Chapter 345: The True Hero, Ravenclaw's Grudge
"Tom... what's going on?"
Kreacher still did not give the locket to Tom. Although Sirius asked Kreacher to obey all of Tom's orders, his little master, Regulus Black, also obeyed Kreacher's order and asked him to destroy the locket.
In the conflict between the two, Regulus still has more authority.
Tom could only call Sirius, who was still preparing the meal at home, over.
"Regulus' locket? When did you become involved with him?" Sirius was even more confused than Kreacher now. The only connection between the two was that they were both Slytherin students.
But as soon as one was born, the other was already dead, and his younger brother was completely taught by his parents to be the way they wanted him to be, always boasting about his noble bloodline.
"This is too complicated. You won't understand even if I tell you, and I can't explain it either. So, don't ask."
Seeing Tom's perfunctory attitude, Sirius knew that he couldn't get anything out of him now. He could only suppress his doubts and ordered Kreacher, "Kreacher, take out the locket that Regulus gave you, which is what Tom wants."
Kreacher's face showed a struggle, but he could not disobey Sirius's order. Almost every step he took, he turned back and looked at Sirius begging him to take back the order.
But Sirius was unmoved and kept urging him.
It took a full half hour before Kreacher reluctantly appeared in front of the two of them holding a locket. Tom put on a pair of homemade anti-curse gloves and roughly snatched the locket from Kreacher's hands.
Since there's no answer from Tom, what about Kreacher?
Sirius saw Kreacher's face showing a sadness he had never seen before. He kept b*****g his head against the floor and muttering Regulus' name. He forced him to stop: "Tell me the whole story between Regulus and this locket. Don't hide anything. Remember everything you have forgotten!"
The wizard master's orders had an absolutely coercive effect on the house-elves, and could even help them break through their limitations.
For example, Kreacher at this moment had forgotten many details due to his previous trauma, but now, under Sirius's orders, his crazy brain actually remembered many details.
He cried bitterly and explained the whole story to Sirius——
Sirius was considered a disgrace to the family, but Regulus was the pride of the Black family elders. He supported the theory of bloodline and joined the Death Eaters at the age of ten.
At that time, Voldemort still had a nose and was also rational. He deceived people under the banner of pure-blood revival, and Regulus believed that Voldemort was the best leader in the wizarding world.
So when Voldemort needed a house-elf, he offered Kreacher without hesitation, considering it an honor.
Kreacher's sobs were muffled, and Sirius had to listen very carefully to hear what he was saying.
"The Dark Lord took Kreacher to a cave and ordered him to drink a strange potion. Horrible Inferi emerged from the lake. There were too many of them. They wanted to drag Kreacher into the lake, but... the Lord told Kreacher to go home, so he went back."
Next, after Regulus learned what had happened, he ordered Kreacher not to tell anyone else about it, including the mistress.
Regulus then ordered him to take him to the cave.
This time, it was Regulus who drank the potion.
"What?!" Sirius had been able to remain calm while listening to Kreacher's rambling tale, but at this point, he stood up in shock. "Are you saying that Regulus drank the poison prepared by the Dark Lord?"
Kreacher sobbed, "The young master drank the potion, all of it.
He was braver than the useless elder master.
The locket was taken out, and he put an identical fake in it, then gave the real one to Kreacher, asking him to destroy the locket.
Kreacher could not disobey his master's orders.
I am such a bad elf, watching my master being dragged into the lake by the Inferi!"
After saying that, Kreacher began to bang his hands on the floor again, and this time the sound was louder than before.
The fire in the living room flickered, and Sirius stood in the shadows. No one could see his expression, and he didn't say a word for a long time.
An incompetent young master?
In the past, he would not get angry when he heard Kreacher's evaluation of him like this, but would just sneer. They were not of the same kind, so it was natural for him to dislike him.
Adults only like little brothers who are like good boys.
But today... he suddenly felt very ashamed.
It turns out that compared to Regulus... he is really an incompetent waste. The other party has never lacked the courage to fight, even at the cost of his life, but what about him?
He was just a clever trickster, not only killing James and his wife, but also letting the real murderer go unpunished for more than a decade.
"Ho ho ho ho"
Sirius let out a strange laugh that sounded like a mixture of crying and laughing, slammed his fist on the side table, and then suddenly stood up.
"What are you going to do?" Tom withdrew his gaze from the locket.
"Go and take Regulus home. I can't leave his body in that place!" Sirius' eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Kreacher who was still sobbing and roared, "Stop crying! Take me to that grotto!"
Tom snapped his fingers, and Sirius was petrified and fell on his seat, and Kreacher was also restrained in his movements.
"Sirius, I don't mean to look down on you. If you could break the trap set by Voldemort, then he wouldn't be Voldemort anymore. So, you, the Black family, gave away one head, and now you want to give away a second one?"
Although his body could not move, his eyes were not affected. When he heard Tom's disparagement of him, his eyes showed an unyielding spirit, as if to say that he would bring Regulus back even at the cost of his life.
Tom shook his head. "That's why I sometimes hate you Gryffindors. You're always risking your lives. Don't you think you can accomplish anything without trying your best?"
"Last time, I desperately changed the Secret Keeper, but what were the consequences? If you die this time, will Harry lose his last relative? Can't you use your brain before doing anything?"
"I didn't say I wouldn't go, why are you so excited?"
Tom really stabbed Sirius' heart wound with every knife, and also applied some vodka, which caused continuous burning damage.
But Sirius couldn't refute it at all. Firstly, he couldn't open his mouth right now. Secondly, what Tom said were facts that had already happened. What could he use to refute it?
Tom walked up to Sirius and looked down at him: "Are you calm now? If you are calm, I will go find Dumbledore. He will definitely provide help with anything related to Voldemort.
·Request flowers··0
Sirius' eyes lit up and he blinked rapidly several times.
Tom then untied his restraints and let Sirius take him to find the picture frame belonging to Phineas. The frame was blank. Tom called out "Phineas" and "Phineas" several times in a row.
Soon, Phineas appeared in the frame with an impatient look on his face: "Sirius, you are my great-great-grandson, how dare you call... Riddle boy? Why are you here?"
Phineas then saw Tom and asked, "You asked me to come here?"
The corners of Sirius' mouth twitched. Oh, so if I yell, I'll get scolded, but if it's Tom, then nothing will happen, right?
Tom nodded. "We found clues to Voldemort's Horcrux here, as well as the body of your great-great-grandson Regulus. Don't ask me what happened yet, or I'll have to explain it all again when Dumbledore comes."
Phineas's expression immediately became serious. He looked at Tom deeply and disappeared from the frame.
