LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 110: Chapter 110
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Chapter 85- The Riddle of Riddle.
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Duh, duh, duh. Another one bites the dust. I'm gonna get ya, I'm gonna get ya, Tom Riddle. And another Riddle page goes into the cage, another one to add to the collection. Casting the spell once more, I witness no trail pop up aside from the unstable Harry one, and that concludes my hunt for the night. Checking the Marauders Map, I notice numerous names still out and about, names that were formerly possessed. I also note that every name that was out and about before I began tonight's hunt is still on the map, which is a good thing.
It means that once again, another night has gone by with me hunting Riddle, and he has not followed through on his threat to blow up the students he has been possessing. It was a bluff. He tried to threaten me with empty promises, and I didn't back down. Returning to my room, I enter my soul-catching tent and place my new pages in my box, for a total of 27. I've been a busy boy for the last couple of weeks, but I still don't know how big of a dent that has put in the total amount. It is definitely something, though.
Anyway, the fact Riddle didn't blow anyone up even after his pages were taken leads me to some possibilities. First of all, he doesn't want any students dying just yet. In fact, he has been making sure that everyone so far has been petrified. It is not so hard to do; he just makes sure to use his possessed student during the day to use magic on the later victim so they have some sort of lens on them to look through. That way, he can ensure that a student he attacks later on is actually petrified. Hell, he could have charmed them so they would come to a secluded, predetermined spot later.
What does this mean? It means that he needs students to be attacked, but not killed. Why? Dumbledore. He is attacking Dumbledore's reputation and wants him out of the school; that is his motive right now. Just like how in the first year Quirellmort needed Dumbledore out of the school so he could attempt to steal the stone, this year Riddle needs Dumbledore gone, and when the old man is, he will set his plan, which he has been preparing for into motion. He is preparing for the climax, and he can't afford to do anything to jeopardise this.
Wouldn't a student dying under Dumbledore's watch harm the man's reputation and get him kicked out? No. Right now, the general consensus of the parents is that there is a mischievous student going around petrifying other students with unknown magic and spreading rumours of the heir of Slytherin. After all, no one has died or really been injured apart from the petrifications, and only the cryptic messages left behind allude to something more sinister. Right now, it is only the younger and stupid ones who think there is really someone trying to kill students, which admittedly makes up most of the population of Hogwarts.
The more sane and more intelligent people believe a student is going around petrifying people, and while no one is dying, no one wants to be petrified and miss a whole school year and get left behind to repeat a year while their classmates move on. This is why everybody is on edge and suspicious of each other, whilst most of the Professors aren't actually doing much about this. I believe Riddle planned this situation as he wanted Dumebldore's reputation to be tarnished and for him to be kicked out of Hogwarts. That's probably what Lucius Malfoy is up to right about now.
He is trying to convince others on the board that Dumbledore is an old crackpot of a man and not fit to be the headmaster, as he can't even catch a prankster. Lucius Malfoy is probably an unwitting pawn right now, Riddle likely having figured out the man's intentions from his time in close proximity to him and is providing Lucius with the opportunity he seeks, knowing the man will bite on to it. However, if a student were to die, then that would upset his whole plan. Because then, it would no longer just be a prankster trouncing around the halls of Hogwarts.
If a student were to die, then Dumbledore definitely wouldn't be removed from his position. Some people might not like the man, and a lot think he has lost his mind, but there is no denying that he is the most powerful wizard currently alive. If a student is dead, then the situation is dire, and they would keep Dumbledore here to find the killer and protect the rest of the students; not only that, but they would probably send in a lot of Aurors as well. Hogwarts would be under a lot of scrutiny, and Riddle wouldn't be able to carry out his plans.
Hell, they might actually cancel the year and send all of the students home, meaning there would be no one weak enough for Riddle to possess anymore, and he wouldn't have any students to use for his plans. With no students to maintain, it would only be a matter of time until the diary is found, and every student will be screened before they are allowed to leave Hogwarts. Right now, Riddle is being as low-key as possible, slowly moving his pieces into the correct position, waiting until the perfect moment for a checkmate. A snake in the grass, waiting for the right time to strike.
Of course, Riddle isn't an idiot. This is the first Horcrux, the piece of Voldemort with the most of his soul, probably even more than the actual Voldemort, who is really more like a wrathful shell. As far as I can tell, he is a lot more intelligent and sane, though it is without all the experience and power of the actual Voldemort. I would actually say this is the most dangerous version if he manages to get off of his feet and start to amass power and followers. That's why I believe he will most likely have countermeasures and contingency plans in case something disrupts his original plan.
