Chapter 191 Tom Riddle and Voldemort
"So weak," Riddle said with disdain. "Scum like you aren't fit to face me.
Even your wand is such a piece of junk; it's an insult to me."
"Why do you want to see me?" Harry asked, puzzled.
"Because of his identity," Aaron said, drawing his wand seriously. "Tom Riddle's identity is not simple; it would absolutely terrify people if revealed."
"You're smarter than I thought," Riddle said, a playful expression on his face. "This secret is known to very few, even in the magic world."
"Perhaps those people don't not know, they just don't dare to speak."
"Hahaha, very well said. Even Dumbledore wouldn't dare to reveal this secret to the public."
"What Riddles are you speaking?" Hermione asked, confused.
"The name Tom Riddle is known by almost no one, but his other identity is famous, even more so than Harry Potter's," Aaron swallowed, saying with a hint of bitterness, "Lord Voldemort, or you can call him You-Know-Who."
"What?" Harry said in disbelief. "That's impossible."
Hermione and Ron trembled. The Dark Lord was right in front of them; it was impossible not to be afraid.
"You think it's impossible, Harry Potter?
Lord Voldemort is my past, present, and future!" Riddle said, waving his wand and writing his name in the air: TomMarvolo Riddle.
The letters glowed red, and Riddle waved his arm again. All the letters rearranged themselves into a line that sent shivers down their spines: I Am Lord Voldemort.
"Case closed, but the truth is always terrifying," Aaron spread his hands, feeling incredibly frustrated.
He had originally intended to follow behind the Professorand have an easy fight, but he didn't expect to have to step into the arena himself, and his opponent was abnormally powerful.
He was a bit conflicted about whether to put all the magicpoints he had signed in for this year into his magical energy, as it was wishful thinking to defeat the sixteen-year-old Dark Lord with just the level of an elementary Archmage.
"I will not keep the dirty surname of my Muggle father, so I have given myself a new name.
When I become the greatest Wizard in history, all Wizards will revere this name and dare not speak it."
"Wow! What a grand ambition.
In fact, you did succeed for a time; many in the magic world dared not speak your name.
But unfortunately, you capsized in a ditch."
"That's why I wanted to meet Harry Potter," Riddle's eyes glinted red as he quickly walked up to Harry Potter, used his wand to brush aside his hair, and sneered, pointing at Harry's scar, "An infant, with no magical power, how could he defeat the greatest Wizard of all time?
How could you escape unharmed, leaving only a scar, while Lord Voldemort's magic was destroyed?"
"Believe me, Harry Potter himself is probably more curious than you.
Besides, you are not the greatest Wizard of all time; I can confirm that."
"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest Wizard," Harry Pottersaid, gathering his courage. "He saw through you long ago; you don't dare to face him."
"Indeed, I don't deny that old man's strength.
After I threw out the scapegoat Hagrid, he kept a close watch on me, forcing me to leave school to develop.
But in the end, I still won. I forced him to leave here with just a memory."
"He'll be back, as long as there are people loyal to him at Hogwarts," Hermione said, trembling.
At the same time, an ethereal, mysterious sound appeared outside the barrier. A crimson Phoenix flew through the passage to the curtain wall, its talons clutching a tattered hat.
"Fawkes the Phoenix and the Sorting Hat!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed excitedly. "It must be Dumbledore's aid."
"But even a Phoenix can't break this barrier," Professor Snape frowned.
And it was true. Fawkes was engulfed in flames, but hitting the curtain wall only created ripples, and the barrier remained as solid as a rock.
Listening to the Phoenix's high-pitched cry, Abe disdainfully picked his ears, then flew into the air, slammed a claw onto the Phoenix's face, and plucked a few crimson-gold feathers from it.
A wail sounded, and Fawkes was enraged, even wanting to fight Abe.
But Abe pointed at the barrier and righteously explained a few words, and Fawkes's anger subsided, and it obediently squatted beside Abe.
"What's going on?" Professor Sprout asked, puzzled.
"Who knows, friendly exchanges between magical creatures, perhaps!" Flitwick spread his hands. "Let's break the barrier first! Help Dumbledore lighten his workload before he returns."
..."Dumbledore can't stop my resurrection," Riddle said triumphantly in the Chamber of Secrets. Then he looked at Aaron. "With your intelligence, I think you should understand why I called you here, right?"
"I can guess," Aaron shook his head. "But I refuse."
"Why?" Riddle sneered. "In the future, I already rule half the magic world, and I certainly won't make the same mistakes. You have no reason to refuse the Dark Lord's recruitment."
"That's what you think," Aaron said, a little embarrassed. "I don't care what the future holds, and I don't want to work under you.
Don't misunderstand.
No other reason, I simply think you're not worthy."
