"And that Voldemort fellow, he can hardly be called human anymore. Last time in the Forbidden Forest, he slithered like a snake. I thought he'd taken up yoga."
Grindelwald looked utterly exasperated.
"Andros, I never said Tom, or I, should modify ourselves with Slytherin's methods. It's for the subordinates. Most people don't care about appearances. As long as they become powerful, they couldn't care less whether they look good."
"But I care," Andros said with complete seriousness this time. "Your subordinates are basically Tom's subordinates. When Tom meets them, it's essentially me seeing them too. A whole group looking neither human nor ghost, how can that be anything but villainous?"
Grindelwald fell silent.
He wants to manage even the minions' aesthetic appeal?
He liked beauty too, yes, but he wasn't this obsessive.
The two argued endlessly, neither able to convince the other.
In the end, they had to call in the "judge", Ariana.
Grindelwald was confident; after all his teaching, she understood very well the importance of power.
But the little girl betrayed him instantly.
"No! If the subordinates are that ugly, how is Tom supposed to take them out in public? I don't agree."
When Tom entered, Grindelwald was sprawled on his rocking chair, doubting life itself.
"What's wrong with him?" Tom asked, glancing at the listless Grindelwald.
Ariana explained their argument.
Tom listened, then stared at them in disbelief.
"Are the three of you really this bored? Forget the Dark Magic side effects for now, figure out the viability of the bloodline fusion first."
"Old Gellert, sort out Slytherin's Dark Magic for me. Leave the bloodline experiment concerns aside. I'll hand the inheritance to Nicolas and let him research it."
Grindelwald nodded slightly.
"Finding him is a good idea. That old man's lived far too long."
"So," Grindelwald asked, "you spent the entire afternoon with Dumbledore. What did you two talk about?"
"What else?" Tom shrugged. "He complained that I nearly got Harry killed, said I should've informed him first. When I got annoyed, I just returned the diary to him and asked a few questions about Horcruxes. And then he panicked."
Yes, Dumbledore had never told Tom the diary was a Horcrux.
Probably terrified by Voldemort, he didn't want more people in the world knowing about Horcruxes, even if he trusted Tom.
So when Tom casually mentioned it, Dumbledore immediately forgot his original indignation and switched to worrying about the student's psychological wellbeing.
Grindelwald could perfectly picture that scene, and couldn't help laughing.
"You really know how to strike his weak spot."
"But Tom… this is immortality we're talking about. You didn't even take a look?"
Andros also watched him curiously, waiting for his answer.
Tom shook his head.
"I don't need immortality, but I must master the means to achieve it. That's undeniable. And I don't want the Philosopher's Stone kind of half-alive immortality. I want true agelessness."
"And I'm not even of age yet. There's time."
Tom paused, then laughed.
"Oh, Gellert, did you know? Dumbledore actually agreed to help me research the secrets of bloodline fusion. He even said he'd 'find some appropriate experimental subjects' for me."
Grindelwald's expression shifted.
He knew exactly what "experimental subjects" meant.
But he quickly calmed and spoke with a tone somewhere between sarcasm and admiration:
"Even though he and I parted ways long ago… he's still living by the ideals we once believed in."
Ariana looked confused.
But Andros understood.
For the greater good.
If sacrificing a few damned souls could keep Tom within controllable limits, could prevent him from becoming a second Voldemort, then wasn't it worth it?
….
Monday morning, the young wizards arrived earlier than ever, desperate to hear what Dumbledore had to say today.
So far, the only rumor circulating was that the Basilisk had indeed come from the Chamber of Secrets.
But how the Chamber was opened, and who the Heir of Slytherin was, no one knew.
Harry had been sternly instructed by Tom not to reveal anything that happened inside the Chamber:
Not Voldemort's words, not Ginny's manipulation, nothing.
Absolute silence.
Luckily, Dumbledore didn't leave the students waiting in torment for long.
At 7:30, the doors opened and he strode into the Great Hall.
The clatter of knives and forks went silent.
Hundreds of eyes stared at him in perfect unison.
Dumbledore gave a helpless smile.
"It seems everyone is very concerned about the safety of the school, so I'll say a few words."
A few words?
NOW you want to keep it short?!
Countless students screamed internally.
We want details! Tell us everything!
"The legendary Chamber of Secrets does indeed exist, and it truly is a legacy left behind by Salazar Slytherin," Dumbledore said.
His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried to every corner of the Hall.
Many Muggle-born students turned pale.
"Please do not worry," Dumbledore continued gently.
"The legacy was not, as legend claims, meant to purge students Slytherin considered unworthy. It merely contains knowledge he hoped would not be lost."
"The Basilisk is the guardian of the Chamber. Unfortunately, it was manipulated by someone with ill intent, nearly causing irreversible harm."
He paused, his eyes drifting, almost casually, toward the Slytherin table.
"According to the evidence I've gathered, the incident was triggered because someone brought a dangerous magical object into the school last year."
Malfoy's face turned as white as parchment.