....0
The room fell into a brief silence. Sirius was thinking about what the Horcruxes the two had just mentioned were. Was that locket a Horcrux?
Tom was studying the locket and called Ravenclaw out. Of course, the four giants had to study the relics of the four giants.
"Huh? Isn't this Salazar's locket?"
Sure enough, Ravenclaw recognized it immediately after seeing it, and wondered how it ended up in your hands.
"Is this locket really only for holding things?" Tom asked instead of answering.
Ravenclaw nodded within the space. "Hmm... This thing was passed down from Slytherin's ancestors. It has far more symbolic meaning than practical use. Slytherin always carries it with him, occasionally putting some daily necessities in it. It's like your storage bag, I guess."
"Now this locket has been made into a Horcrux." Tom didn't hide it. "Voldemort's doing. I was wondering if the Horcrux's effects had erased its original function. It turns out it has no other function at all."
"Horcrux?"
No matter how good Ravenclaw's eyesight was, she couldn't have seen through the locket from a distance.
After hearing Tom's explanation, she looked surprised, then gloated, "If that old man Salazar knew that his family symbol had been made into a Horcrux, he would definitely cast Voldemort's soul into the fires of hell for a hundred years."
Studying the Dark Arts doesn't mean you can be unscrupulous. Slytherin is synonymous with bloodline and honor. You've even desecrated my family heirloom. Isn't this a slap in the face of the Slytherin family?
Laughing and laughing... Ravenclaw couldn't laugh anymore.
After two seconds of silence, she softly asked, "Tom, tell me the truth, has my crown also been made into a Horcrux?"
Tom stroked the locket and didn't answer directly: "Rowena, didn't you also say that sometimes being too smart is not a good thing?
"Good...very good..." Ravenclaw took a deep breath and smiled instead of getting angry: "Voldemort, right? I will remember him.
Tom silently mourned for Voldemort for a second. He was truly lucky to be hated by a woman, the smartest woman in the history of the wizarding world.
At this moment, the crisp sound of wind chimes shaking came from the door.
Dumbledore came to the rescue.
Chapter 346: The Luxurious Expedition Team, Lupin: I Teach Tom Defense Against the Dark Arts?
Dumbledore walked into number twelve Grimmauld Place in the wind and snow. The old man came very quickly and rushed to London from Hogwarts as soon as he received the news.
"Good evening, gentlemen." Dumbledore nodded to the two of them, and finally his eyes fell on Sirius, his depression visible to the naked eye.
"Can someone tell me what happened?"
Seeing that Tom had no intention of speaking, Sirius hoarsely told Dumbledore and Phineas Black, who had reappeared in the frame, the story of Regulus.
Dumbledore's expression was moved as he looked at the locket that Regulus had exchanged his life for. Phineas pursed his lips tightly, making his portrait look even more sarcastic.
He suddenly sneered twice: "You two really should have been sorted into Gryffindor. Risking your lives to protect a house-elf, just for a dead thing?"
"This is not a clever snake, but a stupid lion!"
With that, Phineas turned around, not giving Sirius a chance to explode in anger, and left the frame again.
"He is a hero," Dumbledore said solemnly, "Regulus demonstrated his understanding of nobility and bloodline through his actions and life. He is a well-deserved Black."
"Professor," Sirius begged, "Please help me, I want to bring Ray "Eighty-Five-Seven" Gullus home."
"It's my pleasure." Dumbledore said solemnly: "I am ready and can go at any time, Tom..."
"I'm going too." Tom took over and made his attitude clear.
Dumbledore frowned and said earnestly, "Tom, I believe in your ability, but there is really no need for you to go."
"Yes." Sirius also said: "Tom, you can just stay at home and read your books. With Dumbledore here, we will definitely be able to come back as soon as possible.
Despite the two's dissuasion, Tom still shook his head and said, "I'm not just going there to join in the fun, I have a reason to go.
"What's the reason?" Sirius asked subconsciously.
"Inferi." Tom walked over to Dumbledore and handed him the locket. "I need a large number of Inferi for my experiments. Teacher Nicol knows this, so I'm going to take him with me this time."
Although Tom admired Regulus's determination and idea of exchanging the Horcruxes one for one, he was not a nosy person. Now that he had the Horcruxes in his hands, there was actually no need to go to the cave.
The reason why he made the matter clear was because he had his eyes on the large number of Yin corpses in the lake. Yin corpses are transformed from humans and are special beings that are neither alive nor dead. [Dark wizards often use Yin corpses to protect their cemeteries or property.
But what Tom needs is to try to extract the thoughts and spirituality of the corpse before its death. His technology for creating alchemical creatures has now been perfected, and what he lacks is this key raw material.
"Nicolas Flamel..." Sirius thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "Is he the alchemist who created the Philosopher's Stone and lived for over six hundred years? But wasn't he already...
"That was just an excuse to prevent a steady stream of people from trying to get the Philosopher's Stone, just like Voldemort did two years ago."
"I see." Sirius suddenly understood. He knew Nicolas Flamel was interested because Harry had told him about his adventures in the first grade. Otherwise, with his poor academic performance, he would not care about knowledge that did not interest him.
"Dumbledore, what do you mean?" Sirius looked at Dumbledore.
Deep down, he wanted Nicolas Flamel to go. After all, a wizard who had lived for more than six hundred years must be knowledgeable and could provide some help.
Dumbledore and Sirius agreed that the best way to deal with Voldemort was to use the stronger person possible.
This is what it means to be famous and to be likened to a tree. Nicolas Flamel's reputation has already been established, and no one will doubt his knowledge. Even though Tom is doing very well now, the cognitive gap brought about by age cannot be easily bridged.
"Okay, Sirius, how about waiting another day? Tom, please go back and tell Nico that if possible, we can meet here at 12 o'clock tomorrow night."
Tom nodded, agreed, and then left the Black family home.
Throughout the whole process, Dumbledore did not ask why Tom knew about Regulus. He could ask many people questions, but he always maintained respect for Tom. This was the special treatment brought by strength and potential.
No matter what, as long as it was confirmed that Tom and Voldemort were on opposite sides, that was enough.
The next morning, Tom told Nicolas Flamel, who had been living in his house, what had happened.
"Extracting spirituality from an Inferi?"
After hearing his idea, Nico couldn't help but admire Tom's wild imagination, but he also held some doubts: "Are you sure they still have spiritual beings? Even if they do, are spirits affected by black magic sure to not affect alchemical creatures?"
"How would I know? If I knew, it wouldn't be called an experiment."
"That's right, let's go and have a look.
Nico nodded and offered another idea: "How about taking Newt along? Technically, Inferi are also Magical Beasts."
Tom was stunned for a moment, then smiled and nodded, "Good idea, I'll go find Uncle Newt right away."
