HP: Hogwarts Snake

When Harry walked out of Della's room wrapped in the invisibility cloak, his expression was still dazed. They had just had a calm conversation, and Della had answered his questions in the same patient and persuasive way as in the past. However, it was the determination revealed in this calmness and friendliness that made him realize for the first time that the gap between them and Della might really be difficult to overcome.

But why does Della seem to have no conflict at all?

Harry thought he understood Della, especially since he had seen her simple happiness over trivial matters outside Hogwarts. He was sure that Della would not agree with Voldemort's arrogant ideas at all. However, Della, who in his impression was a quiet person but would never do anything against her will, did not show any struggle.

That's not like Della at all.

From a friend's perspective, Harry actually found the key. With his genuine concern, he caught the unusualness of people like Della who are good at disguise. This is worthy of praise, because this intuition often helps him make the right choice at the critical moment. However, when the conspiracy was progressing, he could not see the whole picture and it was difficult for him to know the truth that Della was also planning to kill Voldemort.

Now Harry could only sigh alone for his helplessness towards his friend.

He didn't have much time left. In the corridor near the stairs, he ran into Della's brother Maggie Riddle and the timid Sadolin Slytherin following behind.

Harry didn't know if it was an illusion, but he felt that the eyes behind the silver mask stayed on him for a moment, but when he wanted to confirm it, he couldn't see any clues.

However, Harry still stopped and turned to observe this man with a mysterious origin and the name of Della's missing snake. The identical faces of Maggie Riddle and Tom Riddle on the first night of school had a great impact on him. And if this Riddle was simply Voldemort's child, he had no reason to hurt Cynthia, so he tended to think that this Maggie might be similar to Tom Riddle who was split by Voldemort in the diary.

"Did you have a good time last night, Sadolin?" In contrast to Harry's pause, Maggie continued his leisurely pace and the previous topic, "Did Isaev introduce mistletoe to you?"

"No." Sadolin hushed her head timidly. She actually didn't understand Maggie's question, but she didn't have the courage to ask more questions, so she just shook her head.

"Surprisingly, he's so patient," Maggie shrugged. He commented that he actually admired Dmitri's rules. Although he was an indulgent person, he was still the father of a girl. To be fair, if the girl was surrounded by decent and restrained men, she would be more reassured. "How's his research on the golden egg going?"

As she spoke, Maggie stopped and turned her head to look at Sadolin. The cold gaze through the mask covered Harry who was standing motionless against the wall.

As soon as she met Maggie's gaze, Sadolin's chest began to tremble. She bit her lip and looked like she was about to cry. She was reluctant to tell Dmitri about his discovery, but due to the habitual fear, this resistance did not last for more than three seconds. "Put it in the water," Sadolin, who was innocent, stammered and told everything, "We can hear the singing of the golden egg in the Black Lake..."

"We?" Maggie used this word to naturally change the topic that he had come up with with Della a long time ago. He had no interest in knowing the progress of other competitors who were destined to be inferior to Della. He just gave some hints after sensing Harry's presence. Otherwise, this twisted Gryffindor might really drown in the second game. Judging from the conversation with Barty Jr., he still needed Harry to reach the last project. "It seems that you have more contact with Isaev than I thought."

Sadolin knew she had said something wrong, she covered her mouth in horror, her dark green eyes suddenly raised to look at Maggie, the explanation and words of begging for mercy that were about to come out of her mouth were interrupted by Maggie's light gesture.

"There's nothing to apologize for. I just realized it now, which shows that you did a smart thing." The corners of her mouth, which could not be covered by the silver mask, gently raised. Maggie turned around and continued to move forward, allowing Sadolin to take a breath under her frightened eyes. "I should also praise you for not causing me any trouble during this period. You did a good job, Sadolin."

"Okay, okay, Maggie..." Sadolin chased after him in small steps, her skirt swaying like her stimulated heart. She kept whispering to Maggie, "I will be careful... let him go... let us go..."

Harry, under the invisibility cloak, stared blankly at the two people's receding figures, completely stunned. He had no time to think about the strange way Sadolin and Maggie got along. His heart was filled with shameful guilt.

He had just eavesdropped on the other warriors' solution to the puzzle! Eavesdropping! Even if it wasn't intentional, it was definitely cheating!

what! ! ! !

After coming here, he didn't get a good answer to his question, and now his pride has been damaged!

However, the things that were destined to happen to him that went against his code of conduct were not over yet. Several days after the holiday, when Harry was sighing at Cynthia who did her own thing as Della had said, was troubled by Sirius's sincere letter, and was staring at the golden egg in a daze, not knowing whether he should put it in the water, Hermione rushed to his dormitory with Harry's photo album in her hands. Harry, who was touching the golden egg in a daze, realized that the album was missing.

