"Of course you should.
No matter what happened in the past, you are Tom's child after all.
You do have the right to meet him." Master Riddle said helplessly.
Dumbledore said: "In fact, you don't need to be so afraid of us.
We don't have any ill intentions."
"Well... I can see that."
Master Riddle said, "Otherwise, according to what Tom said to you before... I might have died at the door..."
"What happened back then... I heard some things from people outside, but I don't know the details..."
Dumbledore suddenly asked.
Although Tom seemed uninterested on the surface, he straightened up immediately when he heard Dumbledore ask.
He didn't want to guess what happened back then just from other people's gossip.
He needed the parties' statements!
Back then... was it his mother's fault?
What was the real reason why his father abandoned him and his mother?
Master Riddle paused for a moment, then said, "Before you speak, could you please let me see... that kind of... witchcraft! Yes, actually, at first, I thought all those things Tom said were the result of his insanity... and might not be true..."
Master Riddle's fear of wizards stemmed largely from his son's exaggerated claims.
However, he had always been somewhat skeptical of his son's claims.
Was he really abducted by a witch?
Wasn't he insane?
Only after his son gradually recovered did Master Riddle begin to believe his son's words.
Therefore, he was in awe when he first met Dumbledore and the others.
Who could have maintained this family business for so long was a fool?
When one doesn't know the other person's true background, the right thing to do is to show courtesy.
"Of course..." Dumbledore said,and with a slight movement of his fingers, Master Riddle's pipe floated up and transformed into a rose in the air.
Master Riddle stared at the rose in shock, then reached out with a trembling hand to catch it.
"This..." He checked it over and over again, but it was undoubtedly just an ordinary rose!
"How did you do that?"
Master Riddle asked in surprise.
"This is magic, Mr. Riddle." Dumbledore said gently.
The next second, the rose in Master Riddle's hand turned back into a pipe.
Even the tobacco on the pipe hadn't gone out yet...
If it were in the past, Master Riddle would have praised it as a good magic trick!
But now... With his son's experience in mind, he has completely believed that this is a power that he must respect - magic.
"Well... this is what happened..." Master Riddle began to talk about what happened that year.
"My son, Tom Riddle, was engaged to Miss Levi of Great Hangleton when he was young.
After the engagement, he often rode to Great Hangleton to see his fiancée..."
"He told me that when he passed by a dilapidated cabin, he would always see a girl smiling at him.
Out of politeness, he would smile back..." "
One day... when he passed by the cabin again, he suddenly felt a little thirsty, and then the girl asked him to drink a glass of water." "
According to him, after drinking the glass of water... he suddenly fell in love with the girl who lived in the cabin... regardless of everything... even ignoring his fiancée!"
"He and her secretly got engaged in that cabin, and they spent a whole year like this... until one day..."
"He told me that it was like waking up from a long dream... He realized that all his past love for the girl... was like flowers in the mirror and the moon in the water... He felt incredible about his experience over the past year!"
"Just when he was lost, the girl told him she was a witch and had used some trickery to keep him by her side.
Now that she was pregnant, she didn't want to lie to him anymore, so... she removed the spell from him, hoping that Tom would stay."
"But Tom was terrified... He ran back... fearing he'd be controlled by that witch again."
Master Riddle sighed.
"Even after returning, he was never the same Tom again. Although a bit arrogant and rude, Tom was still a cheerful person.
After this incident, he never dared to go out again.
He was afraid that the witch would come looking for him..."
"So, when he heard that a child who looked just like him had appeared, he was so frightened that he locked himself in his room and never came out again..."
As Master Riddle finished his story, Dumbledore and Levid turned to look at Tom.
Tom's expression was also very complicated, his hands clenched tightly into fists, and he said nothing.
For a moment, the carriage fell into silence.
However, this silence did not last long, as the carriage stopped.
The old butler's voice wafted from outside the car.
"Master, we've arrived."
Master Riddle nodded to Dumbledore and the others.