This was the honest truth. His family was full of old monsters; any one of them pulled out would be enough to give the Dark Lord in his prime a run for his money.
No matter how bad the world got, with the Gaius family's thousands of years of heritage, they could absolutely remain aloof.
Besides, even the former Lord Voldemort struggled for decades to achieve anything. He couldn't possibly give up his prime years to struggle in the shadows with Riddle for decades, unless he was out of his mind.
Wouldn't it be better to simply inherit the family fortune and live a comfortable life?
The Dark Lord himself couldn't shake the Gaius family's power, let alone a still-developing Tom Riddle.
Riddle was so angry he laughed. "Do you know what you're saying?"
"I'm very clear. I've never been this clear-headed in my life.
In fact, you tried to recruit me last year, but I still refused."
"What a pity, you missed a chance to rise to prominence."
Aaron:...Seriously, don't overthink it. Your so-called 'rise to prominence' holds no appeal for me whatsoever.
"Do you know the consequences of refusing me?"
"I do," Aaron took out his wand. "Do you know the consequences of threatening me?"
"I don't, but I want to try."
Both released an Expelliarmus at the same time, red and green lights colliding.
After a moment of stalemate, Aaron's wand fell to the floor.
"Compared to your peers, you're already a genius, reaching Advanced Wizard at thirteen, but there's still a big gap compared to me," Riddle said with a smile, holding Harry's wand. "I can give you another chance, but before that, you must learn reverence."
"Actually, I don't think so."
"Imperio," Riddle cast an Imperius Curse, hitting Aaron squarely.
But a white wand that suddenly appeared in his hand blocked the spell, though he was still sent flying several meters before falling.
"Are you alright?" Hermione ran over to help him, simultaneously pointing her wand at Riddle. "Petrificus Totalus."
"Expelliarmus!" Riddle shouted.
"Incendio."
Flames joined the battle of spells, allowing Hermione's Petrificus Totalus to hold on for a few more seconds before being broken by the Expelliarmus.
Both were sent flying backward at the same time. Hermione's wand flew out of her hand, and Aaron wasn't much better, his right hand gripping his wand trembling uncontrollably.
"You're too weak; so weak I can't even get interested."
"I'll go!" Ron stood up angrily. "Stupefy."
Without any surprise, the spell was reflected back, grazing Ron's forehead and hitting the pool behind him.
"You idiot!" Aaron said, exasperated. "Just keep an eye on Ginny and don't meddle."
"But now only I can help you," Ron said anxiously. "I don't understand much, but I know to save Ginny, we have to defeat him."
"Stay put."
Aaron stood up, took off the ring on his hand, and threw it aside.
Half of his sealed power immediately surged through his body, his magical energy rising from Advanced Wizard mid-level to Archmage elementary-level.
Sensing the change in Aaron's power, Riddle's lips curved slightly, as if he had discovered a secret. "This ring... I truly admire you, Aaron Gaius.
I didn't expect you to still seal half your power when facing me. Do you think I won't kill you?"
"Don't misunderstand, I just forgot about it."
Riddle's expression darkened; he even felt underestimated.
"Do you think a two-rank increase in power makes you my match?"
"I'm not that naive," Aaron said calmly. "My current power merely gives me a bit more strength to fight back when facing you, or makes it less painful when I get hit."
"It's good that you have some self-awareness, but your talent truly surprised me. As long as you don't die, Grand Archmage is practically a certainty.
Surrender, Gaius, you are worthy of my courtesy."
Aaron ignored him, instead picking up his nine-and-three-quarter-inch vine wood wand from the ground and placing it in Hermione's hand. "You go to Harry's side first!"
"I can help."
"But they both need your protection, and so does Ginny Weasley," Aaron explained, constantly winking at her: Don't forget, we still have an enemy we must face.
Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She nodded somewhat reluctantly, then silently walked over to the three of them.
Being protected by a girl made Harry and Ron feel uneasy, but one of them was disarmed, and the other's wand had a rebound effect, so they really couldn't help.
Aaron summoned his black wand with Accio. "Then... let's begin round two!
Though I don't want to admit it, Ron is right; there's only one path before me: kill you."
"Is that so?" Riddle smiled mysteriously, then walked to the statue and gazed at the face of Salazar Slytherin's stone statue, hidden in the darkness.
Realizing what he was about to do, Aaron's expression changed slightly. "Hey, hey, hey, isn't that a bit unfair? You don't need to release the Basilisk to deal with a few of us!"
"I just want to teach you a lesson. Only those who survive will be worthy of dueling me." Riddle hissed, and the statue's mouth slowly opened.
"He's summoning the Basilisk!" Harry warned in a panic.
"I can see that," Aaron cursed, his hands not idle, immediately carving a white magic circle full of sacred aura onto the floor.