[HP] Similar but different

Although there are not many residents in Little Hangleton, the smell of gingerbread, singing carols and various red, green and gold accessories still make this small village full of festive atmosphere in the days before Christmas.

With such a contrast, the lonely mansion on the hillside looks even more eerie.But if Muggles observe carefully, they will find that there is some light shining through the windows of the second-floor rooms, which are always drawn with thick curtains.

"...Lucius has something to report?" At this time, the person in the painting in the middle of the wall was knocking on the frame impatiently, with disgust on his handsome face. "Didn't they let them bring the news directly to you?"

"Yes," replied Crouch Jr. respectfully, "but Malfoy doesn't seem to think I'm a reliable messenger."

"Unreliable?" The portrait asked sinisterly, "I would like to believe that no one is more unreliable than him."

Crouch Jr. could have taken the opportunity to add insult to injury, but he wisely kept silent.The Dark Lord didn't like people with bad mouths, he knew it all too well.

The portrait looked at the bowing Death Eater for another moment. "No one can ask to see the Dark Lord for no reason," he curled his lips slightly. "I wish Lucius had told you that he had a good reason."

"Malfoy only said that the master ordered it before." Little Crouch replied immediately.

The portrait frowned.Malfoy is so secretive, probably because he is afraid of being robbed of the credit, or the chance of redemption, because... "There is indeed such a thing." He said slowly, thinking of the family boy named Kreacher elf.

Little Crouch was not sure if he could pursue the question, so he continued to remain silent.

"Tell him to wait," the portrait ordered thoughtfully, "just say that the Dark Lord depends on his mood."

"But, master..." Little Crouch hesitated, thinking it was time to ask a question. "You haven't shown up for nearly four months. Some people may suspect that I have done something to make you only listen to my side of the story."

The portrait suddenly sneered.Needless to say, he was a little irritated. "What did they do in the past ten years? Last year, who risked their lives to sneak into Hogwarts to help the Dark Lord get what he wanted? Now, those cowards who are afraid of death dare to doubt Little trust from the Demon King? How dare they?" he demanded, his voice getting shriller.

"Master, calm down." Little Crouch fell to his knees all of a sudden, "It's my incompetence. This subordinate should have taken care of these things for you."

"It has nothing to do with you, Barty, get up." The tone of the portrait returned to cold, but there was still great dissatisfaction in it. "Tell me, who said those words? Malfoy must be one, huh?"

Little Crouch stood up as he said, and hesitated for a while, until he met the portrait's uncompromising eyes. "Yes. Crabbe and Goyle seem to have ignored him. He wants to do something to prove his loyalty to you. I think this eagerness is understandable."

The portrait snorted. "Don't push yourself to put in a good word for him, Barty; you have no idea what a terrible and unforgivable mistake he has committed. The Dark Lord knows exactly what Lucius Malfoy is."

Little Crouch would have liked to hear that, but he tried hard not to look smug. "The others are eager to serve you as soon as possible, and it would be even better to have the honor of kissing your robe, master."

This was said in a tactful and humble manner, and the portrait was barely satisfied. "So you're saying," he snapped at an earlier detail, "that 'some people' only includes Lucius?"

Little Crouch hesitated again. "It's not... I can't confirm it. I boldly implore your wise ruling."

"Say." The portrait ordered simply.

It was only then that Barty Jr. pulled out his lowest suspicion. "Snape didn't make it clear, but he should have the same opinion as Malfoy. In addition, when it comes to your whereabouts, he showed an interest that doesn't fit his role as an agent—I think it's a bit over the top."

The expression is rather cryptic, but the portrait understands the underlying meaning. "Oh, you're far from the only one who suspects Severus." He pondered, "Although I've checked it, I think it won't hurt to check it again?"

The room fell silent.Little Crouch raised his eyes secretly, not surprisingly, he found that the person in the picture frame disappeared again.This had happened a lot over the past few months, and he felt that the other person had probably walked into another frame that could tell the Dark Lord himself, because the portrait usually stayed blank for a while.

This gave him a chance to look around.There was little furniture, and the room was still full of books.Next to the armchair where the Dark Lord often sat, the gilded purple cover of the history of the founding of Yvermony was extremely conspicuous.In the middle of the mantelpiece facing the armchair, there is a transparent sphere filled with hazy smoke.Unlike the crystal ball, which normally refracts light, it is as transparent as a shadow of nothingness.

That night in early September came back to Crouch Jr. again.He looked at the picture frame again—it was still blank—and boldly took two steps closer until he could clearly see the words engraved on the wooden base—

SPTtoA.PWBD

Dark Lord

And Harry Potter

Little Crouch was full of doubts.No matter what key points were captured from the history of the founding of Yves Manny, the Dark Lord was willing to risk exposure and go to the Ministry of Magic to get the prophecy ball after he knew it?Of course, in the end the Dark Lord succeeded - not only using the Order of the Phoenix secretly guarding the Department of Mysteries as scapegoats, but also bringing back a replica - but is this little ball really that important?

Although extremely curious, Crouch Jr. managed to control himself in the end.This proved to be a very smart decision, because as soon as he retreated to his original position, the curtain moved slightly, and a puff of light smoke was rolled in like ink in water.

