Harry Potter: A Certain Ancient Rune Professor of Hogwarts (TL)

Chapter 633: Encouragement to Tom Riddle (2 in 1)

“Could it be a basilisk snake?” Ginny asked with a shaky voice.

“No, it’s not, this is something with legs.” Harry said with certainty, and a few people raised their wands in alert as the sound came closer and closer, then it suddenly stopped. Before Harry could figure out what was going on, they heard a dry heaving sound at that moment.

“Kee pooh!”

“Is that Valen?” Hermione said with wide eyes, and several people looked at each other. Luna asked with interest, “Did any of you ask her out?” Hermione trotted over, followed by Harry, Ron, and Ginny as well as Luna.

Walking through the circular iron door, and at the end of the long narrow tunnel, Harry saw Valen resting one hand on the wet wall, her head bobbing strongly, her flattened mouth making a whimpering, groggy sound.

“Niffler has a good nose, oh … she must have had a bad time.”

Hermione said sympathetically. She knelt down and patted Valen’s little shoulder, then cast a Bubble-Head Charm on Valen. Niffler’s head looked like it was covered with a glass fishbowl and her pink snout looked wider and somewhat comical.

Valen blinked, so close, she managed to survive, she almost died from the stench.

Hermione extended her arm and carefully picked up Valen (trying not to let her wet, dirty hands grab her) and returned with the group to the chamber main space, where the smell is considerably less. Hermione removed the Bubble-Head Charm and asked with concern, “How are you feeling?” Valen bounced twice on the ground, brought her hand up to her nose, and immediately moved it away in disgust.

“Oh my! Do you stink?” Hermione laughed heartily.

“Aguamenti.” A stream of water gushed out from the tip of her wand and Valen dutifully washed both her hands and feet, then rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a nice pair of little shoes and put them on herself.

Ginny and Luna came over and looked at them with interest. Ginny reached out her hand and poked Valen in the stomach, “Kee!” Valen slapped her hand away. She put on her shoes and waddled off a few steps, the echo of her footsteps travelled far in the empty chamber.

Harry asked a little nervously from beside her, “Valen, is Professor following behind?” Ginny, who was just about to say something, felt her throat go dry.

Valen thought for a moment and shook her head at him.

“But the Professor must know, doesn’t he?” Ron immediately said, “He could be here any minute – are we still looking?” His last sentence was directed at everyone. Seeing no retort from Valen, Harry also guessed that the Professor probably knew, and might be waiting at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets right now.

Aware of the possibility of being caught, several people lost their sense of adventure and prepared to leave. At that moment, Harry suddenly looked up at the Slytherin stone statue that stood level with the ceiling, the old, monkey-like face with long, sparse beard lines clearly visible in the illumination of the white ball of light above their heads.

“There’s one place left to check out.” He said, as he suddenly felt an extraordinary attraction.

“What?” Ron asked as he stared at both Ginny and Luna’s stuffed pockets.

“When we fought the basilisk four years ago, the statue’s mouth was open.” Harry pointed to the statue with its mouth closed and said, “I guess there is an empty room behind there, a … lair or something.” Ron looked uneasily at Hermione, who looked at Valen, and after a moment of hesitation she said, “Harry, even if there was an empty room since the Professor closed it later, that means he didn’t want anyone to go in there, am I right, Valen?”

Valen instantly became stiff.

She looked at Harry and then at Hermione, wondering if she should tell them that the Great Demon King might possibly be planning something evil. … But when she thought of the Great Demon King’s words, “don’t let them break my lab equipment,” Valen puffed out her little chest and made up her mind to stand firmly in front of them to watch out.

Harry was stumped, as he stared at the huge stone statue, that inexplicable longing grown stronger.

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“The Professor forbids us from going in?” He asked tentatively.

Valen thought for a moment, no, he didn’t; she shook her head and wrote a few words in the air with her exclusive wand, “You can enter, but it may be dangerous.” After writing it Valen felt she hadn’t expressed it accurately enough and hastily added, “Something to do with that bald ugly guy.”

“Who’s that?” Luna asked curiously, “Someone who has been hit by a Hair Loss Curse?”

But Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked deeply at each other, the statue had something to do with Voldemort. But they also knew that Voldemort is now locked up in Classroom Seven, not even conscious.

Now the decision seemed to fall on Harry.

“We can go back to the Professor and ask him,” Hermione said slowly, knowing from the look in Harry’s eyes that his heart was set on it.

“No, the Professor has left the decision up to us,” Harry said calmly, “Valen is here, which means he knows where we are, but he hasn’t shown up until now, what does that mean? It means that he is okay with it too…”

Hermione opened her mouth and had to admit that he had a point.

Is that true? Valen thought to herself.

Harry scrutinized the Slytherin stone statue. He is having a wonderful time lately, but still, there is one hidden worry lingering on his mind – he is not sure exactly how well the Professor and Headmaster have prepared and how far along they have gotten in their plans. As time passed little by little, he was getting more and more nervous, and now that he had a chance to find out, and with the Professor’s tacit approval, he didn’t want to back out just like that.

Harry walked up to the statue and said aloud in Parseltongue, “Open.” The door didn’t budge as he spoke, he could tell that Ron and Hermione were standing on either side of him, one left and one right, and he took a deep breath and didn’t say anything. But when Ginny came over to him, he couldn’t help but protest.

“Go back, Ginny.”

“What’s the point of kicking people out now?” Ginny grunted, and said in a slightly bitter tone, “You don’t think our lives are in danger at school, do you?”

Harry was speechless. Now all he could think to do was try to speak in a Parseltongue, “Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four.” This time, the huge stone face of Slytherin moved. Its mouth opened, wider and wider, and finally formed a huge black hole. The light from the illumination magic didn’t seem to shine inside, but something glowing could be seen flashing past.

“What is that monster?” Ron murmured nervously.

“A Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.” Luna’s eyes lit up.

“Luna, don’t mess around at this point.” Hermione said pointedly.

“No, it is definitely the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.” Luna said confidently, “It looks exactly like the reference picture I once drew in my essay, it’s just the colours aren’t quite right … otherwise there’s no difference.”

Harry didn’t want to admit that he and Luna had seen the same vision, but he said it anyway, “I saw it too. The one with the long nose, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Luna said happily.

Hermione stared at the two with an expression that suggested that they both had fallen under a Confundus Charm together. They climbed up onto the statue’s knees and moved closer to its open mouth, peering cautiously inside the hole, their vision didn’t become clearer as they moved closer, it was still pitch-black inside, but they did see something glowing and moving.

“I think I saw a colourful Doe.” Ginny said.

“I saw a big Wolfhound.” Ron said.

Hermione pursed her lips and said, ” Well those are rune creatures.”

“Runes … what?” Harry asked in confusion, still staring at the entrance to the cave, the Supersensory Charm had allowed him to hear some sounds of activity, what seemed to be the grunting of multiple creatures mixed together.

“Rune creatures,” Hermione explained, “you guys do remember what the professor showed in class, right?” Immediately Harry and Ron’s minds went to the magic golem and golden eagle that was created from dark golden smoke.

“Actually, the professor always had this idea.” She said, “He was very curious about the state of existence of the Sorting Hat when he first gave me a private lesson; it was almost a completely different kind of magic being now.”

“So – these are – alive?” Ron’s jaw dropped, as he pointed at the odd creatures in various forms that flashed past their eyes.

“They shouldn’t be considered alive yet – I mean – ugh, I’m not sure,” Hermione said with some vexation, “at least last school year Professor couldn’t make them permanent yet. Professor combined ancient runes and memory magic to construct a very real Hogwarts corridor at the end of the last term.”

“Just a corridor?” Harry couldn’t help but ask, it sounded like no big deal.

“If the Professor can construct a corridor, he can use the same principles to construct creatures that exist only in the midst of fantasy.” Hermione deliberately emphasized the words ‘of fantasy’ as she glanced squintingly at Luna, but Luna was completely oblivious to the fact, and she impatiently stepped inside.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed suit and entered the mouth of the statue of Salazar Slytherin.

