Tom Riddle's prowess as a wizard was undeniable, positioning him as a formidable figure in the annals of dark magic. His talents, aptitude for learning, and reservoir of knowledge far exceeded those of his peers. However, the whimsicality of his appearance, owing to the inadvertent effect of his multiple Horcruxes, lent an air of absurdity to his sinister reputation.
After nonchalantly tossing Malfoy and Crabbe, both of whom were slumbering soundly, onto their respective beds, Luke sealed the diary shut. Thus far, his exploration into Dementors remained inconclusive, but even the merest attempt at mastering the spell impressed Tom.
Observing Luke's progress, Tom was convinced of the young wizard's potential to ascend to greatness in the dark arts, perhaps even surpassing the legacy of the Dark Lord himself. Luke's remarkable achievement of mastering the three Unforgivable Curses in his first year was a testament to his prodigious talent—a feat even Tom himself had not accomplished at that age.
Having deliberated over his next move, Luke abandoned the notion of employing the Protego Diabolica. The risk of losing control and inadvertently incinerating the entire Slytherin dormitory was too great to ignore.
Though the moon shone bright in the night sky, casting its ethereal glow upon Hogwarts, Luke, confined to Slytherin's dormitory, remained oblivious to its radiance.
Determined to resume his visits to the Room of Requirement with Hermione, Luke recognized the urgency of distancing her from the malevolent influence of Voldemort. His recent preoccupation with Tom's diary had diverted his attention from this imperative, but he was now resolved to rectify the oversight.
As he closed the diary for the night, a cryptic message appeared, prompting Luke to arch an eyebrow before dismissing it and retiring to bed. It seemed his task of unraveling Tom's secrets was nearing its conclusion.
With the dawn of a new day, Luke prepared himself for what lay ahead.
The weather was exquisite that morning, with a clear blue sky and billowing sea of clouds.
Luke rose early, donning his green Slytherin robes and smoothing down his blond hair. Though his locks were a tad longer, they still looked impeccable.
Glancing at Malfoy and Crabbe, who were still sound asleep, he shook his head and quietly slipped out. Knowing they'd likely sleep until afternoon, especially with McGonagall's tendency to run late for morning classes, Luke, being a good friend, didn't want to disturb them, especially after they'd helped him with some exercises.
The thought of enduring another painful class made him shudder, reaffirming his decision to leave them be.
Having risen early, Luke made his way to the eighth floor to wait for Hermione. They had plans to have breakfast together.
The Fat Lady at the portrait eyed the young Slytherin curiously, though she had seen him before, his presence near the Gryffindor common room was still a curiosity.
However, thanks to a prior arrangement with Hermione, it didn't take long before the Fat Lady swung open her portrait.
Dressed neatly with her hair tied up in a high ponytail, Hermione emerged, clutching "The Use of the Transfiguration Spell" to her chest. Her eyes lit up sleepily upon seeing Luke, and she hurried over, practically crashing into his arms.
Luke chuckled, gently patting her head to calm her excitement. "Easy there, no need to make a scene in the morning," he teased.
Hermione huffed, seeming a bit annoyed. "Just wait until Lee Jordan tells everyone about us," she muttered through gritted teeth.
"Let's focus on breakfast first, then worry about that," Luke suggested, taking her hand as they dashed down the stairs together, completely ignoring the Fat Lady's exasperated calls from behind.
"Hey! Miss Granger, come back here! Am I supposed to just sit here all day? You two lovebirds are incorrigible!" the Fat Lady grumbled, but the pair had already disappeared beneath the staircase.
Luke's eyebrows furrowed as he watched the diary's reaction. It seemed that his response had provoked some sort of reaction from Senior Tom's diary.
"Hermione, could you pass me a quill?" Luke requested calmly, his mind racing with thoughts about how to handle the situation.
Hermione, noticing the seriousness in Luke's tone, quickly handed him a quill from her bag.
With deliberate precision, Luke wrote a sentence in the diary: "To be honest, I feel like you're useless to me."
As soon as he finished writing, the diary's pages slowly formed a question mark, indicating its confusion or perhaps its curiosity about Luke's statement.
Luke's mind buzzed with possibilities. Was Senior Tom's diary really sentient, or was it just a magical artifact with pre-programmed responses? Either way, he needed to proceed cautiously.
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