Dumbledore, Newt, Nicolas Flamel, Grindelwald had never faced such a magnificent lineup before. A small trap of Voldemort actually succeeded. "There are ten more important ones."
Tom of grade.
Putting this combination together, even if Voldemort were to be resurrected, he would probably get a chill down his spine.
After hearing Tom's request, Uncle Newt agreed without hesitation and took Tom to the small world to select Pokémon...animals that might be used tonight.
At midnight, they successfully met on the twelfth floor of Grimmauld Place.
Dumbledore was very happy to see Newt coming too.
The joining of two heavyweight players reminded him of the time when he fought against Grindelwald, and he found a familiar feeling again.
Sirius also invited Lupin over, and Lupin's face was heavy at this time - he didn't have a deep impression of Regulus.
He only remembered that he was two grades lower than them in school.
Sirius often quarreled with Regulus.
The year they graduated, the other party joined the Death Eaters, but not long after, news of his death came.
At that time, I thought Regulus died in a Death Eater operation. After all, there were too many people who died. I didn't expect that he lost his life because of resisting Voldemort.
Crash!
The sound of waves could be heard, and they were hitting the black rocks. Tom and Dumbledore stood on a cliff by the sea. The unique fishy smell of the sea water also blew over with the sea breeze, lingering around them.
Dumbledore's beard swung back and forth like a braid, and he had to hold it down with his hands to maintain his appearance. Tom was safe and sound. When all the wind came in front of him, it was automatically divided into two sides by magic...
Seeing Old Dumbledore looking a bit amused and a bit embarrassed, Tom asked curiously, "Professor, why don't you use magic?"
Dumbledore smiled, took out a rope, and tied up his hair and beard. "Hmm... Magic is convenient, but if you have to use magic to solve everything, it will make you less human. Your thinking and reaction speed will also slow down, and you will become dependent on power."
The young man curled his lips: "Are you pointing at me?"
"Of course not." Old Deng shook his head. "Everyone has their own way of life. I'm just sharing this for reference. It won't affect your choices."
Tom shrugged. "Well, I still prefer using magic to solve problems. That's what a wizard should be like. Otherwise, why would you learn magic?"
The two have completely opposite ideas about this. Dumbledore always tries to restrain himself from expanding his mentality due to his power.
Tom, however, always acts recklessly and recklessly in his pursuit of interests that are commensurate with his power.
However, there are no irreconcilable conflicts yet. There are already enough external enemies. Grindelwald and Voldemort are people that Dumbledore must deal with wholeheartedly.
Compared with these two troubles, Tom's problem seemed to Deng to be nothing more than a little adolescent rebellion.
The two waited for a while, and two Pegasus horses pulled the carriage behind them. Newt helped Nico get off, followed by Sirius and Lupin.
"Is this the place?" Sirius reached the highest point of the cliff and looked around from the vantage point. "Why don't I see the cave Kreacher mentioned?"
"Kreacher!"
With a snap, the house-elf was called over. He pointed tremblingly at the coast on the right side of the cliff, "It's here. There's a crack there. Go in through the crack... Kreacher can't remember. Kreacher is so useless!"
"Stop! That's enough, leave the rest to us."
Sirius ordered Kreacher to stop his self-harming behavior, and after learning that Kreacher had drunk a large potion made by Voldemort, he became much more tolerant of Kreacher.
Dumbledore quickly made his judgment. "The tide is blocking the entrance. Let's wait a little longer. It should be low tide in half an hour."
"Albus, don't you have any regard for the sleep schedule of the elderly?"
Nico glanced at him unhappily. What if he got osteoporosis after being made to stay in this desolate mountain for half an hour? Even though he was already brittle now.
"Tom, don't listen to him, just do it."
Dumbledore smiled awkwardly and had no intention of stopping him. Instead, he looked at the boy with interest, wanting to see how he would solve the problem.
"A bunch of lazy bums."
Tom was also convinced. There were a bunch of old men here, and they still wanted him, a minor, to take action.
"Professor, if anyone reports me for casting a spell outside of school, I will go find Grindelwald tomorrow."
After saying that, the young man made his move, pointing his wand at the surging sea. Icy blue air rushed towards the location Kreacher pointed. The sea surface froze into ice at an astonishing speed, and the sea water was pushed down, revealing a narrow crack under the rock wall.
Sirius stared blankly at the waves that had been frozen into ice sculptures. "Is that an exaggeration?"
Lupin fell silent.
He's going to teach Tom Defense Against the Dark Arts?
Chapter 347: Dumbledore's Disdain, The Salvage Line for Infernal Corpses
Pah pah pah!
The silence was broken by sudden applause, and Dumbledore exclaimed, "Wonderful magic, Tom. Your ice magic is definitely the strongest in the entire wizarding world."
Tom nodded. "I think so."
This is the crushing victory brought by the cognitive level. With Mr. Ke's magic circuits and notes, he would be the strongest in the magic world if he could not become a monarch.
Although it is true, it is not something to be proud of. The strength of a wizard is never measured by the power of magic.
"Teach me a few tricks when you have time." Sirius said sincerely, "I have money."
Tom liked this straightforward personality, and agreed with a smile: "No problem, I'll sell you a copy of the note later. It's only 9998 Galleons. You can pass it on to Harry and other descendants without any problem."
Dumbledore watched the two complete the transaction and couldn't help asking, "Tom, are you short of money?"
Nicole smiled and answered for Tom: "Ignore him. This kid is just looking for some hobbies for himself. His hobby is making money, not the money itself."
"I really should have a hobby." Sirius said with deep agreement: "Harry is in school, and I have nothing to do at home every day. I don't know what I want to do. I should do something."
"We can think about this carefully when we get back." Tom had already stepped onto the carriage frame and said to the few people who were still standing there, "You guys don't want to walk across the ice, do you? Don't blame me for not warning you if you catch a cold."
"Let's go."
The Pegasus took off again, flapping its wings a few times before arriving in front of a huge, narrow chasm. Everyone got off the carriage, and Dumbledore waved his hand to create a staircase.
It was pitch black inside the crevice, and on the ground there were fish and shrimps that had been swept up by the rising tide, and they looked quite plump.
"Lumos!"
Sirius raised his wand high, lighting up the front. The darkness continued to extend forward, as if it had no end. The stone wall was shiny black and extremely smooth.
"Why is there no entrance to the cave?" he muttered, looking around.
Apart from things related to Regulus, Kreacher's memory has become fuzzy. He can only remember the approximate location, but he can't say how he entered the cave. They can only explore it by themselves.
Lupin didn't say anything. He looked at Dumbledore, only to see Dumbledore, Nicolas Flamel, and Tom all walking towards a wall and feeling around in different directions.