Then their eyes flashed, and they found themselves in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by rows of bookshelves in dimly lit surroundings. The three held their breath and pricked up their ears to listen for any movement around them.

“The library.” Hermione mouthed.

It dawned on Harry, but then a new question popped up: why are they in the library? Shouldn’t it be inside the statue?

“O Tom, Tom. You shouldn’t have followed me here.” A low, depressed voice said, and Harry thought the voice sounded a little familiar, and Hermione furrowed her brow.

“Sorry, sir?” A timid voice said.

“You’re following me because you want to know what I’m doing, right?” The voice asked softly, but the coldness revealed in the words grew stronger, “You’re interested in what’s on the half-dozen sheets of parchment you found in my office? You want to know … what a Horcrux is?”

Harry’s eyes suddenly widened.

“Sir-”

“I’m sorry, Tom. This might be the last time I call you by your first name. Luckily it’s a holiday, so as long as I do it cleanly, no one will notice, and Headmaster Dippet trusts me, he’s always willing to believe me -”

A holiday? Harry thought, did he mean a weekend? No, he immediately realized the problem, they weren’t supposed to be in this ‘reality’ now.

“Protego!” The young student suddenly shouted.

What was he doing?

Ron’s scream drowned in his throat. Their vision suddenly filled with golden flames as a dark shadow flashed by and the window cracked to pieces, and the flames also closely trailed behind as it burned a large hole in the library wall, and then another figure flew out of the gaping hole.

Harry was stunned. The non-verbal shield charm he had subconsciously cast seemed to be at risk of burning as the golden flames clung to the magic barrier. Any second now, the flames might break through the defences and burn them to ashes. Finally, Hermione came back to her senses and stretched out her hand, her fingertips flickering with rune symbols, and then the golden flames rushed into her grasp like tired birds returning to their nests.

The flames in the library went out.

The bright moonlight poured in through the large hole that had been burned open, and a firebird hovered two or three feet above Hermione’s head, chirping softly. Hermione controlled the firebird to land on her shoulder, the firebird’s gaze was sharp, and it was covered in flames, but it didn’t hurt her one bit, which showed her superb control.

“Is that … Professor Hap?” It was only then did Ron spoke with difficulty, his eyes just about to fall out of his head, “But who is the other one?”

“Tom Riddle.” Harry said with a complicated look, “I think we fell into a-” Abruptly the words stuck in his throat, fell into a what? A memory? When had Professor Hap ever fought with Voldemort during his school days?

“God, the You-Know-Who?” Ron was so surprised he almost bit his tongue off.

“It’s young You-Know-Who,” Hermione corrected, “I know what we should do, follow me!” She ran out from behind the bookshelf and stood by the wall peering into the distance, faintly seeing the arc of spells flashing outside as the two men engaged in a battle in front and behind.

“What … are we supposed to do?” Ron asked.

“Fight, and then find the professor for clarification.” Hermione said in annoyance.

They ran through the sizzling, scorched wall, and used the spell to land lightly on the ground before running towards the fire. Harry gasped and caught up with Hermione, “Are we going to save the young Tom Riddle?” He understood her somewhat.

“I guess so.” Hermione said as she bit her lip.

The battlefield is far in sight. In Harry’s mind, an image of Riddle just popped up, a tall, pale-skinned, with dark, shiny hair and black eyes. He had seen this appearance in Headmaster Dumbledore’s Pensieve – a memory provided by Professor Slughorn.

“Tom, I taught you all your magic.”

Felix said in a low voice as a powerful spell silently ploughed the ground with deep furrows that crisscrossed the ground, and the bushes and kapok that had been trimmed off transformed into a myriad of sharp, glinting daggers that obscured a small part of the sky. Tom Riddle watched the scene in awe.

He never expected Dumbledore to hide so deep! He had even created a Horcrux! He personally only heard about it by chance, but he couldn’t find any further records even after searching all over the library, Riddle thought through clenched teeth, it must have been taken away by Dumbledore.

He wanted to stall for time, there are other professors in the school, as well as Headmaster Dippet, if he could just stall until they found out, he would survive. Riddle was very annoyed in his mind, damn it, why did he shout and scream when he came up, couldn’t they have just talked?

