowered his head in panic, not daring to meet the old man's bright eyes.
Fortunately, Dumbledore did not pursue the question too closely and looked away after a brief pause. However, what made Malfoy's heart beat in his throat was that the students still kept pursuing the question.
"Who did it!"
"That's a basilisk. One look at it will kill anyone. It's really trying to kill us!"
"Fire! This kind of person must be fired!"
"No, he should be sent to Azkaban!"
Now it's not just the young Muggle-born wizards who are angry, many Slytherin students are also dissatisfied.
How could a beast like a basilisk possibly distinguish between purebloods and half-bloods? They were equally in danger.
At the Gryffindor table, Ginny clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her flesh. She forced herself to calm down and looked towards Slytherin for help. Only when she saw that Tom had calmed down and nodded at her with a smile did her wildly beating heart calm down a lot.
"Silence! Silence!"
Dumbledore had to use his voice to silence the angry shouts of the students.
After the hall returned to silence, Dumbledore continued, "I don't know who brought the dangerous dark magic props into the school, but I am certain that this was not her intention.
She was manipulated by someone with ulterior motives.
I will continue to investigate and make the person behind this pay the price."
"Let's talk about something happy now."
The old man smiled faintly and said to everyone, "With the legend of the Chamber of Secrets finally revealed, a long-forgotten injustice will be redressed. An innocent student was expelled fifty years ago, and he will receive justice."
"And in the future, you won't have to worry about the castle's safety. I would like to thank Mr. Riddle and Mr. Potter for their efforts.
After saying that, Dumbledore started to applaud first, and the other professors and students followed suit.
Harry felt that it was totally unnecessary for Dumbledore to mention him at this time. His only contribution was matching and joining the team. Without him, this team fight would not be able to start.
Um?
Come to think of it, isn't he quite important?
Dumbledore smiled at Harry, who had suddenly come to his senses and whose expression had become calm, even smiling, and announced, "Gryffindor gets 100 points for Mr. Potter's courage."
"Mr. Riddle fought the basilisk in order to protect the school and his precious friends, regardless of his own danger..."
Old Deng's voice was a little stuck. This word... was taught to him by Tom yesterday.
A basilisk can put you in a tough fight. You can fool others, but you can't fool me.
Dumbledore wanted to refuse, but when he thought of the Horcruxes and the great contribution Tom had made this time, even destroying a corner of the school castle, he couldn't bear to refuse.
Just exaggerate a little bit.
Anyway, no one knows.
In the end, Tom won the Special Contribution Award for the school, with 500 extra points, which made the Slytherin students slap their desks with joy.
500 points, they will lose even if they just mess around this semester!
Students from other colleges didn't actually think that the reward Dumbledore gave was too exaggerated. Many people saw Tom's performance on Saturday, which was no different from saving their lives.
How did the life-threatening situation come about?
Ahem...it has nothing to do with Tom, just blame Voldemort.
When leaving the auditorium, Tom was almost surrounded by people and led to the Transfiguration classroom. Now in the school, he no longer needed to do anything to establish his authority.
Anyone who wants to provoke Tom will first consider whether his head is harder than the basilisk or he is less afraid of death than the basilisk.
Someone who meets these two conditions might come and tease the tiger's whiskers, but there must be such a brave king in the school.
In class, the basilisk and the chamber of secrets are still unavoidable topics.
Even Professor McGonagall couldn't avoid going off topic.
"I believe many people have enjoyed Riddle's battle with the basilisk. You can see how important it is to master a powerful Transfiguration technique. He remained in a safe position throughout the entire battle, and the basilisk had no chance of reaching him."
"Professor McGonagall!" Lavender Brown raised her hand high and asked curiously after getting permission: "Is the spell Tom uses to control the puppet a Transfiguration spell? What is it called, and can I learn it?"
Many people looked at Professor McGonagall eagerly. With just a wave of his hand, hundreds of puppets came out to help in group fights. Who wouldn't want to learn such a convenient spell?
"Well, I'd better let Mr. Riddle answer this question."
Professor McGonagall also wanted to see how well Tom understood Transfiguration.
Tom, who was daydreaming and playing with Daphne's golden hair, was suddenly called out. He was stunned for a moment, but still stood up.
"Professor, what did you say just now?"
Professor McGonagall's face darkened.
"One point deducted from Slytherin for being distracted in class. I mean, I asked you to introduce the Stone Pillar Spell to everyone. Miss Brown is very interested, but she doesn't think it's a Transfiguration spell."
"Oh well."
Tom didn't care what points Professor McGonagall deducted. He was very proud of the 500 points he had just gained.
"Brown, you need to first understand the definition of a Transfiguration spell.
A spell that changes the state of an object is considered a Transfiguration spell.
The stone sculpture was originally inanimate, but after the spell was cast on it, it gained the ability to move.
This is certainly a Transfiguration spell, and of course, it is also a type of Summoning Spell."
"As for wanting to learn this spell..." Tom paused: "Once you pass the NEWTs exam with an excellent score, you'll basically be qualified to learn it.
"So difficult?" The students gasped and had an epic lung-breaking performance.
The boy shook his head. "It's not that difficult, actually. It's just that according to the teaching schedule, spells that can imbue inanimate objects with life won't be introduced until fifth or sixth grade. Learning it won't be difficult if you have a solid foundation."
"Can you handle controlling hundreds of puppets?" Simo asked curiously.
"Um...how should I put it?"
Tom shook his head in embarrassment.
It was hard to describe this feeling.