"It's here with me," Nico said, and Tom and Dumbledore immediately walked over, studied it for a moment, and nodded in unison.
"This is it."
Lupin and Sirius looked at each other, and a sense of silent frustration rose in their hearts at the same time.
What on earth were they coming here for?
In order to prove that he was still useful, Sirius immediately raised his wand and moved closer so that the three of them could see more clearly.
Nico took out his wand and tapped it on the stone wall. Golden light penetrated the smooth stone wall. Soon, the shadow of an archway appeared on the wall. Behind the archway were ten vague passages.
"Sacrifice...bestow..." Dumbledore saw through the trick and said with a disdainful tone: "It is indeed Voldemort's style, revealing his inherent inferiority everywhere.
"How are we going to get in?" Sirius asked impatiently.
"A price must be paid as a sacrifice, and that price is blood," Dumbledore said. "Voldemort wants to use this method to weaken those who come to explore. It seems that he does not have confidence in himself."
"But he definitely didn't expect us to have so many people. Let me do it. You can't always do all the work while I, the client, can only watch."
Sirius also showed a mocking smile, and at the same time used his wand to turn a stone on the ground into a dagger, preparing to bleed himself to open the passage.
"Wait a moment."
Newt, who had been silent the whole time, interrupted Sirius. "As long as it's blood, it's fine, right? Then why does it have to be our blood?"
Sirius was startled and stopped what he was doing.
The atmosphere has come to this point, I feel embarrassed if you say it out loud
But if you can understand the atmosphere, it is not Uncle Newt. Newt came to Dumbledore with a suitcase, indicating that he has a lot of "inventory".
The treasures in his box are not all well-behaved. Fights often break out. Collecting blood for potions has become Newt's instinct, and he can be called a mobile blood bank.
Dumbledore was glad to have Newt here today. He really didn't want to see anyone bleed in front of him. Fantastic Beasts... that was no problem.
"What blood do you want?"
"Would dragon blood, or the blood of some larger creature be okay? It's best to use blood from the same species, as that's the safest."
"Then let's have dragon blood."
Newt released a Niffler into the box. Five minutes later, the Niffler jumped out with a glass bottle. Tom could clearly see that the Niffler's belly had grown bigger and it made a jingling sound when it walked.
Newt noticed it too, but reluctantly took the bottle and stuffed the Niffler back into his chest. Now was not the right time to use family discipline.
Dumbledore controlled the blood and spilled it onto the rock wall. The blood was strangely absorbed. When about half of the blood in the bottle was gone, the archway actually appeared this time, no longer a phantom that could be materialized by magic.
"Thank you, Newt." Dumbledore returned the remaining blood to Newt and walked into the cave behind the archway first, followed by others.
When I reached the end of the cave, the scene in front of me suddenly became clear. It was a black lake. The endless lake surface was like a matte black mirror, without a trace of ripples.
After coming in, Sirius's Luminescent Charm began to flicker, flashing a few times and then simply went out.
"What's going on?" Sirius asked in surprise.
"Your power is being suppressed," Nicol explained. "There's a strong aura of dark magic here, affecting your ability to cast spells. It's the same old trick: constantly suppressing your opponent's power."
When Sirius' wand went out, the only light source in the entire space was the center of the lake, which emitted a green light. Everyone knew that was where Voldemort hid the Horcrux, which had now been replaced by a fake one by Regulus.
"He also thoughtfully prepared transportation for us."
Dumbledore looked down and saw the small boat on the shore. "It's a small boat, though. It can only accommodate two people at most. It's best to have one person on board so there's no risk of it sinking."
"You still want to go there?" Tom asked. "We already know that it's a fake. There's no need to go, right?"
Dumbledore pondered: "I just want to study what methods Voldemort used. After graduation, he mastered many methods that I didn't know. This is a good opportunity to obtain intelligence.
Tom suggested, "How about we wait until we've collected the Inferi before we do our research?"
Dumbledore thought about it and nodded in agreement.
"Get to work, teacher, Uncle Newt!" Tom turned around and called out. The two nodded. Newt turned the knob on the box and then opened it, while Nico stood a little closer.
The boy turned the stones on the ground into flying birds. The birds flew towards the lake. An invisible force pressed them down. At the same time, the calm lake surface began to ripple. Several pale hands shot out from the bottom of the lake and dragged the birds into the bottom of the lake.
"Inferi!" Sirius took a sharp breath. Although he was mentally prepared, the number of vaginas was still far beyond his imagination.
The lake was no longer calm, and densely packed heads emerged from the waves. A rough count showed that the number exceeded a hundred. This was only a small part of the shore, and it was hard to imagine how many there were in the entire lake.
And every Inferi represents a life. How many people has Voldemort killed?
A chill crept into Lupin and Sirius's hearts. They used to be fearless, but now, for the first time, they felt awe towards the name Voldemort.
"Teacher!" Tom shouted at this time.
"Here I come."
Nico smiled and took out a golden rope, throwing it towards the corpse's arm.
Although it was thrown crookedly, the rope automatically corrected its flight trajectory as if it had eyes, and accurately put it on the corpse's hand.
Then, countless thin ropes were split into pieces, extending longer, and entering the water to bind the v****a tightly.
Boom!
Tom took Megatron out and took the rope from Nico. Like playing tug-of-war or peeling carrots, a bunch of corpses wrapped like dumplings were pulled out of the lake and kept approaching the shore.
After reaching the shore, Tom called out the names of the Inferi one by one, knocked them all unconscious, and then threw them all into Newt's box.
"Next wave!" Tom shouted.
Nico produced another rope.
Dumbledore, Sirius, and Lupin stared in amazement at the 'corpse picking' process that was like an industrial assembly line. Nico was responsible for catching, Tom was responsible for 'killing', and Newt was responsible for burying. The whole process was smooth and there was not a single mistake.
"This is really a purchase..." Sirius murmured.
Dumbledore was silent.
He watched this scene, not knowing whether it was Tom who led Nico and Newt astray, or whether it was the latter who led them astray because of his dishonesty.
Too abstract.
Suddenly, Old Deng laughed again.
"Dumbledore, what are you laughing at?" Lupin asked curiously.
"I wonder if Voldemort would be angry if he knew that his carefully prepared guards were broken by Tom in this way?"
Sirius laughed, "If I were Voldemort, I would at least be so angry that I would vomit blood."
"Stop laughing, come and see which one is your brother." Tom saw that he was busy here and these three people were leisurely, so he broke the atmosphere in a bad mood.
Sirius's face changed and he hurried over, staring at the v****a that was being lined up to be sent into the small world.
It's not his fault. The scene was so strange that he forgot the purpose of coming here for a moment.
