In Aaron's office...
Under Aaron's persuasion, Ginny finally told the truth.
At the beginning of the school year, she found a diary in the middle of an old book.
According to Ginny's description, the diary looked like it had gone through some years. It had a tattered black cover and was empty with nothing written on it.
After enrolling in school, Ginny began to try to write down her thoughts in her diary: her old robe, her tattered second-hand textbooks, her embarrassment in her family, and a vague sense of inferiority when she stood among the crowd... …
Many sorrows and worries were recorded in the diary. Ginny revealed the softest part of her emotions to that diary. Suddenly one day, the diary responded to her.
"Hello, who are you?"
Ginny was startled, but she still wrote in her diary like she was possessed:
"I'm Ginny Weasley."
"Hello, I'm Tom Riddle."
In this way, she started communicating with the diary.
The man named Tom is undoubtedly tolerant, kind and considerate. He carefully captures every sensitive emotion of the girl and always responds appropriately.
Ginny told him what she had experienced in school, her joys and sorrows, and even told him the fears and secrets deep in her heart:
For example, the admiration for a certain savior boy, or the inferiority complex of one's own poor family.
Gradually, Ginny began to open her heart to him. She was obsessed with placing all her trust in a diary of unknown origin, like a weak silk thread leaning on a tall tree.
But soon, Ginny discovered that something was wrong. She found that her robe would be inexplicably covered with chicken feathers; she would fall into a trance from time to time, and when she woke up again, she would forget what she had just done.
She began to feel a sense of fear: so Ginny wrote down her worries and fears in her diary, hoping to get some reassurance:
"Dear Tom..."
Strangely, although Tom's comfort eased her anxiety, Ginny found that her sleepwalking-like symptoms were becoming more and more serious.
On Halloween, Ginny finally realized something was wrong. For a period of time before and after the dinner, Ginny seemed to have fallen into a dream. The dream was so hazy that she had no idea what she had done during that time.
After waking up, Ginny found that her body was covered in red paint.
She seemed to understand something, and became even more frightened.
But Ginny cowered and didn't dare to confide in Tom anymore. His comfort was like a glass of sweet poisonous wine, which gradually led to a tragic ending while being satisfied.
Ginny began to doubt the diary.
What really broke her guard was Percy's collapse. Ginny felt terrified at the thought that she might be the murderer.
She almost killed her brother's girlfriend and almost caused him to suffer a lifetime of regret... If this thing came true, maybe Ginny would spend her whole life in a nightmare.
Finally, Ginny made up her mind and threw away the diary.
…
After listening to Ginny's story, Aaron lit the incense - it might make her feel a little better about the pain of telling her secret.
"Professor, I...I beg you to keep this secret for that friend of mine and not to tell it out..."
Ginny said sniffling.
Aaron took out two tissues for her and poured her a cup of steaming tea:
"Come on, drink it, it'll make you feel better."
Aaron looked into Ginny's eyes and said with great solemnity:
"Don't worry, I would like to swear on my personality that this will be a secret between us forever. I will not tell anyone about it, never."
"I...I thank you on behalf of my friend, Professor..."
Ginny still refused to let go.
"Okay, you have said enough today. If you want any comfort: I can tell you clearly——"
Aaron was also amused by the little girl, and he said gently:
"Your friend will not be punished for this. Our magical laws do not consider people guilty of making mistakes when they cannot control themselves. Otherwise, how could so many Death Eaters escape justice in the first place?"
"What you have to do now is not to feel any psychological pressure and go back and have a good sleep. It's best if you can forget about this matter. It's okay if you can't forget it. Let your friends... uh, don't worry?"
"puff!"
Ginny finally laughed out loud. She raised her sleeves to wipe her tears and asked in a still trembling voice:
"Professor, did you really catch the basilisk?"
"Sorry not - don't listen to George and Fred. But I think it's almost there. A twenty-foot-long behemoth. I don't think there are many places in the castle for it to hide..."
"Besides..."
Aaron glanced at the cauldron set up in the office. The originally huge mercury inside had now shrunk into a small ball. It was suspended in mid-air, emitting a slight fluorescence.
"What is that, Professor?" Ginny asked in surprise.
"A little gadget I made." Aaron shrugged: "It should be completed before Christmas. By then we can easily catch the basilisk..."
"Oh!" Ginny was surprised.
"Okay, you should understand now, right?"
Aaron brought the topic back:
"The basilisk will be captured soon, and the antidote to the petrification will be completed. Your friend did not cause any irreparable consequences. In fact, the damage she caused was not as bad as George and Fred."
"So, stop blaming yourself."
"professor……"
Ginny's eyes shone with emotion. She stared into Aaron's eyes and said extremely seriously: "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Fortunately, I'm a living person, and the head I use to think is right in front of you. I'm more or less worthy of your trust."
Aaron said humorously - this successfully made Ginny laugh, and the gloom in her heart also dissipated somewhat.
"Okay, you can go back. We can pretend that today's conversation never happened. Like I said, go back and have a good sleep. Don't think about anything. Just leave the rest to me..."
As he spoke, Aaron took out a glass jar from the drawer, which was filled with sweet sizzling honey candies.
“Oh, I almost forgot—want to bring some candy?”
…
After Ginny left...
Aaron followed her description and went to the bathroom where Ginny had lost her diary. He searched carefully but found nothing.
It seems that someone else picked up the diary...
Aaron stood in front of a stained and cracked mirror, tapping his fingers unconsciously on the edge of the pool.
"A diary that can think for itself, confuse and even control others, and seems to be quite intelligent..."
"The owner of the diary is named Tom Riddle..."
Looking in the mirror, Aaron's face showed a faint smile.
"This is quite interesting..."