After a long pause, he finally said, "Don't think of it as manipulation.
These aren't puppets from the Muggle world.
You should think of it as... a spell connecting my mind and the puppets.
When a thought comes to my mind, they automatically carry it out for me."
"Because I thought, they did 10
All the young wizards, including Hermione, were confused after hearing this. Only Professor McGonagall showed a relieved smile.
Just based on this sentence, Tom's understanding of the nature of magic has surpassed most people.
Magic is about influencing the world through one's own will using magic as a medium, and there is no need to explain too much.
"Alright," Professor McGonagall interrupted everyone's contemplation. "You can remember Mr. Riddle's words, but don't dwell on them now. When you understand the basics, the school's teachings will no longer be difficult for you."
After that, Professor McGonagall began teaching the class.
After class, Seamus saw a suit of armor in the corridor. Suddenly, an idea flashed in his mind. Seeing that Filch was not around, he quietly took out his wand and cast a spell on the armor.
"PiertotumLocomotor!"
Bang---!
The armor burst into violent sparks and broke into hundreds of pieces that fell to the ground. The sound of the pieces hitting the ground could be heard clearly upstairs and downstairs.
Professor McGonagall, who was still answering students' questions in the classroom, was startled.
Thinking that some monster had appeared, he hurriedly pushed the little wizard aside and ran out of the classroom.
He saw Seamus standing stupidly in front of the scattered armor on the ground, at a loss.
He immediately understood what was going on and shouted angrily:
"Finnigan! You've destroyed artifacts and cast spells in the corridor. Ten points will be deducted from Gryffindor. You'll be detained in my office tonight!"
"Yes, Professor McGonagall." Seamus replied dejectedly, and Zabini, who had not yet left, laughed out loud.
"Finnigan, with a genius like you here, it's a wonder we can keep our Gryffindor points."
After saying that, he left with Nott and Rozier laughing.
Tom pinched his chin, wondering if Seamus had awakened the blood of some magical animal. Or... should he capture him and study him?
"Tom, let's go. We're going to be late for the next class."
Before Tom could make up his mind, Daphne took his hand and rushed to the greenhouse for the herbal medicine class.
Today was still the day for taking care of the mandrake.
Compared with the baby when school started, the mandrake now has the face of a twelve or thirteen-year-old human.
It has grown from a clown to an adult.
Moreover, their screams have become more powerful, and ordinary earmuffs are no longer effective. They must use earplugs to ensure safety.
Or...just do like Tom, pull one out and knock one out.
When the bell rang, everyone almost ran out of the greenhouse as if escaping. This little thing was too torturous, and many people's fingers were bitten.
When Tom returned to the hall to prepare for dinner, he met Snape. He originally thought it was a chance encounter, but Snape stopped him without hesitation.
"Riddle..."
When someone who always had a cold face suddenly smiled, it was definitely uglier than when he cried. Tom couldn't stand Snape's expression and took two steps back without leaving a trace.
"Professor, please be normal."
Snape wanted to curse, but he needed help, so he suppressed his anger and said gently, "It must be very troublesome to deal with such a big basilisk. Do you want me to help you?"
"Professor..." Tom smiled politely. "Of course I welcome your help, but I'm afraid your hands might be dirty."
Chapter 223: The Oxen and Horses Return to Their Positions and Build Momentum!( Please Vote for the New Month!)
Snape was right. A fifty-meter-long basilisk with extremely high magic resistance all over its body would be more troublesome to deal with than dealing with several fire dragons.
He had originally wanted to deal with the basilisk yesterday, but he was overwhelmed by what he saw.
Cast an ice spell on it and freeze it into an ice sculpture, then throw it into a separate dragon skin pocket and deal with it when you have the time.
Snape offered free labor to Tom, so of course he was happy to do it.
He did not doubt Snape's professional ability, but he strongly questioned his character.
If he were really allowed to handle it, Tom strongly suspected that his snake would shrink by one-third.
Snape's chest was heaving with anger. Although he did have dirty hands, how could you say it directly?
He stopped pretending and glared fiercely at a few curious little wizards who were looking around.
Then he lowered his voice and said, "Riddle, I am the headmaster of Slytherin.
The basilisk is a treasure left by the founder.
If you can't give it all to me, at least give everyone who sees it a share, right?"
"People who eat alone are not liked by others."
"Professor, you're wrong." Tom seriously corrected him. "First of all, Slytherin's personal legacy has nothing to do with the school. There's still a lot of Slytherin's inherited dark magic in the Chamber of Secrets. Why don't you ask Dumbledore for it?"
"There is also a Dark Arts inheritance?" Snape was stunned and muttered: "Why didn't Dumbledore tell me?"
Tom looked at him with pity.
So Snape still doesn't know anything.
"Don't look at me like that." Snape was a little angry and warned in a low voice: "We can talk about the inheritance issue later. The basilisk must give me a share."
"No difference," Tom said decisively. "I stole this from Voldemort. So, you're collecting interest on behalf of your former boss?"
"Nonsense!" Snape was shocked. "I want the basilisk, and...what does it have to do with him? Just tell me how you can give me ten pieces of flesh and fangs.
Tom curled his lips. "It would have been better if you had just been so straightforward earlier. No one in this world can get anything from me for free."
"Professor, my runespoor snakes are still crying out for food. It's been so long, and we've only hatched a dozen or so little snakes. Whether the runespoor snakes can grow stronger depends entirely on you."
Snape's face paled. He had held on for so long, even resisting the temptation of the strengthening potion. [But in the end, he still couldn't escape the fate of being used by Cheddel to research this messed-up magic station?]
