The end of the tunnel was like a dark stone tunnel.
Everyone lit up and moved forward.
Not knowing where the heir was hiding, they proceeded slowly while keeping an eye on their surroundings.
"Wow!"
"Ouch!"
A little further on, someone fell from the hole.
McGonagall goes to investigate as a representative. Soon, an angry voice could be heard.
"What on earth are you thinking! I told you it's forbidden to leave the dormitory! And to come all the way here... Weasley, I understand that you're worried about your sister, but there's nothing you can do if you come here. We're going back right now!"
"But! Ginny! My sister has been kidnapped! I can't just sit around and wait!"
"Professor! There must be something we can do. Please let us help!"
Leo and the other teachers also return. As soon as Snape sees the two of them, he doesn't hide his displeased face.
"Headmaster. I believe we should immediately send these two back to the dormitory. And we should also impose sanctions. They seem incapable of making accurate judgments in this emergency, and they are nothing but a hindrance."
"No, let's take both of them with us. If we leave them here, we'll have to leave someone behind to protect them. Even if we take them back, it will take time if they return. Either way, it's a waste of time to divide our forces. So it's better to take them with us. Weasley must be worried about his sister, and they are fine students. They will surely be useful. We don't have time to talk here, let's depart immediately."
"Headmaster, you mean we should send these two back without wasting time?"
"...!? Huh?"
"What are you doing!?"
Leo grabs Harry and Ron by the shoulders and performs a shadowing technique.
He appears in the Gryffindor common room. The two of them start to say something, but he finds a prefect and explains the situation.
"Percy Weasley. The headmaster and the teachers have just entered the secret room. However, these two followed us, so I brought them back to the dormitory. Now I'm going back to where the headmaster and the others are. Please keep an eye on them so they don't run wild."
Percy is surprised by the sudden information. But there is only one thing to say now.
"I understand. But please... please save Ginny... our sister..."
Without replying, he performs a shadowing technique. He doesn't know what's happening to Ginny Weasley right now. He can't promise that he will definitely save her.
Leo returns deep underground again. For some reason, Dumbledore looks bitter.
"I've returned the two of them to Gryffindor's dormitory. Percy Weasley, who is their older brother and a prefect, is in charge of them, so they won't come here again."
"Ah, yes that's fine."
Although it's surprising that he performed a shadowing technique that shouldn't be possible at Hogwarts, the group regains their composure and moves on.
There were some basilisk shells along the way, but there were no particular obstacles. After a while, a wall appeared. The wall was adorned with carvings of two snakes entwined together, giving off a very Slytherin-like feel, just like the snake faucet above.
They blast through the wall and move on. Beyond the wall was a long room with several pillars adorned with snake carvings standing in it. At the back stood a huge stone statue with Ginny Weasley lying at its feet.
"Miss Weasley!"
McGonagall rushes over. Leo and the others also approach cautiously.
"She seems to be still breathing... But this is..."
"We need to get her back for treatment as soon as possible."
The first goal this time is to rescue Ginny Weasley. If that is achieved, it would be wise to return as soon as possible. But it seems that it won't be that easy.
"Leo, what do you think? I think her soul is almost gone."
"Albus, what do you mean?"
"Minerva, even if we take her back as she is now, she won't recover and certain death awaits her. It seems necessary to do something about the heir here."
"Headmaster Dumbledore. There is a magical connection extending from Ginny. She is being sucked of her soul through this connection. The other end is behind that pillar over there."
Everyone looks at the pillar Leo points at. From behind that pillar emerges a boy whose outline is slightly blurred.
"Tom... So it was you after all."
"Tom...? You don't mean Tom Riddle, the Dark Lord!?"
McGonagall and others are surprised. It's unclear what method he used, but the heir from 50 years ago has appeared.
"Well done for coming here, Headmaster Dumbledore, the accompanying teachers, and Leonard Taylor...!"
His handsome face, still unbroken, twists in anger.
"Tom, I don't fully understand how you are here by whatever means. But you are a thing of the past. I can't let you endanger the people living now, my precious students, any more!"
A flash of light runs from Dumbledore's wand. But it only passed through Tom Riddle's body and shattered the pillar behind him.
"Hahaha! As expected, you've weakened after 50 years! Magic doesn't work on me! I'm just a memory. I deceived the little girl lying there and took her soul, and gained this form by putting a part of me into her and manipulating her! You didn't expect there to be an heir in Gryffindor, the polar opposite of Slytherin, did you?"
