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Chapter 1089: Fostering Again
🕑 Added 2024-04-21 06:23:34 +0000 UTCDumbledore seemed to be satisfied with Riddle's answer, which was really strange. What could there possibly be to be satisfied about?!
Although there might be other reasons behind it, wasn't the idea of wanting to kill one's own father with one's own hands very dangerous?
Even if Riddle in front of him didn't do anything in the end, just having such a thought made him very dangerous and evil.
Evan was a bit puzzled, and so was Riddle.
Although still expressionless, he became obviously more alert, looking at Dumbledore cautiously.
"Professor, do you have any other questions?" he asked in a very polite tone.
He was still wearing his Hogwarts robes, and his tone was just right, not at all abrupt, not causing any displeasure.
In a way, this version of Riddle was really quite endearing.
He looked like an excellent student who was asking Dumbledore questions humbly, rather than the evil and terrifying Dark Lord.
Fifteen-year-old Riddle was like this. He deceived everyone with this guise!
"One more question," said Dumbledore gently. "You just told Evan that you disapproved of him making multiple Horcruxes. So, you know that he is planning to make many Horcruxes? How many do you think he'll end up making?"
"This is what he plans to do. He believes that the more times the soul is split and the more thorough it is, the stronger he will be. There is no evidence to prove this, but there are countless facts that prove that splitting will make the soul become unstable," said Riddle. "So I disapproved of him doing this, but it was of no use. My suggestions were not adopted by him. In fact, after I was split, he seemed to become more evil. Now, more pure evil, more complete evil, many things that he could only think about before, he can now do without any scruples."
Evan frowned, Riddle seemed to be hinting to them that after he was split from Voldemort, he became even more evil, becoming the true Voldemort.
In other words, he might have taken away all the positive thoughts from Voldemort's soul.
This guy really did everything he could to get Dumbledore to let him go.
Evan wasn't sure whether he was telling the truth, but it was enough to make him and Dumbledore hesitate!
When they were preparing to destroy him again, they couldn't help but think, maybe this was a good Voldemort, a fifteen-year-old boy with positive emotions, maybe even a boy with love that Dumbledore valued...
It was really scary. As long as they had such a slight hesitation, Riddle's goal would be achieved!
A very clever hint, direct, effective, and difficult to distinguish between true and false; this guy really understood human nature.
"You just need to answer the question honestly," said Evan disdainfully. "Stop talking nonsense all the time."
"Of course," said Riddle politely. "Since we're talking about the number of Horcruxes he will ultimately choose, I think seven is a very good number. Likewise, this number holds the most magical power, if he remains as I know him..."
"Very good," said Dumbledore with satisfaction.
"In that case, I've said everything, Professor," said Riddle humbly, still using that perfectly measured tone. "I wonder how you feel! Will you forgive me? Give your student another chance?"
"Professor," Evan suggested, "I think it's better to destroy it directly!"
Although this Horcrux provided them with a lot of valuable information tonight, and it was very surprising; he was still Tom Riddle after all, the young Voldemort. It was too dangerous to let him go like this!
And Evan had an intuition that the guy in front of him was even more dangerous than the current Voldemort.
Although he was only a part of the soul, he maintained his rationality and was completely independent.
Voldemort's greatest strength was not his magical power, but his intelligence and ability to confuse people.
Although the contact time was not long, Evan obviously felt this in this guy.
"I have no power at all now. If you don't provide me with magic power, I can't even maintain this fragile form," said Riddle pitifully. "I am completely under your mercy; would you be afraid of someone like me?"
"Even facing the strongest you, we won't be afraid," said Evan disdainfully. "But you're a Horcrux!"
“A special Horcrux, Evan. I just heard the professor call you that. This should be your name. Do you mind if I call you that?" Before Evan could answer, Riddle continued, "You have also heard my previous narrative. I am now completely independent from the main soul. There is no connection between us."
"I understand the magic of Horcruxes. As long as you continue to exist, Voldemort cannot be killed."
"I have no connection with him, the connection here includes a connection in life," Riddle continued. "Of course, I know what you want to do. If you give me a chance, I will prove that there is indeed no connection between me and the main soul. Whether you destroy me or not, it doesn't affect your plan. Just give me time and I will prove it to you."
"But your existence itself is evil," said Evan stubbornly.
"Evil?!" Riddle said, his body getting lighter, as if he might disappear at any moment. "I don't understand, what is evil about me? Evil deeds can split the soul, but I was not created that way. I didn’t do anything; I was inexplicably split from the main soul by some mysterious Death, then locked in a cupboard for half a century. Then you suddenly show up now, saying that I am evil and saying that you want to destroy me. It’s really ridiculous. No matter how you look at it, I am the victim..."
If everything he said was true, the Tom Riddle in front of them was indeed very wronged.
This was another essential difference between him and other Horcruxes. He had not been made through murder.
From this point of view, he was really a special Horcrux, not as inherently evil as the others.
In addition, he was independent of Voldemort's main soul, so they really had no reason to destroy him.
It felt like unjustly killing a fifteen-year-old boy for no reason, but this boy happened to be the young Voldemort.
If they chose to spare him, who knew what he would become later, would he turn into Voldemort again?!
That was hard to say, Evan didn't have a specific answer.
If he had to answer, he could only say that Dumbledore had changed a lot compared to half a century ago.
If given a chance to nurture Tom Riddle again, perhaps everything would truly change... or perhaps...