Snape was torn between his conscience and his desires. Tom was not in a hurry to urge him, but waited leisurely for him to make a decision.
"Yes, but you have to give me some materials first, and two bottles of strengthening potion."
Finally, after holding on for almost two months, he gave in.
"I can't give you the materials. I haven't processed them yet." Tom shook his head. "But I can give you a bottle of the tonic first. I'll pay for it later and then the goods will be delivered.
"I want snake pupils."
"I destroyed the snake's pupils." Tom said bluntly.
The Potions Master was filled with grief, "What a waste! What a waste!"
Tom was so angry that he laughed. "If all else fails, you can just breed a basilisk yourself. If you're not afraid of death, then keep the snake pupil."
"Just flesh and blood, three fangs, and a portion of snake gallbladder. Oh, and please don't agree to one more condition.
"What conditions?" Snape asked.
Tom kept his mouth shut and shook his head slightly: "We'll know when the time comes. It's just a small matter."
Snape thought for a moment, then held out his hand: "Give me the strengthening potion first."
Seeing that Tom actually took out a bottle, Snape suddenly had the urge to rob this kid. If he could get Riddle's treasure, the harvest would definitely be enough to feed him.
Too bad...I can't beat him!
Tom was in a very good mood as the epic bull and horse were back in place. As for the basilisk materials, he also planned to disassemble some of them this weekend to avoid being unable to fulfill his promise when Snape delivered the goods, which would affect his good reputation.
But before that, he had more important things to do.
That is... building momentum.
The next day, the young wizards were all surprised when they saw the Daily Prophet.
On the front page of the newspaper was a picture of a basilisk—"Shocking! Hogwarts is a den of snakes. A 12-year-old boy saves the next generation of wizards!"
The newspaper reported in detail the sudden appearance of the basilisk in Hogwarts. The author of the report seemed to be present at the scene and even knew exactly what spell Tom had used to remove the basilisk's head.
In the end, he was quite sarcastic.
"As we all know, Hogwarts has always been known as the safest place in the world because it has the greatest wizard of this century, Dumbledore, but right under his nose...
The basilisk actually successfully launched two attacks, one fifty years ago, in which a student paid the price of his life, and the other time was last Halloween, but fortunately no one was killed this time.
"And just last Saturday, when the school was in danger, it was a second-grade student who stepped forward. I simply cannot imagine how many innocent students would have died if Mr. Riddle had not lured the basilisk out of the school castle and let this terrifying creature roam the castle.
"Killing is too easy for a basilisk. It only needs a short moment of eye contact to easily take a student's life."
"I'm not exaggerating at all. It was Mr. Riddle who saved the future of the British wizarding world. Here, I strongly urge the Ministry of Magic and the Merlin Jury to award Mr. Riddle the Order of Merlin, and it must be the First Class Order of Merlin!"
The auditorium was silent. Professors and students were all reading newspapers, with varying reactions.
The Deans all felt very embarrassed. Although the newspaper did not mention their names, apart from Dumbledore, they should have been the ones to take action.
"It was Riddle who sent his dragon to stop us." Snape muttered indignantly, and Levi happened to overhear him.
Professor Flitwick shook his head helplessly. "Mr. Riddle's choice was correct. If no one was watching the students, it would have easily led to a greater riot. We can only say that it was our fault for not discovering the basilisk first."
After reading the newspaper, many students couldn't help but look at Tom.
Tom blushed a little now.
"Hehe, Tom, you are shy." Daphne noticed his abnormality and teased him happily. The little snakes around him also smiled knowingly.
"Who's shy?" Tom rubbed the girl's head unhappily, put away the newspaper and continued eating breakfast.
It's not that he blushed because of the praise in the newspaper. He is an honest man and everything he said was true. Why should he blush?
He was just feeling a little bad about having screwed Dumbledore again.
This article was written by someone he asked Mrs. Greengrass to write, otherwise he would not have known the process in such detail.
There is no way, even good wine needs to be promoted at a bush. If he doesn't know how to market, he won't be able to get the Order of Merlin First Class even after graduation.
The Ministry of Magic and the judges must understand what a great thing he has done.
This inevitably requires some pulling down.
Lao Deng, don't worry. I will get back at you through your sister if I cheated you.
Tom thought silently, and after convincing himself, he immediately put the guilt behind him.
Outside, many parents of students saw today's newspapers and the letters sent back from Hogwarts, and they all broke out in cold sweats.
There is a basilisk in Hogwarts. What kind of environment do their children live in all day?
How on earth did Dumbledore become the headmaster?
Owls flew to Hogwarts from all over the country, carrying angry letters of complaint from parents and letters of thanks to Tom. Throughout the day, even during classes, students could see owls flying to the top of the castle through the windows every now and then.
Unable to enter the principal's office, he flew in through the corridor window to feed the gargoyles.
The guard beast, who had been looking forward to the holiday, could no longer hold back. Dumbledore was constantly giving him trouble and he was almost full of letters.
Old Deng in the office was also confused.
He originally wanted to deal with the basilisk and chamber of secrets incident coldly, but he didn't expect the matter to spread so quickly and be exposed by the Daily Prophet. Now all wizarding families in the country know about it.
This forced him to cancel his trip to the Ministry of Magic - and write back to appease the angry parents.
And the next day, he didn't have to go to the Ministry of Magic because Fudge came to the school with a large number of Auror guards and several Ministry of Magic officials.