He believes that I will not reveal him for some reason, and that is why he is continuing to do his work at night, risking his pages, which I am eagerly snatching up, getting one or two at least a night. If I were to reveal him and get more people involved, such as Dumbledore, then things might spiral out of control. He will get desperate and drastic, and I can't let that happen as he can control dozens of students with his pages, which he will likely take advantage of and get a lot of kids killed. We are in a secret war right now, and it is better to stay like that for the time being. If things change or I find anything that looks worrying, I will go get Dumbledore, but only if things are dire and past the point of no return.
Of course, this is all conjecture at this point, and while I do have concrete thoughts behind this conclusion, all of my evidence is circumstantial, and there is nothing to confirm this for me except a feeling in my guy. Riddle could be up to something else entirely, and I won't know about it. I can't. I can only keep doing what I am doing and hope that I am not going to tip him over the edge too fast while he still has too much power. I believe when I have taken enough of his pages, he will come for me, probably with a hostage, wanting his pages, and by that point, I will be more than prepared for it.
Checking the defences of my room and my mind to make sure nothing is wrong, I let myself relax, getting into my bed and drifting off to sleep after another long day of teaching and hunting.
I am just glad Andromeda and Nym are in a safe place. I still remember trying to convince them to go to ground without being able to explain why. Of course, it was all for nought, Andromeda being a strong and self-sufficient woman who didn't need my prodding.
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Walking down Diagon Alley, I can't help but take a moment to breathe in all the sights and sounds, enjoying the symphonies and colours that sparkled in the air. Such a difference from the gloomy, suffocating atmosphere of Hogwarts. I genuinely miss how good life was back when all I had to worry about was my business, which Andromeda mainly took care of, leaving me free to enjoy my life and the different attractions Diagon Alley had to offer.
Over there is the cafe I used to go to for breakfast, as well as a morning quickie from the woman who ran it. Over there, I used to have lunch as well as an under-the-table blowjob whilst enjoying my lunch, the proprietress very eager to please. Over there, I had my robes and suits done, surprisingly only ever managing to get a handjob there. I would spend time at the magical arcade getting tokens, which I would hand over for prizes, which I would give to Andromeda to try and increase affection, usually getting my hand on more tokens whilst diddling the girl who worked there. The bookstore where nobody really went as people rarely got books for themselves after Hogwarts, and I could usually have a lot of fun between the shelves with a lot of different women, the librarian usually getting dragged into it.
To be honest, most of my time was spent fucking and having fun all around the place, Diagon Alley being my personal playground. Such good times, but sadly, I had to leave all that behind to be a teacher, and whilst I have had a few good times there with some girls, it's not as nearly much as I would have liked. No, no, Gildeory. Don't get distracted. Remember why you are here. To convince Andromeda and Nym to hide away for the rest of the year as they are the only ones close enough to be used as Hostages against me.
Of course, by this point, I had had time to think about Riddle's threat, and I knew how unfeasible it was. No matter how powerful he currently was, he had a limit. There is no way he would be able to send one of his pages all the way out here to get to Andromeda and her family, let alone my biological family, which no one knows the location of. He would have to have the whole diary leave the castle, and he won't do that. He also doesn't have any minions to send after them, this being the younger Riddle before he had Death Eaters and followers.
It is very unlikely he would be able to attack or take anyone I care about hostage, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. That's why I am here. I also have missed the workplace. I'd like to see how things have been going without me and how my employees have been faring, but I have to make sure Andromeda and Nym are safe, which is priority number one. Now, it's time to stop the reminiscing and go visit my place of business slash pleasure.
Walking down the main street of Diagon Alley, I can't help but feel that I definitely chose the right spot for my business. I'm glad that I raided and took it from the loan sharks that used to have such a great spot. I pass by the park and then the Owl Post Office, which is right next to my property. It is an excellent place as all the mail is right next door, and it makes work efficient for us. And there is my pride and joy, looking unchanged from the last time I saw it, which was many months ago.
Lockheart Solutions. I originally wanted something like Lockheart Limited or some cheesy name like Unlocking The Heart, but Andromeda convinced me otherwise. She said this was much more appealing and would present better to the public, making it seem as if we are a company focused on helping and providing solutions instead of being solely for profit. I don't know if all those companies out there that call themselves solutions also do it for that reason, but it makes sense to me.
