#9 - Chapter 9 Platform 9¾





Alone, Tom entered the vault and saw the golden cup placed at the highest point.

However, Tom didn't rush forward. He knew that the entire vault's contents were enchanted with both a Gemino Curse and a Fiendfyre Curse by Bellatrix, to prevent anyone from taking the cup.

For Tom, who had absorbed the Voldemort experience pack, dispelling the curses here wasn't difficult.

"But why should I bother expending effort to dispel the curses!"

After carefully observing the layout of the vault, Tom chuckled and retrieved a rod with a curved hook from his storage space.

Finding the right angle and aiming at the target, he used magic to rapidly lengthen the rod until it reached the golden cup.

Using the hook at the end of the rod to snag the cup's handle, he lifted and pulled, causing the rod to quickly shorten.

As the rod shortened, the golden cup came directly to Tom's hand.

Tom removed the golden cup from the hook and threw both the rod and the cup back into his storage space, unable to resist complaining inwardly once more.

'So, what's the point of hiding Horcruxes in places like the unguarded Gaunt Shack, and a vault filled with traps that might as well not be there at all? Are Voldemort and his Death Eaters really this intellectually challenged?'

Tom took one last lingering look at the vault full of wealth, but not wanting to complicate matters, he restrained his desires and left without looking back, adhering to the principle of 'out of sight, out of mind'.

Having completed his predetermined goals during this period, Tom finally relaxed his tense nerves and began to enjoy his pre-term holiday.

Time slipped away quietly as he spent his days reading books and practicing magic, diligently adapting to the rapid growth brought about by the Voldemort experience pack.

"Tomorrow is the start of term, time has passed so quickly."

Lying in bed unable to sleep, Tom once again opened his status panel to check.

The Hufflepuff's cup had been quietly melted down using the Soul Furnace on the very day he acquired it in a secluded location. Having absorbed the cup's experience pack, Tom's panel had once again undergone changes.

[Name: Tom Marvolo Riddle]

[Profession: Wizard]

[Magic Power: Level 7]

[Talents:

Transfiguration: 9/10

Charms: 10/10

Potions: 10/10

Herbology: 9/10

Divination: 2/10

Alchemy: 10/10

...

Dark Arts: 10+/10]

[Special Talent: Parseltongue]

[Skills: Occlumency (Passive, Perfect), Wand Protection (Host's wand can shield against Ministry of Magic traces, Prior Incantato, and a series of tracking magic), Soul Furnace (Can absorb specific soul substances without side effects), Wandless Magic, Apparition...]

[Spells: Avada Kedavra Lv7, Crucio Lv7, Imperio Lv7, Fiendfyre Lv7, Levitation Charm Lv7, Lumos Lv7, Accio Lv7, Protego Lv7, Confringo Lv7....]

[Special Items: 'Secrets of the Darkest Art' (Annotated by Grindelwald), Combat Crystallization (Unactivated)]

"The diary, the ring, the cup... Voldemort's Horcruxes, three of them solved before term even starts. Is this going to rush towards the grand finale? I hope old Voldy can handle it when he finds out."

"But Hogwarts, I'm really looking forward to it!"

Tom muttered to himself, staring at the ceiling as he closed the panel.

"Good morning, Anna-mama and my dear little brothers and sisters," Tom greeted them with a smile.

"Tom, are you leaving already?" Ms. Anna looked at him with reluctance.

"Yes, Anna-mama, I need to leave early so I don't miss the train."

At this moment, Milly and Andy tugged at his clothes, pleading, "Tom-gege, can't you stay?"

Tom patted their little heads, gently coaxing them, "Alright, alright, don't be so sad, it's not like it's a life or death situation. Gege is just going to school far away, I'll come back during the holidays. Oh right, Gege will remember to send you candy and snacks."

He even joked with Ms. Anna, "Anna-mama, when I come back for the holidays, will I be unable to find my own room?"

Hearing this, Ms. Anna smiled and solemnly assured Tom, "Of course not, remember, Tom, this will always be your home."

luggage and with a snowy owl like his own Hedwig, and asked in surprise as if seeing a lifeline.

"A Hogwarts student? Do you know where platform 9 ¾ is?"

Tom nodded to affirm, and said to Harry, "I know how to get to the platform, follow me closely, charge towards that wall."

Saying that, he took the lead and rushed towards the third pillar between platform nine and platform ten.

Hearing Tom's words, Harry was a little unbelievable, but seeing that Tom had already rushed forward, thinking that at worst he would make a fool of himself later, he gritted his teeth, mustered his courage, and followed him forward.

When he collided with the wall, he didn't feel the imagined resistance, the moment his body touched the partition, he disappeared into the wall, as if experiencing a change in time and space in an instant, and the next second he heard a buzzing conversation in his ears, and what appeared in front of him was the scarlet steam train numbered 5972—the Hogwarts Express.

Just as Harry stared blankly at the magical scene in front of him, Tom smiled and said to him:

"Welcome to platform 9 ¾, the starting point of the magical journey."