In the principal's office, Fudge was still sweating profusely, and he kept wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
He had just learned from Dumbledore that all the information reported in the newspapers was true.
"Connelly, fifty years ago, Hagrid was expelled for opening the Chamber of Secrets. Now that it has been proven that he was wrongly accused, the Ministry of Magic should restore his wizard status."
"Albus, that doesn't seem to be the point."
Fudge remained respectful and restrained towards Dumbledore. He sighed and said, "You should think about how to explain to the people. Although their children are safe now, no one wants to live in a castle with a 5X-level magical creature."
"Minister, what you said is very profound." A short, fat, middle-aged witch in a pink sweater spoke in a shrill voice. She looked at Fudge with a girlish admiration on her face.
"This time it's a basilisk, what will it be next time, a dragon, or something else?"
"We can't just look at the surface of the problem, we have to dig deeper into the root causes."
Dumbledore frowned slightly, and a sharp gleam flashed in his blue eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
Fudge couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth, but he waved his hand and pretended to be modest: "Dolores, you are exaggerating. I am only thinking too much for the safety of the children. After all, I am the Minister of Magic. Albus, you won't blame me, right?"
"Of course not." Dumbledore shook his head: "But I can guarantee that the castle is safe. Apart from the basilisk, no other dangerous magical creature can hide for a thousand years, so your worries are unnecessary."
Fudge felt a little unhappy.
What is redundant?
I'm the Minister of Magic, and my heart is filled with the people of the British Isles. How can I not consider the people more?
But he had no intention of falling out with Dumbledore, at least not yet.
"Well, I'm actually willing to believe you, Albus." Fudge changed the subject, "But can I meet this little hero? He's the key figure in this incident. If he helps you, and the Ministry of Magic speaks for you, the public's anger should be able to dissipate a lot.
"I'll go get Mr. Riddle."
Chapter 224: Fudge Shows Goodwill, But Is Fooled by Two Foxes
It was the first time Tom met Cornelius Fudge.
I won't talk about her appearance and figure, after all, there is nothing much to say. She and the pink toad next to her are a perfect match. When they are put together, one looks like a beef ball and the other looks like a pork ball.
Tom hardly felt any kinship with Fudge.
With his green velvet suit, neatly-tied tie, sleek face and excessively sprayed hair, he looked less like the wizarding Minister of Magic and more like one of those outdated old politicians in Muggle society.
And that pink toad, the first time he saw her, Tom swore to Merlin that if she could come to Hogwarts to be a professor, he would stuff Voldemort into the Dementor's anus.
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Just looking at it a few times is enough to make your eyes hurt, let alone if it hangs in front of him every day, you will be unable to help but kill someone.
After Tom came in, Sui Ji was also observing him.
The first reaction was that he was such a handsome boy, which reminded him of his past self.
Once upon a time, he was also a popular figure in school...
Although this was the first time Fudge met Tom, he knew Tom quite well as they had dealt with each other indirectly several times.
Apart from anything else, all the equipment that the Aurors had updated in the past two years was the work of this second-year student in front of him. He even had alchemical props made by him on him.
The last time he came to Hogwarts was because of the conflict between Tom and Lockhart, which involved the largest fraud case in the British wizarding world in recent years, making him extremely anxious.
And then there was the much-talked-about "Chronicles of the Magical World." A child actually dared to redefine pure-bloods. I wonder how many people complained to him. "And correspondingly, many people also came out with something."
To be honest, Fudge doesn't like Tom's trouble-making character. He just wants everyone to be safe and sound and not cause trouble, and just do their own job well.
Students should just study, why make so much noise? Isn't this just annoying them?
But Fudge knew better that reality forced him to like Tom, or at least to appear kind and close to him on the surface.
First of all, Tom also has certain pure-blood family supporters behind him, such as Rosier, Nott, and Greengrass is even a family.
Abroad, Tom's influence and fame are even greater than that of the Minister of Magic.
Since he became the minister, he has appeared in international news only a few times. Every time Tom writes an article, it is serialized around the world. In the photos published by the Daily Prophet, many of the people who took photos with Tom were people he needed to befriend.
As a politician, the most important thing is to treat people well.
Provoking a young man with terrible connections for no reason is just asking for trouble.
With this realization, Fudge kept a low profile. After Tom came in, he just greeted Dumbledore and nodded to them, and then stopped talking. Fudge acted as if he didn't know him, walked up to him enthusiastically, and extended his hand.
"My child, you are Riddle, right? You are such a handsome man. I hear your name so often. Thank you for providing the Aurors with excellent equipment, which has greatly reduced the casualty rate.
"This is Mr. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic," Dumbledore introduced. "He's here regarding the basilisk. This lady is Amelia Bones, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
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Umbridge's face looked a little grim. Dumbledore stopped after introducing these two people and had no intention of introducing her at all.
Actually, Umbridge blamed Dumbledore wrongly. First, he didn't want to introduce her, and second, he had completely forgotten who she was...
"Hello, Mr. Minister." Tom shook hands with Fudge without any impoliteness.
If there ever comes a day when we have a falling out, that will be in the future. There is no need to be mean to Fudge now.
"Good boy, I'm so glad to see you." Fudge's smile was warm and kind, just like Tom's own elder.
"You're welcome," Tom responded modestly, then looked at Amelia Bones.
"Ms. Bones, long time no see."
"It's not that long. It's only been two months since Christmas." Bones smiled.
Dumbledore blinked, somewhat surprised at their acquaintance. "Mr. Riddle, are you acquainted with Amelia?"
