Hogwarts: I, Tom, am really not Voldemort!

“!”

“Deathly Hallows?” Snape never expected Tom to utter that term.

“Yes, the Deathly Hallows. The Resurrection Stone among the Deathly Hallows, allowing you to see Lily one more time,” Tom said matter-of-factly.

“But aren't the Deathly Hallows just legends? No one has ever truly seen them. You're not seriously trying to fool me with these fairy tales, are you?” Snape glared at Tom, his anger simmering. If he didn't get an explanation today, he'd be on the receiving end of a Sectumsempra.

Tom, however, was unfazed by Snape's ire, and retorted with a smile, “Myth? No, Professor Snape, you're mistaken. The Deathly Hallows are not a myth; they truly exist.”

“Then, then did he find them?” Hearing such a secret for the first time, Snape suddenly felt his mouth go dry.

Tom nodded to Snape, “He found them. The Elder Wand in the old man's hands was found by Grindelwald, but after his defeat in '45, the Elder Wand fell into the hands of Professor Dumbledore.”

“You're saying the thing Dumbledore has is the Elder Wand from the Deathly Hallows?” For the first time, Snape explicitly learned the whereabouts of a Deathly Hallow from Tom, and a glimmer of hope flickered in his usually dead eyes.

Seeing this, Tom decided to add more fuel to the fire, “Yes, and for Professor Snape, you've not only seen the Elder Wand, but also another Deathly Hallow.”

“What?” Snape exclaimed, forgetting himself. He racked his brains for a long time but couldn't recall ever seeing a Deathly Hallow other than the Elder Wand.

“Professor, calm down, don't be surprised. I can guarantee one hundred percent that you've seen it, in the hands of your rival,” Tom reassured Snape, while also giving him a little hint.

“Potter?” Snape suppressed his disgust and recalled James Potter, but still shook his head, “Riddle, stop being so cryptic.”

Tom didn't intend to continue playing riddles and immediately revealed the answer, “The Invisibility Cloak. The one James Potter had is the Invisibility Cloak from the Deathly Hallows. The Potters are descendants of the third Peverell brother from the story.”

Snape was somewhat stunned. He had thought they were just legends, but he never imagined that he had inadvertently seen two of them. Then what about the Resurrection Stone? Thinking of this, the light in his eyes shone even brighter.

At this moment, Tom added another log to Snape's fire, “The Elder Wand and the Invisibility Cloak exist, so of course the Resurrection Stone exists as well. Here's a small clue for you, Professor: the Resurrection Stone was originally in the hands of another branch of the Peverell family.”

Snape's eyes were now filled with hope. With a clue, there was hope of finding the Resurrection Stone, and then Lily might be resurrected.

Seeing this, Tom decided not to linger any longer, “It seems today is not suitable for lessons, Professor Snape. I'll take my leave.”

Snape didn't try to stop him, and simply waved his hand for Tom to leave.

Just as Tom opened the door and was about to step out of the office, Snape, who had come to his senses, suddenly called out to him, secretly gripping his wand and asking in a deep voice, “Riddle, why do you, a Muggle-born, know so many secrets?”

“Guess!” Tom replied with a smile, as if he hadn't noticed Snape's small action, “Good night, Professor, have a good dream!”

After speaking, he closed the door and left.

Looking at the closed door, Snape's expression was complex. He had thought it was just a simple detention, but he never imagined it would turn out like this. He needed to take some time to sort out his thoughts.

Meanwhile, Tom, who had left Snape's office, took out the Gaunt family ring from his storage space.

Stroking the Resurrection Stone on it, he murmured to himself, “Then, Severus, what price will you pay next time for what you can't have?”

Having temporarily solved the problem of Snape and reaped enough benefits, Tom slept in late the next day, not getting up until the sun was high in the sky.

After a quick wash, Tom planned to complete the last unfinished task of this week's plan.

After wandering around to the eighth floor, just as he was about to focus his energy and walk back and forth three times to open the Room of Requirement, Tom suddenly seemed to sense something, and took out his wand, aiming it at the corner, “I know you're there. I'll count to three. Come out on your own, or I'll make you.”

“3!”

“2!”

Before he could finish counting down, a figure walked out from the corner.

Tom stared coldly at the blonde, green-eyed beauty who appeared before him, and asked sternly, “Very well, then, Cassandra, can you explain why you were following me?”

“I, I was just curious about what you wanted to do?” Cassandra's voice trembled slightly as she faced Tom's wand pointed at her.

“Curious? Does our young Miss Vole know that there's an old saying in the distant East that curiosity kills the cat?” Tom approached step by step with his wand in hand.

Coming in front of Cassandra, Tom's hand stroked her cheek as it had yesterday, and said with a smile, “It seems that yesterday's impression on our young miss wasn't deep enough.”

“Gulp!”

Cassandra swallowed involuntarily, unable to utter a word.

“However, I'm not so unreasonable. Since you're so curious, Cassandra, of course I have to mercifully satisfy someone's curiosity. So, what do you choose?” Tom's devilish whisper echoed in Cassandra's ear.

“The Unbreakable Vow,” Cassandra blurted out without thinking.

Tom didn't expect Cassandra to blurt out the Unbreakable Vow, and couldn't help but take another look at her, then chuckled, “Then who will be the witness?”

Cassandra was immediately stunned by Tom's question.

Thinking of this, Cassandra was at a loss for a moment, “Then, then what do you say we should do?”

Tom immediately took out a blank contract that he had prepared in advance from his storage space and began filling it out on the spot.

“Alright, sign it.”

Cassandra took the contract. The content was very simple: Cassandra Vole must not disclose anything she has seen or heard today in any form or by any means.

Under Tom's watchful eyes, Cassandra had no choice but to sign her name in tears.

As the contract burned, Tom smiled and said softly, “The contract is complete. If you breach it, you will know the consequences.”

Cassandra nodded frantically upon hearing this. Although Tom didn't say what the consequences were, and it wasn't written on the contract, she really didn't dare to gamble.

Seeing her like this, Tom nodded in satisfaction and patted her on the shoulder, “Alright, aren't you curious about what I want to do? Then I'll take you to see it properly next.”