Strings of Inferi were put into boxes. Sirius tried hard to identify the appearance of each Inferi, trying to find his brother Regulus.
But two full hours had passed, most of the lake bottom had been cleared, and Sirius still found nothing.
Just when he was feeling lost, a thin-faced Inferi with messy long hair appeared before him. Sirius was stunned for a moment, then shouted impatiently:
"That's him! This is Regulus!"
Chapter 348: Apart From Strength, Everyone Has Their Own Specialization
Tom finally paused the automated salvage, dragging a ball of light in his hand, illuminating the cave and allowing him to see Regulus' face more clearly.
This was a teenager who looked 70% similar to Sirius Black.
As he had turned into an Inferi, his face was almost fleshless and his skin had turned blue.
His silent eyes stared straight ahead, and his tightly entangled body was still struggling.
Driven by the curse, he kept trying to attack the intruders.
Sirius looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar face in a trance, and those long-forgotten memories broke free from their shackles and flooded into his heart again.
He and Regulus were not incompatible from the beginning, and they did not quarrel every time they met.
On the contrary, when they were young, the two had a very good relationship. Regulus was his follower, calling him "brother" at least dozens of times a day.
It was not until he went to Hogwarts and was sorted into Gryffindor that the two of them drifted apart.
Regulus grew up perfectly according to his parents' expectations. Whether it was etiquette, social interaction, or philosophy, they were completely opposite to him. After several arguments, they completely separated.
Regulus's death was confusing at the time, but it was the most intense period of the battle with the Death Eaters.
Sirius wanted to go home to find out what happened, but he was kicked out as soon as he returned.
Not long after, his mother also died of a serious illness, and the matter became a complete unsolved case.
Kreacher's complaints, his parents' scolding, and Regulus's sacrifice suddenly gave Sirius, who had never used his brain to think about problems, an epiphany.
It was Regulus who took on the responsibilities of the eldest son and carried his parents' hopes. It was he who caused Regulus to become a Death Eater and eventually lose his life.
Tears silently streamed down Sirius's face. In the most sorrowful moments, people cannot cry loudly and can only breathe silently.
The cave was silent. Except for Lupin patting Sirius on the shoulder and hugging him tightly, no one else said any words of comfort. The power of words was pale and powerless. Remaining silent was the best comfort.
Newt had a complicated expression. Regulus's choice and experience reminded him of his future sister-in-law Rita, who used her life to fight for a tiny hope.
Tom knew very well that he was not a good person, and it would not be an exaggeration to describe him as extremely wicked. Moreover, for his result-oriented personality, Regulus's actions were of no use at all.
But he would not despise or look down on anyone who died for his ideals.
After an unknown amount of time, Sirius finally calmed down.
"Feel sorry."
Sirius apologized to everyone: "I wasted everyone's time."
"It's alright." Tom shook his head. "It's not easy to salvage the remaining Inferi from here. We still need to go to the island in the middle of the lake. You and Lupin can just wait here."
Lupin nodded. He also thought that he and Sirius would not be able to help much if they went over.
Nico cut off the cocoon belonging to Regulus, Sirius took it solemnly, and led his men to step aside.
Although Tom caught a lot of Inferi, Voldemort's methods were far more than that.
The entire lake is equivalent to a huge altar. Once dragged into the water, the endless dark energy will transform the victim into a corpse.
At the same time, the space above the cave is also magical, restricting all flying capabilities, and due to the influence of dark energy, it is difficult for Fox to display his talents here.
Every design was clearly aimed at Dumbledore, which showed that in Voldemort's eyes, Dumbledore was the only one who could pose a threat to him.
Tom wanted to try to fly over, but he would not take the risk unless the danger of the lake was completely eliminated.
"Teacher, here, here, and here.||,"
Tom pointed to several locations. "These are the core points of Voldemort's spell. If we destroy them, the no-fly zone will be removed. However, purifying the lake water will take time."
Nicolas Flamel's eyes followed the boy's instructions. He had just been observing the surrounding situation and had found a few suspicious locations, but not as many or as complete as Tom's.
"Tom, I suspect you have been here before." The old man said jokingly.
"I'm just more sensitive to magic." Tom smiled and explained the reason.
Magic Vision is a natural nemesis for trap magic and can easily find the weakest points of magic.
"Professor, it's your turn to show your skills."
Tom shot out several balls of light, manipulating them to stay where he had pointed. Dumbledore hadn't done anything since he came in, so how could this be allowed?
The elderly must be more active to maintain their physical and mental health.
Dumbledore smiled bitterly. Tom could solve the problem by himself, but he still asked him to take action. This kid would not allow himself to suffer any loss in any aspect.
Dumbledore and Nico discussed some plans and finally reached a decision. The Elder Wand was drawn out, and several golden lights burst out from the tip of the wand and rushed towards the location marked by Tom.
The expected explosion did not occur.
The golden light penetrated into the stone wall.
Soon, the whole cave began to tremble, and people were worried about whether it would cause a collapse.
But fortunately, the worst result did not occur.
The green magic power was forced out from the wall.
Dumbledore did not let it go.
The Elder Wand once again sprayed out golden smoke, wrapping the magic power, and smiled.
Tom observed the entire casting process. Dumbledore used an ancient purification spell. There was no modern spell and it had to be cast by selecting ancient magic runes.
As expected of the hexagonal warrior of the magic world, this old man is proficient in everything from black magic to white magic, from transfiguration to ancient magic runes.
Tom threw out a few more deformed birds, but this time they were not affected at all and flew freely over the lake.
"So we succeeded?" said Dumbledore.
"I brought a flying broom."
Newt took out a broom from the box and distributed it to several people.
Lupin refused, as he wanted to stay here with Sirius.
Nico also refused, as he brought a flying carpet.
Flying on a flying carpet is much more comfortable than flying on a broom.
Tom also got on, as he had never ridden a flying carpet before.
In the end, only Dumbledore and Newt were left riding their brooms and slowly flying towards the Heavenly Palace.
"It feels pretty good." Tom sat on it very steadily, "There's no strong sense of weightlessness, it's like sitting on a sofa.
The young man shamelessly started to rely on his parents: "Do you have any more? Give me two and I'll give them to Daphne."
Nico rolled his eyes. If he said he wouldn't give it to Tom, wouldn't he go home and look for it himself? It was totally unnecessary to ask this question.
Ignoring Tom, Nico said to Dumbledore, "Voldemort's forbidden air spell comes from the Black State. I once saw it passed down from a tribe. It requires human sacrifice. The more people there are, the better the effect."
Dumbledore's expression remained unchanged, but his voice was a little colder. "Actually, decades ago, there was a village nearby. But one day, a plague suddenly broke out in the village. At least that's what the official account says... No one survived."