"Dumbledore, you forgot." Bones smiled slightly: "Seraphina (Greengrass) is one of my few friends."
When she said that, Dumbledore also remembered: "As we get older, our memories are not good. I had forgotten that you and Greengrass had blocked many Gryffindor boys in the bathroom and they dared not come out."
Tom looked at Bones in surprise. He didn't expect that she and his mother-in-law had such a glorious time together.
"Ahem... Dumbledore, there are some things you don't need to remember so clearly." Feeling Tom's gaze, Bones awkwardly changed the subject, "Tom, tell me about the basilisk."
"Yeah," Umbridge said sourly, still using that girlish, coquettish voice: "I've never seen a basilisk in my life. Does such a creature really exist?"
Just now, these people were chatting and laughing, and she couldn't get a word in at all. She was completely treated the same as the Auror guards.
"Do you want to watch it here?" Tom asked bitterly without even looking at her. Umbridge turned pale at this disregard.
"Um...right here."
Fudge hesitated for a moment, but nodded.
"Principal, please expand the space a little." Tom said to Dumbledore, "This space is not enough."
Dumbledore waved his wand lightly, and the headmaster's office expanded five times in size.
Tom took out the dragon skin bag and cast the magnification spell. With a clang, the huge basilisk head fell to the ground. As luck would have it, the hollowed-out eye sockets were facing Umbridge.
The ferocious head, bloodstains around the eye sockets, and a murderous aura surged out.
Umbridge screamed and collapsed to the ground. Fudge was not much better off. He was standing very close to Umbridge and almost shouted when he saw the basilisk's head. However, Umbridge was one step faster than him and scared him back.
A single sofa quickly slid over and caught Fudge as he fell backwards.
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Looking around in shock, Fudge found the person who had done it and nodded gratefully to Mu.
Good man, if Tom hadn't intervened, he would have been as ugly as Umbridge now.
With this skill, if anyone dares to say that Tom didn't kill the basilisk, he will be the first to disagree!
Bones and the other Aurors also held their breath as they looked at this behemoth. The head alone was almost half the size of the fire dragon's body. One could imagine how terrifying the complete snake would be.
Even if it was a bug of this size, it would not be easy to kill it, let alone a basilisk that could kill you with just one look.
For a moment, the Aurors looked at Tom with awe and confusion.
They're all wizards, so why is there such a huge gap? When they were in their second year, they couldn't even cast a few complete attack spells, right?
"`"Mr. Riddle, you can put it away now."
Tom raised his eyebrows slightly and pretended to hesitate, "Minister Fudge, I think you could take a photo with the basilisk and publish it in the newspaper. This would also reassure the public and prove that Hogwarts is safe."
After hearing this, Fudge's eyes lit up.
Although Fudge was greedy for power and confused about major issues, once it came to how to improve his reputation and how to show off in front of the public, his pig brain would instantly overload. He stood up from the sofa with a start and looked at Tom with a softer and more friendly gaze.
"Mr. Riddle is right. We should give the public an explanation."
Seeing Umbridge still slumped on the ground, Fudge frowned, "Dolores, how long are you going to sit here? It's just a head, are you so scared?"
You are no better than me!
(Hello, Zhao Zhao) Umbridge cursed Fudge and Tom who suddenly released the basilisk head in his heart, but on the surface he obediently gave way.
"Albus." Fudge waved enthusiastically at Dumbledore. "Let's take a photo together. It will be good for you too [at least parents won't send you howler letters in droves ["
"Dawlish, where's your camera? Take it out quickly."
A burly Auror quickly took out his camera. This thing is usually used to photograph evidence and crime scenes. I never thought that one day it could be used to photograph the Minister of Magic.
"Connelly, those Howlers actually all ended up in my mailbox. I regret not hearing what they said."
Dumbledore said, standing next to Fudge. "By the way, Cornelius, the basilisk has caused serious damage to the castle, and the school's funding is already tight."
"It's all a small matter. I'll help you apply for funding when I get back." Fudge agreed readily.
Anyway, it's not his money, and he can also earn a reputation for being sympathetic to students and have a high approval rating.
After receiving the promise, Dumbledore immediately put on a business smile, and exchanged glances with Tom, who was standing on the other side of Fudge, and they both cursed inwardly:
"Old (little) fox!".
Chapter 225: The Only Heroes in the World Are the Principal and Tomer!( With Answers to Two Questions)
"Mr. Riddle, thank you again for your bravery. The children of Hogwarts are the future of the wizarding world. If a mass casualty incident really occurred, the consequences would be unimaginable."
They took more than a dozen photos in a row until Tom and Dumbledore became impatient. Fudge was satisfied and once again put on a show by holding Tom's hand and saying many high-sounding words.
Tom wanted to use Fudge, but he didn't want to be tortured himself, so he quickly gave Bones a look.
Mrs. Greengrass should have talked it over with Bones last night, otherwise she wouldn't have come here specially today.
Sure enough, facing the hint from the sponsor, Bones spoke while suppressing his laughter.
"Minister Fudge, I think verbal thanks alone are not enough. It would be bad if the media interpreted it as the Ministry of Magic not caring about the safety of students.
Fudge completely lost his ability to think for himself. His face changed immediately and he asked hurriedly: "Bones, what you said makes a lot of sense. So how do we solve this problem?"
"It shows the Ministry of Magic's attention, especially the recognition of Mr. Riddle." Bones said seriously: "I suggest that the Ministry of Magic apply for the Order of Merlin, First Class for him."
