In the end, the one who gave in was Harry—not Hermione.
The reason was simple.
After reaching an agreement, the two of them moved one after the other toward the underground passage.
Since they had no idea what awaited them at the bottom, Hermione first cast a strengthened Lumos charm into the darkness.
The light condensed into a small, bead-like sphere, glowing with intense brightness.
She tossed it downward, watching as it vanished from sight. A moment later, a dull thud echoed back.
Even so, the bottom remained invisible.
That alone told her one thing—the passage was far deeper than either of them had expected.
Hermione raised her wand and cast protective spells on both herself and Harry. Then she looked up at him.
"Are you ready?"
Harry nodded without hesitation.
"I've been ready for a long time."
Hermione glanced down into the darkness, then back at Harry, who was already looking at her.
Taking a deep breath together, they jumped.
"Ah—!"
Their voices echoed through the tunnel as they dropped, finally landing at the bottom with a heavy impact.
At the same time, Tom, who was rushing toward them, felt fragmented memories flashing through his mind.
He ignored everything and accelerated.
It was close to curfew. Most students were already back in their common rooms, asleep in their beds. That made it much easier for him to move quickly through the castle.
Originally, he had planned to stay at Hogwarts for a few more months.
His intention had been to wait for an opportunity—revive himself when Dumbledore and the other professors began to relax their vigilance.
Instead, after barely more than a week, he was being forced to act early.
The most important reason was that he had found someone—a young wizard who shared his ideals.
Though still inexperienced, companionship was not measured by age. Tom could already see the future where they would stand side by side.
And beyond that, there was Harry Potter.
This unexpected development had both annoyed and intrigued him. In fact, it had only deepened his curiosity.
Why had Harry stumbled upon his hidden chamber so precisely?
And why did he possess the exact key needed to open it?
Tom already had a suspicion.
Before his revival, no matter how complete his soul appeared, he was still just one of that person's Horcruxes.
Only after fully reviving would he truly break free from that connection.
Only then would he become Tom Gaunt—not Tom Riddle.
Which led to a question.
Was there some kind of connection between him and Harry Potter?
Or more precisely… between Harry and Lord Voldemort?
Otherwise, could such coincidences really exist?
His speed increased again.
He was almost at the girls' lavatory on the third floor.
His rapid movement didn't go unnoticed.
It was Professor Lockhart's turn for patrol that night. As he passed the fourth floor, he heard a set of unusually loud footsteps.
"Violent" would be the only way to describe them.
The sound was far too obvious.
Lockhart's expression sharpened immediately as he turned toward the direction of the noise and began to pursue.
"Professor Lockhart! Professor Lockhart!"
Filch shouted from behind him as Lockhart rushed forward.
But Lockhart didn't slow down, nor did he respond.
He had no intention of waiting for Filch.
If his guess was correct—if the one ahead was Lord Voldemort—then Filch would be nothing more than a casualty.
Even Lockhart himself was wary.
If Voldemort had truly returned, then confronting him alone would be suicidal.
But Lockhart knew something important—Voldemort had not fully revived.
At worst, he would be facing a young wizard.
That was the only reason he dared to pursue.
Otherwise, the sensible choice would have been to alert Dumbledore and the other professors, then face the threat together.
After all, against someone like Voldemort, there was no need for honor or fairness.
Even so… Lockhart couldn't deny another thought lurking in his mind.
If he could take advantage of this situation…
If he could defeat Voldemort…
Then with just a bit of publicity, his reputation would soar to unprecedented heights.
Forget Dumbledore—he would easily surpass the current Minister for Magic, Fudge.
In a few years, he might even claim that position himself.
Because of those thoughts, he had deliberately left Filch behind.
But as he ran, something changed.
Despite all his ambition, he could not guarantee anyone's safety—not even his own.
And while he wasn't a good man… he wasn't someone who would knowingly let others die in front of him.
These past months at Hogwarts had been some of the rare peaceful days in his life.
Teaching… guiding students…
For once, he had experienced something real.
And this time, he didn't let his greed win.
As he continued chasing, he raised his wand and silently cast several spells to alert the other professors.
His gaze steadied.
For most of his life, he had been selfish.
But now… for once, he chose to protect others.
Maybe it was the magic of the castle.
Or Dumbledore's forgiving gaze.
Or perhaps he simply didn't want to lose this life he had found at Hogwarts… or the students who listened to him.
Maybe it was all of those things.
For once, Gilderoy Lockhart chose to be a good person.
He let out a quiet, self-mocking chuckle and quickened his pace.
Perhaps things wouldn't turn out as badly as he feared.
He would know the truth soon enough—once he caught up to the one ahead.
But deep down, he already had a feeling.
His guess… was probably correct.
...
📢 Author's Note
The full completed version of Harry Potter: The Truth Revealed Through the Q&A Livestream (Part 1 & 2) is now available on Patreon!
✅ Part 1 Complete — 200+ Chapters
Join the journey as secrets, mysteries, and hidden truths of the wizarding world are revealed through an unforgettable livestream experience.
🔥 I also have additional 18+ fanfics available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
1. Dragon Ball: Oolong's Sex Adventure
2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
4. The Naive Me Who Became Someone's Everyday Secret
5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
6. Versatile Mage: Awakening the Succubus System
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you all for your continued support and happy reading! 💙