Hogwarts: I, Tom, am really not Voldemort!

"What is this?!"

Sirius Black and Lupin looked in shock at the coffin that appeared in the room. Who in their right mind would send a coffin in the middle of the night?

"Sirius, my condolences."

Tom patted Sirius on the shoulder, inwardly grateful that Cassandra had prepared the coffin ahead of time during the start of term. Although Draco was disappointed it wasn't used, at least it gave Regulus a proper send-off now.

Hearing Tom's words, Sirius felt a pang in his heart, and his hand reaching for the coffin trembled uncontrollably.

When Sirius used all his strength to open the outer coffin, he was struck by lightning when he saw the person inside.

"Regulus!!!"

"How could this be?!"

In this situation, Tom would not act up, after all, he had a bottom line.

........…

Harry suddenly noticed that some of his good friends at school had been exceptionally enthusiastic towards him these past few days.

Not only did they constantly give Harry snacks, toys, and small gifts, but they also looked at him with sympathy, and specifically told Ron to take good care of him.

Harry was annoyed by this series of changes. He asked Ron, but found that he didn't know anything at all.

Unable to bear it any longer, Harry blocked Tom's trio.

"Tom, Draco, and Cassandra, do you know what's been happening recently? Why is everyone treating me like this?"

Tom patted Harry on the shoulder: "Harry, my condolences."

"Huh?"

Harry was stunned for a moment, then looked at Tom in panic, afraid that Tom would say a certain name: "Did someone pass away?"

"It's Sirius..."

Tom paused slightly when he said this.

Hearing this name, Harry almost fainted. Just as he was about to ask what exactly happened, he heard Tom continue.

"... 's brother."

"... ..."

Harry felt his fists harden. Could you not pause so dramatically? But...

"How is Sirius now? He must be very sad. Can I go see him?"

"It's best not to, because seeing you will only make Sirius put on a brave face, and what he needs most now is to release his suppressed emotions."

"Don't worry, Remus is with him, he'll be fine."

Tom shook his head, disagreeing with Harry's opinion.

"I understand," Harry said understandingly, "But since Sirius is fine, why are the others treating me like this? After all, I don't know Sirius's brother."

Tom and Draco looked up at the sky guiltily, while Cassandra complained from the side: "Because someone paused dramatically and someone else fueled the flames, everyone now thinks that Sirius has passed away."

"Huh?!"

… … …

The Sirius who was "forced to pass away" was currently with Lupin in the Headmaster's office on the eighth floor.

Dumbledore held the locket they had obtained from Kreacher in his hand with a sorrowful expression. He had already learned the specific process of Regulus's death from Sirius.

"Sirius, Regulus is a hero, please accept my condolences."

"Thank you, Professor."

Facing Dumbledore's comfort, Sirius simply thanked him and stood aside without saying a word, obviously not yet recovered from the blow of Regulus's death.

Dumbledore didn't say much either, lowering his head to carefully examine the locket in his hand, inwardly sighing that Sirius and Lupin still trusted him after so many things had happened. It wasn't easy, really too difficult.

After a moment, Dumbledore raised his head with a strange expression and asked, "Have you tried to open it?"

Lupin nodded: "Professor, we've tried, but it doesn't work, and this locket has been subjected to countless defensive measures, making it impossible to destroy directly."

"It seems that we still have to find someone for this matter."

… … …

"Sirius, are you okay?"

Having learned that Sirius was in the Headmaster's office, Harry, ignoring Tom's advice, insisted on coming with Tom and gave Sirius a big hug.

Tom looked helplessly at the scene before him. Only after Sirius turned around to comfort Harry did he look at Dumbledore: "Professor, what's the matter this time?"

Dumbledore handed a new locket to Tom: "Tom, can you open this locket?"

Eh, isn't this the Tom-version locket he left with Kreacher? Sirius and the others moved so quickly. It's just...

"Please, what was the original intention of establishing the Death Eaters?"

Okay, he seemed to have set up a question-and-answer mode at the beginning, but after such a long time, he seemed to have forgotten what the answer to the set question was. Why didn't he think of making a "retrieve password" setting at the time?

Seeing Tom's hesitation, Dumbledore asked: "What's wrong, Tom, can't you do it?"

Tom said helplessly: "I'll try my best, I don't know if it will work. Professor, have you tried it?"

This time Lupin came forward to answer: "We have tried a series of answers such as ruling the magical world, eliminating Muggles, and occupying Hogwarts, but they are all wrong."

"Okay, I understand, then, in order to realize Dumbledore's ambition?"

"Incorrect answer."

"In order to help Dumbledore retrieve Grindelwald?"

"Incorrect answer."

......

Seeing Tom becoming more and more outrageous, Dumbledore was about to stop him when he heard: "Correct answer!" Then everyone looked at him in shock.

"So, what is the answer to the question?"

Dumbledore, who hadn't heard clearly just now, looked at Tom with a puzzled expression.

"Professor, the answer is to resurrect Ariana Dumbledore."

Tom handed the locket back to Dumbledore while repeating the correct answer.

Dumbledore numbly took the locket, unable to stop himself from roaring inwardly.

Why, why, won't they let go of this hundred-year-old man?

But soon Dumbledore's attention was diverted.

Another note, floating down from the opened locket.