"First Class?" Umbridge was about to scream, but this time Fudge was quicker than she was.
"Isn't this...isn't this too exaggerated? Of course, Mr. Riddle, I'm not denying your contribution." Fudge first comforted Tom, then leaned closer to Bones and whispered, "Awarding the Order of Merlin, First Class to a child? Amelia, are you crazy, or is there something wrong with my ears?"
The most important thing is that Fudge felt uncomfortable.
He has been working diligently as Minister of Magic for so many years and still hasn't received the Order of Merlin, First Class.
Bones' face remained calm, as if following the rules. "Age has never been a factor in the medal's evaluation criteria. Only contribution is considered."
"Nowell Tonk saved a Muggle child and received a First Class Medal, Tilly Tork saved a village and received a First Class Medal, Peter Pettigrew delayed Black and saved a street and received a First Class Medal."
Hearing the name of Peter the Dwarf, Tom raised his eyebrows slightly, and suddenly remembered that Ginny had promised to help him get the Marauder's Map, but it had been so long and there was no news at all.
Is he just slacking off?
Rope art waiting!
Dumbledore looked gloomy, wondering if he would be embarrassed by his reaction today when he found out the truth.
"Well... you do have a point." Fudge was a little bewildered. "But the Order of Merlin, First Class, is of great importance. It's not something that ten of us can decide."
"So what I'm talking about is just the application." Bones said calmly, "As long as this shows the Ministry of Magic's attitude, it's fine. As for whether it will pass, that's a question for the jury to consider."
Fudge's expression eased slightly.
Bones glanced at Tom secretly, and seeing that he didn't have any unhappy expression, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
In fact, Tom was mentally prepared for Bones' limited help.
She, Fudge and Barty Crouch are essentially the same kind of people—politicians, and it is normal for them to exchange interests.
But the biggest difference between Amelia Bones and the others is that her bottom line is too high. She can provide help within the rules and will not use any means to gain support and benefits.
This kind of person may not be the most suitable choice as a friend. Everyone hopes that their friends will help their relatives and ignore others. But if they are just partners or allies and understand the principle of equal exchange, Bones is definitely the most reliable choice.
"Okay." Fudge was persuaded. "I will submit my application to the judging committee. Personally, I certainly hope that you can get this medal, Mr. Riddle, but I can't give any guarantees."
Tom said a few words of pretentious politeness and stopped Fudge when he was about to leave.
"Mr. Minister, I would like to make a suggestion to you."
"Oh? Please go ahead." Although Fudge was unhappy, he kept smiling.
Tom glanced at Umbridge, "Minister, you represent the image of the Ministry of Magic, and your secretary also represents your image. To put it in a rounded way, you can also say that your secretary represents
Magic Club."
"I suggest you choose a witch with greater abilities and a better image as your secretary."
Tom glanced at Umbridge, whose face had flushed red, "Especially when meeting with officials from other countries, don't let them think that the British wizarding world is full of these eccentrics.
"Who said I was a secretary?" Umbridge was so angry that she couldn't even keep her voice up. "I'm the Minister of Magic's senior assistant! I'm a high-ranking official at the Ministry of Magic!"
Tom looked at Bones in confusion: "Ms. Bones, does the Ministry of Magic have such a position?"
Bones replied very strictly, "According to the law, Senior Assistant is not an official position in the Ministry of Magic. Ms. Umbridge's position should be Director of the Minister's Office and Personal Assistant to the Minister."
"He's a director." Tom suddenly realized.
The Auror who had just taken the photo silently added, "She's the only one in the entire office, but she's not the director."
puff---!
After saying this, several Aurors couldn't help themselves and shut up.
Umbridge's eyes went dark and he almost fainted.
Tom looked at the Auror oddly.
John Dawlish.
Fudge's trusted subordinate, the perfect teammate in Tom's mind.
It can be said that it was a blessing for Fudge to have such a confidant. In the original book, Dawlish failed to accomplish anything he did and was finally beaten into the hospital by old lady Longbottom. Fortunately, he survived to the end.
Fudge looked at Umbridge, who looked like a toad, and nodded involuntarily, following Tom's words.
Doesn't he feel sick looking at Umbridge?
Of course it's disgusting.
But this person is really good at licking... He feels very comfortable when licking, and he can't stop licking.
Anyway, he is not a secretary, and he is not able to handle the tigress at home, so he has no intention of doing so. But what Tom said, coupled with Umbridge's poor performance just now,
A feeling of disgust arises spontaneously.
And as Tom said...if his secretary was a blonde with big wavy hair like me, he would be in a good mood even if he did nothing. The most important thing is that he would feel proud to take her out.
But Fudge wouldn't be so low-minded as to admit in front of so many people that he disliked Umbridge. He just forced a smile and said, "The Ministry of Magic selects talents based on ability. Appearance...is not important, not at all."
"But I will consider Mr. Riddle's suggestion. We can discuss it in detail next time we have a chance. Albus, we'll be leaving now. We'll have tea together another day."
Nodding to Dumbledore, Fudge led his men out of the office.
Tom looked at the wall clock. If he lingered any longer, the morning classes would be over, so he might as well stay with Dumbledore.
"Principal (acdc), you will definitely vote in favor within the Order of Merlin, right?"
Sitting opposite Old Dumbledore, eating the small cake on the table, Tom looked at the old man eagerly.
With Lao Deng's status, he has basically joined all kinds of organizations that can be joined, and he holds a very important position in all of them. As long as he votes in favor, it will definitely affect the group.