"What ... what kind of magic ... no way."
"Ha, I'll tell you, you poor old fool. I sealed my own memories in my diary back then to open the Chamber of Secrets again someday. To cleanse Hogwarts of the tainted blood of Muggles. The one who betrayed their blood wrote in my diary, devoured the soul from there, and manipulated it by putting a part of me in it! You didn't expect there to be an heir in Gryffindor, the polar opposite of Slytherin, did you?"
Tom Riddle's mocking laughter echoes in the Chamber of Secrets.
The teachers look frustrated at the situation, but only Leo is staring seriously.
"Now, everyone throw away your wands. If you care about the life of that little girl over there, obey my orders. It's frustrating, but because of that Leonard Taylor my plan is messed up, it seems like I have no choice but to run away. But I will definitely return after joining forces with my future self, Lord Voldemort!"
"Ah, Tom. Thank you for explaining to this ignorant old man about sealing your memory and the details of this disturbance. Leo, what do you think?"
"The analysis is complete. If we crush the main body, Ginny's soul should return as well. "Arm of the Giant God"!"
A golden arm that shines goes into Tom with both hands together.
"Wha-, sto-, gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..."
Tom Riddle disappeared, swallowed by light along with his diary.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, you deliberately used magic while being sure it wouldn't hit and pretended to be surprised, didn't you?"
"Well, what are you talking about? That arrogant and foolish guy just blabbered on his own. But if that made time for analysis, there's no problem. I want to know more about the results of the analysis later."
"Understood. Is she about to wake up soon?"
With the disappearance of the heir's diary, Ginny's complexion returned to normal and her heartbeat and breathing also became normal.
"Uh, umm. Huh? Where is this... Wah!"
"Miss Weasley!"
Ginny wakes up and McGonagall hugs her with all her might. Dumbledore watches over them with a smile. Snape also seemed relieved to Leo.
"Minerva, don't squeeze her too much or she'll suffocate."
"That's right. Miss Weasley, are you okay? Do you feel any pain or discomfort anywhere?"
Ginny finally seemed to understand where she was now and what kind of situation she had been in. Her face turned blue in an instant and she burst into tears.
"Pr-, professor. I was the heir! What have I done... Where is Tom!?"
"It's okay. Tom is gone now and no one is dead. It's not your fault, it's all Tom's fault, Voldemort's fault. Even a superior adult wizard was easily manipulated by Tom. No one will blame you and if anyone does, I won't forgive them."
With Dumbledore's great words Ginny's tears stopped a little.
"Now then we have safely recovered Ginny Weasley! The heir has also disappeared! Let's go back! Leo shadowing technique please, destination is headmaster's office. The Weasley couple should be there too. And later tell me how to do it at Hogwarts."
"Understood. Everyone please grab my shoulder."
The moment everyone confirmed they had grabbed on, they appeared in the headmaster's office.
The sudden appearance without sound shocked the Weasley couple. But it was dozens of times more shocking that their daughter who they had prepared for not having a life appeared alive.
"Ginny!"
The parents hug her and Ginny also hugs back. The parents rejoiced while crying.
"Dumbledore, oh Dumbledore! You are indeed the greatest wizard! Thank you for saving our daughter!"
"No way, I didn't do anything great. The one who found the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and defeated the heir is Leonard Taylor over there."
"You saved Ginny? You're not by any chance are you Erskine's son? Impressive."
"No matter whose child he is he saved our daughter's life!"
Saying so Mrs Weasley also hugged Leo.
For a while Ginny and Leo were hugged together but the Weasley family went to the infirmary to rest Ginny's body. McGonagall seemed to have gone to inform Ginny's brothers about her safety.
Leo who was released went back to his lab for analyzing Basilisk which was left halfway.
Thus ended the disturbance caused by the Chamber of Secrets.
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Dumbledore "Harry came! Let's take him with us!" \n"What...the...!?"
The original protagonist Harry Potter has no appearance in this year's final boss battle either!
I feel like it will continue like this from now on but I've given up.
As Dumbledore wants to take Harry get experience but he was forced out to leave him.
By the way he got a combo of deduction + penalty later.
Dumbledore pretended not to understand so I got carried away. I guess I'm still young.
Leo Horcrux analysis complete. The effects and destruction methods are perfect.
So, stay tuned for the next chapter.