Hogwarts: I, Tom, am really not Voldemort!

“Tom, what are you doing standing here? I called you, but you didn't respond.”

Tom, lost in daydreams about the new semester on the platform, was heavily patted by Harry.

“Huh? Harry, what are you doing here?”

Tom, instinctively asked, still immersed in his fantasies.

Harry, with a face full of black lines, retorted, “Why can't I be here? We've only been apart for a few seconds. I came in right behind you.”

Tom, finally snapping out of it, realized that without the diary's influence, there wouldn't be Dobby's interference. So, Harry entering the platform smoothly was perfectly normal.

But wouldn't that mean Harry and Ron's iconic flying car scene would be gone?

Tom stroked his chin and bargained with Harry, “Harry, what do you say, should I throw you and Ron out of the station again and then re-seal the entrance?”

“Why?”

Harry, seeing that Tom was seriously considering the question, suddenly became a bit strained.

“Of course, it's to see you and Ron flying towards Hogwarts in Mr. Weasley's modified car.”

Tom's serious demeanor unsettled Ron, who had just walked in and overheard the conversation. He quickly pulled Harry away, muttering in Harry's ear as they left, “Harry, I told you that Slytherin is full of bad intentions, always plotting against us. See, he's showing his true colors now. I'd say even Voldemort wasn't as bad as him.”

Tom watched Harry and Ron walk away, regretting it. Seeing that the time was almost up, Tom quickly boarded the train.

After getting on the train, Tom didn't immediately go to find Cassandra and the others, but slowly wandered through the carriages.

“Ah, Rolf Scamander, then you must be the grandson of Newt and Tina. I had the pleasure of meeting them in Paris. Please give them my regards.”

“'The Quibbler' is truly a great magazine, Luna Lovegood. I often submit articles to your family's magazine.”

“Come on, Colin Creevey, let's make a deal. If you take any photos of the Headmaster or the Heads of the four houses doing this or that at Hogwarts, or even Harry in a dress, can you sell them all to me? I'll definitely give you a good price.”

Tom, relying on his good looks, was thriving among the first-year newbies, and even gave them a brief overview of the Sorting Ceremony.

“Ah, you're asking how the Sorting Ceremony is held? Of course, it's a duel with a professor. We at Hogwarts value practical combat the most. By the way, this year it just so happens to be Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's turn, so this year's exam will be to withstand one of the Headmaster's Fiendfyre attacks. He will sort you into the appropriate house based on your performance.”

“So, you should all rest well now and conserve your strength. Also, think about how to deal with it. By the way, don't tell anyone I said this. If the professors find out I leaked the Sorting Ceremony questions in advance, I'll probably be directly confined to detention until I die this year.”

With Tom's kind 'leak,' the Tom version of the 'Sorting Ceremony' quickly spread among the first-year newbies.

Those older students, upon learning of this, not only didn't clarify but also helped Tom fill in the subtle loopholes in detail, ensuring that Tom's version of the Sorting Ceremony sounded logical and seamless. They even 'kindly' helped train the young wizards, giving them some useful walkthrough guides.

Tom, hiding his merit and fame, headed towards the carriage where Draco and Cassandra were. Along the way, he encountered many old acquaintances.

“Yo, Cedric and Cho Chang, you're already showing affection here at the start of the semester.”

“Don't tease us. Tom, it's been a while. How have you been lately?”

“I'm not teasing him. Everything I said was true. Besides, George, Fred, it's really not convincing coming from you, after all, you guys are the most professional pranksters at Hogwarts.”

“Thank you for the compliment. This is also for our great prankster cause.”

“Are you interested in working with me to create a new game? It's too much trouble for me to do it alone.”

“Of course, I'm interested. But what kind of game are you planning to make?”

“This isn't the right place to talk about it. When we get to school, we'll find a time and place and I'll explain it to you slowly. Now I need to go find Cassandra and Draco. See you.”

After wandering around, Tom finally reunited with Cassandra and Draco, only to be greeted with a burst of complaints: “How come I didn't know our Dark Lord was so leisurely?”

Tom plopped down on the seat, peeled open a Chocolate Frog, and tossed it into his mouth: “There's no way around it. Who told these first-year newbies to be the hope of Hogwarts, the future of the wizarding world? Of course, I have to take good care of them.”

Cassandra and Draco seemed thoughtful after hearing this.

“But how come it's just the two of you? Where are Pansy and the others?” Tom looked around the carriage, asking in confusion.

“They're in the next carriage. After all, you might need some private space,” Cassandra explained softly.

“That's fine, I guess.” With that, Tom took out two small items from his Extendable Bag and handed them to Draco and Cassandra, “Here, souvenirs from the Egypt trip.”

“What are these?” Draco asked curiously, holding the small sphere in his hand.

“The Millennium Eye from the Millennium Items, and what Cassandra has in her hand is the Millennium Necklace from the Millennium Items. Each Millennium Item contains incredible power. Collecting all seven Millennium Items can summon the soul of Pharaoh Atem.”

Tom chatted with them at length about a story called 'Yu-Gi-Oh!'

After listening, Cassandra was a little embarrassed to accept it: “This is really too precious, or maybe you should keep it for yourself.”

“Accept it without worry. Only gifts of this level are worthy of you.” Tom's smile was sincere, making it hard to refuse.

As for the real situation, Tom wouldn't say that it was because he forgot to buy souvenirs. He silently spent an hour hand-crafting them. As for why he chose the Millennium Eye and Millennium Necklace, it was simple: they were easy to make.

Although they didn't have the power of the Millennium Items in 'Yu-Gi-Oh!', Tom didn't completely fool them. At least he added magic to them, so they could still shine brightly at crucial moments.

The long journey passed quietly, and as night fell, the train slowly pulled into the platform.