"Didn't you reject Minerva's application last time?" Dumbledore asked in surprise, "Why are you so enthusiastic this time?"
"How can they be the same?" Tom spread his hands and said matter-of-factly, "One is an uncertain second or third-class medal, the same level as Lockhart, and this one is a first-class medal, the same level as you."
"Didn't I say last time that I'm not interested in anything other than the First Class Medal?"
Dumbledore was speechless.
He had a premonition.
The reason why the basilisk made such a big noise was probably because of Tom's efforts to get the Order of Merlin, First Class.
Otherwise, why not just solve it in the secret room instead of bringing it out in public?
But this was just his guess and intuition, and there was no definite evidence.
Even if there was... it was a fact that Tom killed the basilisk, found Slytherin's inheritance and taught it to him, and allowed Voldemort to break through a major defense, so he really couldn't find any reason to object.
"I'm really flattered," Dumbledore quipped. "Is it because I have a First Class Order that you're interested in me?"
"Of course." Tom waved his hand, "The only heroes in the world are the principal and Tom.
"Thank you so much for the hero recognition."
Dumbledore's smile grew even wider. "Of course I won't vote against my students, but even with my support, your age is still the biggest obstacle."
The young man smiled brightly: "It's okay, I have other connections."
In the Potions Office, Snape was stunned after hearing Tom's request.
"Riddle, I still don't have the Order of Merlin, and you're asking me to lobby for you?"
Tom waved his hand. "It's not that you don't want one, it's just that you look down on second and third level people just like me. I don't believe that after being the Head of Slytherin for so many years and being a nationally renowned Potions Master, you don't have your own connections."
"Professor, this is the condition you promised me before. Do you want to go back on your word?"
Snape gritted his teeth, leaned forward and stared at Tom. "Is this what you meant by 'a little thing'?"
"Is this a big deal?" The young man tilted his head in confusion.
"Do you know how much favors I'll have to pay to lobby for you?" Snape snorted coldly. "I do know a few old idiots, but they're all shrewd old foxes. They won't budge unless they see a satisfactory reward."
"I'll give you a satisfactory reward, Professor," said Tom.
"That's all the material?"
"No, there's also my future help." Tom pointed at himself and smiled. "Isn't the favor of the future most powerful person in the wizarding world precious enough?"
Snape looked at the boy deeply, was silent for a while, and then spoke hoarsely.
"How arrogant! Never mind. Just consider it an investment."
Tom left with a satisfactory answer and rushed to Professor McGonagall's office without stopping.
As soon as he reached the fifth floor, he saw a girl with fiery red hair walking out of the office with a smile on her face.
"ah!"
Ginny screamed, her feet off the ground, and flew into the air. She was taken to an empty classroom and then put down.
After seeing that it was Tom, the girl rushed over and tried to bite him, but Tom dodged nimbly.
"Damn Tom, you're going to scare me to death!"
Tom sneered and used his arm span to support her head: "Miss Weasley is not so timid. After all, you are Voldemort's disciple.
"Bullshit, he didn't teach me a few spells." Ginny refused to acknowledge this identity: "He only knows how to flatter me all day long. All Riddles in the world are the same."
"I think you've learned almost everything."
Tom's head exploded, and the girl screamed in pain.
"Ouch, what are you doing!"
"Where's the Marauder's Map? Why haven't I got it for so long?
Ginny couldn't pretend anymore and smiled awkwardly.
"Give me some more time, don't be so impatient."
In fact, she had already guessed why Tom was so irritable today, and kept making jokes to fool him, but she failed in the end.
In the new January, I would like to answer two questions here. First of all, this book will not go to other worlds. There was no other way because I promised to write the best book, so I had to keep writing. This book will only be about this world.
The second question is about the third teacher, which will come up later. I actually have two options, but I haven't decided which one to use yet. While writing recently, I've been thinking about making a decision as soon as possible.
Chapter 226: Tom Mcgonagall: It's Time to Put More Burden on Students
Under Tom's questioning, Ginny finally told the truth.
She did not slack off or forget her master's mission.
But George and Fred were too difficult to deal with. She occasionally had some small handles on them, but they were not a threat to them at all. Once, she acted too deliberately and was immediately noticed by the sharp-minded Gemini. It took a lot of effort to divert their attention.
Ginny became much more careful afterwards, but because of Quidditch training recently, she had few opportunities to interact with the two of them.
"It's really useless."
Tom ruffled her hair in anger. "I had high hopes for you, and this is how you repay me?"
"You still have to let me take action."
The girl struggled unconvincedly to break free from the devil's clutches: "What else can you do? Are you going to just rob me?"
Tom pinched his chin and looked her up and down. "Tell me...if I turned into a dark wizard, kidnapped you, and then exchanged you with George Fred, would he agree?"
What a dog, Tom.
Ginny felt that Voldemort was just a pure young boy compared to Tom. If she was toyed with by Tom for a while first, no one would be able to fool her.
"Hey, I'm yours, how dare you cheat me like this?"
"If they tell Mom, I'll definitely get scolded."
"If you want to kidnap someone, why not just kidnap them?" Ginny said dissatisfiedly.
"That won't do." Tom shook his head: "They are one of the few friends I have at school. The other Gryffindors hate and fear me, but Fred and George even invite me to eat in the kitchen with them.
"How could I kidnap my friend?"
The girl's eyes widened: "So you have the nerve to kidnap me?"
"You are not my friend." Tom rolled his eyes, "You are a little maid, and it is your duty to complete the master's task."
Ginny angrily pulled out her wand: "I'm going to fight you!"
