In between all the Moriarty act I was doing something else too.
December was passing swiftly, and the start of the second term loomed closer. Despite my inner turmoil, I knew it was time to act. Ginny Weasley's possession of the cursed diary posed too much of a threat and knowing a 3rd Attack happened around this time in canon it was best to retrieve it, I also couldn't sit idly by any longer, knowing what it was doing to her and what it could unleash upon the school. The decision to retrieve the diary didn't sit well with me—sneaking into the dormitory of a bunch of 11 year old girls felt like crossing a line. But the stakes were too high to let discomfort deter me.
After a long time I finally made my move.
---
The Gryffindor common room was quiet. Most students had either gone to bed or were preoccupied with last-minute assignments. Sitting in a corner near the fire, I closed my book and glanced at the watch. Midnight. A perfect time to act.
I activated my Individuality skill, summoning a clone to keep watch outside in the common room. If someone decided to get curious, they'd find "Arthur" sitting peacefully by the fire. It was a simple yet effective decoy.
Slipping past the few remaining students, I moved with silence—skills honed and learned from my training sessions and knowledge from the White Room. The entrance to the girls' dormitory posed no obstacle; a minor application of Web Creation allowed me to latch onto the staircase ceiling and avoid the alarm spell that prevented boys from ascending.
As I reached the first-year dormitory, and cracked open the door to check on the surroundings. Inside, the girls were sound asleep. Ginny's bed was easy to spot due to her Red Hair.
I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. In and out, I told myself.
---
Using my Shapeshifter skill, I had altered my appearance slightly, reducing any chance of someone recognizing me if things went awry. I crept inside and noticed Ginny's breathing was slow and steady, indicating she was deep asleep. The cursed diary was tucked under her pillow, no searching around for me.
I extended my hand and gently slid it beneath the pillow, lifting it just enough for me to retrieve the diary without disturbing her. The whole operation took mere seconds, but it felt like an eternity.
As I turned to leave, I heard someone's stirring.
I froze. One of the girls shifted in her bed, mumbling something incoherent before settling back into sleep. I let out a silent sigh of relief and continued my retreat. Within moments, I was out of the dormitory and back in the common room, the diary safely in my possession.
My clone dissolved as I stepped into the shadows near the fireplace. No one had noticed a thing.
---
Back in the Room of Requirement, I placed the diary on a table, its black cover gleaming ominously under the magical torches. This was no ordinary object. Tom Riddle's influence seeped from its very core, like a festering wound in the magical fabric of Hogwarts.
Garuda landed beside me, his eyes narrowing. "This thing reeks of dark magic. You sure about poking around in it?"
I nodded. "I understand how it works and I know how to neutralize it, I'm not that ignorant."
"Well your actions might suggest otherwise."
I was about to say something but words started appearing on the Diary.
Who are you?
I smirked. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough," I muttered under my breath, snapping the diary shut. There was no need to engage with Tom Riddle just yet. I had what I needed for now.
---
Destroying it outright seemed tempting, but It risked Voldemort finding out a piece of his soul was destroyed. I needed to sever its connection to Tom Riddle entirely if I didn't want to have any risks.
I was deep in thought when Garuda chimed in, "You could always use the that spell"
"Kyrie Eleison?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah. That Spell has the power to purify, doesn't it?"
I paused, considering the suggestion Kyrie Eleison holy properties could indeed cleanse the diary of its dark magic.
I needed to think this through.
---Note
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