After Tom Riddle reappeared and Harry lost consciousness, the recording contained nothing but the scene of Riddle commanding the basilisk in battle against the phoenix.
Having finished reviewing the memory, Lewis finally understood how events had diverged.
Everything traced back to the moment he discovered Ginny killing chickens.
Although Lewis had stopped her through a sneak attack—never revealing himself, perhaps without Ginny even realizing she had been attacked—Tom Riddle had been cautious enough to sense something was wrong.
And so he chose to retreat.
That was what led to everything afterward.
The only thing Lewis still could not fully understand was Riddle's resurrection at the end.
The diary had clearly been destroyed, yet Riddle had returned anyway.
Or rather…
Throughout the entire process, he had almost seemed eager for Harry to destroy the diary.
Whenever something made no sense, there was always a reason beneath it.
And Lewis very much wanted to know what that reason was.
But now that he understood what had happened earlier, it was finally time to face Tom Riddle and his basilisk.
Considering the basilisk's danger, Lewis quietly informed the girls that it was time to blindfold themselves.
"Don't worry," he whispered. "Even with your eyes covered, I can still let you see everything around you."
Once both girls had tied on blindfolds, Lewis himself closed his eyes and activated a psionic ability.
"[Sensory Link]!"
Instantly, Hermione and Ciri discovered a second kind of vision appearing before them.
This perspective differed subtly from ordinary sight.
Not only could they perceive normal scenery, but they could also sense the exact outlines of surrounding objects—even things hidden in blind spots invisible to regular eyes.
"This… Lewis, is this you?" Hermione whispered.
"That's right," Lewis answered softly. "I connected your senses to mine just now. What you're seeing is my psionic detection field."
With this, they could fight the basilisk without risking direct eye contact.
Preparation complete, Lewis waved a hand and dispelled their concealment.
The battling sides immediately realized there were others inside the Chamber.
The battered phoenix Fawkes reacted as though he had finally found family. Flapping his wings weakly, he flew directly behind Lewis.
Seeing the bird's injuries, Lewis had no doubt—
Had they arrived even a little later, Fawkes would probably have gone through rebirth on the spot.
Tom Riddle also noticed the three newcomers.
He carefully examined them for a moment before slowly smiling.
The basilisk raised its massive head, preparing to strike—
But Riddle casually lifted a hand and stopped it.
"So," he said lightly, "you must be Lewis Green… and his followers, Hermione Granger and Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon."
"As expected… you came."
Though he addressed all three, his gaze never once left Lewis.
"I had been wondering why Harry Potter alone managed to uncover the truth. It didn't match the level of competence Ron described from the three of you."
"Now I understand."
"Harry Potter was merely bait you released to probe me."
"Otherwise, you couldn't possibly have bypassed the Chamber's defenses and appeared here so suddenly."
As expected of Tom Riddle.
The moment he appeared, he immediately attempted to sow discord.
But neither Hermione nor Ciri responded.
They entrusted everything to the boy standing before them.
Lewis narrowed his eyes at the young wizard.
"So you're the one who manipulated Ron into opening the Chamber."
"What exactly are you?"
"A magical artifact? A ghost?"
"No… ghosts can't cast spells, nor control basilisks."
"So what are you?"
He deliberately pretended ignorance.
But Riddle completely ignored the question.
"Would you like to hear how I accomplished all of this?"
Riddle casually twirled his wand between his fingers, speaking in an arrogant tone.
"I expended enormous effort and spent so much time bringing my ambition to fruition. Without an audience to appreciate it, the entire achievement would feel terribly dull."
"You, Lewis Green—according to Ron's memories, only you are worthy of serving as my audience."
What was this?
"Give me fifty galleons and hear my revenge plan?"
Typical Voldemort behavior.
When cornered, he hid like a rat.
The moment he gained an advantage, he immediately started showing off.
Still, Lewis genuinely wanted to know what kind of bizarre new development this alternate version of young Voldemort had created.
So he nodded readily.
"Of course," Lewis said calmly. "I can hardly wait."
As he spoke, he tapped the ground lightly with his wand and used Transfiguration to conjure a sofa set and tea table out of thin air.
Then he sat down directly with the two girls.