"...Master!" Little Crouch was so excited that his knees became weak, and he knelt down naturally, "You are back!"

The black smoke quickly condensed into a tall and thin figure, which was Voldemort.He nodded curtly, went straight to the armchair and sat down. "You are here, what's the matter?"

"A little bit." The young man who returned to the frame in an instant answered.He stared at the dusty black-robed wizard for a moment, with a rare look of joy on his face.

Voldemort turned his head and gave the portrait a look to be discussed later. "Tell me, Barty, what's the matter?"

Crouch Jr. quickly repeated Malfoy's wish.

"Oh, so Lucius finally did what I asked him to do five months ago. Amazing productivity, isn't it?" Voldemort sneered, ironically.

At this point in time, Crouch Jr. realized something. "About the house-elves, master?" he asked cautiously.

"About a house-elf at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix," Voldemort assured casually.Originally he wanted Kreacher for the locket Horcruxes, but he didn't have to tell anyone that.

Little Crouch suddenly realized. "Then Malfoy has indeed devoted inestimable loyalty to you this time."

"I'm not as optimistic as you, Barty." Voldemort sneered again, "The Order of the Phoenix is ​​not a fool, and will definitely think of how to prevent leaks."

"Then..." Little Crouch raised his head and looked at Voldemort beseechingly.His Master looked the same as before he left, save for the snake-striped tip peeking out from the cuff... wait, new wand?

"Let Lucius wait for the call," Voldemort made the same decision as the portrait, his expression and tone were very cold, "The Dark Lord has more important matters."

"Obey, master." The loyal Death Eater kowtowed to accept the order, and then left wisely.

There was only one person left in the room.Voldemort drew out the wand that Crouch had glimpsed for a moment, and placed it on the table closest to the candlestick. "Slytherin's wand," he murmured, gazing closely at the snakelike wood grain above it, "snakewood, the horn of the basilisk."

"I saw it." The voice of the portrait is also very soft, but there is no doubt that it is amazed. "It's beautiful. It's worth the work."

"Exactly." Voldemort could not have agreed more. "It's perfect."

This seems to remind the portrait. "What about the yew wand?"

"Before June, I believe it is the most suitable for me." Voldemort said, pulling out the mentioned wand, and placing it side by side with the mulberry wand, "To be honest, I still think it is the most suitable, but ——" His eyes turned cold, "Twin cores will cause big problems. Such as flashback spells, such as..."

"Twin wands working together against the enemy will greatly increase the effectiveness of the spell. It is a conservative guess that it will more than double." The portrait shook his head slightly, "This is good news, but the other one is in the hands of the savior. Couldn't be worse."

Voldemort neither nodded nor shook his head.Power, especially powerful power, has always been what the Dark Lord desires and pursues.If it wasn't for the identity of the savior, or more precisely, if it wasn't for the prophecy that one of them must die, he would have taken the boy to his side without hesitation—

There is no doubt that they will become the overlord of the magic world together, but the prophecy completely eliminates this wonderful ambition.

The four gazes fell on the transparent and almost fragile crystal ball at the same time.After a long silence, Voldemort seemed to have made up his mind.He picked up the mulberry wand and waved it lightly.The history of the founding of the school with the purple gold-plated cover immediately floated into the air, and a long string of flame-like characters quickly floated out from the flipping pages, forming a long, bright scroll.

"...(the fight between the Black Witch Gormlace and the Butt Brothers) the walls cracked and the windows shattered, but Isolt and James slept until the twin daughters upstairs were awakened , screaming out of fear.

"... Chaos and magic could not awaken them, and the daughters' cries of terror succeeded in breaking the curse that Gormlaith Gaunt had cast upon them. Gormlaith Gaunt never considered the possibility, as She never knew the power of love...

"...Isolt tried to help her adopted sons against Gormlaceth, but she found that the serpentine wand she had stolen from Gormueth—her aunt—suddenly turned into a normal Wooden sticks (because Gormles ordered them to sleep in snake language earlier). Gomles felt complacent about this, and pushed Isolt, ChadwickBoot, and WebsterBoot backwards Up the stairs. As she approached the room, she heard the cries of her nieces and granddaughters. Finally, she blasted open the door and saw James standing in front of the cradle, protecting his daughters with a mortal determination..."

Compared with the livid face when he first saw it, now, Voldemort is expressionless.Although he didn't know anything about it before, he did feel familiar with these records; especially the last scene, which made him have to recall the situation where the red-haired woman stood in front of her son's cradle and tried to resist him with her outstretched arms—

They were all failed murders, and the details were surprisingly similar.

Unable to bear it any longer, he exerted a little more force on his wand.The flame text rotates and shrinks like a vortex, until golden light bursts out on the tip of the staff.For a moment, the room was dazzlingly nearly completely white, and then slowly returned to its original state.

What has been, will be again;

What has been done will be done again;

There is nothing new under the sun.

The author has something to say:

Note 1: The contents of the book were self-translated from Pottermore, with minor embellishments.

Note 2: The last sentence is quoted from "Old Testament Ecclesiastes".