Newt and Nico looked at the lake at the same time, and they also guessed the fate of the villagers.
"Tom...don't you have anything to say?" Seeing that Tom didn't show any emotion, Dumbledore couldn't help but ask.
He couldn't believe that Tom hadn't guessed what he meant.
"Professor, you should learn more about Muggle history."
Tom turned his eyes away from the flying carpet and said to Dumbledore, "The population of a village may sound terrifying in the wizarding world, but in the war in the Muggle world, this number is really insignificant.
During the war, the death toll every minute and every second exceeded this number."
"I admit that Voldemort has completely lost his humanity, but I'm not surprised by it. There are so many people in this world who are more sinister than him."
This is Tom's opinion of Voldemort. Apart from his strength, he is actually not ranked at all in the world in terms of his character or the harm he causes.
"Yeah..." Nico's sigh was almost a whisper, "Life... is so fragile."
He thought back to the time when he was young, when the Black Death was rampant, people fell down in large numbers, and nine out of ten houses in Europe were empty.
Even without counting these, the number of people he had killed in the more than six hundred years he had lived there was no less than that of Voldemort.
Newt also thought of Jacob and the battlefield he had described. For a moment, he suddenly felt that wizards were very small and insignificant to the world.
"No matter what, we still have to have enough respect for life."
Dumbledore was very tired. He wanted to take this opportunity to teach Tom a lesson and give him lots of chicken soup. But Tom's thinking was even more clear than his. How could he teach him?
Fortunately, they had already flown to the center of the lake, where there was only a small platform. In the center of the platform was a stone basin filled with liquid, and at the deepest part of the basin was the locket that Regulus had placed.
As everyone landed, the small platform was packed.
Perhaps Voldemort had not thought that so many people would pass through his numerous traps and come to the place where the Horcruxes were hidden (with good money).
Dumbledore took out a cup, scooped up the liquid in the stone basin and poured it into the lake, but the water disappeared in mid-air, and the height of the liquid in the stone basin returned to its full state.
Then he tapped the stone basin with his wand again, frowning slightly.
"I can completely destroy the stone basin through violence, but the chain reaction will be the collapse of the cave. Otherwise, I will have to drink all the potions like Regulus and Kreacher.
"Try Transfiguration," Tom urged.
Dumbledore nodded happily and conjured a goat standing on a stone basin, but before he could take a few sips, the goat fell down with a plop and then turned back into a head.
"Ordinary animals' resistance to drugs isn't enough to last him until he finishes drinking all the potions," Dumbledore concluded. "Unless it's a large magical beast, like a dragon or a horned beast, but such creatures simply can't reach the stone platform...assuming you and Newt are excluded."
Dumbledore had a better understanding of Voldemort's methods. They were more cunning and vicious than he had expected, but he was still playing with people's hearts.
"He could never imagine, even in his dreams, that there would be a warrior like Regulus in the world." Newt pointed out the fatal flaws in all the designs.
"It's not that troublesome."
Nicolas Flamel walked around the basin and tapped three points with his wand.
"Albus, try again now."
Chapter 349: I Am Willing to Die, Just so Someone Can Give You a Fatal Blow
"Nicol, compared to your alchemy, Voldemort and I are both naive."
Nico's move naturally had no reason to fail. Dumbledore scooped out the potion again and poured it into the lake. This time there was no sign of backflow. The potion was poured into the lake smoothly, and the water level in the stone basin also decreased accordingly.
While Dumbledore was pouring the water, Nicole didn't forget to test Tom: "Do you understand the reasoning behind what I did?"
Tom nodded.
"Then tell me?" Nico looked at the boy expectantly.
He was looking forward to Tom making mistakes. Having a talented student was both a blessing and a trouble. Except for the time when Tom first started learning alchemy, the chances he had to educate this kid became fewer and fewer as time went on.
He learns so fast. Not only does he have a super memory, but he is also very sensible and constantly consolidates his basics. He is able to concentrate on learning the basics that even half-baked alchemists think are common sense.
——Many people will never understand one truth in their entire life: the foundation is the most important factor that determines how far you can go.
Moreover, Tom does not just study mechanically, but turns all the knowledge into his own, and then integrates and innovates it.
Sometimes Nico wondered if Tom had multiple brains capable of learning and thinking simultaneously. Otherwise, how could he ensure his strength was growing by leaps and bounds while also steadily improving his alchemy skills?
"Voldemort doesn't actually know alchemy." Tom circled the stone basin. "He uses dark magic to achieve alchemical effects, transforming ordinary objects into magical treasures, but you use alchemical thinking to solve problems."
Nico nodded in appreciation. Although it didn't sound like a big deal, Tom hit the nail on the head.
Using alchemical thinking to solve non-alchemical problems is the key point that Nico most hopes Tom can understand.
"Newt, what's wrong with you?"
Nico suddenly noticed that Newt was staring at the stone basin, and there seemed to be... regret in his eyes? He couldn't help but ask curiously.
"Nothing." Newt shook his head, still staring at the stone basin, "I just thought... this thing would be very useful as a food for magical creatures.
Nico:
Soon, the liquid in the stone basin was emptied, and Dumbledore successfully took out Regulus's "relics". He found that the locket could be opened, but after thinking about it, he decided not to do so.
"We should let Sirius open it."
Tom was eager to try and said, "I'll put another 'fake' in there. After all, I took Regulus's things, so I should give him another one.
He thought this was a good opportunity to greet Voldemort.
Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He couldn't keep up with Tom's unconventional thoughts, but he didn't stop him.
Tom had been prepared. He had made a 'fake' in the style of a Horcrux. As soon as he took it out, Dumbledore's face changed. (abdf) "Tom, what did you do to this box?"
The darkness of the Horcrux was restrained, waiting to be unleashed, and any wizard could sense the evil aura from the box that Tom took out.
"It was a mistake. I was in such a rush yesterday that I forgot to make the final adjustments."
Tom smiled shyly and fiddled with the locket for a while. The aura on the locket began to fade, and finally it became indistinguishable from an ordinary box. After doing all this, he explained to Dumbledore, "It's just a few simple curses. It's much less powerful than the original."
Several people's eyelids twitched violently.
Although I don't know the specific curse, the sense of danger I felt just now makes me know it's not ordinary stuff. And Tom said it was a simplified version?
But Tom really wasn't talking nonsense. Many of Mr. K's curse magics had to be cast with the body of a lich to exert their full power. What he added was really a simplified version.
To this end, he even sacrificed the lives of the last few experimental subjects, which was definitely a huge investment.
Fufu, you must learn to be grateful!
The stone basin was refilled with liquid, which was not the original poison, but a viscosity simulated by Transfiguration.
