-"Cough-cough... Are you sure you want to end it like this, Tom?" - The wounded young man asked with an effort. He looked pitiful. Dirty and torn clothes revealed multiple cuts all over his body, from which red blood oozed.

-"Yes, I'm sure... Your existence is a threat to my plans." - Tom replied in a monotone, there was a clear intent to kill in his eyes.

-"And this is despite everything that happened between us? Are you going to throw away long years of friendship like that?!" - The indifference of an old friend threw Ben off balance, and he switched to shouting.Although the young man had known Tom's true identity for a long time, he tried in every possible way not to notice it. However, now that Tom has made his thoughts clear, Ben is faced with what he so vehemently denied.

-"Haa... Friendship..." - Tom exhaled, chuckling slightly. - "I don't want to disappoint you, but I've never considered you a friend. It seemed to me that you could become a useful tool, but my expectations were not fulfilled."

-"That's how... So it was all in vain... I couldn't change anything..." - After hearing what Ben had been trying so desperately to ignore for years, he completely lost any desire to resist.

-"Don't hesitate, Tom. Otherwise, there won't be a second chance to kill me." - Ben added with a chuckle. In the face of death, he was surprisingly calm. It was as if he saw death not as the main fear of all living things, but as an old friend whom he had not seen for a long time.

-"Your pacification annoys me." - Tom couldn't contain his disgust for his former friend. -"But since you're asking me to, I'm going to kill you."

Looking into Ben's eyes, Tom raised his wand and prepared to cast a deadly spell. However, something happened that surprised the two friends. Suddenly, a spatial rift appeared in front of Ben, engulfing him.

-"Once again, you escaped death... Your luck, as always, is annoying..." - Putting away his wand, Tom said in disappointment. He was surprised inside, but did not show it outwardly. Realizing that their recent duel with Ben had attracted unwanted attention, Tom hurried away.

POV: Ben

Haa... I'm pathetic... Why was I brought into this world at all? To end up like this? I clung to something unreal and unattainable, believing in my omnipotence. In the end, overconfidence led to my death. Even after getting a second chance, I couldn't achieve anything. Funny...

This is already my second life. In the past, I was a complete loser, constantly lagging behind in everything. Resigned to my fate, I just went with the flow, wasting precious time. I didn't have any friends or girlfriends, and my parents considered me a disappointment at all. Very soon I decided that I no longer wanted to be a burden to others, and ended my life by jumping off a multi-storey building. I must admit, dying doesn't hurt that much.

What was my surprise when I did not die, but became a different person. My soul has moved into the body of an orphan. I quickly began to adapt to my new life. The most amazing thing is that I was transported back to 1936. I immediately realized that with knowledge of the future, it would not be difficult for me to lead a comfortable life, so I decided to make the most of this opportunity. I began to study hard, read the news, and analyzed all the information I received. All in order to prove to myself that I'm worth something. It was the hardest thing to pretend to be a child, but somehow I managed to cope with it.

While I was laying the foundation for my future, something happened that changed my view of the world. One day I was visited by a man who called himself Albus Dumbledore. I think explanations are superfluous here. I was in the world of a book that I had read in my previous life, and most importantly, I am a magician. Normally, I should have received a letter, but since I am an orphan, a Hogwarts professor should have introduced me to the world of magicians.

Although Dumbledore's visit made me adjust my plans for the future, I was glad. I've always dreamed of owning magic or something like that, and now I have the opportunity to fulfill a long-held dream. After Dumbledore explained everything about the school to me, we went to buy school supplies.

And so, a few days later, I finally got to Hogwarts. Because of my exorbitant ambitions, the sorting hat sent me to Slytherin. From that moment on, my hard days began. It is difficult for a Muggle-born wizard to get along among aristocrats who put purity of blood on a pedestal.

I spent the first few years as a ghost, trying not to draw attention to myself and avoiding Slytherin students. I was often bullied, but I realized that I couldn't answer. I've been patient, improving, and waiting for the right opportunity. And once, during my 4th year studies, I was able to put some arrogant bastards in their place in a rather cruel way. Although this led to punishment, they began to fear me, which is why they left me alone.

I was finally able to lead a normal school life and study magic in peace. I really enjoyed this time. In my fifth year, I caught Dumbledore's attention, and he took me under his wing. While studying with the greatest wizard of my time, I felt significant progress as a wizard.

It would seem that everything was going as well as possible. Nothing bothered me, and I had to spend my last years at Hogwarts well, graduating with the best grades. However, there was something else...

It might seem like I didn't have any friends, but I didn't. There was one... Someone I didn't want to have anything to do with... Tom Riddle. We were in the same year as him. At first, I tried to avoid him, like everyone else, because I knew about his true nature. But it seemed to me that I could change Tom at least a little. I thought I could influence his future life, since he was still a child. With this attitude, I decided to get closer to him, which I did quite easily.

Tom was much smarter than all our peers, and it often seemed to me that I was talking to an adult. The most amazing thing is that he treated me normally, and this only reinforced my confidence to change him. Gradually, we got closer and, as it seemed to me, became best friends. Perhaps our similar situation played a role in this. We were both single, raised in an orphanage, and smarter than our classmates.

When I was already completely sure about Tom, something happened that I was afraid of, Myrtle's death. As in the original story, there was a fuss about it, Tom blamed Hagrid and became a hero... But I knew who the real culprit was. However, I decided to keep silent about everything. There were two reasons for this. The first was that I had no way to prove Tom's guilt. And the second one... I didn't want to be disappointed in him.

A little later, Tom decided to tell me about this incident. From that moment on, there was a split in our friendship. He offered me a place by his side in the creation of a new world. Listening to him, I realized that I had failed. Without thinking twice, I refused his offer and almost completely stopped communicating with him. I didn't want to be disappointed in him anymore.

Soon we graduated from Hogwarts and went our separate ways. On Dumbledore's advice, I decided to go explore ancient magic, which I was very interested in during my school years. My choice fell on China, where I spent several years exploring the ruins.

Often my research did not give the expected result, but in one of the tombs I came across a strange box. It was small, black in color and incredibly durable. After trying all possible methods, I was unable to open it. Seriously interested in the find, I contacted Dumbledore and asked for his help. So, a few years later, I had to return to London.

Tom also found out about my return. Although I had a bad feeling, I agreed to his request for a meeting. If I had known that he would decide to get rid of me...

Haa... And what now? How long have I been in this void? I don't remember this at the time of my last death... hm? What is it?

Btoom!

It hurts so much... After a powerful explosion, I lost consciousness, but I managed to see a beautiful girl. I wonder if it's an angel?