"Relax." Tom pointed casually, and the girl immediately fell into his arms as soft as mud.
"You still want to fight me? You're getting bolder and bolder."
Kneading Ginny's face into dough, Tom lifted her chin and said, "I'll give you another half month. If you don't get the map, I'll really kidnap you."
"Woo~! You're bullying me!"
"Professor, you are the only one who can help me."
In Professor McGonagall's office, Tom said with a smile on his face, which did not show that he had just severely bullied a Gryffindor student.
?The elite wizards in the British wizarding world are actually all in a small circle, but the wizards in the circle are divided into different small groups.
Dumbledore's friends were not necessarily Professor McGonagall's friends, and Tom could guarantee that Professor McGonagall was definitely more popular than Dumbledore.
There are people who really like Lao Deng, but there are also many people who hate and fear him.
Because Dumbledore is so much more than an ordinary wizard, he makes people feel unreal and wary, but he maintains a gentle attitude towards everyone.
This gave many people the courage to envy and hate him.
But Professor McGonagall is different. Her character is as strong as that of Uncle Newt. Newt is a socially anxious person. Professor McGonagall has been teaching and educating people for decades. She has taught students and met many people...
Anyway, Tom thought she was more reliable than Dumbledore.
After listening to Tom's request, Professor McGonagall not only did not think that Tom was fickle - she did not agree to her application for the medal last time, but this time she took the initiative to ask for the medal.
Instead, I felt a sense of relief.
This is Slytherin, there's nothing wrong with the Sorting Hat.
The difference between Tom and other Slytherins is that he is very ambitious, so ambitious that he doesn't even look down on the second and third level Order of Merlin, and only has eyes for the first level.
What's the problem?
Of course not.
It's not just Slytherin who pursues glory, Gryffindor does the same. On the contrary, Professor McGonagall appreciates that Tom can speak frankly, which is better than those who clearly want it in their hearts.
People who pretend to be indifferent on the surface are much stronger.
"Mr. Riddle, don't worry. Without your careful arrangements, the basilisk wouldn't have been dealt with so easily. You truly deserve this Order of Merlin, First Class."
Tom was touched.
Professor McGonagall is such a sincere man. He didn't even tell her the conditions, but she agreed right away.
This shows that he is cautious and judges others' concerns.
This won't do. Tom doesn't like being taken advantage of for free, nor will he take advantage of others for free, otherwise he will always feel guilty.
So Professor McGonagall has to take this benefit whether he wants it or not.
"Professor, besides the Order of Merlin, I actually have something more important to ask you."
Tom looked serious, and Professor McGonagall involuntarily sat up straight and motioned Tom to continue.
"In two months, Ilvermorny and Castellobus will be here, and more and more schools will come to Hogwarts for the Dueling Tournament next year."
"Although it's nominally an exchange, I'm sure you understand that this is actually competition. I'm sure other schools have the same idea, wanting to suppress Hogwarts."
Professor McGonagall nodded. "Everyone wants their school to be the best magic school in the world. It can't be helped, including me."
"There was no chance before, but even if we can't confirm it directly this time, it can still affect the school's reputation."
"So we must be cautious." Tom looked like he was working hard for the school, and Professor McGonagall felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
It seems... that's how Tom behaved when he explained the invisible prefect system to her.
0…Requesting flowers......
"You always have some weird ideas popping up in your head."
Professor McGonagall couldn't help but smile. "Tell me, what's your idea this time? The professors are already working very hard to help the students.
Filius and the others haven't left the school for several weekends in a row, but they can't stand your annoyance."
Tom shook his head honestly. "Professor, I'm not messing with professors. I'm messing with students... No, it's for the students' good."
"Do you know what the biggest problem at Hogwarts is right now?"
"What is it?" Professor McGonagall asked curiously.
"There are too few exams!" the young man slammed his hand on the table in frustration. "There's only one final exam per school year. How can this be allowed?"
"With so much knowledge learned every year, can one paper really capture it all? Since you were a student yourself, you must be aware that a significant number of students cram for the first half of the month and, after passing the exam, 'immediately return the knowledge to the teacher.'"
"Once you develop a path dependency, you'll only be able to remember a handful of things when you graduate, and most of them are frequently used magic and knowledge.
As Tom continued his story, Professor McGonagall's expression became extremely serious.
She actually knows that students are eager to cram for homework before school starts and cram for reviews before exams, but as a professor, she can only persuade them and cannot check their progress every day.
"So, you think that as long as there are enough exams, students will not dare to review at the end of the semester, but will stay tense during the rest of the year." Professor McGonagall understood why Tom said there were too few exams.
"That's right."
Tom nodded. "Not only should we have more tests, but we should also make them more important."
"According to the methods of Muggle schools, all exams need to be divided into three levels: the lowest level quiz, some formal tests, and the most important exam."
"Each level of the exam will account for a certain percentage of the total score for the academic year.
I believe that as long as this continues for a year or two, students' average grades will definitely improve significantly.
They won't forget what they learned after the exam, and they will definitely retain more knowledge than before."
Professor McGonagall lowered his head in thought. If he followed Tom's method of division, the students would be in trouble. They would have to take a test once a month, a test every two months, and finally a final exam.
But, if they suffer a little now, isn't that for their future?
At this moment, Professor McGonagall had made a decision in his mind.
"Mr. Riddle, I will seriously consider your suggestion. It's time to give the students some courage."
[Ding... The host has been detected trying to change the academic environment, and a task is now being issued...for a long time].