Dumbledore's mission was completed, but Tom's purchasing journey was not over yet. The last of the vaginas gathered near the island in the middle of the lake.
He was too lazy to use the transformed creature to lure, so he just stuck his wand into the lake. The blazing golden light followed the wand into the lake, and the entire lake lit up, shimmering and turning into beautiful spots.
The remaining corpses were all awakened and swarmed towards the center of the lake.
Tom turned around and shouted, "Professor, don't just stand there and watch. Give us a hand. If we can finish this sooner, we can finish the work sooner."
Dumbledore had no choice but to take out the Elder Wand and knock out the Inferi in groups. Then Nico tied them up and finally put them into Newt's box.
With Old Dumbledore's help, the whole process went very quickly. Tom estimated that he collected about two thousand corpses, enough for him and Nico to study for a while.
After doing all this, the three of them returned to the lakeshore. Sirius had completely calmed down, at least nothing could be seen on the surface.
Dumbledore nodded slightly to him and Lupin, but did not take out the locket immediately. Instead, he gave it to Sirius after returning to Grimmauld Place.
Sirius opened the locket with trembling hands. Inside was only a folded piece of parchment. It had been more than ten years since Regulus put the parchment in, and the paper had begun to yellow.
Sirius carefully opened the parchment bit by bit. After just one glance, his eyes became red again. He read the words on it in a crying voice——
"To the Dark Lord
By the time you read this, I will be dead, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret, stole the real Horcrux, and planned to destroy it.
I am willing to die so that you can be utterly defeated when you meet your true opponent.
R.A.B."
"Young Master!"
Kreacher uttered a strange whimper and fell to his knees.
"He's a true warrior."
Dumbledore was in awe, "Regulus has no fear of death at all, only contempt for Voldemort and pride in what he has done.
"He's a good boy." Nicolas Flamel sighed, turned around and walked into the fireplace with Tom and Newt.
After returning home, the three of them got into the box and saw the thousands of Inferi. Newt still felt horrified. If these Inferi were placed in the small world where magical animals lived, the whole world would probably be polluted soon.
"I suddenly feel that your idea is a little unreliable." Nicolas Flamel muttered: "Even if you can extract spirituality, are you sure you won't create an alchemical creature with only destructive instincts?
"It should be fine," Tom analyzed. "The Inferi can be purified. After purification, but before they are completely liberated, they can be extracted. In other words, it's like having s*x while they're still hot, right before they die."
The two old men were completely distraught, and Nico was speechless: "So you're saying that we need to purify the Inferi before we can begin the experiment?"
"It's not us, it's you." Tom corrected Nico's mistake, and the old man's eyes widened.
"What about you?"
"I have more important research to do, teacher," the young man said earnestly, "I prepared so many Infernal Corpses just for you to practice with. You must cherish this opportunity."
"Okay, enough talking. Astoria's getting up soon. I promised to go boating with her today, so I'm leaving now."
Tom disappeared from their sight before he could even finish his words.
"Newt." Nico turned back speechlessly, "Have we been tricked by this little b*****d?"
Newt smiled helplessly, "That's probably it, or we just offered ourselves up to him and were willing to be tricked by him.
Nico was also furious and cursed, "What kind of Dark Lord is Voldemort? What a b*****d! Isn't it Tom Riddle who should be looked at?"
But even if he was scolded, Nico couldn't do it. It wasn't that Tom had drugged him, but the temptation of creating alchemical creatures. Even though he knew he was working for Tom, he had to agree.
"How about... asking Dumbledore for help?" Newt suddenly had an idea. "He's definitely going to purify Regulus, right? Purging one person is no different than purging a whole group. As Tom said... oh yeah, those who are capable should do more work."
Nico looked at him with a strange look.
"Newt... you've also learned bad things from Tom."
Chapter 350: Funeral, Grindelwald and Voldemort
The essence of outsourcing lies in secondary and even tertiary outsourcing.
Newt used to be so honest, he was the epitome of integrity and reliability in the wizarding world. Now he has become... more considerate.
Nico didn't know what that Eastern slang was—it's hard to learn good things, but it's easy to learn bad things. If he knew it, he would definitely use it to describe Newt at this moment. It was so apt.
Uncle Newt was too embarrassed to turn his head away, avoiding its strange gaze.
There is no way. Although cheating people is immoral and cannot pass the test of morality, but... it feels really good after cheating them.
Tom had troubled him and Nico so many times. Although each time it was just a harmless little thing, it saved a lot of trouble when it accumulated over time.
Well, that guy saved himself the trouble, but they worked themselves to death.
Newt couldn't help it today and wanted to pass on the troubles.
"Let's get some sleep first." Nico showed a mischievous smile, "After you've rested, let's go find Dumbledore together.
"Okay." Newt also smiled shyly, and the two looked at each other, as if they had reached some kind of consensus.
In the afternoon, Tom took Astoria shopping, and the two old playboys came to Hogwarts and handed the Inferius to the confused Dumbledore.
After learning of their thoughts, Dumbledore reluctantly took over this difficult task.
Purifying the Yin "043" corpse is no simple task, especially since one cannot destroy the Yin corpse's mind, leaving it in a half-dead state. [The entire magic can only be done by a person who does it.
Two thousand Inferi... He can't do anything else before school starts. Fortunately, Grindelwald has been very well behaved recently and hasn't caused him any trouble, otherwise it would only delay things even longer.
But Dumbledore had to agree. After last night's adventure, Dumbledore deeply understood what it felt like to have several god-level teammates. All of Voldemort's methods could be easily broken, and there would be no danger at all.
If you want to continue to ask Nico and Newt for help in the future, you still have to start with Tom.
This was a tacit agreement between the two.
Another day passed, and Dumbledore brought the purified Regulus to Grimmauld Place.
Although he was still skin and bones, Regulus's skin color had returned to normal, and the darkness between his brows had dissipated.
"Thank you, Dumbledore." Sirius thanked him sincerely, and then expressed his thoughts: "I will hold a funeral for Regulus and bring him home with a legitimate reason."
"He deserves it." Dumbledore nodded in agreement.
However, the two had a disagreement on who to invite. Sirius wanted to make it a big event so that more people would know about Regulus' heroic deeds and make his sacrifice worthwhile.
Dumbledore, however, wanted to keep a low profile and limit the number of people who knew about it to a small circle, the fewer people who knew, the better.
"The existence of Horcruxes is not suitable for more people to know, and Regulus' betrayal of Voldemort is not suitable to be announced to the outside world now."
"Why?!" Sirius paced back and forth in the damp and cold living room in annoyance. "This is the respect and restoration that Regulus deserves!"