The appearance of the place itself doesn't exactly please me, but I understand the necessity of it. Apart from the name being across the door in big gold, twirly fancy letters that sparkle and move around, the bottom floor is pretty standard, just glass windows and a door. Of course, the glass windows are enchanted so that they don't reveal the inside, and instead, they are repeatedly showing images of myself, which are there to promote and lure people in, though it usually just has a bunch of housewives crowded around it. As a case in point, I can see Mrs Weasley over there, and I am glad I have disguised myself today.
What really irritates me about the building is that the entire top of it is essentially a billboard, and it is a billboard of me, my face there with a dashing sparkling smile, my arm moving outside of the billboard and sporting a thumbs up, constantly going back and forth towards myself. I hate the thing, but it is bold and attracts attention, not to mention the slogan on it. Lockheart Solutions, Helping To Unlock Your Hearts Desires. I honestly kind of felt like the fairy godmother from Shrek with how I was being promoted, but what works works.
I look towards the shrunken-head bowling alley on the other side of my shop, and I really want to go there and have a few games. Bowling is extra fun when the projectiles you are throwing are screaming and shouting. Except, I can't stop for fun now, my goals being very clear in my mind. Moving forth, I go and enter through my business's front door, a small chime signalling my entry. I enter a reception area, and a few people sit around in the waiting room. The receptionist is looking up but just goes back to her work when I dispel my disguise.
I don't mind her ignoring me since she was used to it. She is not a pretty receptionist, being a heavy-set lady with more flab than anything else, but she sits and does the job. I think half the reason Andromeda got here is so that I don't distract the receptionist from their duties, and it's the same with everybody else working around here. Walking through the door to the offices, I notice a lot of people going around that I don't recognise, but Andromeda asks me about all the final decisions. I trust her, so I approve of these people without ever meeting them.
I move through, people so busy with their jobs, though I have no idea what they are doing, and I head to my office at the back. The office, which has been Andromeda's while I've been gone, which I don't mind. I walk in without bothering to knock since it is my office at the end of the day. I do so, hoping to find Andromeda doing something embarrassing or just looking frazzled, but I am sorely disappointed. She is sat there behind the desk, looking neat and proper, currently working through stacks of paperwork without looking bothered in the least. The picture of perfection and workplace efficiency. Hell, she even tidied up the place, which I don't really like, but I'll fix it when I eventually get back here full-time.
"It's nice to see you, Gilderoy. It has been a while. But what brings you here?" she says, not even looking up from her work but somehow knowing it is me, her voice all business. I can't help but miss the days when she would come in and catch me in less-than-appropriate situations and be so frazzled and cold, but now she is just normal. Ahh, all the progress and work down the drain in the months I have been gone.
"Andi, I don't actually have much time since I have a class soon. I am just here to tell you that I have made a powerful enemy, and he has threatened to go after people I care about, so I am just here to tell you to be careful and maybe move yourself and your family somewhere more hidden and secure." This way, I kill two birds with one stone, and both Andi and Nym become safer. And then she raises her head, giving me the eye and rolling her eyes at me.
"Of course you did. Well, I am still a daughter raised in the crazy Black family, and all of the Purebloods have been angry with me after what I did, so nobody knows where I live, and I can protect myself. As for Nymphadora, she is currently getting trained at the Auror academy, so she can't be more safe, and Ted is away visiting his muggle family, so there is no reason to be worried. Is that all?" She says, this time, it is cold, but not like the cold I am used to, but way more chilly and freezing.
"Ah, yes... That's good to know." I say, moving forward to take a seat, but before I can, she speaks again. "Shouldn't you be getting back to Hogwarts for your classes, Professor?" She says frostily. I know she is angry with me, but for the life of me, I can't figure out any possible reason why, so I just nod my head and beat a quick retreat. "That's right, keep up the good work Andi. Bye."And with that, I leave. Back to Hogwarts, where things are more dangerous, boring and gloomy, but at least they make sense.
Even being able to read the minds of women, I will never understand them.
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I missed a week of Gym, and I feel so depressed about it. I am definitely getting back on track this Monday, though. Pray for me, your faith will help me on the grind. In other news, I am back steaming and uploading on YouTube again, and I've started playing Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, which is actually quite good. If that interests you, drop by, just through the link at the bottom.
Upcoming Chapters:
Hero: Chapter 86- Paperwork.
Super: Chapter 88- Doo Do Doo Do Doo Inspector Harry!
Legendary: Chapter 90- Gems A Plenty! [R-18]
Galactic: Chapter 94- The Spiders, Harry! The Spiders!
Mythic: Chapter 95- Salvation Incoming!
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That is all for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will see you in the next one!
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