"Though before that," he continued politely, "I hope you don't mind if I prepare some refreshments."
Though it sounded like a request, his hands never paused.
From his wallet he calmly pulled out an entire afternoon tea spread:
Yunnan black tea with cloud lemons, accompanied by three-colored lava custard buns.
He placed servings before everyone present.
Including Tom Riddle.
Despite the fact that the young Dark Lord was currently incorporeal and physically incapable of eating or drinking anything.
"You…"
The sheer audacity of the three of them casually preparing tea and snacks in the middle of the Chamber nearly made Riddle explode.
Unfortunately, he had already declared his intention to tell the story, and overturning the table now would only embarrass himself.
So he could only suppress his fury and watch them leisurely sip tea while listening to his tale.
Completely unaware that Lewis could sense every ounce of that repressed irritation.
Hmph.
Trying to out-style me?
Kid, you're still far too inexperienced.
After taking his first sip of tea, Lewis extended a hand toward him.
"Go ahead then, young man."
"Tell us your story."
"Damn you…" Riddle hissed.
"I'll let you live a little longer."
Suppressing his anger, Tom Riddle began recounting the scheme he was most proud of.
"First of all, I must correct a misunderstanding."
"I am neither a ghost nor a magical object."
"My name is Tom Riddle."
"I am a fragment of soul exiled during the youth of a truly great wizard."
"That wizard sealed me forever inside a diary."
"Tom Riddle…" Hermione immediately reacted.
"I've heard that name before. He won the Special Award for Services to Hogwarts. I saw it in the trophy room."
"So you really are his soul fragment?"
Riddle looked deeply satisfied by her response.
"Indeed."
"At least… until a few minutes ago."
"But now, I have resurrected."
"I have gathered enough power to construct a new and unique body capable of carrying this damaged soul fragment of mine…"
"To resurrect a soul fragment is simultaneously difficult and simple."
"There are only two necessary steps."
"First: absorb enough life force to nourish my soul."
"Second: find an appropriate method to break the diary's restraints and release my soul from within."
"What special method?" Hermione asked immediately.
"That part," Riddle chuckled, "was surprisingly simple."
"It took me years of research to discover that from the beginning, there had only ever been one solution."
"Even Ron managed to think of it."
"That solution…"
"…was destroying the diary."
"Destroying the diary?" Ciri frowned. "Wouldn't that destroy you along with it?"
"Yes," Riddle nodded approvingly. "Very perceptive, girl. That's exactly correct."
"If the diary were destroyed directly, I would indeed vanish with it."
"That is why I required a method to protect my soul at the exact moment the diary was destroyed."
"And what method was that?" Lewis asked.
At this point, Riddle's face twisted into a triumphant grin.
"Lewis," he said slowly, "this is the truly brilliant part."
"I daresay it's almost theatrical."
"Possibly even tragic."
"You may not believe this…"
"…but my inspiration came from Dumbledore."
"The greatest white wizard alive."
"That infuriating old fool who spent his entire life watching me."
The moment he mentioned Dumbledore, Riddle's tone filled with intense dissatisfaction.
Yet Lewis could hear something else hidden beneath it.
A rebellious child desperately trying to prove himself to a father who never acknowledged him.
Those two really did have a deeply twisted relationship.
"It was the magic he praised above all else."
"The power of love."
"Love magic?" Hermione repeated in surprise.
"Exactly!" Riddle's grin widened further.
"It is an ancient protective magic."
"A guardian can sacrifice themselves to protect the one they love from otherwise certain death."
"And I used that magic."
"I exploited the 'great love' Dumbledore worshipped so dearly."
"At the very instant the diary was destroyed, I used it to preserve my soul."
"Before conquering death…"
"…I conquered the very concept of 'love' that Dumbledore revered!"
Riddle burst into wild laughter once more.
His laughter rang through the Chamber so violently that the darkness itself seemed to tremble, as though ten different Riddles were laughing at once.
The sheer delight in that laughter resembled a rebellious child who had finally defeated his father and proven himself superior.
Lewis truly could not imagine any other reason Riddle would become so ecstatic over such a thing.
Their relationship really was incredibly twisted.
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