"Please alight... I'm sorry, but to understand your situation... I've specifically instructed the butler to walk around the manor twice on his way back."
As Riddle exited the car, he clearly saw a crowd of people gathering in a nearby house. With his sharp eyes, he even noticed that those retreating were armed...
Clearly, if Master Riddle had sensed any ill will in these individuals while speaking to them...they would likely face a barrage of bullets.
However, Riddle found this perfectly normal.
In this day and age, how could the wealthy not possess some form of armed force?
Even if it was hidden?
"Come in." Master Riddle led Dumbledore and the others to a large mansion and invited them inside.
The house was magnificently decorated.
In the living room, an elderly woman in rich attire stood quietly by the sofa, waiting.
When her eyes fell on Tom, she involuntarily clenched the cross in her hand, muttering to herself.
"Caroline, don't worry.
They mean no harm.
And this child... yes, he is indeed Tom's child," said Master Riddle.
"This is my wife, Caroline. Please forgive me, she is just as frightened as Tom..."
Upon hearing this, Mrs. Riddle looked at Dumbledore and the other three again, and seeing that they did not seem to have any bad intentions, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, Master Riddle had the old butler serve tea to Dumbledore and his companions.
He then took the opportunity to reassure his wife of their purpose.
"Is that... woman, truly, dead?"
Mrs. Riddle asked hesitantly.
"I'm sorry to ask, but... she has indeed brought nightmares to our family, especially to Tom, for many years..."
Now that he knew the truth of what had happened, Tom felt a much less resentful.
His mother's actions were indeed... difficult to judge...and even if he wanted to lash out now, Dumbledore and Levid wouldn't support him.
"Yes, she died... right at the door of the orphanage."
Tom paused, then continued, "She gave birth to me in the snow, and then... after handing me over to Mrs. Cole at the orphanage, she died."
Mrs. Riddle was silent for a moment before asking again, "Child... can you tell me your name?"
"Tom Marvolo Riddle. Marvolo is the name of my grandfather... and it's also the name she gave me before she died," Tom replied.
Mrs. Riddle sighed, as if understanding something.
"Let Tom come out and see his child..." Mrs. Riddle said to the old butler beside her.
"By the way, remember to tell him that the person who gave him nightmares... is no longer with us."
"Yes..." The old butler strode upstairs.
Master Riddle suddenly asked, "Child, since you grew up in an orphanage... then, what is your relationship with this gentleman?"
He was asking about Tom's relationship with Dumbledore.
Dumbledore explained, "I am this child's professor.
Yes... wizards have schools too.
We enroll all children with magical talent and teach them how to use their powers properly without accidentally harming others."
"Is that so..." Master Riddle was clearly very interested in the idea of wizards having schools.
The two old men began chatting, and Master Riddle learned a lot about wizards from Dumbledore.
He also learned that wizards weren't all evil.
They hid in the shadows, primarily to protect themselves from Muggles...and that wizards had their own "government," the Ministry of Magic, to govern them.
So, they didn't need to be overly afraid of them.
Livid looked at Tom, who was still silent and didn't know what he was thinking.
Suddenly, he patted his shoulder and whispered, "Hey, Tom, it seems that this time is much smoother than going to the Gaunt family, isn't it?"
Tom snorted, "Because they are afraid of us, they are naturally willing to talk slowly.
And the Gaunt family... Although my uncle is a waste, he is also a wizard..."
"Isn't that good, Tom?
At least they won't secretly give you a big shot."
Livid smiled.
"But they might also shoot me..."
"Huh?
You found out too?"
"Huh..." Tom snorted coldly and stopped talking.
His mood was complicated and unclear now, and he really didn't feel like continuing to care about Livid.
At this time, the butler walked down quickly and whispered something in Master Riddle's ear.
Master Riddle's face darkened instantly.
"What nonsense is he talking about!
I'll go get him!"
Master Riddle stood up and said to Dumbledore and the others with a hint of apology, "I'm sorry, my son is indeed a little... well, too scared.
I'll talk to him myself."