"How come it's with you?" Harry stood up from the bed, dropped the golden egg, took the photo album back from Hermione, whose hair was becoming more messy due to the intense exercise, and anxiously flipped through the album to check if there was any damage.

"It was in the library!" Hermione gasped, almost screaming. "I heard the commotion and went over to see everyone gathered around this photo album! I managed to get it back!"

"Library? Everyone?" Harry paused while checking the album. His hand holding the edge of the photo leaf trembled slightly. He slowly turned another page. The page with his mother's bright smile was between him and Hermione. "Everyone is looking at this?"

Facing Harry's incredulous gaze, Hermione's physiological breathing stopped for a moment. She looked at Harry sadly and nodded slowly.

Harry felt dizzy for a moment and fell back on the bed. The cozy four-poster bed shook. "How could it be... How could it be..." he murmured, suddenly opening his eyes wide and looking at Hermione. "Why are we in the library!?"

Hermione bit her lip, looking even more embarrassed. "It was caught in the pile of books that Neville left in the library," she whispered. After seeing Harry's horrified expression, she added faster, "It's just what the classmate who found the book in the library told me. It's not necessarily the truth."

Harry didn't reply. He silently looked around their dormitory, which was full of life but not tidy enough. He slammed the bed with one fist in annoyance, "He is the only one who would take things away in a daze and not bring them back!"

"But everyone knows that Neville has a bad memory," Hermione said in a slightly louder voice, but she still patiently explained to Harry, "and Neville also knows that he has a bad memory. Even if someone frames him for this, he will admit it. I think this is too much of a coincidence."

"Then go ask him when he gets back!" Harry shouted, throwing the photo album aside and running out regardless of Hermione's shouts.

Yes, Della had told him about the photo album and other things, but he actually knew in his heart that he would not do that. His hesitation over the past few days was not about whether to do it or not, but about whether he could defeat Voldemort, who might become more powerful in the future, if he could never do such a cruel but effective thing.

Because Della was right, sacrifice was inevitable, and perhaps sometimes his persistence had to give way to reality.

During these few days of confusion, Harry almost succumbed to this idea. However, when this idea was actually put into practice, he found it so unacceptable. Such a hypocritical and shameful thing would make him never feel at peace.

Gryffindor's strong motivation overwhelmingly prevailed at this moment. Harry planned to find Cynthia first to explain this matter that he was not aware of, and then the two of them would discuss a confession to deal with the suspicion of their classmates, so as to minimize the impact on Cynthia.

Unfortunately, the rumor spread much faster than Harry had expected, and when Harry finally found Cynthia staring at the sun in the corridor, the students around him were looking at her in a strange way, and whispers that Harry didn't want to listen to also surrounded them like a shadow.

"Cynthia, listen to me," Harry, who had been running for too long, finally couldn't hold on any longer. He bent down, panting, and put his hands on his slightly bent knees to keep his balance. "I, I didn't think that there would be other ways -"

"I don't care about explanations other than the results." Cynthia stood up and walked in front of Harry with her back to the light. The lack of light made her bright green eyes dark. She raised her chin slightly, her pupils turned downward, and said contemptuously, "And you are so weak that it disappoints me, Harry."

Being stared at by those condescending eyes as if looking at garbage, Harry's breathing and heartbeat seemed to stop for a moment. His mouth, which was still gasping for breath, stopped in the open motion, and he could not make any sound. He watched Cynthia's back disappear into the distance.

At the same time, the real instigator, who was being looked down upon by the same condescending gaze, smiled and greeted the girl with a pair of ruthless black eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Maggie asked knowingly without hiding his good mood. He sat next to Della with a sweet smile on his face. "Aren't you going to give me an explanation?"

"Maybe you could explain to me first why you want to erode our trust over Cynthia's matter?" Maggie's expression made Della lose her temper a little, but she still looked indifferent. "I told her that I should deal with her."

Della didn't believe that Harry would really use rumors to oppress Cynthia. As soon as the news came back, she knew who did it.

"It's for you. Her life is for you," Maggie stroked Della's hair, the smile on her face did not change at all, "but I didn't say I would give you all the fun."

"......" Della frowned, and now she looked at Maggie as if she was looking at trash, "You are so nasty."

"After all, I'm only staying in school for a few days. Forgive me, I've been suppressed for too long, and there's only so much fun to be had." Maggie's smile faded, and he blinked his eyes, making a pitiful look. "Then it's yours again, have more fun, it's okay, Della."

"Play?" Della took a deep breath and smiled unhappily. She pulled back the hair that was lying in Maggie's palm. "I might as well read more books. Next time you do this, you must discuss it with me in advance."

"No problem." Maggie smiled and agreed without hesitation regardless of what she was thinking.