367-My Name is Tom Riddle

On the cloudy evening of September 25th, Ginny Weasley sat at her desk, holding a quill and gazing at an old, blank diary she'd found among her textbooks. She decided to write the date and weather.

"September 25th, cloudy..."

But before she could even lift her quill to add more, the ink she had written disappeared.

Ginny's eyes widened. She blinked rapidly, convinced she was hallucinating. Hadn't she just written something? Why was the page blank again? She wasn't imagining it. Something was clearly unusual about this diary.

Just as she was about to toss it into the trash, words began to appear on the blank page in front of her, as though an invisible quill was gliding across the parchment:

"Hello! Nice to meet you. My name is Tom Riddle!"

Ginny froze. The diary... was responding? It was writing back?

Her curiosity piqued, Ginny cautiously picked up her quill and wrote a reply:

"Hello, my name is Ginny Weasley."

The words disappeared as the diary absorbed the ink. Then, more words formed in response:

"Hello, Ginny... I hope my sudden appearance didn't frighten you. Please don't be alarmed. I'm just a memory, left behind in this diary. I can't do much except communicate with you like this."

Ginny's apprehension gave way to intrigue. A memory? What did that mean? Who was this Tom Riddle? She decided to test the diary further.

She quickly opened the ink bottle and poured some ink on the diary. The pages of the diary were immediately stained with ink. There were also a lot of stains on the paper. However, the ink quickly disappeared on the paper. Not even a little stain was left. Ginny was stunned.

Another line appeared:

"Thank you for refreshing me. That feels much better."

This time the Handwriting was way clearer.

Ginny, now more curious than ever, scribbled a question:

"You said you're a memory. What does that mean?"

The response came swiftly:

"I'm a memory of myself from when I was a fifth-year student at Hogwarts. I left a part of myself in this diary when I was sixteen years old. So, the version of me you're speaking to is not quite alive, but not entirely gone either."

Ginny's excitement grew. She wrote eagerly:

"Then I'll look up your name, Tom Riddle! Maybe I can find out more about you."

The diary replied:

"That won't be necessary. I doubt there's much left about me. Even if I were famous, I might not be known by this name."

Ginny frowned, puzzled.

"You don't like your name?"

"It's too ordinary. I've always thought about changing it."

As they exchanged messages, Ginny felt an unexpected sense of comfort. This diary seemed like a friend—a confidant she could talk to anytime.

Growing up as the youngest of the Weasley children, she'd always felt a bit overshadowed. Her brothers were loving, but none of them truly understood her thoughts or feelings.

And now, just starting at Hogwarts, she hadn't yet made any close friends. This diary seemed to fill that lonely gap in her heart.

They chatted for a while until the diary asked:

"When I left this memory behind, I was sixteen. I don't know how much time has passed. Could you tell me what year it is now?"

Ginny, not thinking much of the question, wrote back:

"It's 1992. What year were you sixteen?"

There was a brief pause before the diary replied:

"It's been fifty years. That's a long time. Much must have changed."

Tom Riddle's words hinted at curiosity—and something else Ginny couldn't quite place. He continued:

"Tell me, Ginny, have there been any great figures in the wizarding world during this time? Surely someone extraordinary has emerged."

Ginny thought for a moment and then wrote excitedly:

"Oh, yes! There's someone amazing! He's a hero. Because of him, the war in the wizarding world ended, and we live in peace now. Everyone admires him. We've all grown up hearing his story."

Tom Riddle became excited.

Although talking about peace and stability may conflict with his own thoughts. But maybe it was because he had some new ideas later on, right? No matter what, this great man must be him! Because no one can be greater than him, Voldemort!

"That's wonderful to hear. Who is this great figure? Perhaps I know him."

Ginny, smiling, wrote:

"His name is Harry Potter. He defeated Voldemort when he was just a baby!"

She added:

"By the way, I'm only writing Voldemort's name because it's in your diary. Normally, we don't say his name out loud. People call him 'You-Know-Who' or 'The Dark Lord' because he was so terrifying."

Tom Riddle's whole soul trembled. What Ginny said later was not important anymore.

It was the first sentence that mattered.

'Me! Great Voldemort defeated? And still defeated by a baby? I actually lost to a baby?! How can it be!'

For a long moment, the diary didn't reply. Ginny stared at the blank page, wondering if something was wrong. Had she said something to offend Tom?

Finally, a single line appeared:

"I'm sorry for the delay. Replying to you requires magical energy, and I'm feeling a bit drained. I need time to recover. You can leave me for now, and I'll regain my strength on my own."

Ginny carefully closed the diary and stuffed it into the schoolbag she carried with her.

Ginny closed the diary carefully and slipped it into her bag. She felt a sudden wave of exhaustion wash over her but dismissed it as the result of staying up too late. She turned off her desk lamp, climbed into bed, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Meanwhile, within the diary, Tom Riddle's soul simmered with rage and disbelief. How could it be? He, the great Lord Voldemort, defeated by a mere baby? The idea was preposterous, and yet, Ginny's words confirmed it. He needed time to think, to process this humiliation.

In the quiet of the Room of Requirement, another story was unfolding. Blake, a mischievous student, was rummaging through treasures, delighted with his latest finds. Among them was a diamond treasure chest, a rare and valuable item he'd obtained from Professor Snape. He grinned as he prepared to open it, anticipation bubbling within him. Tonight, luck was on his side.

As Blake took a sip of Felix Felicis, the potion known to bring extraordinary good fortune, he felt a surge of confidence. With a triumphant cry, he commanded the system:

"System, open the diamond treasure chest!"

The system responded:

[Ding! The diamond treasure chest is being opened for the host. Congratulations! You have obtained the Eye of Truth! Would you like to install it now?]

Blake's grin widened.

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