"Since you don't want to see me, then forget it... This is indeed my mother's fault."
Tom stood up.
After thoroughly understanding his own life, the knot in Tom's heart was finally untied today, especially after reclaiming the title of Slytherin from the Gaunt family.
If his father didn't want to see him, then so be it.
In fact, he didn't really want to see him.
In Tom's view, no matter who was right or wrong, it was all a grudge between generations and had little to do with him.
In fact, this was also due to his changed mindset.
If he still hated Muggles and longed for pure-blood families as before, he would certainly have wiped out the Riddle family.
Only then would no one know that he was a shameful half-blood! How could a descendant of Slytherin be a half-blood?
But now, his cognition has changed.
What does it matter if they are half-blood or pure-blood?
As long as I am strong enough, even the purest pure-blood will have to kneel before me and lick the soles of my shoes!
Didn't my uncle get defeated by me?
It would be more challenging this way!
Yes!
The purest pure-blood is referring to you, Wade!
"Why are you looking at me?"
Li Weide was puzzled by Tom's gaze.
"Nothing... Mr. Riddle, since he doesn't want to see me, then I'll leave.
Don't worry, I won't come back to trouble you.
I'm not that bored yet, so you don't need to live in fear all day long in the future."
Tom said with a grim expression, turned around and wanted to leave.
But Master Riddle quickly walked over and stopped in front of Tom.
He was so agile that he didn't look like an old man.
"Wait a moment... Tom... if I may address you as such," Master Riddle said thoughtfully.
"Let's put aside all past grudges.
If you wish... this, Riddle Manor, is still your home."
Tom looked at Master Riddle in surprise. He didn't quite understand why Master Riddle would say that.
Aren't they afraid of wizards?
Shouldn't they want him to leave quickly and never return?
"I don't want to say anything fancy... Let me be honest with you.
As you can see, my family business is enormous.
And with my son in such a state... I simply can't let him inherit my fortune with peace of mind.
If I die one day, then this family business... I'm afraid it will sooner or later decline in his hands.
Tom, from the moment I saw you, I knew you were far superior to your father.
So, I think..."
"Sorry, I'm not interested," Tom said sternly.
Just now, for a moment, he had thought... But facts are facts.
Who could have any affection for a grandson who suddenly appeared?
Master Riddle had become quite shrewd throughout his life, so one look at Tom's expression told him what he was thinking.
"Perhaps you'll feel uncomfortable hearing what I'm saying... but I simply don't want to lie to you, so I'm telling you the truth.
You can't expect any so-called familial affection from the moment we meet.
Feelings can be cultivated, and I only hope you'll give us a chance to cultivate them."
Levander now understood Master Riddle's approach.
It was simply that his trumpet was ruined, and now that he'd finally discovered he had an excellent trumpet, he naturally had to seize it.
Even if it was a wizard, so what?
After learning a lot about wizards from Dumbledore, Master Riddle was no longer so fearful.
Otherwise, this vast fortune would sooner or later be lost to old Tom.
This was far more terrifying than a wizard...
"Really?"
Tom looked at Master Riddle sharply.
"Don't forget, your son's current condition is all thanks to my mother!"
"Things have already happened and cannot be changed.
We must always move on.
Dwelling on past grudges is sheer folly.
Besides...what business does the past have on you?
Even if I were to blame someone, it's not you."
Master Riddle's eyes, clouded by age, now shone with wisdom.
For the sake of the family's continuation and growth, as long as you were part of the family bloodline, what was wrong with being a wizard?
In fact, before Tom arrived, Master Riddle had been on the verge of despair.
Dumbledore and Rivendell remained silent, simply observing Tom.
Tom, lost in thought,wondered...what would Rivendell do?
It was an assumption he always made when faced with a difficult situation.
After a moment, he looked up and said to Master Riddle, "You said you were rich, right?"
"Very rich!" Master Riddle said proudly.
"Money doesn't really matter.
I just want to experience the true meaning of family," Tom said calmly.
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