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Chapter 661: Can't Think of the Key!!
"Good, I'm glad to see that you didn't lose your concentration after listening to so many things. Next, we'll go into my memory."
Dumbledore said with a smile.
Darren and Harry were guided by him into the Pensieve.
At this time, Dumbledore still looked like a middle-aged man with black hair.
He was wearing a sophisticated fuchsia velvet suit.
"I'm going to the orphanage where Voldemort stayed. I want you to watch carefully. Afterward, I'll have a series of questions for you."
Dumbledore said.
Then they walked into an orphanage.
The manager of this orphanage was Mrs. Cole.
Darren felt that this Mrs. Cole was much more reliable than his Lady Linda from when he had first crossed over.
At the very least, she carefully checked which school Dumbledore came from.
Unlike his Lady Linda, who only cared about money.
When Dumbledore finally calmed Mrs. Cole down,
she led him to Voldemort.
Of course, on the way, the lady inevitably told Dumbledore about Voldemort's strange behavior,
and about Voldemort's mother, Merope.
"We've arrived!"
After Mrs. Cole finished speaking, she pushed open a door.
"Tom, someone has come to see you. This is Mr. Dumbledore. Talk to each other yourselves!"
She said those words,
then retreated, smelling strongly of alcohol.
The furnishings in the room were rather pitiful.
A cupboard, a bed, and a chair.
The only decent thing was that Tom had a gray blanket, on which he was sitting and reading.
He resembled his father, but he was not as likable as his father.
It was a feeling in his temperament.
It always made people think that Tom was plotting something bad,
or that he was somewhat cunning.
When Dumbledore entered, he reached out to shake Tom's hand.
"Hello, I'm Dumbledore. You can call me Professor Dumbledore."
"Professor? Did she invite you to examine me? Honestly, didn't she!"
Tom looked at Dumbledore fiercely.
He seemed used to speaking to others in this commanding tone.
Dumbledore smiled calmly.
He softened his voice, but Tom only became more vigilant.
"She always thinks I have mental problems. She wants to send me to a mental hospital. I never did anything to them at all—you can ask them yourself!"
Tom said angrily.
Only then did Dumbledore reply calmly, "I'm not from a mental hospital. I already told you—I'm a professor from a school.
Of course, you can refuse to attend this school. No one can force you."
"I'd like to see who dares!"
Tom said disdainfully.
"Hogwarts. This is a school specially for people with special abilities, a school to learn magic."
"Magic! You're saying those abilities of mine are magic?"
Tom immediately became excited.
"What abilities do you have?"
"I have many. I can make things float. I don't need training. I can make animals obey me, and anyone who annoys me—I can make them unlucky. If I want them hurt, they will be hurt!"
Tom said excitedly.
He stared at his palm with a look of disbelief.
"I knew I was special. I knew long ago that I didn't belong here!"
He said feverishly.
"That's right. You are a wizard," Dumbledore said calmly.
"You too? Prove it!"
Darren watched as Dumbledore waved his wand and Tom's cupboard burst into flames.
Tom cried out.
There was also a confrontation between Dumbledore and Tom.
For example, Dumbledore told Tom that if he wanted to attend Hogwarts, he must address him as Professor or Sir.
For example, Dumbledore asked whether the things in Tom's cupboard truly belonged to him.
Dumbledore emptied Tom's drawer and ordered him to return everything and apologize.
Darren noticed that although Tom's face remained calm, humiliation flashed in his eyes.
It was clear that he had already marked Dumbledore as someone who had humiliated him.
Finally, the way Tom asked Dumbledore for money was also full of shame,
yet he stubbornly insisted he did not need Dumbledore to accompany him to Diagon Alley.
"Just tell me the address!"
Dumbledore gave him the address and did not insist on going with him.
"This is the address. The Muggles around the Leaky Cauldron can't see it. You can ask Tom, the owner of the bar—he is also called Tom, just like you."
Tom showed irritation and disgust.
"You don't like being called Tom?"
"Of course not. Too many people have that name. Right—was my dad a wizard? His name was Tom Riddle. My mom shouldn't have been one, or she wouldn't have died."
Finally, as they shook hands to say goodbye, Tom Riddle suddenly said,
"I can talk to snakes. Do you think that's normal for a wizard?"
His tone was full of mystery and boasting.
He clearly wanted to suppress Dumbledore.
Dumbledore hesitated, then said, "It's rare, but not impossible."
His tone was casual.
An unhappy expression appeared on Tom's face.
"Then our trip ends here."
Dumbledore finally said.
He grabbed Darren and Harry by the shoulders and pulled them out.
Then he waved his wand and conjured two chairs, motioning for them to sit.
"It's late. Have some lemon acorn juice. I need to ask you a few questions. What did you see from my conversation with him?"
Dumbledore brought out two glasses of lemon juice and asked with a smile.
Harry took a sip and felt it was extremely sour.
So he spoke first.
"Voldemort was very confident he would be a wizard. When Hagrid first came for me, I was even doubtful. I thought I was dreaming."
Dumbledore smiled.
He gestured for Darren to speak.
Darren thought for a moment, then said:
"First, he hates the name Tom. So when he changed his name to Voldemort, that must have been after he learned the truth.
He should have hated his Muggle father deeply. I think his father probably wasn't spared by him."
"Sorry to interrupt, Darren, but I must say—you guessed correctly. Tom changed his name a few years after entering school.
As for his father, he indeed died."
Dumbledore confirmed Darren's words.
This shocked Harry.
This was the key he had racked his brain over and could never figure out.
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