Dumbledore's troubled and tired gaze cast through his half-moon glasses at the authentic locket on the table. He hesitated, but Sirius's excited reaction finally made him decide to explain it thoroughly.
"Sirius, do you know what a Horcrux is?"
Sirius was stunned at first when he heard Dumbledore's question, then shook his head in confusion. Recently, his mind was full of Regulus's affairs. Although he knew that the Horcrux was very important to Voldemort, he had not yet investigated and understood it.
"A Horcrux is an extremely evil product of black magic.
It splits the soul and stores it in an object, serving as an anchor for its existence in the world.
As long as the Horcrux is indestructible, the person itself will not die.
To create a Horcrux, murder is necessary to split the soul.
This is why Voldemort survived being struck by his own Killing Curse."
Sirius was horrified when he heard this, and he couldn't help but take two steps back as he looked at the Slytherin locket lying quietly on the table.
"No wonder... No wonder Regulus allowed Kreacher to destroy him."
"So do you understand now?" Dumbledore said, "If Regulus's achievements were made public, the existence of Horcruxes would become known to the world. Once someone were to investigate what Horcruxes were, there would inevitably be more evil wizards seeking immortality and murdering innocent people."
"Even if we conceal the news of the Horcruxes and blur Regulus's achievements, Voldemort will eventually find out that he created more than one Horcrux. Once we alert him, our subsequent search for the Horcruxes will become very difficult."
"But... I don't want him to just disappear without a trace, and for the world to completely forget him, as if Regulus had never existed." Sirius' face was filled with resentment. He deserved more respect from others.
"Some things should not be judged by quantity but by quality."
The young man's unique clear voice came from the hallway. Tom, who happened to be reading a book, heard the conversation between the two and walked over.
"Tom, what do you mean?" Sirius was sorry again. Is there a difference in quality of respect?
Tom sat on the armrest of the wooden sofa and said, "Don't you just want Regulus's funeral to be grand?"
"yes."
Tom pointed at Dumbledore, "Professor Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard in the wizarding world right now, right?
Sirius nodded as a matter of course; this was a recognized fact.
Old Deng was a little embarrassed, but didn't say anything.
Tom counted on his fingers: "Teacher Nico, the greatest alchemist in history, Uncle Newt, the master of magical creatures, the person Grindelwald hated the most.
"And I..." the boy pointed at himself, "the future most powerful wizard in the magical world."
Sirius and Dumbledore's eyelids twitched at the same time. Tom was really
Although shameless, the two did not refute it. It was an indisputable fact that Tom's reputation as a villain was more effective than Dumbledore's in North America.
Tom continued: "Just the few of us attending Regulus's funeral is enough to go down in history. You can ask Dumbledore to invite a few people he absolutely trusts to make up the numbers.
Aren't you still not satisfied?"
"That's true..." Sirius nodded subconsciously.
"Then it's settled." Dumbledore struck while the iron was hot and scheduled the funeral for the second to last day before school started. There was still a week left, which was plenty of time for preliminary preparations and inviting guests from the garden.
....
The following days were much quieter.
Tom and Nicole mainly studied the purified v****a.
They successfully extracted spiritual substances, but the amount was pitifully small compared to that of a normal person.
However, by accumulating the amount, they could still alleviate the crisis of raw materials.
In addition, with the efforts of Xiao Luban, he successfully secured joint orders from the Ministry of Magic of many countries.
When Fudge received the goods, he was full of doubts. He didn't understand how Tom managed to complete such an order of this amount in such a short time. He even suspected that Tom was selling inferior goods as good ones.
However, after random inspections, we found that all the products were qualified, so we had no choice but to pay the balance.
It's not that they don't want to pay, but now they can't stop Tom from doing business with the Saints. Rozier's warning made most people silent. They don't want to have tea and chat with Grindelwald.
0.
When the time came for the funeral, Sirius chose the Black family cemetery to hold the funeral.
The sky was cooperating and it started to drizzle.
Tom changed into a black wizard robe with a white flower on his chest.
He came to the scene with Daphne, who was also wearing a black dress.
There were already a few people here.
The most eye-catching one was Arthur Weasley's red hair.
In addition to him, there was also a young witch with long wavy red hair.
Talking to Sirius.
"Tom, welcome." Sirius noticed the two of them and strode over. He had been carefully groomed today. His previously fluffy black hair was tamed with hairspray and combed into a serious hairstyle. His beard had also been shaved off, leaving only a thin layer of stubble.
"Is that enough respect?" asked Tom, laughing.
"Of course." Sirius nodded heavily. "Regulus will be very happy that the best Slytherin has recognized him."
It was as if Sirius had grown up a lot overnight, and his prejudice against Slytherin no longer existed - it was always people who had problems, and there was nothing wrong with Slytherin's pursuit of glory and self-satisfaction, only the Death Eaters were wrong.
As the two chatted, the woman who had just spoken to Sirius came over. She looked at Tom curiously and offered him her hand. "Hello, I'm Nymphadora Tonks, but I hate that name. Just call me Tonks."
"I've heard your name so many times, Riddle."
The root of Nympha comes from Greece, which is the common nymph in mythology and legends. It is a general term for fairies and beautiful elves, but in the context of English slang, it also specifically refers to a place in the lower body, which is similar to the meaning of a British man named d**k.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Tonks." Tom also extended his hand. As their hands were just shaking, Daphne exclaimed that Tonks's hair suddenly turned from fiery red to bubble gum pink, and her nose turned into an elephant's trunk.
"Why aren't you reacting?" Tonks was frustrated when she saw that Tom's blinking frequency didn't even change.
This was a little show she had carefully prepared just to scare this talented teacher who was becoming famous.
"Sirius told me that a long time ago," Tom withdrew his hand. "He has a very eccentric niece who is a natural-born Animagus."
"What an amazing ability." Daphne said enviously.
"So it was you who sold me out." Tonks glanced at Sirius with a complaint, and then continued to change the color of her hairpin and her facial expression, making Daphne giggle. The two of them immediately became closer.
In the end, it was Tom who made the childish Tonks stop. After all, this was a funeral and it was inappropriate to be too cheerful.
Half an hour later, Dumbledore, Nicolas Flamel, and Newt arrived hand in hand, signaling that the funeral was about to begin.
Regulus's coffin was placed in a sea of flowers, with the Black family crest on it. He lay quietly inside, wearing an emerald green robe embroidered with silver thread.
Sirius took a deep breath and read the eulogy in a solemn atmosphere.
The funeral began, and thousands of miles away in Albania, Grindelwald was also trying to hold a funeral for Voldemort.
After searching for more than half a month, he finally caught the person.
The first round of competition between the old and new generations of Dark Lords finally began.