He would absolutely join the professor’s side.

But from the cold, stern, murderous eyes, Riddle didn’t dare to have any extravagant hope at all. He braced a shield from the thin air and barely deflected the onslaught of thousands of daggers, but the immense force threw him high into the air, his right wrist snapped loose and his wand flew out.

He lay on the ground and looked up at the man who had a cold smile curled up on his face.

“Avada Kedavra-”

A firebird descended from the sky and blocked the killing curse with its own body, the golden firebird let out a wail and turned green before quickly disappearing into thin air. Riddle gasped for breath, he had never felt death so close to him, and he did not want to die. He never realized this so clearly before. Horcrux … Damn it, he wanted to make a Horcrux too, not one, but many.

But does he still have a chance? A twinge of despair washed over Riddle without any reason; Dumbledore had obviously destroyed all the knowledge related to this. At that moment, the golden trio had surrounded Felix, “Professor, I’m mad.” Hermione said, puffing out her mouth.

Felix looked at her with a subtle glance, then a polite smile that looked evil spread across his face.

“Can you tell me where you guys are from? By your age, you must be students at the school? But I’ve never seen you guys …”

“What about you, what’s your name?” Harry asked, thinking he must be out of his mind to ask such a stupid question.

“Albus Dumbledore.” Felix said gently.

“You’re Dumbledore?” Ron exclaimed as his eyes bulged out. Thankfully he was currently had his back to Riddle or Riddle could have possibly seen the flaw in his expression, but if you listened to the voice alone, it sounded like a question.

Harry was also dumbfounded. Professor Hap, does Headmaster Dumbledore know that you’re using someone else’s name like this? Hermione rolled her eyes and said, “You’re the one we’re looking for! Tom, Tom, run!” She exclaimed as she stammered.

Riddle was completely baffled, his mind is not as clear as it usually was after the major twist in his life he had just undergone. But he could tell that these three people seemed to be here for him, or is it for Dumbledore?

What was going on?

Again, there is no one to give him an explanation. The battle began. Harry, Ron, and Hermione cooperated well and showed strength and fighting qualities far beyond those of Voldemort’s age, who after all is only in his fifth year. Although he is outstanding, it’s still within reasonable limits, as he had not been baptized by war yet.

During the battle, Felix’s lips twitched slightly and Hermione looked at him as she nodded faintly. Then Felix shouted as if suddenly waking up, “The Time-turner! You’ve come from the future using a Time-turner!”

“That’s right!” Hermione shouted righteously, “You can’t succeed in your plot, Dun, Dumbledore! You can’t kill Tom, he will be our leader in the future against your evil rule.”

Harry thought it was all too ridiculous, even if it is a dream – no, he didn’t have this kind of otherworldly imagination.

“Harry, use the Patronus that Mr. Riddle taught you!” Hermione shouted again.

Ron almost fell over, he was completely numb, but he knew one thing, Hermione is the one who’s most aware of the situation out of the three, Harry knows half of it, and he … should not interrupt it.

Harry gathered his emotions for a good while, then he managed to push down the awkward feeling in his mind and recited the incantation that he was too familiar with.

“EXPECTO PATRONUM – ”

A creature that resembled a real stag emerged from the tip of the wand, and a huge pillar of silver light shot straight up into the sky, brighter than the moon, and half of Hogwarts Castle was bathed in a silvery-blue glow that spread out like ripples in the sea, and everyone – including Tom Riddle – felt energized and motivated to fight.

The commotion stirred by Harry’s Patronus was so great that, in the castle, the lights turned on in one room after another.

Riddle, who was sitting on the ground, was filled with disbelief; this is a Patronus? How could there be such a powerful Patronus? And – this is something his future self-taught to others? For a moment, he suddenly became intensely interested in this ancient magic.

“Who dares to harm a Hogwarts student?” A loud voice boomed out of the Headmaster’s office like thunder.

“Headmaster Dippet!” Riddle shouted in surprise, and he was genuinely surprised.

An old man with a white beard flew out of the tower window. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and then Felix’s voice sounded cold and piercing as if he was infuriated, “You’ve ru