The castle had grown eerily silent.Whispers floated through corridors like ghosts —The Chamber of Secrets has been opened again.
Fear and anxiety crept into every corner of Hogwarts. Students walked in groups, afraid of being alone. Even the professors seemed tense, their faces pale with worry.
Roy noticed the difference immediately — the laughter in the Great Hall had faded, replaced by hushed voices and trembling eyes. He had already suspected the chain of events was aligning with the story he knew… but he decided to stay silent for now.
That afternoon, in one of the hallways near the girls' bathroom, Harry Potter was suddenly approached by Gilderoy Lockhart, his usual dazzling smile stretched wide.
"Harry, my boy!" Lockhart said, dramatically flipping his golden hair. "I've done it! I've discovered where the Chamber of Secrets truly lies!"
Harry blinked. "What?"
"Yes, yes! All the clues point to one location! Come with me — we're about to make Hogwarts history together!"
Without giving Harry a chance to object, Lockhart practically dragged him along the corridors until they reached Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
Inside, Myrtle hovered above one of the sinks, her ghostly form glowing faintly.Lockhart proudly pointed at the carved serpent symbol etched on the side of the sink.
"There! The mark of Salazar Slytherin himself! Ingenious, isn't it?"
Harry stepped closer. His heart raced. Something about that serpent… felt alive.
He took a deep breath, leaned forward, and whispered softly —"Open."
The carved snake glowed green, and the sink began to twist and descend, revealing a deep, dark tunnel.
Lockhart stared in disbelief. "Ah… exactly as I expected!" he said quickly, though sweat trickled down his forehead.
Harry didn't hesitate. "Come on."
And together, they slid down into the darkness.
The tunnel was damp and cold, the air thick with the smell of stone and something ancient.They walked until they reached another stone gate, engraved with more serpentine patterns.
Again, Harry hissed, "Open."
The door unsealed with a heavy rumble, revealing the vast underground chamber beyond.
At the center of the cavern stood a tall, dark-haired young man, his eyes cold and sharp.Beside him lay Ron Weasley, pale and motionless.
"Ron!" Harry cried, rushing forward. He knelt beside his friend, checking his pulse — weak, but alive.
"Who are you?" Harry demanded, turning to the stranger.
The young man smiled faintly. "Tom. Tom Marvolo Riddle."
Harry's brow furrowed. "You're the one who opened the Chamber?"
Tom tilted his head. "Not yet. But soon enough, yes."
He lifted his wand — letters shimmered in the air as he wrote:
TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE
Then, with a wave, the letters twisted and rearranged themselves, forming new words:
I AM LORD VOLDEMORT.
Harry's eyes widened in horror. "You— you're him!"
Riddle smiled, calm and cold. "A memory preserved in this diary. The boy who was so easily deceived by my charm — poor, foolish Ron Weasley."
Harry froze. "Ron… what do you mean?"
Tom stepped closer, his voice soft, almost pitying."He's the one who found my diary. The one who poured his heart and jealousy into it. He envied you, Harry — your fame, your friendship with Roy Valvas, your place on the Quidditch team. He wanted to be noticed… to be more than just a shadow."
Harry's stomach tightened. "That's not true—"
Tom's smirk deepened. "Isn't it? He resented how everyone praised Roy — the golden heir, the talented one — and you, the Boy Who Lived. But what did he have? Hand-me-down robes, broken wands, and an empty wallet."
Harry clenched his fists, anger and disbelief warring in his heart.Riddle's voice dropped lower, more venomous.
"You see, Harry… jealousy is a powerful emotion. Even stronger than love. It's what made him write to me. Confide in me. Trust me."
Harry stared at Ron's unconscious face — pale, still, unaware.He didn't know what to say. A silent crack formed in his heart — the first fracture of trust.
At the back, Lockhart, who had been trembling and silent until now, finally spoke up."Ah— yes, well! I see what's happening here! Clearly, this is just another one of those… illusions! But don't worry, Harry, I'll—"
"Shut up," Riddle hissed.
Lockhart paled. Harry looked back. "Professor, do something!"
Lockhart swallowed hard. "Harry, I have a confession… I'm not really… well, qualified for these kinds of duels…"
Harry blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I—I'm a fraud, actually. I only— borrowed— the stories of others and rewrote them in my books. Lovely covers though, weren't they?"
Harry's expression twisted in disgust. "You're unbelievable."
Before he could say another word, Tom Riddle raised his hand.A pulse of dark magic shot forth — Lockhart flew backward, slamming into the stone wall, crumpling instantly.
Riddle smirked. "No more interruptions."
He turned back to Harry, his voice echoing across the chamber."Now… let's finish this."
He raised his wand again and hissed in Parseltongue —
"Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four!"
The giant statue at the far end cracked open —and from its gaping mouth, a massive serpent emerged.The Basilisk.
Its scales glistened darkly, eyes burning like green fire.
Riddle smiled cruelly."Say hello to my pet."
The creature's hiss shook the air, and Harry's breath caught in his throat.He could feel death itself staring straight at him.